Winter Peril

by Pinder, Victoria

  She nodded. Now was not the time for questions. She needed to organize the list of what to say in her mind first. So she studied the Taser in her hand. “How does this work?”

  He pocketed some bullets, locked up the safe, and came over to her. He directed her hands, then said, “Hit that last button in the direction of Tiffany if she comes close. She’ll be knocked out.”

  “But not dead?”

  “No.” He crossed his arms. “Let’s finish checking the walls. I want to leave you in a safe place.”

  Her entire body stilled. “What?”

  His jaw set. “I intend to find Tiffany. I can’t let her hurt you.”

  She placed her hand on her hip. “You are not leaving me here to worry. We’re going together.”

  He stiffened. “Someone needs to watch the guns.”

  “Change the password and don’t say it out loud.” She turned toward the walls. “I’ll make sure no one sees you. Tiffany wants us both dead. If we separate, we would give her the opportunity to divide and conquer.”

  “Tiffany is pretty good with a gun.” He closed his eyes and seemed to pray for a moment. “If we find her, you need to hide.”

  She gulped and realized she’d won this argument. Her heart pounded in her chest.

  Whatever happened, she’d stick to his side like glue. It was the best plan.

  Chapter 27

  Erica tried to catch her breath. Gabriel and she had been collecting his tools to stop Tiffany from getting them half the night. No noises other than the scrape of metal against the wooden floors reverberated in the air. Erica closed her eyes for a minute now and yawned. “Are we almost done? I’m exhausted.”

  In the adjacent room that was under heavy reconstruction, Gabriel made noise as he picked up another big machine. Tiffany might use anything to kill them. Gabriel rolled it toward Erica. The noise in the air made her think he hadn’t heard her. She stiffened and stood guard at the door. His callused hands brushed past her the second he lifted the machine into its storage place. She sighed. Most of the night had been spent this way. She gazed past his shoulder to see this machine. He loaded a table with a round cutting thing. She held back her yawn. “Gabriel, she’s shot. She’s weak. I doubt she can lift that. I don’t know how we didn’t find a trail of blood.”

  Gabriel shook his head. “She’s dangerous and smart, Erica. If we stop, I’m afraid she’ll have a gun and shoot you.”

  Erica was so numb. She shook her head. “If she has a gun, then why didn’t she shoot you years ago? And what about the gun in the secret room?”

  “I locked it up with the others.” He swallowed. “She could have another.”

  “She’s crazy.”

  “Tiffany has never been rational.”

  He walked back to the other room. Erica rolled her shoulders to stay awake. Gabriel walked back toward the closet with another sawlike thing that could be used to maim or kill. “She’s been in my walls planning my demise for years.”

  Erica rubbed her arms, as if that would chase away the coldness inside her body. “Where did she get the drugs?”

  He shook his head and walked back out to get more tools. “I’m not a psychic. I’ve no idea.”

  “What’s your plan, then?”

  “No. Don’t speak here.”

  She stood straighter. “She could hear us talking.”

  “I’m more worried about her next plan. Our defenses are best in my room.”

  “We have time. She’ll keep on the run until she heals herself.”

  “Why do you think she can do that?”

  Erica shrugged. “She has drugs, so I’d guess she has medicine.”

  He stiffened. “I shot her in the stomach.”

  “We don’t know if the bullet hit her or the vial.” She swayed on her feet, then steadied herself.

  “Are you okay? I was worried about you in the basement, and you’re my primary concern now.”

  Maybe he was right. He knew how to shoot, but Erica refused to take any chances. “You saved me again, Gabriel.”

  He shook his head. “We need to finish locking everything up.”

  A thump of something hit the floor in the distance. They both stopped.

  He stared down the hall. “Let’s set up a barricade in my room for you to get some sleep.”

  “Us.” She crossed her arms. “You need sleep.”

  “I’m not tired.” He carried what looked like a gun for nails and placed it in his tool locker. She kept watch. He then brushed his hand on her shoulder, and she turned to him. “You can rest. You’ve been through a lot.”

  “I can’t sleep, not with your wife out to kill me.”

