Book 18 of The Lyssa Kordenay Missions!   London is calling and its Lyssa's phone, the omniprescient favor,  a dancer is missing and she's not the only one. WARNING: The Lyssa Kordenay Missions may be hyper-violent for some readers.

 

 

---

 

 

CHAPTER 1

Lyssa flipped through the catalogue from Waterford for the third time and still couldn't decide on a set for crystal. Various other catalogues lay scattered on the coffee table. Bedding, china, silverware, kitchen appliances; even furniture was among them.

Rodrick was out on a transport flight. A car collector had hired him for a ten city U.S. tour of a few prominent of his collection. He'd left two days ago and now Lyssa was going crazy trying to figure registry out by herself. The problem wasn't deciding for herself, she had to decide for Rodrick too. So said, all she had to do was pick the line and register their names then people could order whatever within the line chosen. Simple? Not hardly.

She'd keep her own last name for professional reasons so no monogrammed sets. Rodrick said he and his parents weren't on speaking terms currently so she couldn't ask her future mother-in-law for help and as for her own family; they had died not long after joining the Army and she was an only child anyway.

Infantry, Jump School, Air-Assault, Rangers, E.O.D., Special Forces, Delta, DemonWraiths, modeling school, Juliard and Bolshoi, even office mangement and secretarial school. Yet here she was, going crazy trying to pick out china patterns and crystal sets. She growled tossing down the catalogue and snatching up another. This was frustrating, the silverware company even offered custom design sets. Lyssa growled again and tossed the catalogue onto the table with the rest.
Her phone rang and she all but pounced on it,"Hello? hey Brian!"

"Oh thank god you answered Lyssa. I need you immediately. Please please please say you'll come," the man asked in a panic.

"Whoa. slow down Brian, what's up," she asked.

"I'm in London choreographing. Our principal dancer hasn't shown up for the past two days. She left the hall and never returned to the hotel. Nobody has seen her. Please help me, we open in a week," he exclaimed.

"Well I really don't have anything going on, sure. I'll catch a flight out this morning," Lyssa said.

Brian breathed out, "oh thank you thank you thank you Lyssa."

"you owe me big Brian....real big," she commented.

"Brian chuckled,"Lyssa I owe you huge."

Lyssa laughed as she disconnected and went to go pack some basics into her flight bag. She called and made flight reservations while she packed and had five hours, another call to Rodrick's service to say where she'd be and why. Another quick call to Madison as well, she'd fussed about not being able to see Lyssa dance the last two times. Lyssa assured her a great seat on opening night. She checked in after a quick stop at the resturaunt for breakfast and boarded for first class. Lyssa would sleep on the flight and be ready to hit the ground running.

~o~O~o~

Yvette whimpered from the aches in her joints. She'd been tied tightly to the corners of the table for a long time. No clock and no windows to tell her how long she'd been there. The first thing he'd done was rip open her leotard and tights. Numerous welts marked her breasts and abdomen from the whip he'd used.

She couldn't see much in the dark room but the smell of something horrible filled the air making her more afraid. He'd filled her ears with wax from a candle; locking her into silence, but she could see movement off to the side if she strained her neck to turn. The light over her face suddenly came on and a man stood over her.

"Please let me go. I don't know who you are. I promise i won't tell, just please let me go," she begged in her heavily french accented english then again in french.

She saw him move then then whip came down across her torso with a sharp slap making her scream. Over and over he lashed her with it. Hatred filled his eyes as he whipped her and mouthed words she couldn't hear. All she could hear were her own screams. Finally he stopped then grasped her throat and squeezed. Yvette gasped and gurgled as he strangled her then released her.

Her head swam with fuzziness as she choked and coughed trying to catch her breath. He went back to whipping her for a while then strangled her again. She passed out from it this time and when she regained consciousness the light over her face was off and one in the distance was on but all she could see was his large form and it appeared to be beating something or someone else but she couldn't hear. She tried not to make alot of sound as she sobbed.

