The skylight inched open. A few more inches. And then a sineous feline form wiggled her way through the gap, dropping a few feet before the rope pulled up short, gripped by a shiny purple glove. Tabitha Young paused, dangling, gleaming green eyes searching below herself. She shifted her grip, smoothly letting the other rope she was carrying in her free arm, letting it reel down to the floor with the softest sound of impact. She waited.

The security guard showed up right on schedule, passing through the exhibit hall on his beat, a glance over to the closed exit door... and Tabitha let her rope go with a hiss, a rush of cord through her climbing harness... and the noose-like loop of her other rope pulling abruptly tight, snatching both the guard's ankles, yanking him upwards with all the force of the dropping feline, yanking him skywards even as it flipped him over to dangle by his ankles. She caught herself a foot short of the floor, and dropped to take the tension off the line, letting the panicked canine plummet until the rope came up short under her boot, leaving the man dangling a few feet short of an impact with the floor. 

His yelp of panic was perfect, and dissolved almost immediately into a 'hrmf' as she packed his mouth with a handful of waiting cloth, a second scarf sweeping around his head to pin the stuffing into place before the noise had faded. He tried to crane his head around to look at her, only for her third cloth to settle over his eyes. A 'tut tut' from the tabby feline. "No peeking, dear." His hands rose to try and grab at the blindfold around his muzzle, but she was still a step ahead of the shocked canine, tugging his arms up behind him where she could lash those wrists tightly together, an expert knotting keeping his arms out of the way. "Be a good boy, and nothing bad happens to you, hm?" She gave his ears a playful pat [upwards, of course], before tugging the rope to lift him back up in air, a suspended struggle from the same line she'd descended on, tying it off to one of the lighting fixtures. Excellent. She was in, and her entrance secured, and her first obstacle thoroughly out of play.

The Azure City Museum had always been one of her favorite hotspots, and the jewelry exhibition that was opening the next day was just too perfect for her to pass up. Specifically one of the larger gems in a circlet was a perfect shade of aquamarine that reminded her of her daughter's bright gaze, and it'd make a perfect collection piece for young Alicia to wear... in private, of course. She'd made sure Alicia knew that certain pieces were for home wear only. Meandering thoughts, she idly checked her watch. She'd seen the other security guard head out to pick up a late-night dinner, so she knew she had some more time tonight. Was silly of them to only have two guards for such a valuable exhibition, but all the better for her... and she still contemplated if she wanted to haul off the squirming doberman in the other room. He was a bit bulkier than she usually liked... though he did squirm pretty nicely... she let her thoughts wander as her hands worked, picking the lock to the exhibition hall with almost unconscious skill. Click, click, click, twist, and she was in. 

The gem exhibition hall itself was darker with no skylight, but there was enough light for her to see the gleam of gold, silver, and gemstones all around her. A couple pieces tempted her, but she didn't want to be a common looter. No, she was after a single piece, and that tiara would be... ah, there it was. She reached out... the case wasn't even locked! That would be- and a hand wrapped around her wrist. 

Her eyes widened. She wasn't used to someone being able to sneak up on her. Even as she did, though, and she heard the indrawn breath of her attacker, she was already moving. The person gripping her found his arm twisted around as she stepped under his arm and behind him. Her other hand was rising with her cord already in it, only to lose her position as his fingers were quick enough to release hers. She tried to pursue with a step, but he whirled at the same time, denying her a new grip, and squaring off in front of her. She let the cord fall from her hand to hang off her hip once again, her gleaming green eyes meeting blue ones in a face almost as dark as their surroundings.

A panther... not a security guard, for his outfit was a long duster over dark blue clothing, no security logo or uniform. Tall, obviously strong from the grip she'd felt for that moment, but not quite as bulky as her earlier canine pinata. His build was more taut, meant for swift, sudden movement. The stance of his feet and his body was obviously trained, and the calm expression on his face rather than the wary look of a guard... he'd obviously been waiting here for someone. His voice broke the silence, deep. "Well. You're a lot quicker than I expected." 

