Reyna looked at her forearm. "Of course. It seems so long ago. I suppose you wouldn't recall me even if you had your memory. I was just a little girl—one attendant among so many at the spa. But you spoke with my sister, just before you and that other one, Annabeth, destroyed our home."
"Annabeth?" Percy asked, the name echoing faintly in the recesses of his muddled memory. It stirred something familiar, just out of reach—like a word balanced on the tip of his tongue. He couldn't place it. A relative, perhaps? A close friend? A girlfriend?
Reyna raised her eyebrow, like she was studying him. Her knife danced between her fingers. "Yes, I was the attendant that had helped her with her hair. She ended up being the one who had saved you."
Percy tried to remember. He really did. For some reason, this Annabeth individual and he had visited a spa and decided to destroy it. He couldn't imagine why. Maybe they hadn't liked the deep-tissue massage? Maybe they'd gotten bad manicures? And what did she mean by "saved you?"
"It's a blank," he said. "Since your dogs aren't attacking me, I hope you'll believe me. I'm telling the truth."
Reyna tapped the silver ring. "I believe you're sincere," she said. "But not everyone at camp does. Octavian thinks you're a spy. He thinks you were sent here by Gaea to find our weaknesses and distract us. He believes the old legends about the Greeks."
"Old legends?"
"Some believe Greek demigods still exist," she said, "heroes who follow the older forms of the gods. There are legends of battles between Roman and Greek heroes in relatively modern times—the American Civil War, for instance. I have no proof of this, and if our Lares know anything, they refuse to say. But Octavian believes the Greeks are still around, plotting our downfall, working with the forces of Gaea. He thinks you are one of them."
"Is that what you believe?" "I believe you came from somewhere," she said. "You're important, and dangerous. Two gods have taken a special interest in you since you arrived, so I can't believe you'd work against Olympus…or Rome." She shrugged. "Of course, I could be wrong. Perhaps the gods sent you here to test my judgment. But I think…I think you were sent here to make up for the loss of Jason."
Jason … Percy couldn't go very far in this camp without hearing that name.
"The way you talk about him…" Percy said. "Were you two a couple?"
"We might have been," Reyna said, "given time. Praetors work closely together. It's common for them to become romantically involved. But Jason was only praetor for a few months before he disappeared. Ever since then, Octavian has been pestering me, agitating for new elections. I've resisted. I need a partner in power—but I'd prefer someone like Jason. A warrior, not a schemer."
She waited. Percy realized she was sending him a silent invitation.
His throat went dry. "Oh … you mean … oh."
"I believe the gods sent you to help me," Reyna said. "I don't understand where you come from, any more than I understood it four years ago. But I think your arrival is some sort of repayment. You destroyed my home once. Now you've been sent to save my home. I don't hold a grudge against you for the past, Percy. My sister hates you still, it's true, but Fate brought me here to Camp Jupiter. I've done well. All I ask is that you work with me for the future. I intend to save this camp."
The metal dogs glared at him, their mouths frozen in snarl mode. Percy found Reyna's eyes a lot harder to meet.
"Look, I'll help," he promised. "But I'm new here. You've got a lot of good people who know this camp better than I do. If we succeed on this quest, Hazel and Frank will be heroes. You could ask one of them—"
"Please," Reyna said. "No one will follow a child of Pluto. There's something about that girl…rumors about where she came from.…No, she won't do. As for Frank Zhang, he has a good heart, but he's hopelessly naïve and inexperienced. Besides, if the others found out about his family history at this camp—"
"Family history?"
"The point is, Percy, you are the real power on this quest. You are a seasoned veteran. I've seen what you can do. A son of Neptune wouldn't be my first choice, but if you return successfully from this mission, the legion might be saved. The praetorship will be yours for the taking. Together, you and I could expand the power of Rome. We could raise an army and find the Doors of Death, crush Gaea's forces once and for all. You would find me a very helpful…friend."
She said that word like it could have several meanings, and he could pick which one. Percy's feet started tapping on the floor, anxious to run. "Reyna…I'm honored, and all. Seriously. But I don't even know who I am right now. I am trying to recollect my own past life. I don't want power, or a praetorship. I understand your argument, but I am in no position to lead."
Percy was afraid he'd make her mad. Instead she just raised her eyebrows. "A man who turns down power?" she said. "That's not very Roman of you."
Chapter I
Despicable, annoying, obnoxious, contentious, irritating piece of shit.
That was the only thought on Reyna's mind as the tan leather of the training dummy split apart as the Imperial Gold gladius tore through it, straw bursting outward in a violent spray. With another single, powerful strike, the dummy's head was cleanly severed, hitting the floor and bouncing a few times before thudding against the wall.
The female Praetor stood panting, sweat streaming down her tanned face as she bent forward with her hands on her knees, eyes closed while she rotated her neck to stretch it. Her purple tank top clung to her body from the sweat, soaked through from the brutal workout she had driven herself through in search of relief. Around her lay nearly thirty broken training dummies, each destroyed as completely as the one she had just decimated. She was gripping her weapon so tightly that her knuckles went pale. Her teeth were clenched tight, as if she were holding back multiple surges of frustration. In a nearby bucket of water, she caught her reflection— her forehead gleaming from sweat in the dim night lights, her usually serious obsidian eyes now burning with anger and irritation, her thoughts consumed by the events of the past week.
It had been seven days since Percy Jackson returned from his quest and was raised on a shield as the new male Praetor. With Jason Grace still missing, Reyna had told herself it was the best possible outcome. When they first talked, Percy embodied everything the camp needed in a Praetor— a powerful leader tempered by a willingness to put himself in harm's way for others. Despite having no memory of his past life and struggling to regain them, he still chose to fight for strangers that doubted him. He had saved Camp Jupiter from destruction, accomplished the impossible by retrieving the Twelfth Legion's Eagle, and even managed to persuade her older sister, Hylla—who still resented him for what had happened to their previous home—to join the Roman forces in its defense. His loyalty to his friends was unquestionable in the limited time they had together, and she believed he could stand beside her, help her shoulder the burden of leadership, perhaps even help bridge the divide between Greeks and Romans, and possibly something more to her. He reminded her so much of Jason, someone she had known she'd had feelings for for a long time.
Of course, he could be unserious and uncertain at times, but his many redeeming qualities far outweighed those flaws, making him the best choice for the role in the dire times. She felt that they had a mutual understanding between them, forged by their similar life as warriors rather than politicians. To her, anyone was better than Octavion.
Boy, was she wrong.
Over the past week, daily Senate meetings were enacted, convened to manage the camp's emergency response to recent attacks and prepare for the arrival of the Greeks from Percy's old home. Each meeting, however, inevitably ended in a shouting match between her and Percy. No matter the topic—whether deciding the meal for the Greeks' arrival or planning defensive positions against a potential attack—Percy found a way to oppose every one of her ideas. When Jason was Praetor, his disagreements with Reyna were usually cordial. They worked together to find solutions that benefited everyone at the camp. He respected her, built from years of shared history, and always made an effort to see arguments from both sides in order to reach a fair compromise.
Percy was different. Debates with him were as wild and stormy as the sea he had control over. It often seemed as though he opposed her simply for the thrill of it, as if her frustration entertained him. He frequently fired off sarcastic remarks and unserious jokes at her ideas, which got even more under her skin. To make matters worse, his charisma—and the camp's newfound respect for him after saving their very existence—swayed the rest of the audience, the same people whose respect she had spent years trying to earn.