Yvette had no idea who he was or what she had done to make him so angry with her. He'd taken her as she walked out of the hall after rehearsal. It was the fourth day of reheasal and had gone well. All she wanted now was to go home and hide. The light went out across the room and she pressed her lips together trying to how back her sounds.

~o~O~o~

Edward stomped across the stage toward Brian, the choreographer, "Where is Yvette?"

Brian shook his head, "Still not at the hotel. Nobody has seen her since the other night."

"Well how do you suppose we are going to have a production without a principal dancer,"he demanded.

"I made a call and have someone on the way. She'll be here in the morning," Brian answered.

Edward scoffed," hmmmphf...and just who is this nobody. I need Yvette to make this performance. She is a star!"

"I called Lyssa...and she's not a nobody. She's better than Yvette anyday. The audience will love her," Brian said proudly.

"Lyssa? I don't know that name so she's a nobody. The production will be ruined by this Lyssa! pffffft," Edward spouted.

"OH DO SHUT UP! You have no idea what you're doing here. Yvette was the nobody! This is the first time you've had anything to do with ballet, all you've done is music videos for one-shot pop singers," Brian yelled back.

The director walked up, "Did you say Lyssa? Prima Lyssa Kordenay?"

Brian answered, "yes, she's on her way and will be here in the morning."

The director sighed with relief, "We're saved. Great job Brian. Edward, go and take your casting couch back to the recording offices."

Edward gave a look of shock then set his jaw, "Now see here! I'm the producer! How dare you talk to me like that! I should fire you and take the money back!"

"You can fire me but nobody else will work with you; and its in the contract that my pay is non returnable. Plus a percentage from the entire run of production. So stop pretending you have any idea what you're doing around here," Michael said very calmly then pointed offstage.

The producer stomped away glaring at dancers, stage hands and assistants.
"Michael, how the hell did we get involved with him," Brian asked.

Micheal said flatly, "I write a better contract than he does. Lyssa is coming so our worries truly are over."

A glance around the stage revealed pleased looks by the other dancers at the announcement of Lyssa. They knew her name and reputation. The highest of standard, nothing else would be allowed on stage with her. Now if only they could get rid of the producer.

---

CHAPTER 2

Lyssa's flight landed at Heathrow and she passed through customs quickly. A quick taxi ride to her house was needed since she didn't call anybody to collect her. Lyssa freshened up and changed for rehearsal. She doubted it would be neccessary but she checked the Jericho and Marauder that she tucked into the hidden compartment of her dance bag and clipped her hair back with a barette containing lockpicks.

Lyssa chuckled to herself, anybody else it would seem going overboard. Far better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it. The strange thing was the newspaper on the flight stated that the body of a woman had been found. Investigators had determined that she danced professionally but had been missing for a month. One thing for sure the dead girl was a brunette and the missing dancer she was replacing was blonde.

Lyssa drove the BMW Z-4 straight to the Hall and parked in the back close to the stage door. Within moments Lyssa was being greeted by the cast. The wardrobe mistress chattered excitedly about the costume she'd wear. Lyssa assured her that she'd be able to take measurements by the end of the day and already had the white pointe-shoes needed for the performance. The hair-stylist was thrilled that Lyssa wouldn't need any extensions for the desired length of hair for the style.

Other segments were rehearsed while she stretched and warmed up then Brian worked with her to get familiar with the routines. By the end of the day she had the first segment almost to perfection. Not a worry, she would have it within a day or two Brian assured her. A quick stop off at wardrobe for her measurements to be taken and then she was walking out with several others of the cast.

Lyssa chatted in the parking lot for a few minutes then left. She stopped at a market for groceries then continued back to her house. Dinner was quick then after a bubblebath she called Rodrick.

 

"morning gorgeous," he said sleepily.

"Its almost bedtime baby," she chuckled.

Rodrick groaned, "you mean you're going to bed without me again?"

"Hey you left me with all those catalogues you sadist," Lyssa commented angrily.

"You're the more domesticated of the both of us. Until we hooked up I lived in my hangar. Remember," he reminded.

Lyssa laughed rememberig the spartan apartment at the hangar as well as his comment of never having slept so comfortably before spending the night in her bed. They talked for a few more minutes about current activities then said goodnight to each other.

