“Tragic.”
“Yeah, it was. Happened four years ago. It devastated me when it happened, but I’m okay now. There was a time I couldn’t tell anyone that without crying.”
“Do you live with your aunt and uncle now?”
“Yeah, in the grayest place in existence. Everything there is gray, including them. If I stay there for much longer, I’ll grow as gray as everything and everyone else there.”
“Why do you want to return?”
“Because I want them to know I’m alive, but also, it’s scary here, with all the night creatures, as you call them.”
“You did not seem afraid in the slightest, the way you spoke to those vampires,” he says as though he’s in awe of how I behaved.
“It’s the boots. They give me a strength I’ve never had before. I’ve never in my life spoken to anyone like that,” I admit with a laugh.
“I never would have guessed.”
“Is that what you seemed so hesitant to ask me?”
“No, what was that phrase you used? For…” he asks but then stops, diffident and shy and I can’t contain my laughter, knowing what he’s wondering about.
“Do you mean, ‘smoke a pole’?”
“Yes. Why smoke?”
“If you smoke a cigar or a cigarette, you suck on it and… yeah.”
“Before, when you held me down, you said words I did not understand. What were they?”
“Eek, okay well…”
Although I’m hesitant, and embarrassed, I explain what I said when I swore at him and he grows fascinated, asking me to tell him all the swear words I know. So, I tell him all about them, what they mean, the sexist nature of many of them, and as I describe it all I’m surprised to notice how they are all related to sex acts, sex organs, and functions most reserve for the bathroom. “There are hand gestures too.”
“Show me,” he says, eager, with wide eyes and a big grin.
“Are you serious?”
“Yes, I am, and I will use them all,” he says and I huff out a laugh at him.
“Wow, all right, so…” I say and show all the vulgar gestures I know to him. When he copies me, I laugh with each gesture. “You got them all.”
“Any others?”
“Those are all the ones I know…” I say and think about it. Oh wait, there is one more. “There’s this one too,” I say and take my index and middle finger in the shape of a V and bring it to my mouth to lick between them, flicking my tongue.
“Whatever does that mean?”
“If you think about it I bet you can figure it out,” I say and smirk, and he looks so confused. “Oh, come on.”
“I am not sure what it could be,” he says fascinated.
“Think harder,” I raised a brow at him, and he thinks it over. When it hits home, his eyes grow wide.
“Oh my,” he says shocked, and I laugh. “So, this means…” he says imitating my last gesture, and I nod in assent. “Oh,” he says, uncomfortable now. Guess that took it too far.
“Sorry, you asked,” I say and shrug.
“Almost all of those words and gestures relate to coitus. Does everyone in the Civilized Realm engage in sexual activities before marriage?”
“Not everyone, but a lot. Not me, if that’s what you’re asking. Even though I’m no virgin, I’ve only had one boyfriend. There’s not much else to do in Kansas. He graduated though. He’s in college now. We broke up last year before he left for school,” I tell him, and he looks shocked.
“I am a virgin. In this realm, you do not do that until you marry.”
“Wow. That’s extreme. Some people are like that in my realm, I guess, but it’s not so common anymore.”
“It’s not?” he asks, shocked.
“Nope, I don’t think so,” I laugh. Pensive and maybe a little disturbed, his downcast, wide eyes shift with thoughts before he looks up at me as though he’s had an epiphany.
“Perhaps I’ll return to your realm with you,” he says, and I guffaw. This time, he cracks a smile and laughs with me.
“That’s awesome.”
“Awesome?” he asks, surprised I’d use that word to describe his obvious horniness.
“It’s an expression. Not only does it mean awe inspiring, but it also means ‘that’s wonderful.’”
“There may be people who do that without commitment, like the vampire who propositioned you…” he says and stops, remembering, looking angered at the thought.
“He was just trying to scare me.”
“Yes, he was, but it didn’t scare you.”
“Blame the boots,” I shrug.
“In the Civilized Realm, fornication is common?”
“Although it used to be like it is here, people loosened up a lot about that stuff over the last century. Fewer hang-ups, I guess.”
“Why?”
“Well, I guess I’d like to know I’ll enjoy it with the person I sleep with for the rest of my life. Why do people wait for marriage here?”
“It is the way of our society, and I never questioned why. Although I am now,” he says, and I laugh again. He smiles and blushes.
“Changing your thoughts on it?”
“Very much so,” he admits.
“Sorry I corrupted you.”
“I did not realize it was a possibility, I suppose,” he admits, and I giggle.
“People are doing it before then, I’m sure. When they kiss, I’m sure it leads to other things.”
“Kiss?”
“Uh, yeah, people must kiss here.”
“I do not know the word.”
“Lips touching,” I explain.
“Like a closed mouth?”
“No, one person’s lips touching another person’s lips,” I clarify, and he shakes his head, unsure. “No way, people must kiss here.”
“I do not believe we do. What is it? Is it another form of intercourse?”
“No, it’s far more innocent than that. People kiss each other on the cheeks as a greeting in my realm. A kiss on the lips is more intimate, but kids play kissing games—it’s not like sex,” I say. “But it can lead to it if you keep doing it though. It can be pretty great,” I say and giggle.
