Mashup

CHAPTER 1 | NANTUCKET

It was another heat ridden day on Nantucket, the small outcrop of rock that Helen lived on. What made it worse was training in this heat Helen thought to herself. It wasn't fair, but unfortunately necessary. I'd gotten rid of Zeus months ago and Hector thought it would be a good idea to pick up the myrmidon training where we left off. 

“ C’mon Helen, I’m a big boy, i can take it… ooof”

Whoops. “Sorry Hector” I wince as I help him to his feet. A feat that wouldn't be possible if i didn't have Scion strength. He was built like a house, a true Apollo.

“It was just a tickle that's all” I could see him lying through his teeth. “f**k sake Helen, you know when you made us almost immortal, couldnt you have taken the pain out of it too?”

“Now where's the fun in that” I laugh. “Actually, why am I even training? I’m immortal. I can't believe it's taken me this long to realise that” 

“Yeah but the mortals around you aren't immortal Helen!”

“So I’ll zap the threat with my lightning, send them to Tartarus or drop them from the sky. I’ll even let them choose” I say leaving no room for argument. “So what's the real reason for you wanting to ‘train me’” 

The answer to that became apparent when I felt the air change behind me. Lucas. I kept my back to him, and lifted an eyebrow to Hector. I'll show him what I can do to a threat I think wickedly. Smiling I shoot up into the air and rain lightning down in a circle around Luc. It churns the training sand and melts it to form an orange glass. Quickly using the ground and the air, I guide the still molten glass up and make a dome encompassing him. It's only when the smoke and dust lift that the boys can see what I've done. 

I slowly drift back to the ground, standing right infront of the dome. Gently, I press my hand against the glass and send a small bolt of lightning straight into the glass, lighting it up. I then took some of what I gained from Orion and sent a tremor through the glass shattering it. For good measure, I take the power Lucas gave me to lift some water from the sea. I carry it carefully before dropping it on his head, showering him with the salty freshness.

“What in Olympuses name was that for!?” Lucas shouted, dripping wet as he stepped out of the shattered glass dome. I shrug “Myrmidon training” before me and Hector bursts out laughing.

“We’ll I’m glad you think It’s funny Helen” Lucas smiles before quickly running to me and giving me a huge hug. The water quickly soaks my training clothes as I wriggle, trying to get out of his grasp. This would have sent me into a panic before the blood merge but now I find myself accepting the sea a lot more. I turn in his arms and wrap my hands in his soaked ebony hair. “I was just explaining to Hector that I don't need to do anymore training, Im immortal” 

“Yeah but what about…”

“ Then I’ll zap them, send them to Tartarus or kill them in one of the gazillion other ways I know how to, just like I told Hector. So” I say, getting back on track “why did you want him to distract me then” I say to Lucas, my hazel eyes meeting his crystal blues.

“That is for me to know and you to find out” he counters. Damn this man. I smile “When?” 

“Tonight. Could you do me a favour though? Let Ariadne help you get ready? She's only just started to get to grips with life without Matt and maybe a bit of bonding between the two of you might help”

I had missed Ariadne, she was like a sister to me when the Delos family first took me in. It had been heartbreaking when we lost Matt and it had taken a large toll on her. 

“Of course! I'll even get giggles round to help too, if she's not already here” I roll my eyes and smile. Caire had been almost inseparable from Jason these past few weeks but who was I to judge. Lucas has barely been out of my sight since the battle.

 I’m pulled out of my thoughts by Lucas trailing kisses down my neck. I hum in appreciation and pull his head up so I can kiss him. 

“Mmh, you better go and get ready” he says, breaking the kiss. “I’ve still got preparations to make” I pause. “You said tonight?” 

“Yes I did, Don't worry. Ariadne knows exactly what to do” he smiled mischievously before letting me go and soaring into the air. I sigh and start pacing as I pull out my phone. “ Giggles, where are you?”

“I’m at the compound with Jason, why what's up Len?