~o~O~o~

He raged as he ripped apart the newspaper then stormed into the basement and snapped on the light over the blonde dancer, Yvette. She'd stopped begging him in English and only spoke French now; not that he cared. In a moment the whip filled his hand and he began. Over and over the whip fell across Yvette's body. When felt a twinge in his shoulder he dropped it and seized her throat. Smiling he began to squeeze until her eyes started to roll back then released her. The young ballerina coughed and gagged then turned her head to the side and wretched, but since he had not fed her, nothing but bile came out.

He returned to whipping her until his shoulder ached again then strangled her until she passed out. It did no good to punish the unconscious so he stopped. Swearing loudly he turned off the light and went over to the other and did the same. Just to experiment he brought out the stungun he'd bought the day before. He started with the lowest setting and held it to her leg first and triggered it. The brown haired girl shrieked and collapsed. He waited to see how long it took for her to come back.

Five minutes later she groaned so he began whipping her again then strangled her until she passed out. He made up his mind then. He would take this new dancer as well. This American; Lyssa Kordenay, would be his. A fitting replacement for the one lost two days ago. A glance to the far corner settled it; he'd take this new dancer. He went over to Royal Albert Hall and watched the back lot waiting. It wasn't long before a sleek black sportscar pulled in. A blonde woman in a pink leotard, white tights and white filmy skirt. He'd wait until she walked back out and take her then.

~o~O~o~

Michael held the door open for Lyssa as she walked from her car to the stage door. He was impressed. Instead of the usual rental from the airport, Lyssa arrived in style. No agency decals meant that she owned the car, not rented it. He talked with stage hands about lighting as the cast stretched and warmed up.

Lyssa went through the first segment with a few corrections then went through it again with no corrections. Things went smoother on the next. Brian called the cast together and walked them through another segment then let them go through it on their own. He called out instructions here and there then restarted them.

Their whole attitude had changed. As if now they had new dedication and focus. Lyssa led the way through the segment and they followed her example. Michael leaned on the edge of the stage and watched. when they all stopped he called their attention.

"Looking good everybody but I think we need to change the tempo. The music is not fast enough to keep up with you and I like your speed. we'll speed up the tempo of the music but you all stay the same," Michael observed.

They all nodded enthusiatically.

"Let's break for lunch then come back and try it that way," he announced.

Lunch orders had been taken before they started and the assistants brought out the packaged meals for each. They noticed Lyssa drinking from two different juices and a water as she ate a salad. The rest of the day went well after lunch.

 

Lyssa was pleased with the morning and the afternoon. The director's decision to speed up the music had been good. It had felt a little slow to her as well, but now was in perfect timing. Unless something came up they would be more than ready for opening night. A stop in with the costumer and she was done for the day. She walked out the stage door and two other dancers followed talking about current gossip. they bidded her goodnight and she returned it with a smile then settled into her car and drove out.

Traffic wasn't bad, arriving back at her house within twenty minutes. Without a beach or pool to swim in her morning workout had adjusted to a longer run on a treadmill and time on a stationary bike. Then again the climate was much cooler in London than Grand Cayman. After dinner she bathed then called Rodrick as she prepared for bed. The usual tossing and turning ensued due to Rodrick's absence before she finally dropped off.

Lyssa awoke at her usual time and execised; treadmill, stationary bike, heavy bag and speedball then breakfast and a quick shower. She chose a purple leotard and black tights that day with a sheer black practice skirt and tucked her purple pointe-shoes into her dance bag along with clean towels then stepped into black heels and went to her car but doubled back for a jacket.

She got lucky arriving at the parking lot early and was able to get a closer parking space than yesterday. Lyssa shook off a shiver as she walked from the car to the door. A honking horn drew her attention. It was the male principal dancer so she waved. Out of the corner of her eye she something move in the distance of the lot. it was low to the ground so she assumed it was a stray dog startled by the horn.

Suddenly a feeling crept into her mind; a sense of being stared at with hostility. On the pretense of waiting for the male lead Lyssa secretly scanned around. Nothing shouted sniper to her, but the feeling stayed. She was being watched.They both walked inside and began preparing.

