chapter 2

Age twenty-three, Harry was sitting outside his comfortable beach-side house at Montauk, absently smoking one of the strong cigarettes he used to dull his senses of taste and smell, watching what he suspected was a young demigod splashing in the surf while his obviously human mother watched from a blanket on the sand.

The kid looked around seven or so with a head of dark brunette hair reminiscent of the hair Harry himself had once had.

The scent of the demigod, the first demigod Harry had yet seen, was like salt on the back of the tongue with an odd milk chocolate taste mixing in. Harry could see why so many monsters felt the desire to eat the poor kids. And that's not taking into account the revenge killings for sending them to Tartarus and petty spite against their godly parents.

Monsters didn't usually come out to Montauk despite its relatively pleasant location. They didn't like being on what was essentially a kill-box, in that it was surrounded on three sides by water.

Harry didn't mind. He liked the whispers of the air and water over the soft, high-pitched sighs of the lesser sea nymphs that haunted the water's edge on warm days and their loud, joyous singing during violent storms.

That was why Harry had claimed Montauk as his territory when he'd turned twenty and moved out of Aunt Em's place. He loved that woman deeply, but sometimes he could hear the echoes of souls trapped in the statues. Not to mention he was looking more and more like Poseidon (and everyone knows how Olympians feel about their relatives), so he had to be careful she didn't try to join him in the bath. Harry had had to put up a mild barrier and markers all around the peninsula to let other monsters know this area was taken and a general idea of who the 'owner' was.

A couple of Empusa and a small flock of Harpies had wandered in in the first year. The Empusa were curious and left after meeting him, but the trio of Harpies, nest-sisters apparently, with the eldest sister's half-human male Harpy-child had been looking for a place to nest since getting kicked out of their flock for not killing the male Harpy-child, whom they considered an aberration, and had set up in the rafters of Harry's boathouse. Having been up there before, Harry could honestly say it was quite comfortable considering it was essentially a large enclosed nest made of wood, straw, cast-off fabric and clothing. He'd even had a small bathroom with a bath installed for them.

There was also a nest of mostly benign sea serpents under one of the piers, a wild herd of eight Hippocampi in the rocky seabeds offshore and a set of sixteen Nereids renting two of his beachside tourist shacks where they kept their on-land belongings, but that was pretty much it.

Occasionally a nomadic monster would brush up against the outer barrier, but few really came in.

And, of course, there was that thing currently making his scales crawl.

Behind his shades, Harry's eyes slid further along the shore line to where a middle-aged man was fishing. He was wearing a loud Hawaiian shirt with a blue base and khaki green swim shorts. There also appeared to be a fishing cap beside him. A tackle box was mysteriously missing.

Harry hadn't met any gods personally so he couldn't know for sure, but he suspected that this was one of them, possibly the little demi-god's parent.

Snuffing the cigarette, the Gorgon entered the house and made his way into the basement workshop.

It had taken some experimentation and a lot of urging from Nana Em, but Harry now knew most of the limits of his eyes. So, while he could look into his own metallic green eyes (now zigzagged with thin lines of bronze, gold and grey around a slit pupil) without problems, if he met the eyes of something else in a reflection there was a reaction depending on how clear the reflection was and how powerful the other being was.

If the creature was mundane and sapient, like a human, and they met his gaze in something as reflective as a mirror, they would become completely paralysed to the point that they would stop breathing, their heart would stop beating, but if the reflection was a murky reflection in dim lighting, they would only feel a stiffening in the joints that would fade away after a time.

If a non-sapient animal with higher functioning like a pig or cat saw the murky reflection, the result would be closer to the response of the sapient being while a full mirror reflection would be like looking directly into his eyes. Insects got the full effect no matter what and most of the lower functioning non-sapients would have a response of anywhere between high-functioning non-sapients and insects.The full gaze without a reflection invariably resulted in a statue of some kind of metal, type varying, or, on rare occasions, a gem-veined statue of minerals or coal depending on the gem. He's once had a very old and much loved and, ultimately, dying golden retriever turn to chalk on him, leaving behind in its remains a couple of dozen of some kind of beautiful gem reminiscent of a fire opal, but not, on average about the size of a large marble.

