Burn it down (6)

"Annabeth, change of plans," said Percy, handing her one container of gasoline while he held the other, "I'll help Thalia and Luke while I keep the hellhounds away from you. You have to go around the sides to the door and spread the gasoline as you run."

"But, Percy, you don't have a gun...."

"I don't need it. Now, go!"

She looked at her friends for a few seconds and then looked at Percy. She looked worried.

"Please don't die."

Percy smiled at her.

"I won't."

He uncapped the gas can and ran toward the pack of hellhounds that began to surround the two teenagers. Before they could come to their senses, he doused the dogs with the gasoline and kicked one dog in the neck as it lunged to attack Luke from behind.

"What the hell? Percy," Luke exclaimed.

Percy positioned himself behind Luke, back to back.

"I hope you don't mind me joining the party, are there still any pretty girls to dance with," asked Percy.

"Well, here's Thalia," he gestured to Thalia who positioned herself next to him, forming a triangle between the three of them, "Although she has two left feet for dancing."

"Hey!"

"Sounds tempting," said Percy, "But I'll choose one of the dogs from hell."

"If you two are done gossiping like two little women, can we focus on what's in front of us?" asked Thalia, with obvious bad humor.

"I have a plan, but we'll have to distract them for a few minutes," said Percy.

"And how do you plan to do that? You don't have any weapons."

"I haven't survived on the streets for so many years without learning a trick or two."

Before any of them could ask him what he meant, Percy shot off in the direction of the hellhounds. The monsters didn't expect him to attack them on his own so they were surprised when he advanced and kicked one of them in the jaw. The dog ended up crashing into the wooden benches, but Percy didn't stop there. He snaked through the monsters like a snake, dodging bite and scratch attempts from the hellhounds.

"He's a good fighter," Luke commented in awe as he watched Percy dodge a dog bite and give him a hard spinning paw that sent him flying several feet away.

"How did he do it with you?"

Thalia didn't deign to answer. Instead, she returned to wielding her spear with renewed ferocity.

Percy pushed aside all thought besides dodging and striking. He ignored Luke's fight against a dog. He ignored Thalia's curses at anything that attacked her. He ignored Annabeth stealthily slipping between the church pillars while spilling gasoline in her wake. She ignored the stabbing pain in her shoulder. As he dodged attacks and threw punches and kicks at any monsters that came near, a single thought flooded his head; survive.

Percy would make sure he survived that night and he would make sure everyone else did. All of them; Sammy, Luke, Annabeth and Thalia. He would make sure no one died that night. He would make sure he would never see anyone die in front of him again.

He would survive. He always did.

He kicked hard at the ribcage of a dog that howled in pain and dodged the claws of another dog as he rolled across the floor to put space between them. The dogs had stopped coming, but there were still a considerable number of them growling at them and baring their teeth menacingly.

Before Percy attacked again, a snort echoed throughout the place, causing everyone to go static for a few seconds. He recognized that sound. That thing was back. Percy turned around and there, standing where the church doors had previously been, a dark figure loomed imposingly over him.

Despite the darkness of the night, Percy could clearly make out his attacker. He was about six feet tall, his muscular body furrowed with swollen veins protruding from under his skin. A thick layer of hair covered his legs and his chest was so bulging with muscle that you could see where one muscle began and another ended. Instead of a human head, he had a bull's head. A long snout with a snotty nose, cruel black eyes and his head was crowned with one full horn, while another was cut in half. Above his right eye he had a rather nasty gash, which covered his eye with blood.

Percy could have sworn that the creature was staring at him with its dark eyes full of hatred, ignoring the others. He stared back fearlessly. Maybe he wasn't as stupid as he thought and he knew Percy was the one who gave him that cut he had and the absence of half of his right horn. That would teach that bastard not to attack from behind.

The beast snorted noisily, squeezing a few boogers out of its foul snout and lashed out at Percy.

"Move!" shouted Percy.

Thalia and Luke rushed sideways, dodging the beast's onslaught. During its run, it crushed the last remaining hellhounds while keeping its sights focused on Percy.