Tabitha's eyes narrowed. "Waiting for me?" The panther's shoulders bobbed. "For someone, at least." A faint grin broke the dark face. "Admittedly someone not quite as pretty." Tabby let out a laugh. "Oh, this old thing? I just threw on whatever." His lead foot slipped back a bit, straightening himself up just a bit. "You must have quite a wardrobe, then." Her mind slipped back to said wardrobe, which featured rather more rope and cloth and 'accessories' than outfits. "You have no idea. But maybe you should get one?" She let her eyebrows wiggle. "Maybe if you let me take what I want, I'll give you a ride to come look at it."

The panther gave a faint snort. "That offer is more tempting than you'd think. But I'd rather the show go ahead as planned, I'm afraid. You are welcome to run away, I'm more interested in keeping things intact than getting you behind bars." She let her own wary stance relax a little, a little smirk on her lips as she took the moment to gauge the panther's form. "I don't know, so many lovely things around, it would be a shame not to leave with one or two of them." He shook his head again, eyes staying on her. "Afraid I can't have you cleaning the place out." She wagged a purple finger at him in reply. "I said one or two. One specifically, anyway." The panther's eyebrow crooked. "For hire?" Her turn to shake her head. "Nah, just want a specific piece." 

She gestured past him to the tiara. That eyebrow stayed crooked as he glanced back to it, then back to her. She'd lightly tensed her knees, ready to lunge, but he was still wary enough to keep her in his peripheral as he glanced over, then back to her. "Just the one?" She echoed his words with a nod. "Just the one." He drummed fingers lightly on his hip, thoughtfully, then gave a snort. "You know what. I know the fellow who owns that one, he's a snot who could do with being taken down a peg." Her smile dawned at him, and he halted her with a raised finger of his own, dark fur. "But." Her turn to raise an eyebrow. "The show needs to go forward, and that won't happen if you take it right now. They'll cancel it to avoid a public scandal. So... how about a deal?"
She straightened herself up fully, arms crossing with a creak of leather. "What kind of deal?" He gestured to the tiara. "A day's delay, and I won't stop you tomorrow night. With the exhibition already set up, they'll give the theft plenty of press, and that'll give Sir Fletcher absolute ulcers when he tries to pretend his holdings didn't take a hit." 

Tabitha considered. On one hand, it wasn't like she HAD to get it tonight. But on the other... she cocked her head at him. "Riiiight. So how many cops would be waiting with you when I show up tomorrow night? Pull the other one." The panther let out a little snort. "Touche." He considered a moment, then shrugged. "What would you suggest, then?" She let her teeth show in a predatory grin. "How about you... steal it for me? You get it for me tomorrow night, and I'll leave the rest of the exhibition alone. I'll give you a call once you've got it, and you meet me where I choose." 

The larger cat's eyebrows rose sharply at that suggestion. "Steal it? Hm." He glanced over to it, then back to her. He seemed more amused than outraged at the suggestion. "I suppose this also gives you my fingerprints on it, to ensure I don't get too talky about these escapades?" She gave him another bright smile. "I wasn't going to be rude enough to point that out, but... yes, that too." He heaved a little sigh, playfully suffering. "I suppose that'll do, then. One last condition." He met her smile with one of his own, his tone playful now. "If I'm going to be tossing my fate into such a lovely set of paws, perhaps she'll gift me with a name?" She put on a mischievous face. "How about, Mr. Fluffy Darkpaws?" Those blue eyes gave a roll. "Your name, I meant." A mock surprised expression on hers. "Oh, I suppose. You can call me Tabby. Now, that phone number?" 

The panther nodded, glancing around, then scooping up one of the exhibit brochures on a nearby table to scrawl a number of digits in the margin. He gave a little dip of his head as he handed it over. "A pleasure doing business, then, miss Tabby. West exit's camera coverage is shameful, I'd suggest you head out that way." She batted her eyelashes at him. "How generous. Oh, and you should probably see to the guard in the north gallery. He's probably pretty worked up by now." She twiddled fingers to him, and slunk off into the darkness, heading to the west.

Talyn shook his head, watching that pretty form disappear into the shadows. Sexy flirty cat burglars were supposed to be a work of fiction, and here he was getting wrapped up with one. Ah, well. It was infinitely more interesting than pulling unscheduled security on his own property just because the museum's security budget was their last priority. He padded his way towards the north gallery to see what she'd made of the security guard there. 

