River Island

Three

Thalia

Green. That's the first thing I noticed about him. His eyes. They were a sinful inhuman green. Two emerald pools staring at me like I was his latest prey. And that's exactly what I was, prey. I didn't know where he came from. And for that fleeting moment I didn't care. One thing I hated was feeling scared, feeling inferior. I let my instincts take over when he cornered me. I surprised both of us when I grabbed the knife in my pocket. I didn't think. I honestly felt like I was a passenger in my own body and someone else had the reigns.

I managed to scratch his cheek before he disarmed me and had me pinned to the cave wall. He swiped his cheek as the cut closed itself and let out a low chuckle. Wiping the drop of golden blood on his black shirt he tightened his hold on my neck.

"If I wasn't completely turned on by the fact that you drew blood from me I would snap your neck right now." He said not letting go of me. "Nice knife. You have no idea what it's made of do you?"

"Let go of me." I chocked out struggling.

"If I do that, you'll either run or fight me. I'm not sure which one I'll enjoy more." He smirked.

"f**k you."

"That can be arranged." He chuckled. I lifted my leg to knee him but he stopped it. "I wouldn't do that if I were you princess."

"Who the hell are you?" I asked again.

"Put her down Jasper." A voice behind him spoke. He sighed but made no move to let go of me.

Peering over his shoulder I found myself looking at two girls maybe around my age. One of them was in flowy white dress. Flowers in her chocolate brown hair. The other was dressed in, Greek battle armor? She had a bronze sword in her left hand and looked just about ready to kill green eyes.

"Put the toothpick down Amelia." Green eyes said glancing behind him.

"Let go of her Deimos." Amelia said.

"In which universe do you have the rank or permission to call me that?" He hissed dropping me and walking towards her. The girl in white stepped in his way and put her hands on his chest.

"Calm down Jasper." She pleaded.

"Get her away from me before I separate her head from her body. Know your place." Jasper, I'm guessing is his name, said glaring at Amelia.

"That was a mistake on her part. It won't happen again."

"Okay who the hell are you people?" I asked getting there attention. Amelia's friend took a step forward and I immediately clenched my fists.

"I'm not going to hurt you Thalia." She said softly taking in my rigid stance.

"I'm probably going to hurt you if you don't stop right there and tell me who you people are." I said.

"How about we go down to the beach and we'll tell you everything there?" she asked.

"Start walking."

..............

I stood by the wall of Peyton's hut refusing to go anywhere near them. Peyton was sitting on the ground next to Amelia and Allison, I got her name from earlier, and Jasper was further down the beach looking out towards the ocean. I had a million questions. My mind trying to think of a possible explanation for who they were and how they got here.

"Are you going to tell us who you are now?" Peyton asked no one in particular. Amelia looked at me.

"How well do you know Greek mythology?" Amelia asked.

"Excellent intro Amelia." Jasper called out. How could he hear us from where he was?

"Would you like to tell it your highness?" She asked through clenched teeth.

"I would actually." He said approaching us.

"What about Greek mythology?" I asked.

"Two centuries ago the Oracle of Delphi announced another one of her super important prophecies. The almighty god of war Ares and his mistress Aphrodite were gonna have a baby. And she was gonna take over the throne of the Underworld in glorious darkness. Said to be the next heir. Ares and Aphrodite have had a bunch of kids, seven if I remember right since the last time I was on Olympus, but this one was gonna be their most powerful. A new goddess, set to change everything.

For two hundred years we waited. And just as we started loosing hope of this miracle baby arriving she came. Knowing she would be in danger if kept amongst the selfish brutal gods of Olympus, Ares hid his child on earth. But even then she wasn't safe. Because she was seen as a threat to the current ruler of the Underworld, well his wife at least. So she was hidden away on an island, one that couldn't be found. One she couldn't leave.

The plane crash wasn't an accident. Ares wanted you to be somewhere safe by the time the prophecy got fulfilled or at least until we decided it was time you knew the truth. Plus the fact that Persephone is hunting you down kind of made us do it now."

"Are you telling me my parent's death wasn't an accident?" Peyton whispered.

"They weren't supposed to die." Amelia whispered. "That was...."

"Do you people honestly think we're that stupid?" I asked interrupting Allison "Peyton is supposed to be some goddess destined to rule hell?"

"How is your first assumption that it's me and not you?" Peyton asked me.

"I don't see myself ruling the underworld." I said challengingly.

"Really because I can see it perfectly." Peyton said.

"Thalia you're the one we're talking about." Amelia said.

"Me?" I scoffed.

"Is that so hard to believe?" Allison asked.

"Look Peyton, their plane or whatever they came with probably left them stranded on the ocean and all the heat and salt water is making them delusional. There are no gods, no prophecies or any of that sort." I said. "This isn't some Percy Jackson book."

"Of course not. Percy is a demi god you're an actual goddess." Jasper said.

"You said is like he's real." I scoffed rolling my eyes. Jasper smirked but didn't say anything. "I'm going to get some air away from all of you."