Each meeting grew more heated as their disagreements escalated, snowballing into a storm of clashing words and curses at each other. No one on the Council—not even Octavian—dared to intervene, each member protecting their own livelihood, as Percy and Reyna exchanged relentless volleys of biting insults and retorts. With each meeting, Reyna felt her level-headed composure slipping. She would often storm out in anger, her face flushed with frustration. She found herself increasingly irritated at his cheeky grin whenever he cracked a joke during her serious statements to the audience. It ticked her how he could make the forum laugh at her words, how each of his remarks chipped away at the stern, commanding face she struggled to maintain as one of the camp's leaders.
Reyna screamed in frustration, driving her fist into the face of the new training dummy, imagining it was the cheeky grin of the dark-haired boy currently consuming her thoughts. Her punch tore through the fabric, exiting the other side of its head. The sting of the straw cutting her hand barely registered, dulled by the angry fire inside her. After a brief moment to catch her breath, she yanked her fist free and shoved the battered dummy onto the floor, where it joined the others she had already destroyed.
"Don't you think those training dummies have suffered enough, princess?" a voice teased from behind her from the door of the training room.
Before even thinking, Reyna grabbed one of the decapitated heads of the dummies, turned around, and hurled it aggressively in the direction of the voice. The figure merely blocked it with the side of his fist, laughing as he brushed off the straw that had landed on his shirt.
Oh great, it is my favorite person, she thought.
"What the hell are you doing here, Percy?" Reyna snapped, her anger flaring as the son of Neptune strode into the training room. He was lucky she had not hurled the Imperial Gold knife from her back sheath at him, an option she had strongly considered.
"You're speaking as if the training room isn't a public place," Percy chided, strolling over to the weapons rack and pretending to examine the neatly lined spears. "What if I just came here to get some late night training?"
From the shadows, she could see his infuriating smirk and the mischievous glint in his sea-green eyes, the look of someone who had just come over to torment her further.
"Like hell you're here to train," Reyna muttered under her breath as she loaded another dummy. More like here to drive her crazy.
From the corner of her eye, she caught Percy watching her silently, quietly studying her as if calculating how to make her even more furious.
Just ignore him, Reyna, you are not in a Senate meeting right now, Reyna thought as she readied her stance, gripping her gladius with both hands as she prepared to strike again. With a sharp breath, she lunged forward, aiming to pierce the figure in a single, swift motion. Her attack, however, was halted when a hand clamped around her wrist, freezing her in place. She looked up, meeting the sea-green eyes of Percy, who held her arm firmly. She could see them looking at her whole figure, like they were trying to analyze her.
"You've got a lot of straw in your hair, Rey-Rey," he said with a snicker, plucking the remnants of the training dummies from her glossy black braid. Immediately, Reyna felt blood rush to her head as her irritation grew.
"Get off me!" she snapped, slapping his wrist away. Turning sharply, she stomped away, rubbing her forehead as a headache began to form. "And stop with the fucking nicknames. Di immortales… you are insufferable."
Percy held up both hands in mock surrender. "Fine, fine. I thought Rey-Rey was cute… but apparently not. 'Princess' still works, though. Actually, 'Your Majesty' might be even more fitting."
Reyna turned on him, eyes blazing daggers at the ever-smirking troublemaker. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
Percy crossed his arms and leaned against a nearby table, relishing at the anger radiating from the furious female before him. "It means we all have to listen to you and obey your every command. Like a queen, and we are your loyal subjects. Hence… 'Your Majesty.' God forbid anyone dares to disagree with you."
Reyna stomped toward Percy, trying to size up against the boy who stood four inches taller than her. "Maybe if you spent less time making snarky comments during the Senate meetings and actually listened, we'd actually be getting somewhere," she shot back, jabbing a finger into his chest for emphasis. She was not going to be talked down by him of all people.
Percy rolled his eyes, clearly unbothered by her words. "Please, you expect everyone there to just shut up and agree with you. The moment someone disagrees or challenges your position, you dismiss them. You have felt threatened by Octavian, and now you feel threatened by me. I have told you before. I never wanted the Praetor position, but like hell am I going to let you have full control over decisions that affect my friends and family."
Reyna felt her blood boil, as if Percy had struck a deep nerve. "I am not afraid of you, Perseus Jackson. My decisions making will always be for what is best for Rome and I will not be talked down by the likes of you." With that, she shoved him into the table, earning an immediate growl from Percy. He did not like her using his full name.
"Don't push me," he growled, his voice dropping to a low, dangerous tone. The mischievous glint in his eyes faded, replaced by a sharp, angry glare.
"And what are you going to do about it, Jackson?" Reyna shot back, shoving him once more.
Percy caught himself and instinctively reached into the pocket where the ballcap pen of Riptide usually rested. His expression hardened, predator-like, poised to strike. Reyna instinctively took a step back, one hand hovering over her gladius in its sheath, ready to block any sudden attack. The two of them locked eyes for several tense seconds, silent, each trying to anticipate the other's next move.
"I'm not going to fight you, Reyna," Percy said, his tone low and serious. "I do not want to hurt you."
Reyna scoffed. "Hurt me? I'm not the one you should be worrying about."
"Fine then." He brushed off his purple T-shirt. "We'll settle this with a friendly sparring session," Percy declared, pulling the pen from his pocket. Reyna tightened her grip on her gladius. "We could use the practice tonight anyway—might even help us sleep. No serious injuries." A faint smirk tugged at his lips. "If I win, I get to say what I want and call you whatever I want. And if you win—"
"You do what I want, no questions asked," Reyna cut in. Percy paused for a moment. She could see the gears turn in his head as he considered her terms, before chuckling and nodding.
"I'll do what you want, no questions asked," he agreed, extending his hand to seal the deal. Reyna slapped it away and walked toward the armor stand, laughing to herself.
She was going to enjoy this.
The cool night wind whistled as it swept across the small training field outside the barracks, mingling with the chirping of crickets, the low calls of night owls stirring in the darkness, and the distant roar of the Little Tiber. The only light came from the full moon blazing high overhead and a handful of iron torches casting faint, flickering light against the barracks walls and the field.
It was well past midnight, and every cohort at Camp Jupiter lay fast asleep.
It would have been another ordinary night, if not for the two demigods circling one another in the training field, each searching for the slightest opening to attack as they continued their "friendly" sparring session.
Sweat glistened on Percy's brow, his sea-green eyes filled with excitement as he kept his eyes on his opponent, standing fifteen feet away. He held Riptide in a defensive stance, ready for whatever attack she might launch. A shallow gash danced on his cheek, a souvenir from Reyna's pilum when he had tried—and partially failed—to fully deflect a previous throw.
From the other side of the field, Reyna looked just as intoxicated by adrenaline, her usually perfect braid in a tangled mess. She held her pilum poised above her shield, its surface scarred and dented from the force of Percy's repeated strikes. A few cuts and bruises were visible on her arms and shoulders from narrowly dodging his attacks, but she ignored them, her focus fixed entirely on winning the fight.
The two of them had already been at it for an hour, neither willing to give the other the satisfaction of victory. Their early aggression had faded into measured and careful observation as they circled and fought to steady their breathing, the exhaustion building up.
Percy had always known Reyna was exceptional in one-on-one combat, especially with her signature pilum and gladius. They had sparred before when they taught each other their different fighting styles, but those were matches where neither of them fought with true intent. It wasn't until tonight, when she came at him for blood, that he truly understood just how formidable she was. Facing her as an opponent revealed a level of skill he had not fully grasped from the daughter of Bellona.
