Chase Me

30

Krystal 

I knew he would have to leave but now it was him leaving without saying goodbye. I hoped he'd come back tonight but I figured he left to go back to Durrës so I'd have to endure sleeping alone once more. I just got him back, barely had a full day with him and now he was gone. 

He asked for two days to fix things and I agreed. I just have to pray that he returns to me.

Time away from him may be just what I needed, I needed a clear head while I processed my options.

If I went back to Seattle, would we be in a long distance relationship? Would he consider long distance? Would he move closer for me? I knew for certain that I needed him in my life. I thought it was probably just an infatuation but after we had sex I realized it was more. It was as if our energies shifted and bonded together. The pull that I felt towards him intensified and now wherever he was I needed to be. 

If he asks me to stay I think I will say yes. I know I should think logically since I will have to give up everything I've worked so hard for. But, now that I have him, I can't give him up either.  I've accepted that I do truly love him, more than I've loved any man and that scared me. It does give me some reassurance when he told me he loved me but I'm still his fake fiance. I wanted it to be real, and since it's not, I can't help but feel doubtful...

If I did stay, my life would be completely different from how I envisioned it. Different isn't technically a bad thing but I don't do well with change. Everything would be unpredictable and I don't know if I like the sound of that. We'd always be on the run, if it wasn't his father it would be another enemy after us. After all, he was the don, the threat to our lives will never be gone. 

I wanted to call him but decided against it. When I was talking to him earlier he looked as if he had seen a ghost and I honestly did not know what to say to. I sensed he needed space so I;ll let him have it.

***

I didn't realize I had fallen asleep, the last thing I remember was skipping through the channels trying to find something to watch. I was awoken by my phone ringing.

It was Alteo but he sounded off, he sounded frightened, panicked. Worried. What had happened to him? What did he think happened to me?

"Alteo, slow down, I'm okay, it's okay"

After reassuring him I was safe. I drifted back into sleep.

***

I felt I was being shaken and panicked trying to reach for my gun but my hands were held before I could reach it.

"What are you doing? why are you here?" I asked almost in a state of hyperventilation. I tried to relax and control my breathing.

"Your reflexes are good but you're a heavy sleeper hun, I was literally in here for a minute calling your name"

I looked at her confused still waiting for the reason why she was waking me at..... I looked over to the clock on the wall adjacent to the bed and saw it 4:30 am! I pulled the blanket over my head and shooed her away with my hands.

"You need to get up hun for training, dons order"

She walked over to the end of the bed pulling the blankets back off.

"Your lover boy wants you to practice at the gun range" 

"Why didn't he tell me about this?" I frowned. Did something happen last night that made him want me to do more training? He already taught me the basics so why the enhanced training now?

"I don't know but let's go, get ready. I'm sure you can ask him when he gets back"

I sighed getting out of bed stretching and rubbing my eyes. Did he anticipate me being attacked here?

 Elsie left my room and I quickly washed up and changed into black tights and a matching sports bra. I made my way downstairs quietly, trying not to wake the rest of the household. Elsie was sitting at the kitchen island drinking a cup of coffee and scrolling through her phone, there was a filled cup beside her which I'm assuming was mine.

"Come" she motioned. Her hair was tied back into a sleek ponytail and she was dressed similarly to me. 

I sat next to her and thanked her for the coffee.

I took a sip and smiled "Why so early tho? At 5 really?"

"Ah you're not a morning person I see" she nudged me.

I shook my head 'no' enjoying the aroma and warmth of the coffee.

"It'll be over before you know it and then we'll have all day to hang out, there's a new cafe that I want us to try out if you're up to it!"

"Let's get through this training first and then see"

"What exactly will we do?" I asked putting away the cups.

"It depends, do you want real practice or a simulation?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Real practice?"

"Yea we have a few prisoners that would be more than willing to receive a quick happy ending from a beauty like you"

"Umm what? You do know what a happy ending is right?"

"Yea, their torture will be over when you kill them so it's happy, they've been begging for it trust me" she winked.

"You're nuts" I joked. And I thought Alteo was much to deal with. Is this how they did training, on living people?

"So simulation it is" she laughed. "Let's go."

 She exited the kitchen and I followed her through the back door.  We entered a room that I did not realize was behind the house. I guess I never found the need to roam around so there were probably other places like this in plain sight that'd go missed by me. There was a single elevator in the center that had a series of codes that needed to be entered before it opened.

Elsie entered the codes and the doors opened revealing an industrial-sized cabin.  We stepped in and were automatically lowered to a basement. 

The doors opened once again and we walked into what seemed like a stadium.

I'm slowly learning to expect the unexpected because I never dreamed of all this being here.

"Over here Krystal" Elsie called out, leading me to a room on the right. As I entered, I noticed a stainless steel table with different pistols and knives laid out. There were mannequins off to the side with red x's placed on different areas of the body.

"I picked out these ones! I hope you'll like them" Elsie beamed excitedly, I could tell she was in her element.

"Geez, thanks" my heart pounded as I approached the table eyeing the weapons closely. I felt scared but intrigued. Disappointed but excited, I trained for 4 years on how to save a life, and I'll train in one day on how to take it.

As I skimmed over the table I saw a silver knife with a dragon engraved on the blade. It looked so familiar as if I'd seen it before. I picked it up and was surprised by how light it felt in my hands.

As I was eyeing and enjoying the craftsmanship, Elsie walked over with a shocked smile.

"No freaking way, out of all the weapons here that's what you chose!" she laughed. 

"Yea, what's wrong with it?" It couldn't have been that bad of a choice, she picked it out with the rest of the weapons I'm sure. 

"That was Alteo's mom's knife she welded it herself, the first knife he trained with and now the first you'll train with."