Chapter 52 - Aphrodite Is Dangerous.

Kurayami was just napping, but he opened one of his eyes to look down the road. He felt two divinities driving toward them and while he knew Ares from anywhere, the other reminded him of roses. beautiful, but full of thorns. They were hit with a blazing light from down the road. The headlights of a car appeared out of nowhere.

Percy was half hoping it was Apollo, come to give them a ride, but the engine was way too silent for the sun chariot, and besides, it was nighttime. They grabbed their sleeping bags and got out of the way as a deathly white limousine slid to a stop in front of them. Kurayami knew what Ares was going to do and said nothing. His pets recognized Ares and ignored him.

They went back to just sleeping. The back door of the limo opened right next to Percy, before he could step away, the point of a sword touched his throat. He heard the sound of Zoe and Bianca drawing their bows. As the owner of the sword got out of the car, Percy moved back very slowly.. He had to because Ares was pushing the point under his chin.

"Hey, Ares." Kurayami waved and Ares smirked.

"Kurayami, I see you're in good health. Heard you and dad have agreed to have an official peace treaty and alliance." Percy gulped and looked at Kurayami.

"You two friends." Ares and Kurayami looked at each other and nodded.

"I guess you can say that." Ares smiled cruelly. "As for you, not so cool are you, punk?"

Ares was a big man with a crew cut, a black leather biker's jacket, black jeans, a white muscle shirt, and combat boots. Wrap around shades hid his eyes, but he didn't have eyes. Just hollow sockets filled with flames.

"Ares," growled. Percy. The war god glanced at the entire group and smirked.

"At ease, people." He snapped his fingers, and their weapons fell to the ground except for Kurayami who blades stayed in his coat.

"This is a friendly meeting." He dug the point of his blade a little farther under Percy's chin. "Of course I'd like to take Percy's head for a trophy, but I never behead my enemies in front of a lady."

"What lady?" Thalia asked. Ares looked over at her.

"Well, well. I heard you were back."

He lowered his sword and pushed Percy away. He approached Kurayami and they shook hands and they both began to have feral snarls while crushing each other's hands. The ground under them cracked and their auras began to clash causing everyone to collapse to the ground as it was too much. Ares has covered in a golden-red aura while Kurayami's was dark purple.

Both men froze when they heard the voice that came from the car.

"Boys. Is it time for that?" Ares took his hand back.

"No, mistress." He took a deep breath and Ares and Kurayami noticed that Percy and Grover had eyes that were close to love.

"Thalia, daughter of Zeus," Ares mused while rubbing his hand "You're should not hang with Percy, Kurayami on the other hand."

"What's your business, Ares?" she said. "Who's in the car?"

Ares smiled, enjoying the attention. "Oh, I doubt she wants to meet the rest of you. Particularly not them." He jutted his chin toward Zoe and Bianca. "Why don't you all go get some tacos while you wait? Only take Kurayami and Percy a few minutes."

Zoe was confused. "Why does thee want them? We will not leave them alone with thee, Lord Ares,"

"Besides," Grover managed, "the taco place is closed." Ares snapped his fingers again. The lights inside the taqueria suddenly blazed to life. The boards flew off the door and the CLOSED sign flipped to OPEN.

"You were saying, goat boy?" Kurayami nodded.

"I am interested and I will go. What about you Percy?" Percy nodded.

"I will go. We will be fine." Percy was trying to sound like he was confident, but unlike Ares and Kurayami he nearly passed out when he heard the woman speak.

Ares looked at them while smoking Percy. "You heard the child. He will be fine as he is a grown-up." Kurayami shook his head.

"He is barely 14." Ares looked at him as they were the same height.

"Your one to talk. Just look at you. 15 and look like an adult." Kurayami shrugged.

"Runs in the family." The rest of the group reluctantly headed over to the taco restaurant. Ares regarded Percy with loathing, then opened the limousine door like a chauffeur.

"Get inside, punk, and mind your manners. She's not as forgiving of rudeness as I am. Kurayami I need not tell you anything."

When Kurayami saw her, his jaw dropped. He forgot my name. He forgot where he was. He forgot how to speak in complete sentences. However, he punched himself with enough force to snap pop a head like a watermelon.

She was wearing a red satin dress and her hair was curled in a cascade of ringlets. Her face was the most beautiful I'd ever seen: perfect makeup, dazzling eyes, a smile that would've lit up the dark side of the moon. She was hard to describe as even what color her hair or her eyes were. Pick the most beautiful actress you can think of. The goddess was ten times more beautiful than that. Pick your favorite hair color, eye color, whatever. The goddess had that.

When she smiled at them, just for a moment she looked a little like Raynare. She started to look like the rest of his girls and for Percy, it looked like Annabeth. Little did he know she would never love him back.

"Ah, there you are, Percy Kuraymi, I am Aphrodite."

They both sat into the seats across from her and Percy could barely get words out. said "Um uh gah." She smiled. That smile could cause wars and not in a figurative way. Kurayami suspected wars were fought over that smile in the past.

"Aren't you sweet? Hold this, please." She handed Percy a polished mirror the size of a dinner plate and had me hold it up for her. She leaned forward and dabbed at her lipstick, though they couldn't see anything wrong with it. She looked fine the way she was.

"I see Kurayami that you snapped out of it in quite a brutish way. Wouldn't want to destroy that handsome face now, would you? Anyway do you two know why you're here?" she asked and Kurayami nodded.

"I guess you want to tell us about Artemis or what the beast is. Although I don't think Percy can form any word." Percy wanted to respond. Percy pinched his own arm to get focused.