If he were any regular monster you see on the street, he would have bolted the other way in fear for his own life. Every movement she made was calculated, every strike deliberate. When she spotted an opening, she could hurl her pilum with a precision and force that would have made even Olympic Games javelin throwers jealous. For the last few throws, Percy had to block them with Riptide just to avoid them going straight into his torso. However, that would usually result in her slamming into him with her shield or rolling expertly to where her weapon would land as he tried to recover from the recoil.
It was a fun cat-and-mouse game, each one of them trying to test the other's skill.
"You getting tired yet?" Percy taunted, a wild grin cutting across his face as he rolled his right shoulder in a stretch.
"Not in your wildest dreams, Jackson," Reyna shot back. She refused to give him even the smallest satisfaction of humor—her expression focused and eyes locked on him as if daring him to try something funny.
"You're always so serious," Percy said, shifting his grip on Riptide until he held it with both hands. He slid one leg back and lowered his stance, ready to strike. "Have a little fun."
Before she could respond, he closed the distance between them.
Everything went into slow motion. Percy feinted high, blade angling toward her chest, just enough to draw her guard up—then twisted his wrists and cut low for her legs.
The daughter of Bellona read it perfectly.
Reyna dropped her shield, catching the downward swipe with a solid clang. The impact rang through the field. Percy felt the recoil drive him back, his momentum pushing him off his balance as his sword skidded across the Imperial gold surface.
With the opening she'd created, Reyna surged forward and drove her foot square into the center of his armored stomach.
The impact knocked the air from Percy's lungs. He flew backward, slammed into the sandy floor, and rolled twice before skidding to one knee, coughing as he fought to catch his breath. He didn't get the chance.
Pure instinct took over as he sensed Reyna throw her weapon again. Percy twisted and rolled just as the pilum whistled through the space where his chest would have been. A yelp came out of his mouth when her weapon clipped his thigh, a sharp burn slicing through fabric and skin as it sailed past. He landed and snapped his gaze back toward her, only to feel her knee drive straight into his left cheek, tossing his head to the side and causing him to tumble again.
Reyna slid back to retrieve her weapon, turning in time to see the son of Neptune plant his sword into the ground and use it to haul himself upright. He spat blood onto the floor and lifted his head, his signature grin still plastered across his lips.
"Hell, you are good," he chuckled, licking the blood from the corner of his mouth. "Remind me to practice with you more often."
Reyna couldn't stop the smirk that tugged at her mouth. "Flattery isn't going to get you anywhere, Perseus. But I would appreciate kicking your ass."
Damn, he was riling her up.
She lifted her shield, settling back into her stance. "Not so tough without water, hm?"
Percy had to admit. He absolutely loved this side of Reyna. Even if she was currently responsible for the collection of injuries across his body, this was the most fun he'd had in a long time. Training with Lupa always felt like endless military drills, and no one else at Camp Jupiter ever quite managed to keep up with his unorthodox Greek fighting style.
But Reyna matched him step for step. She had adapted to his fighting style, challenging his expert swordplay in ways not even the Giants could. What surprised him most was how much she seemed to be enjoying it. He was so accustomed to her always blabbering about "for the glory of Rome" and "don't do this, Jackson—do that," that the shit talk coming from her caught him completely off guard.
Add that wild gleam in her obsidian eyes. It was nothing like the controlled stare she wore in Senate meetings. Or the usual glares she gave him every time he said something stupid. It was the look of pure unrestrained confidence.
Confidence that she was going to rip out his throat.
It made him feel a certain way.
Not the "Oh shit, I am going to die" type of way, but the "Fuck, she's kind of hot" type of way.
Maybe Percy has a type.
Leave it to the daughter of a war goddess to enjoy fighting, he thought.
"Try me, Praetor," he said with a grin as he reset his stance, sword lifted near his face. "Give me your best shot."
She lunged again, but this time Percy was ready. When she closed within a foot of him, she caught the smirk spreading across his face. In that instant, she realized she had walked straight into his trap. Her momentum died abruptly as he grabbed the top of her shield with one hand. She tried thrusting forward with her pilum, but he slipped aside effortlessly, using his shoulder to deflect the blow. In a single, brutal motion, he slammed her shield into the ground, driving it down and planting his foot into it.
Shock ran through her as Percy bent the Imperial Gold shield with the raw strength of his hand and foot, causing her to lose her balance. She struggled to free her trapped arm just as his fist cracked across her face, sending her sprawling sideways. Barely having any time to free it, she wrenched her arm loose to keep her shoulder from being dislocated by the sudden movement.
A drop of blood trickled from her left nostril, and she wiped it away with the back of her hand. Through her slightly dazed vision, she watched Percy hurl the mangled shield across the field like a ruined Frisbee.
Damn—how strong is he really? she thought, trying to shake off the sting radiating across her face.
It was then that she heard the clang of her weapon being tossed back toward her. Percy had deliberately returned it.
That damned demigod is toying with me.
Now she was a bit angry.
She grabbed her pilum and twisted the mechanism at its base. In an instant, the long weapon collapsed into her two-and-a-half-foot gladius, its blade catching the glow of the flamed torches. She kept it in her right hand as she reached back with her left, fingers closing around the hilt of her Imperial Gold dagger. Drawing it free, she settled into her stance—dual-wielding now, gladius in her right, dagger held in a reverse grip in her left.
It was rare for her to draw both weapons. Most duels won by her just required one or the other. But she was a bit ticked off, and Percy deserved it for trying to play with her. And she wanted to wipe that smirk off his face.
Before he could fire off another joke, she lunged again, the gladius in her right hand slicing a deadly arc toward his shoulder. Percy met her blade with Riptide, sparks leaping as bronze clashed against gold. He spun the sword in his grip and thrust forward, a move she barely deflected with the flat of her dagger in her offhand. They pushed off each other, and Reyna quickly brought both weapons up, gladius and dagger positioned in another defensive stance.
"Slashing?" Percy said, a tad of humor in his voice as he spun Riptide in his hands. "Not very Roman of you."
"What can I say?" she shot back, eyes glinting. "I adapt well."
She surged forward again, both weapons moving in perfect synchrony, launching a flurry of rapid strikes. Percy had to rely on speed over strength, blocking and parrying her relentless assault. She had almost nicked him a few times, but neither gained the upper hand; every thrust, slash, and dodge was met with another equal counter.
Finally, he went for a high strike. Instinctively, she raised both weapons to block. In the fraction of a second that followed, Percy flicked Riptide low, aiming for her left knee. She leapt, narrowly avoiding the blow—but in the motion, her dagger arm was exposed. Percy seized the opening, Riptide grazing her arm as he struck.
She jumped back, settling back into a defensive stance, gritting her teeth against the sting of the new cut. But Percy didn't press the attack. He stood his ground, studying her carefully and trying to gauge her next move.
She knew she couldn't win if she stayed on the offensive.
Her fingers tightened around her dagger. "I would've thought a son of the Big Three would put up a more impressive fight," she said, eyes narrowing. "Especially with your combat history." She raised her weapons again, both weapons ready in front of her. "Honestly… I'm not all that impressed, Perseus."
Those fighting words were all that Percy needed. He pushed forward once more, taking the offensive this time. She placed a leg back, bracing for her counter, as he launched a powerful downward slice—hook, line, sinker.
Reyna leaned back, sidestepping and twisting almost impossibly, redirecting the strike with the side of her dagger. Anyone else attempting such a move would likely have broken their arm, but she danced with the force effortlessly, leaving Percy momentarily stunned as he stumbled forward. With a slight smirk, she spun on her heel, using her momentum to deliver a full roundhouse kick that caught him squarely in the face, sending the black-haired demigod flying sideways across the field.
