Chapter 27

Sable came sauntering out from behind the black curtain, looking pretty confident. After having her hissy fit and meltdown, she had done what she did best and ensured her outcome. She used her natural talents to sway some help to her side as Chyna had flat out told her no chance in hell. Knowing it would irritate Tahlia, she made sure to grind once she was in the ring, her hands moving up to toy with her hair in what was considered a seductive, teasing manner by the many men who were obviously in love with her.

Taker was waiting in the wings with the Acolytes and Viscera, ready to reclaim his most faithful. The difference between the two women could not have been more obvious and he felt disgust rising in him at Sable's antics. No amount of help Sable had mattered. The moment the bell rang, Tahlia kicked her as hard as she could in the stomach, sending her flying back against the ropes. She'd taken it easy on her last night, but tonight…Tahlia had to prove a point.

"MY BELT!" She screamed, beginning to throw forearms right in her face, bloodying her nose.

The referee tried pulling her back, but Tahlia went right back on the attack, stomping Sable's abdomen to the point where the woman was curled up in a fetal position. Then she pulled her up by her bleach blonde hair and lifted her on her shoulders, smirking into the camera. Just as she delivered her finisher, which was dropping Sable down with her knee driving into the woman's face, the lights went out and the all-too familiar gong resonated throughout the arena.

Accept the Lord of Darkness as your savior – And allow the purity of evil to guide you

Breathing heavily, Tahlia looked around in the pure black darkness, the crowd buzzing and suddenly, a scream echoed throughout the arena. "NOOOO!" She had to make it sound believable. When the lights came back on, Sable was a bloody battered mess in the middle of the ring and Tahlia was gone.

Being thoughtful, Taker had given Tahlia time to destroy Sable and she did not disappoint at all. He doubted Sable would be back in that ring anytime soon and no true competitor would cry over the 'loss'. The woman was a disgrace to the already underutilized women's division and, with a champion like Tahlia, he could envision the likes of Ivory, Jackie and Luna coming over to play now that there was someone else leading the pack. Someone who wasn't going to insist on the bra and panty matches, pudding matches, whatever it was the women tended to do.

"Feel better?" He purred, his eyes adjusted to the darkness as he carried through the old underground utility tunnel they had come up through.

Tahlia snuggled against him, feeling more alive than ever and nodded, breathing him in. "Yes."

She knew Taker would've approved of the massive beatdown she gave Sable because the man was sick in the head as much as her. She had Sable's blood on her hands and part of her wrestling attire, not minding a bit. Once they were outside, the cool wind hit her body and Tahlia embraced it, finally looking up into his beautiful green eyes. There was a getaway car waiting for them and it was no surprise Paul was the driver. The Acolytes were behind them, getting into their own vehicle as Tahlia jumped into the back along with Taker, immediately kissing him the moment the door closed.

"Now I'm even better."

"You need a bath." Paul commented, surveying her briefly in the rearview mirror before putting the car into drive and roaring out of the parking lot.

They needed to put some immediate space between them and Shane McMahon because 'Taker was of the mind that Shane would send people out ASAP for Tahlia. To give them some extra time, the Acolytes had slashed the tires of every Corporation member's car in the parking lot. It'd be cabs all around for those bozos, including Shane and his limo. He'd done a bit more than slash those limo tires and also planted his boot through the sunroof, pissing all over the presents Shane had waiting for Tahlia. Perfumes and some silks…. typical rich people nonsense.

"Nice to see you too, Brother Paul."

Tahlia looked down at herself for the first time and noticed the blood, a sick smirk curving her lips. Sable had written checks her backside couldn't cash and Tahlia had taken it to a new level tonight on Raw. Shane was probably going out of his mind with worry and sending his goon squad of the Corporation out to search for her. They would never find her. Gangrel had been taken care of in her absence, which was one of the many things they discussed the previous night. He was a traitor, just as she informed and had been secretly working with the Ministry. Dennis – Mideon – was another concern of hers, but Tahlia would let Taker handle it and focus on herself and whatever Taker wanted her to do.

"He is right though, I do need to scrub this slut's blood off of me before I catch some unknown disease."

"One bath coming up." Taker smirked, shifting in his seat to look at her through the light provided by the passing streetlights.

She did have a bit of blood on her, that whore's blood, and he idly wondered just how brutalized Tahlia had left Sable. The look on her however was delicious. She looked a little savage, a little feral, her amber eyes still showing signs of adrenaline and blood lust from her successful title defense.

"Everything is set up for your week off, sir." Paul said, almost casually, as if they weren't running from a lot of people, most likely cops included at this point because it was Shane McMahon.