A pause, looking about, and then he spotted the rope, wiggling in the light. A blink, following the cord upwards, and then at the squirming, half-hogtied form dangling in the air, making annoyed 'mmphing' sounds and thrashing about uselessly in the rope. Huh. Well. That certainly was an... unusual way of disabling a guard. He'd pictured a swift chokehold or a face full of chem-soaked rag, not... rather artful ropework. It actually took him a moment to work that intricate knot free, with a little grunt of effort as he lowered the guard down to the floor slowly. The man went still as he was descending, and began to thrash even harder once he was sprawled on the floor.

"Quiet down, and hold still. These knots are hard enough without you jerking about." The guard recognized the voice as someone different, and finally went still, letting the panther free him. Talyn couldn't help but quirk an eyebrow at the... generous amount of stuffing behind the gag as the guard spit it out onto the floor. "There's a burg-" The panther cut the canine off with a handwave. "Yeah, I found her, she bailed already when she caught sight of me." The doberman nodded, getting his feet untied and standing up. "I'll have to make a report..." The panther shook his head sharply. "Keep it quiet. She didn't get any of the gems, she'll be coming back. If you make a report, you'll scare her off. I'm going to be looking for her tomorrow. I'll let the other contributors know quietly." 

The guard frowned. "But I'll-" The black-furred feline leaned forward into the light, and the canine paled as he recognized his rescuer. "Oh, Mr. Cheviot! I understand, sir! Uh... why were you here tonight?" The panther snorted. "Why do you think? Good thing I did, though." The guard nodded jerkily, flushing as the panther turned an accusing gaze on him. "Ah... yes sir. I'll... uh... get back on duty." The doberman shakily stumbled off towards the security room, wondering if he'd still have a job in the morning.

Talyn shook his head, watching him go. "Amateurs meeting professionals." He mused to himself, still holding one of the ropes. He gave a tug, eying the knot still in the length. "Definitely professional." A sharp tug outwards freed the rope from its roof mount, landing with a dull thud, and the panther began to coil it about his shoulder. Best to clear out the evidence of her intrusion.

The next day dawned, and Tabitha spent it first sleeping in after a busy night, and then watching the exhibition open on TV, ears perked. A surprise announcement, open to the public, blah blah blah. Historical value, generous donations, so on. She yawned to herself, tapping a paw against her lips, only half theatrical. So far no signs of alarm or preparation... it seemed like her midnight companion was keeping his word so far. She sat up on the bed, though, as the dark-furred figure appeared on the channel as though summoned by her thoughts. Her eyebrows rose almost to her hair. "Huh." Executive for Vulpine Jewelers, that would explain his interest. She reached over to scoop up the brochure she'd brought back. Ah... several of the gems came from his company... and two from a personal collection? The tabby feline let out a little whistle. Well. Her tentative plans (oh, who was she kidding, her solid plans) for that evening became more... lucrative. She turned back to the TV, watching the panther give a few terse but polite replies to the news anchor before leaving the cameras to the next contributor. The reached for the phone to order herself delivery. She'd want lots of energy for tonight, for certain...

The panther's day passed with the same sort of nonevent, aside from, well... the event. On the bright side, he'd made sure that guard had kept his mouth shut, and that meant the meager security wouldn't get any less meager. Stacking the deck, he supposed, but he had no desire to get arrested, no matter how particularly chivalrous he was feeling. Some hobnobbing here and there, and then he headed out, back to his hotel room, with more than a few muttered comments about departing from town as soon as he could. He packed up his things at the hotel, tossing his luggage in his rental car, and dressing for the evening. simple turtleneck in a charcoal gray, a darker coat over it, tools tucked in the pockets, black boots and trousers, enough of a casual look to not stick in any memories. His car departed the motel... and settled into a long-term parking lot. A quick evening bus ride and he was back in town, finding a cafe to get food and wait for the sun to creep down into that darkness. A busy night waited ahead, after all.