“Lucas has got a surprise for me and only Ariadne knows the dress code. I thought that you could help me get ready?”

“Oh my god Lennie! Yes!”

“I’m just coming up from the training ground. Meet me in my room in 5?” I say as I step into the air.

“I’ll be there” she calls before hanging up. I let the rest of the gravity go and leap into the air, aiming for the window to my bedroom at the compound. As I fly in, I bump straight to Ariadne looking through my closet. We both end up tangled and laughing on the floor “I knew you were clumsy, but this takes it to another level Helen” she says as she starts to untangle our long legs. Just as we were standing up, Claire comes in and trips over, landing on us and putting us back to square one. “At this rate, Luc will never get to take you out tonight” Ariadne scoffs before slapping her hand across her mouth “ whoops”

“WHAT!!” Giggles screams in my ear. 

“Ouch gig. You know everyone in this house has super strength hearing right? That was like a cat being sat on” I wince.

“Oh my god Lennie! He's taking you out!” she whispered excitedly “I wonder where he's gonna take you”

“Well i guess she'll find out when she gets there” Ariadne interjects smoothly. “First things on the list is an outfit” she says, pulling herself up and heading for the door. 

“Don't we need my clothes for that?” I asked puzzled.

“Oh honey, Your gonna need my wardrobe for what he's got planned tonight” she winked before dragging me and Claire down the corridor behind her.

As we walked into Ariadne's bedroom, I could see she’d been sorting through clothes. Presumably to pick out the best outfit for me tonight. She looked at me before sending me to her en suite shower. As I was leaving I saw the two of them diving into the pile of clothes on her king sized bed. I quickly stripped and hopped under the hot spray letting it wash the grime from training away. I replaced it with a mango scented body wash that smells divine and a matching shampoo. Lastly I conditioned my wave of blonde hair. It took so long and for the millionth time I thought about cutting it short. It would have to wait. I turned off the shower and towelled off before stepping into the underwear Ari had set out for me and a robe. Damp hair fell around my shoulders, slightly dripping onto the tiles as I walked back into the bedroom. I sat down on the edge of the bed and we picked through the hundreds of options. Every suggestion I made was quickly shot down by both Claire and Ariadne. I was happy that they had such high standards but I just wanted something to wear. I swept my eyes around the room, not much had changed since I was last here. In fact, the only difference I could see, despite the bed, was that it was 100% cleaner. Grief does funny things to people. I thought, dropping my gaze back to the bed. 

Oh my god. How have I not seen that dress before! Claire's pile of clothes had slid to the side, revealing the most beautiful cobalt blue I’d ever seen. Standing, I pulled the dress out and tried it on before looking in the mirror. The lace hem stopped just above my knees and sat off my shoulder with a gorgeous, plunging, sweetheart lace neckline. The back was completely exposed revealing my lightly tanned back and it hugged my curves and sat close to my skin. I loved it.

I was that busy admiring the dress, I didnt even realise that Ariadne and Claire had stopped swimming through clothes to look at my find.

“It fits you perfectly” Ariadne whispers, tears welling in her eyes. I spin around and pull her into a tight hug. “ThankYou so much for helping Ari” I say into her hair before Claire joins in the hug too. We must have stood there for at least 5 minutes just hugging and passing on strength to each other before Ari snapped us out of it. “Right shall we do hair or makeup next” she said, wiping remnants of tears from her eye. 

“Hair” me and giggles say at the same time making all three of us laugh. Ariadne sat me down in front of her dressing table and plugged her curler in as Gig started to blow dry my hair. I watched as the almost brown hair around my shoulders lighten as it dried into my usual bright blonde shade. Claire didn't even have time to turn the hairdryer off before Ari was in, carefully curling my blonde locks. Gig took this opportunity to rifle through Ariadne's shoe collection, pulling out some small blue suede heels “these should do” she said before placing them on my feet. Ari must have been planning this for a while because they were perfectly my size. I was going to look amazing if my best friends carried on like this.