Sable's words had bothered her a lot more than she would ever admit. Being back with Taker and the Ministry was bittersweet because…her feelings for her master. Tahlia didn't want to be known as the Ministry slut. She was better than Sable and hadn't slept her way to the top. The only reason she'd slept with Shane was to get closer to him. Holding the Women's title was also bittersweet because…as much as she didn't want to admit it, Sable was right. The only reason she won it fairly was due to Shane's actions. She wanted to win it on her own, without any help from anyone, not even the Ministry.

"Sounds heavenly. And thank you, Brother Paul." Leaning back against the seat, Tahlia let out a deep slow breath of relief. "Home."

As far as they were concerned, Tahlia had won her match fair and square and Shane had nothing to do with it. All he had done was ensure there would be no interference, she had done the rest. He draped his arm around her shoulders, pulling Tahlia into him and turned his head to look out the window, watching the scenery fly by as Paul guided them onto the interstate. There would be no flights tonight, just them and the road until they hit their destination. Taker wasn't in the mood for being in a tin can up in the air with other people.

Paul drove in silence for hours, finally glancing back at the pair and cocked a black eyebrow. They were both sound asleep with Taker's head resting on top of Tahlia's. Interesting.

It was a small house, secluded, a few hours away from Raw's location. Tahlia couldn't wait to get out of her wrestling attire and in the hot bath Taker promised, her muscles aching. She overdid it a tad on Sable, but didn't regret a single second or shot. Dropping the title on the bed, Tahlia sat down to remove her boots, untying and pulling them off. Then she unzipped her attire and pushed the material down her body until she stepped out of it. Just panties were underneath, no bra, due to the design. A bra wouldn't have been able to be hidden. Padding into the bathroom, she started the tub and ran her hand under the hot water, groaning in contentment. Her hair was half up and half down, so while the tub filled, she took the bobby pins holding it in place out, letting her black hair flow down her back. There was no bubble bath, but that was fine by her as she turned the faucet off and pushed her panties down her legs, kicking them to the side before slipping into the hot soothing liquid.

While she was doing her thing, he was going over some last-minute items with Paul. The older man was probably looking forward to some downtime with his own family, away from all the crazy Taker tended to drag him into. Once he had sent the old man packing, he stepped inside and shut the door, feeling relatively… pleased. He made his way upstairs to her bathroom, knocking once before stepping in. Pausing in the doorway, Taker idly realized he had no stuff that women liked. Though… the way she seemed to be enjoying the hot water told him she wasn't all that down about the lack of luxuries.

"Make room." He ordered, already stripping.

Being a man of his size, everything in all his houses had been designed with that in mind, including his overly large bathtubs. Tahlia loved garden tubs and wasn't surprised to see this house, however small it was, had one. That was how Taker operated. Without a word, she scooted forward, knowing he'd want to lean back against the back of the tub and leaned back once Taker was fully comfortable. There was plenty of water and heat from both the water and him. Taker was a furnace and Tahlia had told him that plenty of times.

"So, when did you get this place?" She asked casually, sliding the washcloth up her arms and neck until he took over to do it. There were a few bruises on her body from wrestling, but it just showed how battle-worn and strong she was. "It's cozy."

"I don't know, a few years." Taker thought about it, then nodded. "Yeah, few years ago. I acquire property…" He liked to dabble in real estate; it was a hobby for him and, one day, he knew he'd need to do something besides wrestling. Some of the viciousness he did in the ring he knew was taking a toll on his body, but that was years down the road as far as he was concerned. "Been sitting awhile. I had the work done a year ago and Paul had it cleaned up when I told him how we were going to bring you back into the Ministry." Because they needed a place to lay low for the week.

It was impossible to guess how many homes this man owned. It wasn't Tahlia's place to ask either, even though her curiosity burned. They had to clear the air though before anything else happened. Tahlia had to for her own conscience and frame of mind. Sitting up, she maneuvered around to where she faced him and leaned her head back against the opposite side of the tub.

"I need to be honest with you, Taker…about everything. I – I know we're not together like a couple, and we weren't when you sent me away to infiltrate the Corporation. But I fear my loyalty…I crushed it with what I did with Shane. And I know you told me to do what I had to do to get close to him, but…" Tears filled her eyes as she tried desperately keeping them in. "I need to know you forgive me. I just need to hear it…from you. Please."

They had been doing fine, without mention of all that and he might've been inclined to let it go if things could just… be. He had told her any means necessary and she had done so. His possessive inner demon, which she had released with whatever voodoo she had cast, had not been pleased with her sleeping with Shane after she had already gotten into the Corporation. Nor had he been all that happy about witnessing one of their trysts. Taker realized he was tense and gripping her rather tightly, forcing himself to let go.

