Shektee realized once Mystique went berserk that she’d made a mistake. She’d seen trapped creatures tear themselves apart trying to get free and knew that Mystique would do the same. She had to stop this. John was so intent on watching Mystique he didn’t even realize that Shektee had changed forms until she put one of her fingernails to his jaw. She used her clawed finger to turn John’s head so he was looking at her. When he finally saw Shektee’s true form, John slammed on the brakes and tried to push himself through the driver’s door to escape.
“Calm down and stop the car carefully,” Shektee instructed in a voice she used to instill fear in her prey. John’s will was no match for Shektee’s, so he immediately calmed down and pulled the car over to the curb and stopped.
“Good. Now open the back door and let Mystique out.” Shektee knew there was a good chance that Mystique would kill him the first chance she got. Mystique had calmed down a little and was now watching what was going on in the front seat. Shektee could tell that the drug was taking effect on Mystique again and she’d be unconscious shortly. John did as instructed and opened the back door to allow Mystique to get out. Mystique had to force herself to move. She felt so tired and drained of energy that she had a hard time keeping her eyes open, much less move her body.
Shektee found that her door handle was not working and that she couldn’t open her door from the inside. She thought about forcing it open but decided to climb out the driver’s door. She shifted forms again while she maneuvered across the seat and out into the road. A passing truck honked his horn at her. John stood next to the rear door, waiting for further instructions. Mystique had her legs out of the car but was still sitting on the backseat. She had her head between her legs and Shektee was not sure if she was conscious.
More trucks drove by, barely missing the car doors. Shektee decided to move Mystique to the sidewalk. John followed her, still awaiting instructions. Mystique was still conscious but only by sheer force of will. Shektee checked her and made sure she was not injured before turning to John.
“Why are you not affected by the poison?” Shektee demanded.
“I took the antidote before turning on the gas valve. It makes me immune to the effects for four hours,” John explained.
“Give some to Mystique now!” Shektee ordered, causing John to wince at the brutality in her voice. John immediately opened the trunk and pulled out an auto injector. He quickly moved over to Mystique and gave her a shot in the thigh. Mystique showed no reaction to the sudden pain in her leg.
“The antidote will clear the drug out of her system in a few minutes,” John explained, turning to Shektee. Shektee stood, supporting Mystique as the antidote took effect. The fog began to clear from Mystique’s mind. She realized she was outside the car and that Shektee was holding her.
“I thought you were drugged,” Mystique slurred.
“I was acting. I felt John’s malice and wanted to see what he was planning to do with us. I would not have let him hurt you,” Shektee explained calmly.
“Thanks for letting me know,” Mystique replied sarcastically, the words sounding more clear.
“I regenerate too quickly for most drugs and toxins to have any significant effect. The antidote John gave you will make you immune for a few hours. I think wherever he was taking us will be hidden and we may have a use for it.”
“All right. Have him take us there,” Mystique instructed as she opened the rear door and climbed back into the car.
“John, you were taking us someplace before we pulled over. I want you to finish taking us there and show us around,” Shektee instructed John in her sexiest voice. John ran to the car to open her door. He stood holding the door as Shektee climbed in. John closed her door and ran around before getting in his side. He barely looked for traffic as he pulled the car away from the curb and accelerated down the road.
Fifteen minutes later John was pulling into the parking lot of a small warehouse-looking building. The building didn’t look like it was used and most of the doors were showing signs of rust. It had two cargo bay doors and ramps to lower the trucks so that their beds would be level with the building floor. Two more doors were extra wide and looked like they were designed for the trucks to pull into. A single pedestrian door was at the front. Its windows were covered with old plywood.
John pushed a button mounted near his door and the last of the four loading bay doors started to open. John carefully pulled in, triggering the button again to close the door. The lights inside came on automatically and revealed piles of old boxes and moving equipment. At the far end, near the front of the building, Mystique could see a door leading to the office area. A couple of large thick doors hung open, allowing access to another room.
John got out of the car and moved to open Shektee’s door. Mystique tried to open hers and found that the inside handle was not connected. She waited while John opened first Shektee’s door and then hers. John explained that the building had been a small meatpacking plant. The area they were in was the loading docks. He lead them through one of the large doors into an approximate thirty-by-sixty room filled with tables and saws. Each table had a rack of butcher knives and a large band saw stationed next to it. John explained that the butchers cut up the carcasses and packed the meat in this room. He led them to a large door in the back. John pushed on an electrical outlet mounted to a table near the door and Mystique heard a soft metallic click. John grabbed the door and slid it open just enough for him to fit through.
John stepped through the opening and into the room beyond. Shektee followed him while Mystique wondered what he was hiding. As she stepped up to the entrance, the smell of blood and sex told her she was not going to like what she found inside.
“This is my playroom where I bring my toys. My last toy broke and I was on my way back from disposing of it when I saw you two. It’s much more fun when I have two toys to play with,” John was explaining when Mystique stepped in. She looked around and saw pretty much what she’d expected. The room was roughly thirty square feet and filled with a wide variety of bondage racks, tables, and chairs. Fresh blood was still drying on one of the tables. Carts covered with a sickening array of torture equipment were scattered around the room.