Together they warmed up and stretched. By the time the rest of the cast were ready Lyssa had gone through her first segment with not one missed step, working from memory. When they played the music she got it perfect and was even smoother. They all worked on the second segment and rehearsed it several times then began on the third segment.

After lunch they rehearsed it as well and were smoothing it out so Brian had them all start from the first and work their way through. Michael called out various instructions to the stage hands and to Brian. The cast went through the sequences several times and after the solos the time was noticed. Rehearsal had run longer than usual. Everyone was satisfied with the progress being made. They were all released for the day and Lyssa stopped in at wardrobe again but wasn't needed.

She walked out followed by several dancers but they didn't linger as they had the previous day as it had become windy and cooler. they all hurried to their cars and drove out. Again she'd felt hostility directed at her. Not from any of the cast but from somewhere outside around the periphary. Lyssa felt like she was being targeted. The words of one of her trainers during Special Warfare school came back to echo in her mind.

'Niggling feelings and uneasiness actually do have substance to them many times. All too often if you FEEL it, its true and you may be fucked already. Remember this well for you jackasses will see this material again,' the voice a grizzled old Master Sergeant filled her head.

---

CHAPTER 3

He raged with frustration. This Lyssa Kordenay was not proving to be an easy catch. People didn't leave her alone. It was as if she was popular with them. He watched as she pulled in and parked then walked briskly to the door held by a stage hand.

That evening as she walked out her phone rang, she answered it and stood talking. Several other people left waving to her as she talked. He worked his way closer and closer then finally she disconnected and dropped the phone into her bag as she searched for her keys.

~o~O~o~

Lyssa had answered on the second ring,"Hey Madison. What's up?"

"You promised me I could watch opening night. I'm taking a few days off to come to London. I even booked a hotel room," Madison announced.

Lyssa laughed, "I haven't forgotten. I even have a box seat reserved for you."

"OH THANK YOU! I have a dress to wear. It's formal right," Madison asked.

"Yes Madison. The Brits go all out for productions. By the way, Try not to stare into the next box over alot. Royalty finds it distracting," Lyssa chuckled then held the phone away as Madison squealed.

"Later Madi," Lyssa laughed and disconnected.

Lyssa dropped the phone into her bag and reached in for keys when she heard the scuff of a shoe.

"AW shit,"She managed to get out, turning too late.

~o~O~o~

He rushed up and used the stun gun, knocking her out instantly. He ran with her to his van, threw her inside and quickly handcuffed her. Thirty minutes later he parked in his driveway. Another tag from the stun gun and he carried her inside.

Once inside the basement a chain was looped through the cuffs and locked, holding her upright but not fully suspended. He tossed her dance bag to the side. He returned to his van and ensured he'd left nothing behind then settled in to have a small celebratory dinner. He'd caught her and now she was his he gloated to himself.

He walked heavily down the stairs back into the basement and went over to the far corner.

He spit and then kicked the unmoving form and swore loudly, "ANOTHER IS MINE! THERE IS NO OUT! NONE WILL EVER LEAVE! MY BITCHES! MINE! FOR ALWAYS!"

He ran over and snatched up the whip and started beating the dark haired girl again. Groans of pain were the only noise she made as the leather whip lashed against her over and over then he cast it aside and grabbed a handful of her hair and then began strangling her with his free hand until her eyes rolled back and she passed out. The new one was moving around.

~o~O~o~

The pain in her wrists sped Lyssa to awaken. She heard the sounds of leather against flesh and opened her eyes trying to redline her senses to full awareness. A gagging sound caught her attention. A large dark shape in semi-light appeared to be choking a naked girl with dark hair. A candle was lit and the light over the dark haired girl went out.

A moment later another light clicked on, over a table. A blonde girl in tattered dancewear. She started muttering in French until the whip fell across her torso making her screech in pain then speaking again rapidly in French. Lyssa could understand most of her words but many were distorted by her shrieks and hoarseness.

Over and over the blonde girl said, "Whatever I have done, please forgive me God and take me from this place."

