Mystique Rogue

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor

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Mystique Rogue By Diane Taylor

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor

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A Silk’s Vault Electronic Publication, in arrangement with author Diane Taylor. ISBN # 1-934055-58-1 Copyright © 2006 by Diane Taylor Cover Design and Art by Carmel St. James, © Copyright 2006 Edited by Peggy Roberts

Silk’ Silk’s Vault Publishing www.silksvault.com

All Rights Reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in part or whole, in any form or by any means, without permission from both the author and publisher. All characters, incidents, situations, institutions, governments and people are fictional and any similarity to characters or persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor

3 Prologue

Out from behind the curtain of imagination walks a cream colored cat with dark green eyes and a flame red mask of fur covering the upper half of its face. When it reaches the center of the sea of invisibility, it sits down and calmly bows to you, the reader. “We greet you, one who sees beyond reality to the Fantasy realm. Welcome to our time and place. Please, take your ease while we introduce the purrrrrfectly pleasing players in our story.” The cat waves a paw and the curtain parts to reveal a crystal orb that floats over to hover in front of the cat. “We wish you to meet Carmen Marshall, she of the scarred face who is our main character.” The image of a heavily scarred woman with dark red hair and even darker eyes appears in a holographic display. “Her two counterparts in this sensual story are The Rogue, also known as Sean Cameron and his brother, Duncan Cameron. Duncan is also known in his white tiger form as Khan, Rogue’s personal bodyguard.” The holographic display splits in half. On one side, a masked man who looks remarkably like the Phantom of the Opera only with liquid gold hair and gold flecked green eyes. His mask is solid black with golden swirls around it. The other image shows off a dark haired man with cats eyes. It flickers between the human face and the tiger face. “Here now is Carmen Marshall’s Boss. Daria Randall, Head of the Tarrington Security Company.” A middle aged woman’s face appears above the globe. “David Marshall is Carmen’s Father, leader of a team of experts who do undercover work for various and sundry government agencies. This time, however, father and daughter must join forces, however briefly, to stop the madness.” An older man that looks like Carmen, only with less scars and a face, seemingly chiseled from stone. “Carmen’s security team is a mixed batch of talent. The Twins, Louis and Carla, are just that, identical twins. They are surveillance and footwork experts. Logan is a wizard with all things electronic. His hacking and technical applications give the team a state of the art edge when it comes to getting what they need, or keeping track of their client or clients. Michelle Deveau MacKintyre is Carmen’s second-in-command. Deadly in hand to hand combat, both armed an unarmed, her specialty is knives, but she doesn’t like to let things get that far.” The globe blinked slightly and burped for a second or two. If a cat could frown, this one

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor 4 would as it draws back a paw and smacks it hard. A moment later, four faces appear in the globe, each with the person’s name indicated underneath. “Your pardon. We do not use the globe often and it does have a glitch problem every now and again.” Feline eyes studied the globe a moment longer. “We also must apologize for the lack of an image for the fifth member of this team. He is a flight specialist and he is only known as the Black Angel.” “David Marshall’s team is a team of equals. Each has the same skills as the others. Here now are Mark, Rick, Gus, Bobby, and Philippe.

Philippe is the only one that would be

remembered out of a crowd, but only if they heard him talk. He is a Cajun by birth and has caused much frustration amongst the people he has been seen with because of his frequent use of French and Cajun lingo in his words.” Again, this time with no mishaps, five holographic images appear. “We introduce to you, the venerable Sheik Ali Hamadi, father to Princess Yasmeen and Prince Ahmed. A minor character in this fictional world, yet a powerful enough man to warrant mention in this introduction.” A stout man in his mid-forties to late-fifties with graying hair and beard flickers to life. On his head is the traditional flowing head dress of an Arab. Suddenly, every hair on the cat's body stands straight up as it arches its back and a burning rage glitters in those slitted eyes. “Here now are the antagonists of our story and they are villainous indeed.” Claws appear as the cat flexes its muscles to claw at the globe. “Sam Lodina,” it growls, “Manager to The Rogue, and a sadist of such caliber as to rival the Marquis de Sade in his savagery. He prefers men and strives to perfect his sadistic talents. Submissive only to the Princess Yasmeen, he lives for her every command. The more painful the better he likes it.” The shimmering image of Sam Lodina’s face is slightly blurred, but the beady eyes and more than a touch of cosmetics can be seen on those thin set of lips. “Now do we bring before you the Princess Yasmeen. All strive to please her. Many live and die at her command. She prefers to be called Mistress or Princess by her slaves. She breaks men and women to her will, then sells them to eager buyers for their own hellish reasons, not caring if they are willing or not. We digress. Princess Yasmeen is not who she really is, however. To speak of it would be to spoil the story before it begins.” A veiled woman shimmers into view, around her neck is a cat medallion and henna designs decorate visible skin of her neck and hands. “Our final character in this evil trio would make the Marquis de Sade scream and run for the

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor 5 safety of a monastery in the highest hills of France. Prince Ahmed Hamadi, son of Sheik Hamadi, a man who lives for pain and is willing to either pay to have it done to someone, or do it himself. His sadism knows no bounds, knows no mercy. His taste in sexual desire runs to the extremes of even the harshest BDSM community or public dungeon. Even seeing his image makes US wish we were able to make certain…alterations…upon this man’s body.” A saturnine face and hawkish appearance bear cruel lines around a mouth that seems to never smile. Cold, brown eyes glare out at you, the reader, yet they are emotionless and dead. The cat finally takes a moment to gain control of itself long enough to continue with its introductions. “Here now are the final four characters we wish to introduce to you. There are too many images of these characters, so we leave them up to your own imagination.” The cat dropped its jaw in a mischievous grin. “We give you the Egyptian Goddess Bast, Ruler of Felines and Sensuality. So too, do we present to you the Goddess Isis, ruler of all things concerning women. Anubis, God of Justice and Judgment, the Jackal headed God who weighs the souls against a feather. The Goddess Ma’at, Guardian and Protector of Souls.” “So do we, as a figment of fiction and a small flash of imagination on your mind, welcome you to Mystique Rogue, and wish you to enjoy a Purrrrrfectly Sensual time.” With that, the whole scene disappears, leaving you to turn the proverbial page and delve into the beginning chapter of this book.

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor

6 Chapter One

Carmen Marshall came downstairs, dressed in a pair of dark gray sweats, then sat down at her computer and glanced at the clock, using a towel to vigorously dry her short, dark red hair. In thirty minutes, she needed to be locked and loaded, not to mention fully alert. In a few quick movements, she booted up her computer and logged in. While the machine was undergoing its standard boot up, she went into the kitchen, poured herself a mug of coffee, and paused to kick the heater up a notch. The Colorado Mountains got cold in October, so she’d had plenty of time to get her mountain retreat fully stocked for winter, including several cords of wood that protected the outer walls from damage. Outside the main window, the snow created a winter wonderland across her front lawn. Even the trees had their own dusting of white. Not that she really liked the cold or the snow, but it had been the only place available, and affordable, that gave her a sense of privacy. Once back in her chair, she did away with the ton of e-mail that had accumulated while she slept. Update requests from clients, angry letters from lawyers, bank statements and, of course, spammage. She finished the last letter when the video call came through. Picking up the remote, she pressed the on button for the big screen that doubled as a video conferencing setup and her TV set at the same time. After a few moments, Daria Randall’s visage appeared on the screen. Her hair had long since turned as white as the snow outside her window, but at sixty-five years of age, she still had a formidable aura. Her full name used to be Daria Randall Tarrington but, after the divorce, she dropped it all except for the agency name. Don’t know why, Kent’s been in prison for extortion and sexual assault for five years now. Must be part of the divorce agreement, she thought to herself. She smiled as the video link steadied itself. “Carmen, you’ll be happy to know there’s a big fat bonus from Prince Ahmed’s accountant being sent to your bank account as we speak.” Carmen didn’t share her smile. “Daria, the next time you send me a man whose tastes run into searching out every bondage bar and leather shop in Hollywood, I’m going to strangle you.” Her experience with the Prince had been one that she most fervently wished to forget. From

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor 7 the moment she and her team had taken the contract, he’d proceeded to treat her people like his personal submissive slaves. She’d had to fly to Hollywood and step in before he wound up getting a taste of his own pain. “Matter of fact, Louis and Carla asked me to pass on the message that if they have to put up with another leather lover, they’re going to resign.” Her eyes widened. “But he paid the consultation fee and agreed upon your terms fully.” She reached up a hand to scratch the scars that decorated her face. Daria had the good grace to blush and look away. “Yes, he did. Do you want the full details of his version of the `agreed upon terms’ before or after you get the bill for me flying all the way to California to save him from getting castrated?” The woman on the screen in front of her gaped, “Carmen, your people are the most rock solid people I know. What in hell did that man do to piss off The Twins?” “Everyone has their breaking point. Even The Twins. Apparently, the Prince wanted to find out if a certain fact was true about identical twins.” Daria frowned. “I have a feeling I’m not going to like the answer to this.” She shook her head. “No you’re not. He wanted to have sex with one twin while the other was restrained just to find out if the myth was true about what one twin felt, the other would too.” “Oh shit!” She nodded. “It seems Ahmed wasn’t particular about which one got tied up and which one got used either.” Carmen leaned forward, “I will not. Repeat, will not, subject my team to that sort of abuse again.” “You got it. If I’d known that, he’d have been out the door in a heartbeat. With my footprint in his ass!” Daria reached over to her laptop and typed something in one handed with an evil smile. “Did you know that the Prince’s father, Sheik Ali Hamadi, has no idea what his darling little boy has been up to or what his taste is in sexual deviancy?” “If you’re asking that question, when it’s so obvious, I won’t bother to say yes or no.” Carmen smiled behind her own laptop and took a sip of her coffee. Daria matched her grin for grin. “True.” she finished typing. “I think that we can safely assure the twins and the other two members of your team that they won’t have to suffer through another episode like that.”

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor 8 She grunted, “Divvy up the bonus equally between the four and put the usual fee in the bank. I don’t need the bonus and these guys do. Now, what else have you got on your list of clients that you’re planning to foist off on my innocent self?” “Innocent my ass. Miss Marshall, you are the least innocent woman I know. How you’ve managed to stay single so long is beyond me.” Daria shuffled her papers on the desk, then looked up at the video camera. “What do you know of The Rogue?” She shrugged, “Master Illusionist-style magician.

No one knows what he looks like

underneath that mask, which makes him somewhat of the untouchable to the female persuasion. Those that have tried to come on to him have gone away either pissed off or in tears. Those that claim to have slept with him aren’t believed. The ones rebuffed proceed to slander and smear his name, which is really useless because he never responds to bullshit like that. Rumors run thick and fast about what’s underneath that mask. Anywhere from being horribly disfigured to just an affectation so that he can go out into public with it off and not be recognized.” “Anything else, Oh Great Abundance of Wisdom?” She smiled and took another drink of her coffee before responding. “Flattery will get you everywhere, Daria Randall. As a matter of fact, the tabloids and the Internet have stated that the crew that works for him is very tight lipped. Even his manager won’t spill the beans about the props or how his illusions are done.

That some of his more dangerous stunts have been

attempted by others trying to duplicate and improve on them.” She made eye contact with her boss, “With very fatal results. At each performance, everyone is warned not to try these stunts. The gist of the note basically states that anyone attempting them is doing so under the full knowledge that they have been warned.” “Well, according to his manager, someone’s trying to sabotage his performances. The report I have on my desk says all the mistakes have been caught before the actual stunt has been performed. However, the manager wants to find out what in hell is going on and to protect The Rogue and his secrets. He’s paid double the usual fee, specifically asked for you, and wishes a face-to-face meeting before he signs any agreement.” Carmen’s eyes widened at that. “You know my rule on that, Daria. It’s held true and every client has agreed to that rule. If he wants a video conference, I can arrange it. But I do not meet face to face.”

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor 9 “Oh come on, you can do it just this once.” Daria’s eyes became pleading on the video screen. “If he doesn’t meet you physically, he won’t sign the contract. When I mentioned your rule, he said, and I quote, `If this woman is afraid of me, then perhaps you should fire her and entertain more men. At least they aren’t afraid to meet face to face.’” She scratched at the scars on her face again. “The last time you said `just this once’ I spent a month in the hospital looking like a sewing machine went insane on my skin. That `just this once’ had been an asshole who, when we went for the face-to-face, had a snow leopard inside the house. Remember?” Her fingers drummed against the desk. “Mr. Warner, the wannabe wild cat trainer? Wanted us to do security for his animal park? I see you remember. When we refused, he turned his cat loose on me, and then went after Michelle. If it hadn’t been for her and her self defense background, I’d be cat food.” “But…” “No buts! Either he agrees to a video conference or we don’t meet at all.” Carmen paused a moment in thought. “Where did this guy want to meet, anyway?” “Someplace north of Glasgow.” Ms. Randall picked up a note from her desk. “I’ve got an address, plane tickets to London, and a rail pass. It says that there will be someone to meet you at the station in Glasgow and guide you on to the destination.” Growling in frustration, “It would have to be in the middle of the winter wonderland out there. But I am not going to rise to the bait of having that guy attempt to goad me into doing what he wants.” Carmen smiled, “When he calls to ask, tell him that the only women afraid of him are the ones who want him for the mystery. Tell him true women don’t rise when baited with bullshit. If he wants to play the game, he does it by my rules or he forfeits the prize.” “And what prize would that be?” “Me and my team keeping his ass in one piece on stage and off.” A sigh. “Okay Carmen. However, I’m not going to mediate a war of words. You know that. Just tell me you’ll consider it.” “I’ll consider it; just do not give me any more ammo. He’s insulted my intelligence once already. I’m just returning the favor. Fax me the file and I’ll at least look at what you have. If you’ve got pictures, scan them and send them along as well.” “Will do. You’ll have them in the next hour.” Daria hit a button on her end of the line and

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor disconnected the video feed.

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Sighing, Carmen got up and began a series of stretches, trying to keep the elasticity in her muscles. She hadn't told her boss the entire story about Prince Ahmed. In order to keep him happy and away from her team, she had to spend the last three days of his stay locked into a posture collar and an outfit that seemed to be nothing but O-rings and leather straps. The only thing they compromised on had been no sex and she wore an oilskin duster over the outfit to hide the guns and knives. The moment he tried something even remotely sexual, all it took had been a look. He got his subtle revenge, however. He took the key to the collar with him, never unlocking it. Good thing her team suspected something like this would happen. One of them saved her from embarrassment by cutting the lock off with bolt cutters. The collar was in a box addressed to Ahmed's father, postage paid already. A little blackmail ammunition of my own if that little brat tries anything else. The thought danced across her brain as she finished with her exercises. Walking into the kitchen, she began making eggs and bacon for breakfast, tossing a small steak on the broiler to complete her morning feast. Once everything had been cooked the way she liked it, Carmen took her food into the living room near the fireplace. She made a return trip for her coffee and laptop, which promptly beeped with an announcement of incoming mail. As if in response to the noise, both her doorbell and the fax machine sounded off in unison. Grumbling at the interruptions, she stood up and went for the door. Standing on the other side of the door was Paul Sinclair. The local mailman who was the only one who thought of delivering the mail in a sleigh during the winter and a four wheel drive jeep during the summer. At fifty-three years old, he looked like Santa in red plaid and a postal worker jacket and hat. Unfortunately, he never fit the old childhood version of Santa. Paul had been a lumberjack at one time, so his body was nothing but solid packed muscle. He had steel gray eyes and silver colored hair. With a ready smile that split his dark brown and silver beard, he stepped inside the door and wiped off his boots. “Hey, Carmen. You staying warm up here in your fantastic hideaway?” She gave him a hug and went over to pour a mug of hot coffee, adding the cream and sugar

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor 11 that she knew he liked. Coming back, Carmen grinned. “Oh, not too bad. Things are still warm. I still hate the cold, and you always come by and ask the same question.” She winked. “You better be careful, or else people will start rumors about you visiting the scarred hag on the mountain.” He took the mug and laughed. “Rumors be damned and you know it. Besides, this is a special trip. I usually don't come up here until later on, but someone paid some good money to have it sent up here by courier.” A look of puzzlement crossed his face. “It’s funny, because I’m the only person who could even be thought of as a courier and, knowing how you hate strangers anywhere near the property, I convinced the guy to allow me to bring it up here.” She frowned, then turned towards the big screen and hit the remote, activating the security cams. “Not that I don’t trust you, Paul. It’s just that, after the last client that we finished up with, I’m feeling a healthy dose of paranoia.” Her eyes flicked from one monitor to another, watching intently. He nodded, “Better safe than sorry. The little runt seemed to take offense when I told him he couldn’t come up here. My boy is keeping an eye on him because I promised to get your signature on the release for him so he could get paid.” He shook his head, “Kids these days. Can’t take them out behind the woodpile, can’t sell them to the gypsies, and grounding only makes them happier because they get to go to their rooms and play on their computer and run up the phone bill.” A few moments more and no movements, she laughed. “You sound like my dad, Paul. Then again, when I was a kid, he used to take me over to the Marine Base where he trained at when I was good. If I got into trouble, he’d still take me, but he’d make me run the damned obstacle course a few times. Then he’d have Master Chang work me over in the Tiger form of Kung Fu before taking me out to the gun range to make sure I knew how to shoot things, besides my own foot.” He finished his coffee and nodded. “As much as I would love to stay and huddle around your fire, you look like you’ve got work to do and I’ve got a spoiled brat courier that needs his signature.” He went to the door and grabbed the bag he had dropped. “Okay, I’m curious. Did you happen to notice where the package originally came from?” “No, but I brought the rest of your mail as well.” He grinned, “And it looks like you may

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor already be a winner.”

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“Oh gods! Not you too. I hate those damned things. The only grin I get out of that one is imagining their patrols trying to make it up into this valley in that limousine with all their gear. In the dead of winter, no less. Ah well. Give me the stuff and I’ll sign for it. Give the courier ample warning. If it’s a bomb, I can find out where he lives and how many pieces of toilet paper he uses to wipe with at any given time. That should give him cause to worry.” She scribbled her name down on the signature slip, mangling everything until it wasn’t even recognizable as a name. “Actually, the sucker sloshes rather than ticks.” He handed her the receipt and made for the door. “I’ll be back up in a few days. If you need anything, you’ve got my number. Call and give me a list and I’ll bring it up with the rest of the supplies.” He grinned then headed back out the door to the sleigh. “Thanks for the coffee and the warm welcome.” With that, he turned the horse around and headed for home. After shutting the door and locking it, she turned toward the stack of mail and the oblong package lying next to it. Shaking her head, she scooped up the whole thing, then wandered over to the fax and grabbed the paperwork. Finally, she sat down and began to eat her semi-warm food, glancing through the envelopes. “Christmas cards from Mom.” She muttered, “Will she never learn that I’m not, nor ever will be the good little Christian she wants me to be?” A few were from past clients who had become good friends. The rest went into the recycling bin. Stuff like contests that are never won, pre-approved credit card garbage, and the odd pieces of paper announcing the end of the world as she knew it if she didn’t attend this party. Finally, she reached over to pull the package toward her with one hand. An oblong shaped box, it had been expertly wrapped in a plain brown wrapper and sealed. A quick glance at the postage stamps attached to it gave her the country of origin. Scotland. A thread of anger worked its way into her brain as she used a steak knife to cut the tape so she could remove the wrapping. What she saw inside made her blood boil. Nestled inside its traditional box, was a very dusty bottle of Glenmorange. The thing was so old the label had faded into nothingness, giving her no clue about its true age. A handwritten note tucked into the box beside the bottle read:

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor Dear Miss Marshall,

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In advance of signing the contract with your employer, Ms. Randall, please accept this bottle as a token of friendship. I look forward to seeing you when you arrive in Scotland in a few days. Your tickets and hostel arrangements are on your employer’s desk. Until then, safe journey and fair winds. Sincerely, Rogue

Below the signature, Rogue’s theater mask trademark had been sketched. “Damn him to fucking hell!” She yelled and grabbed a promotional photo of him from the pile of printed paper on the job then made the conference call. On her laptop, four people popped into existence. Instead of trading the usual banter with her team, she held up the photo in her hand. “One. We haven’t gotten this job yet because this man wants a meeting with me faceto-face.” On the screen, Michelle winced at that, but made no comment. “Two. I want the full package on this guy. Logan, that’s your job. I want to know who he is, where he’s from. I want to know…” The shaggy headed man interrupted, “You want the works package, right boss? Down to what he had for breakfast in kindergarten and who he stole lunch money from in high school, right?” “Right. Louis and Carla, you guys are info buffs and like to get into finding good deals on travel. I want to go to Glasgow and find me an out of the way hotel that has a fireplace, at least in the main lounge, and well, you guys know how I work. Michelle?” “Yes boss?” She grinned. “Keep these miscreants in line until I get back. I want that package uploaded into my computer before that plane leaves the air. Questions?” “Just one.” Logan piped up. “Digging into the background of a celebrity is going to trip some triggers. How do you want to work this?” “No traces.” Carmen smiled at her team. “This guy already has sent tickets for me to go his way, and essentially told the boss I was a coward and she should hire more men, that at least men

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor would come talk to him face-to-face.”

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Now all of them looked outraged. “This morning, Rogue sent me this.” She hefted the bottle. “I can tell you right now, it’s a very old and very dusty bottle of Glenmorange. Even the label has faded out. I won’t tell you what the note said, but I’m going to Scotland and poke a few holes in his ego for him.” Carla began laughing uncontrollably and Louis followed soon afterwards. “Oh…oh Gods!” She squeaked, “I would love to be there when you do that.” She howled with laughter and soon all four of them were out of control. She smiled at her friends. “I may consider taking this contract, just so you guys can torment him.” She looked at each one in the eyes. “Okay guys, get to work; and by the way, there’s a large bonus for each of you in your respective bank accounts. Twins, Daria says to tell you she is very sorry for what happened and when you get a chance, take a vacation.” They nodded and smiled. After a few more comments, each one logged out, intent on their own mission. It would take a few days, but Carmen had faith that each one would be extremely thorough with their tasks. After a few moments, she stood and took the file to her desk and locked it in the desk drawer, then activated the screamer. What? Me? Paranoid? Nah. The thought entered her mind. The bottle, on the other hand, got taken to the kitchen and stashed in one of the shelves in the pantry. After one last look around the house, she went to the back door and slid on her lightweight snow gear, buckled her boots on, grabbed the snowboard, then headed out through the white blanket of snow. “The only damned thing snow is ever good for is boarding on it. If it weren’t for that, I’d go find somewhere warm and sell this place.” Once, at the top of the hill, the crisp air hit her in the face, refreshing her. In her mind, however, she knew that the next few days were going to be very interesting.

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor

15 Chapter Two

Carmen stared out at the barren, white landscape as it blurred past the railcar window. In front of her sat the remains of a warm dinner, a glass of red wine, and a thick stack of printouts, the final results of Logan’s fact finding mission. There wasn’t much to the report, just a real name and property. He fully admitted that he couldn’t get into most of the important virtual places without tripping several red flags. When he admits to not being able to crack something, it had to be big. The early evening had begun with a light flurry, which sparkled in the fading light, soon turning into a snowstorm.