A small section in the back of the room looked out of place. A queen-size bed, couch, and dining table were arranged as if they were in a small apartment. Mystique ignored Shektee and John as he was explaining to her how he liked to play with his toys. Mystique instead went to investigate the apartment area. She found a small kitchenette with a refrigerator, stove, and a few cabinets stocked with food. It appeared John was set up to stay here for a while.
“Shektee, you have my permission to kill him any time you feel like it, and make sure it’s painful,” Mystique called over to her. Shektee had John strapped to one of the tables, so she leaned down and gave him a kiss. She used the connection to trigger John’s neural system into transmitting pain signals to his brain. The sudden shock of intense pain caused John to scream as he passed out. Shektee drank just a small amount of his life energy. She planned to make this last at least a few days or until Mystique told her to finish him.
“We’re going to need more money, correct?” Shektee asked as she walked over to Mystique.
“Yes. I was planning on getting some from Bruce. Why?”
“I could have John give us all of his money and valuables before killing him. I mean the car and this building have to be worth something,” Shektee suggested.
“That’s a good idea. We just have to figure out how to do it,” Mystique replied as her mind started working the new problem.
“Is this room uncomfortable for you? We do not have to stay if it is,” Shektee asked, wondering how Mystique felt about her torturing John.
“Torturing people is not something I am interested in. I was going to check the front office and see if there’s a suitable place to sleep there. You can stay in here and entertain yourself,” Mystique said as she started toward the exit. Shektee fo
llowed her.
“You are giving me permission to torture him before I kill him?” Shektee asked, wanting to make sure they were clear on what she was allowed to do.
Mystique stopped and turned to Shektee. “I may not like to torture people, but anyone I let you bring in here will deserve whatever you do to them. I have an idea about what you’re going to do. Daemon told you there were a lot of evil people and he asked that you try to only feed on them. The people I send in here have earned what you do to them. If Angelica or Daemon finds out and has a problem with what happens here, tell them it was my decision,” Mystique explained to Shektee in a voice that left no doubt about Mystique’s understanding and conviction. She knew the torment Shektee’s victims were going to endure, and she was ready to take responsibility for sending them here to face it.
“Let’s go check the office area. Even if we don’t stay here, you’re going to want someplace to rest and think,” Shektee suggested. She had all the information she needed concerning what she was allowed to do in the room. The best thing she could do now was change the subject before Mystique changed her mind or decided to add a few restrictions, though she had the feeling Mystique wasn’t going to.
“Right. With luck we’ll find a working phone, but I doubt it,” Mystique replied as she turned and left the room.
The front office area had been cleared of all movable furniture and wires were scattered around the floor marking where computers and other equipment had been before their removal. As they expected, all of the phones had also been removed. Most of the windows were covered with boards and only allowed a small amount of light to pass through their cracks.
Mystique picked the lock on the front door and stepped outside to have a look around. She could see the main road. The grass had been cut within the last few weeks and was only slightly overgrown. A faint noise attracted her attention, so she followed it to the side of the building opposite the parking area. What she saw confused her—dozens of rats running away from the building. It was as if something was scaring them, then she remembered that animals are more sensitive than humans. The rats could feel Shektee’s true nature and were running away from her. The corner of Mystique’s mouth raised just a little as she smiled at the idea that Shektee could do what no amount of technology had been able to: clear a building of rats and keep it that way.
When Mystique walked back into the office, she noticed that Shektee had ripped out a few of the temporary dividing walls and made an area large enough for them to lie down. They would be able to see anyone entering the office from the front door or the back section.
“What do you think?”
“It should do. I am going to start walking back toward the center. Why don’t you go make sure John is uncomfortable, and then catch up,” Mystique suggested as she left.
“I will only be a few minutes,” Shektee replied as she turned toward the door to the back section.
“It’s going to take me at least an hour to get back to where he picked us up, so take your time,” Mystique told her before closing and relocking the front door.
Shektee really wanted to take her time and enjoy the taste of John’s suffering but she was charged with protecting Mystique. If Mystique did come to any harm and she was not there to stop it, the ancient would be very upset. Shektee could not risk upsetting the ancient so she ran back to the torture chamber and drained a bit more of John’s life energy. He would survive, but it would take days for him to regain his strength.
Shektee secured the door and moved one of the larger pieces of debris in front of the switch to make sure no one accidently opened it. She quickly ran out the cargo bay door that John had led them through. Once she reached the parking lot, she changed forms into a black panther. She enjoyed this form because it was sleek, elegant, and lethal. It was also much faster than any human, even Mystique.