Percy tumbled to the ground, sliding several feet as Reyna sent him crashing. Riptide rolled out of his hands, landing just beside him. More blood was spat from his mouth as he adjusted his jaw, making sure it wasn't broken.
Percy had never seen someone dual-wield a weapon to this perfection, but by the Gods, she was making it work.
"Nice move," he breathed out as he looked up. His heart was racing, excitement rushing through him like the surge of the rising tide.
Reyna just winked at him in response.
Wait, that can't be right, Percy thought.
Before he could fully recover, she charged again. This time, Percy was ready. She stabbed forward, but he snatched Riptide from the ground and deflected her strike, twisting to trap her gladius between his left arm and chest. With a swift elbow from his right, he struck her in the eye, making her cry out as the gladius slipped from her grasp.
She tried to slash with her off-hand, but Percy grabbed her wrist, holding her firm. Her eyes widened as she realized she was stuck.
"Gotcha," he said, giving her a wink. In one fluid motion, he flipped her over his shoulder and slammed her into the ground.
A sharp cry escaped her lips as her head hit the floor, pain radiating through her skull. She was partially dazed as she shook her head to attempt to get rid of the uncomfortable feeling, blindly reaching for the weapon that was previously dislodged from her hand. Percy grinned—this was the moment he could claim victory. He could press Riptide to her throat and force her to yield. After the past week of their constant arguing, it would have been satisfying.
Instead, he sighed and extended his offhand. "Here, let me help you up," he said.
With her vision finally aligning, Reyna saw his outstretched hand. She studied it, weighing whether he deserved the small victory of helping her to her feet. Then, with the same hand that had moments ago wielded her gladius, she grabbed it.
For a brief second, Percy thought she was accepting his help. That was when he noticed the smirk on her lips.
In an instant, she dropped her weight without warning, yanking him forward as her leg scythed beneath his. The world lurched. He barely had time to gasp before he fell backwards and the ground rushed up to meet him. Reyna followed gracefully through the motion, tackling him and driving Percy flat onto his back.
His head hit the floor with a bone-jarring thud. White stars detonated behind his eyes as the vision of the training ground split and swam. Pain lanced through his skull.
Percy choked out a ragged groan, the breath ripped from his lungs. The sharp, metallic taste of blood flooded his mouth —fresh this time— as he bit his tongue during the fall. He swallowed reflexively, barely keeping his focus as the world tried to tilt sideways.
Reyna had flipped them over, her thighs locked around his waist, pinning him hard against the ground, and her knee trapping the hand that still gripped Riptide, forcing the blade useless against the floor. She had her dagger pressed against his neck, elation running through her body as Percy was finally on the ground again, disarmed and at her mercy.
"Fuck, Reyna…" Percy groaned, the words slipping out on a breath as he squeezed his eyes shut.
He blinked hard, fighting to force the doubled world back into focus, his head still ringing as if a bell had been struck inside his skull.
She was going a little too far with this.
"Yield," Reyna demanded. She leaned down over him, closing the distance until their faces were inches apart. Percy could see it in her eyes — the sharp and feral glint of a triumph, like a predator circling a wounded prey, certain of the outcome. He tried to wrench himself free, but the effort only earned him another response as Reyna pulled him up and slammed him straight back into the ground, the impact pushing out another throaty moan from his chest.
"I said, yield," Reyna growled again, pressing her dagger deeper into his throat.
It was from that position that Percy started to notice certain things about Reyna, details usually buried beneath her normally disciplined composure. The wild fiery intensity in her eyes, the sheen of sweat on her tanned skin, the rhythm of her quick pants just inches from his face, eliciting the smell of cinnamon, the way her braid had come loose and hung messily behind her.
It all blurred together, throwing his thoughts off balance of how incredibly sexy she looked, if not for the fact that she had her knife pressed against his neck. It also didn't help that those thoughts were starting to cause a tightening sensation in his pants.
"Okay," Percy rasped at last. "I yield."
His fingers loosened, the tension draining from his grip on Riptide as it slipped from his hand and rolled onto the floor. He turned his head slightly, breath uneven, as his eyes drank in her figure.
"You win, Reyna. I will do whatever you want."
They stayed there for a heavy moment, chests rising and falling as both of them tried to catch their breath, the heat between them lingering and tangible. Reyna knew she had won, yet a strange pull kept her from moving as her body was unwilling to release the closeness. An odd feeling coursed through her body. It wasn't adrenaline.
She sucked her lips inward, her tongue wetting the dry surface. Without thinking, Percy mirrored her, his own lips parting slightly. His sea-green eyes were clouded with something raw and unfamiliar—an untamed storm that made her pulse race. The faint tang of saltwater and ocean breeze clung to him, subtle but intoxicating, stirring something wild in her mind as she tried to close off the thoughts in her head that she was failing miserably to avoid. Every inhale lulled her closer to the heat of his body, to the closeness of her weight against his, and to the palpable tension that she did not want to break.
Without a second thought, Reyna crashed her lips against his. Percy yelped in surprise, his eyes snapped open as she gave him no time to react. Her tongue pressed into his mouth, hungry and relentless, tasting him—the sharp tang of sea salt mingled with the metallic hint of blood.
Percy responded on instinct, pushing back against her, his tongue wrestling with hers as his lips nipped at hers. A low moan slipped from her throat when he lightly bit her tongue as it traced the contours of his mouth. Her knee slid away from the hand previously gripping Riptide as she fully straddled his waist, grinding her already heated core against the erection she felt rising rapidly beneath her.
Percy sat up without breaking the heated exchange between them. He had no memory of kissing someone else, but his body seemed to move on its own. His hands slid to the lean hips beneath her plateskirt, gripping them and urging her to grind more firmly against his pelvis as he savored the friction they created together. He loved the feeling of her toned ass perfectly molding against his fingers, eager to discover what other treasures she was hiding. His thoughts struggled to anchor themselves as he continued to lose himself with the sweetness of her lips against his, the taste of vanilla ice cream luring him for more.
It was then that a voice in the back of his mind screamed that this was all wrong, and the thought forced him to pull away from the kiss.
"Reyna…" Percy breathed, struggling to keep the arousal building inside him from overtaking his restraint.
Their faces were only an inch apart, her nose brushing lightly against his. A faint scent of cinnamon and fresh apples, like a crisp autumn day, radiated from her body. Her lips, likely as flushed as his own, were already red from the kiss they had shared.
In her beautiful black eyes, he caught a shy haze of lust—a look he never thought he would see in his fellow Praetor.
"We shouldn't be doing this…"
Her nose brushed lightly against his as she did her best to resist the urge to kiss him again.
"This doesn't have to mean anything, Percy. It won't mean anything," Reyna whispered, her fingers getting lost in his jet-black hair.
She wasn't sure whether she was trying to convince him or herself. Somewhere deep within her, she wanted to follow this feeling and see what happens.
She could remember Venus' prophecy for her from years ago, the constant whispers among the campers about whether she would ever be with someone and who it should be—all of it lingered in the back of her mind, always haunting her.
Maybe it was her way of breaking some stupid destiny that the Gods tried to set into stone. Maybe it was the daily strain of leading the camp alone for so long, of wearing a mask so she could stay focused on her duty—the betterment of Rome.
Whatever the reason was, just this once, she wanted to rid herself of the restraints she had carried for so long, to feel something beyond the constant weight of suppressing her own desires and pretending they did not exist.
