Page 60 of Beneath the Starlight and Storms

After quickly making sure no one is sneaking up behind me, I glance around me before walking around the entire car. My frown only deepens when I find nothing amiss and come back to an amused Hook.

“Looking for something?” he asks with laughter in his voice.

“The catch.” I cross my arms and wait.

He dons an innocent look. One that doesn’t suit him. “There is no catch.”

“Really?” I push.

“Really.” He gives me a tight-lipped smile. But there’s also a spark of something there too. Almost as if he’s excited about where we’re going. It makes me want to at least see what it is.

Warily, I get into the front of the car as Hook moves to the driver’s seat, his smile growing the longer I stare.

He chuckles. “You’ll have fun, I promise.”

* * *

It turns out Hook’s version of some placefunwas called a shooting range. A place that people go to so they can shoot thick metal pieces called bullets at targets.

I should’ve known better than to trust him when he said this would be fun. It seems his version of fun greatly differs from mine.

I narrow my eyes at him as he explains everything about the small weapon, he calls a gun.

He then goes through my stance and the best way I should hold it but all I can think about is how much I want to use him as my target practice and see how fasthecan run while I hunt him down.

“Why do I need to learn this?” I ask.

He places a small metal bullet in the gun. “You’re in the Mortal Realm now. Many of the humans use these weapons. They’re just as effective against most beings from the other Realms too.”

My thoughts flash to Ben and what could have happened last night. Is that why Hook brought me here under the guise of it beingfun?

He moves behind me in the little booth, shaking me from my thoughts as he raises my hands to wrap around the weapon before stepping back.

“Now, take your time and aim for the targets.” The targets were little red circles painted on a piece of large paper with an outline of a figure drawn onto it.

The paper was already way too far away and the red dots, tiny. I don’t know what he expected me to accomplish with this. But in order to be done and over with it as quickly as possible, I aim for the red dot on the figure's head.

Just before I shoot, Hook quickly moves behind me. When I release the trigger, the force of it pushes me backward. The recoil sending fear and exhilarationflooding through my body. But Hook holds me steady as the bullet hits the side of the wall, not even close to where I aimed.

“Why am I doing this?” I ask again. He still hasn’t given me a proper reason for it. And I didn’t think I’d ever have to use a weapon like this.

“There are enemies everywhere. You need to know how to protect yourself.” His smile turns thoughtful as he watches me.

“You should train with me as well.”

“And why would I want to do that?” I had enemies, just as everyone had. But none I would be able to fight against. Trying to do so would only end up with me in more pain.

The only thing I could do was to learn how to take a hit and deal with the pain. My body always healed, and my mind would soon follow.

“You should be able to use every weapon at your disposal.” His eyes trail down my body. “Including that body of yours.”

I elbow him in the gut, and he moves a step back, chuckling.

His eyes softened a little. “Seriously. Train with me and I’ll teach you how to defend yourself.”

I watch him warily, wondering what the catch is or if this is just another one of his games.

“No strings,” he answers as if reading my mind again.

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