Page 93 of Dark OZ

I bent down, cursing at my sore back. Albert’s discarded gun was heavier than I expected. I stared at the dagger necklace where it had been tossed aside. The ruby blade was smeared in blood, resembling exactly what the pain in my chest felt like. It made me want to scream, but it would be foolish to abandon a weapon. I snatched it up, sheathing the knife and tying the broken chain around my wrist. Then, I pulled the key out of the clutch and shoved it into my bra.

“Thea.” Crowe slowed down, raising his hands and eyeing the gun that I aimed at him.

The ruby stiletto swayed from its chain beneath the pistol, like the pendulum of a clock, reminding me that time was running out. The memory of Danny’s voice whispered in my ear, “Tick-tock, Thea.”

I shot the ground, blowing apart the sidewalk a foot in front of Crowe.

“There’s something poetic about this,” I said flatly, doing my best to shove down the raw emotion that was trying to rear its dangerous head. “When we first met, it was you pointing the gun at me.”

Crowe took slow steps forward, apparently not caring that I’d just fired a warning shot. “I don’t know what the Wizard told you, but you have to come with us.”

“Nick set me up. Probably Danny, too.” I shook my head. “We’re done, Crowe. It’s over.”

Crowe took another step forward, and I fired into the ground again. He didn’t even flinch.

“Please, stop. Please, don’t make me shoot you.” He had to stop. If Crowe touched me, I wouldn’t have the strength to push him away. I knew it, and so did he.

“I’ve known Nick my whole damn life. He’s a cold bastard who’s been through more pain than you could ever imagine. The one thing he’s not is a sell-out. He would never cross us. Whatever you think you know, it’s wrong.”

A small red sedan came driving down the road towards us. I moved into the lane directly in the car’s path.

“Thea! Stop,” Crowe shouted.

I redirected the gun from where it was trained on him, to the driver beyond the glass. The car screeched to a stop between us. I moved around to the driver’s side. “Get out! Now.”

The woman stumbled from the car. “Please, don’t shoot me. I’ll give you anything.”

I didn’t wait. I sank into the seat and pulled the door shut behind me. Crowe slammed against the passenger side, cursing when he realized the auto lock was still engaged. He raised his gun at the glass, then lowered it. There was no guarantee that the bullet wouldn’t hit me.

“Fuck!” he shouted, slamming the butt of his gun into the glass until a small splinter formed in the center of the window.

I pulled the shifter into drive.

“Please, Thea. Don’t.” The desperation in his eyes made me hesitate. “Please, beautiful. Just open the door.” He hit the glass again, the crack spreading into a large spider web.

My hands shook where I gripped the shifter. I could feel my heart breaking in two the longer I looked out the window. I almost put the car back into park. Almost.

That hesitation was exactly the reason why I needed to leave. Right now. I stomped on the gas pedal. The tires screeched, sending up a plume of smoke, and the car sped forward. I watched Crowe in the mirror the entire way down the road. He raised his gun, and I braced the wheel, ready for the pull of the tires being shot, but it never came.

Instead, Crowe turned and began firing at people crossing the parking lot after us. Several bullets sank into the side of the car, blowing out the back window. After a few minutes, the sound of gunfire faded. A sign on the corner indicated the on-ramp to the W7 highway was the next left.

I wasn’t sure where I was headed, but West felt like a damn good start.

Epilogue

Thesoundofathroat clearing annoyingly cut through my haze.

“Madam.”

Keeping my eyes closed, I sank further into my reclined position and stretched my arm above me to grab the back of the chaise. This man was truly insufferable, but he was the only person passable for the job. Not to mention the golden idiot owed me.

Taking a hit from the joint dangling between my fingers, I asked, “Is it done?”

“Not exactly.”

I cracked open an eye, my vision swimming for a second as I tried to focus on him. “Define,not exactly.”

“There was another team in place before we arrived.” Orin shifted uncomfortably, looking anywhere but at my naked form. Prude, although I’d probably carve his eyes out if they lingered too long. “Perhaps, Madam, you might—”

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