  He nodded. “How’s your shoulder?”

  “Almost healed.” She’d not deny how she felt. “I’m numb right now more than anything else. It’s not every day someone tries to kill me.”

  He shrugged. “It’s been my every day for years, it seems. Guess I’m used to it.” He walked back to the other room. His voice echoed in the hall. “I’m almost done. I wish I put things away instead of leaving things out, but we can’t let Tiffany use anything else of mine to hurt you.”

  Erica stiffened. “She’ll frame you.”

  Gabriel met her gaze. “I wasn’t thinking about that.”

  She reached out to massage his shoulder. “Gabriel, we’ll be okay.”

  “I don’t have your optimism and determination, Snowflake.”

  “I have enough for both of us.”

  He said nothing else.

  Another question popped in her head, and the words fell out of her mouth without a filter. “Why did you marry Tiffany? Didn’t you know better?”

  He ran his hands through his hair. “I was leaving for war.”

  “That’s not an answer.”

  He rocked on his feet. “I knew her for a month before my departure date.”

  “What?”

  “Let me finish.” He crossed his arms. “I needed a reason to come home after going to war. I’m not like most Marines who live for their work. I joined, and my parents were upset that I would go to war. My world spun, so I thought if I married Tiffany, I’d have a reason to come back home.”

  She reached out and massaged his arm. He uncrossed his arms. What could she say to him to help? No words surfaced, so she stood on her tiptoes and intended to kiss his cheek. He turned, and her lips met his. He tasted sweet.

  “Tiffany said her plan was to make you think yourself insane.” Erica could not guess what the next tool might be used for. She stayed on topic. “Were you going insane before I arrived?”

  He shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe. I wasn’t feeling good about anything. I had no intention of suicide, if that’s the question.”

  “Good. You shouldn’t be here alone, like you were.”

  His smoldering eyes gazed into hers and the coldness dissipated. “You brought me back to life.”

  She reached out and squeezed his shoulder. “Likewise. I wasn’t living much of a life. Then I was stuck here with you and saw what this life can be. In the past, the days rolled by, but it wasn’t my life.”

  He turned and took her hand. He said nothing.

  She swallowed. “You’re important to me.”

  “You’re the most precious gift in the world.”

  The clank of something metallic pierced the air, and she dove into his arms. He brushed her hair, and she shivered a bit. He whispered, “She’s making noise to frighten us. We’ve moved what’s left of the tools. I need you to turn and head back into our apartment. I’ll lock this up.”

  “No.” She shook again. “We go together. I don’t want to be by myself. Whatever happens happens to both of us.”

  “Erica . . .”

  She squeezed his waist more and he stopped talking. She assumed he nodded. His head moved, but she didn’t gaze up. She stepped back to let him lock the closet.

  The rustle of the wind outside the window sent a chill in the air. Gabriel took her hand in his, and she fe
lt safe. Despite the danger, Erica’s entire body hummed in excitement to follow him.

  They walked back into the apartment, but the tingles on her neck grew. Erica turned around and saw the lights flicker in the library. She squeezed Gabriel’s arm and he followed her lead. As they neared the door, she fell back behind his shoulder. “We’re not alone.”

  Gabriel reached behind his back for his gun, and kept his eyes on the library door as he sought out his target. She took his hand. He whispered his order: “Go to my room.”

  “No.”

  He shook his head, and clicked something on his gun. “Stay behind the wall. Stay safe.”

  “Kiss me.”

  He stopped.

  She stood up on her tiptoes and pressed her lips into his. His lips were small and withdrawn at first. Then he wrapped his arms around her. She felt the cool steel of the gun on her waist, but she deepened their kiss. His lips sent her entire body into overdrive. This would not be the last time. She’d not let anything happen to him.

  He unwrapped his arms and she stepped back behind the wall. He rearmed his gun and stiffened his entire body, ready for a tight. She nodded at him and clutched her Taser.

  In silence, he slid the door open. Then he cleared his throat. “Tiffany, this is over now.”

  He pointed Erica to go back down the hall. Erica stood behind him and refused to move.