"This isn't you, Reyna…" Percy moaned as he felt her slowly grind her padded core against his erection, their breaths ragged and uneven against each other's skin. She gently tugged at his hair and pressed soft kisses along his cheek, making sure to roll her tongue against him each time she made contact with his skin. "This isn't us…"
Despite knowing how wrong the situation was, Percy could not deny how much he was enjoying it. He had no memory of ever being this intimate with someone else, but his body reacted naturally to match her arousal.
With Juno's meddling throwing his life into chaos, losing himself in the moment felt comforting in a way he had not felt in months. Months spent struggling as he tried to reclaim the memories of his own life, only to be thwarted by hazy dreams and fragmented visions. This was just for comfort.
It also didn't help that the past few days of heated exchanges with Reyna had stirred something in him, like it turned him on seeing her, usually so irritated with him, giving in like this.
Gods, what is wrong with me?, he thought. Was I this much of an asshole in my past life as well?
"How do you know what I want, Percy?" Reyna murmured, her words slipping between soft kisses along his cheek. Then she leaned in and whispered against his ear, "As you said, you will do whatever I want."
The words sent a shiver racing down his spine.
Reyna kissed him again hard, the lingering thoughts and worries in Percy's mind vanishing. He pressed his tongue forward, eager to explore her mouth once more. She yielded willingly, meeting him as their tongues tangled and pushed against one another as they struggled for dominance that only deepened the kiss. Her right hand slid beneath his skirt, her nails digging into the hand currently on her thigh just enough to draw a sharp breath from him, and he responded by squeezing her waist roughly. Reyna moaned into the kiss as the sensation sent a jolt of electricity through her body.
The poor girl was going to be bruised in the morning.
She couldn't help but think of how different this was from her first kiss, the one she shared with Jason. The brief, hesitant kiss she had given the boy she had long had feelings for before he ran off to fight Krios. That kiss had meant something, like a parting gift offered in the shadow of uncertainty as neither of them knew if they would survive that night.
Percy was anything but gentle or restrained with their exchange. Their kiss was rough and wild, his lips intent on drawing out every trace of her as the two of them stubbornly vied for control. It meant nothing at all—nothing more than two people using each other to satisfy some unfulfilled desire that their lives were recently missing.
His lips left hers as he began to trail kisses along the side of her cheek, down to her chin, across her neck, and up to her ear, testing each spot to see where she was most sensitive. He could feel her pulse race faster beneath his touch as he continued the gentle teasing. Each soft kiss made her shiver and whimper with delight as she fidgeted with the straps of his chestplate, trying desperately to detach it from his body.
She could already feel his teasing smirk on the side of her neck as he helped her loosen the straps of his armor, shrugging it off along with the purple SPQR T-shirt beneath and tossing both aside. Her eyes lingered eagerly on his chiseled and muscular frame, which had faint scars etched across his chest and defined abs—a souvenir of the countless battles he had survived in his past life.
He had a swimmer's build, lean and powerful, every muscle line visible, with scarcely an ounce of fat to soften it. His skin was already slick with a thin sheen of sweat from their sparring session, making him slightly shine against the moonlight.
"You like what you see?" Percy teased playfully, catching her wandering eyes as she studied his body.
"I've seen better," Reyna shot back in fake sternness, though she could feel her cheeks flush. It would be lying to herself to say that he did not have the body of a God, which continued to stir that buried arousal in her. It wouldn't be very Roman of her to lie. She dug her nails lightly into his shoulder as she pulled away her eyes, drawing a low, pleased groan from his throat.
"Gods, Reyna, do that again…" he said, his breath hitching. He returned to his assault on her neck, his lips trailing over the skin before sealing over a smooth patch and drawing out a dark hickey. The sweat at her throat rolled over his tongue, a heady mix of sweet and salty. He then grazed the skin beside the mark with his teeth, biting lightly.
Percy wasn't sure why he wanted to mark her. It just felt right.
The thought was confirmed when she raked her nails down his shoulder blades, the small bit of pain only winding him tighter as her light moans of his name urged him on. His hands trailed up to her shoulder guards as he helped loosen and pull them away from her body, exposing her bare shoulders to the night breeze. He then moved to the bindings of her armor, pausing as their eyes met, silently seeking permission to continue. She answered with a small nod, biting her lower lip in anticipation and raising her arms, allowing him to easily slip her armor and her purple tank top up and off her body in one single motion.
The sight before him was better than any fantasy of her that Percy could have ever imagined. Reyna had always been conservative in the way she dressed, her white toga always wrapped neatly around her shoulders, jeans fully covering her legs, leaving little for wandering eyes to linger on. Now, with her top finally discarded, he found himself unable to look away.
Her figure was lithe and graceful, the faint definition of toned muscle along her abs accompanied by a slim waist that would make any athlete or supermodel envious. A simple gray cotton sports bra hugged the perfect curves of her breasts, which were sizable enough to show a decent amount of cleavage but not overbearing on her slim body. A silver necklace adorned her neck, two small rings, one gold and silver, resting just above her cleavage, representing Aurum and Argentum. Pushing against the fabric of her bra was the slight shape of her nipples, coaxing him to touch them and causing the tightness in his pants to stir under her.
Reyna followed the trailing eyes of the male under her, who was basically drooling from the sight of her exposed body. Amusement flickered across her face as she smirked, folding her arms over her chest. "You know," she said lightly, a teasing coil to her voice, "it is rude to stare."
Percy flashed her a cheeky smile, lifting her effortlessly before settling her onto her back on the cold training ground floor.
"But you're so fucking hot," he retorted as he moved down to just below her belly button, his face deliberately close to her skin so that every breath tickled her.
He pressed slow, tender kisses just below her navel, his warm exhale sending a shiver through her as he trailed a path up her toned stomach. She arched her back and cried out his name, melting into the sensation as he followed the inner line of her abs. He left a wake of heat with every press of his lips, a slow-burning that followed his path upward. Her fingers tangled in his hair and pushed his face into her, guiding him closer, silently demanding more of the contact she could not seem to get enough of.
As his kisses drifted to the edge of her bra, Percy's teeth caught the fabric with his teeth and gave it a teasing tug. He looked up then, eyes dark and hungry with lust, the intensity of his gaze sending a flutter straight through her chest.
Reyna had never let herself be this exposed before. She always felt like she was the type of person to take it slow, even with someone like Jason, if she had the chance. And yet here she was, poised on the brink of giving herself over to Percy Jackson of all people.
Drawing in a steadying breath, she nodded and lifted her arms in silent consent. Percy needed no further invitation as his hands pushed the last piece of clothing away, leaving her chest exposed to the cool night air and his unwavering gaze.
Without warning, he moved hungrily to her left breast as his mouth closed over the hardening nipple. Reyna cried out instantly, a jolt of ecstasy surging through her at the first touch of his tongue as it brushed against the sensitive spot. While one hand traced agonizingly slow circles around the bud of her right breast, the other pressed firmly into the delicate curve of her upper back, causing her to arch deeper into the heat of his mouth.
"Percy…" she gasped, her frame trembling under the weight of a sensation she was unfamiliar with. "You tease…" she managed, her voice breaking as it only caused him to suck harder.
His right hand began to massage her breast, the curve fitting perfectly into his palm as he kneaded it, taking in the softness. With every rhythmic squeeze, his fingers grazed the sensitive peak, causing her to let out soft moans of pleasure.
