Death Cursed (Death Touched, Book One)

Chapter 6

Archimedes led them over to the same berth from before and clicked on a button on the left wall. The target was pulled along its cord until it reached them. Archimedes turned to Nena with pursed lips and held out his hand. "If you would give me your hand."

Nena set her hand in his and he drew out a small knife from his pocket. With a flick of the blade and a wince from Nena a dot of blood appeared on the end of one finger. Archimedes used the blade of the knife like a painter's tool and swiped the blood onto the broad edge of the weapon. He held the back of the target and smeared the center thinly with her blood.

"Now we'll see if this works," he commented as he pressed the button.

The target moved back to the rear of the range. Archimedes took the gun from Jack and loaded four rounds from the previous exercise. He aimed at the target and fired two shots. The target fluttered a little.

Archimedes lowered the gun and turned to the onlookers behind him with a tense expression. He pressed the button and drew the target to them. Nena's blood was still smeared in the middle, but small round indents were visible in their pool.

Archimedes grabbed the paper target and slightly turned it to study the back. "The bullets didn't penetrate the paper."

Jack frowned. "So the gun can only hit Death Touched?"

Archimedes nodded. "So it would appear."

Nena shuddered. A gun that couldn't even tap a paper target had just pierced her blood.

Archimedes looked down at the weapon in his palm and pursed his lips. "Scratch is going to be very interested in this-" Jack took the gun from and pocketed it inside his overcoat. Archimedes lifted his head and frowned at him. "What are you doing?"

"I'll tell Scratch about it," Jack offered.

Archimedes crossed his arms over his chest and arched an eyebrow. "This century or the next one?"

"Whenever he asks about it," Jack replied as he turned his attention to Nena. Her eyes were cast to the floor and her expression was sorrowful. His face fell for a moment before a sly grin slid onto his lips. "How about it, Nena?" She lifted her gaze and blinked at him. He nodded at the nine other targets at the end of the range. "Think you could shoot one of those?"

She shook her head. "I-I don't know. I've never shot a gun."

Jack drew a pistol from a holster hidden underneath his overcoat and held out the grip toward her. "There's a first time for everything, even when you're dead."

Nena pursed her lips, but took the weapon and reluctantly walked over to the center stall. She gripped the weapon between both hands and raised her stiff arms.

Jack laughed and shook his head. "You're stiffer than a salmon in winter. Let me show you how it's done." He stepped up beside her and tapped her legs so she had a wider stance. Then he lifted her arms so they pointed straight out in front of her. "Now grip the gun a littler lower in your left hand and don't set your finger near the trigger until you're ready to fire."

Nena blushed at how close he was to her. Their cheeks nearly touched as he aimed the tiny scope at the end of the barrel. "Now look through both lines of sight when you aim."

Nena nodded, but her hands were shaking. She shut her eyes shut and squeezed the trigger. A shot rang out. It made her jump and her twitchy trigger finger shot off the gun a couple more times. The echoes were just fading away as she peeked open her eyes. The target stood unscathed as though mocking her efforts. Her face fell as Jack walked up to her and plucked the gun from her hands. He clasped her another gun in her hand. "Take this one."