  “You shot me.” Tiffany’s voice was almost like a melody. “You loved me once, Gabriel.”

  Shouldn’t she be in pain? Erica peeked out and saw that Tiffany held her stomach and rocked. In her other hand, she held a gun that pointed right toward Gabriel.

  “I never knew you.” Gabriel held his gun ready to shoot Tiffany. He shook his head. “You should be dead.”

  Tiffany’s melodic voice held a tinge of sadness. “We’ve gone too far. I want this to end.”

  How was this woman still moving? Erica’s own shoulder still stung from the wolves. Tiffany had been shot.

  Gabriel held his hand on the safety of his gun. “What do you mean?”

  Why? Erica dropped her Taser and reached to pick it back up. Gabriel tensed, and Erica heard a gun click like it was ready to fire.

  “Slut.” Tiffany shot at the wall. Erica cringed. She’d almost been killed. Her heart hammered in her chest. Tiffany called out, “No one wants you here.”

  Tiffany lifted her gun in the air, and Gabriel snapped his gun and made a noise. Tiffany turned back toward him. “Tiffany, stop.”

  Erica called out, “No one has to die.”

  Tiffany laughed. “You die first.”

  Gabriel grabbed Tiffany’s gun. She fought back. Erica said a little prayer, then crawled into the room to get behind the couch. She had to help Gabriel.

  A shot rang out in the air.

  Tiffany continued to laugh. “Your little slut of a girlfriend won’t see morning.”

  Erica stared down at the blood pooling at Tiffany’s feet. She was hurt. Then Erica realized her shoulder burned again. Were the wolves back? She swallowed. Then she realized her shoulder was bleeding. Her head spun a bit. Had she been shot?

  Tiffany held her gun higher. “Adultery is a sin.”

  Erica shook her head. “Says the saint?”

  The pool of blood at Tiffany’s feet grew thicker. She must still be bleeding.

  Gabriel now held the gun he’d taken out of Tiffany’s hand. Erica swallowed, unsure how he held the gun.

  Erica sat down to stop the dizziness.

  Tiffany leaped on Gabriel. Gabriel held his gun trained on her. Erica froze, unable to help. Then a second gunshot rang in the air.

  She stared at Gabriel and Tiffany as they struggled for the gun. Who had been shot? The pool of blood grew larger, faster.

  Tiffany moved like a huge cat. Or was that desperation and adrenaline that made her crazy? She jumped on a man that was taller than both of them, and his gaze never left the target.

  A loud bang reverberated in the air. Gabriel threw Tiffany off him like she was a bug. Erica’s gaze followed the thud to the gun on the floor near her.

  Gabriel told Tiffany, “This is over.”

  “Hell, no. You don’t get to win.” Tiffany had jumped on Gabriel, despite the gun in his hand. Erica’s shoulder burned. How did Tiffany find the energy to move? Erica curled behind the couch, but clutched the Taser.

  Gabriel threw Tiffany off him again. Erica then spotted a knife in Tiffany’s hand. She must have grabbed it from Gabriel’s waist. He still held his gun on her.

  Erica swallowed. Gabriel might need to shoot his wife. No. Erica inhaled. He’d been through so much. She’d help, if she could. She crawled over to the gun and picked it up with both hands.

  Neither of them came at her, as they were focused on each other.

  From behind the couch, Erica peeked her head up and called out, “No more. Tiffany, there is no way to win.”

  Tiffany jumped, catlike, and flew toward Erica. Gabriel shot his gun.

  Erica screamed. Blood rained down all over her. Tiffany was bleeding badly. Why didn’t she just die like they did in movies? Erica held the gun, but Tiffany scratched at it.

  Gabriel’s footsteps reverberated in the air. He was close.

  Erica swallowed, then threw the gun toward him. Tiffany scratched at her arm and shoulder. The pain shot raced through her, but she clutched the Taser then, without another thought, shot Tiffany with the two electric circuits.

  Tiffany screamed and shook in the air.

  Erica massaged her shoulder and wiped the blood off her face.

  Tiffany fell to the floor in convulsions.

