Moon Says:So, this was supposed to come out months ago, but well, classes really got me hard. Everything is speeding up quick. I was supposed to be writing something today, but I thought this was a nice birthday gift for me! Happy birthday to me! It is extra long, so please forgive me for the wait!

Words/Pages: 5410 / 14 pages

Enjoy!

Death's Beloved

~Chapter 2~

Nico should have thought of the reaction the others would have if he brought home a girl.

Annabeth was suspicious, and Percy didn't know how to react or feel. The former was grilling Nico's mate, and the latter was happy of the union but protective of the Son of Hades.

After all, Percy still saw Nico as someone he needed to protect.

It got to the point, not even three minutes after Chris was introduced that even Percy, as clueless as he was, saw that Nico and Chris were about to explode on the girl.

"Annabeth, enough. Can't you just be happy for Nico?" Perc asked, already tired of his girlfriend's behavior (and thinking in the back of his mind that Annabeth was probably even more irritated because Rachel had been there the day before).

Nico gave a small sigh of relief, but the blonde just glared her boyfriend with an annoyed and superior look on her face.

"Seaweed for brains, don't you get it? We don't know her. This is all very convenient. Nico goes on his first solo quest, and she comes back…"

Nico decided enough was enough, gripped Chris' hand, and just walked off, leaving Percy to deal with the insufferable daughter of Athena—after all, she was his girlfriend.

The Son of Hades apologized to his mate, "I should have expected that, and I'm sorry that it happened. I didn't think about anything other than getting you back with me," the Son of Hades sheepishly admitted.

Chris squeezed his hand. "It is alright, Beloved. I am used to suspicious bookworm."

"But you shouldn't be," Nico interrupted hotly, angry of his friends, "I wanted you to be free of that shit."

Chris tugged on his hand as she stopped. Nico aware of her movements, stopped shortly of pulling her with him. The raven-haired turned fully to his right. His full attention turned to the only female to fully capture him.

"You are my beloved, my mate. You freed me. Just being here with you, connected with you—" she trailed off and let her magic wrap over him.

He closed his eyes and let it wash over him, the feelings, fresh and growing as they were, were worth everything and anything he had to go through. For the first time since his sister, someone put him above all others—someone who cared.

When Nico opened his eyes, those dark orbs were focused on the only thing he cared about. He loved watching her raise those lids that covered those sea-green eyes. Eyes that only wanted him.

It only occurred to him now, away from Percy, that a small part of him had been worried that Percy would distract her from him—if the relief of her focus was any indication.

Nico hated that he was still insecure that he would feel that worry.

Mate or not.

Creature devotion or not.

Wait.

She was glad for freedom. Of this connection between them,

The insecurity came back to him. Was she only with him because he freed her? Because she had to be because of the mate connection?

Obligation?

A pressure against his lips drove away all those negative thoughts.

Chris had kissed him?

"Whatever made you feel so..." she couldn't put into words what she felt from her mate, but Chris knew she never wanted to feel it again. "Promise me you will put it out of your mind."

"Choice is very important. I haven't really had much of that in my life—until I meet you. I want whatever this is," Chris spoke softly, hoping that she hit the mark with what the problem had been.

Nico nodded, coming back to the realization that they both chose this.

"You are mine, and I hope you know what you got yourself into," she smirked, causing him to chuckle. A dragon is a horder, after all."

Those last words had him laughing loudly.

"I hope you know that we Children of Hades don't believe in to death do we part. This will be forever."

Her eyes glowed before smiling. "Good as I would not have it any other way."

Nico squeezed her hand before gently tugging her to the cabin areas ignoring any and everyone but his beloved.

It always gave him hope when he saw how empty the Hermes cabin was becoming with the building of other cabins.

"So, the cabins correspond with the godly parent, yes?" she wanted to confirm before she continued. "There isn't one for Thanatos, though?

His mate was smart as he didn't have to even explain things to her.

Nico shook his head at her question, "You would be sharing with Percy in the Poseidon Cabin."

The Son of Hades shoved down any jealous he felt.

"Wait, you're a daughter of Poseidon?" a male voice questioned in confusion.

The two mates turned around to see the other two had followed them.

