Snapping Trigger

Lucia shook her head at Charlotte's response which coming from her, she knew that her words going into Lucia's ears may seem quite naïve, but there was nothing that was holding her back anymore. It was all or nothing at this point which she had committed to long before. She had to stomp on her wavering resolve.

Charlotte rolled her eyes when Lucia huffed out an angry breath but eventually dipped her chin down in an understanding nod with her expression drawn in tight. She didn't need Lucia's confirmation, but she wanted to get rid of her doubts that Charlotte still had because Lucia was also a part of her responsibility. 

The boys over to the side were sharpening their tools and talking over them leisurely as if they were just doing something domestic in the kitchen. Vincent's brows were furrowed but other than that, his emotionless face was one that she was getting used to which she didn't like since she had experienced when his eyes lit up with fire. 

Even during times when they were intimate, his eyes seemed dull. It was when they were fighting that she saw how his body came to life. How his body rippled as he worked through the dangerous combination of his frenzy and opponents. The smile that she felt on her lips during bloodlust she couldn't even tell if it was real or instinct. 

Hell, she could even tell if she was adapting well or just gaslighting herself. Clenching her fists, she knew that she didn't have the luxury to be overthinking. They didn't have much time to lose or any at all for that matter. All she could say for the time being was that she was doing well disregarding the odd situation that had surrounded her. 

She and Lucia seemed to be doing shooting practice first, and Charlotte sighed when she realized that she would rather be trained well with the guns rather than the sharp daggers considering if she was in close range with the enemy, she couldn't guarantee her own safety by fighting with only herself.

Lucia brushed past Charlotte and waved her hands over at the boys with her hands on her hips. "Do you want us to wear safety glasses or not?"

Stone looked over his shoulder with a frown. "Why would you need glasses?"

Lucia sighed. "Okay, I guess, no glasses."

"You won't be doing anything that would warrant your eyes getting damaged," Stone said slowly.

Lucia raised her hands in the air after her small comment was dismissed. "Roger that."

Charlotte walked over to them and leaned back on the weapons table, careful to not push too hard along with not sitting directly on any weapons, snickering at Lucia since Lucia was definitely irked by the fact that Stone made it seem as though her comment was stupid and when he began to entertain her thought, it only made her more irritated. 

Vincent came over to her, and she stuck out her hand already knowing what he wanted without him having to say a word, something that she was able to pick up quicker nowadays, and he placed the gun into her open palm.

The cool material sent a chill down her arm while she raised her eyes up at him before lifting a brow. "Is the safety on this gun off?"

"Yes," Vincent answered simply.

She followed him over to a target range beside Lucia as she was getting ready making Stone go grey. Charlotte pursed her lips as the thought ran through her head. Vincent would look good with grey hair.

Charlotte didn't raise her weapon just yet as she stood before the target, instead, she looked over to Vincent for inquiry. "Aren't you here to teach?"

"What am I supposed to teach when you haven't even started."

Charlotte didn't bother to give him a reaction since he was also becoming a pain when he came back to his senses. Maybe she preferred it when he was a lunatic out during battle. Lifting her gun, she had no expectations when she took aim.

Holding her breath, she didn't let her nerves get to her as she pulled back the trigger.

When she had shot the vigilantes, she was doing it for her self-defense. She bit down on her lip as she could feel her resolve slipping. Charlotte gripped the base of the pistol tighter. She had to be stronger in order to win the war that they were waging their lives. Charlotte had already decided to be a part of it, so she couldn't let herself slip up.

The shots rang in her ear, surprise going through her body since she thought that it would be silenced due to their need to be hidden. Pulling back the trigger once more, she got used to the foreign object in her hands that had been her best friend during the suspenseful moments back in the outer ring.