The visibility outside her window slowly diminished as night

descended into white-laced inky darkness. Whoever came up with the term ‘It was a dark and stormy night’ should be taken out and shot, she thought as she paid for her dinner and slowly made her way back to the sleeping compartment. Four days ago, she had stepped off the plane at the airport in London. In typical English fashion, the weather had been cold, rainy, and extremely nasty. Fortunately, she’d packed every warm piece of clothing she had, managing to catch the last train to Glasgow. The Twins had chosen that itinerary for her with the idea that surprise would be the best way. Unfortunately, the weather hadn’t co-operated worth a damn. The best she could manage for the trip was a small cabin in the middle of the sleeper car. With the ski season in full swing, the railcar had been packed solid the moment it left London station. There had also been a fifteen minute delay, waiting for someone important to arrive as well. Rumors flew around the general passenger cars as to who it might be. Some said it was a famous movie star on vacation away from the bright lights and big cities. Others whispered that the Prince of Wales might be aboard. The latest one to make the rounds had been a wealthy recluse and his latest conquest. She discounted all of these as the creative imaginings of a very bored crowd of people. Once in her cabin, she flipped open the laptop and sent a few e-mails out to the team, letting them know her location. After that, a few clicks later, she went to a website that hosted long term chess games. This game had been going on for four months, so far, with no end in sight. Her opponent’s handle was only known as Scam. They hadn’t spoken, just traded move for

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor 16 move. As she logged in, her account registered his latest move. Smiling, she settled onto her bunk to contemplate this recent maneuver. The two of them were even as far as pieces lost. The miles faded, rolling past her window as she worked out her next move, occasionally deviating to answer a query on her mail. When Carmen finally made her move, the time on her screen read eleven and the storm outside had abated slightly. Amongst the clouds outside her window, stars sparkled against the inky velvet sky. The illumination also allowed her to read the sign welcoming travelers to Scotland as it went past. Sighing, she shed her clothes and got ready for bed. The oversized t-shirt in a dark, smoke gray color hung down to mid-calf; hiding the fact she wore nothing underneath. If she were at home, she would have slept naked, but considering the situation, she didn’t think it too wise. Besides, there had been too many nightmares of waking up in the slimy hands of Prince Ahmed and the scars. The nightmares, at least, were too fresh in her mind. Suddenly, the train jerked, catching her off guard. The force of it sent her careening into the bed, smacking her forehead against the edge of the storage compartment. Something warm and wet flowed down her skin. Her mind had enough time to register it as blood before the lights went out and the train jerked to a complete stop. Grabbing a towel, she held it over the cut before opening the door. One of the attendants had been making his way down the corridor, reassuring the passengers with a few words of comfort. “Excuse me,” she called out to gain his attention. The young man came towards her with a flashlight. “Yes, Ma’am?” “Is there a medical person on this train somewhere? The sudden stop caught me off guard and I cut a gash over my left eyebrow.” She pulled the towel away from her forehead. As his flashlight illuminated the scarred face and forearms, he backed up slightly, eyes going wide. “Why yes. Please,” he gulped slightly, “please, stay where you are and I will bring someone to you. If you wish, the bathroom is at the end of the car.” Carmen gave him a half smile as he turned to go back the other way. “I didn’t mean to startle you. Trust me; the scars only look horrible when someone catches a look at them for the first time. It also makes for a great laugh at Halloween.” When mothers aren’t dragging their children away from me at the community center, afraid I’ll give them nightmares. Or when the local high school needs someone scary for the haunted house. The bitter thought came.

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor 17 The comment drew a small laugh from him. “I’m sorry, Miss. I didn’t mean to offend you by staring.” He grinned, “I’ll be back in a few moments.” The light bounced down the walls as he hurried to get someone. Minutes later, he returned leading a middle-aged woman. Even in the soft light, her eyes seemed to glow with good humor. She was dressed in flannel pajamas in an Egyptian Hieroglyphic theme that set off the bright pink fuzzy bunny slippers on her feet. A medical bag, its distinctive red cross standing out, even in the darkness, dangled from her right hand. The young man’s radio crackled, startling him. After a moment’s consultation, he turned back to the two women. “Right. If you’ll excuse me, I need to be about my duties.” He made an abbreviated bow before making his way quickly back down the aisle. The first words out of the older woman’s mouth when the man was out of earshot were, “What in bloody hell happened to you?” “What happened? One minute I’m almost ready to curl up and go to sleep, the next I’m making a rather personal contact with the corner of the bed frame.” She sat down on one of the seats available, “I’m Carmen Marshall by the way.” “Peggy McKinnon. Well, it seems that an uprooted oak tree is the cause of our sudden stop on the tracks. The reduced power, according to the crew, happened because the circuit box overloaded. So it’s going to get a bit chilly tonight.” She pulled the towel away, shaking her head. “Haven’t you got enough scars?” “I guess not.” She grinned. “The old ones are from turning down a security job from a man who had an illegal snow leopard in his house.” At Peggy’s gasp of outrage as she cleaned the wound, Carmen sighed. “The guy didn’t take no for an answer and got slightly upset when the word came into play. He turned his leopard loose on me. If it hadn’t been for my partner, well, let’s just say we wouldn’t be having this conversation.” Peggy’s eyes seemed to blaze for a second before returning to normal. “I’ll need to put a couple stitches in this.” She set out the equipment. “I hope someone took care of him and took care of the cat. It’s horrible to think something so beautiful was being kept like that.” She added a topical anesthetic to the edges of the skin. Carmen closed her eyes, relaxing in the feel of the woman’s soft touch. “Well, let’s see; he’s doing five to ten years in prison for attempted murder and illegal possession of an

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor 18 endangered animal.” She sighed, “I think the grand total came up to ten big cats around the property, in addition, there were documents for canned hunts. Fortunately, a couple of the big cat rescue groups were able to handle the influx.” She nodded as she worked, “I’m glad. You are a brave woman to actually do what you do. Now for my next silly and curious question. What brings you to Scotland this time of year? Certainly not to get your head stitched up by a wrinkled old hag in a set of flannel pajamas.” She clipped off the second stitch and added a small bandage to it. “Well, I’d actually been invited by someone I haven’t seen in a while. Instead of doing it his way, my intention is to surprise him by getting to Glasgow and ring him after I get settled into the Red Aurochs Inn.” Okay, so it was only the partial truth. No need to tell a complete stranger I’m here to poke holes in a rich man’s ego. Carmen whispered silently in her mind. “Hmmmm.” Her tone gave an indication of disbelief, as if she knew perfectly well what the other woman was up to. “You should get some rest. Perhaps you will meet this man sooner than you think.” She repacked her bag and stood. “Just remember, sometimes things are not always what they seem.” “Your wish is my command, Madame.” Carmen bowed slightly. “I’ll try to keep that in mind.” Carmen glanced up and down the corridor. “Think you’ll be safe out there in the corridors with only the emergency light?” “If I wait for Daniel, we’ll be waiting around all night.” “Who’s Daniel? “That handsome gentleman that dragged me down here.” Carmen grinned then reached inside her briefcase. “In that case, take this.” She handed over a small penlight. “At least it’ll give you some light.” Peggy took it with a nod of thanks. “You sure? “I’m sure. I’ve got a small box of them stashed in my bag just for emergencies like this.” She grinned her thanks before working her way back down the corridor, “Right now, the only other emergency I want to do is climb into bed and get some sleep. Tomorrow, I think, is going to be a long, hectic day.” With that parting comment, Peggy turned on the flashlight and shone it, accidentally, into her eyes. When Carmen’s night sight returned, the woman seemed to have vanished into the shadows.

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor 19 Grumbling at her paranoia, she shook her head and made her way towards one of the spaces between the rail cars to get some fresh air. Like the American rail cars, they had a small area where two cars linked. The pitch blackness made her regret not grabbing a pen light as she found herself using her hands to feel her way through the first set of doors connecting the cars. The moment the doors shut behind her, her hands encountered a wall of hard muscle sheathed in soft silk. Startled, she pulled her hands away and turned to leave. At her movement, a hand came down on her shoulder in a gentle caress, strange warmth flooded her body, making her tingle in places. “I’m sorry.” she started to whisper, only to have a finger come up to silence her words. An arm reached around to pull her back so she faced the hard wall of the car. In the darkness, a voice with a soft Highland burr whispered in her ear, “Fear not, lady.” His lips moved just underneath her ear. “I mean no harm. A moment’s peace is all I seek from this train and its inhabitants.” Carmen shivered slightly as pleasure arched its way across her skin at the movement of his lips. She reached up and back to cup the man’s cheek. What the hell, she thought as her body began to react to the closeness of this stranger, No one’s going to know and it’s been too damned long for me. Her other hand reached back to touch something that felt like blue jeans. “I actually came out to relax as well. I couldn’t sleep.” Suddenly, the whole train seemed to lurch forward, pressing them both against the hard steel wall. In an effort to protect her, the stranger wrapped his arms around her body, bracing himself. In the process, the fact she wore nothing but a flimsy shirt to cover her nakedness became obviously clear. A soft growl from her mystery man raised the goose bumps on her arms. Turning her head, her eyes caught the barest flicker of a luminescent glow before a set of incredibly soft lips captured hers. Any thoughts she may have started vanished as his lips slowly caressed hers in a sensual dance, then claimed them fully. His hands cupped her face, sparking new heat that seemed to reach out through her body, forcing an involuntary groan from her lips. The sound never made it past her lips as her mystery man swallowed it and speared his tongue into her mouth. Suddenly, the lights began to flicker as the train jolted again as it began to move. A speaker came to life somewhere nearby, causing them both to jump.

“Ladies and gentlemen, we

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor 20 apologize for the sudden stop and the delay in our journey. The problem has been taken care of and we are under way once again. Again, we apologize for the inconvenience and have a nice night.” The lights began to gather in illumination, making her blush and cover her face. Turning away, she straightened her T-shirt and sighed, “I’m sorry.” She began, only to hear one of the doors open and shut, leaving her alone in the space. He had moved as silently as a panther before she could even say anything. “Oh great, sure. I get the one man on the train who knows how to kiss a woman senseless and the first time he sees me when the lights come up, he runs away.” For some odd reason, that caused a twinge of pain in her heart. Shaking her head, she made her way back to her room and locked the door. Once in bed, she slowly ran her hands down her body, pinching her aching nipples in an effort to get her lust back under control. Come on Carmen, you’ve got more selfcontrol than this. She mentally berated herself. Yet, as her hand reached down between her legs, her imagination finished what the announcement had interrupted. His fingers slowly slid over her clit, rubbing and tormenting, causing her to lean back and arch herself in pleasure. Slowly, he began to be more demanding with his mouth, forcing her to open her mouth wider so that he could savor the taste of her tongue while it fenced with his. Not wanting to leave this a one-sided encounter, she began to unbutton his shirt, revealing a lightly furred chest. Muscles rippled as her hand caressed his abdomen, forcing a gasp from him as she began teasing around the beltline. Spinning her, he expertly pinned her against the cold side of the rail car. The chill on her nipples and the savage heat raging through her body only inflamed them both more. In one brutal tug, he ripped the shirt in half up the back and tossed it into a corner as he continued his oral assault down her back to her trembling ass cheeks. His lips traced fire down the sultry curve of her flesh, nipping gently, then using his fingers to soothe any sting. As he ran his fingers down her legs, she spread them further apart, letting him have complete access. Reveling in the touch, she trembled as he ran his hands back up, and over the curve of her ass cheek. She almost went through the roof as his tongue began lapping gently on her pussy. Slowly, he began kissing and tormenting her. As she began to shake and whimper,

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor 21 his tongue slowly slid inside of her to find that most intimate spot all women have while his thumb came up to press gently against her sensitive clit. Carmen bit into the pillow as the harsh wave of orgasmic bliss rushed through her system. She thrust three fingers inside of her cunt as her body arched upwards, trying to prolong the passion as much as possible. After what seemed an eternity of bliss, the trembling abated as she relaxed and her mind slowly faded into sleep. The last image in her mind seemed to be a pair of luminescent feline eyes staring at her from the dark. Then the image left her as sleep claimed its victim for a night of deep, dreamless sleep.

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor

22 Chapter Three

A soft beeping roused Carmen from slumber the morning after she arrived at the Red Aurochs on the outskirts of Glasgow. Still suffering from jet lag, she groaned and rolled over and flipped up the lid on her laptop. A few commands and a bleary look later, one of Michele came online. “Hey.” She smiled at the other woman’s image. “How goes it on the home front?” “Fine, Carmen. Lemme guess, you’re still in bed and suffering from jet lag, right?” “Yeah. It’s a bitch when everyone else is up and about and all you can think of is hiding until nature reminds you what bathrooms are for.” She tossed off the covers, groaning as her feet touched the cold hardwood floors. “With the exception of the cold floors, this place is fantastic. The moment I get coffee, I’ll be fine. Now, what mischief have you guys been up to and what info can you hand me?” As if I didn’t know already. She thought to herself, none of the team would ever do a courtesy call. “There’s a package waiting downstairs at the front desk with the full report and a file downloaded to your account online.” Carmen reached over for the carafe of coffee that had been brought sometime while she was asleep and poured a mug of coffee. Adding cream and sugar, she looked at her computer, “Give me the Reader’s Digest version. I have a feeling that not even Logan could get much after he told me it would trip too many alarms.” Michelle nodded. “The moment he started checking things, red flags started popping up. He couldn’t even get near anything remotely concerning The Rogue.”

She glanced down at

something on her desk. “You know how good he is. Something must be hot about this guy or else there wouldn’t be this many alerts on him. You be careful about this, I got a bad feeling. Okay?” Taking a sip of coffee, she sighed. “I promise. Anyone who has a tiger for a personal pet is a man to take precautions with. How about the entertainment side of things? What’s on the rumor list there?” Holding up a thick sheaf of papers, she laughed. “What’s there not to know? He’s a master of illusion and has been working with a white tiger. His shows sell out the moment they're announced. Each performance has something different in them to make it unique. No two shows

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor 23 are alike. As Daria probably told you, no one knows exactly what he looks like underneath that mask. From the taped shows I’ve seen, he’s gorgeous.” Her eyes twinkled. “Getting to and from stage is an extreme performance all on its own. Women seem to want to throw themselves at him no matter where he’s at. I wouldn’t mind, but I’m not a bitch in heat. I’d rather talk to him first and get to know him.” Carmen grinned. “Yeah. That’s going to be the first line of defense, getting all the cats in heat out of the way. That’s one of the reasons I’m here. Before I went to bed last night, I sent Daria a note that we’re taking the job, but not to tell Mr. Tall Dark and Mysterious. I want the job of doing that myself.” She winked at the camera. “She about fell out of her chair laughing when I told her what my plans were.” “And those are?” “Well, he lives a few miles north of here in a castle retreat. At the moment, according to the newspaper here, his tiger arrived a few days ago and his limousine picked him up at the airport. I want to rent a horse and take a small ride.” Michelle really did fall out of her chair laughing. The sound of her rolling on the floor and the howling glee were enough to set her off. “I knew you’d like that.” A knock sounded on the door. “Hang on to that thought.”

She told her spluttering accomplice then reached for her

bathrobe. Slipping it on, she went to the door. “Who is it?” “Breakfast, ma’am.” She looked out through the peek hole. “I didn’t order anything.” An old man stood there with a wheeled cart. “Yes, we know. But the people who booked you into this room,” he pulled out his jacket, revealing nothing more than a pad of paper, “one Miss Michele Deveau, a Mister And Miss Valenti, and one man named Logan, no last name,” he looked up at the door and smiled, “insisted that you were to eat every bite.” “Let him in, Carmen. We ordered it for you,” came Michelle’s voice from the laptop. She opened the door to the man. “Sorry, I’m still not used to this country.” “That’s okay, Miss. It’s a good thing to be a little suspicious. You being a bonny wee lass yourself.” He set a tray on the coffee table and pulled off the covers. “I believe steak and eggs were your food of choice?”

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor 24 Carmen’s stomach betrayed her by announcing its need to feed. “Oh yeah.” She looked at the laptop, then at the old man. “Michelle, meet Mister...” she looked at the man. “MacKintyre, lass. Ian MacKintyre.” He turned to the computer. “And a right fine pleasure to meet you as well, lass.” He winked. Michelle blushed at the compliment. “You take good care of her, okay? She’s a good person.” Then she babbled something in what Carmen thought might be Gaelic, causing the old man to laugh out loud. “If you will excuse me. I’ve other guests to tend to now.” He turned to go. Carmen thought a moment then said, “Where’s a good place to rent a horse for a little trail riding?” Ian turned back to her and chuckled. “Why, you have but to say the word and one will be saddled and ready. It’s already been paid for by your friend.” He disappeared out the door before she could question him further. Gaping, she turned back to her laptop. “Okay, spill it, Michelle. And don’t leave out anything.” The woman had the good grace to blush a bit more. “Well, my maiden name is MacKintyre. Deveau had been my husband’s name before he died. Ian is sort of my cousin. I had Louis and Carla get him on the phone the moment you wanted a place to stay that didn’t require announcing your arrival to our client. Ian’s people also have a stable for horses. That lingo you just heard was me telling him to find you the biggest beast he had to make a commanding presence at his gate.” That had her laughing and she brought her laptop over to the table. “You surprise me, kiddo. One of these days I’m going to have to get you to teach me Gaelic so I know when I’m insulted and can respond accordingly. In the meantime, what else do you have in that file you’re holding?” “Not much else except a copy of the most recent eight by ten glossy photo of our client, which is in the package I sent along.” She gave Carmen a hard stare, “Hon, if you don’t want your hormones raging, you’d best not look at this picture, he’s absolutely gorgeous! The mask only adds to the effect. If you want a devoted slave forever, get me an autograph.” Laughing, she smiled at her best friend. “Okay. Let me go lay down some ground rules to

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor 25 the arrogant idiot.” She finished the last bite of her excellent breakfast. “You sure he’s home?” A nod.

“Oh yeah.”

She paused for effect.

“Logan had Louis call his mansion,

impersonating your agent to confirm his residence. Logan monitored the call to confirm the location.” Carmen nodded. “You take care and I’ll e-mail you an update when I get back. I have a feeling he and I are going to be going head-to-head from the first moment we meet.”

****

The winter cold bit into her face as she rode through the woods. Carmen reigned in the horse underneath the shelter of a maple tree. From the pocket of her duster, she removed an apple, which she cut in half with a knife she kept on her belt. “Here boy, payment for your troubles.” She leaned forward and held the tidbit out. The stallion snorted and, smelling the treat, turned his head to lip the fruit from her gloved hand. “I hope you don’t mind the workout. But I’m about to set my client back on his ears.” She gave him time to finish off the apple before turning him down the well-used trail and urged him into a gallop. Ian had told her this trail was safe for a nice run for her mount, advising to keep a tight reign on him as he did have a tendency to act up the moment he had a chance. Keeping an eye on the trail, she raised her eyes to the tree line and grinned. There, in the open spot in the forest, the large stone columns of solid, black marble twined with white granite on the base could be clearly seen. These were the boundary markers for The Rogue’s estate. An idea came to mind. Slowing her mount, she stopped at the top of one of the hills to check for any security measures. No cameras, no wires. Mentally, she shook her head. Eight foot walls without any other protection aren’t going to cut it. Slowly, she rode around the back, and found a chink in the wall, a slot where it had been broken, leaving a wide enough gap for a horse to jump over at four feet, which, in effect, she did. When no alarm went off, she walked the horse inside the nearby barn and turned him loose in one of the stalls, adding a layer of hay to the floor. In her searching, she came across a horse blanket and grain bucket, both of which she put to good use. Taking time to remove the saddle and bridle, she put the blanket over him to prevent chills, and added a good measure of sweet

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor 26 grain to keep him content. Pausing, she shed her jacket and heavy weather gear. Anything would get caught or make any form of noise, she left in the barn, then headed for the house to teach The Rogue rule number one. From what she could gather from the file and her own visual inspection, this man had no alarm systems on this hunk of stone. Checking the time, she grinned. Noon. Nice time for a surprise. She peered out the barn doors at the back yard, checking for movement before heading swiftly for the nearest cover. Her movements were slow, yet sure until she came to the back entrance of the house. Teasing the lock open with a thin stiletto, she slipped inside. Crouching in the semi-darkness of the foyer, she removed her boots and set them off to one side. As she moved silently through the hallway, she made a mental note on her list of To Do things. In the kitchen, Carmen stepped into the shadows near the door leading to the dining room. The Cook had just returned from the pantry and had begun to mutter about what to fix for dinner. After a few moments, a servant came in and took up a tray of raw meat and sandwiches. “Master’s being fussy today, Lucy. He’s got that cat on the floor next to him. I’d best get these back to him in the den or else he’ll probably send that feline down here to get it.” “Hush now, Heather. You know he’s cared for that creature ever since,” Lucy lowered her voice and whispered, “the accident.” As Heather left, Carmen followed, slinking silently from shadow to shadow until they both came to the den. The windows were covered so completely, the room seemed to be a place of perpetual night. She slipped in behind the servant, moving silently to stand motionless in one of the many shadowed corners. The young woman delivered the tray and its contents to the coffee table. “Will you be needing anything else, Sir?” “No, Heather. Thank you. Tell Lucy to take the night off, will you? I have a few things to work on and do not wish to be disturbed.” The voice was familiar enough and it took all her willpower to remain hidden. The sound of it sent her back to the one darkened moment of sensual seduction on the train. Heather curtseyed and made a silent exit, leaving her employer alone with his thoughts. Taking her time, she began taking in the surroundings. Three of the walls held nothing but bookshelves, floor to ceiling. Old books and new lined the shelves like silent sentinels of knowledge. The fourth wall had a huge fireplace that gave off enough heat to keep the room

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor 27 comfortably warm. Expensive leather furniture sat in a semicircle around the hearth. It had been from one of these chairs that the voice had spoken. With all this in mind, she began to move slowly towards her target. To prevent her night sight from being ruined, she kept looking at the floor and the back of the chair. So focused on teaching her target a lesson in security, she totally forgot the other presence in the room. A major mistake that would have cost her dearly if she had been a real intruder into this home. Five feet from her target, a snarling growl came from one side of the chair nearest to the fireplace. Two things happened at once before she could take another step. The first, and most dangerous, a huge white tiger leaping to its feet, snarling. The second became more pronounced in the way of a flicker of silver slashing in a wicked path towards her. She turned her head enough so that the tip of the blade made an upwards path of fire on the right side of her face to connect with the bandage on her head. Cursing, she dropped to the floor and rolled, coming to a stop against the warm stones of the fireplace, clutching the side of her face. In desperation, she pulled her knife and buried it halfway into the floor between the attacker’s feet. That gave her assailant pause. It did nothing for the tiger as he went into hunting mode, belly crawling forward, eyes never leaving her face. She gave him a look. “Back off, furball, before I pull those claws and make them into a necklace.” “Khan!” The tiger paused in his stalking and looked up at the shadow behind him, whuffing. “I know, Khan, but you can’t eat her. Go eat the dinner Lucy and Heather made for you.” Khan sneezed, then heaved himself up onto all fours and stalked off to the plate. The shadow moved into the light, revealing the masked visage of The Rogue. “You have exactly ten seconds to explain yourself and why I just kept that furball from tearing out your throat.” Carmen rolled her eyes. “Oh please, not the awful clichés. I hate those things.” She sat up and rested her head on the stone behind her. “I believe you know a Daria Randall? Owner and manager of the Tarrington Security agency?” His eyes narrowed behind the wine colored mask. As he turned his head, the gold inlays framing the eye slots winked softly in the firelight. “I know of her, yes.” The burr in his voice became more pronounced. “What has that to do with an intruder in my home who might be here to kill me?”

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor 28 Carmen arched an eyebrow. “I’m the woman you so blithely called a coward to my boss and sent a bottle of very old Glenmorange to my home.” She tilted her head and wiped away some of the blood. “It never crossed your arrogant mind that I might turn you down?” Wiping her hand off on her jeans, she sighed. “Besides, if I wanted to kill you, I wouldn’t have had to get close to you to do it. A sniper with a silencer on the wall for one. Another one would be a stealthy killer who could jimmy the locks, kill your two maids, and use a machine gun at the door. Khan may have avenged your death, my friend, but you’d still be dead.” “Miss Marshall?” His eyes widened, anger sparking in his eyes. “There were arrangements that were made for your arrival here. Most everyone else would have eagerly agreed to them. It’s not often The Rogue offers up his home to anyone.” He made a theatrical sweep with his hand. Gods, what an arrogant asshole! She slowly reached into a pocket and hit speed dial. The phone was picked up on the other end, “Tarrington Security, how can we help you?” Trust Daria to be at work at whatever time it was there. “Hey Daria, have you got Rogue’s number handy?” “Yeah, why?” “You want to pick up the phone and call him while I sit here next to the fire? I need you to confirm my identity. Just don’t hang up here.” A sigh of resignation, “What have you done, Carmen?” “Testing his security measures and found out they suck.” She looked at the man before her, and then glared at the tiger, crunching away on a piece of meat. “Unless you count personal security from five feet away.” “My security measures do not suck, as you put it.” He took a step forward to loom over her. “Khan has been my bodyguard since our first meeting!” “Dialing now.” The phone on a side table started ringing. He picked it up, his dagger still pointed at her. “Hello?” Daria’s side of the conversation echoed in her ear, “Rogue, this is Ms. Randall, Carmen’s boss. You threw down the gauntlet when you called her a coward. Now she’s doing her job, so knock off whatever arrogant bullshit I know you’re doing and, for God’s Sake! Get that cat out of the room before she makes another claw necklace!”

