Killer Santas

Chapter 13

Shots rang out behind her as Victor screamed her name, but Elaina kept running. She raced out of the alleyway and turned, eyes searching for a way back to the subway station, for a way out of this whole fiasco. But the entire time, only one train of thought was running through her mind.

Tony may have already shot Victor. Tony may have already shot Victor. Tony may have already shot Victor.

Victor may be dead already because I was too cowardly to shoot Tony myself.

Finally, Elaina couldn't run anymore. She sank to the ground, not quite sure where she was, and hugged her knees to her chest, the gun sitting beside her. Her entire body was shaking and sobs escaped her, her breath coming in shallow, rapid pants.

Am I having a panic attack? Elaina wondered as pain clutched her chest, tears beginning to paint her cheeks as her inability to catch a breath persisted. Oh, no. I am, aren't I?

She didn't know how long she sat there, gasping, focusing on her breathing and only her breathing, before she felt someone touch her shoulder gently. "Elaina? Elaina! Are you okay?"

Elaina raised her eyes and found Victor gazing at her intently, crouched beside her. "It's okay," he continued. "Breathe. Deep breath, Elaina, take a deep breath."

She obeyed as best she could, struggling to catch her breath. After several moments, she was able to slow her breathing and felt Victor take her arm, helping her up.

"Come on, let's go," he said. "We can take the subway. I think they've gone."

"What happened?" Elaina asked.

"Well, Tony and I exchanged a few more rounds, with no luck for either," Victor said. "When you took off sprinting, Tony turned after you and dropped into a crouch, but I kept him focused on me so he couldn't shoot you."

Elaina waited for him to ask her about why she didn't shoot him herself, but he didn't. Instead, they walked in silence for a while, eventually seeing the light from the subway station illuminating the concrete steps down into the station. Victor guided her down them, paid the fare, and both of them moved through the turnstiles and onto the platform to wait.

"I told Tony I wasn't going to end up like Tilly," Elaina eventually said, in a subdued voice. "And he didn't seem to know who I was talking about."

Victor glanced at her. "Of course he doesn't. He doesn't tend to remember the names of the girls he hangs with. If you had described how they ended it, he would have remembered right away."

Elaina shuddered and leaned against Victor, who wrapped his arm around her comfortingly. "What else did he say to you?" he asked.

"He wanted to tell me something, I think," Elaina said, thinking back. "He referred to what you told me about him, but then you showed up and cut him off."

Victor seemed to relax. "Good." He glanced down at her. "I was afraid he would try something like this."

"Like what?" Elaina asked, furrowing her brow. "I thought you said he wanted to kill me."

"He does," Victor said. "Tony still wants to kill you, Elaina. But from what I know of my brother, he's not going to just shoot you in the back and have done with it; Tony will most likely want to talk first, to have a bit of fun before he shoots you."

Elaina shuddered again and Victor's arm tightened around her. The subway pulled into the station and the two moved aboard with the rest of the crowd. They managed to find a seat and Elaina leaned against Victor, utterly exhausted, and she felt Victor rest his head against hers.

It was all she could do not to fall asleep, but Victor had to shake her gently out of her doze when they reached their stop. They climbed off the subway and left the station, walking through the dark hand in hand, their other hands on their hidden pistols.

Finally, they reached the apartment, taking the elevator up to the fourth floor and locking themselves into Victor's apartment. Elaina sagged against the door as Victor took a seat on the couch, easing his coat off and grimacing at his arm.

Right. Victor was shot.

"Where's the first-aid kit?" Elaina asked, straightening and shrugging her coat off, kicking her boots into a corner. Victor jerked his head toward the kitchen.

"Somewhere over there, in a drawer, I think."

Elaina hurried into the kitchen, her weariness fleeing as she rummaged around for the kit. When she found the white plastic container, she joined Victor on the couch and opened the kit, before heading back into the kitchen to get some water and a couple rags.

"I'm sorry," she said as she returned to the couch. "I'm sorry I didn't shoot Tony. I just...in that moment, I couldn't. I'm so sorry."

Victor shook his head. "Don't worry about it, Elaina. I know you haven't had much experience in Mafia shootouts. But promise me that tomorrow, you will shoot, and shoot to kill."

"I promise," Elaina said softly.

Carefully, she cleaned the bullet scrape, Victor flinching slightly as she touched the graze. After cleaning the wound, Elaina wrapped it up with a bandage, glancing up at him as she finished.

"All set," she said softly.

Victor looked at her and Elaina realized how close she was to him. She met his eyes, his dark, handsome eyes. I don't want to move away. I want to stay here, right here.

Slowly, in increments, it seemed, Victor leaned closer and Elaina moved to meet him. Their lips touched and then they were kissing, slowly, slowly. Elaina felt his arms wrap around her waist and her hands were on his neck as they continued to kiss. Then he broke away, smiling slightly, and touched her cheek with his hand.

"Elaina," he said quietly, after a moment of silence. "Thank you, for the first-aid."

"If that's how you say thank you, I'm surprised you haven't been sued for harassment," Elaina said with a breathy laugh, still not entirely sure she believed what had just happened.

"Only you," he said, hand still on her face, moving softly against her skin. He leaned forward and kissed her again, quickly. "Goodnight, Elaina. We both need to get our sleep."

Elaina nodded and stood. "Tomorrow's the day, isn't it?"

Victor nodded. "Yes. Tomorrow. This all ends tomorrow."