"Forgive you for what, exactly?" He asked finally, his words slow and measured. "Doing what you felt you needed to?"

The amount of power and anger in his hold, his grip, somewhat terrified her, but Tahlia refused to show any fear. Not with him. Taker wouldn't hurt her and she trusted him explicitly. "I felt I had to do it because…of how he feels for me. I couldn't lose that connection and faith he had in me. He would've started questioning my loyalty if I didn't give him what he wanted. And I know I didn't have to do it, but…I…" Tahlia looked away from him, feeling shame course through her body and shut her eyes. "I refused to let you down. You depended on me to get the job done and I did it the only way I knew how. But now that's over and I'm back where I belong…I'm back with you. I just need to make sure the air is cleared between us. I don't care how the others feel towards me, just you. And if you need to…punish me in order to get past this, I'm ready. I accept the consequences of my actions because, in a way, I did break my vow and loyalty to you."

Taker wondered how experienced in the matters of men, or more to the point the matters of the heart, Tahlia was experienced in. He would wager not very, but he would also attribute that to her work drive. She was more focused on career goals than personal situations. Given how she had made him, of all people, respect her, he already knew she had managed to do the same with Boy Wonder. Sex wouldn't have been an issue. McMahon was a manwhore and he had been unleashing himself because he had been genuinely interested in her, which was hilarious and he grinned evilly.

"I'm not going to punish you, Tahlia." No… because while her fucking someone else did not sit well with him, it would work. It would not be for nothing. "No… we'll punish Shane." He stared into her amber orbs, searching them intently, wondering if that would bother her any.

A slow malicious smirk stretched across her lips at his words, sending tremors of excitement throughout her body. "Yes." Tahlia sliced through the water, sliding her hands up his muscular chest to rest on his shoulder and essentially laid on top of him. "I want to punish him…and break him down into nothing…to the point where he BEGS for relief. I want to make him say the words 'I want to join the Ministry' and only then will he be granted a merciful end. He'll never join us, but we can make him THINK we want him to since he is a McMahon. Mind games and all that." She rubbed her nose against his and pressed their foreheads together, finally kissing him. "We will destroy him and the Corporation and I think we should start with you going after Austin for the World title. The Acolytes can go after the tag titles and then we could go after the smaller belts until the Ministry is holding all the gold in WWF. Vince will be beside himself and maybe even have a mental breakdown himself."

The gold was already a given, she wasn't saying anything he and Paul hadn't discussed over the last few weeks as Paul attempted to get Taker to commit to a plan and shore it up. "I'm sure Vince will have a breakdown after we're through with Shane." Just seeing her laying on him like this, feeling how hard her heart was pounding and the excitement in her eyes, was giving him some ideas. "Shane will probably swear off women by the time we're done with him."

Shane had thought it was a good idea to mess around with a woman who had joined, for all intents and purposes, a CULT. Obviously, said woman was going to be crazy and do crazy antics. This would be hilarious and he began laughing, seemingly out of nowhere. It boomed around the bathroom, bouncing back at them and made no effort to control his mirth. What kind of idiot was McMahon, honestly?

Tahlia had no idea what came over Taker, but the sound of his laughter was music to her ears. As evil and demonic as it sounded, it turned her on and the gears in her head began to turn. She was a crazy woman for falling in love with someone like him and allowing a man to use her the way Taker did. Tahlia should've told him to go to hell the moment he approached her with the Corporation infiltration quest. However, she didn't for several reasons and one of them was unbridled, loyal devotion. She swore an oath to him, a vow and even allowed the man to brand her with his symbol into her skin. Yes, she was definitely insane, in a smart way.

"What if I stalk him? He's already lost me and he'll know it next week on Raw. But what if I don't stop there and I keep pursuing him, making him think I want him, but it's all one big mind fuck? We could film me 'worshipping' a shrine of him and stalk him throughout the arenas, send him cryptic messages…and eventually kidnap him to torture him until he completely shatters. What do you think?"

Honestly, Taker could actually envision all that playing out and could see how they would set some of it up. He did have quite the flair for the dramatic after all. She was perfect for this; he knew she would apply her personal fanatical behavior for him and turn it onto this, making Shane think she was genuinely obsessed with him. The McMahon heir would know terror, paranoia… all of it, and Vince would as well.

"Let's do it." He agreed, nodding emphatically, knowing this would be comical. "I'll speak with Paul later in the week. I'm sure he'll have some ideas on how to make this happen."

"Perfect." She purred, gliding her nails down his muscular shoulders and arms while his hands caressed her back and backside, just enjoying the friction between them for a while.