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor 29 He winced at the commanding tone in her voice. “I assure you that Khan isn’t going anywhere, he’s currently asleep after eating a full bowl of the last person who thought they could intrude on my privacy.” An ominous silence came from both phones. Carmen looked at her client before saying, “It’s a bowl of fresh meat, prepared by his Cook, Daria. Before you pop too much of a cork, it was my fault. I should know better than to sneak up on a tiger. Should have remembered they like catnip.” She gave the masked man a meaningful look. “Just for that alone, I’m demanding combat pay.” That got his attention as his eyes took in the bloody cut on the side of her face, and the anger slowly died, replaced by concern. “Do it, Ms. Randall. Her latest injury was due to my own paranoia, not my cat’s.” He paused and added, “Thank you for having your company available to me.” He hung up his side of the phone and left the room. “Carmen, what in hell really did happen over there?” “Oh nothing; you know me and checking security before introducing the team to a client. He pissed me off with that stunt he pulled at your office, so I figured I’d give him a run for his money. Things are definitely bad when you get within five feet of the man you’re going to be protecting, only to have him come at you with a dagger in hand, and a tiger out for blood.” She spluttered, “Are you okay? He didn’t hurt you or anything?” Carmen pulled a bandanna from her pocket and blotted the cut on her face. “Nothing I can’t handle, Mom.” she teased. “I didn’t expect the knife. Don’t worry; I don’t think it’s serious enough for a hospital visit. Just a shallow cut. If it had been anyone else, let’s just say they’d need more than just a bandage and warm milk for comfort. Look, what did you say his problem was? The way those two attacked together, I’d say he was waiting for someone to come kill him.” “You didn’t read his whole file, did you? I should let you figure this one out on your own, but I won’t. Mr. Tall Dark and Mysterious has recently been receiving threat letters and the home you’re in vandalized more than once. He’s let all but two of his servants off the hook by giving them an extended vacation with pay to protect them.” She closed her eyes and sighed. “That explains why he was sitting in the dark with only the firelight to keep him company. Does the team have his itinerary and where he’s scheduled to

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor 30 perform? If they do, tell them this is a top priority package. That means the works.” A sound by the door had her tensing until Rogue came through the door, carrying hot water and a first-aid kit. “I’ll talk to you later, Daria. Mr. Mysterious just came back.” “He wha…” Carmen turned off the phone, cutting off whatever she was about to say just as he came close enough to set everything down beside her. “Look, I know you’re big and bad and anonymous, Rogue. But if we’re going to have a working relationship here, it’d be nice to know your real name without having to grope you in the dark.” That caught his attention. “That was you on the train?” He gaped. “But, you were supposed to be...” “Jumping through your hoops, to your tune, to allow myself to be led around by a ring through my nose and see what only you were going to show me. Not what I needed to know. And besides,” she laughed, grabbing a washcloth, wetting it, then began to clean her face, “I was slightly pissed at you, if you’ll recall.” The corner of his lip twitched with a hint of a smile, and then he came forward to rinse out the cloth. “Well, you have to admit. I was not expecting you to be on board. When the train stopped, I merely went there to escape the prying eyes and whispering gossips. Instead, I had the pleasure of feeling a set of soft hands running over my skin in the dark. Your boss never told me what you looked like, so I had no idea what to expect.” Wincing, she took in the green eyes inside the mask. “Take a look at my face, friend. Who, after seeing this face, would want to hire my team and me? When grown men and women look the other direction when I walk into the room, things don’t go so well. Even with Daria running the business from the main office, there are some people who refuse to hire my team. This is the reason I don’t do face-to-face meetings most of the time, I run the show from my home so as not to offend the sensibilities of the clientele.” Switching to gauze pads and bandages, he began taping over the cut.

“I’m arrogant,

argumentative, and most people don’t like me very much because I don’t share with anyone. When people tell me no, my attitude gets worse. My manager does not trust women and had made it a point to smear Ms. Randall’s name, which,” he managed to look sheepish, “made me want to look into it all the more, just to see what caused him to look down his nose at Tarrington

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor Security.”

31

Closing her eyes, Carmen relaxed under his touch. “I hate arrogant men, and even worse, prissy, chauvinistic gay men.” His green eyes reflected the firelight as he finished taping and offered her a hand up. “How did you know he was gay?” “Because any manager that never trusts women, tries to smear my boss’s good reputation, and is as tight lipped as the rest of your roadies is either very good at his job or has no interest in the female species.” She took the hand, ignoring the jolt of heat branding her skin, and allowed herself to be pulled up. “Now, since I know from the file I have on you that you always treat your people fair and pay them top dollar, I bet that he’s gay.

Probably overbearing,

overprotective, and overreacts to any situation that doesn’t fit a strict parameter set by him.” A rich, melodious laugh came from lips that Carmen knew were oh-so-soft. “You have Sam pegged on the dot. He’s more like a mother hen than a manager. He’s been with me since the beginning of my career and has kept the women at arms length. Even after the,” He stared pensively into the crackling flames, “accident.” “You want to tell me what happened? Moreover, you’re avoiding my question, you know. I can’t keep calling you Rogue every time I want your attention. The moment people hear your name, you’ll have screaming women, fans big and small, not to mention potential killers mobbing you.” “I was attacked by a tiger several years ago.” He kept a hold of her hand, “The visual scars are not something I wish to inflict on the public. Unlike you, however, I must be seen. So I wear the mask to not only protect my identity, but to keep the scars from detracting from my performances.” She smiled. “Aren’t we just two of a kind now? A man who hides from the world while being completely seen, and a woman who isn’t seen, yet takes part in it. Now, you are stalling. At least give me some sort of name.” Carmen didn’t need to see the pain in his eyes to know he didn’t want to delve any further into such an agonizing memory, so she deliberately changed the subject to lighten the mood. Rogue grinned. “You are like Khan with a chew toy he doesn’t want to give up. When you need to, you may call me Sean. Please, that is between the two of us. Not even my manager

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor knows this name. To everyone, I am just The Rogue: Master Illusionist and Magician.”

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“Sean, then. Now, before the day gets too much farther along, introduce me to that furry beast who wanted a piece of me, then we need to go through this place and work on the private security.” He pulled her close to his body and stared into her eyes. “And tomorrow?” he whispered softly. He seemed unable to stop himself from holding her. Putting a hand on his chest, “Tomorrow, we start getting you used to being integrated with my team.” The thump of his heart through the black t-shirt he wore seemed to caress her hand with each movement. Leaning down, his lips almost brushed hers before she stepped out of range. “What?” “I’d best keep calling you Rogue, because if I don’t, I’m going to break my own rules.” “Which are?” “Never get emotionally involved with the client, never let emotions cloud your judgment of any situation, and never, ever mix business with pleasure.” She smiled apologetically to him. “And you, my dear Rogue, send my mind going to dangerous places that would get both of us into trouble.” He bowed regally before sending a look off to one corner, “Khan.” At a huffing noise, “Get over here. You need to recognize her and not eat her the next time she shows up.” A rumbling grumble followed the massive form into the firelight. Carmen looked him over before going to one knee, holding out her hand. After the attack by the snow leopard, she’d been determined not to allow herself to be debilitated by fear. To that end, she’d gone out of her way to visit wild animal parks and zoos. Therefore, the sight of a regal tiger approaching her caused only a slight twitch. “He’s beautiful. How did you manage to get this handsome cat past government policies?” “His mother had been killed by poachers in India. My brother and I were doing research for one of my newest illusions. The army had already arrested and transported everyone off to the local jail and packed up all the evidence into crates and trucks. It seems they missed the small cub, hiding in the bushes, watching everything. With no one to watch out for him, he would have died.” Khan flicked and ear before inhaling the scents in the room. Moving with liquid grace, the

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor 33 big cat moved cautiously towards the woman. Inch by inch, he finally lay at her right side, tail lazily curling up and down in contentment. In a sudden movement, his massive head dipped under her hand, chuffing softly as he did so. Carmen ran her hand through the thick fur and scratched the ears, feeling strangely pleased when the great cat leaned into the fingers. “And the legality of him being here?” “A few payoffs, an inspection by a vet, and the good graces of all parties combined. I took him in and we sort of came to an agreement. I provide him with all the meat and chew toys he wants and he keeps me safe and helps with the illusions that I create.” “Sounds like you two have a great bond. Almost in synch with each other.” She let Khan get a few more good sniffs before standing up. “Okay kids, time to get very annoying.” Both of them stared at her and he stated the obvious, “What?” “We’re going to get busy and figure out the best road to take with you. If my team hasn’t got your list of performance dates, times of arrival, the whole party package yet, you’d best call your manager and tell him to give them what they need. Next, you’re going to have someone get out here and repair that wall in the back of your property. If a horse can jump through that broken piece of wall, an assassin can easily slip through it. Third, I take my work seriously as you probably have noticed. That means you don’t question me, you don’t argue, you go along with the program because it’s for your own safety.” “You think I’m going to just hand over my life to you because of a few threatening notes and a sabotaged illusion that...” “Yes, and before you start arguing, I’m calling Ian over at The Red Aurochs and having my stuff delivered here and he can retrieve the horse I borrowed. My job is to keep you safe, remember? You threw down this little gauntlet, so deal with having it thrown back in your face. Now, before you get too indignant, let’s get out of this dreary room and back into the afternoon sun so I can see those notes Daria told me about. They’re out in the barn with my duster and backpack”

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor

34 Chapter Four

“And now, for your enjoyment and total amazement. A man who has no fear. A man who mystifies and transforms the imagination. Please, San Francisco, help us welcome, at the very start of the Mystique Tour, The Rogue!” The thunderous applause heralded his miraculous appearance on the stage. Dressed in what she thought of as a true rogue outfit, she had to admit he looked stunning. A loose, white cotton shirt was tucked into a pair of tight, black leather pants with a peacock blue sash snugged about his waist. Knee-height jack boots and leather gloves completed the outfit. Instead of his traditional black mask, he sported a gold one with dark blue designs. Almost like an Egyptian mask she’d seen once in a museum. Seconds later, the dancers gyrated their way onto the stage. One, in particular, caught Carmen’s eye. He wore a white and black tiger striped skin suit and danced in the middle of the surrounding entertainers. His lithe body moved in and out of the patterns, stalking Rogue in a well choreographed move. The rest of the group peeled off to their respective stations to help set up the illusion. Sean had introduced him as his brother, Duncan. The only resemblance between the two had been those sparkling green eyes and the same soft mouth. His brother often performed with him as his assistant rather than have some beautiful young woman do it.

Realizing that their

movements were somehow distracting her, she told her libido to knock it off and get back to work.

Activating her sub-vocal transmitter she spoke softly.

“This is Carmen.

I want

everyone’s eyes open. You’ve all seen what I have, so let’s nip this one in the butt before something really does happen. Understood? In sequence. Michelle?” “Opposite you at the wings of the stage. I can see the catwalks, the prep areas, and half the front three rows of the audience if I squint really hard.” “Logan?” “Video surveillance is up and running, Boss. I’m in the security room with the extra videos. I’ve got eyes on every aspect of this building, inside and out. Even the women’s restroom.” “Logan, I trust you’re being discreet in that area, pal, or I’ll have Michelle and Carla braid your hair for you. And I don’t mean the hair on your head.” She moved around a couple props

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor that were on their way out to the show. “Twins?”

35

A moment of silence and Carla answered, her voice tight with suppressed anger. “We’re in the sound room with a good view of everything else, but if Rogue’s manager doesn’t get out of my face, I’m going to rack his prissy ass up so hard, he’ll be singing soprano and looking for ice.” She sighed, “Put him on the radio.” “Miss Marshall?” came the now familiar lisping, nasally voice. “Mr. Lodina. We’ve been over this how many times since we made our first meeting with your boss?” Her eyes continued their scan of the area, moving backstage, inspecting odd movements. The rest of Sean’s crew had given her the respect and assistance she needed. Including showing her how things were supposed to run back stage. “Allow me to clear the air one last time before I come up there and send The Twins down here. You will work with my crew and you will do it with a civil tongue in your mouth, or else Carla and Lois will both make sure you’re mummified in duct tape and shoved in a closet for the duration of this performance. Do I make myself perfectly clear? If my presence is required, my hands will be full of hot titty pink duct tape. Now shut up and quit annoying my people!” A spluttering of unintelligible words came over her earphones as she moved back to her post in time to see Duncan enter one of the crates to be suspended in mid-air by wires. The illusion was to change man to tiger and from tiger to Rogue, all in one illusion. A murmured, “She means it, Mr. Lodina,” filtered into her earpiece before it went silent. A prop worker smiled as he went past with the next prop setup. Having heard Carmen’s side the conversation, he winked and held up a rather large roll of duct tape in the exact color that she had threatened Sam with. Then pointed to a box off to one side, “You should do him in rainbow colors, Miss Marshall.

I know someone who could produce a digital camera at the right

moment.” She chuckled. “That’s all right, Phil, I think he’ll be okay now. He’s just determined to annoy me enough to where I’ll quit and he can claim victory over the hated females.” She winked. He nodded, grinned, and turned his attention back the illusion. Carmen followed his gaze just in time to see Khan emerge from behind the curtains at center

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor 36 stage while the suspended box dropped to the floor with a crash, revealing it to be empty. Looking up, she saw The Rogue, apparently hovering in mid air.

Actually a special

monofilament wire harness held him with invisible bonds so that he appeared to be levitating. She’d checked those lines several times with the crew and watched him lifted several times over. Still, the thought of one of those wires breaking caused a twitch in her stomach. Slowly, he descended to the stage in the exact same place he started. “In the world of illusion, my friends, nothing is what it seems. What is real? What is a figment of your imagination? That is my world and my journey through the Mysteries. Even the most mortal of people can be shown the way, but only if they are brave enough.” He reached out and let Khan nibble his hand, and finally swat at it with a massive paw, “To face your own fears.” He turned towards where the stagehand and Carmen were standing, and nodded. “For this, I have need of a special assistant. Someone who has faced her fears and entered the realm of mystery and illusion, yet has chosen to stay in the mists and darkness.” His words caused a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. To be on the safe side, she cued her radio. “Guys, don’t laugh, but be on alert. Rogue’s got something up his sleeve he didn’t tell me about. No responses.” Paul helped her off with the mike and earphone. “Sorry Carmen, he’s done this with each new member as sort of an initiation thing.” He handed her a fabric mask that covered most of her face. “For you, The Rogue has created the illusion of anonymity to protect your job.” He snugged the mask to form fit her face before tying it off. “Don’t worry, I’ll watch while you spend your time in the limelight.” “Come, my lady of the night.” Rogue’s voice purred with sensual darkness as he held out a hand to her from center stage. “Join me and together we will bring light those who watch in awe.” The music started a slow, seductive beat. Just the sound had been enough to bring up images of hot Savannah nights, silken sheets, and a sweet wine chilling in ice off to one side. Two can play his game, she thought to herself. Popping the top two buttons of her blouse, she let her eyes speak for themselves as she stepped slowly out onto the stage. The heat of the lights teased the sweat from her pores until her skin glistened in the illumination while her body swayed seductively in time to the music, never taking her gaze off of his. Slowly, she stalked him, letting the rhythm set the pace of the dance. When she got close enough, she put her hand

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor 37 in his gloved one. The blazing look in his eyes told her that her performance had the expected effect. Suddenly, he twirled her around in a perfect dancing move, and then dipped her in a parody of a kiss. When his lips were centimeters from hers, she reached up and placed a hand over the hidden mike and glared at him. “I’m going to get you for this.” He nibbled her lower lip seductively, “I know. But at least you’ll have a good view of the audience, just in case something happens.” He lifted her up to set her on her feet. “Stretch your arms outwards and you’ll feel the harness.” She allowed him to step behind her, running his hands up her ribs to lift her arms in the position he wanted. The touch of his fingers left a firestorm of molten heat in their wake even through the gloves. He must have been doing something spectacular behind her because moans of lust were reaching her ears from the front row. Closing her eyes, she gave a soft growl of annoyance. Finally, he left off the torment and teasing, nipping her earlobe before stepping back. Now she could feel the cables as they took up the slack so her arms were supported. Telling her hormones to stand down, she kept her face in a seductive cast while her mind began to sort through and watch the audience. “Rise to the darkness, My Lady. Soar to the stars as they become your guiding influence.” He made the dramatic hand motions while he mouthed the words trust me. He so much as pulls another stunt like this and I’m going to either fuck his brains out and then kill him, or maybe I’ll just kill him. I hate unexpected shit like this. These thoughts carried her high into the air, leaving her body looking like she’d been crucified without the cross behind her. The view became a panoramic scene of the entire audience up to the nosebleed seats. Even she had to admit, the view had just become very impressive. Suddenly, a cage descended to surround her, interspersed throughout the metal were tiny gas flames to represent stars. When she looked up, someone had taped instructions to the top of the cage. When the flames flare hot, don’t move. The curtain will surround the cage to contain everything. When that happens, my assistant will open the back of the cage and substitute a panther in your stead. No fears, Rogue. “No fears my ass, he’s not the one sitting in the cage getting ready to be torched.” she

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor muttered to herself.

38

The moment she spoke, the flames roared to life, surrounding her. Controlled pandemonium reigned on stage as his team began their routine of rushing around with fire extinguishers while he pretended to be distressed. “Ladies and Gentlemen, do not be alarmed, the flames will be contained in a moment. We have a medical team standing by.” On cue, the heavy blue curtain with stars dropped over the cage and the flames died out. The moment the fabric stopped moving, the back of the cage flipped open. Slipping out of the wires, she crawled out over the small catwalk. The moment she had moved out of the way, a huge panther stalked over and into the suspended container. The cage door flipped back up and locked into place while the harness wires were reeled up into the rafters. One of the crew crawled out to double check the locks before giving the thumbs up. The scaffolding withdrew and lowered her to the ground, putting her feet gently on the floor before shutting down. Once safely back into the darkness of anonymity, she tore off the mask and hurried back to her side of the stage to see how he worked the last of the trick. At a motion from The Rogue, the chaos calmed and everyone watched as the cage slowly made its way down to the floor. “Those of you who are faint of heart may want to look away. The lady of the night may not be a pretty sight.” He walked up to the curtain and took a handful of fabric. Looking at the medics and stage hands, he yanked. In a flourish that would have made a matador proud, he swirled the slightly singed fabric off to one side, revealing the snarling visage of the panther. Carmen smiled at the reaction of the audience, their gasps at what should’ve been a badly burned body turned out to be a carefully choreographed illusion. A tap on her shoulder made her turn to look at Paul, who wore a grin the size of Texas on his face. “I suppose you were giving my crew a detailed account, Paul?” At his nod, she shook her head. “I’m never going to hear the end of this one.” “But, where is The Lady? Is she the panther before us? Is she somewhere in the audience?” Groaning, she donned her mask once again. Paul handed her a black cloak, “You get to tame the panther, and you both go to the center of the stage to be revealed.” He chuckled and bowed, “My Lady of the Darkness.” She swatted him on the head, then swirled the cloak around her shoulders, pulling the hood

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor 39 over her head. The snarling of the beast and the clanging of the bars rang in her head, bringing forth a memory of another day and another big cat. They weren’t using the white tiger, which would have been much easier. Adrenaline made her heart pound just a little faster as she made her way across the back of the stage. Fortunately, she managed to shake off the nervous trembling of her hands before anyone noticed. Calm and quiet, she attempted to be the silent and mysterious wraith. Unfortunately, she caught sight of Michelle at her post on the far side of the stage. Her cool and collected right hand lady was trying very hard not to howl with laughter at her friend’s predicament. Sighing, she stepped out of the shadows to kneel at the cage and offered her hand to the cat. Slowly, it sniffed it and took in her scent before playfully bat-batting the fingers with its paws. Smiling, she whispered, “That’s it, now; let’s get on with this performance so I can get back to doing what I was hired to do, eh?” The cat agreed, apparently, by rubbing his head all over her hand. Reaching up to unlatch the handle, she stood up and waited for him to come out. As if choreographed, they paced up behind The Rogue like two wraiths in the night. Reaching up, she stopped his performance with a soft hand on his shoulder. Turning, he saw the two who waited. “And who are you, to have magically appeared before me?” The panther showed his teeth in a snarling menace, before Carmen laid a hand on its head. “I am the Lady of the Night which you seek.” she spoke softly, then grinned and pushed back the hood, revealing to all, the final act in the illusion. He knelt and gave the cat a big belly rub before standing and taking her hand, kissing it like the true gentleman he should be, then presented her to the audience. “Give this woman a round of applause. She’s earned it.” He pulled her down into a bow as the audience stood and began to applaud wildly. As her head came back up, her eyes noticed one person who looked out of place in the front row. Not only had she not applauded the act, she seemed to be scowling. She only had one brief glimpse before the illusionist swept her off the stage and back into the anonymity of her job. He paused briefly to get a big gulp of Gatorade before heading back out to do his next piece of mastery for the audience. Paul silently handed her equipment back and vanished into the chaos to get everything set up

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor for the rest of his show.

40

“Okay kiddies, now that we’ve had the laugh at the boss’s expense, shall we return to work?” Snickers and a good hearty laugh met her ears before everyone checked in. “Michelle here. Everything’s fine on my end, nothing going on that isn’t supposed to be.” “Logan calling. We’ve caught a few attempts to sneak in through the side doors, mostly kids trying to get into the show for free or fans trying to get that forbidden peak at his dressing room.” “Louis and Carla are on the job. There are several camcorders out in the audience and at least one digital transmitter out there, logging the performance for a website. Logan? You on that one?” Logan sighed, “You wound me with your lack of faith. The only thing they’ll be getting is a bunch of static and white noise.” Carmen nodded to herself. “Pinpoint everything for the guards and let them handle their part of it. Michelle, soon as you think it’s safe, backtrack to Rogue’s dressing room and guard it. Louis, Logan, I want copies of that front row audience on disk and time stamped after the performance finishes.” “You got it Boss.” Moving through the performers and the rest of the props, she kept checking. Slowly, she worked her way over to Michele. “How’s it going on this end?” “Fine. However, I have to say you two looked so hot out there. Even I could see the chemistry.” She arched an eyebrow. “You sure you two didn’t do anything when you were in Scotland? Ian said you called him up and had your stuff moved into the mansion the day we talked.” Blushing, she looked away and turned off her mike but left the earphone on. “You have an uncanny way of making me feel like a kid with a porno magazine. What do you want me to say? The man has a primal quality about him. Believe me, the chemistry is there, but I won’t break my cardinal rule about getting emotionally involved.” Yet her eyes wandered over the man performing on stage. He had just made the move of getting one of the big cats to go up on his hind legs and dance in circles, then put his paws on the man’s shoulders. Muscles rippled on both man and beast, trapping her gaze in the motions.