  Gabriel ran over to the pair of them and grabbed Erica. Her arms wrapped around his and the Taser thumped back on the floor.

  Tiffany stared at both of them. “I never lose.”

  “You do this time.” Erica shook her head, then buried it in Gabriel’s neck. Gabriel brushed her back.

  A thud of a body hitting the floor echoed throughout the house, and the sound carried on the wind.

  Gabriel let Erica go.

  She opened her eyes a moment later and stared at him as he stood over Tiffany’s lifeless body.

  “She can’t hurt us anymore.”

  Erica crossed her arms. “Are you sure she’s dead?”

  Gabriel knelt next to Tiffany and unbuttoned her shirt. A gauze pad covered her stomach. “She’s lost too much blood.”

  Erica stood over him. “Check her for her wounds. I don’t want any more tricks.”

  Gabriel nodded as he stared at Tiffany’s belly. He tore off her gauze pad to see the bullet wound. Erica stared at her white face and hollow eyes. How had she lived through this?

  Gabriel stood up and took Erica’s hand. “Erica, it’s over.”

  She gazed up into his eyes. They were free. She swallowed, wiped more blood out of her eyes, and without another thought, kissed his cheek.

  Chapter 28

  “You look horrible.” Erica stared at Gabriel with his grimy hands. Last night, they’d both washed off the blood. This morning he sported the red face of someone who had spent the night in the frigid cold. His eyes were almost dead. Then he shivered. She sat up from bed. “Where were you? I spent half the night wondering if you were coming back.”

  He leaned down toward his feet and untied his boots. “After I tended to your wounds, I thought you’d sleep the night.”

  She scooted closer to the edge of the bed. In the corner of her eye, she glanced at the window. The blackness told her it was still the middle of the night. She waited until he returned her gaze and told him, “I woke up and you weren’t here.”

  “I couldn’t sleep.”

  He kicked off his shoes.

  She blinked and waited for him to say more. He kept silent. “And?”

  “Tiffany’s body was lying in the library.” He closed his eyes, looking haunted. “We couldn’t leave her there.”

  “We said we’d bury her in the morning.”

  He shook his head
. “I should have buried her before. I made sure I did it now.”

  Last night neither of them knew where to hold her body until spring arrived. Erica had collapsed in his arms, and he had told her to not worry. She swallowed, then met his gaze. “How?”

  He unzipped his jacket and removed his hat. “I have a snow blower, torches, and a plow.”

  She covered her mouth with her fingers. “You went outside.”

  “She was lying on the floor of the house.” He opened his bloodshot eyes. “She is dead and buried.”

  “You look like hell.” He must be exhausted. She massaged his shoulders. “You need sleep.”

  He unzipped his snow pants. She caught a glimpse of his jeans. “Are you okay?”

  Her hands brushed her sides. He slipped out of his outside layer. She then stared at his biceps and sheer muscular strength. She swallowed, then glanced at her shoulder. It burned again. “Yeah. I think so. Do you think I’ll have a scar?”

  He nodded. “Probably.”

  Her mouth fell open. “What?”

  He sat next to her on the bed. Then he checked the gauze he had placed on her shoulder. “I’m not a doctor. The bullet grazed your shoulder, or I’d have buried you both.”

  His fingers were icy cold. The man’s white pallor wasn’t good for him, and she refused to leave him alone, not right now. He spent the night in solitude. She had slept a little.

  Without a question, she took his hand and didn’t stop walking with him. He followed, and she led him straight into the bathroom. With force, she twisted on the shower, and she pushed his shirt off his chest. He lifted his massive arms and let her slide the shirt off.

  “I can’t have sex right now,” he mumbled.

  “Of course.” She helped him out of his jeans. “That’s not what I want right now. We’re getting you in the shower.”

  He stepped up and helped her undress him. “Why? I’m too cold.”

  “The water will be warm.” With precise movements, she checked the temperature of the water, kissed his cheek, and undid her shirt. He didn’t struggle. She pushed him into the shower. “Because the water’s clean and pure. You saved my life, so stop feeling guilty. We’re taking this shower.”