MADE

Awkward

I had crawled into bed well after the sun had set, so late even that the stars bid me goodnight as I stepped into the house. I couldn't fall asleep anyways, not with everything running through my brain like a heard of wild horses - hooves thundering the whole way.

But eventually exhaustion won over, and my body fell into sleep. Only to wake up this morning tangled in the sheets and my body coated in cold sweat.

I kicked and shoved until the sheets unwound from my limps and stomped into the bathroom. The mirror caught my attention. Only a day or two now before the yellowish spots on my face and the rest of my body finally disappeared. I wonder what Elijah and Alaric thought of them. Surely, they had noticed and wondered what I had gotten myself into. Perhaps they had come up with their own assumptions about me.

I showered, a long and hot steady stream of water hitting my skin to wash to sweat away. It did little to wash my mood away though.

Alaric was smirking at a magazine on his lap when I finally came down the stairs. Elijah was cooking again, and I breathed in the delicious scent of cinnamon and syrup.

"Good morning, Mari," he said, back to me, turning some bacon over in a pan. He didn't need to even look over his shoulder to know I had entered the room. "How was your sleep? Good, I hope," he coaxed not looking at me, but a hint of humor made its way into his voice.

"It was fine," I began to lie as I moved around the counter to sit at the island.

"Liar," he said with a small smile. I blinked at him, a glare forming on my face. "You snore, quite loudly when you sleep, judging by the night before. But last night I didn't hear anything."

My face went hot, and the glare only deepened as my cheeks went a terrible shade of pink.

"You sound like a freight train," Alaric barked as he jumped over the back of the couch, magazine in hand, and plopped down in the chair next to me. "Or a wounded grizzly bear. I can't decide," he mocked.

"Ass," I spat under my breath.

He sat there grinning at me while spinning his chair like a six-year-old. "Oooh!" Alaric yipped while pointing at his magazine. I ignored him.

"So, how long am I staying here with you two? I imagine my mom will want me back soon," I said ignoring Alaric's ranting voice about how humans are indecisive.

"Miranda called last night, and she knows this is important," Elijah said turning his eyes up to mine. An egg sizzled in the pan.

"First name basis now I see," I murmured leaning over the counter on my elbows. "She believes this shit?"

"She has known about your heritage since she adopted you both. She has always known that we might have to do this one day."

Of course, right when I needed a reality check most, the person I relied on for my sanity was also under the influence of two maniacs and a birth mother with a great ability to spin stories. I huffed looking away.

Alaric slumped back in his chair taking the magazine with him. "Why are humans so stupid?" he asked turning his gaze towards me.

I glared at him, offended. "Excuse me?" I snapped. "In what ways are humans stupid?"

"Well actually in a lot of ways, but the one I'm mainly talking about is the way your species picks a partner, or mate, or whatever! It's ridiculous." he huffed.

I leaned in closer to him, "Oh and I suppose your species has a better way." My eyes rolled to the back of my head.

"Obviously!" he yelled throwing his hands in the air. "Just look at this!" he said throwing the open magazine on to the counter. "'Divorce, divorce, getting married again! More divorce! You'll never believe whom so and so is dating now.' It's a colossal waste of time," he said with his nose in the air. His black hair fell into his closed eyes, casting darker shadows on the facial hair coating his jaw.

"That's how it's done here, and if you don't like it, then you can always leave," I said calmly leaning away from him and into the counter. "And if you think our way is so bad I would love to hear yours, almighty relationship god," I sneered trying my best to sound angry at the situation.

This time Elijah spoke. "Well, most Olympians wait until we come of age to even think about a partner. We have other things to concentrate on. However once of age, males wait until the right person catches our eye. Its different for everyone, mostly females. It's quite a nice thing. Some have waited thousands of years to find their mate," Elijah said his words coating the air like mist.

The way his face went somber, it made me think he had already experienced this. The longing was clear.

"Bada bing bada boom, they stay together forever. Blah, blah, blah. To be honest, I already met my lady," he said with 'as a matter of fact' in his voice as he slumped into the chair, raised his hands and rested them behind his head.

Elijah scoffed.

I raised a brow at him. "Oh really," I said curiously wondering who in hell would want to be with sticky Alaric.

"Yeah, up here," he said pointing to his cranium. I scoffed at him and his ridiculousness. "I know exactly what she will be like," he beamed sitting forward. "Tall, blonde and a body that could stop a truck," he gloated getting up from his chair and heading around the counter. "Oh, and she won't snore." His smirk made my hand itch with the urge to swat him.

Elijah's laughter boomed through the house. I turned my gaze to him as Alaric seemingly slipped out of the kitchen. My eyes drilled holes into the back Elijah's head. He must have felt my gaze because without turning he spoke. "Mari, you shouldn't worry about what Alaric thinks. My opinion of you is great enough for the both of us," he said turning around and smiling at me, a bright, teeth gleaming, smile. I smiled back, blushing no doubt.

His green eyes sparked with something, dark and swirling, setting off a shiver in my spine. He watched me with that calm look as his long fingers ran through is dark caramel hair. I tugged my lower lip with my teeth and he watched my mouth move without my control. Copper strands tangled around his fingers as his sharp jaw tightened with anticipation. My palms began to sweat and I swallowed down something in my throat.

"Awkward!" Alaric yelled from the doorway of the kitchen. Our heads snapped towards him just in time see his body disappear behind the doorframe. Elijah laughed, but I didn't find it funny at all because now, the situation, was most definitely awkward.

A plate landed in front of me on the counter with a light clatter, and I looked up to see him washing his hands in the sink, eyes trained on me. "Eat up Mare; training starts after breakfast."