“This is something with which I am unfamiliar.”
“I bet our name for it is just different. Like this is blowing a kiss,” I say and kiss my hand and blow it at him and he looks at me like I’m insane.
“Never once have I seen this,” he admits.
“That’s tragic. You should try it sometime.”
“But I am not sure what it is I would try.”
“Just touch your lips to someone else’s lips. Someone you like.”
“I like you. Would you show me?”
“What?” I ask, now shy, my cheeks getting hot as they blush.
“You say it is innocent and used as a greeting?”
“On the cheek though. I can show you that.”
“I would like that, for I am very curious.”
“No harm in a kiss on the cheek,” I say and get up, move toward the log he is sitting on, sit beside him, and kiss his cheek.
“That was pleasant. People in your realm greet each other this way?”
“Yes.”
“But not lips to lips?”
“People greet each other that way too, but it’s more intimate.”
“Oh,” he says, bemused. “And asking you to show me this is improper?”
“I mean… I guess it’s not so terrible.”
“So, would you? Show me, that is?”
Anxiety rushes through me. Yeah, he’s gorgeous, and I’d make-out with him, but he does not get what he’s asking for.
“Understand that it’s different from a cheek kiss, and can lead to other more intimate things.”
“I promise I will not try to engage in intercourse with you,” he avers, and I laugh at how serious he was when he said that. This guy is so proper.
“What the hell,” I shrug. “All right, get ready, and follow my lead,” I
say, and he nods, bracing himself.
When I look into his eyes, he looks back at me and he’s so good-looking it makes me nervous, but then I feel lucky to be the only girl he’s ever kissed or ever will considering they don’t do this here. How sad. Poor guy—he’s nineteen and never kissed a girl. There’s no need for guilt when I’m doing him a favor.
Okay, I just need to do it. Dive in.
When I take his face in my hands, my touch surprises him but he goes with it, pressing his cheek into my palm. Then I lean in and kiss him, but his lips are so tight I pull away.
“Relax,” I say, and he exhales, loosening a little. “Let’s try again, just relax and follow my lead,” I say, and he nods.
This time, when I hold his face in my hands and kiss his lips, they are much softer.
As I press my lips to his, he kisses me back, and he’s not bad at all. Good feelings flutter in my chest. Wow, he’s fantastic at this. As his arms wrap around me, I pull him to me, holding him close as our lips entwine. I slip my tongue into his mouth and he jumps, but he goes with it and caresses my tongue with his. I move my hand on his cheek into his spun gold hair, and our kiss gets deeper. Soon we are full on making out, and it’s great.
The last time I kissed a boy like this was over a year ago, and it was Billy. Billy never made me feel like this, with butterflies and sparks flying everywhere, craving so much more. Even though I want him to touch me, he won’t. But I want him to.
When his hands move to my waist and he holds me, kissing me with fervor, getting as into it as I am, I take his hand and move it to my breast because I can’t help myself. As he squeezes, I kiss him deeper, desperate for this gorgeous guy who makes me feel more than I ever have while kissing.
Is this what it’s supposed to be like? Or is this just because he’s super hot? Would any girl he kissed feel like this? Or is it more? Could it be? I would stay for a while just to do this a little longer. What am I thinking? Just stop, Dorothy.
Beneath his armor, his chest heaves, and the intensity between us grows. If he wasn’t covered in metal, I might do something I regret. But there is something I can do, I want to do, to give him the full experience, so I pull away and kiss his neck. A gasp escapes him as he massages my breast in his hand like an expert. Then I kiss his earlobe, nibbling on it, and he pulls me close, wrapping his arms around me again, hugging me to his metal clad body.
I whisper into his ear, “That’s kissing.”
When I pull away and look at him, he looks intoxicated, with his eyes closed. After a moment, he opens them and looks at me, his lids hooded, his eyes darkening, and it sends an electric shock of deliciousness straight to my core.
“That is the best thing I ever did in my entire life,” he says, his voice low, almost purring, and I can’t help but laugh.
A lazy grin takes over his perfect lips, before he kisses me again. And I kiss him right back. When he pulls away, he keeps me close, nuzzling my nose with his, and he says, while grasping my breast in his hand, “I can see how it leads to other more intimate things.”
He kisses me again, getting bolder, and I let him.
“I like how you did that to my neck and my ear. I want to do that to you,” he whispers into my lips before he kisses my neck, and it’s toe curling. When he nibbles my ear, running his fingers through my damp hair, it sends tingles through my entire body.
“When you don’t have armor all over you, it’s even better,” I say, and he pulls away and takes off his chest plate, covered in axes I’m lucky didn’t cut me, pulling it off over his head. He pulls me back toward him and holds me to him, kissing me and wow, his body against mine feels amazing. Kissing Billy was never as good as this. Nothing with Billy was as good as this.
“Mmmm,” he growls into my lips as he kisses me, his tongue exploring my mouth, our chests pressed together, and I throw my leg over his lap and straddle him, pressing my hips into his. He’s surprised but doesn’t stop me.
What’s the harm when he’s covered in metal from the waist down?