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor 41 After a few moments, the woman beside her leaned against the wall support and grinned. “Mmmhmm. Girlfriend, anything that struts his stuff like that in front of me would be enough incentive to take the man to bed and screw his brains out.” A movement off to one side of the front row caught Carmen’s attention. An empty seat met her gaze. It had been the one the scowling woman had sat in. Glancing around, she spotted the woman making her way up the aisle towards the exit. Several women separated from the shadows in the back and followed her out. Without taking her eyes off of the departing figures. “Michelle, get back to The Rogue’s dressing room and guard it. No one is to enter that room no matter what.” “Got it.” She frowned. “Your radar going off again?” “Big time. Get going. I’ve got back stage covered.” Nodding, Michelle quickly disappeared, weaving her way through the darkness, leaving her boss to gaze at the audience once more. The rest of the performance went on without a hitch. Her team kept up a running dialog and updating on the happenings around the building. She moved onto the stage after the last person filed out of the auditorium and moved to the edge of the raised flooring. Now that everyone had left, she could actually look around and visualize where her target had been sitting. Descending the steps, her gaze went to the right hand side of the front row. Moving slowly, she took in every nuance of the seat. Including the sprig of Jasmine placed there next to a stuffed tiger in full bondage. Another sick individual to contend with. She mentally sighed, pulling on a pair of latex gloves. Carefully, she picked up both items and bagged them, noting the date and time on the bags. She left them in place and checked the adjoining seats, finding nothing. Suddenly, without warning, the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end seconds before her earpiece chirped. “Boss? You’d better get to Rogue’s dressing room pronto.” Michelle murmured. She arrived in record time, at a dead run. Everyone was milling outside the room looking outraged. “Make a hole, people.” Her voice parted the bodies like a wedge, allowing her access to the door. She had a good idea what she’d find, but the view didn’t make it any better. The room had been totally wrecked and every piece of furniture destroyed. Images were liberally painted on every available wall space in a strange mixture of Egyptian Hieroglyphs and Arabic. The center of the room had been made spotless so that its contents would not be missed.

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor Kneeling beside it were Khan and Rogue. Both were quivering with barely suppressed rage.

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The chained body of a white tiger cub lay, unmoving, next to a pair of jeweled collars. That sight alone made her blood run cold. The rest of it only made things worse. Beside the collars, a branding iron lay on a purple velvet pillow. Its surgical stainless steel design gleamed evilly in the light of the only surviving lamp. A snarl of rage escaped her lips as she turned to glare at those in the doorway. “Out.” That one word came out in a growl that made people cringe and move back. Meeting those still staying put, she put the chill of winter in her voice, “Get out and don’t come back until I say you can.” People left. When door finally shut with a soft click, she removed her radio and switched it off. She knelt close to Rogue and stared at the strange scene before her. “Okay. We’re alone, Sean. Talk to me.” She waved a hand at the display on the floor. “From your reaction, I’m assuming you know what this means?” “Yes, I do. It means that the person who created this whole scene still wants me to submit to them as their personal slave.” He looked over at her, tears flowing down from beneath his mask. “It means I bring Khan and myself before her, collars on, and allow the both of us to be branded with her sigil, or she’ll kill Khan by torturing him to death.” She reached out to touch the cub, stroking its fur. “You want to tell me what the hell is going on? The same person is the reason you hired me and my team?” He nodded. “As far as I can tell, only she would be this demented. She has partners in every country. Women who train men and women for absolute subservience, to crave the taste of pain.” His head lowered so he stared at the floor. “To break a person’s will so there is nothing but the Mistress’s will.” Reaching over, Carmen put a hand underneath his chin. “Does this woman have a name?” He smiled sadly.

“Most call her Mistress.

The world would know her as Princess

Yasmeen.” “Then let’s show her how we ignore such things. But, you do know we have to get the cops in here to get this mess cleaned up.” Nodding, he sighed and stood up. “I know. However, we’ve got two days to make it to Vegas. But,” he looked at the body, “don’t let them know about the cub? I want to dispose of the poor thing.” He reached for it, only to have Khan dart in to take the tiny body in its mouth.

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor “What the...?”

43

Sean’s words were interrupted by a soft chirrup from the bundle and the waving of a tiny paw. Gently Khan laid it back down on the ground to paw at the tight chains. “Let me. I’m good at picking locks. The faster we can get them off, the faster we can find out what damage caused him to appear dead.” Slowly, she reached into her back pocket, pulling out what appeared to be a small pen. A twist of the top caused the pick to appear out the other end. Approaching Khan and making no sudden moves, she reached down to the barely breathing cub. “Easy, Khan. I won’t hurt him.” Khan looked into her eyes as if searching for answers. He must have seen something as he leaned forward to nuzzle her face and nip her chin before backing away. Turning, he curled up around Sean’s watchful form, watching her intently. A few moments later, the restraints fell free and she gathered the cub in her arms to cuddle it close. The pulse of the animal beat a frantic tattoo against her chest. “I’m going to have Michelle get a vet to help out and someone to decipher the stuff on the walls.” A new voice intruded from the door. “I think I can help you with that.”

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor

44 Chapter Five

All of them turned at the voice as Khan snarled, making motions to lunge at him. Rogue barely had enough time to grab the neck fur and wrap a forearm around the big cats’ throat. “No, Khan. This is not who did this and you know it.” Carmen stood up with the cub in her hands. “Dad?” “Yeah, baby. It’s me.” He looked at the angry tiger. “Back off, fur face. You have no idea what you’re dealing with, and if you want this youngster saved, you’ll calm down and let me do my job.” Khan actually backed up, bumping into Rogue. Both of them turned to look at her while Rogue queried, “Dad?” She nodded. “Yeah, the man who took me out to the obstacle course as a kid, and had me working around the big boys until they dropped from exhaustion.” A grin lit up her face. “It’s good to see you, Dad. After this, though, you’ve got some serious explaining to do.” He nodded, “Fair enough.” He reached over to gently run his hands over the white and black fur. Slowly, he began to gently apply acupressure to certain areas. “He’s been kept in a form of suspended animation with a combination of acupressure and acupuncture.” Opening his hand, he revealed five tiny pins. “Placed in the right spots in his nervous system, it made him appear dead.” In her arms, the cub began squirming and growling, waving his paws about. Khan moved over and put a huge paw on her leg, looking up expectantly. She knelt and let the cub roll out of her arms and onto the floor. “Take care of him, Khan. Dad and I are gonna go have that talk now.” She looked meaningfully at The Rogue, who had remained quiet, watching. Khan only had eyes for the cub as he gently picked it up in his powerful jaws and headed for a corner. “The team will take you to Vegas. They know the routine, and I guarantee you will be protected within an inch of your life.” His eyes went dark. “What about you?” Carmen moved over to Rogue, laid a hand on his masked face, and smiled. “Don’t worry. I just have to check up on a trump card that I happen to have lying around.” He rose up on his knees and drew her head down so that his lips claimed hers. Heat

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor 45 scorched its way through her blood, making her crave more. As the kiss deepened, the world fell away until only the two of them remained. Nothing else seemed to matter in the entire universe. She raised her hands to run them through his shoulder length brown hair, carefully avoiding the ties that held his mask on. Suddenly the door behind her dad burst open, sending him flailing into her. Not even thinking twice, she turned and caught him. In the fight for balance, her fingers removed the small knife in his belt and made an underhand throw at whoever had disobeyed her. In the blink of an eye, she’d taken the combat knife from her dad’s sheath and began to stalk towards the door even before the cursing began. There, lying on the floor and clutching the inside of his thigh, lay Sam Lodina. The black hilt of the knife quivering in the doorframe, it had cut a neat groove out of his skin, just below the family jewels. Out in the hallway, Michelle lay unconscious with a swelling just under her jaw. Seconds later, the rest of the team rounded the corner and seeing one of their own down for the count, began to advance on the manager. Logan, his face suffused with rage, led the pack. “Stand down, boys and girls. He’s mine for the time being. Logan?” Logan kept coming. “Logan! Do not make me angry at this point.” That seemed to penetrate the madness. His eyes met hers. “What?” “Tell the Black Angel we need his wings.” Sam made to get up, only to have Carmen’s foot placed on his chest. “Oh no you don’t, asshole. You’re going to stay right there and bleed until I get damned good and ready to let you up.” Louis blinked at her. “Carmen? Uh, you sure you want BA in on this?” She looked at him. “We’ve got a psychopathic stalker who’s willing to hurt animals and break the will of human beings to do it.” Her emerald green eyes turned glacial as she looked down at the man under her foot. A moment later, she glanced at the rest of the group. “We’ve got a job to do and there’s just so much we, as a crew, can do. Black Angel owes me a long list of favors and it’s time I called in one of his specialties” “I’ll kill that little pimp bitch! I swear it.” Michelle came awake with vengeance in her voice.

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor 46 “You can have him after a bit. He’s mine first. Now, you guys get Rogue and his people to Vegas. I’ll be there in two days. Tell BA to meet you there. And if he asks, tell him,” she grinned impishly, “tell him there’s a brat pitching a tantrum that needs to be spanked and I need him to mind the kiddies. My play on words that we’ve got a bad guy on our hands that needs to be handled while the main job gets done.” They all laughed outright. “Right. Now, get out of here, and go carefully with the tiger. Pamper that cub to a fare thee well, he’s been through enough. Get the roadies and the stage hands in gear. I want everyone out of here and on the highway as soon as possible.” Logan handed her a disk before leaving and smiled. “A gift for you.” Once the corridor cleared out, she reached down and hauled Sam to his feet. “Quit your whining, Mr. Lodina. I am my father’s daughter. If I had wanted you dead, you would have been impaled by that knife.” She turned and walked him further into the room where her Dad and Sean still stood. “I believe, Rogue, you need to keep a leash on your Manager. He almost got hamstrung.” “I’ll sue you! You horrible woman!” “Oh, I sure hope you try, Sam. As a matter of fact, please do. Then you can explain why you attacked one of my people, rendering her unconscious. Also, I want to hear you explain to the cops why you snuck up and attacked Miss Deveau.” “I did not!” He glared at his boss. “I don’t know what she’s talking about. That woman told me I couldn’t come in here to listen to this meeting.” Rogue looked at Carmen and arched and eyebrow over his mask. “Michelle Deveau is an expert in self-defense, knife fighting, and is an expert in firearms. If she had seen you coming, we would not be having this conversation. Most likely you’d be cupping your nuts and we’d have to remove her boot from your ass. Be thankful Logan didn’t get to you. He’s a bit protective over her. I won’t go into what he’d like to do to you because it isn’t necessary.” She looked over at her Dad. “Maybe I should get my old teacher to come down here by telling him there’s a new practice dummy waiting for him. I’m sure he’d love to experiment with his acupuncture methods.” He opened his mouth then shut it quickly when she sent a wink his way. With considerable

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor 47 effort, he nodded sagely. “Master Chang is always eager to exploit his...” his lips twitched as he fought to control his laughter, “talents.” Sam blanched and looked to his boss for help. “They wouldn’t.” Rogue hadn’t missed a single exchange between father and daughter. “She would, Sam. Trust me. So, for your own protection, you’re going to be by my side at all times. No more going out for drinks with your boyfriends, no stepping outside the room unless one of Miss Marshall’s team is with you.” “But, but…” “No buts! You’ve managed to alienate yourself from the very first time you met her and her team. So far, they’ve done the job they were hired to do, despite your efforts to sabotage them. Now, before I find the hot pink duct tape, we’re going to head over to my hotel room and get it packed. Along the way, I’ll have a medic take a look at that scratch.” Carmen turned him loose and watched as even the tigers snarled at the wounded man while they left the room. As Rogue passed her, he lifted her hand up to his lips, nibbling the knuckles lightly before leaving. Checking her watch, she saw it was almost midnight, then looked up. “Well, I know you aren’t here on a social call just to visit me, so call in your people, and get this place photographed and cleaned up. Unless you want the cops to go tramping through here, asking all the wrong questions.” He looked shocked, “How did you know my team was here?” Laughing, she nodded to the doorway where the rest of his people hovered. “Do you think I wouldn’t know? Puhleeze, Dad. You don’t go anywhere without them. Now let’s go get something to eat and drink.” “You heard my daughter. Get in here, guys, and get everything tagged and bagged.” The team erupted into laughter and headed in. He looked around, then smiled. “You still like Spanish Guitar music?” “You know I do.” She looked at the group. “Get the bag in seat four A in the front row, you’ll see what I mean.” “Good. I’ve got just the place. Come on.” She stopped a moment to scoop up her radio and look around. “I want copies of the pictures,

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor 48 guys. No editing out, no withholding stuff. This is my client and his protection is my job. I can’t do that if I don’t know what’s going on.” “You’ll get it, Carmen. You have my word.”

****

The strains of the flamenco guitar floated over them half an hour later. On the table were the aromatic dishes her dad had insisted on paying for. Two bottles of beer were on hand as they sat and watched each other like wary adversaries until the waitress left them alone. Carmen grabbed a piece of garlic bread and looked him in the eyes. “I’m not going to beat around the bush like Mom normally does. Why are you and your team suddenly showing an interest in my client?” He sighed and leaned back, breaking eye contact. “No, you never were one to pull punches. We were ordered to investigate the slave trade. White slavery to be exact. The files we were handed included The Rogue. For some odd reason, no one knows what he looks like and...” She held up a hand. “I’ve probably got the same stuff you do on that.” She sighed and placed her fingers theatrically over her forehead. “Allow the Great Madame Forlessa to tell you what your file says.” She paused in her cheap gypsy accent for effect. “Oh, and what does the Great Madame Forlessa see in the files that I have?” “Because he wears a mask and appears to be such a mysterious figure, and because his troupe is so tight-lipped and loyal, he has come under suspicion of certain government agencies. Women have been known to throw themselves at him and are rebuffed or are ignored. Known associates of Rogue include one Mistress Yasmeen, whom he absolutely loathes.” She looked him in the eyes, “You can lay tonight’s fiasco at her feet, by the way.” He nodded. “Almost word for word. Actually, it’s this Yasmeen we want, not your client. Our records actually have him as one of the good guys, even if he’s a bit weird and has a white tiger as a pet.” He took a drink of his beer. “Yasmeen is loaded and has contacts throughout the world. She’s got a reputation of being a bitch if she can’t get what she wants.” “You’re preaching to the choir, Dad. According to Rogue, she’s been after him for a while now. The mess you walked in on was one of her more…creative tendencies. I need to review the surveillance disks to find out who allowed the bad guys to walk in and get creative while he

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor 49 performed his illusions. Whoever it is, I’m going to have words with them about obeying my orders.” “There’re a few rumors floating around the office about him screwing his manager.” Carmen choked on her drink, prompting a waiter to come over and pound on her back until she got her lungs cleared. “If I know you, you’ve been laying bets on this. Which way are you betting and how much is the wager?” A ghost of a smile flitted across his face as he munched on his food. “Enough to make me a very happy man for at least a couple weeks if what I saw in that room was true.” “Well, I can guarantee you a very happy two weeks, Dad. His Manager may be the flaming twink of the bunch, but Rogue is prime, grade A straight.” She held up a hand to halt any interruptions. “And before you start asking those types of questions, the answer is yes. We are attracted to each other. Enough so, we’re hard put to keep business and pleasure separate.” He reached across the table to take her hand. “Hon, despite what your mother thinks about you, I’ve always been proud of you. Scars and all.” He grinned wickedly. “Your mother howled and shrieked like a banshee when we were told about the attack on you, demanding that I bring you home to hide your `horrid condition’.” “Horrid condition my ass. She’d take one look at my face and lock me in my room, thinking that the spawn of Satan had possessed her darling daughter. I hope you gave her a good talking to.” “I sure did. When she figured out I wasn’t going to back down, she asked for a divorce.” “Did you?” “Yes. She got everything except what she truly wanted.” “Lemme guess, the pension and your nuts on a plate.” “You got it. I let her have the house and everything. Fortunately, you are grown and gone or else she’d have had a fight on her hands.” He smiled. “I’m happier being around the guys anyway. Life is certainly easier than having to deal with coming home to your mother and have her try and grill me about why I’ve been gone for three weeks of undercover ops.” She sighed and held his hand a bit more. “Well, you’ve got me at least. The best part is, I don’t load you up with the cutsey-wootsey cards every chance I get. Or the religious stuff that gets sent in the mail.”

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor 50 The conversation would have gone on a bit more if the waiter hadn’t arrived bearing a tray. “Miss Marshall?” She looked at him. “Yes?” He looked distinctly uncomfortable as he set the small tray down in front of her. “A message for you, Miss Marshall. The person who left it with the Maitre’d left before he could be questioned.” “Thank you. I’ll take care of it.” The waiter nodded and left, leaving them alone once more. On the tray, an ivory colored envelope sat, waiting for her to open it. Looking up, she sighed, “And here I was thinking we’d have at least one night to relax without having to deal with idiots.” Using her knife, she pressed down on it. At least they were smart enough to know I’m not that stupid as to just go ahead and touch the damned thing. “Want me to open it?” “Nah, I have a feeling that whoever sent this is watching and wants to set me up.” She took a napkin and picked up the envelope. “But you can have it for prints afterwards.” She grinned. “Oh gee, thanks,” came the retort, “after you get your tail into trouble.” Expertly, she cut it open and tapped out the note. Using a fork, she opened it up and took a good look at it. What she read made her blood run cold. You were good, little one. However if you wish to keep Duncan and Sean alive, you will join me for drinks at the Sanctuary Club. You may bring anyone you wish, including the handsome specimen you are dining with this evening. Simply tell the doorman your name and all of you will be escorted to my table. No harm will come to you while you are within my realm. You have one hour. Mistress Y.

“Do you want to let me in on what it says or do I get to wrestle it away from your hands?” Her dad’s voice brought her back to the present. Handing over the note, she sighed, “Feel like meeting your suspect tonight?” She finished off her beer, “I need to hit the ladies room. Tell me what you want to do when I get back. We’ve got an hour.” She stood up and headed for the back hallway. The lights were dim enough to make her

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor 51 pause to let her eyes get accustomed to the surroundings. Two steps into the hallway, a hand came out of the darkness to plant itself over her mouth, silencing any noise. Startled, she began to fight back, getting in one or two punches before a harsh whisper penetrated her panic. “Carmen! It’s me, Duncan!” Hearing his familiar voice, she stopped fighting and relaxed back against the body behind her.

Reaching up, she touched the hand across her mouth.

When it moved, she sighed,

“Dammit, Duncan, don’t do that. It’s a knee-jerk action. I’ve got enough problems to deal with, without being startled from behind.” Duncan wrapped an arm around her middle and pulled her close, resting a chin on her shoulder. “I’m sorry.” He whispered. “But I wanted to make sure you’re safe.” His cheek rubbed against her neck while he hugged her close. Heat began to pool low in her body. “Duncan.” She reached up to run a hand through his short hair. “Please tell me Rogue and Khan are on their way to Vegas. Tell me he’s okay?” “They’re safe, Carmen, and the cub is going to be spoiled beyond belief. Your team has them well protected. Why? What’s happened?” When she explained, he ripped out snarl, not dissimilar from the sound Khan made when he became annoyed. “Don’t worry, I’ve got my dad here, and together with his team, we’ll be able to make a big enough impression that she won’t try anything.” He nipped her neck and held her tightly. “You will have one extra with you. No arguments, Carmen. I’m going with you. You need someone who will know what she’s up to and how you can keep her from pushing all your buttons.” Grumbling, she turned in his arms to gaze into those perfectly blue eyes. They were the same color eyes Khan had. “You know that’s what she wants. She’s given everyone with me safe conduct, but she’s going to work really hard to make me break whatever rules the place has. Once that happens, all bets are off. My dad and his people are adept at getting out of situations like this. But you,” she closed her eyes; “you and Rogue have become very special to me in a very short span of time. You both rank high on my `Mess with them and I’ll break your knees or worse list’. You both have ignored my looks and accepted me for who I am. That, in itself, is worth its weight in gold.” He smiled and nipped her chin. “We all have scars, Carmen Marshall. Some of us just hide

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor 52 them better. Personally, I think they’re beautiful.” He winked. “The two of us have talked about you a lot since you first showed up at his home. He thinks you’re sexy as hell.” She groaned. “Do you really have to remind me about that? It’s a fight just to keep my mind on my job, Duncan. Right now, I need to get on that plane and do my job, but I also need to get this bitch out of your lives. Personally, I think you’re as sexy as he is and it’s going to be a fight to keep my hands to myself. Now, I need to get to the ladies room, then back to Dad. I’m not really dressed for the occasion, however.” He held her close, dipped her in an elegant fashion. When he brought her up, it was to meet her lips with his own. Good Gods! The thought floated across her brain as he spun her around so she had the support of the wall. The man can make any woman go from zero to total meltdown in a heartbeat. Her arms went around him to hold him tight, trying to regain control of herself and failing miserably. Sensing her internal fight, he pulled back to gaze into her eyes. The naked lust seemed indelibly etched on his face. Also, he didn’t seem to realize where he was. His body began to tremble and his hands gripped her tighter. “Carmen.” His voice had taken on a harsh growling tone. She ran a hand over his face, noticing the roughness of his face, as if he had suddenly began to grow a beard in the last few minutes. When she looked into his eyes, she got quite a shock. His eyes were a luminescent blue color, reflecting the tiniest bit of light in the dimness of the hallway. Carefully, so as not to startle him, she ran her hand down the muscular arm to the hand. Picking it up, she placed a kiss on the inside of the palm, noticing the fingers arching slightly to reveal claws. “Duncan.” Just saying his name brought his attention back to her. As she watched, his eyes returned to normal, and she could feel the claws disappear. “Have you got some idea of what to wear to this blasted Sanctuary? If so, go get them because I want to make an impression this bitch will never forget.” She’d ask him about what happened later. He grinned and nodded. “Oh don’t worry; I have something that will piss her off to no end because every eye in the place will be on you instead of her.” He caressed her cheek one more time before stepping away. Even the dark hallway wasn’t enough to hide the dark outline of his hard cock against the tight, black jeans.

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor “Oh, and Duncan?”

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“Yes?” She walked over to him and ran a hand over his chest. “I’m not a slut, Duncan, but you certainly tempt me. However, until you let me see the real you and not the eye candy I’m looking at now, we’re just friends.” “Agreed. Now go do your thing and let me get your attire, Madame Marshall.” With that, he faded into the shadows then moved out the back door. Sighing, she did her thing in the ladies room before heading back to her table. Her dad still sat where she had left him, but now he had company. Five other men had gathered around him. Taking her seat, she looked around at the gathered group of men with a grin. “Dad, I do believe we’re going to take a hell of a lot of air out of Mistress Yasmeen’s sails.” “Oh?” She couldn’t get the huge grin to leave her face. “Oh, hell yeah.” Checking the time, she glanced around the table. “Gentlemen? However many of you are going to be visible at this little get together, you have exactly one hour to make yourselves into the most delicious eye candy this city has ever seen.”

Then waved her beer glass at her dad, “You know, she

specifically asked about you. She doesn’t know you’re my dad. You want to do what you do best?” “What’s that?” “Do that ‘Touch my Daughter and I’ll break your nuts’ act whenever someone gets near me or any of your guys.’” The whole team actually fell out of their chairs laughing. Bobby actually looked at him and grinned, “Oh, this is going to be interesting! I get dibs on the video surveillance!” Carmen finished her beer and looked at them with a smile. “We’re going to have one other person with us when we go. He’s going to be sticking close to me and making sure that Yasmeen doesn’t push any emotional buttons. This isn’t up for negotiation. Duncan’s got more in-depth experience with her than anyone here. All you guys have to do is make sure her pets don’t try anything while I deal with this bitch.” They nodded and Dad leaned close, “Right. Here’s what we do...”