A quick catnap, and Tabitha was rested and ready for a busy night. She didn't need her climbing rig or break in kit, no, she was just carrying a hip bag big enough to hold the tiara she was after, some of her lockpicks... and her other bag. She tossed in a well-sealed bottle of chloroform and a set of handcuffs, just in case. And then, she began to pluck freshly laundered scarves into the bag, humming a cheerful tune as she did it, color after color, a nice padded pile. Once she was satisfied with the pile of cloth, she examined a few coils of rope. Much more supple than her climbing line, more lovingly tended and cleaned... colors to delight her fashion designer's eye. She finally chose to tuck away a few coils of deep red and shiny white. It was fortunate, she thought to herself with a smile, that everything went with black.

Talyn slid a few bills onto the tray, and another for the tip before pushing to his feet. Time to get moving. He rolled his shoulders as he left the cafe, headed for the museum. The utility door opened to a swipe of the keycard he produced from his coat, stepping inside to let it close behind him with a click. He proceeded through the utility hallway, bending his knees to scoop up a can of cleaner and a pair of latex gloves, tugging them smoothly onto his paws, and giving the can a quick shake to ensure it was primed, as he continued into the exhibit halls. A quick 'hiss' of fluid over a camera lens in the fossil hall in passing, proceeding on through historical artifacts, tossing the can of cleaner into a trashcan smoothly, and then through the bannered hall, another swipe of card, and he was among the gems. 

The circlet he was here for scooped up from the stand with one gloved hand, and then... a necklace scooped up from the next. The panther settled the necklace onto the stand the circlet occupied, then moved to pluck a gem out of one setting and swap it for a Faberge egg in the next. A few more moments, plucking a few more prizes up, swapping a few other ones, and then he was circling around back towards his entry. The other gems were deposited in trashcans and shelves at random as he continued his path, careful to slip past the cameras this time and keep his path completely unknown. He took a quick peek in passing of the fossil hall, seeing the guard climbing a stepladder to wipe at the soap-soaked camera lens. A little smirk to himself. Amateurs indeed. 

Back to the utility halls, the closet, another swipe of the card, and he was back in the night air, one circlet richer. He made sure the door closed and locked behind him, and then began to walk down the street, producing the card he'd used for access and smoothly snapping it in half, then quarters, and dropping the pieces into a sewer grate as he passed. No doubt tomorrow there would be some confusion on how the building's keycard records indicated the Baroness De Vrays had broken in and vandalized the exhibits. Going in on Lord Alteus's arm, he doubted she'd even noticed or cared enough that her card had gone missing, as long as her gems were found.
Of course, now there was the second part of the night... waiting for a call.

Tabitha chewed daintily on a chocolate bar while her eyes followed the shadowy figure exiting the museum and tossing those fragments of plastic through the grate. He was... definitely a bit more than a typical executive. Then again, she already knew that after their late night meeting. Still, the speed at which he'd gone in and out, either he'd done this sort of thing before... or it was a setup. She started her car with a faint rumble, lights piercing the alleyway's darkness as she put it into gear. Nobody seemed to be following him yet, but there was still some time, and she'd be savoring this night... and other nights still, if everything went according to plan.

The panther made a few more blocks before cutting into a hotel. There weren't too many businesses that would be open late, but the hotel bar would be an excellent place to wait for the call from his... well, he supposed 'partner in crime' would be a misnomer, since he did all the work on this and stood to take the fall for it, but eh. He drummed fingers on the bar, giving the bartender a pleasant crook of head in greeting as his eyes browsed the displayed drinks, mindful of the leather laptop bag slung around him and its precious cargo.

It took a good half hour, then his phone chirped. He plucked it out of his pocket, flipping it open with a plastic 'pop'. "Hello." Her voice purred in his ear. "Good job. Ready to come deliver?" His eyebrows quirked, and a little laugh. "You've been checking up, have you?" He could hear her smirk right through the phone. "I have at that. Had to make sure you weren't tattling." A little laugh. "But seems like you're being a good boy, so I'll give you a treat." His eyebrows quirked at that. She went on. "Here's the address." She read it off. "Invitation's for you only. Don't keep me waiting. Oh, and use the back door, too." The panther scrawled it on a napkin. "See you soon, then, miss Tabby." She gave a musical laugh, and hung up the phone with a sharp click.

