Page 44 of There's No Place Like Oz

“Do it.” I demanded.

Tobias, who I expected to look mortified at what I was forcing his sweet girl to do, surprised me when he stepped forward and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. Dorothy’s heart rate slowed to a level that could be called comfortable, calm, and content. Leon stepped forward next, with a hand on her back, and an unflinching stoicism. He’d locked in on Gwen, and I was certain he was savoring every flash of hopelessness in her eyes.

How couldn’t he be, after all?Icertainly was.

“I… I can’t.” She bit her lip and looked me in the eye, as though she was pleading me to help. Tears welled in her eyes, and I knew that the terror I was seeing was too real—too deep and visceral—to even be calmed by her precious little dog. “I’ve never killed someone. I’m not like you. I’m sorry. I just… I can’t, Crowe.”

I should have been mad, but that desperation softened every muscle in my face. I closed my eyes, took a three count, then returned every bit of my attention to Dorothy. “You really are weak.”

Those words hit her in the gut like a crowbar, and it was obvious from the tears that built in the corner of her eyes. Gwen smirked against my palm despite herself, but Gwen didn’t know what game I was about to play with this sweet, sensitive, and powerful woman.

My witch was a vile manipulator, and no matter what her stupid sister may think, she most certainly created a demon. If I was to be drawn to whatever woman wore Grunhilda’s silver shoes, than that woman was going to do my bidding, and not the other way around. I just had to push the right buttons.

Chapter 35

Murder. I really had to murder her? What did he want me to do? Stomp on her head until she died? At least if I had a gun or a sword, the distance might help me detach from the act, but I had no weapons other than my shoes, and that was such a horrifying mental image, I couldn’t even fully conjure it in my mind’s eye.

That battle raged inside me. I didn’t want to disappoint Crowe. No, I wanted to help everyone. With everything in my heart and soul, Ihadto set them free. But we didn’t need to actually murder her to do that. Now that she was disabled, we could just steal her artifact, couldn’t we? If I stooped to her level, I may as well be a wicked witch myself.

“I’m not like you, Crowe. I’m not from this world. This isn’t normal for me. I don’t want to be as despicable as she is. Let’s just take her artifact, break your curses, and leave her here to rot. Taking her head isn’t necessary.”

It sounded good in my ears, but when Crowe nodded, his agreeableness was only more unnerving. “You’re right, Dorothy. You’re not like me. You always try to take the easy way out. You won’t do anything to protect the people you care about.”

Those words struck like a javelin, and my eyes widened as it truly dawned on me what he’d just done. He was heartless, sure, and it was easy for him to brutalize someone he didn’t like, but…

He’d just shown me that he was good to his word, and whether he realized it or not, he just grouped me in as a person he ‘cares about.’ While I, on the other hand, was about to fail everyone who was counting on me because of my weakness.

“Crowe. Stop.” Tobias snapped in my defense, but Crowe was having none of it. The worst part was: I couldn’t blame him. He was right.

“Tobias would kill for you, yet here we are, the tables turned, her head on a platter, and you can’t do the same. She would have carved him out, and you would have let her.” Crowe pushed. Tobias tensed, but he didn’t lash out again. How could he? Crowe was right on that too. “And Leon here—this woman has destroyed everything he ever had. She took his family, his dignity, and she was about to do it all again. If I’d not stepped in, she’d be force feeding him your fucking heart while he cried. Yetstillyou’d rather us leave her alive. Instead of punishing her crimes, you would slap her on the wrist, and let her continue to torture countless innocent beast men in Oz. Isthatthe girl we’ve all been following around all this time? Is this who I promised to protect?”

“I-I—” Even though he said it—even though I couldn’t argue, my body was shaking at the thought.

“You’re better than that, Dorothy.” He said. And in that moment, I believed him.

I was better than this. I was better than taking the high road that only meant evil people didn’t have to suffer consequences for the pain they caused. And I was better than being the weakling who was so worried about my own selfish morals, I wouldn’t inconvenience myself the slightest bit to save the people who loved me most.

This was Oz, after all. She was a witch. These weren’t real people. I’d go back to my own world, and the consequences wouldn’t matter. It was just like Hollywood. I thought to myself with an internal mocking laugh. When the curtain dropped, the cameras cut off, and when I limped away from another man’s bed, disgusted, defiled, and doubting myself, I just had to remember that it was all just a silly little story along the way of becoming something great. And today, I wanted to be something great for the people who already thought I was.

And today, I wanted Crowe to be one of those people too.

“It’s okay, Dorothy.” Tobias said. When even he wouldn’t talk me down, that was my sign. His comforting aura radiated through me, and it shooed the first of the angels on my shoulder that told me not to give in to cruel temptation.

Good riddance. The angels never gave me what I wanted. It was the devil that got me every role I’d ever landed.

“Just lean on me, Dorothy.” Leon whispered next. He placed an arm around my shoulder, and he pulled me close. Then he kissed me, slowly and fully. He placed his hand on my breast, and he pressed his thumb into his mate scar. “Use my strength.”

A surge of killer instinct flooded through my entire body the second Leon placed his hand against my skin. It was as though his will and his soul were taking control of mine, and I had no power to deny them. Every ounce of hate, hurt, pain, and resentment came pouring into my muscles so fast and hard, I had to close my eyes and hold my breath to take them.

I became his vessel, real or imagined, and I used that mental trick to disown whatever actions came next.

The rush was overwhelming, and my muscles committed for me. Or at least that’s what I told myself.

“Be my sword, Dorothy.” He spoke low so only I could hear. Crowe never took his eyes off mine, and I channeled his viciousness and his unapologetic courage as I lifted my knee to a height that gave me maximum power and momentum.

I hovered that shining silver shoe above her head, while her big, navy blue eyes stared up at me with real, visceral, honest terror.

And I stomped down hard.

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