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor

54 Chapter Six

I feel like a damned reject from `Blade’, she thought to herself for the fifteenth time as she shrugged her shoulders in the leather getup. Duncan had certainly come through, which made her wonder what type of women he entertained. He even supplied the outfits for the guys. Her top actually turned out to be a black leather bikini top. What made it special had been the slits in the cups themselves, revealing a red suede lining. The effect looked stunning, like someone had clawed the bra, revealing a glimpse of blood colored leather. The hard flesh of her stomach showed the glaring scars in the streetlights, tracing their savage lines down under the waistline of the low slung black leather pants. The outside seam parted dead center of each leg and blood red bootlaces crisscrossed upwards to the waist. With each move, the leather cupped and sighed as the flesh moved underneath it. The pant legs themselves tucked into steel-toed boots that snugged tightly to her ankles. Red suede claw marks worked their way up the front and back of the pants, matching the ones on her bikini top. Over it all, a black duster hugged her shoulders before billowing out around her legs. Good thing Duncan remembered I don’t go anywhere without at least three weapons. Otherwise he’d have given me the Bolero jacket. The thought made her smile. The guys had handed her a pair of dark red sunglasses for the event. She had an idea of what they were, but she didn’t say. Arrayed out behind her were five others, including Duncan, all dressed identically to match her. In each case, the claw pattern traced the muscles on their legs. Each wore a black vest, leaving their arms bare. Her dad wore tight jeans and a black tank top stretched to the max over his muscular torso. To add to the effect, hanging from a drive-chain belt was an assortment of restraints, including leg shackles. Duncan seemed to be dressed in something that resembled nothing but scraps of leather and buckles. When he caught her staring at him, he winked, then shifted a bit, showing small knives cunningly fixed to the straps. They looked more like dangling bits of ornament than deadly weapons. It had been good to know that he wouldn’t be defenseless after all. Five minutes to the deadline, they arrived at the front door. Ignoring the hot gazes of those waiting in line to enter the club, she stalked up to the doorman who looked as if he could bench press a car. The team arrayed itself out in a semi-circle behind her while she stepped close

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor 55 enough to touch the man’s chest with a flick of her wrist. Ignoring the glare in his eyes, she raised the red hued sunglasses to match him. The first test of wills began until he dropped his eyes and stepped back. “I am Carmen Marshall. I believe I and my people are expected.” “Yes, Mistress. Please, enter the Sanctuary with your people. You will be shown to Mistress Yasmeen with all due haste.” “Good boy. Now get out of the way and tend to your duties.” She crooked her finger at her people and, ignoring the angry comments of the line, stalked past the subdued man to enter the foyer of the club. Duncan walked up to her side and grinned, “Nice job. That’s the first time someone’s ever pressed the issue with him. Anyone that’s ever tried has been tossed in the street on their ear.” She turned her head slightly to laugh darkly. “It’s a battle of wills, hon. When you’re expecting it, you come prepared. In my case, Yasmeen extended the invitation and probably set up that confrontation as a delaying tactic to claim we were late and a reason to break the free pass we’re getting.” “You think so?” She nodded. “I know so. Now,” her eyes took in the men around her, “I know what to expect, Duncan has experienced it. You guys rely on Dad to keep you out of trouble, okay? No one can do anything to you because all of you are technically mine. And, you are officially off limits to anyone. Are we clear?” “Yes, Mistress.” They all said in unison, with huge grins on their faces. Stifling the laughter fighting its way to her lips. “Good, now let’s go make everyone forget about Yasmeen for at least an hour.” She tapped her sunglasses, activating the infrared soft-light in the frames, allowing her to see the entire club without waiting for her night sight to kick in. Counting to ten, she nodded to Duncan, who grabbed both door handles and threw them wide open. “Show Time.” She muttered. Heads turned as both doors opened to their widest arc. Jaws dropped and eyes widened when Carmen stalked through the door like she owned the place, followed by her men. In the back of her mind, she took full note of the looks and smirked. If they only knew. A petite girl in full bondage array scurried up to her and knelt. “Mistress Yasmeen awaits you, Madame.”

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor 56 “Then let’s not waste time. Show me where she is. Because you’ve got two minutes before I get fed up and find her myself, causing no small amount of rudeness to Tops and Bottoms along the way.” Blanching, the girl stood up and quickly led her through the main room where people in various stages of dress and undress were being used, using, and generally indulging themselves in various forms of pleasure. Whips cracked on bare flesh, moans came from every corner of the place, and lights glinted off of chrome restraints while the bar kept up a constant supply of drinks for those that needed to replenish themselves. From hidden speakers came the harsh sound of Techno music, loud enough to keep the brain on overload. After a moment, she didn’t need the guide to tell her where Yasmeen would be. The one corner of the club looked like something out of an ancient Egyptian Temple and, sitting on a pile of golden pillows, sat a woman surrounded by people on their knees. While most were dressed in some form of bondage gear, the lady herself seemed to prefer the Priestess mode of dress. Apparently white did not suit her attire, as she preferred blood red and silver chrome. Around her neck she bore the likeness of the Cat Goddess, Bast. The blond moved quickly to kneel before her to whisper something private before backing off to scamper away, disappearing back into the crowds. The woman on the pillows raised her chocolate brown eyes to her then made a sweeping motion with her hand. “Leave us!” At that clear command, the whole area cleared out and, somehow, the loud music softened itself. Carmen glanced at the watch on her wrist, then back at the woman in front of her. “I believe we are expected.” Yasmeen’s eyes widened as she noticed who was with her. “You have brought my pet back to me? I am amazed that you would have the courage to do so. The last time we were together he seemed to be, how you say, reluctant to perform.” Sighing, she placed a hand on Duncan’s shoulder then drew him close. “I find that honey gains more reaction than pain, Yasmeen.” She took a step further into the light, revealing her scars. “Threats only bring suspicion and fear.” “You tread on thin ice, Carmen Marshall. You will call me Mistress.” “I don’t think so.”

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor “Oh?”

57

She sat on a chair opposite and everyone took seats around her. Duncan knelt at her right hand to put his head in her lap. “Yes, ‘oh’.” Her eyes took in the woman before her. Something about her face, or the arrogant posture, rang an alarm bell in the back of her mind. “I’m not one of your sycophants that jumps when you call, woman. I’m also the one person you do not want to piss off at any one time.” A delicately sculptured eyebrow arched, “Is that a threat, Miss Marshall?” The way she said it made it almost an insult. “Let’s discuss the topic of threats, shall we?” Carmen held up a finger. “First, you’ve been harassing and stalking my client ever since you laid eyes on him. Then,” a second finger rose to join the first, “you willingly trespass, or send your minions to do such, on private property. Leaving behind various items, unwanted as they may be, behind, indicating that you want them to be your slaves. Finally,” she looked Yasmeen dead in the eye, letting just a hint of her anger show, “you threaten those I’ve been hired to protect.

You want to talk threats, Mistress

Yasmeen?” She sneered, watching the woman’s eyes darken with rage, “You’d best look to yourself first. I was having a nice time with someone I hadn’t seen in years, and you send me a letter claiming that you would kill two people if I did not arrive for this little meeting.” “I merely wished to...” “I know exactly what you wanted to do, Yasmeen. So drop the polite act.” Duncan gripped Carmen’s thigh under cover of cuddling close. She reigned in her anger at the thought of anyone in this woman’s clutches, “We both know you put that imbecile on the front door to stall us just enough so you could call off the safe passage you offered my group.” She leaned back and crossed one boot over the other. “Now that the mutual garbage is out of the way, tell me why else I’m here so I can get back to enjoying my night out.” If looks could kill, she would have been dead at that exact moment. “I have been told that you are blunt to the point of being incredibly rude, and unyielding when it comes to your job.” Her hard gaze took in those that had come in with Carmen. “I sent for you because it suited me to do so. To sum everything up, Duncan is mine. I will have him before you leave this club, and Sean will be mine the moment your contract expires.” Like hell you’re going to, you little bitch! She thought to herself. “Remember woman, you

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor gave us safe passage. That includes Duncan. He came in with me, he leaves with me.”

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“You have something of mine and I want it back.” Her smile turned nasty, “Unless, of course, you are willing to prove you are more of a woman than I am.” “How so?” “You will cut my brand off of him and replace it with one of your own while he masturbates in front of the audience.” She felt even her dad tense in outrage at Yasmeen’s audacity. Running her hand through Duncan’s hair, she felt him tremble under her fingertips. Whether it was from fear, disgust, or anger, she didn’t know. Looking at the other woman’s eyes, seeing the eagerness to see some blood and humiliation at another’s expense, she stood up. “You overstep your bounds of what is acceptable and what isn’t. If you want just to pull shit like this, do it on someone else’s time.” She turned her back on her, motioning for everyone to precede her back the way they came. No one said a word, but they made sure Duncan was in the middle of the group as they moved. Two things happened at once. The whisper of cloth alerted Carmen to a movement behind her, and a command issued in Arabic. Rushing out from behind a curtain was a man that appeared to be half man, half leopard. In his hand he carried a red-hot branding iron. Seeing her, he quickly came forward, fully intending on marking her. Too late to do anything but brace for the impact, she caught the heated end of the brand in the palm of her left hand. Pain raced its way up her arm, but she still held the brand, not uttering a word as she stared down the man before her. Suddenly, she realized that what she thought was a mask actually was a leopard’s head, complete with fur and teeth. All this hit her mind before the stench of burning flesh made her stomach turn. Keeping her left hand closed around the hot metal, she lashed out with a fist, knocking him to the ground. A kick to the nuts ended any violence from that end as she took the two steps necessary to reach Yasmeen. “Carmen!” She turned slightly to see the bouncers moving in. “Hang on.” Pain made her voice more of a growl than words. She rose up on one foot, placing a boot across the reclining dominatrix’s throat. “Call off your dogs, slut. Or you’ll be paying a bigger bill than you already are.” She added a bit of pressure to make sure she knew it was serious. “You’ll pay for this.” She hissed, then made a motion to the wall of bouncers and they faded

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor 59 away. “My people do not allow for such insolence as yours. When next we meet, I shall enjoy watching my minions break your mind and your body, watching you be skinned alive for the entertainment of those who prefer that sort of thing.” Grinning, Carmen moved her jacket off to one side, revealing the weaponry she carried. “Yasmeen, let me be extremely clear on this point.” The metal had cooled off enough for her to speak slowly and clearly. “You come near Duncan, Rogue, Sean, or anyone else under my protection; I will be extremely pissed off. Basically what that means is, whatever harm comes to them will be visited upon the offending party Three Fold, for I am a firm believer that Karma can and will come back to bite you in the ass.” She looked at her dress and leaned forward, exerting a bit more pressure on the boot. “Then again, you may like it too much. Do we understand each other?” Yasmeen’s eyes glowed to a liquid gold with hatred as she nodded, too furious to speak. “Good. Now, I’m going to take this with me.” She held up the iron in her hand. “Consider this my trophy and my reminder on how you consider your `free passage’ from now on.” Slowly, she removed her foot and, turning, strode through her group and out towards the door, not looking back to see if anyone followed. Once outside, she took a big breath of air through her clenched teeth, the pain began to overtake the adrenaline. Pure willpower took her down the street. Once out of sight of the club, she took advantage of a darkened alley. Inside the welcoming darkness the agony drove her to her knees. Biting her lip until it bled, she grabbed her wrist and prayed for relief. “Rick, get rolling with the delivery van.

We’re in the alley two blocks down from

Sanctuary.” He paused to listen “My daughter is hurt bad, Gus. However, she may have gotten something we need to help build our case. No, I don’t know what the damned thing was that attacked her. I haven’t the faintest, just get your ass down here, and warm up the wings.” Duncan dropped to his knees and took Carmen’s hand in his own, offering what solace he could. When she looked him in the eyes, she saw they seemed to be glowing. “You and I are going to talk.” She murmured so that only he could hear. “Because after tonight, the masks will come off if I have to do it myself.” He lowered his eyes just as the van pulled into the alley. Then it became a flurry of activity as the guys carried her into the van. They barely had time to latch the door before the vehicle

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor 60 jerked into motion. Once they were on the road, a giant black man gently took her hand to examine the damage. With infinite care, he washed the damaged flesh in a saline solution before looking her in the eyes. “This is going to hurt like a bitch, chéri. You want something to kill the pain?” Trust a Cajun to try and make even the most painful situation sound like a romantic interlude. It’s gotta be the voice. She smiled at the thought, breathing through the agony. “Anything but Morphine. I need to have a clear head despite the pain.” A glance around the van, she sighed. “I’m still on the payroll for Rogue, and if anything happens I need to have a clear head.” On cue her phone began to ring. Without a word, Duncan brought it out, attached the hands free earphone and mike, and took a seat next to her free hand. Gus hit a couple buttons, “You’re scrambled, Carmen. The signal can’t be tracked.” A small sting of a needle entering the damaged flesh brought a hiss of renewed pain to the area as she answered the phone. “Talk to me.” As the numbing drug took effect, she found she could actually speak normally. Logan’s toneless voice sent a thrill of dread down her spine. “We’ve got a situation.” “Explain.” “We’re at the hotel where he’s due to perform at in twenty-four hours. The problem is, well, how do I explain a man who growls when he speaks? Or the sudden addiction to the raw meat we serve the cub? He actually sent down a rare cooked steak claiming it was burnt! Now he’s locked himself in the penthouse and won’t answer the door. That’s not half of it, though. We can’t find Khan!” She looked at Duncan, whose wide eyes told her all she needed to know. “Where’s that manager of his?” “He’s been inside with him all this time.” “Logan, where’s the rest of the crew?” “Doing okay, but we’re all on high alert. Even The Twins are armed to the teeth.” “Hang on a sec.” She looked at her hand as the brand was tugged free of her palm, leaving a blackened mess with a vague imprint of a cat’s face. Something about it teased a vague memory, but she couldn’t place it. She turned to look at her dad, “Have you got an airport around here?

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor Somewhere small that no questions will be asked no matter what?”

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He nodded, “Yeah. What’s going on?” “Nothing yet. Give me the location.” When he did, she turned her attention to the phone, “Did you get that?” “Yeah, what do you want to do?” “BA still around?” Laughter rang through. “Yeah, he’s busy scaring the straight people with his facial tattoos and his attitude. What they don’t realize is, the most he’ll do is whip out his wallet and bore them to death with pictures of his family and his pets.” The image of him whipping out pictures of family and pets almost had her laughing. She’d known the Black Angel for a while and he’d never pulled that stunt before. “Thanks for the smile. Now tell the Black Angel that he needs to grow wings and fly his butt up to that location.” She chuckled, “And tell him no eating anyone on the way. You know how he is.” He laughed. “You know him too well. I’ll get him rolling. Anything else?” After a moment, she started chuckling. “Yeah, find me some catnip.” “Catnip?” “Yeah, catnip. Not the pet store kind, the herbal stuff without any chemicals. You can probably find it in a health food store somewhere. I want at least a pound baggie full of the stuff when I get there.” Duncan made a strange noise. When she looked at him, his face had a way too serene look to it. His eyes were what gave him away, a suspicious twinkle told her he was seconds away from howling in laughter. The rest of the team concentrated on their assigned tasks, though there were some smothered coughs and at least one fake sneeze in the process. Logan’s voice brought her back to the conversation at hand. “Oh, and Michele says to tell you that the building manager is also a friend of hers. She says she’ll explain when you get here. Until then, you have a safe flight.” “With Black Angel flying the friendly skies?” she laughed, “I’ll be there in a few hours. Now stay out of trouble.” With that parting shot, she hung up her phone. David Marshall came to sit with his daughter.

The medic had done what he could,

bandaging and cleaning the hand, but when her dad looked up, he shook his head, indicating the

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor hand would be useless from this moment on. “Do you need me to go with you?”

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“No, Dad. You’ve got a job to do here. Like you said, I just gave you the evidence you need. With the recorded conversation, the video from the glasses, and the branding iron, you can start building your case. Keep it going and you’ll probably get something happening. In the mean time, I have a job to do and something tells me it’s not going to get any easier. He sighed and nodded. “I know, but I can’t help but think that I should be helping protect you, not let you get hurt. When they told me about the leopard attack, the team had to sit on me in the middle of a mission to keep me from heading home.” The endorphins were finally doing their job, making the last vestiges of pain only a dull throb in time with her heartbeat. Smiling, she placed her right hand on top of her dads’. “Don’t worry. At least you and your team can keep an eye on her royal bitchiness while I’m out keeping my client out of trouble. This is my job, Dad, risks and all. Besides, I have you to blame for all this.” “Me?!? How do you figure?” She grinned. “You and your military trips to the gun range, the kung fu lessons with the resident Master of Tiger, oh, and let’s not forget the obstacle course in the middle of basic training. `To teach these girlie men how to distinguish between Civilian and Combatant’ I believe your explanation was.” The whole team started to laugh. “She got you there, Mon ami. I remember that speech. Then this little pipsqueak done knocked me on my ass.” The medic’s soft, Cajun accent held a hint of amusement and respect, “Twice.” “I know, Philippe. You don’t need to remind me.” He grinned, “But she was pretty effective, don’t you think?” “Aye that. Mon petit ami was quite an effective teaching aid, whether in the role of helpless civilian caught in a combat zone, or a combatant in disguise.” He winked at Carmen. Laughing, she sighed. “How long until we reach the air strip? I have to get my act together. And guys? When you see the air-brushed custom chopper buzzing the treetops, don’t shoot him. You shoot at his baby and I’ll guarantee you someone’s going to get a set of teeth marks somewhere on his body.”

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor

63 Chapter Seven

Deafening silence met her ears as Carmen skidded to a halt in front of the Penthouse doors at six in the morning. Black Angel had actually hovered a couple feet off the top of the hotel where Rogue would be performing, allowing Duncan and her to jump safely. I just hope to hell he got out of there before someone saw his chopper. Gods. How did I hook up with an insane man who lives to taunt law enforcement at every opportunity? Having a glow in the dark demon angel holding up a sign that reads `Fuck the Cops’ flying around is a surefire way to get his tail shot out of the sky one of these days. Duncan had gone off to one side of the roof and disappeared out of sight while she took the steps two at a time. Logan and Louis were at the door with a couple of large boxes. When they spotted her, they blinked in surprise. “But the lobby didn’t,” she held up a hand. “That’s because I didn’t come in through the lobby. BA dropped me off on the roof.” She nodded at the door. “How’s it going?” Louis sighed, “It’s been quiet for a half an hour now. You sure you want to do this?” She nodded, “Yeah. You got the catnip ready?” Logan patted the box next to him. “Bought out the bulk load from the nearest store. Guaranteed chemical free.” “Thanks guys. Now, I want everyone to steer clear of this place until I come out. Outside surveillance only.” She looked at the two of them. “I know everyone has questions, and I’ll answer them. But until we get this contract straightened out and a score settled,” She held up her bandaged hand, Philippe had done a good job at wrapping it so no further damage would happen. On the way over, she discovered she could use her hand with minimal pain. “We need to stay focused on the here and now, no matter how bizarre the case may be.” Louise handed her the door key. “You be careful. It sounded like a major cat fight going on in there earlier.” With that, they all backed off down the hallway. Sighing, she slid the card in to unlock it. Kicking the door open, she dragged the first box of catnip in then threw in the second one. After slamming and locking the solid piece of oak, she noticed the deep scratches in the elegant scrollwork. Quickly, she turned around to scan the room, taking in the shredded furniture, the broken coffee table, and the splash of blood across the

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor far wall.

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“Rogue?” She took a tentative step forward. “Sean?” In the bedroom. His voice seemed to come out of nowhere, yet it sounded clear as a bell inside her mind. From the door of the bedroom came a tiny yowl of distress. Not of pain, but the infamous ‘I want out’ noise. Throwing caution to the wind, she leapt over tables and kicked chairs out of the way to get to the master bedroom. Rebounding off a wall, she managed to get to the doorway without killing herself in the process. The sight that greeted her was not what she had expected. In fact, it took several minutes for her mind to sort through what her eyes were telling her. When it did, it took all her willpower not to run from the room. Instead, she forced herself into the room to do what she could. She had been hired to protect this man at all costs. And she had failed him. Situated on the red satin sheets, an apparently nude lump of flesh lay unmoving. Her eyes took in the ivory paint covering most of the form while crimson and black appeared to resemble tiger stripes. As she moved closer to the bed, the rest of the horror made itself painfully clear. The black stripes were the straps belonging to a peculiar restraint device that forced Sean’s body to remain on his hands and knees. A ball gag had been forced into a strangely elongated mouth. Elongated and sharp teeth made serious indentations on the gag itself, but the tough leather had cut into his face. Then she saw it, and almost gagged on the bile that rose in her throat. The red streaks weren’t paint; it was blood, slowly flowing down his sides to drip on the sheets and the floor. Someone had skinned all the flesh from Sean Cameron’s back, leaving a mangled mass of muscle, blood, and bone. “Duncan get in here!” A white tiger leapt into the room even before the sound of her agonized yell died. Seeing the tragedy, he let out an unearthly roar and padded quickly over to nudge him. Turning, he stared at her and Duncan s’ voice floated in her mind. Who did this? How did they take him? A defiant yowl had all three of them twitching. Carmen turned to look in a corner. A very angry set of green eyes met them. A rather powerful paw banged against the lock on the cage with a chuffing noise.

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor 65 I got it. As Duncan padded over and casually ripped off the front of the cage with his jaws. Touching noses and comforting the cub, they both came back over. The youngster is okay. Apparently they just stuffed him in the cage. I can’t smell anyone on him, though. Rubbing her forehead and sighed, “I’m either going totally insane or the impossible has invaded my reality.” She looked at the two of them then knelt to scratch the cub behind the ears. “Okay, I’m going to get this stuff unbuckled. I have a damned good idea who and why. If I find the sonofabitch, there’s going to be some serious issues of him remaining in one piece.” Slowly, she knelt on the bed beside Sean and began undoing the buckles holding the legs immobile. Moving her left fingers sent agony up her arm, but she gritted her teeth and bore the pain as she got the legs stretched out. Carmen, how did you know? I mean, how did you find out what was going on? She grunted as the buckles, blood wet and slippery, finally came loose. “You should know better than to ask, my friend. Remember who you’re dealing with? How many of my team were watching things until I could get back? Anything unusual happens, someone picks up the phone. It just so happens that Her Royal Bitchiness pissed me off enough that I left the Sanctuary Club with your brother just in time to get the phone call without alerting her to something unusual going on up here.” She reached up to undo the gag in his mouth, and eased the ball out so he could work his jaw. A harsh, barking laughter erupted the moment he could talk. “You went into her lair and actually called her that to her face?” He turned his head to look up at her. The tiger-like features were slowly retracting back into the familiar face she had come to know; only now the masks were off. It had been hiding a trio of claw scars going across the face, just under the gorgeous green eyes. Instead of taking away, it enhanced his features, making him even more handsome. “I’m amazed she let you out of there.” Duncan/Khan padded over to nudge her left hand. She did more than that, brother. You should have seen her. He went on to tell him the entire story while she got the rest of the bondage gear off of him.

****

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor “Damn, woman. You do know how to take on the world, don’t you?”

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“I always say if you can’t run with the big dogs, stay on the fucking porch.” I take offense to that comment, Carmen. Say `big cats’ instead of dogs and I won’t bite you on the ass. She laughed out loud, “Try it, you furball, and you’ll get a mouthful of catnip. I warned you last time you showed your teeth at me.” The tiger showed its teeth. In her mind, she felt the smile. Sean coughed and began working to sit upright, hissing in pain. “You two are incorrigible.” He smiled. “But at least it’s keeping my mind off the pain.” He reached out to rub the fur of the cub that had clawed its way up onto the bed. In response, the little cat butted its head up against the hand, demanding attention. “Talk to me. Tell me what happened here?” When he opened his mouth, Carmen placed a finger over his lips. “Not how you and your brother are able to do the impossible, though it does explain some of the illusions you do. How you came to be strapped into that disgusting harness and, well...” she left the rest of it unsaid. The horror of seeing his back like it that would be branded in her mind for the rest of her life. Duncan nudged her left side, nibbling her fingertips, forcing her to scratch the tiger behind the ears. Sean nibbled her fingers as she removed them from his soft lips. “Okay boys, flirting with me is not going to give me any answers, nor any plan of action.” She looked at them both. “Sean, you have a show to do tonight. I’m assuming that calling the medics is a bad idea, so tell me what’s going on.” Sean slid off the bed and moved to the soft carpeting near the balcony. Even as she watched, his back slowly stopped bleeding. The whole thing still looked like fresh hamburger, but it seemed that blood loss was no longer a factor. Slowly, he drew her down to sit on the floor while Duncan laid his furry head in her lap. “Well, you now know the reason why I wear a mask.” He touched the scarring. “I envied you the ability to go without one. But, in my profession, being a victim tends to have an adverse effect on the population at large. Besides,” He reached over to scratch the tiger’s ears, “If it ever got out that my protector was the one involved with the attack on me, there would be a lot of people demanding he be put to sleep.” You’re avoiding her question, Big Brother, Duncan head butted him in the midsection. She

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor has a right to know.

