Page 41 of Alluring Darkness
I shake my head to clear it, and then drag my attention back to Gabriel. He fires three shots at his target, two in the heart and one in the head, with a confidence that I wish I had as well.
“Do the Hunters have any enemies?” I ask.
He glances at me. Then fires one more time before stepping back again. “Well, of course. All assassin families have enemies, especially among the surviving loved ones.”
“No, I mean here. At Blackwater.”
His eyes move towards another first-year a short distance from us. I follow his gaze. The guy he is looking at has brown hair and gray eyes and a rather forgettable face.
“You know Anton, right?” Gabriel asks.
“Not really.”
“His full name is Anton Petrov. He has an older brother too. Mikhail Petrov, who is a second-year.” He runs a hand through his thick blond hair and then scratches his jaw before meeting my gaze head on again. “Their family has been trying to knock the Hunters down a few pegs for a while now.”
“I see.” A smile spreads across my lips. “Sounds like someone I should get to know then.”
Gabriel sputters protests about how getting in the middle of that conflict is a really bad idea, but I ignore him and move down the line so that I’m standing next to Anton instead.
Surprise flickers in Anton’s gray eyes as I take up position next to him, but he doesn’t comment. I can’t just walk up and ask him if he tried to have Eli shot a couple of weeks ago, so I don’t say anything at first either. I just start shooting in silence.
Gunshots echo across the vast field as we all continue practicing. Sunlight beats down on me, warming my back. There is no wind today, and the heat of summer still hasn’t broken, so a drop of sweat rolls down my spine.
I fire again. The bullet hits the wooden barrier a short distance from the target.
“You’re holding it wrong,” Anton says eventually.
Satisfaction bubbles up inside me. Perfect. Now, I have an excuse to start a conversation with him.
I let an embarrassed expression descend on my features as I turn my head to meet his gaze. “Yeah, I figured as much. The instructor tried to show me earlier, but after the third time, he looked like he was ready to put a bullet between my eyes instead, so I just nodded and told him that I understood even though I still don’t.”
Anton chuckles. “Yeah, patience isn’t exactly his strong suit.”
“To be fair, it’s not really mine either.”
He huffs out another laugh and then shoots at his target a few more times. I’m starting to think that I’ve lost the opportunity, but then he glances at me again. I can feel his gaze drifting over my body, lingering on my curves.
“You’re that girl who started three weeks after everyone else, right?” he says.
“Yes.” Shifting my gun to my left hand, I reach out with the other as I say, “Raina Smith.”
He takes my hand. “Anton Petrov.”
We shake hands, but he holds on to mine a little longer than strictly necessary. I give him a smile. He gives my palm one more squeeze and then releases me.
“Petrov,” I say, raising my eyebrows. “As inthePetrov family.”
I had never heard that name until a few minutes ago, but based on what Gabriel said, it sounds like they’re well-known. And flattery always works.
My assumptions are confirmed when a proud smile spreads across his face. “Yeah, one and the same.”
“Then I suppose we have a common enemy too.” I shoot a pointed look towards Eli.
Anton’s expression darkens as he sends a glare in that direction as well. “Yeah.” Turning back to meet my gaze, he flicks a quick look up and down my body. “I saw what he did to you in the canteen earlier. With the belt.”
I don’t even have to fake the embarrassment in my voice this time. “You saw that, huh?”
Anger brews behind his eyes. “Someone really needs to knock that family off their bloody pedestal.”