He remained static in place. Luke and Thalia's screams telling him to move sounded drowned out to him, as if someone was talking underwater. Time seemed to stand still for a few seconds, as Percy watched the beast get closer and closer. At the last second, Percy lunged to the side. A stabbing pain shot through his body as he landed on his injured shoulder.

The bull man did not stop his onslaught and crashed into the walls of the church, his huge horn stuck to the base in the cement wall. The beast began to struggle to free itself as it snorted and snarled.

"We have to go, now," Percy shouted urgently.

"No," said Thalia, her voice firm as she tightened her grip on her spear.

"Are you crazy? He wants to kill me. You can save yourselves!"

"You go. I won't run anymore."

That was all he said before lunging at the beast that was still stuck.

Luke, who went over to help Percy up, sighed wearily.

"Ah, shit. Here we go again," said Luke.

And he lashed out at the monster.

Finally, the beast managed to break free and turned sharply, just in time for Thalia to drive her spear into its abdomen. The monster growled in annoyance and swung at Thalia, who rolled at the last second, dodging the powerful blow. She had to be careful, one hit from that thing and it would be a straight path to the underworld.

Luke ducked behind the beast and stabbed it in the back of the knee. He quickly pulled the knife back and dodged the blow that was headed straight for its face.

Percy wanted to go and help them, but he had no weapon. He couldn't take on that steroid-addicted beast without one. He needed to fight with his wits about him. He had to stick to the plan. He looked around for Annabeth, but couldn't find her.

"Percy, over here," said a voice from behind him.

If Percy hadn't recognized the voice, he would have turned and hit her... or screamed like a little girl.

"Annabeth, did you do it?"

She nodded.

"It's done. We just need a spark to set the place on fire."

Percy felt his pocket. He could feel the small box of matches in it that he'd picked up at the gas station.

"You guys need to go," said Percy, without looking at Annabeth.

"Tell them," said Annabeth, pointing at Luke and Thalia.

Percy watched as the two teenagers were totally focused on the fight. They were attacking fearlessly. Thalia was attacking mostly with sweeping motions, drawing the beast's attention. When the opportunity presented itself, Luke would stab it in its rib cage, causing it to howl in pain. But Percy knew it wouldn't last long. They both looked tired and covered in sweat, they had been fighting off a pack of hellhounds before the bull man showed up. The huge beast, unlike Thalia and Luke, looked quite energetic, angry as shit, but energetic.

"I'll help them," said Percy.

He had to do it. He reckoned it was his fault they were in that situation.

The monster howled angrily. Apparently, Luke stabbed him right in the crotch.

Percy couldn't help but involuntarily bring his hands to his crotch. He would thank any deity for the fact that the beast had underwear on. If that was some kind of someone's twisted sense of humor, Percy didn't know it.

The bull man tried to strike him, but missed and Luke took advantage of that, rolled to the side and continued attacking.

"Annabeth, listen to me. Go to the trap door and wait there. When I distract that thing, warn Thalia and Luke, and go. I'll catch up with them as soon as I set the whole place on fire."

"Are you sure you can handle it by yourself?"

"I'm never sure of anything in my life, but this time, one thing I know for sure; we'll all get out of this alive."

Annabeth nodded and looked at Percy, smiling gratefully.

"I trust you, Percy," was the last thing she said before running for the trap door.

There was another howl of fury, the beast swatted Thalia away and sent her flying in the direction Percy headed. He reacted quickly and caught her in mid-flight, skidding across the ground due to the force she was thrown. Percy looked at her and saw a trickle of blood running down the side of her forehead, apparently she had been hit pretty hard there.

"Thalia!" shouted Luke.

The monster reacted to the sound and rammed Luke's head forward with the intention of impaling him. He pulled away at the last second by throwing himself to the side, quickly got up and attacked again, this time with fury because that beast hurt his friend.

Percy examined the girl in his arms. Thalia's chest was still rising and falling. He relaxed a little, it meant that she was still alive, but she wasn't totally out of danger yet, no one was until they killed that beast.

Slowly, Thalia opened her eyes and Percy was fascinated and completely captivated by her eyes. It was the first time he had seen them so closely and he marveled at the intensity and brightness of her blue eyes, not helped by the fact that blue was Percy's favorite color.