"Bullshit," the Daughter of Athena huffed. "Lord Poseidon only broke his oath once—not to mention you aren't Percy's twin. Therefore, you can't be the daughter of the Sea God."

Chris rolled her eyes, "I am a granddaughter of the Sea God, and my grandfather was born a long time ago so whatever this vow is..."

Annabeth rolled her eyes. "You don't know?" her superior attitude made Chris wanted to hurt her, especially with how her following words changed her tune.

"Whatever," Percy interrupted his girlfriend, "It could be. If her grandfather was born before World War II, then yeah. Anyway, look at her eyes. We have the same eyes...though yours do have a black bit to them. It doesn't matter. We're family."

When Percy smiled at her, Chris did the same in response. "Family is important, she said softly, causing Percy to nod because he understood.

Annabeth growled, "You are so gullible, seaweed brain. She's from Europe..." the blonde bitch turned to Chris, "Why aren't you at Camp Jupiter?" smug, as if she thought she had won.

Percy and Nico looked confused.

Chris raised an eyebrow, not effected by the girl. "So that's what it's called. I slipped in and looked around but wasn't impressed. I had more important things to worry about without getting draw into the drama of the gods. But...it was during the time of my grandfather..." she gave Nico a look and he understood.

Nico figured she found the camp after Slytherin told her of her heritage. He wasn't surprised that she went investigating nor that she abandoned this world for hers.

"What's going on?" a centaur aske as he approached. When he loked at the group his face took on a look of surprise.

"Morrigan?" he questioned, confused. "How do you look the same? I thought you left..." Chiron then nodded as if he understood. "You were granted immortality, weren't you? Which god, if I might ask?"

Annabeth's jaw dropped, and Percy looked impressed before telling her, "I turned my offer down."

Chris only blinked, "You were offered to live forever and you rejected it? I'm...impressed. It takes a strength that is rarely seen to do so," she looked impressed before turning to the horse man. "I am not immortal...I think. Fucker might have done something with my consent, though," she trailed off looking annoyed.

Nico only chuckled, knowing through their connection that her relationship with Thanatos was an off and on thing.

"But how are you still alive? I last saw you a thousand years ago?"

Chris only sighed before Annabeth intervened. "Her name is Chris...or did you lie about this too?"

Nico's mate looked annoyed. "I have a lot of names—"

Percy interrupted this time. "Wait, isn't there a goddess named Morrigan?"

Annabeth looked like she was about to die. The possibility that this woman in front of her was actually a goddess...

It made the Lady of Magic think—could she consider herself a goddess? She was possibly an immortal due to Death and his hallows, and the Goddess of Magic picked her as one of her chosen...

Then there was that gorgeous dark—no, chaos was better to describe her—Lady gifting...her with the name Morrigan. It was after she had been watching the flames of the place that had broken her...

The Morrigan was a goddess of magic and death—balance really of her Pantheons.

If that lady had been The Morrigan—then gifting her the name and teaching her how to control and manage her magic soon after...the torture...

Chris had heard that some gods of the various Pantheons wished to fade so they passed on their responsibilities onto another...

In the end, Chris didn't know. She only shrugged before telling Chiron. "I am done with that shot of a world. They can fend for themselves—I'm here to be with Nico—my mate. Now, if you excuse me, Nico is about to take me to the..." Chris paused as she got the words from Nico's mind, "Children of Hephaestus—they have an armory, yes?"

Percy and Nico decided for the sake of peace they both took Chris to her desired destination.

After they got away from Annabeth, Nico asked, "You have no idea do you?" it amused him tht she didn't know whether or not she was a goddess..

Percy looked uncomfortable and confused. "How can you not know?"

Chris shrugged. "Never cared to know. I had other immediate things to worry about like keeping my world—the world of Hecate's witches, magical's—from death."

Nico stopped her there as they continued to the forge. "And it no longer is. You no longer have to worry about those bastards. They can take care of themselves. You did what you were supposed to do. Besides, between the both of us, Tom is no longer a problem."

Chris nodded and gave her beloved a soft smile, "Yes, I am free."

Percy added his own words, "You do what you want, and if you need backup, I'm here. Family," he repeated though he didn't really know what was going on—for Percy, it didn't matter.