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Carmen grinned, “He beat me to the punch, Sean. You’re avoiding the issue and, as head of the security team you hired from Tarrington Security, I’m in charge of seeing that you’re safe from any and all harm. We failed you once, my friend; I promise you there won’t be a second time.” “Well, we got here and everything went smoothly. Your team set up shop and made a good rapport with the hotel security so that everything ran on an even keel.” He smiled and ran a hand through her hair. “No one suspected anything in the way of an internal problem. Not even me. We had everything covered except for those inside Rogue’s personal people.” I should have been here, Sean. I would have had a grand time shredding Sam’s body into itty bitty bits. He grimaced. “Inhale, Little Brother. There were two people in here during the whole thing. One who took pleasure in inflicting pain on the helpless, the other who enjoyed watching it being done.” “Who, Sean?” She looked up at his face, watching his eyes. “Did anyone mention any names? I know Sam was involved. But who was the other person?” She frowned in thought, “For that matter, how did a stranger get past my team? They have every part of this building on video and physical surveillance.” “Sam, in his haze of lust, let slip a name I’ve never heard before.” He looked at the two of them. “Prince Ahmed. As to the second part of your question, yesterday Sam drugged me with some odd concoction designed to induce a shapeshifter to lose control of his form. As some of us are stronger willed than others, I managed to stay partially human, which is why those two stripped the skin off my back. This Prince wanted a trophy, said something about being in town to acquire more slaves for his stables. He kept mentioning something about his sister and a Cat Goddess needing more sacrificial peons to do their bidding.” At the sound of that hated name, she began to shake uncontrollably. A red haze began to mist over her eyes as a blind rage drove all sane thoughts from her head. Memories of what he planned to do to The Twins and what she’d endured all crowded in to blind her from anything except the fury in her blood. Standing, she ignored all else and headed for the door. In a coordinated move, Sean swept her legs out from under her while Duncan used his considerable

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor bulk and body mass to pin her to the floor.

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Enraged, she fought like a madwoman, adrenaline giving her strength enough to lift two hundred pounds of solid feline muscle up off her chest for a few seconds. Silently she writhed, trying to get out from under the heavy weight. Nothing mattered to her but getting out and finding that son of a bitch. Her imagination produced vivid scenes of what she would do to him when she found him, the cops and Feds be damned. Her struggles came to an end in the form of a heavy paw making contact with the side of her head. The red-hot darkness enveloped her into its blessed silence, bringing her down into the abyss where nothing could touch her. The last thing she heard before the blackness wrapped her in a warm blanket was Sean shouting for Logan. Then, nothing. Around noon, Carmen finally opened her eyes, only to squeeze them shut again. This prompted someone to close the curtains, encouraging her to make a second attempt. One eye opened all the way while the other seemed to be glued partially shut. Slowly, she took a look at her surroundings while feeling the left side of her face. She had been placed on a bed. By the feel of it, someone had replaced the old one. Spying some water, she drank some down. “Where’s the cub?” Duncan, in human form, stood near the curtains, smiling sheepishly. Sean came back in the room, carrying an ice pack. “Well, you’re awake finally.” He wore a pair of black jeans that hung loose at the waist, and nothing else. “Logan took the youngster out for a walk. I’m sorry we had to do that to you, but when you went berserk, you wouldn’t listen to reason, we had to be a bit dramatic. While you were sleeping, Louis and Carla came in. When they heard what happened, they told me what happened before I hired you.” He came forward to kneel in front of her to gently place the ice over her sore jaw. “Apparently, Sam managed to create enough of a distraction so that asshole could slip through the surveillance and get into the blind spot where the cameras couldn’t see. Then Sam merely opened the door with a cart full of torture goodies and you saw what happened.” He reached out to brush a lock of hair out of her eyes. Duncan also came over to kneel in human form. Taking her injured hand in his own, he sighed. “Gods, Carmen. I’m so sorry. It’s a wonder you didn’t kill me the moment I brought that outfit for you to wear.” He laid his head in her lap. “I’m also glad your dad doesn’t know. He and his team looked ready to tear me to pieces the moment I came out with the stuff for

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor them.”

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Tears formed in her eyes, dripping slowly down her face. “Stop guys. If you keep talking to me like this, I’ll start bawling.” Gritting her teeth, she tried to move her fingers on her left hand, welcoming the pain that shot through her hand. “I’m the one who should apologize. I don’t normally get that angry, but when you mentioned that bastard’s name, I wanted to go find him.” She sighed, “Let’s just say I don’t think they’d have enough of him left to put into an ashtray.” She set the ice pack off to one side and ran her hand through Duncan’s hair. “As for you, sweetie, it had to be done. If you had brought a collar for me to wear, I would have gone ballistic, but you didn’t. As for this,” she held up her hand, “no fucking way I was going to do what she asked to prove that you were part of my crew. I don’t enjoy causing pain or humiliating people unless they seriously piss me off.” She looked up at Sean, “And Yasmeen has just seriously pissed me off.” A moment of silence happened as both men took time to settle down on either side of her. As if in a coordinated maneuver they leaned forward, each intent on claiming her lips in a sensual kiss. At the same time, she leaned forward, smacking her head against theirs in the process. The three of them glanced at each other and burst out laughing. “You know, this is something most women would lust over in a heartbeat.” Carmen smiled after getting control of her giggles. Grinning, Sean beat Duncan to the punch, “How so?” “I’m stuck in a fantastically expensive room in a fabulous hotel in Vegas with two of the sexiest men alive.” Quickly she leaned forward to give each of them a lightning quick kiss on the lips. “Now don’t go telling anyone my little secret, but I find you two extremely attractive. However, my job comes first. That means trying to figure out what the fuck is going on.” That brought a smile to both their faces. “There’s nothing in the rulebooks that says we can’t flirt with you, Carmen.” Duncan grinned impishly, “And just because I’m a big pussy doesn’t mean I can’t flirt in feline form.” She blipped him on the nose with a finger, “Only if I’m not distracted by work, okay?” Sean wrapped his arms around her. “Yeah, Little Brother, I hired her. Until we get this whole thing settled, we can flirt when she’s not on duty. Maybe we can surprise her into doing another illusion with us?” A soft light invaded the room, followed by a softly sensual mental voice, Perhaps I can be of

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor some assistance in helping the three of you figure out what is going on.

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Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor

71 Chapter Eight

Three stunned heads turned to see a beautiful woman dressed like an Ancient Egyptian noblewoman.

She came forward and smiled.

Its not often I get three pairs of stunned

expressions at once anymore. Carmen took a good look at the woman’s face. “You! I know you. The medic from the train in England.” She rubbed her bruised face, “Maybe Duncan here hit me hard enough and I’m hallucinating. You just poofed in here on a ray of light, right? I hate to ask the infamously obvious question, but…who are you?” You have every right, Carmen Marshall, to question those who could possibly harm these two handsome men. To answer your questions, yes, the Light was my way of entering the mortal world from the Afterlife. No, you’re not hallucinating and for the last one, I am Isis. She smiled ironically at all three of them. There is a great uproar with my family about what is happening with Bast and they’ve sent me to help. Glancing at Carmen, she winked. Would you believe I wanted to get to know you a bit better? Honestly, the Powers-That-Be strongly suggested that I should keep an eye on you and they wouldn’t say why. Duncan scooted closer to Carmen. “Bast? The Cat Goddess? Yasmeen uses her symbol as a brand on her property.” He held up the ruined wreck of her hand. Sean nodded in agreement. “Prince Ahmed’s sister is a deviant and thinks of herself as all powerful. Anything she wants, she merely has to speak and one of her slaves, or the Prince himself, goes running to find it.” He grimaced, “Or acquire it in any means possible.” Indeed. Let me explain what happened so you will understand what’s going on. I’m not going to be the all mighty and powerful Goddess right now. She waved her hand, erasing the remaining blood from the room and conjuring up several chairs. Sitting down, she wriggled until she was comfortable. Many years ago, the man you know as Prince Ahmed became interested in the Ancient Egyptian pantheon. We believe his aim was to indulge in some of his sick and twisted fantasies and use Us to justify his actions. Amongst his gleanings of ancient texts, he found a spell designed to capture and contain one of us. She made a disgusted sound. It had been in place just in case one of the mischief makers got into trouble and wouldn’t back down. “Let me guess. You guys forgot it was on the books until Ahmed enacted it?” Carmen

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor broke in.

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We didn’t know what happened until Bast suddenly didn’t show up at her usual spots anymore. Sometimes it happens when she takes a sabbatical and goes wandering, but she always came back before. This is why we have been so late in getting to her rescue. You see, the spell has been modified. Not only does it contain the person in question, it also removes their ability to resist commands. The woman you know as Mistress Yasmeen is, in fact, Bast. Ahmed had the spell shifted so that it took physical form. Duncan blinked. “A collar perhaps? Something with a cat head on it?” “Is there any way for her to communicate with people to let them call for help?” Sean asked. Isis grinned, How do you think we finally figured out what was going on? That little fiasco with the Hieroglyphs in your dressing room was designed to attract our attention. She actually sent your manager in there with the paint and the drawings. Unfortunately, to explain the reason why she wanted it done, she had to make it look special. One of the glyphs he painted carried a specific message in the sequence. As instructed, Mr. Lodina spoke the words to activate the alarm, figuratively speaking. “Thanks for that information. I’ve been trying to find someone to translate that stuff.” Carmen sighed, “The next is, how do we break this spell and get everyone back on an even keel without messing up too many lives?” The Goddess gave an eloquent shrug. To break the spell itself is easy enough. Simply remove the physical manifestation. It will disappear. As to the rest, once the spell is broken, everything else will be gone as well.” “Meaning?” Meaning everyone who has been under her influence will be returned to normal, released from their current sexual thrall to resume their normal lives once again. Of course, this will lead to some extremely embarrassing situations.” Carmen cut her off, “And a lot of traumatic ones if the person was taken unwillingly, Isis.” She laid a hand on Sean, who moved to show her back to the woman. While it was healing at a phenomenal rate, it still looked bloody and messy. “Take a good hard look at Sean’s back. If Ahmed is willing to do this on a full grown man, or have it ordered done for his amusement, think about what it would be like for an innocent woman or a sexually shy person? Imagine

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor 73 someone’s little girl or boy waking up in the middle of some sick and painful BDSM scenario? Isis, he buys humans and doesn’t give a damn if they’re willing or not. I can only imagine what he did to Bast the first time he realized that she was under his control.” For a moment, Isis looked extremely stunned; a rage began a slow build in her eyes as the impact of her words hit home. Sean turned to look the woman in the eyes, “If you want to save your family, Isis, you have to save the ones who will suffer most if you just leave them the way they are. Sometimes it’s not just about one person, someone you care for; it’s about everyone that’s involved with the whole mess.” He shrugged and winced, “It’s a package deal. I’ve got a way to break the spell, but I’m not going to do it unless I have your word that you’ll be helping everyone involved, not just those here and now.” Duncan suddenly grinned, “You’re going to get her on stage, aren’t you? Put her in an illusion where things go poof?” He fell backwards laughing. “Oh…oh can I nibble her toes? Can I?” His hands and feet went into the air as he laughed some more. “Or maybe I can hike a leg on Ahmed’s pants.” Carmen rolled her eyes. “You’re incorrigible, Duncan, nonetheless, I think I have a way to get back at Ahmed. I need time to set it up, so no peeing on anyone‘s boots just yet. How long are we staying in Vegas?” “About five more days.” “How about we give the audience something to remember at the last performance?” She grinned evilly, “Tongues will already be wagging about Sheik Hamadi arriving with one of his lovely wives.” She glanced meaningfully at Isis. “Why not go all out and have Prince Ahmed and Mistress Yasmeen there as well?” All three of them looked at her and smiled. Oh I like the way you think, Isis laughed, yes, you have my word that we will deal with everyone involved with this mess. Now, I think, it is time that I leave. The three of you in one room look yummy enough for me to molest all on my own. She sent a private mental message for Carmen alone. My dear, you take these two and hold them close to your heart. They are special and, I sense, you know this too. So take a Goddess’ advice, ravish them as soon as possible, and love them until the end of time. I know I would if I were in your shoes.

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor 74 Heat crept up Carmen’s face as she nodded slightly to the advice. “Uh, Isis? Can you do something about Sean’s back? We’re going to have a hard enough time explaining the claw marks and mess in the penthouse without having The Rogue bleed all over his costumes on stage.” I think that I can fix both the room and this handsome man’s back all in the same sweep of my hand. Isis grinned impishly and made a couple gestures. The rooms instantly returned to their pristine state and, judging from the stunned expression on the faces of both men, bruises and wounds were being healed. A pleasant tingling sensation began in her left hand, forcing her to look on with amazement as the burnt flesh slowly regained its healthy color. The only thing remaining was the imprint of the cat’s head. However, instead of the image Yasmeen used, a detailed image of the Cat Goddess in solid black lines appeared. You are all healed as far as my powers are allowed to heal. Now, I must leave if I am to insert myself into Sheik Hamadi’s harem. In the meantime, remember this. She smiled at all three of them; the tripod is the strongest feature in this life and the next. My suggestion would be to cement that aspect before you three wade into the coming fray. That said, she poofed into a shower of golden dust. Carmen stood up and stretched. “How big would you say that bathtub is?” She looked at both men. A devious smile lit Sean’s face, “Big enough for a small party to splash away and not get the floor wet.” He stood up and the two of them held their hands out to Duncan. Laughing, he took their hands, hauling himself to his feet. “Let’s make the most of it. Afterwards, then we can actually give the bad guys their comeuppance. Right now, I just feel like molesting Carmen and making her scream.” Laughing, they ran for the bathroom and the cavernous tub, leaving numerous clothing items in their wake. Twenty minutes later, they were all neck deep in the hot water. Feeling suddenly shy, Carmen sank down into the relaxing heat until it lapped her chin. “I hate to say this, you two, but I’ve never actually done a threesome before.” The two men looked at each other and then back at her. “But you’re not a virgin, right?” Glaring at Duncan, she grunted. “No, I’m not a damned virgin. Otherwise I wouldn’t have

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor 75 been able to do what I did back in San Fran. It’s just that men don’t want to have sex with a woman who looks like a sewing machine went psycho on her skin.” She smiled slightly, “You two are only a few of a group of people that can look at me without wincing and giving me the, ‘Oh, You Poor Woman’ look” Duncan scooted over to her and lowered his head to kiss her bare shoulder, using his tongue to trace the claw scars on her shoulder. “That’s because Sean and I have a unique ability to see beyond the skin to the real person underneath.” Sean floated over to her other side and nibbled on her ear, “And what we see is very attractive. Someone we want to spend time with.” A nip on the side of her neck, “Worship every inch of your body,” he turned her face to him and whispered against her lips, “to spend every day and night making you moan in sexual abandon.” Overloaded with the dual assault, she claimed those soft lips in a frenzy of lust while her hands sought out the rock hard cocks that she knew were under the hot water. While her tongue explored Sean’s mouth, tasting and caressing, her hands moved slowly to stroke the shafts, causing them both to moan. Soon she fell into a chasm of pleasure where she couldn’t tell whose hands were doing what or which mouth was teasing her nipples, or nibbling on her lips. When she did fight her way back to sanity for one moment, she grinned wickedly and straddled Sean. “This time, there aren’t any conductors to sneak up on us with flashlights or trains that move at the wrong time.” With that, she sank down on him, burying his massive cock inside her for the first time. Arching his hips, he growled deep in his throat while Duncan kissed a burning path up her spine. Both of them worshipped her scars with their lips and tongues, seeing them as beauty instead of what she thought they were. Sean slowly ran his fingernails up her back, causing her to arch backwards into his brother’s waiting arms. Shifting his hands slightly, he brought them up and over her shoulders and down to gently pinch and pull at the pebble hard nipples. Awash in the pleasure of the moment, she didn’t notice the look the two shared over her shoulder. Slowly, Duncan moved forward in the heated water, to cover her back. Had she opened her eyes for a brief moment, she would have seen the transformation of their faces and the sharpness of Sean’s teeth as his face contorted to accommodate the elongated canines. Both men reached down to spread the cheeks of her ass, caressing and fondling as they went, allowing

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor 76 Duncan to step closer. Bending forward, he pinned Carmen against his brother and began to purr deeply against her skin, licking and nipping. She had no chance to wonder what they were up to when they bit down, one on each shoulder. At the same time, Duncan gently thrust forward, entering her from behind while Sean reached down to pinch her clit to enhance her pleasure. The pain and pleasure threshold burst like a dam in her mind, leaving her awash in the ecstasy of having two men inside her at the same time. Pausing, he allowed her time to adjust to the feel of his cock before gently inching himself inwards until the rough curls of his pubic hairs chafed her ass cheeks. With infinite care, he began to move backwards, pulling his cock partway out as the hot water acted as a lubricant to ease the way back inwards. After a few moments, his brother began a sensual torment of his own, moving in while the other pulled out. Slowly and taking great care. After a few moments, Carmen growled out, “Fuck me! I’m not going to break. I need both of you inside me.” She thrust back and down with her body, burying both of them deep, causing them to moan. The sound sent vibrations through their fangs and into her skin, making her gasp at the sensation, raising goosebumps along her back and arms. Quickly, they found their rhythm, slamming in and out of her. The force of their movement started the now water sloshing over the side to wet the tile flooring. Unable to do anything but relax and enjoy, she braced her hands against the rim of the tub. Her skin felt too tight for what it was going through, even the lightest brush of hair against her skin and the harsh pain of the canines in her flesh took on such an erotic sensation. It became hard to think about anything else except the impact of flesh against flesh and the rough calluses on the hands that caressed her nipples or pinched her clit, enhancing the pleasure. Something primal had been unleashed within the three of them as they moved in a wild frenzy of lovemaking, something that bonded the three of them, heart to mind, body to soul with each thrust, growl, and caress. Carmen was the first to feel it building within her. The intense pleasure, multiplied by three, that sent darting jolts of exquisite heat down to her toes. A powerful tremor built slowly until she could no longer control her voice as she screamed out. Following her into her orgasm, the brothers thrust deep and it was Duncan who released her shoulder and shouted hoarsely as his body convulsed and shook with pleasure. Sean followed

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor 77 mere seconds afterwards. The three of them soared to heaven on a wave of heated bliss, only to fall back to earth in their own bodies. In that moment between flying and falling, she saw brief flashes of what happened to Duncan.

A knife to Duncan’s chest. Pain. Darkness. A brief glimpse of a woman’s hand and a voice, “You are healed, Duncan Cameron. Your destiny is to answer to the call of the tiger, whose karmic path you now share. Be warned. To break the skin of another is to share your condition. India. His vision skewed by the trees and his animal form, watched as his brother helped the poachers clear out of camp. In a surprising move, Sean startled him by turning and scooping him up. His human mind watched in horror as the large paws clawed their way across his face. Carmen collapsed in a trembling in the overload as she returned to her body. “You know, I should be mad at the two of you.” Sean’s face had returned to its normal proportions, “How so?” She reached up to touch the bite marks on her neck and shoulder. “This is what you call making me break my promise to myself,” she arched an eyebrow at him, then licked the blood off her fingers. “I also saw a bit of what happened to you both. So no more evasions.” Duncan angled around so he could grin at her. “You know,” he licked at the wounds himself, “some rules were made to be broken and, if you’ll recall, Isis did say we needed to do something to solidify this before tackling Bast. Unfortunately, the bonding let loose the mental barriers as well. I‘m sorry you had to see what you did.” “If there’s only one lesson to learn here. It’s never, ever wise to argue with a Goddess when she’s willing to suggest things.” Sean arched an eyebrow and nipped her nipple. “I’m not sorry she saw what she did, Duncan. She needed to know anyways.” Off in the other room, her cell phone began to ring.

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor

78 Chapter Nine

Carmen stood in the small security room off the main lobby, feeling like a time bomb ready to explode. She had taken the time to put on a black t-shirt underneath a leather vest, black jeans, and boots. To keep people from asking questions about the huge bite marks on her neck, she found a dark red bandanna to tie off like a loose form of a choker. Nothing tight, just enough to hide things she had no explanations for. The shirt and vest hid the one on her shoulder quite nicely. They both hurt, but the fury burning through her at the moment made everything else seem like a minor inconvenience in comparison. Three things had just kicked her in the gut. Sam Lodina had suddenly disappeared.

A thorough search of the building turned up

nothing. His room showed all the signs of a hasty packing. He even left his beloved collection of whips and bondage gear. The other two things were on the table in front of her: a small, blood red, acrylic box and a DVD disk. Both had blood spatters on them. The two items, addressed to her and sent by private courier, sat like sinister red bombs on the pristine white table. She glanced at her team, “It’s been scanned?” “X-rayed, thermo scanned, and we even brought in a bomb sniffing dog. Nothing.” Logan said. She nodded and pointed at the DVD. “Play it,” then sat down in one of the large wooden chairs off to one side of the security monitors. With her people around her, she turned her attention to the screen as he inserted the disk and pressed play. She knew it would be bad, some inner voice told her to steel herself. She was wrong. It wasn’t bad. It was horrific. The screen resolved itself into what appeared to be a flow of blood running down a pile of white sand. The view zoomed outwards to reveal the mangled back of a man. Someone had whipped this man so much the flesh hung in strips down around the waist. Her eyes finally made sense of it all. She was seeing salt, not sand, that someone had rubbed into the wounds. The granules sparkled in the artificial light of the camera. Whoever was holding the camera moved around the victim so he stood in front of the man.

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor 79 A studded leather hand came from off to one side and gripped the hair, yanking it upwards to reveal the identity of the victim to the harsh lights. Despite the fact that he had been savagely beaten and his body bore numerous marks of whip, knife, and brand, there could be no mistaking those defiant eyes. Those eyes mirrored her own when she looked at herself in the mirror, “Dad.” she moaned. You should recognize this pig by now, bitch. Prince Ahmed’s voice lashed out through the speakers. This time, you play by my rules, in my world. You have upset the Princess and defied her orders. For that alone, you must be punished. A squeak of tormented wood pulled her from the horror on the screen. Looking down, she saw her hands digging into the heavy oak chair hard enough to leave gouges in the dark finish. Duncan and Sean came forward to try and comfort her, but she shook her head, “Leave me alone for this one, guys. I need to see this without any comfort. Just make sure to keep me away from the tech stuff on the other side of the room.” They nodded and she turned her attention back to the screen. That sinister voice would be something to haunt her dreams for the rest of her life. Do you still have my collar, pet? If you want to see him alive and intact, for the most part, you will come to see me in person. Just you, not your team or your pets. You. And just so you understand what will happen if you refuse to show up in a week’s time… the camera focused on her father’s left hand. The ring he wore was distinctive and glittered in the lights. Suddenly, a pair of bolt cutters came into the camera’s visual range and snipped off that one finger down by the knuckle. For her sake, there wasn’t any screaming, just a grunt and several snarled curses. The camera backed off until it was once again a full view of her father. Only then did she realize he was naked. Watch and get a taste of what will happen if you disobey me. What happened for the next fifteen minutes almost had her throwing up. Sleeping would not be an option for the next week. Closing her eyes, she blocked out the sight of the leather clad woman with the strap-on dildo, the cat-of-nine tails with hooks attached, and the restraints that forced him to remain on his knees with his chin on a cold iron bar. Her father never uttered another word while the abuse happened. His eyes stared at the camera with hatred, the only time that gaze changed was when he focused entirely on the camera itself. He smiled at the camera and mouthed the words, It’s a trap, don’t come after me.