Reyna buckled, each touch causing a spark that traveled straight to her core, leaving her more wet and aching beneath her layers. She felt the vibration of his chuckle against her skin just before his teeth grazed her, a sharp nip sending her over the edge. A small orgasm tore through her as she cried out his name, the feeling of her release coating the shorts she was wearing under her plateskirt.
Percy was just awakening some suppressed sensation she had never thought to imagine. Always too modest to explore her own body, she had lived on the whispered stories of sex and pleasure from the children of Venus. But here she was, the control of her own body crumbling as she convulsed under his rough touch.
He relished the sight of her, his arousal racing at the way his fellow Praetor, usually composed, was now left breathless and undone by his touch. Her fingers dug into the muscle of his arms as she gasped for air, her body still humming and jolting from the shock of pleasure. He leaned in, his voice in a lulled tone that sent a fresh shiver through her.
"You're not used to this, are you?" he whispered, his lips grazing the sensitive skin beneath her ear in a tender and teasing caress. She looked away from him as she bit her lower lip in mild embarrassment, frantically shaking her head as an answer. It was unsettling to her how easily he was breaking her down.
However, to him, it was a little cute seeing Reyna react this way.
Percy balanced himself above her, one arm braced for support while the other cupped her face, gently guiding her gaze up until their eyes met. He leaned down once more, capturing her lips in another kiss, silently reassuring her and chasing away her shy doubts. Reyna melted into it, one hand threading through his fingers on her cheek and guiding it down to the buckle of her plateskirt. Together, they loosened the belt, and she slid the piece of armor down her legs, throwing it and her shoes to the side of her body to join the pile of discarded clothes.
The only thing keeping Reyna from being completely nude was a pair of tight black athletic booty shorts that clung to her buttocks, barely containing her. During most training sessions, she preferred jeans or leggings, both for coverage and for the added challenge they provided. It was only in private sessions, when no one else was around, that she allowed more of her skin to show. Lucky for Percy, he had stumbled into one of those rare moments. He didn't even try to hide his eagerness as he noticed the growing wet spot developing between her legs.
She felt him moving lower as his face pressed against her right thigh. He began planting deep, lingering kisses along the way toward her core. With each kiss, he left a small hickey, a teasing trail that sent her mind spinning. When he finally reached the thinly covered heat between her legs, he paused to look up at her, that familiar mischievous smirk plastered across his face.
"I think we should stop here," he taunted, positioning himself close enough between her legs that the vibration of his voice sent a shiver through her.
Reyna glared down at him, then reached down and grabbed his head, trying to pull his face closer to her body. There was no way he was going to drive her to this point and stop.
"Patience is a Roman virtue, my Praetor," he hummed as he began his work on her left thigh, drawing another moan from her lips. By the gods, she thought, he is going to be the end of me.
"Percy, if you keep this up, I will personally castra—ah."
Reyna's threat dissolved into a sharp gasp as Percy deliberately buried his face against the covered core of her shorts, pressing a hard kiss through the fabric. A yelp of pleasure tore from her lips, her eyes rolling to the back of her head as she grabbed at his hair. She pulled his head closer, holding him firmly against the space between her legs as he began rubbing his nose against the wet spot.
In that moment, her only wish was to rip off her shorts and surrender to Percy's mouth, letting the son of Neptune work his magic on her. He caught her desperation right away as she bucked her hips, pressing her clothed mound against his eager lips, the thin barriers of fabric blocking the direct contact she was yearning for. But Percy wanted to drag out the torment, his teeth grazing the elastic waistband of her shorts and panties in one firm bite. Inch by agonizing inch, he tugged them downward with his mouth, his eyes locked upward to savor every twitch crossing her flushed face.
Finally, she scooted upward and shoved the pieces of clothing down her thighs in one impatient motion, kicking them aside to deny the teasing demigod between her legs any more chances to prolong her agony. The urgency in her actions only fueled Percy's arousal. His mind went wild as he could finally see her exposed core, which was glistening with slick arousal, her folds swollen and throbbing visibly, crowned by a neat, trimmed strip of dark hair. He loved how she maintained that subtle touch of grooming in such an intimate spot, a private secret just for eyes right now.
Reyna stifled a moan as she felt his hands open her legs, and his mouth returned to between her legs. She squirmed uncontrollably as she could feel his tongue roll around on her inner thighs, the outer area of her labia, and her pelvic bone. Anywhere but where she wanted the most. She attempted to guide her hips toward where his mouth was, his breath causing her to cry out each time it tickled her core as he deliberately avoided that area.
"You want something from me, Reyna?" His breath ghosted over her bare thighs, hot and teasing. She knew what he was trying to do and wanted anything but to give him the satisfaction.
"You know exactly what I want," she growled, almost matter-of-factly through gritted teeth.
"And remind me again, my Praetor."
"I want your mouth." She could barely mumble the last part as she looked away from him, her pride slowly slipping away.
Percy hummed in question as he sucked on the area between her left thigh and labia. She bit her lips as another moan escaped her mouth.
Her words tumbled out in a breathless husky rush. "Gods, Percy. I want you to use your mouth and touch—"
Percy did not let her finish as his lips sealed over her drenched pussy in one swift motion, his tongue plunging forward to drag flat and firm along her slick folds. The sudden heat of his mouth engulfed her, sending a jolt of pure ecstasy ripping through her body. She cried out his name, the sound sharp and unrestrained, echoing loud enough that it might have woken up the First Cohort nearby.
"Mierda", she cursed as he pulled at his hair again.
Percy's tongue worked her like magic, lapping at the swollen lips and tasting the salty-sweet flood of her arousal flooding outwards. She wasn't sure if it was his powers or just pure ecstasy, but she felt herself somehow getting wetter with each lick.
He pressed deeper, the tip of his tongue circling her entrance before flicking up to tease the sensitive nub of her clit. She chanted his name as her hips bucked involuntarily against his face, grinding her wet heat into his unrelenting mouth, but his hands clamped down on her thighs, spreading them wider to pin her in place. He sucked her clit between his lips, rolling it gently with his tongue, then released it with a wet pop, only to dive back in, spearing his tongue inside her clenching channel. Through her half-lidded eyes, she could see him closely observing her reaction to each motion of pleasure, eyes full of enjoyment as she writhed under his advances.
He again had that smirk on his face, the one that drove her crazy.
Reyna's fingers tangled in his dark hair, pulling him closer as waves of pleasure crashed over her. She threw her head back as she felt his tongue brush against the one sensitive spot on the inside wall, which caused her to dig her nails into his scalp. She could feel herself throbbing under his assault, inner walls fluttering around the intrusion of his tongue. Her juices leaked steadily from her core, dripping down his jaw and mixing with his saliva.
The taste of her was incredible. He groaned against her, the vibration humming straight to her nerves and making her gasp. He could feel her body tightening, her breath coming in ragged pants that urged him on, but he didn't let up. His free hand slid up her thigh, two fingers joining his mouth to part her folds wider, exposing every inch for his devouring tongue.
"You taste like nectar," he murmured against her folds, voice muffled but laced with that teasing edge, before sealing his lips around her again and sucking harder, determined to draw out every moan and quiver. His index finger curled against the wall, and she shattered completely, crying out his name as she came hard onto his tongue and finger. Her thighs and hands pressed his face tighter against her body, shaking as waves of ecstasy hit her multiple times at once. It was more intense than her first orgasm, a feeling that felt unnatural to her, but also a feeling like a huge weight was lifted off her shoulders.
He is way too good at this, Reyna thought, rolling onto her side with her body slick and drenched in sweat. Her chest heaved as she gasped for air, still trembling from the aftershocks rippling through her stomach. Her hair was now a complete mess, sprawling out on the floor as opposed to the clean single braid she usually had.