She tried to recite the rosary but he began strangling her until she passed out. He turned his head and looked over at her. Lyssa knew she was looking at pure sadistic joy now. Dark eyes looked like they burned with a fever, he reached up and snapped off the light and took the candle off the shelf. Slowly her brought it over smiling. He leered at her ferally.

Lyssa looked up at him with a cold fury and spoke in a low tone, almost a whisper, "you've gone and done the stupidest thing in the world. You won't be living to regret it."

Her voice was a hiss as she said it slowly and clearly. He leaned in and tried to turn her head as he brought the candle closer. Lyssa took the obvious route to open with and snapped her head back, as his hand followed her head she quickly lunged forward and clamped her teeth down on his wrist. The skin quickly parted between her teeth as she set her jaw then cinched tighter feeling tendons and muscles trying to shift.

He howled with pain and dropped the candle snuffing the flame and spilling the melted wax onto the floor.

"BITCH," the man bellowed.

He yanked her hair, slapped her face. He even tried to choke her but Lyssa turned, squeezing her jaws tighter not allowing him to grab her neck. Finally he started punching at her head and face. A blow to the temple stunned her for a moment and her jaws relaxed, he yanked his wrist free but her teeth had done a nasty job and ripped the skin. Lyssa gave him a cold smile ringed with blood.

"Come get some BOY. I'm FAR from done with you," Lyssa snarled.

He straightened then launched himself at her with an all too obvious punch screaming obscenities. Lyssa shifted at the last second making him punch the pipe behind her. She heard the crackle of his knuckles then lunged forward and slammed her forehead hard to the bridge of his nose smashing it. He staggered back so she grasped the chain and brought her legs up and thrust out connecting with his neck area launching him across the room.

"OH YOU'VE DEFINITELY GONE AND DONE IT! YOU'RE JUST EIGHTEEN DIFFERENT KINDS OF ATE THE FUCK UP WITH THE STUPIDS AIN'TCHA,'' Lyssa yelled out, taunting," C'MON BOY.....C'MON! NO WAY IN HELL I'M DONE WITH YOU!"

He rushed back at her and she dodged two more punches but a third connected soundly. She knew she'd have a black eye but didn't let it faze her as she rammed her knee up hard into his groin making him double over. Her shoes had already fallen off so she snapped a lightning fast kick to the side of his head making him almost fly across the room from the power of it.

He shook his head to clear away the bright swirling things swimming in his vision then ran over to the shelves, grabbed the stungun and thumbed the trigger making it crackle as he stalked toward her. Lyssa had felt moisture on the floor and rubbed her feet back and forth soaking through the tights. She got her feet as wet as possible, it would be a major factor.

When he got close enough Lyssa jumped up and wrapped her legs around his waist, pressing her foot against him. she prayed there was enough to transfer through his clothing as well.

"PUNK! THINK YOU CAN HAVE ME," Lyssa snarled.

He jammed the stun gun against her thigh and thumbed the trigger. They both stiffened then passed out.

A couple of minutes later Lyssa came to and looked; he was out. Her tactic had worked. The biggest danger of of stun guns; not that they can be taken away and used against the wielder. The fact that it doesn't have to be taken away to be used against them. the moisture had ensured the current travel out of her and into him.

She wasted no time snapping open the barrette and pulling out a pick. Quickly shoving the spring steel tool into the cuff, pressing the ratchet up. A flex of her wrist yanked the end free and she unlocked the other the same way. She now was able to take the cuffs out of the chain's loop and used them to secure him. Memories flooded back. Her anger found new levels as she looked over at the girl on the table. Lyssa somehow managed to push the whispered plea from her mind as she approached.

The light snapped on overhead and Yvette started praying again until a blonde haired woman leaned over her and said something she couldn't hear.
In rapid french she begged,"Please let me go! please hurry before it happens again! Please!"

The woman mouthed something then kissed her forehead. Yvette started crying then felt the cords lashing her wrists to the table loosen then her ankles. She sobbed louder as pain set in as the woman slowly brought her arms down to rest against her body then leaned in to mouth more words to her.