The address turned out to not be too far, a mostly-abandoned shopping center, and the fourth store specifically. That store in particular was an empty space 'available for rent'. Offhand he wondered if she had some stake in the area, or if they'd simply had the most easily picked lock in the plaza. As he approached the back door, he glanced back and forth. No cars in the lot, and barely any traffic nearby. Nice and quiet. The doorknob turned in his hand, and he moved smoothly inside, letting his eyes roam the dim space.

A mild surprise. He stood in a little utility closet, but it really just acted as the antechamber to a comfortably furnished little studio, an empty camera tripod set up pointed at a loveseat and an armchair in front of him, a bed over in one corner surrounded by some lights, and other photographic paraphernalia, most of them covered by dusty white sheets. He paused, looking the room over. Looked like they did their own catalogue shots. There were even a couple of poseable mannequins standing in that dim light, long since devoid of clothing or covering. 

Finally pacing his way into the little photo studio, he peered through the other door. It lead to the main room of the store,and he doubted she meant to meet him there, visible to the big glass storefront where someone might be curious about the figures in a closed store late at night. Turning, he strode back over towards the armchair, figuring he might as well sit while he waited... only for a rustle of cloth from behind him and a firm jab in the spine from behind. "Freeze, kittycat!" The tone playful rather than threatening. The panther froze nonetheless, out of surprise as much as obedience. Another poke in the back... that was definitely a fingertip, no firearm. He tilted his head a bit to peer over his shoulder, only for Tabitha's other hand to rise up and push his jaw back forwards. "No peeking, now. Hands up!" He let out a snort, and slowly lifted his hands to the shoulder. 

That poking finger withdrew. "Now to check you for contraband." The laptop bag was plucked off his shoulder first, the tabby cat giving it a squeeze, eyes lighting as she felt the shape inside it. She set it on the floor, then returned to him. A quick grip of his coat, feeling metal shapes inside it, and she was shifting her grip to the shoulders to haul it upwards. "Come on, off with it." The panther dipped shoulders and arms cooperatively, letting her tug the garment off. A moment of prodding, eying the lockpick set, knife, and multitool from the pockets, before she tossed it back onto the loveseat with a quiet clank. "Ah ah ah, paws back up!" The panther raised an eyebrow, but kept his paws up and face forward, one ear turned enough for her to see the lighter coloration inside it.

Those paws reached forward, and began to pat along the undersides of his arms, then down his sides, along his front, something of a caricature of a proper patdown, especially when those fingers curled against his abdomen, feeling the definition there. His eyebrows rose, making a little 'hrmf' at the pressure, and then she was feeling about his hips... and took two pawfuls of his rear. Talyn let a laugh out. "Find something, did you?" She gave a little amused sounding 'mmhmm', and let her hands run further down his legs, to the knees, and then back up the fronts of his thighs... one hand coming up to give his package a quick cup, lift, and grope, widening his eyes and bringing him to tip-toe for a moment. "Hnf! Hey now, those are different jewels-" She let out a giggle as he continued. "-and I'd be worried if you intended to steal those!" 

Her giggle rose to a full laugh. "Oh, relax, kittycat." She gave his hip a pat. "I'll let those stay attached to you. But it seems like you're clean, or clean enough. Now let's get a look at this..." The sound of the laptop bag unzipping. "Ah... lovely." The zip closed. His head tried to turn again, and her hand once again deflected his snout back forwards, playfully. She leaned up to whisper in his ear, her hands on his shoulders. "It was a pleasure, kittycat, but I'm afraid I only got half of what I was after in this deal..." He crooked an eyebrow. The trailing tone invited his reply "Oh? What else was there?"

Her hands shifted to his upper arms, and pulled back suddenly, sharply, pulling his arms back, and as she stepped back with the pull, he was overbalanced backwards. His hands shot back and down, instinctively moving to catch his falling self... feet moving back in an attempt to get under him before he toppled... but his left foot ran into her planted leg, halting it. His right slid back anyway, only for her own right foot to press into the back of his knee. Her weight shifted back forward, pushing off as she forced his knee to buckle, pushing the off-balance bigger panther down to his knees as her hands dropped to his forearms and pulled upwards. He went down to one knee, then the other as she bulled him forward and pulled upwards on those forearms behind him, coming back to her full height over him. 