Nico wasn't jealous at Percy's words, only happy that Chris had someone else—even though a part of him wanted to be the center of her world.

Not a good start to her freedom, but it was getting better.

Nico would make sure of it.

~DB~

"Come on Percy," Chris goaded as they circled each other on the practice field, her blades in a reverse grip lined up with her body—going up her arms and toward her head. "I thought you were the best—" she chuckled as Percy cut her off by charging at her.

Nico was watching from the side lines not even nervous. This wasn't the first time they played—trained.

He was glad, though, that Chris had changed swords. The ones she brought with her to camp were a bit deadly with them being poisoned after all. Nico didn't really want to lose anyone at camp—even if, occasionally, loosing Annabeth didn't seem too bad.

The Daughter of Athena kept quiet in the three months Chris had been at camp, but that didn't stop the challenges during group and cabin training.

There were some that were afraid of Chris, but most liked her—especially the Ares Cabin.

Nico still didn't know what Chris did to get Clarisse to accept her.

No, Nico wasn't worried until Annabeth got Chris cornered a few days later during Capture the Flag.

Annabeth had never been able to get her alone before. Chiron had been during his damnest to make sure that any activities where campers were violent toward each other were avoided between the two of them.

But not every event could be avoided—though, to be fair, Chris ignored her pretty damn well, and Annabeth stuck to her building stuff.

Capture the Flag was an open warfare on each other.

At least on Annabeth's part. She didn't trust the new girl, and her dislike only grew when the other campers loved her. When Percy wouldn't shut up about her.

The Daughter of Athena knew that Chris wasn't trying to take her place or steal from her, but jealousy was never something the young woman could control. Especially with that genius mind of hers worked against her.

Capture the Flag was perfect for the Daughter of Athena to test the girl and show her up in the process. Annabeth used her knowledge of Percy, the "enemy" cabins, to plan her strategy.

It was easy to know where they put the other female. So far, she showed great prowess with her swords, but she wasn't aggressive unless provoked. So the logical choice would put her with the flag on defensive. They'd probably figure that Annabeth would go after Percy herself—which is always what she did. Take out the best and your win is in the bag.

Annabeth didn't really need to worry about Nico because he never played their training games—he just watched and kept things under control.

Besides, if she wanted a fight with the other female, no one would stop her. She would test the girl, figure her out, and send her packing.

It no one wanted to keep them safe against this unknown girl, especially after everything they went through during the war, Annabeth would.

Idiots.

It always came down to Annabeth. Always.

~DB~

Chris had been having fun at Camp Half-Blood. Even the glares and odd comments from Percy's girlfriend didn't damper her. She was free.

No one here was expecting or demanding her to save the world. TO sacrifice. If anything, they wanted her to train with them, teach them. Help them get better so when, if, they went on Quests they could be stronger, better prepared. After all, she had been in the real world. War. All different from them.

The little ones loved her stories.

Nico...her beloved, her mate. He gave her all this—helped her adjust. His constant presence kept her dragon happy. Her happy.

Honestly, she was waiting for something to happen; something to take away her happiness—the happiness she didn't really know what to do with.

This little one-sided pissing contest with Percy's girl made things seem normal—the same. Everyone had that awe of her now, but how soon till they feared her? Rejected her?

She had that bout with Granger—a friend when it suited the girl. Granger had become more mellow as the years went on, but she was still the same. Just like Ronald. Envious and jealous.

Children would be the same everywhere, but at least here...here it seemed everyone was expected to chip in—help each other until they were on their own.

Help be there for each other.

It was so different, but as great as it made her feel, it made her realize just how much her people had fallen. Instead of teaching the children to help, and later, stand on their won, they taught them too much dependence.

Here, there was no higher power/government that shaped everything—controlled you to the core. The gods gave you rules to follow—yes, those gods depended on others-, but they weren't sheep themselves.

Besides, the gods mostly left you alone.

It was refreshing not to have the so-called leader hovering over you demanding impossible things from you and doing nothing themselves.

Though, the Half-Bloods were in-between bad guys at the moment.

No, Chris only had to be normal. She had to balance her man, the jealous it-girl, and fitting in.