"God help me; I am deaf now! I can not hear you! Please take me from this place," Yvette begged in terror.

Lyssa gently turned her head and saw the wax plugging the girl's ears then tried to ease her up to sit. Yvette sobbed openly from the pain but was happy to be untied. Lyssa looked around and saw a pad and a pen discarded on a nearby table and quickly took them. In large letters she wrote on the paper, "you have wax in your ears. I can't get it out but we'll leave here soon and go to a hospital."

Yvette understood and mumbled through sobs,"yes. please take me from here."

Lyssa cradled her then carried her up to the top of the stairs then went over and turned on the lights. A brunette girl hung naked from chains attached to the wall. Lyssa looked around and found a single key on a nail and tried it. The shackles opened one by one. She carried the brutalized girl up the stairs. Yvette held her as Lyssa went back down. Over at the far wall she saw hanging from another set of chains the decomposing body of another girl in shreds of tights and a mangled dance dress.

She turned and saw the dark haired man struggle to sit up. Lyssa's rage filled her. Calmly she walked over and slammed a punch just to the side of his temple that slammed him against the wall then thrust her elbow down making his head bounce against the floor. He fought to stay conscious. The last thing he heard before he slipped out was her cold snarl.

Lyssa whispered into his ear," now YOU are MINE."

---

CHAPTER 4

Lyssa watched as his eyes slowly opened to bright lights overhead and winced.

"Do you know who I am," a honeyed voice crept into his ear.

He thrashed against the ropes holding him and screamed. She had tied him to the table. From a shelf she brought out one of his own knves and started cutting away his shirt,pants and boxers leaving him naked on the table and she leaned closer with a look of cold malice in her eyes.

"You plugged their ears with wax. You enjoyed their screams, its a pity they'll miss out on yours," Lyssa hissed then held the blade in front of his face.

Slowly she moved the knife down, tracing the tip across him until she got to his pectoral muscles then pressed the tip inward under the skin drawing a thin red line. Pressing her thumb down to hold the small bit of skin against the flat of the blade. Lyssa jerked downward, ripping a wide strip off making him howl. She continued, showing him each piece before dropping it beside his head, working her way down to his waist then across to the other side.

His screams hitched up an octave as she went lower across his pelvis then thighs. Lyssa found a wadded towel and used it to prop up his head, then with him watching she carefully slit open his scrotal sac making one of his testicles pop out.

"Its too bad I can only do this to you twice," she said in an icy voice.

Lyssa angled the blade making it slide down the edge, slicing through the tube until it fell and then scooped it up with the blade and laid it on his bloody chest. He looked at it with widened shocked eyes as he shivered from the pain of being skinned alive. She repeated the process with the second testicle.

She then walked away and came back with a round cardboard container marked Iodized Table Salt.

"Maybe this will make a difference," She said coldly.

Lyssa opened it and poured the white crystals over his mangled chest then smoothed it across with the back of the knife blade grinding the sharp crystals into his raw flesh making him scream louder. She carefully circled the base of his penis with the edge of the blade then held the skin against the blade and slowly pulled.

He screamed at a higher pitch watching the outer skin peel back like a sock or stocking. Lyssa casually sprinkled the remainder of salt over the raw shaft. His eyes crossed as he screamed louder from the burning sensation. She walked away and returned with a red metal can.

"That didn't help? Here; I'll rinse it off," she said coldly.

She held the can up and poured the gasoline over him; starting at his legs and working her way up. His screams were animalistic by the time she reached his chest and head. Lyssa picked up her dance bag and slung it over her shoulder after taking out a pack of matches. She struck one and held it for a moment then looked over at him.

"Past the gates and before the throne; I've been to hell. This is the second time I have ever been happy to do much worse," She said then dropped it on the table as she passed.

He caught fire immediately and thrashed screaming louder as she collected both girls and got them outside.

 

Yvette couldn't stop crying. She was free, the monster was dead. She didn't know the blonde dancer but she was grateful. Minutes later policemen arrived and two ambulances. The blonde spoke to them and pointed at her ears. She held the other girl close and rocked back and forth gently as they both cried. she had looked at the other girl's ears; they too were filled with wax.