I ignored the way my brain was telling me they were telling the truth as I walked away. There was no such thing as Greek gods, despite the fact that Jasper resembled one, that was all folklore. They probably weren't even real. I had obviously finally gone crazy and was imagining people.

Peyton saw them too.

Peyton has always been a lunatic.

How did Jasper heal so quickly? Why was Amelia in battle armour? Why was Allison glowing like a freaking angel?

All part of your crazy imagination. Look at me, I was arguing with myself. I really have gone crazy haven't I? It was bound to happen sooner or later.

I sat on a fallen tree trunk just by the tree line and sighed.

"Well that could have gone a whole lot better." A voice said behind me. I turned my head and watched as Jasper sat next to me.

"What do you want?" I asked looking back at the waves crashing down onto the white sandy beach.

"Look I'm not the bad guy here." He said making me scoff loudly. "Okay so maybe I am the bad guy. But I'm not going to kill you."

"It doesn't matter what you say. You aren't real."

"You really don't believe any of this?"

"Nope." I say stretching. "This is just what happens when you're dehydrated. Your brain creates makes you delusional. You start seeing things right before you die of thirst."

"So what I'm hearing is you fantasise about me?" He said smirking.

"How is that the only thing you got from what I just said?" I asked raising an eyebrow.

"Come on you know I'm irresistible."

"No you aren't." I lied.

Don't feed his already large ego Thalia that's what he wants.

"So you're telling me that you don't think I'm attractive?" He asked amused.

"Not at all."

You're super attractive. Ugh shut up Thalia.

He chuckled lowly and I felt my heart melt. God he had a sexy laugh. Who am I kidding he had a sexy everything. Part of me was actually hoping he wasn't just a mirage and was actually real. He looked at me intensely with his sinfully green eyes and I felt my heart stop. It felt like he was gazing right into my soul.

"You're a horrible lair Thalia Rivers. But right now I'm supposed to be convincing you that I am in fact real. And that everything we told you is too." He said getting up.

"And how do you intend on doing that?" I asked.

"Easy. Take my hand." He said outstretching his hand. I looked at it for a minute then stood up and took it.

What's the worst that could happen?

The second my hand touched his I felt the ground beneath me shift. I shut my eyes instinctively gripping tightly onto his hand until the swishing stopped. I heard the distinct sound of the waterfall and opened my eyes slowly. A gasp slipped out of me as I took in what I was seeing. We were standing on a rock at the top of the waterfall overlooking part of the island.

"H-How?" I managed to ask slightly out of breathe. Jasper moved himself behind me put his hands on my waist. My back pressed against his chest.

"Trust me?" He whispered in my ear sending chills down my spine.

Yes.

"No" I answered. He chuckled softly and I felt it rumble through his chest.

"Wise choice." He said before pushing us off the edge. I could have screamed if my brain had worked fast enough to realize what was happening. I closed my eyes waiting for impact but it never came

We didn't even hit the water. The moment I opened my eyes I was back on the beach Peyton by my side trying to calm my breathing. My ears seemed to pop at that moment and I heard Amelia and Allison yelling at Jasper.

"Are you crazy?" Amelia yelled.

"What did you do to her?" Allison asked through clenched teeth.

"Shhhh." Jasper said waving them off and kneeling next to me.

"Jasper.."

"Shut up Lia." He said. "Thalia?"

I could hear laughing and it took me a minute to realise it was coming from me. A sudden sense of relief washed over me and I let out a deep breath.

"You broke her." Amelia hissed.

"I'm not crazy." I whispered. "I'm not crazy."

"Not completely sweetheart." Jasper said amused.

"Thalia are you okay?" Peyton asked.

"God...I knew I was special but a goddess." I said letting everything sink in.

"And she's back." Peyton said walking away.

"You're welcome." Jasper said smugly.

"Why exactly are you here?" I asked Amelia.

"I'm a general in Ares' army, I'm here for your protection. Allison is one of your mother's maidens, right now she's yours." Amelia said. Peyton scoff.

"You were sent to protect a mini terrorist." She said. "You should have been protecting the rest of us from her."

"I'm not a mini terrorist." I said glaring at her.

"Right. You're fully grown now." Peyton said. "You're basically Hitler's bodyguards."

"You're just jealous you're not as important as me." I retorted.

"You have people trying to kill you." She said. "No ones trying to kill me"

"I wouldn't be too sure about that." I said getting up.

"As much as I would love to watch a good cat fight. You guys do realise you have minimal time before my mother finds you and comes after you right?" Jasper said.

"Jasper's right. Persephone just returned to the underworld. Once winters over she'll come after you." Amelia said.

"She won't be the only one." Jasper said. "Once she realises I'm not going back she'll send more people after you."

"And why aren't you going back?" I asked him.

"Well hell is a little boring. Besides why would I want to leave when I get to watch your little waterfall show everyday?" He said smirking.

God I was in trouble.