"I… I don't know," He managed to say. Even though it seemed he would sooner fall in love.

"Oh, dear, Still in denial? I thought having Kurayami around would rattle your brain?" Outside the car, Percy could hear Ares chuckling. He had a feeling he could hear every word they said. The idea of him being out there made him angry, and that helped clear his. mind.

"I don't know what you're talking about," said Percy.

She smiled and asked. "Well then, why are you on this quest?" Kurayami gave his reason and it didn't really make her happy.

"Two things for me. I am out to save Artemis and get Ladon. Preferably Ladon as he matters more to me than saving her." Percy was shocked getting a dragon mattered more to him than saving someone. Goddess or not.

Percy shook his head. "Artemis has been captured! Aphrodite rolled her eyes.

"Oh, Artemis. Please. Talk about a hopeless case. I mean, if they were going to kidnap a goddess, she should be breathtakingly beautiful, don't you think? I pity the poor dears who have to imprison Artemis. Bo-ring!"

"But she was chasing a monster," Percy protested. "A really, really bad monster. We have to find it!" Aphrodite made him hold the mirror a little higher. She seemed to have found a microscopic problem at the corner of her eye and dabbed at her mascara.

"Always some monster. But my dear Percy, Kurayami. That is why the others are on this quest. I'm more interested in you two." She looked right at Kurayami with eyes full of interest. To him, her eyes looked like the most gorgeous violet eyes. It made Raynare and Akeno's go to shame. He hoped they never learned he thought that.

She smiled at him."Let's keep that a secret between us. They have some nice eyes but seems I win. You are the closest one in years to gain even a bit of interest from Artemis. Yet you are not seeking her heart and rather get a big scally lizard." She frowned and Kurayami looked offended.

"Hey, show some respect. That is a dragon your talking about. Evil or not they deserve their due as the strongest race." She sighed as he was obsessed with dragons.

"If you want a dragon just go get Tiamat's heart. Just beat her and I'm sure you will get a better dragon than poison breath. Anyway am very interested in you I saw you had gotten the hearts of many girls and a few in development and saw you had a chance to show Artemis love." Kurayami shrugged.

"I mean does she have any interest in me? I highly doubt she has any interest in breaking her oath of virginity or marriage." Aphrodite smiled and made a tisk, tisk sound. Her next words shook him to his core.

"Oh please, she is so old and people change. Just look at that old man Azrael. He made the same oath and he fell in love. His wife was unique and full of kindness. She somehow managed to warm his cold heart. I want Artemis to feel the same."

Kurayami was doubtful. "Do you really care about her heat or will you get stronger when strong beings break their oaths not to fall in love?" She shook her head and smiled.

"I got no interest in getting stronger. Love is everywhere and I have no need to cause more of it. Now Percy why are you here? Why were you so adamant about going on this quest?"

Percy shook and put down the mirror. "I wanted to watch out for Annabeth." Aphrodite beamed.

"Exactly!" Percy blushed in shame and Kurayami felt his killing intent rise. Percy shook and the area around the car began to get full of slashes while Percy shivered in fear. Aphrodite shook her head as he had no hope.

"Percy ignore the god killer. I'm on your side. I'm the reason you're here, after all."

Percy stared at her in surprise and barely got the words out."What?"

"The poisoned T-shirt the Stoll brothers gave Phoebe," she said. "Did you think that was an accident? Sending Blackjack to find you? Helping you sneak out of the camp? Anyway as sad as it is that girl has zero interest. It's more likely that she will end up joining Kurayami's harem than date you, but love is an evil mistress. In all its forms." She smiled.

Percy just about collapsed and looked over and Kurayami and saw that he just couldn't compare. Kurayami was taller, stronger, had two Longinus, was respected by the gods, and had the right mindset. Even his looks were to be admired.

Percy slumped and looked ready to cry. "You did that? If she won't even look at me why help me at all. Seems he has his eye on her." She just smiled.

"Love as I said can be evil or precious. Plus how boring these Hunters. are! A quest for some monster, blah blah blah. Saving Artemis. Let her stay lost. Getting a dragon is even dumber I say. But a quest for true love— a chance to steal her from the clutches of Kurayami."

Kurayami glared at both of them. "You know I am right here right?" She nodded.

"I know, but if you don't push for her she will not fall for you. Although you see her more as a little sister, but with the right push that can be changed."

Kurayami sighed while Shin shook his head at her. Poor guy was even getting bored with her. "So is that it." She shook her head.

"No. If you can get Artemis to consider you or even getting her heart I will give you my blessing, Ares as well." Kurayami just sighed.

"Why do you want Artemis to break her oath? While she dislikes men she does not show it on her sleeve. To me it does not seem she is hurting anyone, so why try to mess with her?" Aphrodite smiled.

"I am a goddess of love. She rejects love and rejects me. What other reason is there to get her to fall in love?" Kurayami slammed his foot down denting the floor. "I will not help you. If I wanted your or Ares's blessing I could have asked him long ago. I just don't need it."

Ares had even offered it before, but Kurayami got his respect by denying it. They spared all the time and what better way to make a friend when your battle junkies. Kurayami stood up and began to leave.

"I have no interest, Aphrodite. While I am interested in Artemis I shall take my time. Why mess that up by forcing the issue?" He left and Aphrodite smiled.

"Good luck. Let us hope for success with Artemis. Now Percy let us talk for a while longer." She smiled and Percy gulped as he was left alone with her. As for Kurayami he just sat outside with Ares talking about weapons, war, and their spars.