The paramedics came over and gently separated them then loaded them into the back of ambulances to go to the hospital. At the hospital the emergency doctors slowly and carefully scraped the wax from both girls' ears.

Yvette started sobbing again,"oh thank you thank you I can hear some things now."

Luckily the doctor spoke French and asked her to please be still so she would finish getting the last of it out as a nurse cleaned the raw lash marks. Yvette tried to be still as she continued to sob in relief. a woman came in after they were done and showed her an ID badge saying she was from Scotland Yard.

After many questions the Inspector left. The blonde dancer walked in and hitched her hip onto the side of the bed.

"Thank you so much," she exclaimed and hugged her," please tell me; who are you?"

"My name is Lyssa; Lyssa Kordenay," she answered softly.

"I know of you, you are a Bolshoi Prima. Thank you Prima Lyssa," she hugged her again, "I thought I would never be let out. I wanted to beg to die. I want to go home Prima Lyssa, when can I leave?"

"Soon if you want. Some people from your embassy are coming to see you," Lyssa answered, "you don't know the other girl do you?"

"No, she was there before me and I could not see good," Yvette sniffled.

"Ok Yvette just rest. When you get home you need to go see a counselor. A trauma and rape counselor," Lyssa instructed.

"He did not rape me, just hurt me very much," Yvette said.

Lyssa cut her off, "I understand that but the effects aren't much different so go talk to a counselor or your problems will be much worse."

"Yes Prima Lyssa," Yvette nodded.

The French Ambassador knocked then entered. Lyssa excused herself. Several police officer were in the hallway. Each one made subtle shifts to line the hall. They were all very leery of the beautiful woman with blood splattered clothing. Rumors already spreading; she was the fiance of an American Navy SEAL.

~o~O~o~

"And just where is your precious Lyssa Brian," Edward demanded.

"We don't know, her car is in the same place she parked in yesterday. Nobody saw her leave or return,"Brian answered.

Edward gave him an exasparated look,"Hmmmphf! Most probably laying up in some bed. Typical Americans; always thinking between their legs."

"Some people take things for granted," Lyssa announced walking out onto the stage with two uniformed police.

"The ability to chew solid food being one of them in your case," She stopped in front of him and glared.

"Oh I couldn't agree more," Rodrick said walking up the side steps from the audience seats, "I'd very much like to know where the idiot is that gave you that shiner babe."

"A bag. A very small bag," she answered not taking her eyes off the producer, "Some psycho decided to snatch up some ballerinas. He had the girl Yvette that I'm replacing and some other we don't know right off."

It was then that people started noticing the splatters of blood across her pink leotard, white tights and sheer practice skirt. Edward tried to give her a haughty look and was starting to say something when she instantly spun and snapped a kick the caught him under his jaw and threw him back several feet. Lyssa bent down and pressed her knee across his throat then snapped a quick jab breaking his nose then stood up.

Lyssa walked past the director and choreographer, "I'll be back tomorrow. I need a shower."

~o~O~o~

Madison sat beside Rodrick and watched as the curtain rose. The cast came out and danced the opening segment. The entire show went without a hitch. The make-up artist had worked wonders covering Lyssa's black eye and various other bruises. When the show ended several bouquets of roses of assorted colors were presented to her when Lyssa took her final curtsey. After the show Lyssa allowed a brief interview expressing her wishes for Yvette and the other girl a fast recovery.

A few strings were pulled via MI-6 and many details of the case were kept out of the official report and what was left of the body cremated. Rodrick made himself very obvious and his credentials were explored. It became an unsaid but accepted fact that he most likely had passed on some of his training to Lyssa to keep her safe when he was not available to protect her. The case was quickly swept under the rug.

Madison was happy, she'd finally gotten to see Lyssa perform live instead of on a DVD. Rodrick unfortunately had to accompany Lyssa to Waterford and Wedgewood to look at china and crystal. He grumbled about wishing she'd left the serial killer alive for him to take that frustration out on.