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor 80 Suddenly, the camera swung around, and Ahmed’s face came into view. You have a week to find me, little slut. If you do not come to me, I will send this man back to you a piece at a time. I assure you, I have many talented people who will keep him occupied until you arrive. Ta ta. The screen went blank as the DVD ended. Carmen felt like the cold flame of rage ice through her veins. Her vision seemed to telescope, then return to normal. Gritting her teeth, she growled out, “Louis. Scan check that disk and confirm it’s real with no tampering. Then I want everyone to get the fuck out.” Beside her Sean stiffened as if to say something, but kept his mouth shut when she turned her gaze up to his. Something must have shown in her eyes, because he backed off. Only Duncan remained close. As was his habit, he knelt beside her then leaned in to whisper in her ear, “Trust me when I tell you to look at the floor, and do not let anyone else see your eyes. We’ll answer your questions later, but for now, you need time alone.” She nodded and barely heard Louis confirm that the disk was real, no tampering involved. A moment later and the door clicked shut behind her. Only then did she reach out to take the small red box in her trembling hands. Knowing what it contained, and how it got there, didn’t make it any better. Taking a deep breath, she opened the lid. A tortured moan escaped her lips as she lifted the finger out of the nest of shredded newspaper. A replay of what her father had had to endure ripped through her mind, the blow almost forcing her to her knees with the emotional torment. After a few moments, she examined the ring attached. He’d never taken it off. A combination of gold and silver, the heavy ring held a deadly little secret all its own. A tweak and twist in a certain direction on the raised Celtic knot work carving revealed a hidden compartment. Anyone who tried to get the ring open by any other means would find themselves very dead from a spring loaded, cyanide-filled needle no bigger than a human hair. Inside the lid, a tiny picture of her and her dad sat. So small as to need a magnifying glass to identify the people in it, but she knew the picture very well. The day I turned thirteen and we went to the zoo together. Mom had fits for a week. The memory brought a brief smile to her face. The main compartment held two things. One was a cyanide capsule. Another thing she’d known about only her Dad didn’t know that she had found it the one and only time she remembered he had taken it off–to install the other item inside.

She knew enough about

electronic tracking bugs to recognize what she was looking at. Nodding to herself, she closed the

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor 81 ring and removed it from the severed finger. As she did so, something caught her eye about the carved surface of the lid. A slow inspection revealed a tiny pinhole. Staring at it brought a savage smile to her face. Her cell phone was in her hand and dialed before she even knew what she’d done. Only when Daria’s voice came through did she come to her senses. “Tarrington Security Agency, how may we help you today?” That voice washed over her and gave her a sense of calmness. The rage receded into the far corner of her mind, allowing her to think clearly. “Daria, thank the Gods.” “Carmen? Jesus, girl. What in hell is going on with you?” “What do you mean?” “I’ve got government people crawling all over my office and my people. I’ve got a very polite couple that has been asking about your whereabouts, and I’m up to my eyeballs in the work for my other teams.” She glanced at the ring surface that glinted in the soft light, grinning, “I can take care of the government people, Daria. I have a feeling I know what they want. Better yet, they’ve probably got your phone tapped and are listening in to what we’re saying right now. I hope for their sakes they’re not listening to anything confidential because I’d be very upset.” “Oh, I think they are, but they’re kind of cute. I wouldn’t mind taking one or two of them out for drinks and dinner, then ripping their clothes off for a night of wild passion.” Carmen busted out laughing. “I just bet you would. You have a thing for men with big…guns.” she teased. “Just don’t scare the poor dears with your talk of whipped cream and cherries. They might get the wrong idea.” “Carmen!” came the outraged voice, “that was supposed to be a secret!” A dramatic sigh, “Now I’ll have to devise other ways to trap and molest these guys.” “Listen, let that polite couple know that Rogue is doing performances all week over here in Vegas. If they want me, someone will point them in the right direction.” “Right. What else can I do for you?” “Hmmmmm. Do you remember that recipe for shake-n-bake I sent you? The one with the instructions on how to properly cook the tail?” Carmen knew Daria well enough she could actually say Shake and have it mean Sheik.

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor 82 A pause, “The Arabian chicken recipe with the princely garnishes that gives off an unusual taste?” Good, she understood. “As I and my team will be spending the week here with Rogue, perhaps we should extend an invite? I already have the princely garnishes here; perhaps you could go out of your way to get the shake-n-bake delivered? I’ll make sure front row seats are in the bribe. Perhaps this Friday? The nine o‘clock showing?” The sound of tap tapping on a keyboard. “You want me to use the extra crispy recipe?” Meaning the blackmail info. “No, do the recipe just like I sent it to you. Just don’t use too much spice; I don’t want you to get burned in the process.” She glanced at the time, “Look, I’ve got to get back to work. Remind me to tell you how sexy Rogue’s brother is. Tight ass, washboard abs, and he looks absolutely gorgeous in a thong. Yummy.” The sound of barely suppressed laughter came from the receiver as she worked to control her amusement. “You are so bad, Carmen Marshall. Maybe that’s one of the reasons I hired you.” “Yeah, right. When this is over, is there anything you want?” “Hmmm. How about one of Rogue’s masks, autographed?” “I’ll see what I can do. You be careful back there and I’ll see you when this is over.” She hung up the phone, feeling a bit better. Daria’s voice had taken some of the rage away and allowed her to think a bit more sensibly. Carefully, she placed the severed finger back in the box and picked up the ring. Without a second thought, she slipped it onto her left ring finger and mentally counted to four. She’d reached three when someone hammered on the door hard enough to rattle the hinges. “Carmen! Open the fucking door or I’m going to break it down!” Gus’s voice thundered like an injured water buffalo. The power of that alone rattled some of the electronic equipment in the room. Damned moron doesn’t bother to try the handle first. “Gus, take a deep breath and follow my instructions to the letter, do you hear me?” “Yeah. What do you want me to do?” “This is too easy,” she muttered. Then, louder, “Take your right hand, place it firmly on the doorknob, and twist said doorknob a quarter turn counter-clockwise.”

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor 83 There was a soft click and the door slowly swung inwards, letting in the snickers and chuckles of the people behind Gus. With a muffled curse, he walked through the door. “You gonna let the rest of us in on what happened? Or do we play twenty questions while your dad is somewhere we can’t find?” Duncan moved into the room and handed her a pair of tinted glasses, dark enough to hide the eyes, and light enough to not arouse suspicions from normal humans. With a nod of thanks, she turned to the fuming man in front of her. “Duncan, get The Twins to check the conference room next door. Gus, call the team and get them settled in the other room. I know they’re hanging out in the hallway. And you’d best get someone strong to restrain Bobby because what I’ve got to show you is not going to be pretty.” He arched an eyebrow at her. “How bad can it be?” Carmen lifted the lid on the severed finger, “I’m borderline berserk right now. One wrong move on anyone’s part and I’m going to start ripping body parts off screaming people. I’m holding on by a thread, Gus. If what I saw on the DVD has put me in this state of mind, imagine what it’s going to do to Bobby and Philippe? You guys are like brothers. Most of you can keep a level head, but those two are going to go off the deep end.” Wincing, he looked away from the box, and into her eyes through the glasses. “Mark and I can handle the boys. But before we do this, take off the shades.” Knowing he’d ask, she pulled them off and then raised her eyes to meet his. When he opened his mouth to ask, she held up a hand. “No, Gus. You don’t have the right to ask and I’m not ready to talk about it. However,” she leaned close and let him see exactly what burned within the depths of her eyes, “I want the person responsible for every violation of my father.” She slipped the glasses back on. “By the way, I’d rather not have to explain the eyes to anyone else until it’s necessary. Now get everyone into the other room.”

****

Michelle put an ice pack over Carmen’s jaw. “Well, I’d say that went over like a lead balloon,” she muttered sarcastically as she glared at the two unconscious bodies laid out on the carpet in the conference room.

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor 84 Carmen winced. “Be thankful that you weren’t in there when they used the strap-on on the DVD. It took three of us to hold down one of them and a Glock 9 in the face of the other to keep them from getting out the door and tearing people to pieces. If I hadn’t warned them about the whole thing, I think there wouldn’t have been any stopping them.” By the end of the video, everyone had at least one serious bruise and Rick had a broken nose before Gus got the bright idea to sucker punch both men. Now they were laid out, being tended to by their friends. Mark and Gus were talking with Logan, Lois, and Carla off by one of the monitors in the room. Fortunately for her, she hadn’t lost her glasses. A gentle hand touched her shoulder. “Carmen.” Rogue’s masked face came into view. “It’s okay. Michelle, can you get everyone together? I think I have an idea to get all the birds with buckshot and a solid slug blast.” “Sure boss.” She started making her way to people. “Sean,” she whispered softly, “set your performances up for an Egyptian theme, because I have a feeling the shit’s gonna hit the fan with one Goddess in the audience, and probably a pissed off one once that collar comes off.” He nodded. “Already in the works. How are you holding up?” She sighed, “I’m still feeling like I want to tear things to pieces, but that can be put on hold until we get my dad out of that hell house and back to somewhere that he’ll be out of reach of anyone. He’s going to be in a bad way when they get to him. I want him whole and safe, Sean. I don’t want him to go through this.” “None of us do, Carmen.” Mark came up, followed by the other members of both groups. The only exceptions were the two unconscious forms. “Michelle said you had a plan?” Before she could explain, Khan showed up. Slowly, he padded through the group, silent as a shadow, yet very visible in his black and white fur. His sudden appearance produced the expected reactions. “Holy shit!” “What the fuck!” “How in hell did that thing get in here?” As most of her people were used to the big cat, they merely stepped out of the way to let him through. The others, however, began reaching for weapons, hidden or otherwise. Even she could

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor 85 sense the fear pouring off the team. Behind Khan came the cub, chasing after the tip of the tail in front of him. Better diffuse this whole mess before someone gets shot, she thought. Sighing, she held up a hand to her friends, “Ease off, guys, you know better than to draw down on Rogue’s personal bodyguard.” She put the ice pack on the ground. “Or don’t you guys ever read the entertainment section?” Holding out her hand, Khan came over and cuddled, then put his head in her lap and the smaller of the two decided that Michelle looked more fun to play with. Gus backed up to the wall, holding his Glock in a two-handed stance. At her words, he pointed it at the floor, but didn’t ease up. “That cat ain’t even restrained, Carmen! What happens if it goes on a rampage?” “Look at me, Gus.” She spoke in a commanding voice. When he didn’t, she lowered her voice a bit more and added more force to it. “Gus. Look At Me!” Startled, he looked up to meet his reflection in her glasses. “Look at my face.” Her hand went up to touch the scars, both old and new. “I was attacked by a snow leopard that was tortured beyond its endurance. I know what a rogue cat can do. There would’ve been a time when my guns would have beaten yours to the draw, but not now. Not this time. Khan is special. He’s no danger to anyone in this room.” Her hand scratched behind the ears and was rewarded by a finger nibble. “How do you think Rogue gets away with a lot of what he does after the show most of the time? Now put that damned gun up and get your ass over here.” Khan’s mental voice caressed her mind, Geez. Big Bad men almost stampede for the door at the first sign of the unknown. I’d laugh if I were in human form. As Gus edged closer, she sent a shaft of thought to the cat, Duncan, dammit. You should know better than to pull a stunt like this. Now act like a good cat or else I’ll get the spray bottle and the Thorazine! To the rest of the room, “Okay, Rogue here is going to be doing a week-long run of performances here in Las Vegas. My team’s job, as per our contract, is to keep him out of trouble. Unfortunately, there are several factors getting in the way of keeping to our main orders. I’ve got plans in the works to get the major players all together in one spot for one performance. Ahmed gave us a week to find him. I got a damned good idea where he’ll be during one of the performances, because his father’s not gonna let him ignore a summons to join him in the front row.” She looked up at Rogue. “The invite went out. Sheik Ali Hamadi and his wife will be

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor 86 joining us for one of your performances. My boss will call me when the Sheik gets back to her about Friday’s performance. Yasmeen and her brother will be expected to show up as well to spend time bonding with the family.” She looked at her dad’s friends. “Now, who here has the clearance to get the government goons off Daria Randall’s ass? Her phones are bugged, they’ve been harassing her almost every other day with questions about clients, and she’s getting very annoyed.” No hands showed. “Okay, so don’t let me know. Just get them off her ass before she and I start discussing sexual fantasies over the phone lines. If you know anything about women, my friends, we can get very inventive about who and what we will do to a man if given the opportunity. Should those fantasies involve those listening in, I don’t think their superiors would appreciate it if those taps became public knowledge.” Shuffling feet and embarrassed coughs greeted her statement and she allowed herself a small smile of satisfaction. “I’m sure my point was just made. Now, I have an idea, but I’m going to toss it out for you guys to mull over. Who had surveillance on dad’s ring when he was taken?” “I did.” Rick spoke up. “Fine. You and Logan get together. Pool your resources and get me some references. See if you can’t identify some of the people torturing him. If it’s Sam Lodina, I want him. Badly. He’s been on my shit list for a while, but this time he‘s pushed the wrong button. You find him, you keep him safe, because I have a few things I want to say to him.” They nodded. “Okay. Rogue is going to do his Egyptian themed performance on Friday. If all goes as planned, the entire family, as I have said, will be there. If they’re at the performance, they won’t be where dad is. That’s your team’s job, right? Get the goods on Yasmeen and Ahmed’s human slave trade?” Mark nodded. “Top priority, as a matter of fact.” “Good. You can use the kidnapping and torture of one of your own to raid and/or get the goods from there. Got it? I want you to let me know when he’s free. The show is what, Rogue, an hour long?” He nodded. “I can possibly extend it to an hour and a half, but after that, people begin to lose interest.”

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor 87 “You have an hour. Dad has got to be out and gone to a safe place by that time. Leave the rest of it to my team. Do you want to leave the sleeping beauties with me and let me put them somewhere on my security team? Or will they behave themselves in the situation they might find themselves in?” Bobby sat up with a groan. “We’ll control ourselves, Carmen.” He rubbed his chin and glared at Gus before sighing. “Even if I have to cold cock Philippe myself.” She nodded, “The moment you radio me with the extraction, we can take out the two at the show on Friday. Agreed?” Nods all the way around. “Okay, everyone knows what’s going on, get busy, and work the scenarios. You’ve got,” she glanced at the calendar, “three days to work this whole thing out and get the plan in place.”

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor

88 Chapter Ten

“Dammit. What’s taking them so long?” She snarled for the hundredth time during the introduction of Rogue to the stage. “And who the hell decided I should be out on stage. I’m supposed to be back behind the wings.” Carmen angrily swiped at the skin tight robes of peacock blue the production crew had stuck her in then reached up to scratch underneath the black wig, only to remember that the whole thing integrated into the leather cat mask covering most of her face. At least they modified the costume to allow for the shoulder holster and the two throwing knives, one for each vambrace. Somehow, someone had convinced Rogue to choose someone for the Goddess Bast. That certain someone also pointed out that she would be perfect.

Thanks Isis.

I detect your

manipulative hand in all this. As if in response, a familiar voice whispered across her mind; You’re quite welcome, Carmen. By the way, we’re all out front. Ahmed, Bast, his father, and backup. Let me guess. Otherworldly backup, right? A pair that politely asked my boss where I was? A moment of startlement, How did you guess? She allowed a smile to cross her face, Oh, just a few things. Daria mentioned a couple of people asking for my whereabouts. Not being demanding and from the tone of my boss’s voice, they were pretty polite about the whole thing. Not like those damned government people. So tell me, who else is pulling the mundane `I’m pretending to be a human so I can rescue a Goddess’ routine? A soft chuckle echoed in her head, Would you believe Ma’at and Anubis. “We’re fucked,” she muttered to herself. Gods, you’ve got the entire gang here tonight. Oh, wait, Osiris hasn’t put in a showing yet, has he? Please tell me the Sun God is sleeping and won’t burn down the house if he’s disturbed? Relax, Carmen, you’ll do fine. Your father’s friends are closing in on him as we speak. We have helpers to keep all of them from harm. Trust me. Now quit worrying like a mother hen and concentrate on your end of the job. She stretched a bit more then moved back into the shadows to sit in the cool darkness and pressed a tab on her robes, “Give me a check in please, by the numbers, and no smart ass remarks

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor about the costume. You can razz me later about it.”

89

Suppressed snickers came over her earphone, but other than that, they began to check in. “Michelle here. Catwalk’s clear except for the crew keeping the electrical stuff intact.” “Carla here, Lois is prowling the front entrance and keeping an eye on the side doors. I’m in the back, keeping an eye on the emergency exits, and working my way back and forth to check on the dressing rooms.” Logan came out next, “Nothing on the monitor…whoa! Hold the phone. Contact on monitor five. Khan’s quiet room. Getting a close up. Shit, it’s Lodina carrying a plastic baggie.” Blinking, she looked around to orient herself with the back stage. “Get security over to that area now. Take him down and put him in a holding pen.” A sick dread began to form in her stomach as she moved away from the curtains on the one side of the stage. She had a while before she needed to put in her appearance. Right now Rogue had the audience oooing and ahhing with some special effects and pyrotechnic creations. Slowly, she formed the thoughts in her head as she moved. Sean, keep going, you’re doing fine. We just nailed Sam. However, he just came out of Khan’s room with a baggie. Not sure what it contained, but I’m about to find out. His mental voice caressed her mind as he waited for the rest of the troupe to finish with the illusion by dancing and gyrating around the `sacrifice’. Be careful. Moving as fast as she could in her costume without ripping it off her body, she managed to get to the door a couple minutes after the security team did.

Sam had been summarily

handcuffed and held against the wall. No one was yelling, no one said a word except to talk on the radios and clear the hallway. Carla arrived seconds later. The head of security looked confused as he sniffed the baggie, then arched an eyebrow at Carmen. “You wanted us to take down a guy for feeding that tiger catnip?” Reigning in what she really wanted to say, she looked the guy in the eyes. “Mr. Morris, let me ask you something. What would be the odds of someone knowing where Khan is being housed, let alone being trusted enough to bring him something like this?” He shook his head, “Almost non-existent.” “Right. Now, what do you think will happen if this person were carrying catnip soaked with

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor 90 antifreeze or some other poison? How do you think Rogue will feel if he has to put his pet to sleep?” “Uh…” She leaned down and pulled off the wig and the mask then got into his face, fortunately everyone had been told she was wearing cat eye contacts. “Here’s the kicker. Tigers react to catnip the same way a regular cat does. Now get that man into a holding room and I’ll deal with him in a few. Right now I want this corridor cleared of everyone except for me and my associate.” “Yes Ma’am.” He blanched at the thought of a rampaging cat around the backstage then got everyone out of the way. Carla chuckled, “You do have a way with words, don’t you?” She leaned against the wall and sighed, “I hate imbeciles that don’t understand what’s going on. Trust me; I would have just loved to be the first one here when he stepped out the door. I wanted to castrate the little fucker after what he’s done. On second thought, I’m glad they were here first. Getting the boss lady to bail me out of jail for cruel and unusual circumstances isn‘t my idea of a good time.” Something heavy hit the door of Khan’s room, making them both jump. Carla laughed shakily. “I hate it when that happens. I’ve got enough adrenaline running through my system this time around, I don’t need any more,” she glanced uneasily at the barrier between the tiger and herself. “What happens now?” “I’ve got to go in there and see what’s going on.” Duncan! Talk to me. Are you all right? Carmen. Help me. I can’t seem to control myself. That little bastard got me with catnip before I could shred his sorry ass. We’re scheduled to go on in fifteen minutes and if I can’t get this whole shit under control, thing’s are going to be bad, came the exhausted mind voice tinged with worry and fear. “Carla, put everyone on notice. I’ll have my earphone on, but don’t talk to me unless it’s news of Dad getting somewhere safe, okay? Any interruptions might set off Khan and I don’t need anymore scars, thanks.” She nodded. Before she left, the woman turned and gave her boss a big hug. “You’ve been a great lady to work for, Carmen. Even if the rest of the team doesn’t show it, we all appreciate

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor 91 you, and are honored to work for you. So you be careful and stay in one piece.” She disappeared down the hallway, leaving her friend looking like a stunned ox. Opening the door, she swallowed the niggling thread of fear worming its way up her spine and waved a hand slightly, “Khan. It’s just me. I’m coming in.” When nothing happened, she eased more of herself into the room, glancing at the wreckage. At first she didn’t see him, but when she shut the door, a faint huffing growl came from the far corner. On closer inspection, four paws waved lazily in the air as they batted at some imaginary thing suspended in the air. Isis? I’m going to need a bit of help here. Duncan got a big dose of catnip. If he can’t go on stage in fifteen minutes, something’s going to tip off Ahmed and Yasmeen. Unless they’re the ones that ordered this. I don’t know. She ground her teeth in frustration, shocked as she felt fangs cutting into her lip. Damn Isis. I’m changing as my emotions start rampaging. I’m totally screwed! Soft laughter invaded her thoughts. Keep calm. Both of those two are seeing only what we want them to see at the moment. You need to purge his system as quickly as possible. For a shape shifter, there are only two ways. “Thanks a lot, Isis,” she muttered. Slowly, she approached the stoned cat. Carefully, she stepped around an overturned table to crouch near him. “Duncan. Come on, mi amigo. We don’t have time to flush your system slowly. The only way I can do that is to jump start it one of two ways. One is pleasure, which I know you’d enjoy, but we’d have to work at keeping you in at least partially human form.” And the other? “Pain.” She said softly. “The only way to do it right is to cause you pain. I don’t think I can do that. You and Sean have had enough of that in your lives already.” He rolled to his feet and wobbled his way over to her. As he walked, his figure began to blur as he went from four feet to collapsing onto his hands and knees, panting heavily. “Carmen, you make a hard choice, love. Whatever happens, we’d best do it fast. The clock is ticking and I can’t hold this form too much longer. While I would love to pleasure you, we’d best do pain.” With that, he sucker punched her in the jaw, sending her flat on the floor. Falling back, shocked at the sudden attack, she held up her hands as her back took the brunt of the hard floor slamming into her back. Grunting, she watched his eyes as he made the leap

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor 92 forward, intent on following through with his attack. Fortunately for her, he gave her all the openings she could ever hope for. Her fists connected with his nose and ribs. She’d pull her punches just enough to not break anything, just cause a lot of pain. His shots were doing the same amount of damage, leaving bruises and a few red marks along the hard line of her jaw. Nothing a little ice and some downtime wouldn’t cure. In the meantime, she watched as his eyes slowly lost their glazed look and return to normal. Finally, she swept his legs out from under him and pounced, straddling his hips. Quickly leaning forward, she sank her fangs into his shoulder. Time froze as he suddenly went still, allowing her the moment. Sitting up, she saw that his eyes were back to normal. “Welcome back to the world, Duncan.” She licked the blood from her lips. “You know, a good shot in the nuts would have done just as well.” She laughed and wiped the excess blood from her lips. “Yeah, but I prefer not to use that oh so obvious woman’s weapon if at all possible. To me, it seems like cheating. We don’t have anything dangling that could be grabbed, twisted, or kicked to cause excruciating pain.” Waving a hand in the air to prove her point she sighed, “Besides, I’d feel really guilty if you walked funny during the performance. It’d ruin your chances of finding a cute female tiger to nibble and mmmph!” Duncan grabbed her and slammed her back against the hard door while lowering his mouth to hers in a savage kiss. His tongue delved into her mouth, seeking any last vestige of blood while his hands roamed up her legs. Finding the thigh holster and the two-shot derringer, he moaned his pleasure. Caressing upwards, he deepened his kiss and brushed his fingers along the line of her thong. Carmen was lost in a sea of molten passion. Her entire body felt like even the smallest caress in the right spot would make her explode. Time seemed to stand still as she wrapped her arms around his neck and opened her legs to him. All she could think of was getting him inside her and riding him to paradise. Moaning into his mouth, she wriggled her hips, aching for release as she slowly bit down onto his lower lip, intent on tasting his blood. “You’re clear to go, Carmen,” came her dad’s pain ravaged voice through her ear phone. “I’m out and safe, now get those assholes. I don’t care how.” Seconds later, Michele pounded on the door. “You’ve got one minute to get your butts out

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor of that room and into place on the stage.”

