Fear In The Dark

For Sophia and  Lydia di Angelo. Daughters of Nico and an unknown demigoddess. He told them their mother died many years ago, before they can remember. But is there more? TATN / Thalia! 08:03, February 10, 2010 (UTC)

Chapter One.
As we walked passed the cemetery, I couldn't help but wonder if our mother's remains rotted away six feet underneath my sapphire heel-sandals. It was a humid summer day, the sun shining over us, baking our skin. I smiled toward the sun, letting it melt away the thoughts of my mother.

Our father had always told us that she died shortly after Lydia's birth. I highly doubted that, because I was three years old, and I remember being at home when my father brought Lydia. I sighed and continued thinking more pleasant thoughts.

"Sophia!" Lydia shook my shoulder. I let her act childish often. She was still eleven. "Do you have some money for ice-cream or some soda?"

"Yeah. I brought twenty dollars. Well, twenty-one." I replied, rattling through my purse.

"Cool! We can even get something to snack on!"

"Yeah sure, kiddo. You can get whatever your heart desires as long as it's ten dollars maximum!"

"Yes, ma'am!"

We went into the corner store and browsed at the snacks and junk food. It all looked so delicious. I got an ice-cream sandwich, bottle of Coke, and cheddar sun-chips. Lydia pigged out on chocolate bars and chips and gummies. She took a sip of my Coke every once in a while. When we got back home, dad was arguing with someone in the kitchen.

I pulled the chip bag away from my mouth and licked my fingers. I washed my hands and went to investigate what was happening with dad. He was whispering angrily back and forth with a woman who looked a bit older than him. Her hair was curly and blonde and her eyes were storm-grey. She looked like a model.

"Dad?" I knocked on the door frame. "Knock, knock. We're home."

Dad sighed wearily. "Go to your room please, Sophia."

"I was gonna go buy some more make-up."

"I can't give you your allowance."

"Why not? I seriously need new mascara, foundation, and lip-gloss! Lydia's stealing it!"

"We're nearly broke, Soph."

"Fine." On that happy note, I trudged out.

I stomped into my shared room and flopped down on my bed. Lydia and I had to share a room in order to well, have a room. It was annoying to say the least. Especially when she kept asking me about boys and make-up and stuff. I wanted to take her head off sometimes.

Looking at my sister's reflection in our floor-length mirror, I realized she had the same eyes as that woman. We were sisters, totally. Our dad had even shown us DNA test results. Our mother must've been a daughter of the same god or goddess. I can just tell when a demigod is in the room.

There was some yelling in the kitchen. It was one door down so I could hear them clearly.

"Nico! I don't want children." The woman shouted.

"So you're just leaving us to rot?" Dad demanded. "At least send a f*cking child support cheque!"

"Ghost King..." The woman lowered her voice. "I still love you."

"Prove it."

"I don't know how."

"Stay!"

"I can't! I'm remarried. But very unhappily."

"Please. Send some money."

"You know I would. But... Percy... He would find out. I'd be busted."

"But I still love you Annabeth."

"I do too. But please. We must keep this affair a secret. Never tell anyone who their mother is."

My heart skipped a beat and my breath caught in my throat. Was Annabeth our mother?

Chapter Two.
At dinner, we were all silent. Lydia and dad tried to make small talk but I was busy worrying about how I'd ask my dad. Would I come at it from an implying tactic? Or would I just be blatant and ask. If the answer was yes, I don't think I'd know how to react. I was totally ambivalent towards Annabeth.

I mean, seriously. Have you been raised by a seriously messed up guy? With no mother? I thought not. I felt both positive and negative feelings towards her. She'd never visited in the last eleven years? How cliche is that? But then again, I was excited that I may have finally found my mother.

"Dad?" I asked, way out of the blue. "I heard you and Annabeth fighting earlier. What was that about?"

"N-nothing..." Dad stammered.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah."

"Seriously. Is she our mother?"

Lydia nearly dropped her forkful of gravy-bathed roast beef. I stared at my father and fought the urge to scream. He looked at me for a second then over at Lydia. He stared into her eyes as she gaped at me. His eyes got all shifty and I was starting to worry.

"Pardon me, what?" Dad asked after coughing.

"Is Annabeth Lydia and I's mother?"

"You want the truth? You're never allowed to tell a soul."

"Of course we want the truth!"

Then, the front door flung open and a blonde haired man charged in. He held a sword that was half steel half Celestial bronze. I screamed and ran to grab the steak knife. The man appeared in front of me, grinning maliciously. I gasped and turned to run but he caught me.

"Hello darling." He growled. "I'm Luke."

"Luke!" Dad screamed. "Get out!"

My father brandished his Stygian iron sword and swung it, barely missing Luke. I screamed. Luke held his sword to dad's throat.

"You know," Luke muttered. "I love deals. Let's make a deal. Your daughter's virginity for your safety. Any agreement here?"

"You sick bastard!" Dad screamed.

"Dad!" I interrupted. "L-let it happen. I don't want you to get hurt."

Lydia was cowering in the corner. She made Bambi eyes at me. I nodded and let Luke pull me away to the nearest bedroom. Afterwards, I was sore. Luke got off me, shaking. I was broken and naked. I wanted to be clothed again. To feel.

I slowly crawled out of the bed and put my clothes on. I could feel bruises forming in places I never thought I'd get a bruise. True, I had been forced to rock my hips with him but it wasn't that pleasuring. More painful.

For the next hour I bathed and showered. I was trying to wash the memories away. Nothing was helping. I felt terrible. I slept for a long time, somehow knowing that Luke was still savouring me.