Out of the corner of her eye, she watched Percy drag his finger along the slick, swollen lips of her soaked pussy, coating it in her juices before sliding it between his lips. He sucked it clean, eyes locked on hers with a hungry gleam, relishing her flavor on his tongue and causing her to whimper.
Then, he lifted her effortlessly, positioning her to straddle his lap once more. His mouth claimed hers in a deep kiss, his tongue thrusting inside to share the tangy essence of her arousal. Normally, the taste of herself on him would have disgusted her, but right now, it turned her on. Her fingers began to fumble urgently with the belt and zipper of his shorts, desperate to free the rock-hard erection trapped underneath.
Percy broke the kiss and grabbed the wrist of the hand currently working on his lower garments, which caused her to cry out in protest as he held her in place. She met his gaze once more, his face flushed a faint red that likely mirrored her own. Where lust had filled his eyes before, concern now mixed in, softening his expression.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" he asked, his thumb gently stroking the top of her forearm. Reyna was surprised he had waited until now to voice the question, but one look at his stormy eyes told her that he was being genuine and careful with her.
That is the important question, Reyna thought.
Was she sure she wanted to do this? Absolutely not.
Her life had always revolved around being a better soldier, a better Roman—discipline and duty above all else. She had never had the time, nor the inclination, to explore something as mundane as sex. Even with her feelings for Jason, her understanding of romance was often rooted in practicality: having someone powerful at her side, someone she could rely on without question, another strong leader.
Hylla had always taught her to analyze every situation, to weigh the pros and cons, and to never charge into battle without first determining the best approach. It was the same philosophy she applied to her life—one that had allowed her to lead Camp Jupiter on her own, shouldering a responsibility that would have broken others in her place. It should have been the same approach that she should have taken today with her tryst with Percy.
However, she let herself be disarmed by him—by his wild and unpredictable nature, like the stormy tide of a violent ocean. Where her life was rigidly structured, he was an earthquake, cracking the very foundation of her values.
Worst of all, she liked this feeling, something that had been annoying her for the past week. That feeling of going with the flow and not worrying about the consequences.
Part of her felt terrible for crossing this line with him, knowing he was still struggling to piece together his previous life, afraid she might be pushing him toward a mistake he would later regret. Hell, a few days ago, she would have castrated him without hesitation rather than even consider sleeping with him. And yet here she was, wondering if she should abandon her morals and simply give in to the lust.
After a lifetime of abandonment and solitude, wouldn't it be nice to have this moment?
But sex was just another battle she had to conquer, right? By nature and throughout history, Romans and Greeks treated sex as an afterthought, and maybe this was something she had to learn. That was the perfectionist that she always wanted to be.
There wouldn't be so many demigod children if the Gods chose to keep it in their pants, she would often hear Dakota joke. Was it in her nature as well?
"Are you sure, Percy?" she asked in return, her gaze searching the demigod beneath her, trying to decipher the expression in his eyes.
He looked away from her, and she couldn't tell whether he was lost in thought or trying to hide the flicker of shame crossing his face.
"I don't know, Reyna," he admitted, his brows knitting together. "I've been running ever since I arrived at Camp Jupiter. And even without my memories…" He paused, exhaling softly. "It feels like I was running back then, too."
He lifted his gaze to meet hers again, his finger gently brushing against her cheekbone. "I just want to feel something familiar. And I feel that with you."
A smirk tugged at her his lips, but it failed to mask the sadness lingering in his eyes. "Aren't you supposed to be the one making the rational decisions for us?" he added lightly, trying to joke.
She let out a soft chuckle before leaning down to press a gentle kiss onto his lips, feeling his fingers idly playing with the hair tucked behind her ear. The kiss then deepened as he pulled her in closer, her bare chest brushing against his, their shared heat blurring the space between them. She felt his hands move toward unfastening the belt of his shorts—but before it could go any further, she broke the kiss to his protest and stilled him.
"Wait, Percy…" she said, turning her face away from his questioning gaze. "I… uh… I—" She paused, drawing in a steadying breath, her cheeks burning as the blush spread.
"I've never had sex before," she finally blurted out.
Percy gave her that look like he just saw glass shatter.
He wasn't entirely sure whether he was surprised or not with what he just heard. It wasn't like Reyna was unattractive (quite the opposite, she was one of the hottest girls at Camp Jupiter). He also knew that she had strong feelings for the previous Praetor, Jason. Maybe it was simply the weight of her role, the armor of a stoic leader she wore so well, that had never left her room for things like this.
He gently stroked her arms, prompting her to look back at him. The obsidian black of her eyes, usually edged with cold steel, was clouded with a new sense of uncertainty and fear.
"We can take it slow," he reassured her softly. "And if you feel uncomfortable at any point, we can stop."
She gave him a quick nod, her hands working alongside his to unbuckle and unzip his shorts. Percy lifted his hips off the surface, shoving the fabric down along with his boxer briefs in one swift motion. His rigid erection finally sprang free from underneath her, throbbing in the open night air.
Reyna's gaze snapped to it, her eyes flaring wide at the sheer size. It measured nearly seven inches long, the girth so substantial that she doubted her fingers could wrap fully around its base. A bud of precum was already building at the top.
There is no way he is fitting inside me, she thought.
Percy's eyes locked onto Reyna as she gingerly wrapped her hand around his erection, her grip firm and deliberate. She dragged her hand upward in a steady agonizing stroke, the motion torturously slow, barely shifting a fraction of an inch with each passing second. A sharp hiss escaped his lips, the electric jolts from her feather-light caresses racing up his spine, making his muscles tense. He bucked his hips instinctively, desperate to drive deeper into her teasing hold.
"Not so high and mighty now, huh?" Reyna whispered in his ear. He could feel the mischievous tone linger on her breath, something he wasn't used to hearing in her voice that caused him to further twitch.
"Reyna, please…" he begged softly, his grip firm against her outer thigh. She wasn't going to let him off the hook that easily.
"This is for your attempts at being a comedian during the Senate meetings…" Reyna said curtly as she squeezed lightly, her nails brushing against it, causing him to curse under his breath.
"This is for teasing me before." She gave him one quick and long stroke. His eyes rolled to the back of his head as he let out her name.
"And this…" she said sultrily, brushing a kiss against his earlobe. "This is just for being you, Perseus."
The way his name rolled off her tongue made him twitch in pleasure. He felt her thumb brush against the sensitive head of his penis, which caused him to instinctively dig his nails into her hips. He then watched as she took the droplet of precum on her thumb and licked it off, moaning at the taste of him in her mouth.
Gods, I would do anything to fuck her senseless, he thought, the sight of her tasting him driving him wild.
Reyna yelped in surprise as Percy grabbed her roughly, shoving the throbbing erection against the slick folds of her entrance. She cried out his name, her juices coating the length of his shaft as the feeling of the thick girth made her head spin. Percy licked his fingers and rubbed them against her clit, stealing her breath when he thrust two inside her.
"Percyyy…" she moaned, bucking against the soaked digits buried deep in her, her nails raking his biceps while he curled them to stroke the sensitive ridge along her inner wall. He devoured her neck with hungry kisses, sucking hard to leave additional fresh bruises on unmarked skin.
Reyna screamed as his thumb circled her clit, her body jerking wildly in spasms as she threw her head back in ecstasy. A new wave of fluid joined his fingers as he pulled out and licked them, savoring her taste in front of her.