Her knee rose, pressing against his back, keeping him bowed forward, and his arms pinned along with one hand... her other hand tugged open her knapsack, and drew out that first waiting red coil. She snaked it over the pinned arms, tucking the material through the slight gap under his armpit and by his elbow, three swift loops left loose. She lifted her knee, gripping his arms, and tugged the loops over, centering them on his arms and pulling the loops tight to keep them pinned together. A rope in either hand, tension keeping his arms together, she leaned down to purr in his ear. "Now I've got everything..."

Talyn had to catch his breath. The motions were so swift, so practiced, taking advantage of body weight and reactions in a perfect way that he hardly had a chance to respond, even if she hadn't caught him so far off-guard. His arms forced behind him by that rope, all the leverage on her side from her position over him. That self-satisfied purr in his ear... she sounded happier to say that than she did about the circlet. A glance over his shoulder, he could see the laptop bag dropped almost carelessly on the loveseat. No, definitely happier. She gave those ropes another tug, then began to loop them around again, again, seeming satisfied when she had half a dozen loops around those paired forearms. 

A cheerful tune escaped her, a pleasant humming that seemed to discourage any words from him. She pressed a knee lightly against the bound wrists to keep tension, and trailed the rope up his back, around his shoulder, across his chest, and back around the other shoulder, around his chest twice high, twice low, then tying it off in a snug knot that pulled his wrists up a little more behind his back. Her fingers tucked between the rope and his skin, a momentary sweep around his shoulders to settle the tension, before one last tie secured the rope in place. "Mmm, there we go." She stepped back, and gave the rope a tug. "Up, kitty." He gave a little grunt, shifting his knees to get his weight on his feet again, and then, with her little urging tugs, back up  to his feet. She stepped to the side, and gave another pull on her rope leash to get him to stumble backwards... and land with a light thump seated on the loveseat. She brushed his coat off the other seat and landed herself beside him, rope still in hand, grinning broadly now.

"So what brings a high and mighty executive down to skulk around the exhibits? I would think you'd pay people for that." He coughed. "Ah, you caught that, huh?" She gave the rope a tug. "I'm asking the questions here, Mr. Cheviot. Not that I mind, given the outcome." He bobbed his shoulders. "Call it... restlessness? I used to be more of an active player, instead of...managing." The panther grimaced, as though the word tasted foul on the way out. Tabitha nodded. "I see. You must've been very active indeed. Looked like you had fun tonight." He laughed somewhat abashedly. "Suppose that I did, yes." She made a long leg, hooking a boot into that knapsack and drawing it in closer. Another red coil came to her hands smoothly. "Well, then I suppose it's only fair that I have some fun, too, don't you think?" 

The back of one leather-gloved hand ran down his cheek, the end of that rope held in it, brushing after her touch. He let another smile break out. "I get the odd feeling that my opinion in the matter isn't important." She stuck her tongue out and whapped him in the nose lightly with the loose end of the rope. "No backtalk, now! Legs up!" She ran the rope beneath his thighs once he obeyed, swirling those crimson coils around either leg individually, pulling them tight just above his knees... and then tugging his boots off to replicate her work around his bare ankles. "There we go." She pushed his legs back down to the loveseat, letting him sit back up just a little, and swung her own leg over his bound ones to straddle his lap and settle down, facing him with a grin. "Isn't that more comfortable for you?" He gave another laugh. "Comfort isn't the word I would use... but I'm not of a mind to complain, either, miss Tabby." That grin widened, her hand running up to pet over his cheek once again, cupping his jaw. "Good, that makes you smarter than most of my guests!"

Her other hand quested downwards, eyes still on his, and she was rewarded with those blue orbs widening as her hand cupped the bulge in his pants. "Now then... we should set some ground rules, I think." Her hand left his cheek, leaning herself to the side, and with a rustle of that nearby knapsack, she came up with a colorful handful of cloth to deposited on the couch arm. Her fingers dug through it for just a moment before deftly plucking out a pair of darkly colored scarves, and began to fold and scrunch them up. His eyes followed the motions, and then he found the cloth hovering in front of his lips. She gave him a grin, and her fingers tightened on that bulge. Not unpleasantly, but the reaction she expected was obvious, so he let his mouth stretch open with that little groan, and she pushed the cloth into his lips, expertly, letting its crushed down bulk expand as she released it, fingers delicate. Not that he was planning on biting her fingers, but the motions would've kept her digits safe even if he was. 