When his hands move from my breasts to my hips, I take them and move them to my butt, evoking a sigh he breathes into my mouth.
“I…” he says and stops, breathless.
“Are you all right?” He seems distraught, his brows knit over his imploring puppy dog eyes.
“I promised I would not try to…” he says and stops with a sigh, trying to collect himself, and I giggle.
“Have sex with me?” I finish for him.
“Yes,” he admits, embarrassed, averting his eyes, and I chuckle.
“Next time,” I say with a laugh and get off him. His eyes widen and I laugh harder. “It was a joke,” I clarify.
“Dorothy?” he says as I sit beside him instead of on top of him.
“Yes, Nick?”
“Will you marry me?” he asks, and I bellow a laugh.
“Oh, Nick, you are sweet, but we just met.”
“But I… All I want to do is kiss you, forever,” he swoons, and that was adorable and lovely of him to say, but that’s not it at all.
“No, you are nineteen and horny and you think you need to marry a girl to sleep with her,” I giggle. He smiles in admission.
“In Oz, you do,” he says.
“Well, where I come from, you don’t.”
“It sounds like a wonderful place,” he says, and I laugh at him.
“Let me kiss you again.”
“Time to turn the turkey.”
“After we turn the turkey, let me kiss you again,” he says, and I chuckle at him.
“I’ve created a monster,” I say, and a look of horror takes over his gorgeous face. “That’s an expression in my world that just means I got you started and now you don’t want to stop. Don’t worry, it’s not bad. I enjoy kissing you,” I tell him, and he smiles.
“Have sex with me, Dorothy.”
“Maybe someday,” I say with a teasing nudge to his shoulder.
“But you would not marry me?”
“I mean… I don’t know you,” I say with a shy eye roll.
The weirdest thing about him asking me isn’t so much that he asked it, but that part of me wants to say yes even though I could never do that. The first reason being that our chemistry is off the charts, and the second being that no guy as hot as him would ever try to hook up with me much as well propose marriage in my realm. In the real world, or the Civilized Realm, he’s so far out of my league there’s a small part of me that wants to jump at the opportunity to be with a guy who looks like him. Billy was good-looking, so cute, but this guy is like one of those guys who gets paid six figures to take a picture for a magazine, with all those chiseled muscles and a perfect face to boot. Guys like him date Victoria’s Secret models and pop stars, not regular girls like me. I may not know Chris Hemsworth or Henry Cavill but if any of them proposed after knowing me for an hour I’d want to say yes even though it would be insane. When a guy this gorgeous proposes, most girls would want to jump at the chance, wouldn’t they? But I also realize it’s crazy, and at my age, I could never entertain the idea of getting engaged to a guy I just met from another world altogether.
“But you would sleep with me?”
Yes. Yes, I so would, but I can’t just say yes to that. So I laugh instead.
“Wow, you’re getting bolder,” I say, my brow raised in knowing amusement, and his eyes darken.
“I’m sorry,” he says, but he’s so not sorry.
“Liar,” I say and smirk, and he laughs, his eyes glinting.
If he is proposing marriage after a kiss, if I slept with him, it might hurt him when I go, and I have to go. How can I stay in this terrifying place? Hot guy or not, that’d be a stupid move. Oh, but I so wish I could.
“I don’t know. I don’t want to mess you up or anything.”
“Mess me up?”
“I’m leaving. Or I hope so at least. And these boots are stuck on my feet anyway, so I can’t take my pants off, even if I wanted to. Let’s take it as a
sign.”
“We could work around it.”
“Let’s see how it goes,” I say and laugh at how eager he is.
“You are beautiful.”
“You’re just saying that because I taught you how to kiss and you want to sleep with me. An hour ago, you looked at me as if I were a child.”
“No, I misspoke. When I first saw your face, I thought you were the most beautiful sight I had ever seen.”
“Yeah?”
Swoon.
“You make my heart pound fast. Even when you are not kissing me. Even if you would engage in intercourse with me without marriage, I would want to marry you.”
“It’s that simple, huh? Women in my realm would all show up here if they thought it was that easy to get a guy to propose.”
“Perhaps they should.”
“You say you are heartless, but you don’t act like it, proposing to a girl you only met two hours ago,” I say, and he sighs.
“I am a heartless killer. And I have not felt this way in… I suppose never. It is you who has brought it out in me. But when you leave to return to Kansas, I will be heartless again. Unless I’m in the Emerald City. Then I could live a life without killing, a life where I can find love, get married, have a family, the life I want, where having a heart is not a detriment.”
“Yeah, I get it. But you don’t seem heartless.”
“Until today, I was. You give me hope, Dorothy.”
This guy is far from heartless. He’s a romantic if I ever saw one. Even though he may be a badass slayer of the bitten, he’s all heart. How sad he doesn’t see it. He needs a long break from murder and death, and the Emerald City will give him that. At least I hope it will.
“Dorothy?” Ardie says, peeking out of the door, afraid of the blazing fire.
“Yeah, Ardie?” I ask and he waves me over. When I get up and go to the door of the cabin, he pulls me inside with an urgency, closing the door behind me.
Dorothy In the Land of Monsters Page 7
