"Now choose!"

"No!" Kaida cried. "You can't become one of those...things!"

"Sure I can. Watch."

And Deon just walked away from her.

Okay.

Time to take care of her partner.

When she reached for her gun, her hand didn't shake at all.

Her holster was empty.

She looked down, eyes wide, and looked up, just in time to see Deon drop two guns. They splashed in the muck on the floor.

Kaida couldn't let him do that. She had to do something. She took a step forward.

She took-

She looked down. The green slime had hardened arnd darkened around her feet.

She yanked up her pants' cuffs.

Even had little tendrils sticking to her socks. She couldn't take off her shoes.

Deon arrived in front of the thing that had been Shannon. And it purred, Well met, little one.

It leaned forward. And I wonder...which pleasure will you choose?

Deon looked her up and down.

And if Kaida hadn't been looking for it, she would never have noticed how slightly his hands trembled.

He took a deep breath. "All of it. Full package."

...Excellent choice of words.