But the only creatures he could confidently predict what they would turn into were Immortals and magical creatures, and even then he had to hit them with the full weight of his gaze or they just stiffened up a bit. If the Immortal was Roman or the magical creature was air-borne, it would turn into a statue of solid Imperial Gold. If it was Greek or land-based, it would become Celestial Bronze. And if it was an Underworld creature or deemed Otherworldly by nature or superstition, it became Stygian Iron. Water-based and subterranean magical creatures could go either way.

Apparently, Mr Tibbles, being a kneazle, was descended from an Underworld cat-like Immortal named, literally, Big-Ears, hence the purple glow around his Stygian Iron self. It was probably where the cat superstition about having two paws in both Realms came from. It was also interesting to see how fine the work of a Dementor's Cloak was when the Dementor was turned to Stygian Iron. They didn't have legs, you know, and the Cloak was actually a part of them. Why they came after him, he had no idea, but, hey, free Stygian Iron.

Nana Em had dragged poor Harry back to the goblins after the first month and had them check his father's side of the family, where it came about that a member of his father's mother's family, the Blacks, had married a demi-god daughter of Pluto, and a demi-god son of Hades even further back. Apparently, Hades and Pluto had been the favoured blood to be bred into the family since back before the Blacks left Rome in the 200AD for Britain. There were eight in the last fifteen generations alone.

Medusa had made Harry swear on the River Styx to never, ever volunteer the full information about his eyes' power, and to avoid giving full details if asked. He would never be able to leave Olympus or the Underworld is it ever came out, made to make metal for the Gods for the rest of Ever .

He also found where his weird luck came from. Hello great grand-nana Eris from the Potter side!

With all his godly blood, he was practically a High Immortal like Medusa, the Minotaur, the Furies and Chiron to name a few. Nana Em was both amused and appalled that there could be more like him running around in the 'Magical World' and they didn't know it.

In the first few years, Harry had been strong-armed into metal-working and blacksmithing as an excuse as to why he had so much metal lying around. It took him a bit, but he eventually became very good at jewellery-making and animal-art statues.

Call it instinct or premonition, but there was always a tingle under his skin when he worked on his statues.

And he had decided that this time he would carry through with the instinct.Standing in the centre of the magically enlarged hall he called a workroom was a statue of a fine hot-blood horse, mid-canter and tossing its head, mouth open mid-neigh.

It stood around sixteen hands at the shoulders with the long legs and slim build of the Akhal Teke he had based it off, a slim, intelligent head and a deep chest, tail raised like an Arabian, and elegant feathering from heel to hock. The feathering, short mane, long forelock and tail were bright Celestial Bronze from a particularly fluffy and foul-mouthed pair of Jarveys that had somehow gotten into his workshop despite being in the wrong part of the country for them, while the hooves, eyes, teeth, the tips of it ears and forehead blaze were a soft Imperial Gold from a particularly tenacious Roman Faun he'd met in Las Vegas last year who wouldn't take 'no' for an answer. All of this was against the dark grey hide of brushed Stygian Iron made from a trio of Hellhounds who had been annoying Nana Em a while back, while the not-fire-opal gems were studded onto its rump like glowing embers rather than the dapples they were modelled off. Two of the most similar in size and shape not-fire-opals made the pupils of the Imperial Gold eyes.

It was beautiful and understated and life-like and glowing.

And it was an anatomically correct mare on the outside, but his magic should make it biologically so on the inside when he did his thing. Harry just felt there were too many Stallion Immortals running around.

As he had found out at nearly the beginning, his blood was a powerful healing agent, so powerful it would kill without being diluted by at least one-hundred to one in a substance like milk or wine. So, if he put his mind and magic to it, his instincts said he could use his blood to make-life out of something made from one of the so-called Divine Metals, especially Stygian Iron for its ability to absorb any power it came into contact with.

He'd been winding himself up to this since he finished it last month.

His hands tingling, Harry, damned his shortness, climbed the stepladder and opened a vein into its open, hollow mouth, willing his blood and magic and his basic power and personality blueprints into the statue.

And she glowed.Harry woke up some hours later with a crick in his neck, dehydrated and a growing migraine from the ever-on-going, apparently vicious argument going on between the Gorgon-snakes Nunu and Baba, as per usual.

Groaning, Harry stretched on the floor like a cat, cracking all the kinks from his body, and dragged himself to his feet to get some water from the fountain, not bothering with a cup and just drinking from the bowl. With his head in the bowl. Submerged.

