Looking For A Legend (Book 1)

Looking For A Legend Chapter 53 - Elijah

            Eli and his brother sat at a table trying to carry on a conversation, but the younger Coates brother could not stop watching the door.  Every time the bell above the pub’s entrance rang, Eli’s gaze went to it.  Dinner had come and gone, as had their first and second rounds.  Valentina wasn’t here yet.  He hadn’t seen her all day.  She was ignoring his messages too.  Eli had already thought about, agonized over, and washed his hands of the idea that he’d done something to offend her.  Now he was just worried.

The door opened, and the crowd parted to let the new comers in.  Viktoriya Sima and her entourage were unmistakable.  Gregori stood a good head above anyone else in the bar.  Eli caught glimpses through the crowd of Viktoriya’s face.  She wore an expression of nerves and hopes, wondering if she was in the right place.  A moment of vulnerability on her otherwise calm exterior.

At first he didn’t think she looked much different than what he normally saw her as.  Her ice-and-violet eyes were rimmed in black, and shadowed in a smoky grey, and her lips were painted a dark red.  Her dark hair was tied up, off her neck.  As Eli got up to meet his guests, he noticed Viktoriya’s clothes.  She wore an oversized thin electric blue tee shirt over what he’d first thought was a black skirt, but turned out to be a strapless dress.  She’d turned to ask Vikenti something, just before Eli approached giving him a view of the curious twist in the back of her tee shirt, and showing off her well-formed muscular back and shoulders.

Eli tapped her on the arm to get her attention, then smiled.  He waved them made each of their name signs, “V” down the left arm for Viktoriya, making the sign for “G” with each hand and gesturing from his chest, circling out for Gregori and a “V” straight down his chest for Vikenti. Eli moved his open palm toward his chest twice, and then held both hands at his chest level and pointed down.

“Eli, thank you for inviting us!” Viktoriya leaned in to say.  She smelled like cigarettes and an alluring perfume.  Eli wasn’t sure what is was, but he liked it. “I was nearly dead of boredom!”

Eli gestured from his forehead with his right hand in a loose fist, his thumb extended and brought it down to meet his left hand with both index fingers and thumbs extended, and then gestured back toward Levi.

“Guys, over here.  Eli and his brother have a table.”  Viktoriya kept a hand on Eli’s shoulder as they edged through the crowd back to the where Levi was sitting.  After introductions were made and drinks were ordered, Viktoriya leaned in again, “Valentina’s not here?”

Eli tapped his index and middle finger together twice, and shook his head.  He shrugged with palms up.  He wish he had something to tell her, and hoped Viktoriya didn’t think it was any reflection on herself.

“It’ll be a good time, just the same.” She assured him, patting his arm.

Once the drinks had arrived, all worries were forgotten.  Eli quickly learned that one of the things Viktoriya did in her free time was dance, and once she found out that the DJ took requests, she only left the dance floor for another drink.  A few times she brought Eli out onto the dance floor with her, and he didn’t mind too much.  Viktoriya wasn’t flirting with him, she danced with Gregori and Vikenti too.  She was just looking to have a fun night out.  It was well after midnight when she snuck up on Eli checking his phone.

“I’m going outside for a cigarette… Are you okay, Eli?”  Viktoriya asked.  They were both passed drunk and on their way back to sober.  Alcohol only served to stave off their hangovers at that point in the evening.

He nodded, and signed to her.  He pointed at himself, then at the door with both hands, made two fists with his hands together, and pointed at her.  Still a little tipsy, Viktoriya didn’t understand at first.  He simplified the message by offering his arm to her and gesturing to the door with his head.  She got the idea this time, and took his arm.

Out in the cold of the evening, Eli watched her light up a cigarette.  He sat down a bench, and was surprised when she sat down beside him.  Viktoriya offered him the cigarette, and after a moment of hesitation he took a drag.  She laughed as he coughed.

“That was your first, wasn’t it?” Viktoriya’s tattooed hand plucked the cigarette back out of his hand. “I hope you didn’t do that just so I would think you are cool.”

Eli shook his head, and took his phone out again.  He had no messages waiting for him.  He hadn’t missed any, and the last he’d received had been from Gregori asking for directions.  He made a “V” over his heart, pinched his index and middle finger to his thumb again, and then made a motion like he was texting on his phone.

“Are you in a fight?” She let out a smoke ring, and then blew a plume of smoke through the ring.

Eli shook his head no.  He shrugged again, looking confused.

“Eli, I’m sure it’s nothing.  She’s probably asleep already.” Viktoriya tried to give him a smile.  Eli took the cigarette again, and this time didn’t choke as he inhaled.  She shook her head as she warned. “Those things are a nasty habit.”

Eli laughed to himself, only signaling his amusement to Viktoriya by blowing smoke out of his nose. She laughed with him, and patted his knee.  Viktoriya lit another cigarette, letting Eli keep the first one. They sat in silence as they finished.  Both butts were dropped on the pavement and stamped out by Viktoriya’s black pumps.  Eli noticed the electric blue bottom to her heels.

When she looked back at him he caught her gaze.  Her eyes were mesmerizing.  He’d never seen eyes like hers, a purple ring around a nearly clear blue iris.  After a moment, Viktoriya looked away.

“We should get you home, Eli.”  Viktoriya got to her feet, stumbling in her heels for a moment.  Eli stood up and caught her before she fell.  She laughed as she regained her balance. “Let’s get you back to your brother.  I have a feeling he’s taken a drunken Eli home before.”

Eli laughed through his nose again, though not so much at her joke.  It was usually Eli taking care of Levi when he’d had too much to drink.  He wanted to resist.  Eli wanted to share another cigarette with Viktoriya, or do another round of shots with Gregori and Vikenti.  He wasn’t ready for this carefree night to end.  But, as unfortunate as it was, Viktoriya was right.  He should go home.  Whatever was wrong with Valentina wasn’t going to get better, but it sure as hell could get worse.