Speaking of camp and her current concerns, the others may have known that Annabeth was going to confront her sooner or later. Nico and Percy thought the girl was still in the watching stage, but Chris knew better. The girl's aura shifted when this game had been announced. The girl was going to strike, and Chris was ready. It was why she made sure that her team planted their flag near water.

While Chris didn't really have to prove anything, it would make her life easier if she did. Though with her magic, she could control water as she had the blood of the God of the Sea running through her veins. She couldn't help, though, that it had an effect on her dragon and the element her magic corresponded with.

The Lady of Magic was prepared when Annabeth came for her. It amused the withc that the other girl thought that her little hat would hide her. Chris not only could see the other girl, but it was with through a gift of sight that came when her core was damaged. When this occurred, it was as if Chris had lost one of her senses. Chris had to adapt. The extra sight she gained coupled with her increased sensitivity to magic allowed her to see and feel magic. It was how she was able to use magic again.

Chris would channel her magic, what she had, to mimic what she saw and felt.

While the hat Annabeth used was gifted and probably created by the gods, it wasn't meant to hide her from them.

Chris' invisibility cloak, on the other hand, was meant for Death to hide from everyone—even himself.

So while Annabeth could not see Chris, the witch could see her. Besides, it wasn't cheating to use all of her one's skills. No one said that Chris couldn't use magic.

With the regular feedings from Nico (and occasional nightly trip to a few of her family manors helped), Chris had more then enough magic to spell the flag.

A simple disillusion spell would do the trick along with an accompanying image of a false flag.

Chris was going to quite amused when her trap would be sprung.

Annabeth didn't disappoint. It would have been a shame if the girl trigged it right away. Her brain was good for something after all.

It seemed the lack of guard—Chris—near the flag was off putting for the girl. A quietly thrown pebble dispelled the false image, but that was que for Chris to act. From her seat in a tree right above the camouflaged real flag, Chris waved her hand from the river to where Annabeth was confused and slightly scared—her aura confessed to Chris. She had never come across this before.

The demi-witch pulled on her power found within the Ichor running through her veins. The water that Chris summoned, wrapped around the demi-god in front of her, and then froze.

The element of her dragon was ice, so sometimes Chris couldn't control the freezing.

Even though the river was of liquid form of her element, Chris could still control it though. She was about to go a step further than Percy could.

Chris made sure not to completely incase the girl. After all, the goal here wasn't to kill the other female.

Maybe if she wasn't Percy's girlfriend.

The Lady of Magic honestly didn't know if the ice would act on its own or not; after all, she had only used it to kill so far...

And since the goal wasn't death, Chris made sure to leave her head free...just in case.

The two females didn't wait long before Percy came crashing through with the other team's flag.

The sight of the ice block stopped the Son of Poseidon in his tracks. Not only was he confused about the ice cube that counteracted the magic of Annabeth's hat (by knocking it off)

Percy didn't understand three things.

"How the fuck did this happen? And where the hell is my flag!?" Percy groaned very confused.

While he was confused about the situation, he wasn't concerned with his girlfriend's life. He could see her after all, but not the flag or the almost sister he had recently acquired in the form of Chris.

Others from both teams had followed him and found themselves wondering the same as Percy, though some were wondering where Chris was.

One member of the Hermes Cabin had grown attached to her in a big sister/little sister way and stomped over to Annabeth's frozen body. "Where is she? WHERE IS CHRIS?" the blonde ten year old practically screamed at the frozen girl.

Here question was drowned out by the laughs at Annabeth.

"How the hell did you get caught in ice in the middle of summer?" an Ares camper couldn't control his laughter.

The combination of laughs and other jokes at Annabeth got to Chris and she started giggling. Percy heard and demanded that she come out.

Chris tossed off her cloak and, as she appeared, a few saw it.

A head of Hermes demanded, "How?"

Chris only shrugged, not wanting to share her secret, and put her cloak away in the expanded, bottomless bag on her right thigh. "Family heirloom, sorry," Chris replied as her eyes narrowed in on Nico.

Nico, who had come to join them, chuckled next to her as he settled in, "Family heirloom double dose."

Chris smirked at him, "It was meant to be, yeah?"

One of the Athena got her attention as the entire cabin seemed to be studying Annabeth. "Did you freeze her, Chris?"