It was when something butted his butt that he resurfaced and turned around.

"Vashti." Harry smiled and reached out to scratch up under the metal-horse's chin and around the ears. "Means 'most beautiful'. A Persian name for a Persian lady."

Vashti let out a horsey moan of pleasure and leant into her father, glowing gold and fire eyes going half-lidded in pleasure. ' Thank you, father.'

Harry's smile went sappy at the soft psychic voice of his horse-daughter. "You're welcome, sweetheart. Everything alright? Any stiffness? Hungry?"

The softly glowing mare let out a contented sigh as her father began running his hands across the warm metal of her forequarters and through the weirdly soft metal-not-metal of her Celestial Bronze mane and forelock. ' No, father. I ate some of the food on the table. I do not need much.' A glance said she had gotten into the excess metals from her creation that had been piled on a nearby bench. ' I am able to move without issue and my internals appear to be fully formed.'

Running a hand across the smooth, glass-like gems in her hindquarters, he leant into her hip and lifted a hoof to make sure it was properly formed. "No tenderness in the hooves? The gems don't pull or cause discomfort?"

' No, father. My hooves are fine, though I would prefer to stand on something softer as I do not have shoes to ease the pressure. And the gems are fine. They are warm and appear to be absorbing and storing heat.'

"Hmm." Harry stood and regarded them for a moment. "If there are any problems, let me know, okay?" He ran a final hand along her spine. "I want you to hang around my territory for a few days in case something goes wrong, but you may come and go as you will if that is what you want. Stretch your legs and explore a bit."

Harry stretched himself, and began to lead his fully-formed, young adult horse-daughter up the basement stairs to the outside, confident that both the Mist and muggle-repelling wards would protect her from mundane humans, and that her speed and dangerous hooves and teeth would protect her from most other monsters."And remember, I don't mind if you choose to bare demi-gods or monsters or humans on your back, but never allow yourself to be willingly harnessed by a god." It was an eff-you to the gods who would no doubt covet his horse-daughter as their own mount. Like hell he'd let her be a slave.

Vashti nodded her gleaming head to show her acknowledgement of the only order written into her Heart, before racing into the now dark Montauk night, light flicking from her hooves and surrounded by a purple and golden haze.

(space)

It was about three months later that his beautiful horse-daughter came back.

It was said that Hephaestus himself was livid that someone had outdone him in creating a metal beast, and there were rumours that Hades had set a quest to catch her to the demi-gods before the other gods could. There were even murmurs that Poseidon himself had taken on the form of a handsome white stallion to run her down, though none could say if he caught her or not.

Given the storms this season, Harry was leaning towards 'not'.

And no one knew for sure where she came from, except maybe Medusa, but she wasn't telling.

They were calling her 'The Gem-Studded Mare'.

Harry was just so proud of his baby. And a little afraid for her.

Until she brought back her 'presents', then he just wanted to slam his head against a wall.

(space)

He'd been minding his own business, reading a book before the fire-pit on his beach-side patio, warded against the wind and rain that poured down outside, just before midnight, when he registered Vashti coming through the territory wards with guests.

She didn't bother waiting for the three forms on her back to dismount, just walked through the patio wards and sat down beside the fire.

Thankful that he was wearing his spelled one-way glasses because of Hedwig up in the rafters and Misting his sleeping Gorgon-snakes into black braids in case of passers-by, all Harry would do was blink blankly at the three young people awkwardly getting off Vashti's back.With a sigh and a flick of the hand, the three children and horse were dry and wrapped in blankets.

The demi-gods, for that was what they were, were two young adolescents, a boy with blond hair and a girl with dark hair, and a little blond girl of around seven.

Harry closed his book and stood, ignoring the way the two adolescents nudged the little girl behind them and discreetly rested hands on what were probably weapons.

"So," he began as he moved towards the open patio doors towards the kitchen. "Sandwiches and then bed. You can tell me whatever you want about your circumstances in the morning."

In full view of the children, Harry made some peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, got out a bottle of milk to heat up and brought the lot out.

Seeing them hesitate, the young Gorgon went back into the house for a bucket of metals and minerals for Vashti, as well as set up a queen-sized bed in one of the downstairs spare bedrooms. One they could lock from the inside and had windows big enough for a child to fit through, but would hamper anything bigger trying to get in.

