MADE

Screaming

I awoke the next day to find Elijah gone and Alaric's only explanation was that Elijah was called back to Olympus on urgent business.

I called bullshit.

"When will he be back," I asked trying to keep my gritted teeth from slurring my words. I rummaged through the shelves looking for a sufficient breakfast after last night's disaster of a supper.

"Don't know and I don't care," Alaric replied picking at his cereal bowl with a fork. He stabbed a Cheerio floating in milk and bit it off his fork.

"Fucking coward," I muttered under my breath as I pulled a loaf of bread out of the cupboard.

"Better be talking about Elijah," he snapped looking at me from over his bowl. I glanced at him over my shoulder and stuck my tongue out at him.

Now with Elijah gone, Alaric was in charge of all forms of my training. Combat training beat my ass as usual but I was concerned about how training in the water would go with Alaric. He didn't exactly seem too pleased about it either.

I was standing on the beach as Alaric stomped past me and into the water like a child throwing a tantrum. Water splashed around him each time his foot broke the water's surface. The droplets covered his naked back with glinting spots of light.

"Oh yea," he barked over his shoulder, "just keep standing there doing nothing. That is the perfect way to get shit done."

I hesitated; worried that he would turn around and mock me while I undressed. My fingers lingered at the hem of my shirt. "Just come on already! I won't look, for fuck," he spat turning around to yell at me.

As soon as his back was facing me, my shirt was off, then my shorts, and making one quick dive I submerged myself in the water. I felt the scales protrude from my skin and bones begin to break into their proper places.

I looked ahead and thought perhaps I could sneak up on Alaric but before I hit stealth mode a middle finger was lowered in the water; wagging in front of my face.

His shitty mood kept up for the whole lesson, but I had managed to create an undercurrent big enough to drag him under the surface. I nearly succeeded in drowning him, but I was too busy giggling at his purple face to keep the currant going. He wasn't pleased.

When Alaric was finally finished with training, he chased me back inside where he proceeded to pull my cell phone out of his pocket. "Here," he said holding it out for me. "It's been going off all day."

"You took my phone," I ground out as I snatched it from his grip. "You're a dick; you know that?"

He rolled his eyes. "Of course, don't be stupid."

I pressed my lips together. "Don't take my shit," I said glaring at the back of his head as he turned away from me. It took him three quick steps to reach his destination. The refrigerator.

"It was shaking!" he exclaimed. "The little guy was scared. I thought I should hold onto it for safekeeping," he replied patting the front pocket on his jeans.

I mumbled at him under my breath something about being a prick, and I clicked my phone on to the home screen. There were five missed messages, all from Clair. Apparently, there was a party tonight....

I grinned as Alaric narrowed his eyes at me.

"What?" he asked stalking towards me, forgetting about the open fridge door.