Heart of Ice

Chapter Seventeen

Song: Labyrinth- Taylor Swift

"Wakey, wakey, eggs and bacey," A deep voice teases above me, but I simply roll over and bury my head into the pillow, completely ignoring them.

"It's training time, young grasshopper," They speak again, and I grab the pillow beside me and press it against my exposed ear.

"Fine. You've left me with no choice."

There's a few moments of enjoyable silence, and then, ice cold water drenches the upper half of my body, and I jump out of bed, gasping for air as I pull my shirt away from my skin. Hunter stands on the other side of the bed, holding an empty bucket as a mischievous grin graces his stupid lips.

"What the--"

"Hey, I told you to get up. Daylight is burning and we need to get busy," He shrugs before gesturing toward my soaking shirt. "That is the consequences of your own actions."

All I see is red.

"I," I mutter, letting go of my shirt as the hot anger burns through my veins. "Am going to kill you!"

"That's the spirit!" He fist pumps the air, but when he catches a glimpse of my eyes, which have slowly melted to gold, his smile drops, and he sits the bucket on the nightstand before slowly backing away toward the door. "But maybe a little too much spirit. I'll just meet you outside."

I allow him the extra time of reaching the door, but once he's there, I hiss, flash my fangs, and speed toward him, and I kid you not, he screams like a girl as he dashes down the hallway and out the back door. When I step outside, the crisp morning air seeps through my shirt, and it takes my breath away. Hunter, who had conveniently sat on the tree branch in the distant, tries to muffle his laughter when he sees me freezing to death.

"It's really not funny, but it's just so hard not to laugh," He can no longer control himself and busts out laughing. I glare at him, shivering from the coldness of not only my shirt but the weather, and then I stomp back into the house, change into more appropriate clothing, and walk back outside.

Hunter still sits on the tree branch, laughing as if it's the funniest thing he has ever seen, and I cross my arms over my chest, watching him impatiently. "Are you going to come down here and start training, or are you scared now?"

His laughter comes to an abrupt stop. Got him. I try so hard not to smile, and luckily, because of the rude wake up call I had, I succeed. He rolls his eyes as he hops down from the tree branch and stands in front of me. "I'm not scared of anything— especially not a little kid."

"You're just really trying to push it today, huh?"

He winks. "Is it working?"

I grit my teeth. "You tell me."

Without hesitating, I swing my leg behind his knees and knock him to the ground. The impact of the fall is so forceful that his head slams against the ground and bounces. Hunter winces as he rests his head back on the ground, his eyes scrunched shut. "Not holding back this morning, are we?"

"Dump water on me again and it'll be even worse than this next time, asshole."

"It's nothing against you, angel," He chuckles, and before I can see it coming, he locks his feet around my ankles and sends me flying over his head. My body smacks against a tree before I crumble to the ground. Hunter stands and faces me as he dusts his hands off, a playful smirk spreading across his lips. "Just thought I'd get you going."

My powers manifest in me as I stand again, and when the energy resonates in my hands, I send Hunter flying through the air until he's locked against the side of the house, and with my free hand, I send leaves, mud, and sticks flying his way. He tries to dodge them, but his arms are locked down, and when I feel he's finally had enough, I let him drop. He shakes his head to remove some of the dirt, and when he looks up at me, it becomes my turn to bust out laughing, because the only white on his face that can be seen in his eyes.