The Angel of Death

Practice Makes Perfect

   Blue locks eyes with me and smiles wider. I catch myself staring and quickly turn my head to see Agatha grinning from ear to ear, looking back and forth between the two of us. What is with these people smiling at me like that?

    I rise from my chair to catch Blue already walking over to me, hand extended and ready to introduce himself.

    "It's a pleasure to meet you, I'm very excited to be working with you. I've heard all the stories." He tells me, face full of excitement. I smile back at him and take his hand.

    "It's a pleasure to meet you too," I tell him with a smile, "I'm ready to get started right away."

    John claps his hands together and walks up behind Blue, patting him on the back.

    "You will find no better trainer in this household than my son here. Now, why don't you two go get started." He tells us, ushering us out of the door.

    "Once again, Aura, I'm very glad you're working with us." John gives me a wink as he shuts the door, leaving just Blue and I in the long hallway.

    I turn and look up at him. He's still smiling brightly down at me. Grinning I think to myself, I must have a fanboy.

    "Alright," I say, breaking the slightly awkward silence, "I don't believe I need training, but your father insisted. Where do we go?"

    Blue motions down the hallway and we begin to walk. I try hard to keep up with him but his legs are long and he's pretty fast.

    "The training rooms are downstairs," he tells me excitedly, "they should be fairly empty around this time of day but there may be a few newbies practicing."

    I shrug. I don't mind people watching me while I practice, in fact it's kind of fun to see their faces whenever I do well.

    We walk to the end of the hall to an elevator, Blue pushes the button and we wait. While we stand there, I feel eyes on me. Looking over my shoulder I see a group of women whisper and throw hesitant glances my way.

    Blue leans down to whisper in my ear.

    "Don't mind them," he tells me, "they're just a bit nervous." He stands straight again just in time for the elevator to ding and we step inside.

    Of course they're nervous, their gang is losing members left and right so their boss had to call on someone like me to come help out. I bet the fact that it is me isn't making them feel at ease either.

    The elevator takes us down to a basement floor. The door opens to a large concrete room with many options of training. Along the entire back wall is a shooting range with human shaped targets lining the back, and a large rack of different kinds of guns to the side. On the right wall, a knife throwing range with cabinets filled with little pocket knives to large machetes. Finally, on the left side of the room it looks to be a gym with some equipment, a boxing ring, and punching bags.

    Blue and I enter the room, he stops in the center and turns to me, still smiling widely.

    "Where would you like to start today?" He asks me.

    I grin mischievously, this could be awfully fun if I play my cards right. I look up and lock eyes with him, just to see if he gets nervous. Instead, he seems thrilled.

    "I'll make a bet with you Mr. Armani," I tell him sweetly, his eyes widen, "we'll compete and see who's better at all of this, if I win you have to make Andrew give me my gun back to keep in the house. If you win, I'll do you one favor you can redeem at any time, any place."

    Blue's smile seems to curl, almost menacing like his fathers, but not so dark.

    "Alright Miss. Alstad, it's a deal," he extends his hand, "but please, call me Blue."

    "Of course, Blue, "I take his hand in mine and we shake on it, "please call me Aura."

    "Alright then, Aura," he turns his gaze to the shooting range, "let's start there."

    We walk over to the gun rack to choose our weapons for the challenge, they all seem to be loaded and ready to go. Blue chooses a S&W M&P and I choose the same gun I always have on me, a Glock G17.

    "Interesting choice." Blue nods at my gun.

    "It's what I grew up using." I shrug, smiling coyly at him.

    He grins at me and walks over to a middle stall. The human shaped target sits about 20 meters away. I raise an eyebrow.

    "These don't move?" I ask him.

    "Nope, we use airsoft guns for moving target practice. So, this should be extra easy for you." He gives me a side eye and challenging grin.

    My jaw drops a bit. He is awfully bold to be talking to me that way, even if he is the boss’s son.

    "Ladies first." He puts his hand on my shoulder and tries to push me to the front of the stall. I step back and laugh.

    "Oh, no way. I want you to go first. I need to see what you can do." I cross my arms and look up at him. That mischievous look creeps back on to his face.

    "Very well." He says as he lifts his gun to aim, switching off the safety. He fires three times in the direction of the cutout and then lowers his gun, giving me a small side smile.

    "How was that?" He asks as I lean closer to take a look. A shot right in the center of the forehead, a shot to the heart, and a shot to the groin. I let out a snort and move over to the next stall.

    "Way too easy." I mumble as I raise my gun. Taking a deep breath and exhale as I begin to pull the trigger. Everything slows down for me, I can place the bullet wherever I want it to go. I decide to make a smiley face on the face of the cutout.

    I finish and lower my gun, tilting my head to look at Blue. His eyes are wide but his smile is wider.