She considered his packed mouth, and scooped up a third red cloth to push in after. "The first rule is that you don't call me Tabby anymore. My name is Tabitha." She let herself grin. "But I like that you use 'Miss', so definitely keep doing that." She kept a digit on the bit of cloth protruding from his lips, keeping it in place and his tongue pinned. He let his head dip in a nod, but she tilted her head, an ear perked. "What was that?" "Yymf mmrf trrfth." Her grin widened, looking into his eyes for a moment. Why... was he enjoying this? Maybe not as much as she was, but... she let her hand quest around in a slow circle on his groin, watching those blue eyes flutter a moment. "Good boy." She teased. Her hands left him for a moment, only to come back up holding a new white scarf from the pile, one she rolled and doubled on itself, before reaching over his shoulders to pull it across his packed mouth, and tie it securely behind his head. "There. Nice and snug." She wiggled herself back just a little in his lap to give herself more room, and returned a hand to his bulge, a different grip that started to stroke the shape within upwards. "Now, my kitty, let's see how you sing for me, hm?" She teased, voice and hand alike, getting a feel for him as he firmed up in her grasp. 

Talyn shuddered as she took that authoritative grip on his member. While it was hardly the first time he'd been tied up, it was usually something indulged behind closed doors, not something he'd literally been kidnapped into. On the other hand... it wasn't like denying he liked it was going to do much good at this point, and he was pretty sure she'd already picked up on it. He let his chin rise, a huff of breath making the loose tail of the cloth over his mouth flutter before a nice muffled groan through that thick packing. He let his hips squirm, pushing against her touch, even as her other paw landed on his shoulder, pushing his back more firmly into the cushion, keeping him pinned beneath her, controlled by her. His pelvis shifted, lifting once again with her stroke, another heated breath as his muzzle tipped forward this time, blown over her shoulder before he drew another long breath in. "Hhhnnn... nnnfff..." She was definitely practiced at THIS, too!

Tabitha felt that heat rise under her stroking, tenting those dress trousers up. She let her hand turn, palm running over the top of that bulge, and feeling the thighs under her tighten up while he let out another long groan. "Mmm, that's a nice sound indeed." She leaned forward to playfully nuzzle under his upraised jaw. "I think I'm going to have to hear a lot more of it before the night is over." She worked her hand, still curled around his shaft, in slow circles. "I was a little worried on how my heist was going to work out after you interfered, but it's turned out even better than I'd hoped going in." Tabitha's teeth gleamed in the dim studio light as she grinned. "So, let's play a little game now..." Her hand left his bulge, reaching to the fastener of his trousers. Deft twitch of fingers unsnapped the button, and then she drew the nylon zipper down, only to pause in surprise as she felt flesh. She paused, scooting back a moment, looking down into his lap at the lack of undergarments, then back up to meet his eyes, one orange eyebrow crooked high. "Really now? Were you expecting to get lucky tonight or something?"

Talyn's ears colored, and he swung his head from side to side. The panther had been of long habit of not wearing underwear, though he was certainly regretting it now from that stinging tone from her.  "Mt'f hfhhl fhr mm!" The muffled reply did not inspire much confidence, especially as she continued to keep that gaze on his. She gave it a few more moments, then a little huff. "I really did catch a perverted soul, didn't I? Ah, well. Might have to correct your behavior for later, but for now..." She scooped up another of her myriad scarves, cupping it in her hand and reaching over his exposed shaft to swaddle it in the cloth smoothly. With the much softer fabric in place, she began to work her hand up and down his length, the smile returning. "The game is simple, kittycat. If I find this cloth clean when I'm done here... then I'll let you walk. If not, well..." Her other hand tugged at the rope around his knees. "Then you'll be hopping instead!"