The witch nodded not at all looking sheepish, "My gift of water is a bit different than Percy's."

Nico wanted to applaud his very Slytherin love. While Chris had been learning more of his world, he was doing the same. Chris was very cunning. Not only getting Annabeth to back down by beating the bitch, but she had done it in a way that worked to prove her parentage of Poseidon. It was a smart move of his lover.

~DB~

Chris' plan worked. Annabeth left her alone completely and utterly. In fact, Percy's father claimed her publicly after her display.

Unfortunately, it meant that the other gods were fully aware of her now. And disappearing and then reappearing a thousand years later is not something they just brush over.

Which meant that Hades knew, and it wasn't long until he called for his son...and his creature, demi-witch mate.

Nico was not looking forward to that meeting.

~DB~

Nico knew he had to tell Chris about the meeting his father was requesting...demanding.

He just couldn't do it—at least not in camp.

A few hours after receiving the message from his godly parent, Chris took him away from campy with her own version of shadow travel—courtesy of Thanatos.

At least once a week, if they were able, the two would leave camp for one of her family manors and relax away from the drama of camp.

In the end, hours later, Chris was the one to broch the topic.

In their hot spring kind of bath.

It really amazed Nico what was in these houses of hers...

At first, she gave him a few moments to get settled before she came over and straddled his lap—his hand immediately were secured around her hips. Chris leaned her forehead against his, black locked to green.

"What makes you so anxious? Feeling so close to fear? I will destory it and bare it with you if you will tell me," her voice was so reassuring, it was like home. It made him feel a peace he had no since before his mother was murdered and his sister was still by his side.

The feeling she invoked in him only made Nico more determined to keep her, but he could not keep her separated from anything in his world. After all, didn't he want her in his world in the first place?

Nico only sighed, grouped his mate closer and tighter to him. Reassure him that she was there. "My father wants to meet you."

Those six words filled him with such dread.

Chris hummed in understanding as the feelings coming off her mate made more sense now. "You're afraid to lose me. Just like before, you fear that something will drive us apart."

"It could happen," Nico replied quietly, "If my father does not like you, he could do something to break us apart. Make us fall in love with someone else, separate us, wipe our memories—"

Chris cut him off with an aggressive kiss and a bit more than that. A quick shift in her position, and she wasn't just straddling him anymore: she was riding him.

Slowly.

Almost unbearably slowly.

Whispering against his lips as she closed her eyes, moving her body up and down against his, "He cannot tear us apart. Can you know feel it? Our souls are connected. You are my mate. We cannot love another because our souls only recognize each other. He cannot separate us. We need each other, physically," she gapsed as he squeezed her hips, took control, and shoved his cock up inside her, harder, tired of her slow pace—but reassured with her words, "emotionally. You belong to me—forever."

He cannot separate us because we cannot live without the other.

Nico understood and was reassured of their connection through her words.

What he didn't know was that if they were separated, because of her creature status and their mating, she would begin to fade without him. Searching of him everywhere she went, desperately trying to fill the hole inside of her.

~DB~

Despite her reassurances, neither of them realized that while their connection was needed and the lack of could cause problems like weakness (physically and mentally), there could be something said for the mind.

It could be their greatest strength as well as weakness.

None of which Hades gave a shit about.

In his mind, the God of the Underworld was suspicious of this daughter of his brother as well as Thanatos. Hades always thought the bastard was out to get him.

Wanting what Hades had. Always has.

Thanatos couldn't give a shit, though. Not when Chris entertained him so. Besides, he had Hekate and The Morrigan (before she disappeared) to help with his boredom.

Hades, though, was too paranoid, so when he found out about the...female his son picked up on his last quest, the God of the Underworld was not particularly happy.

In fact, it made him reach out to the whore and coerce her into interfering...testing his son's love.

After all, Hades would be a fool to trust anyone, especially his brother and the upstart. Last time he did, he got himself landed ruler of the Underworld.

~DB~

When Nico and Chris appeared in front of her beloved's father, she knew something was off. Chris could feel it.

Ever since the incident...when she was younger, her senses, magical wise, were off the charts (or so her father said). She could see magic not just feel it. It was now she performed magic considering she could not really use a wand to channel her magic. A wand interacting with the magical core directly, and her core was shredded beyond repair...

