Page 41 of Run Little Fawn

"Ah-ah," he scolds with a smirk.

"You're giving me a gun," I say flatly. "What happens if I just shoot you with it right now?"

His smirk widens into a grin as if he's either the cockiest motherfucker this universe has ever seen. Or the stupidest. Maybe both. "We're not actively hunting right now, and let's just say I took precautions to make that known to the Order," he says, passing the gun to me. "In the event of my untimely demise."

I hesitate, looking down at the gun and leveling it at him. "You could be lying."

"I could be," he agrees. "But is that something you really want to stake your life on? Or the life of your mother and sister? That sweet little librarian friend of yours?"

If he thinks Nat is "sweet," maybe he hasn't been watching me quite as closely as I thought.

Reluctantly, I lower the gun, not ready to call his bluff. I'm honestly not sure I'm ready to kill a man, either. No matter what he's done. Especially after what happened last night.

Is Stockholm syndrome already setting in?

Fuck.

"It would help if you had the safety off," Lucian says dryly, reaching out and touching the barrel of the gun with his fingertips, gently turning it away from his cock. "And never aim at anything you don't intend to shoot."

A blush creeps across my cheeks and I quickly undo it. I wrap my fingers around the handle, the metal cool and heavy in my palm.

It feels kind of good.

Lucian nods, a glint of approval in his eyes. "Excellent. You're a natural. Now, let me show you how to use it."

He steps behind me, his chest pressing against my back as he guides my hands into position. His touch is electric, sending sparks of awareness through my body, but I force myself to focus on his words, on the instructions he's giving me.

"Keep your feet shoulder-width apart, your dominant hand high on the grip. Use your other hand to support the weight, to steady your aim." His breath is hot against my ear, his voice a low rumble that I feel in my bones. "Breathe in, then exhale slowly as you squeeze the trigger. Don't pull, just apply steady pressure."

I do as he says, my breath leaving me in a slow, measured stream as I line up the sights with the closest target.

My finger tightens on the trigger, and the gun jumps in my hand, the sound of the shot echoing through the clearing.

I lower the gun, squinting at the target. There's a small hole in the outer ring, not quite a bullseye but not a complete miss either.

I turn to Lucian, a small, triumphant smile on my face.

He returns the smile, but there's a heat in his gaze that has nothing to do with pride in my marksmanship. "Not bad, little fawn. But let's see if you can do better."

We spend the next hour like that, Lucian guiding me through the basics of shooting. My aim improves with each shot, the targets becoming more and more perforated as I find my rhythm. It's strangely satisfying, the kick of the gun in my hand, the thrill of hitting the mark.

But as much as I'm enjoying the lesson, I can't shake the questions that nag at the back of my mind.

I lower the gun, turning to face Lucian with a furrowed brow. "Why are you helping me when you know I'm just going to use these skills against you during the hunt? Is it really just because I'm not interesting enough?"

That kind of hurts for some reason.

Why?

He cocks his head, a considering look in his eyes. "Who says you'll use them against me?"

I scoff, shaking my head. "Don't play dumb, Lucian. We both know how this ends. You'll hunt me down, and I'll do everything in my power to stop you."

He steps closer, his hand coming up to brush a strand of hair from my face. "And what if I want you to stop me? What if I want to see you fight, to watch you struggle and claw and do everything you can to stay out of my grasp?"

I swallow hard, my mouth suddenly dry. "Why? Why would you want that?"

His lips curve into a smile, but there's no humor in it. "Because it makes the victory all the sweeter, Aria. When I catch you—and I will catch you—I want to know that I've earned it. That I've bested you in every way possible."

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