    "Impressive." He says, almost breathless. I giggle and turn back to my work.

    "I've never missed a shot," I tell him, "at least not yet."

    We put the guns back on the rack and head towards the knife throwing stalls. As I approach, I begin to look through the cabinets for a medium sized knife. Blue puts his arm out and stops me, handing me a machete.

    "Seriously?" I ask him, taking the blade in my hands.

    "I just want to see." He tells me, crossing his arms with a cocky smile on his face.

    I roll my eyes. This boy really has no idea that when people say I'm the best at what I do, I am the best at what I do.

    I turn to face the human cutout in the stall, it's closer than the ones in the gun range. Pity, no challenge. Without aiming I c**k my arm back and throw, and just as if I was controlling it with my mind it lands straight in the throat.

    "You really do have to give me something more challenging, Blue." I say as I turn back to him, he certainly does look impressed. He nods and takes out three medium knives, also not aiming and throwing them in the stall next to mine. They line up all perfectly vertically on the cutout's face.

    Lastly, we make our way over to the boxing ring. He begins to climb through the ropes.

    "You want to spar? Are you sure?" I ask him, only mildly concerned. He unbuttons his white button up and laughs at me while he removes it.

    "Of course," he says to me, "unless you don't think you can handle me." He waves two fingers at me, challenging me to come in. I roll my eyes and climb through the ropes.

    Face to face with this shirtless boy I can see he isn't nearly as tattooed as the rest of the group, but just as fit. On his left arm the outline of a butterfly, on his right arm a sad looking angel with a scythe, and of course the groups signature black X next to his right eye.

    We crouch at the same time and nod our heads, indicating that we're ready to start. He makes his move first, stepping towards me. Too easy, I quickly lower to my hands and knees, extending one leg to kick his feet out from under him. He falls but grabs my ankle on his way down and yanks me so I fall flat on my back. He makes his way to climb on top of me and pins my arms down with his knees.

    "Very good, but not quite good enough." I smile and whisper to his proud face as I bring my legs out from under him and kick him square in the chest, knock him off of me and onto his back. I climb on top of him and put my arm over his neck to choke him, but he's too fast and begins to stand up, throwing me over his shoulder. Before he can secure my legs, I move one over his head to his other shoulder so I can squeeze my thighs together and choke him that way. He stumbles back and I use the momentum to pull him back and have him roll off of me. He rolls to the edge of the ring, while trying to regain his head I jump on him, pinning his arms under my knees and point my fingers in the shape of a gun.

    "Gotcha." I whisper to him. Our faces are so close together I can feel his breath on me. Our eyes are locked while we pant in unison. His eyes, they're piercing, like he can see right through me. They're beautiful.

    My thoughts are interrupted by clapping coming from across the room. Both of us look over to see Andrew walking towards the ring.

    "Man, Blue," he says, cracking up laughing, "she really got you good huh." He doubles over with laughter, that seems to make Blue chuckle a bit too. I realize I still have him pinned and I climb off him and offer him my hand to get up which he takes.

    "Shut up dude." Blue mumbles to Andrew, who is now currently on the floor in tears. He looks a bit embarrassed and runs his painted nails through his hair, giving me a side eye and a smirk.

    I blush at him and look away, shaking my head. Me? Blushing? Yea right. I just must still be hot from the sparring match.

    Blue and I climb out of the ring and approach Andrew, who's hysterical laughter has died down but is now panting on the floor. Blue offers his hand and helps him up.

    "I believe Aura deserves her gun back now." Blue tells Andrew as he glances at me. Andrew raises an eyebrow.

    "Your dad know?" He asks him. Blue shakes his head.

    "I'll tell him when I see him next, it'll be fine." He reassures Andrew, who just shrugs and reaches for my Glock in his waistband.

    He hands it to me, having it back in my hands again I feel completely whole. It was almost as if a part of my body was missing while it was gone. I tuck it in my pocket and look up at the boys.

    "I may have won the bet," I look at Blue, "but I think you earned yourself a favor anyways." A large smile grows on his face and we begin to walk to the elevator. Andrew turns to look at us.

    "Your dad is hosting a big dinner tonight, Blue. He just announced it, that's why I came down here to tell you," he locks eyes with me, "Aura, you're expected to make an appearance." My face curls in disgust as a avert his gaze and groan.

    "I hate fancy dinners." I mumble, just loud enough so they can hear me as we enter the elevator. Andrew chuckles at me.

    "Bosses orders," he shrugs, "besides, everything just got moved up to your room so you won't have to leave and get ready." My heart stops and my brow furrows.

    "My room?" I ask him. Andrew smiles and nods.

     "While you're working with us, you'll be staying in the house."