93

It took two seconds for her to gasp for air then grin. “Ten seconds, Michelle, and have that mask ready. Dad’s safe so we can kick ass and take names.” Duncan trembled against her. “Damn,” he growled, “Murphy’s Law strikes again.” That set her to laughing. “Okay big boy, its tiger time. Be nice and we can have this done in time for a nice lobster dinner and tons of wild sex in the penthouse.” Sighing, he backed off while his body made the transformation back to tiger. The moment he did, she muttered into the mike, “Okay children, show time. We’re coming out, clear the hallway.” Opening the door, she took a peek left and right to see for herself that things were all okay with the world. The only person standing there was Michelle, holding out the mask and wig combo. “You’ve got thirty seconds. Mid-stage, both of you. Rogue’s almost done with the latest illusions involving golden eagles and doves so you’d best be in place when he gets to worship Bast and her guardian,” she grinned impishly. Carmen snagged the Bast mask on the run and slipped it over her head. Pacing along side of her like a tame housecat was Khan. People got out of their way as the two of them hurried to take their places. Carla appeared at her off side as they managed to get into place. Quickly, the woman made adjustments and added the finishing touches to the costume with seconds to spare. Thankfully, she was behind her boss when the curtains went up so she could back safely into the darkness unnoticed. “And lo, from the lands of Paradise, does the Goddess stride forth amongst the mortal realm. She seeks one to join her and her bodyguard. Perhaps one of you of the audience will be blessed with a chance to face Bast, to be blessed with the feel of fur and claw, fang and muscle. Feel it brush against you now in your mind as she walks among you, seeking.” She strode regally out onto the stage, staring out into the audience with what she hoped would be the poise of a Goddess. Laying it on a bit thick, aren’t we, love? Her thoughts arrowed out towards The Rogue’s visage. His lips twitched slightly as he made obeisance to her. Part of the mystique of being an illusionist is being able to entrance the audience with a load of bullshit before pulling off whatever it is they want to see. Now be nice and let me have my fun. Duncan told me what

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor 94 happened in his room. I hope that Sam’s mind is going over everything painful I could do to him. Let’s keep our mind on business, you two. I call dibs on that little faggot the moment the show is over. In the meantime, lovebirds, we have a real goddess to rescue now that your dad is safe. Duncan’s growling voice invaded both their minds. Right. Isis? We’re good to go, give the Sheik a bit of a nudge to suggest his daughter be the one to get up here on stage. And pray that this works. Otherwise we’re all in deep shit. The attendants trooped out to exotic belly dancing music, carrying a throne embossed with cats. With great care, they lowered it to the designated spot on stage and helped Carmen ascend to the cushioned seat as she struggled to contain her laughter. Khan didn’t help matters by strolling up to her and nudging her hand, demanding a caress in a very classical kittenish way. Sitting on a small gold platform next to her other hand, the cub sat like the Sphinx, watching the world with half-lidded eyes. “Master,” called one of the attendants, “we have found whom the Goddess wishes.” “Bring them forth and allow them into the Presence.” Into the spotlight they came. Yasmeen approached, resplendent in a deep emerald green dress with gold trim, the mysterious looking medallion dangling into a generous cleavage. An attendant on each side held her hands as she approached the throne. Her eyes were glittering in anger as she noticed Khan, then realized who was behind the mask. Carmen’s earpiece beeped. “Don’t speak to us, Carmen. You’re on mike to the rest of the audience, babe. They won’t hear us, but anything you say from this time out is going to be heard by the entire audience. You go do your thing, Boss. We’ll keep you updated from here.” It was Logan speaking, “By the way, you look incredibly sexy in that outfit.” Keeping the growl firmly between her teeth, she stared down at the woman. “Who is this supplicant that you have brought before me?” Her voice unconsciously lowered to a sultry purr. Both men knelt at her feet, gently drawing their captive down with them. “Her name is Yasmeen, Goddess.” They spoke in unison. Standing, she brushed some of the fake hair over her shoulder then looked over at Sean in his role as Priest. “And does my Priest vouch for this woman?” Someone tell me how to get her free? It’s not gonna be easy, I know, but I’ve got her on stage, I can get within touching

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor distance.

95

A deep bass voice echoed through her brain, Only a God or Goddess can remove the amulet that binds her to this world and that form. To remove it, you hum a three note tune. Listen. The three notes vibrated her body down to her toes. Only then, did she realize whose voice just rang in her ears. Anubis. Only he could have known how to free a soul. “I am yours to command, Goddess, your Priest. In your eyes I vouch for this woman. Accept her as sacrifice.” Sean winked at her from behind a black leather mask with gold whorls on it. Khan paced forward so that he stood nose to nose with Yasmeen, staring her in the eyes. A soft huffing growl came from his throat. Gods! If we weren’t here to free the Goddess inside, I’d be taking a chunk out of her face. Audience or no audience. Just keep her distracted. She’s still mortal until that thing is off her neck. With that, she won’t know what I’m about to do until it’s too late. Descending the throne to walk around behind Yasmeen, “I am pleased, my handsome Rogue. Allow me to bless her with our own symbol.” she held out a hand, knowing this would be the most delicate part of the whole illusion. Rogue made a show of creating the glittering necklace out of thin air and laying it in her hands. “As my Goddess wishes, so shall it be.” Be careful, Love. His hands caressed their way up her arms in time with the background music before dancing away, making elaborate hand motions to make the whole thing more dramatic. She started swaying and dancing, moving in time to the music as well.

After a few

moments, she began to sing in harmony with the music, keeping her voice in the deep and hypnotic tones. Everybody get ready. And Anubis? A Goddess will remove that amulet. I’ll explain later. Soon, her dancing took her behind the assistants and the prone woman. Khan never looked up from his staredown as Carmen took the final step necessary to lower the glittering strand over her head. Once it settled on her neck, and before Yasmeen realized what was going on, she sounded out the three tones that Anubis had given her. The amulet fell free and into her hands. Instantly, the screams and moans of a thousand or more souls assaulted her mind. The mental impact sent her to her knees in agony, moaning softly, barely aware of her mask and wig falling to the stage. Such was the disorientation; the expected pyrotechnics of the illusion did no more than cause her to flinch. Weakly, she groped

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor 96 with her hands to find something solid to anchor her in reality. Some other worldly sense forced her to keep a tight grip on the amulet instead of dropping it to the floor. Khan’s massive body nudged her hand and his soft, whuffing voice made itself heard amongst the cacophony. I’m here, love. Hang on. I won’t let you go and neither will my brother. All of a sudden, a cool hand touched her forehead, caressing the bruising on her face, leaving a numbing sensation in it‘s wake. Sleep, Carmen Marshall.

My brave warrior, rest and

recuperate. Allow Us to take up the burdens that need to be taken care of. We will speak later so you can understand what has happened. With those words, her overtaxed mind began to shut down and seek the solace of oblivion. Before the darkness sucked her into its embrace, she focused her eyes open to see the dangerous beauty of Yasmeen, now Bast, smiling down at her. Next to her, an equally stunning woman smiled a greeting. Damn. If I were a lesbian, I’d be in serious trouble. They’re too beautiful for words, were her last thoughts before fading away into bliss.

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor

97 Chapter Eleven

“The top story of the hour comes from our woman in the field just outside the Federal Bureau of Investigations Field Office for Nevada. It seems several missing person cases and dozens of Amber Alerts have been called off as a consequence of a major white slavery ring being smashed and the ringleaders taken into custody. Peggy Taylor is standing by with the full story. Peggy? What can you tell us?” Carmen opened her eyes and found herself staring at her own big screen TV. On it, a woman in a dark blue business suit was standing on the steps in front of a non-descript brick and cement building. The wind had begun to start mussing her perfectly coiffed hair, but she didn’t seem concerned. Someone must have made a signal out of view of the camera because she began to speak. “Yes, Bob. I’m here at the FBI building where some truly bizarre events have happened in the past three days.” The reporter turned to look up, indicating the imposing stone entryway, still speaking. “Undercover agents, working with the local police and agencies around the globe, have smashed an international slave trade ring. Unknown sources from within the agency tell us that several women, and men for that matter, escaped their captors. These victims of the slave trade provided the necessary evidence for authorities to track down and arrest the main ringleader of this hideous and sickening business. “Prince Ahmed Hamadi, son of Sheik Ali Hamadi, was arrested after a violent struggle while attending a performance by the world famous illusionist, The Rogue, at the start of his Mystique Rogue tour. Unfortunately, in the ensuing struggle, a stage light exploded, killing Princess Yasmeen and severely injuring the Prince himself. It is not known, at this time, what the damages are to Mr. Hamadi, as he has been swept away to a secured medical facility. “Rumors have been running rampant that Rogue’s manager, a Mr. Sam Lodina, is also under arrest. However, phone calls to his office were not returned. Rogue instead gave a public statement saying that he has been saddened by the events that happened during one of his performances. He also praised the quick thinking of his personal security team as they helped to calm the audience and keep things from getting out of hand. The woman in charge of his security, a Ms. Carmen Marshall, collapsed with exhaustion after working non-stop to co-

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor 98 ordinate the final hours of the show and the questions from law enforcement. To that end, he says, the Mystique Rogue Tour will be delayed for three months out of respect for the Princess Yasmeen.” The anchor’s voice came over the speakers, “Peggy, any word on how Sheik Hamadi is taking all this?” After a pause the reporter addressed the camera, “Well, Bob, it turns out that the Sheik is cooperating fully with local authorities. He is not believed to be involved in any way with his son’s sadistic and brutal trade. However, he has been working with everyone in question to rectify the wrongs that have been done. We can only hope that all those wronged in this horrible nightmare will find peace. This is Peggy Taylor, reporting from outside the FBI field office in Las Vegas. Back to you in the studio, Bob.” Click! Carmen set down the remote on the coffee table and leaned back on her couch, gingerly holding her head. What had been a blinding migraine two days ago had finally tapered off so she could actually have lights on in the house again. After Bast had knocked her out, Isis had teleported her back to her home. She and the silent Ma’at had stayed with her until she had awakened. Both of them tended her until she could mentally function on her own again. As a thank you gift from Anubis, Bast, Isis, and Ma’at, the place had been fully stocked with her favorite foods. Bast went one further and had taken care of all her bills for the next thirty years. Now all she had to do was relax and get rid of the last of the psychic backlash before heading back to work with Sean and Duncan. “Now that we are alone,” came a familiar voice, “tell me how a mere mortal like yourself could remove an amulet that only a God or Goddess should have been able to remove.” Turning her head, she smiled in the direction of the chair nearest to the fireplace. “It’s simple, Anubis.” A swift intake of breath caused her to crack an eyelid and arch an eyebrow, “Caught you, didn’t I?” She chuckled, “It’s actually simple. You deity types don’t stay very long in this mortal realm to understand what goes on. Every person has the ability to become a God or Goddess in their own right. It doesn’t really happen, but when you give credence to something, it becomes what people believe in.” Anubis tilted his head slightly. He had retained his human form, which was that of a non-

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor 99 descript man with dark brown skin and black eyes. If anything seemed out of place with him, it would have been the sharp canine teeth and the slightly curled tail, carefully positioned off to one side so as not to cause him pain while he sat down. “I don’t understand your reasoning.” She levered herself up to a sitting position, groaning as her head protested the movement. “Look, its simple. You and your people live on the worship of your followers, right? And when you aren’t worshipped, the songs of praise not sung, the offering bowls and incense absent, you fade away, right?” “Yes.” “Think about what happens when a mere mortal allows himself or herself to be worshipped as a deity. If someone is worshipped by even one or two people, then they become a belief in their eyes. And if they are named a Goddess, would it not stand to reason that this would be enough to remove the amulet from someone’s neck?” His eyes sparkled. “Trust a mortal to find the logic and the loophole in this sort of situation,” he chuckled then leaned forward to put his elbows on his soft cotton pants. “Actually, it was my own curiosity that got the better of me. The real reason I came…” Ma’at appeared just behind him to thump him on the head. “You’re as curious as Bast when you want to be,” she grinned. “The real reason he was supposed to show up was to see how you were doing and to give you the good news.” Carmen arched an eyebrow. “Good News? I need some while I‘m playing the invalid. But as soon as I get rid of this monster headache and make arrangements, I’m heading back to Vegas.” Both of them looked at each other, then Anubis said, “Why ever would you want to go back to that city for? They don’t even serve decent sushi there.” “I’ve got a job to finish up and I need to check with my dad and see how he’s doing,” she squinted at the two of them. “And if you were in the mood for sushi, you should have looked to the side street off of the main drag at Natsume’s Sushi Grill. Besides, I’ve got to dream up a reason why my eyes have suddenly gone tiger-like, and I’ve got two men that need me to keep them out of trouble.” She felt her face flush as she thought of the two men in her life. “Well, Bast is kind of busy, but she sent word to tell you that no, you won’t be turning into a cat anytime soon, though you will have to put up with the cat eyes and fangs.” Ma’at answered,

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor 100 shaking her raven black hair out of her eyes. “She also said that if you don’t get your butt over to Scotland and kick two certain men out of their doldrums, she’ll turn them both into tigers for the rest of their lives. She explained that she can’t remove what was set in motion because of the, ahem, ‘guardian claws‘ set down by a cat Goddess in Myanmar. However, she did give them the ability to keep control over their animal selves when they decide to use that power. Meaning no more exhaustive shifts for Duncan, and no fears of losing control for Sean.” She winked, “And before you start worrying too much about your dad, call your boss first. He showed up on her doorstep when you disappeared, ready to kick ass and take names despite his injuries.” Rage boiled in her body at the memory of the DVD. “How badly, guys? I know what they did to him. Not to mention they sent me his severed finger and a DVD. So don’t gloss it over.” The Goddess hesitated, so Anubis took over, “He is healing, Carmen. Our helpers fixed most of the damage, but his mind is too strong for us to entirely change things, so we left him alone. His memories of where things were in that evil place helped rescue several others in the process.” She sighed, “He’s a strong man. He just needs to find someone to be with.” Standing, she made her way over to the kitchen. “Is there anything you two can do about this damned headache? Or do I ruin a good bottle of Glenmorange gaining a hangover instead of a cure. Scratch that, I’ve got some butterscotch toffee coffee that will do the trick,” Poking her head back around the corner to the living room. “Not being too rude or anything, but are you hungry? Do either of you want anything?” She glared at Anubis as he opened his mouth, “You say sushi and I’ll give you a rawhide chew toy where you really don’t want me to. I hate raw fish and, to me at least, wasabi paste is nuclear waste turned into something that only the truly brave would stomach.” They both shook their heads and Ma’at laughed outright. “No, we’re fine, and I think my friend here would rather not have a chew toy. He’s got too many lying around the house as it is.” “Ma’at! You weren’t supposed to tell her that!” Anubis yelped, clearly offended. Walking over to Carmen, she placed a hand on either side of her head and hummed a couple notes. “Your headache should be gone and you have a first class reservation on British Airways flight 2403 at eight pm tomorrow at the Denver Airport. Take your snowboard and go make sure those two love-struck men don’t get away from you. They need someone to keep them out of

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor trouble,” she grinned.

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With that, the two Deities disappeared into thin air, leaving her gaping at the info. “Don’t you just love it when they pop in and out again?” She muttered to herself, then tossed a frozen hamburger into the microwave and started the coffee brewing. Only silence answered her question as she went back to the front room, amazed that her head did, indeed, feel better. Not one ache or pain remained. Sitting down, she grabbed her laptop and tap tapped in a request for a video conference. While she waited, she browsed the internet for other news on Rogue and his brother, Duncan. All of it corroborated the news story she saw a few minutes ago. The story read almost exactly the same in different countries. People who were missing suddenly showing up at friends, parents, or relatives homes with the same type of story and the same results. From what she could tell, the shit had really hit the fan. Prime ministers, priests, important cabinet members, and even one woman placed high in the People’s Republic of China had been taken into custody for their actions. A beep and click later, Carmen got the shock of her life. Daria Randall and her dad were sitting side by side in what appeared to be Daria‘s front room, she in a bathrobe, he in nothing but a pair of jeans and slippers. She could feel her jaw drop to the floor. “Dad?!? What in hell?” She looked at both of them then switched the view to the big screen so she could see them both better. “Okay, it’s only been three days. What in hell have I missed?” She shook her head, holding up a hand. “No, wait, I don’t want to know,” she ran a hand over her face. Laughing, Daria answered her. “You never told me how handsome your dad was, Carmen,” she shook her head. “Don’t worry; I won’t spill the details because I know it would embarrass you. Now, do you want the update or not?” “Hi hon.” her dad spoke softly, “Don’t get too up in arms. Everything will be fine. The team’s okay and we’ve all been put on sort of an ‘inactive until damn good and ready to come back’ list. When we couldn’t find you, I asked around to get Miss Randall’s name.” He blushed, “And…well...” Laughing, she took a sip from her mug. “Okay, I can see where this is going. Daria, give me the updates and let me know how my team turned out? After this, I’m going to sleep for the rest of the night and hop a flight to Scotland tomorrow evening.” Both of them stared at her as if she had grown second head. “Your contract has ended,

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor 102 Carmen. Don’t tell me you’ve gone and…” a light dawned in Daria’s eyes. “Well, well,” she teased, “seems the bug has bit you too.” “Don’t you dare start, Daria,” she growled, “or else I’ll tell Dad about your fetish.” Predictably, Dad said, “What fetish?” “The one she has about whipped cream and cher-” “Carmen!” She blushed dark crimson, “That’s my little secret!” Ignoring David Marshall’s intense gaze, she reached for a stack of papers. “Your team is currently enjoying a hiatus. It seems that both The Rogue and Sheik Hamadi posted huge bonuses to each member of your team and you. They’ve all checked in from various vacation spots and the general consensus is: ‘don’t bother us until we come up for air.’” She laughed. “That sounds about right. Lemme guess. Logan and Michelle are spending it together and The Twins have gone their separate ways for a while.” At Daria’s shocked expression, David put a hand on her shoulder. “She’s learned from the best, Daria. You work with a team long enough; you can actually predict what’s going to happen.” He winked at his daughter. “Just like I know you’re going back to Scotland to keep those two men out of trouble, not just because of business.” “Daaad,” she groaned. “You make me sound like I’m sneaking off to…” She shut her mouth with an audible snap, “never mind.” Laughing, David and Daria leaned into each other and shared a brief kiss. She waved a hand over her eyes. “I’m blind!! I’m blind!! Daria, shut off the camera before my brain explodes. Visuals like that are something I don’t need to see.” “Okay, Carmen. You go enjoy your much needed rest and here’s a hint,” she leaned towards the camera and mock whispered, “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do. And if you do, don’t get caught,” she winked, “if you do get caught, have an alibi and deny everything.” With that, she hit the disconnect button.

****

She stood at the top of a snow capped hill above Sean’s mansion. Her entire body quivered with the need to just walk through the front door and drag those two men into the nearest

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor 103 bedroom and fuck them silly. The urge was so painful she almost gave in and called them up to tell them to get naked. Instead, she had hiked up to the top of the hill with her snowboard and was about to make the grandest entrance of her life. After going to sleep a week ago, her dreams had been plagued with both men rubbing their naked bodies over her, teasing and tormenting her. Even now, she could feel their fingers touching places under her clothes, making her wet. Growling in frustration, she locked her feet on the board and kicked off. The cold wind washed some of the heat away, but not much. The closer she got to the mansion, the more the tension mounted. As she maneuvered around trees, she felt as if someone slid a cock into her cunt. With each twitch of her muscles and each turn, it thrust deeper into her, rubbing up against the secret places inside, making her moan. As she went low on the board to gain speed, a second cock slipped into her from behind, filling both holes, causing her to scream in pleasure as she worked her way around the snowline, down towards the wall, and the ramp she had built there earlier. Soon, she started bouncing as the invisible cocks began thrusting into her. Harder and faster, until her trip down the hill had been awash in pleasure and narrow misses with trees. The tension built until the exact moment she hit the ramp and exploded upwards. The adrenaline rush, combined with the invisible cocks thrusting deeply into her, triggered a massive orgasm that had her screaming the release to the skies. Grabbing the edge of the snowboard for balance, she arched herself to the sky. Unfortunately, everything that goes up has to come down. And down she came, making an almost perfect landing in the courtyard. Almost, because a stone caught the edge of her board and sent her slamming into the ice and cobblestones of the walkway. Her left leg gave out with an audible snap.

Pain and fading pleasure produced one unexpected bonus.

She was

unconscious before she started to scream. Hours later, she was blessedly naked and tucked into bed with a couple of equally naked men, one on either side of her. They had been responsible for the psychic sex and largely the reason why her left leg was in a cast from hip to foot. Seems not only was her tibia broken, her femur got cracked in the process. She looked at them. “Do either of you actually know how stunning you both look together? And you’re all mine.”

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor 104 Duncan rose up onto one elbow, “Really? I thought you were the one who was special and stunning.” Sean nibbled on her shoulder. “And all ours! We’re going to pamper you and spoil you rotten.” They both leaned down to kiss either side of her cheeks. “Because we love you,” they said in unison. An indignant yowl came from the end of the bed, followed by a tugging on the covers as the cub climbed its way up to the top, then bounded over to rumble on her chest in pure contentment. The adoration caused all three of them to laugh. Sighing, “Okay you two, sit and help me out. Duncan, you first. I’m assuming that Ma’at and Anubis sent you the message?” At his nod, she grinned, “Spill it. How did you wind up being slapped with a Guardian Claws, as Ma’at put it?” Sean propped Carmen up with lots of pillows, then popped the top on the Glenmorange while Duncan traced the cat image on her palm, starting his part of the tale. “Pure luck, I guess. I’d been hiking in the mountains of Myanmar, letting my feet carry me where they would. One day, I heard yelling and went to see what was going on. I came upon the ruins of an ancient temple carved out of the mountain and, in front of it were a bunch of nasty looking guys who were beating up on a man.” He took a glass of the alcohol from his brother and sighed. “A simple priest of an old religion who had been tending the temple cats. Unfortunately, I got there too late to help him. They had crushed his skull with the butt of their rifles. When they started for the entryway, I stepped in and let them know that they weren’t going to get away with murder and desecration.” Carmen winced. “Bad move, dear. Especially when you’re outnumbered.” “You’re preaching to the choir, my love. For my actions, I got stabbed in the chest and left for dead. Fortunately, there wasn’t anything to take and the cats couldn’t be found. When they left, an old woman appeared and knelt beside me. As she removed the knife, she breathed life into me,” he took a sip of his drink. “You saw the rest when we bonded.” Sean took up the tale from there. “It was as I told you when we first met, Carmen. Only Duncan couldn’t control his changes and seemed stuck in tiger form. I got to him before the game wardens could and made a big payoff to keep everyone from looking too hard. After he

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor clawed me, I became what you see today.

105 The Rogue, Master Illusionist and Mysterious

Eccentric. To add to the mystique of my acts and to keep Duncan safe, he became Khan. My bodyguard and personal stalker repellant.” he saluted his brother, who laughed. Grinning, Carmen sipped from her own glass. “Sean, when the threat ended, so did our contract with you. Once it’s known that my team and I are free agents again, there’s going to be a scramble to hire us. I need to make sure my team is taken care of before I make any other commitments. I’ve been with them too long and I don’t turn my back on my friends.” Sean thought about that for a moment, then reached for a phone. After a few moments of going through operators, he smiled. “Ms. Tarrington? Yes, this is The Rogue,” a pause, “Yes. I understand that the contract we signed has been fulfilled. Correct.” The cub creeped up onto Carmen’s chest and butted her on the chin, rubbing his face all over her neck before looking her in the eyes with a demanding, “Meh!” before curling up to go to sleep. Duncan curled up close while Sean grinned, “Yes, I know Miss Marshall’s team is on hiatus for the moment. Yes, she’s here and is being pampered within an inch of her life, so tell her father not to worry. Listen, I put the tour on hold for three months out of respect for Yasmeen’s death. Once that is over, I want an open-ended contract drawn up for her team.” He chuckled, “Yes, one that effectively shackles her to my side no matter what. I’m willing to take that risk. Would you draw that up and fax it to me? Good. Thank you, Ms. Tarrington.” He hung up the phone. “Damn, brother, you act fast!” “He sure does.” Carmen smiled, “He’s making sure I don’t leave either of you alone ever again.” Looking at Duncan, she noticed the stylized cat image on the inside of his right hip. “Let me guess. The moment Bast got lose, she changed the brand to a thing of beauty.” “Yes, she did, for which I am very grateful. As Yasmeen, that would have been the brand she wanted you to cut off.” She and Sean both winced. “Well, that’s over with,” she gathered the two of them close without disturbing the cub, “and I plan on making the rest of our lives one purrrrrrrfectly good time.” Long after the sun went down, they talked. At moon rise, they all fell into a sleep where

Mystique Rogue by Diane Taylor each roamed the other’s dreams so that none of them would ever be lonely again.

The End

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