After catching her breath, Reyna got to her knees and straddled him, hovering her wet folds right over his throbbing erection. The warm, soaked lips of her entrance nudged against his swollen tip, pulling deep groans from both their throats. She felt her own fluids drip down, covering the head completely. With a soft cry, Reyna eased herself down just an inch, his shaft pushing her walls apart as it slid in. The sharp sting surprised her; it was a burning sensation unlike anything she had ever felt before.
Percy leaned in close, his breath tickling against Reyna's ear as he murmured, "It's okay, take it slow. You're doing so well. Gods, Reyna, I love how you feel so fucking much."
The words slipped from his lips effortlessly as he fought the urge to thrust upwards. His hands gripped her thighs with a firm yet gentle squeeze, helping ease her down onto him inch by inch. She could feel herself clenched around him, slick and tight, gripping his shaft like a soft vice.
"You're so tight and wet. You feel so good around me. You squeeze me so well, baby."
Reyna lost it at his teasing yet reassuring words, igniting an innate feeling in her that pushed her right over the brink. She was only past halfway down his length when the orgasm ripped through her again, her teeth sinking into his shoulder to stifle the raw scream tearing from her throat.
Her body convulsed, her nether region pulsing wildly around him as she came hard and soaked him again. Her nails dug into his back, dragging deep animal-like scratches across the tanned skin, marking him in the heat of her release.
In that rush of ecstasy, a realization ran through her mind: Fuck, maybe I do have daddy issues…
It took a while, but Reyna let out a soft whimper as she finally sank all the way down, the base of him pressing flush against her as his full length buried deep inside her. He continued to murmur soft reassurances into her ear, his voice low and soothing, as he saw the effect it had on her. One hand kneaded the soft curve of her waist, and the other trailed lightly over the ridges of her spine, sending shivers racing through her body. Her nails dug deeper into his skin, carving fresh trails across his back as she nuzzled her face into the warm hollow of his neck, inhaling his sweet sea breeze scent amid the pleasure.
They sat there in a heated mess as Reyna tried to catch her breath, slowly adjusting to the size inside of her. Once she felt the discomfort fade into a pleasurable heat, she shifted her weight and rolled her hips against him. The friction sent sparks of pleasure shooting through her core as she felt herself gliding along his shaft, lifting slightly and sinking back down in a rhythmic pace.
Sharp gasps escaped her lips, mirrored by his own ragged inhale that was begging her to go faster. He stretched her out, every little movement inside of her hitting a hidden sensitive spot as she felt his crown nudge against the wall of her cervix.
Percy's fingers roughly massaged her perfect ass, digging into the flesh of her firm, rounded cheeks with a possessive grip that continued to add to the already present bruising. His palms helped guide her against him, with each descent burying him to the hilt and each upward pull dragging her completely against his full length, the feeling igniting nerves that made his vision blur.
He groaned beneath her, hands moving to her hips to pilot her harder and faster, the shared rhythm turning their gasps into moans that echoed in the charged air, mixing with the sound of skin slapping against each other. She was incredibly tight, and he was trying his best not to completely lose it inside her.
His breath was hot against her ear, his voice that previously sent velvet-soft whispers of assurance to her curdled into taunts as pure ecstasy clouded his mind.
"I know you want me, Reyna," he hissed, lips brushing the shell of her ear as her nails raked across his lower back, leaving red welts that stung and spurred him on.
"Percyyy…Faster, pleaseee," she begged of him as he kept brushing against the sweet spot inside her that made her toes curl.
"You love this feeling of me being inside you. You love this feeling of being on top of me, trying to control me," he continued as he wrapped her legs around his waist, allowing himself to push deeper into her in the new position.
She could feel the smug curl of his lips against her skin, that infuriating smirk she knew so well. The one that got under her skin all week was now causing her to want more of him.
"You love how I annoy and irritate you so much," he continued, voice roughening as her teeth bit into his shoulder again. "Only for you to come back wanting more."
She hated it. She hated him. She hated how he drove her wild in every way. She hated how much she wanted him, how she wanted to get lost in his sea green eyes. She hated how she wanted to control him, but simultaneously let him do whatever he pleased. She hated how he made her feel, how he was making her feel now. Every taunting word, every stroke that hit deep inside her, every mark and bruise he left on her skin, every shit-eating grin that he gave her. She never felt this way with anyone else.
Reyna's voice broke on his name, a throaty moan that vibrated through her chest as she gripped his jaw with both hands, yanking his face toward hers. Their lips hovered a mere inch apart, breaths mingling in hot, ragged bursts—hers laced with the scent of sweat and desire, his carrying the faint tang of salt from her skin. Their eyes locked on each other, dark and gleaming with pleasure.
"Gods," she growled, pressing her forehead against his. "You talk too much."
She crashed her mouth against his again. Her tongue plunged past his lips, claiming him in another fierce kiss that silenced his taunts mid-breath. Her teeth nipped at the soft flesh of his lower lip, hard enough to draw another cut. He kissed back with equal ferocity, his tongue battling hers for dominance.
Percy groaned in her mouth as the movement of her hips surged in a frantic rhythm. He broke the kiss and latched onto her neck again, sucking hard to leave another bruise against her pulse point. She screamed hard into his neck as another orgasm hit her, her hands reactively closing around his neck, forcing him into a shallow choke that stole his breath for a second. The sensation almost made him release into her as well, but he held on as he gripped her hips tightly to allow her to ride out another orgasm.
"Fuck, Reyna…" he managed, meeting her wild eyes again. "Harder…"
Who knew the son of Neptune, known for being able to breathe underwater, had a slight choking fetish?
She obliged, tightening her grip just a fraction, enough to spark pleasure with slight bruising in the shape of her fingertips. The feeling sent a feral thrill racing through him. Percy's hips bucked wildly beneath her as he felt himself tightening at her touch and the intense pace, her sweet moans of his name driving him closer to the edge.
"Mark me," Percy whispered, his voice raw. "Make me yours."
His offer of submission to her stirred some deep intrusive thoughts inside her. Reyna attacked his body in a tangled frenzy. She raked her nails down his spine, drawing thin lines of red that made him groan and thrust harder against her. At the same time, she sank her teeth into the curve of his neck, sucking hard enough to give him a hickey as payback. His fingers dug into her hips, pulling her closer. He took her right nipple in his mouth, slightly biting to further arouse her. They continued to dig their fingers and teeth into any piece of skin that was not already touched, eager to capture the unclaimed territory.
Percy felt himself tightening as his climax continued building. He gripped her hips like a driving wheel, dictating a frenzied pace as she continued to bounce hard on him. She surrendered to his guidance, the loss of control fueling her arousal as her exhausted body convulsed. Their ragged pants mingled with gasps of each other's names. His chest pressed close against hers, lips and teeth scraping for any exposed flesh to bite and suck. Then, with a firm yank, he pulled her head back lightly by the hair, latching his mouth onto the soft underside of her chin, sucking hard enough to leave another love bite. She lost it there.
"Percy!" she screamed, nails gouging deep into his chest as she came hard.
He continued to push into her relentlessly, driving deep and denying her even a second to recover as she soaked him again. With a final slam and a curse under his breath, he felt his own release pumping deep into her body.
She felt herself spasm violently as it felt like molten fire pooling in her core. As she felt him cum in her, she gave Percy one last long and messy kiss before she collapsed against his shoulder in exhaustion, her breath still frantic as she gently stroked his hair. He pulled her closer, pressing tender kisses along her sweat-dampened shoulder as they stayed together in a second of silence.
It was then that realization hit her like a freight truck. She just had sex with Percy Jackson.