Page 9 of Crimson

"Good to see you have a sense of humour," I said dryly. "I think we have time for me to blow you a kiss."

He sighed. "Can you blow my cock? Even if I don't finish, I could die kinda happy."

"You can shift and suck it yourself," I pointed out.

"No wonder we all hate you," he said. But I had a feeling he didn't hate me anymore. Funny how seeing a monster as a real person makes them seem like less of a monster.

I laughed softly. "Nothing worse than a woman who won't put out," I said sarcastically.

I groaned as the plane dropped again. I might need that barfbag yet.

"For what it's worth," I said slowly, "I know how you feel. We're people who got caught up in shit. Then we kept on with the shit. I was hoping it would end with me."

"It still might," he said from behind clenched teeth.

"Dagen and I die, it won't end this," I said. "If anything, it'll make it worse." At least he'd be dead. That was a plus.

So would I, that was a minus.

"Nothing will end this while both sides are left," Toby said.

That was an oversimplification, but he might not be wrong.

"Yeah, but I couldn't bring myself to kill all of you." I glanced over at him. "My bad, I guess."

It might not be a mistake I made again, assuming I got out of this alive. Shame, he was tolerable, if you can get past the whole temptation-to-rape me thing. That was a big hurdle.

"Yeah, your bad." He smiled at me, but his eyes betrayed his terror. He signed up to die for Dagen, if he had to, but not like this.

"I hope you can float," I told him.

He sighed. "I can't even swim."

The plane dropped again.

"Well, fuck," I said softly.

"Yeah, well fuck. Dagen is a shitty boss anyway."

I laughed, low and husky. "You better hope to die if you're going to say that out loud." I wasn't going to give up until I was done. "Can you take this collar off me? I'd feel better if I could doggie paddle.”

"It needs magic for that," Toby said. "I don't have any." Was that actual regret in his eyes?

"Figures." I closed my eyes when the plane shuddered and dropped. "Worst ride ever."

Toby snorted. "Yeah."

The alarm got louder as the plane headed downward.

3

I squeezedmy eyes shut until I realised the plane levelled off. The alarm still sounded, but softer now. We banked steeply and headed in a north-westerly direction.

I leaned over and spoke softly in Toby's ear. "I won't tell anyone you said he was a shitty boss." I patted his arm for good measure. It didn't hurt to try to make allies, even amongst the enemy. Especially amongst the enemy.

"I…only said that because I thought I was going to die." Was he pissed off at me, himself or both?

"You will die if he knows you said that." I was guessing. Dagen was petty but was he that petty? If I had to guess, I would say yes, yes he was.

---