TimeLess (Time Tells, #2) (ON-GOING)

Chapter Seventeen

"Kri, that's a gun."

Kri is watching me with a patient look on his face while he holds a gun in his hand.

"Kri that's a gun." I say.

"What else are you going to practice with while learning to shoot?" He asks me.

"Not a real gun." I squeak, staring at the dark device with a darker look. I could genuinely feel my heart in my chest. I did not want to touch that gun. I didn't want to use it. I didn't want to be standing here with this vest on in this shooting range inside my house. The walls were reinforced and the target was movable and they were shaped like a person. My stomach roils mildly at the through of them even if they're just cutouts... they're representative of the real thing and I don't want to be shooting at someone. God will I have to shoot at someone?

A pang goes through my stomach and goosebumps raise along my skin. I look up at Kri, swallowing, my heart beat raising.

"Am I in so much danger I might have to shoot someone?"

His expression gentles and steps toward me, lifting his hand to run the back of his fingers against my skin. His icy blues swirl in reaction to the fear that pumps into me and the memory of the familiar interaction between us calms me down a little.

"I will always ensure you're safe, Alanna." He says softly and as if he'd hit the nail on the head, I realised what I was feeling. The pangs in my stomach ... I was feeling unsafe. I'm so shocked at the revelation that it takes Kri's next words to bring me back to myself.

"I won't let anything touch you, ever. But on the off-chance that there are gaps in my protection I've not seen, I want you to know you can protect yourself, that you don't need me."

I will always need you.

I shake the thought away, seeing his actions in different light. He had started to prepare me to face this emotional hurdle even before I knew I was going to happen upon it. He was empowering me to feel safe; but I didn't know if he was doing it instinctively, or with awareness. Either way, something warm spills spreads through me and I straighten, holding my hand out.

"Let's do this."

A smile with an edge of danger falls upon his lips for a moment before he holds out the gun to me, his fingers wrapped around the barrel. I take it from him, surprised it was not as heavy as I thought it was. I look up at him, brows raised.

"Rubber bullets." He explains.

Ah. Not a real gun then. I throw him a look. Could he have not confirmed this when I was freaking out about holding a real gun five minutes ago? So I wouldn't have freaked out about having to take it from him?

"You took it anyway."

I roll my eyes at him and we pull our game faces on he begins by teaching me all the parts of the gun and how to load a magazine, as my brain struggles to compute with them. He tells me that an actual gun won't allow for anyone but the buyer to use it because it's fingerprint controlled. Every gun purchased is bought after the user programs their fingerprint into the gun which is linked to the system. The gun is also constantly monitored; which means if the safety is turned off and a single bullet is shot, the gun sends out a distress signal pinging its location and help and authorities are dispatched immediately. The buyer of the gun is allowed to authorise only one another user other than theirs and the new user needs to input their fingerprint as well. The gun works only when it recognises the user(s).

Kri then works on my stance, talking me through recoil, aim and other terms that delve into the science and mechanics of shooting a gun that start to roll straight over my head. I drop my stance and stare at him.