Next on the list were some of his oversized soft-flannel bed-shirts and track pants which he left on the bed along with a pile of extra blankets.

When he wandered out a few minutes later with Vashti's dinner, the three were huddled against her flank and only the boy was still awake, though struggling. The milk and sandwiches were cleaned out.

Hedwig, getting old though she was, had sat herself upon Vashti's back over the little girl and appeared to be keeping watch.

Harry hummed and brought the bucket over to where the beautiful mare was drowsing, turning to the boy he spoke softly, "The bed's ready. I hope you don't mind sharing, but I figured you'd want to stay together."

The boy nodded and extracted himself from the blankets and the little girl's grip so he could wake the other teen and pick up the sleeping child.

Still on watch, Hedwig jumped onto the teenaged girl's shoulder as the warily followed him into his house to the bedroom down the hall beside the stairs and across from the second bathroom.

Showing the two conscious teens the room, he left with the comment, "The door locks from the inside."

Harry was unsurprised to hear the click behind him.

(space)Having spent the night awake and morosely braving the rain at intervals to patrol his territory for any hostiles, it was no real surprise to him when he was still awake and drinking nectar-laced coffee by morning.

Mostly ignoring the clatter of Vashti eating the metals in the bucket he brought out the night before, then the tin bucket itself, then the ashes in the fire-pit (to which Harry just rolled his eyes), the Gorgon began making a fruit and cereal breakfast for the little demi-gods the wards said were still sleeping like the dead under Hedwig's protective gaze.

Once done with the fruit smoothies and the machine that pulped them, Harry ventured out into the sunny dawn to plop back down in his wicker chair while Vashti chewed drowsily on a cud of ash and metal, his Gorgon-snakes lethargic and quiet from the cold.

Observing his daughter, Harry was a little surprised to find flashes of diamonds in her feathering and a mix of garnets and tiger's eyes in her mane and tail. It made him wonder if she would assimilate what she ate and her appearance would change as she evolved.

"So… Daughter-mine. What the hell?"

Vashti gave her father a sideways, hooded stare, still chewing. ' You said I could allow anyone I wanted to upon my back."

The look he gave back was more than a little shirty. "That's not what I meant and you know it."

Vashti heaved a sigh and shook herself. ' After I shook off that weirdo water stallion, Posi-something, I wandered across the two older children as they escaped from a monster's den in the place called Virginia. They used some kind of fire to destroy the building and the monsters in it and I followed them to a small brick building with sinks and porcelain bowls where they cleaned themselves and tended their injuries. Not long after, they found the child in an alley close by and took her with them. They were going somewhere, but were attacked again.'

Vashti paused and gave her father another sideling look, though he remained silent. ' I could not just leave them there. They are just children and should not be alone in the first place. So I brought them here to you.'

The last bit was hopeful.Harry light up a cigarette and rubbed his daughter's ears to show he wasn't that upset, thinking over the dilemma.

He'd thought about saving lost demi-god children before, back when he was younger and less jaded. Maybe two in five demi-gods ever made it to one of the Camps, and Lupa sometimes killed demi-gods she considered weak herself, so there were many children dying out there and he couldn't really do much.

Harry paused as his fingertips tingled. From experience, the tingling would get stronger if he followed through with one of these thoughts, though he couldn't yet tell if it were a good thing or a bad thing when the tingling got stronger.

Harry clicked his tongue thoughtfully, mind turning to the trio of statues that had been sitting in the workroom for a while. "It would appear you will be gaining some siblings soon." The young monster stood. "There is food for the children on the kitchen bench. Don't let them leave until I come back out to talk to them."

Trying to think of what he missed, Harry scratched his chin and smirked at Vashti. "Also, that water stallion was likely Poseidon, the Greek sea god and one of the Big Three. Some would expect you to be flattered by his attentions."

Vashti snorted and tossed her bejewelled head, burning eyes rolling in annoyance. ' Well, I am not 'some people'. And he smelt of salt. I don't want to rust!'

Harry laughed loudly at her and was still chortling as he made his way down into his workroom.

Also Vashti is only based on an Akhal Teke with bits of other horses thrown in for Harry's aesthetic viewing pleasure, like the feathering on her legs and the appaloosa 'dappling'.