So, when Chris appeared in the throne room of the Underworld and felt something against her...trying to make its way inside of her...

Chris, Lady of Chaos, did what she had been made to do: she fought back.

Her magic tried to shield the two of them. Ice spring up when a resistance was met.

All Chris could do was try and channel, aim, her magic. Nico didn't even have a chance to verbally respond to his mate's distress before he faintly heard his father speak.

But neither Nico nor Chris could him as foreign magic was loudly beating them—through her shield into them.

Nico turned to Chris, her eyes had turned a pale blue and he could actually see the fear in them let alone feel it through their bond.

Just as he reached out and grabbed her and—his world went black.

In the shadows, magic and screams were unleashed. It made a few gods doubt the plan after all. One being, though, actually felt a bit of pity and responded as such, reaching out into the darkness to help the poor girl that he knew so long ago.

~DB~

The darkness took over his vision, but Nico didn't mind. He opened his eyes once, and when he saw a familiar room, he closed them again; instead of waking, he turned over, pulled the covers up and tried to ignore the outside world.

Which included the girl he lived with getting ready for the day. At least she was considerate and let him sleep in today. He knew she'd let him sleep in.

Nothing really seemed wrong, but Nico had a nagging feeling inside of him that something was wrong; something was missing. His right hand was warm, but he figured that it might have been because his left side was not under the covers...again.

But he couldn't figure it out; instead, he felt the tugging fighting with the indulgent feeling he had come to know intimately. With that battle ranging and drowning out the feelings, he went right back to sleep.

~DB~

The darkness consumed her entire being through she could faintly feel a warmth from her left hand—as if it had been touched—held—only recently.

Yet, she couldn't remember.

All she knew, remembered, was the darkness, foreign magic trying to take hold of her, and a plea, scream, to someone, anyone.

Then, with a slight pain there was a gold in the darkness and it shoved her backwards as if it was an answer to the plea-scream of hers.

After the shove of the only light in the dark, she felt herself fly—then hit the ground only to bounce and roll away from a faint comfort.

As her body slowed, Chris felt more around her and let her senses expand, but as she did she felt two sets of hands try and help her up—familiar.

But they weren't her concern. There was something else that had her full attention.

~DB~

Severus had hoped this day, the day after that horrid goblet chose its champions, would be better. But who was his kidding?

His precious one had shitty luck before she was even born.

So whey it was a surprise to see her come through the doors of the Great Hall with his godson and be thrown halfway across the room in between the Gryffindor and Raveclaw tables—he didn't know. Especially when he found what this attack did to her.

When he got near her, he motioned for the Weasley Twins, friends of hers, to back away. As he took the last step, she spun around with eyes wide...and unseeing.

Severus knew his little Lily couldn't see him. Her eyes were rapidly darting left to right in the space in front of her.

The Potions Master noticed the way she trembled. Severus could practically feel the shock and fear coming off her, woven in her magic—magic that was hesitant to connect with him.

As if she was afraid of what she would find...

Not find, something inside of him corrected Serverus.

He had the same feelings when he saw Lily on the floor that night.

Severus slowly reached out to her, touching her shoulder gently, and when their magic connected, she let out a small cry and fell to the floor.

She was shaking uncontrollably when he fell with her and held her to him.

Severus only had a her a few seconds before everyone got their heads out of their asses. Minerva tried to take Chris from him, but the girl didn't like that.

Even though she couldn't see, she ripped herself from the old woman and clung to Severus.

"Daddy," she whimpered, holding onto her father as if her life depended on it.

Even if he was mortal and a wizard, she always felt safe with him. He let her make her own choices and protected her as best he could. He never abandoned her unless he had no choice. There was never someone else to be chosen over her.

Chris had lost him once before this recent attack—even if she couldn't remember what happened, she'd be damned if she lost him again.

Whatever attacked her and pulled her through time was going to die quickly because of this gift they had given her, instead of the slow and painful torture she had planned before she realized she had a second chance to fix her past.

Maybe the loss she suffered caused this hole inside of her. Being with her father and her dragon would fix it. They always fixed everything after all.