The panther let out another huff of breath as that scarf caressed up and down his length, warring with the temptation to push his hips right up into her touch... not entirely successfully, either. Coming down from another little arch of back, he met her eyes once more, and she grinned at him. "Of course, how long the game goes... that's for me to know, and you to find out."  And with that her paw redoubled its motions. His eyes closed with another groan and arch of hips, unable to stop himself. He was already resigning himself to hopping as she squeezed and stroked that cloth-covered length, toes curling. Gods, she WAS good at this, and he wasn't terribly practiced at trying to hold himself back, either. He tried to calm himself, tried to get some kind of semblance of mind on it, but with those delightfully soft and careful paws... he wasn't sure that the cloth was still clean even now, and if she kept it up, he wasn't sure how much longer he could manage with all the teasing.

Tabitha let herself lean over to his side, slipping out of his lap to be seated beside him, the better for her paws to tease, running down his shaft, feeling the way his thighs twitched, his body tensed... she set her chin on his shoulder once more with a nice thrumming purr for him to feel and hear, watching him shudder and twitch at her fingertips. She did so love a responsive male like him, and whether he knew it or not, his time in her paws wasn't ending tonight, oh no. Even as fingers explored down his length and went to cup lower on his groin, listening to him gasp through the thick cloth as she lifted, tightening her grip just a little, not uncomfortably... just a little downward motion of her hand and fingers, and she got to watch those blue eyes roll back just a bit more... and then she relented, returning her attention to his length. Yes indeed, he was going to be a fun toy. And, watching him squirm, she amended... a fun hopping toy.

The most damning part about it, really, was that his mind was refusing to cooperate on this calm part. Every touch, every motion just emphasized her control, her possession of him, and that itself was nearly as much of a factor in his arousal as the hand masterfully teasing him, or the tight ropes and cloth holding him helpless for her to work on. Every bit of him trapped for her to toy with, and every bit of him delighting in it... more and more... finally it was too much, and the panther's hips bucked hard in her grip, a louder moan escaping, his head lolling back... and her fingers closed tight around the base of his length. His eyes widened at the sudden hard grip, feeling pressure locked, trapped... the moan became the groan of strain as she controlled him, letting his hips settle, letting that pressure stop up... and then she slowly released her grip.

Tabitha grinned, teeth gleaming in that dim light. "Well, looks like you'll definitely need more training... but that can be arranged." Her finger ran up his length, and tapped a darker spot on the scarf wrapped over it. "Matter of fact... I look forward to it." She swept the scarf off his length, one last caress of cloth making the panther draw in another sharp breath... and then she was climbing to her feet, sweeping the extra rope and cloth back into her bag, and shouldering it. The laptop bag went in her left hand... her right held the rope attached to his harness. A firm tug. "Up!" A little dazed as he was by the flurry of sensations, it took a moment for the panther to settle his feet and get his weight back on them, aided by firm tugs of that rope leash. A grunt as he managed to 'lunge' his way to his feet, hunching forward a little for balance, and still with his erection bobbing in front of him, a pose worth more color in those dark ears. She tugged the rope once more. "Come on, kittycat. We've got a ride ahead, let's get going." 

As promised, she had him hop, though she was... patient, at least, with his unbalanced pace, even helping him keep his awkward balance. To the door, outside, a quick peer around into the dark morning, before she started to usher him to her concealed car. The back door swept open, her packs tossed on the seat, and she gave him a push down, ducking his head to get him inside, then promptly rolling him into the footwell in front of that rear seat, a little grunt from the panther as she got him on his belly. One more coil of rope produced, and she lashed this one firmly between his bound arms and his bound ankles, bundling him up in a hogtie. "There we go. Keep your head down, wouldn't want to attract any attention, now would you?" Even saying that, she was plucking up two shirts on hangers she kept for this purpose, hanging one on the handles above each of the back doors, an innocent 'curtain' that would block any casual glance inside from seeing her prize. 

She slipped back, closing the door and settling into the driver seat, the car starting with a faint rumble. "You were right about one thing, though. I do want to take those 'jewels' from earlier... so I'll just have to take you with them." She reached back to give his rear a pat over the center console... and put the car in drive, rolling away and towards her home, her squirming prize struggling as much with his reaction to his fate as with the unyielding ropes...