Mystique was walking along the side of the road when she heard Shektee running up behind her. Shektee had to be making noise on purpose to let her know she was coming. Mystique turned and watched as the big black cat charged at her. The sight reminded her of the first time she’d met Shektee. The fear she’d felt at being confronted by a huge black panther had turned to true terror when Shektee transformed into her true demonic form. She let out a small chuckle at the memory of how she’d planned to at least hurt Shektee before she died. She understood now just how foolish that plan had been. If Shektee wanted her dead, she would be; it was that simple; there wouldn’t have even been a fight.
The idea that she would feel safer with Shektee around caused another small chuckle. Mystique hadn’t realized she was in such a good mood. There was still so much to do, and so many things had changed in the last few days that she had no idea why she was in a good mood. Shektee came up alongside her and changed to the human form she’d been using. Mystique still had no idea how the naked panther could turn into a fully clothed women. What happened to her clothing when she changed? Why sometimes did she have clothes and other times she was naked? Mystique would have to ask her sometime.
***
Bruce spent the day wondering what Mystique wanted. She hadn’t given him any idea of what kind of help she needed, just that Shektee was going to bring him to her. He didn’t like Shektee but if Mystique was desperate enough to ask for his help, he’d go with her to see what he could do.
His imagination ran wild all day with different scenarios. After getting caught daydreaming by the teacher in his advanced computer programming class, Sam and Alan had forced him to tell them what was going on. They were determined to go with him. He had mixed feelings; they wouldn’t be much help in a fight, but he’d decided that whatever help Mystique needed probably didn’t require him to fight. Since it wouldn’t require fighting, they would probably be able to help him figure out how to help Mystique. The problem was danger seemed to gravitate to Mystique and whatever she was into was bound to be dangerous. He didn’t want to endanger his friends.
Sam and Alan knew Bruce wasn’t happy with them tagging along, but they were tired of him having all the adventure. They were determined to be part of whatever excitement Mystique was getting him into. Mystique was a genetically enhanced psionic, which meant she could be involved in all kinds of weird stuff. They’d loaded their backpacks with everything they could think of that might be useful and were waiting in Bruce’s room.
The three boys were sitting staring at one another. Bruce had just finished trying to send Sam and Alan back to their rooms when the door to the hall opened. A blond woman with large breasts and a beautiful face was standing in the doorway. She was wearing jeans and a pullover shirt that hugged her body like a second skin. Bruce wasn’t sure why, but he knew it was Shektee. Sam had jumped to his feet at the sound of the door opening and was now standing staring at the blond with his mouth hanging open. Alan was a little more composed; he was able to shut his mouth.
“Shektee?” Bruce turned the name into a question to verify what he already knew.
“Yes. Come with me,” Shektee instructed as she turned and started walking back to the elevator.
Bruce stood up and followed her out. He hoped Sam and Alan would be too awestruck to follow, but both boys were on their feet and right behind him. A quick glance passed between the friends as they followed Shektee down the hall. Bruce knew there was no way he was going to get rid of them now.
At the elevator, Shektee turned and looked at Sam and Alan. “What are you two doing?” she asked in a condescending tone that irritated Bruce.
“They’re coming with me,” Bruce stated determined to take control of at least part of what was going on.
Shektee turned her gaze on Bruce and in a voice that conveyed the barely contained rage she was feeling, said, “You will speak to me with respect or fear. You will never presume to tell me what to do. Mystique has feelings for you so I am not allowed to hurt you, but I can hurt your friends and loved ones. Do you understand?”
All three boys had to force the fear they were experi
encing back down and nod their heads. Sam and Alan were having second thoughts about going with Bruce, but now that he’d insisted on them going, neither could abandon their friend. The door to the elevator slid open and all four stepped in. The spell Shektee’s looks had on the boys had been broken so none of them were eager to stand close to her. Shektee forced her own anger back under control.
Shektee led the boys to a waiting taxi that would take them to Mystique.
***
Mystique was waiting in a small Chinese restaurant that specialized in takeout. There were only four tables and one of them was covered with empty takeout containers. She had a plate of fried rice and a tea sitting in front of her. The rice was rather bland but the tea was surprisingly good. She’d positioned herself with a view of the window, but far enough away so that anyone passing would have a hard time seeing her. Mystique was a little surprised and annoyed when she saw Sam and Alan follow Bruce into the restaurant.
“What’re they doing here?” Mystique asked quietly, not wanting the restaurant staff to overhear her.
“I didn’t know what kind of help you needed, so I asked them to come along,” Bruce lied. Shektee moved past the boys and sat next to Mystique. Bruce took the cue and sat across from Mystique with Alan sitting next to him and Sam moving a chair from another table over to sit at the end of the table.
The girl at the counter let out an exasperated sigh before walking over to ask for their order. Shektee asked for a cup of tea while the boys ordered sodas. Sam was the only one thinking about food, so he ordered one of the combo meals with fish. Mystique waited until the waitress brought their drinks and left before starting to explain her problem.
“I need to hide for a while from people who are very good at finding people. I expect the police to be one of the groups looking for me. I’m not familiar enough with your society to know how to avoid being found,” Mystique explained, trying not to go into too many details.
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