Page 43 of Run Little Fawn

I shift my attention back to Aria, gauging her reaction. She's leaning forward now, her earlier impatience replaced by a grudging fascination.

"How do you do that?" she breathes, genuine curiosity softening her features.

I shrug, a casual roll of my shoulders belying the weight of experience behind my words. "Practice. Observation. Understanding human nature." I fix her with a pointed look. "The hunt isn't just about taking the shot, little fawn. It's about knowing your target, inside and out. Their fears, their desires, their weaknesses."

She nods slowly, a newfound appreciation glimmering in her eyes. "I think I'm starting to understand."

Pride swells within me, warm and unfamiliar.

Aria leans back, crossing her arms over her chest. "So that's how you keep finding me? You just... know what I'm going to do before I do it?"

I incline my head, acknowledging the truth in her words. "In a manner of speaking."

She huffs out a breath, frustration tightening her delicate features. "How am I supposed to evade you if you're practically psychic?"

A low chuckle rumbles in my throat. "Psychic? Hardly. You just need to learn to see beneath the surface, Aria. Read between the lines."

Her brows knit together, a flicker of determination sparking in those emerald depths. "That's easy for you to say. You've been doing this your whole life."

I pause, considering my next words carefully. "Not my whole life, actually."

Surprise flashes across her face, her lips parting slightly. "What do you mean?"

I lean forward, resting my elbows on the table, my gaze locked with hers. "Believe it or not, little fawn, I wasn't born into this world. I was... inducted, you could say." Questions dance in her eyes, but I hold up a hand, forestalling them. "That's all I'm willing to share on the matter."

She nods slowly, accepting my boundary, for now. "So, how did you find me, then? If you haven't been doing this forever?"

I settle back in my chair, a smirk tugging at the corner of my mouth. "Observation, deduction, and a dash of intuition."

Her eyebrow arches, a silent prompt to continue.

"The truck driver, for instance," I begin, my voice low and measured. "I knew you'd be shaken up after I found you in the hotel, so you'd be looking to do something reckless. Something to throw me off your trail. Hitchhiking was an easy choice."

A faint blush colors her cheeks, but she holds my gaze, her interest piqued.

"As for the hotels," I continue, "I simply looked for the ones that offered the best vantage points and escape routes. Places where you could observe your surroundings without being seen."

Understanding dawns in her eyes, a reluctant admiration softening her features. "You really do know me."

I shrug. "I pay attention, Aria. I see the details others miss."

She leans forward, her elbows brushing mine, a new intensity burning in her gaze. "Teach me."

A thrill runs through me at her words, at the hunger for knowledge that mirrors my own. "Are you sure you're ready for that, little fawn?"

Her chin lifts, a defiant tilt that sends a rush of heat through my veins. "Try me."

I stand abruptly, tossing a few bills on the table to cover the tip. "Very well. Let's begin."

I offer her my hand, an invitation and a challenge all in one. She hesitates for only a moment before placing her palm in mine, her skin warm and soft against my own.

As I lead her out of the coffee shop and into the bustling streets, I can't help but marvel at the strange turn my life has taken. Here I am, the Hunter, teaching my prey how to outwit me.

It's a dangerous game we're playing, with only one possible outcome.

But as I glance down at Aria, at the fierce determination etched into every line of her face, I realize that I'm not ready for this game to end. Not yet. Not when there's still so much for her to learn... and for me to discover.

"Alright, little fawn," I murmur, leaning down to let my breath ghost over the shell of her ear. "Let's see what you've learned. Pick a target."

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