Chapter 4
**Aurora's POV**
Why did he ask me if they were my parents? Is he drunk?.
I wondered as I went through the walls of the house. I haven't seen him since yesterday night.
I walked into the kitchen to see Martha, his cook. She was preparing toast.
"Good morning, Martha". I said as I sat on the island. She looked back and smiled when she saw me.
"Hello darling. Zeno was looking for you this morning. Requested a meeting when you wake up". She said, looking at the work infront of her.
"Why did he tell you this? How sure was he that I was going to come here first?.". I asked her.
""Well, he said, your stomach leads you". She said and I could see the feeble effort she put into trying to hide her laughter.
I just rolled my eyes. "Thanks, Martha". I said while leaving the kitchen.
I walked to his office and knocked three times, but there was no answer.
"Zeno. Zeno. Hey, you can't keep me out here, my stomach is rambling". I ranted on.
"Come in and shut the fuck up". I heard him spew from the other end of the door.
I groaned and entered into the office and as soon as I closed the door behind me I could feel the chilliness of the office.
"You called?". I asked him, defiantly.
"Yes. Sit, let's talk". He said, rather, respectfully.
"Okay. Am I about to be killed?. You sound to respectful to be true". I said, cautiously taking a seat infront of him.
"Well, I thought, I should inform you that under three weeks, you might be dead". He said, looking at me deadpan.
"What?. Jokes apart, Zeno". I said, already feeling fear creeping in.
"You are one hell of a person. Anyways, down to business. You will be thought how to shoot a gun. You also will be thought self defense". He said, while pouring whiskey in a glass.
"Why?". I asked.
"Okay, don't learn. Just seat and wait to be shot. You can go". He said, seating back down, with a smirk on his face.
Asshole.
"Fine. I'll learn". I said, crossing my hand around my chest.
"Good. Follow me". He said. After gulping down the contents of his glass, he finally stood up.
I walked behind him to the garden where his men where. Different guns were placed on a wooden table with different sizes and types of blades.
"Hey, hey, hey. Rora. How you doing?". Douglas said coming to envelope me in a heart warming hug.
"I'm good". I replied, hugging him back. We stayed like that until we heard a throat clear beside us.
"I brought you here to train, not to hug and flirt with each other". Zeno said, glaring solely at Douglas.
Douglas saw this and let me go. "He's just on edge because of you are here with guns and knives". He whispered to me.
Why is he on edge because of that?. He asked me to come here.
"Okay, pick a weapon". Herberto told me.
"Erm", I said my eye scanning the table. I finally picked up a rifle.
"Can you handle that, princess?". Zeno asked me, his voice laced with concern.
"Yep. Let's start". I said.
"Okay". Herberto said, looking at Zeno to see if he was okay with it.
"There are three bullets inside, try to hit the mannequin on the head". He directed.
He stood behind me, taking my hand to the safety and showing me how to turn it off.
"Step away. I'll teach her that part". Zeno said. We both froze and exchanged confused glances.
He finally let me go, allowing Zeno to stand behind me.
"Keep your legs apart. It's all about balance, love". He said and used his leg to set a barrier between mine.
"Look ahead, at your target", he continued, his hot breath on my neck,"at the same time, your eyes should be on your gun, turn off the safety and pull the trigger".
With that the first bullet went directly into the mannequin's head, but with a little force jerking my hand back.
"When the bullet is released, the force will pull you back a little, but you'll have to be even on your feet". He said, rather strictly.
"Now, dispense the remaining two bullets and you shouldn't move more than a meter backwards". He said, looking at my feet.
"Zeno, she's new to this". I heard Herberto whisper to him.
"If she lands into the hands of our rival, she needs to learn how to defend herself". He said, still looking at my feet.
"Don't show the fear". He said. This made me look at him and k saw his eyes boring holes into my hands.
God, what the hell did I sign up for?.
I breathed in and out and pulled the trigger, trying my best not to move over a meter from where I was standing.
"Again. Cut the movement by half, darling". I heard Zeno's voice in my head.
I pulled the trigger again after I regained my posture. This time, the force hardly moved me.
"Good, less than a meter". He said.
I released myself from my position, while releasing a breathe i didn't even know I held.
"Now, pratice on me". I heard him say. Turning around I found Zeno, cocking his gun.
"What…what do you mean?". I said, getting nervous.
"If I were an enemy, I need you to shoot at me, at one trial". He said and stood infront of me, gun to my forehead.
"Get your gun up, Aurora". He told me, coldly.
"Zeno. It's enough for today". Casper said.
"Get. The. Fucking. Gun. Up". He said, word by word.
I looked at him, brought my rifle up.
"It's empty". I said, my palms sweating.
"Reload". He said, not moving his gun from my forehead.
Herberto ran to me and gave me three more bullets.
I quickly reloaded my gun after watching him reload with one bullet .
I stood my position. I saw him pull the safety off his gun.
"Kill or be killed, Aurora. Dodge the bullet while still aiming at me". He said.
How does he…. I was cut short. He had fired, dangerously close to my head.
"Stay alert". He said, his eyes getting darker and colder by the minute.
I put my gun up at his head. I couldn't look as I pulled the trigger. I heard the gunshot and gasps.
Please tell me I didn't kill him. I slowly opened my eyes and didn't see anyone infront of me.
What?.
I wanted to turn, but I felt the cold tip of a gun at the back of my head.
"Don't move". Zeno said.
I breathed in, my heart in my mouth. My throat suddenly went dry.
"Kill or be killed, Aurora". He said and at the same time I heard him pull his trigger.
It was empty. No bullet.
"If I was the enemy, you'd be dead. Look at where it is you want to shoot. Don't ever close your eyes when handling a fucking gun, except your ears work too". He said and drop the gun on the floor and left, leaving me shaking with fear and his men.
I breathed in. The fuck?.