“Huh?”
I lift one shoulder. “No…no, you’re right, Chihuahua. It doesn’t at all sound like a household appliance.”
Coyote growls. “What’d you call me?”
“I’m sorry?”
He takes a step forward, and I realize I might have made a misstep as cold metal presses into my neck.
“Such a pretty, soft neck. I’m gonna enjoy cutting into it.”
Coyote’s hand smells like cigarettes, burnt matches, and about six days’ worth of sweat.
“Stand down, Coyote!” This is from some dark corner of the garage. There’s a second captor…great. Just perfect. “Snake wants her alive. If Jason can’t get us the money and replace the inventory, our little princess here will have to work it off when we get back to the clubhouse in Tallahassee.”
Coyote backs off, and I let out a slow, undetectable exhale through my nose. Inside, I’m screaming, but I’m not letting these assholes see me beg and cry to not hurt me.
“You guys came a long way to find Jason and me,” I say, going along with this mistaken identity. “The Dustbusters pay mileage? Hotel reimbursements? You guys are in dire need of a shower; I can tell you that first off.”
Coyote growls again. “It’s the Dusk Demons, you stupid little slut.”
From the corner, the other one just laughs.
“She’s fucking with you, man,” he says.
“Just let me cut her, Swifty. Just a little bit.”
“Shut the fuck up, man.”
I gasp theatrically. “Oh my god!” Craning my neck around, I try to get a look at the Swifty. “Are you a Swifty, too?! I love her music so much. I saw her in Atlanta last year; it was ah-maz-ing! You know, I’ll go with you to her show; she’s coming to Tallahassee next summer.”
Coyote grunts. “What the fuck is she talking about? She still high from the propofol?”
I hear Swifty take several steps forward. Good. This is working. “She’s talking crazy,” he says, sounding slightly on edge.
If they can’t kill me, and I can’t get out of here on my own, I can make them wish they never captured me.
I clear my throat, and I start singing one of my favorites, but my own very slow version. I have to buy as much time as possible. To do what, I don’t know. I just need time to think.
“I know that you like me
And it’s kinda frightenin’….”
“What the fuck is happening, Swifty.”
“Ah shit,” grumbles Swifty.
I smile and close my eyes, really getting into it.
“Standing here waitin’, waitin’…
And I became hypnotized.”
Swifty has now begun shouting at me to shut up. Coyote is just confused, but I hear a smile in his voice. “That’s kinda nice, though.”
“…By freckles and bright eyes…
Tongue-tied…”