QuaranTeam - Dave in Dallas Ch. 14

This story occurs within the Quaranteam universe developed by Corrupting Power. Guidance, feedback, and suggestions from BreaktheBar, Agathon, and all the chuckleheads in the QT Writer's room contributed to any excellent or at least acceptable segments of this tale.

All characters engaged in sexual activity are 18 years old or older.

Hello, and welcome back! If you're a new reader, you're welcome to start here, but things will make so much more sense if you start from the beginning.

Returning readers, as requested in a few comments, we'll start with ...

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Cast of Characters

David Belsus -- 46 yo physics & astronomy professor at Eastfield college, a community college in the Dallas area. Prepper, survivalist, has a greenhouse in his backyard and lives in an outer ring suburb. Six foot, fit, short cropped hair.

Lupe Ramos -- 32 yo former financial advisor, Dave's neighbor, got caught out of state when the lockdowns started. She spent two frantic weeks trying to get back to her daughter. Lupe has been in love with Dave for over a year. Long, dark brown hair, medium build, and a lovely smile.

Esme -- 9 yo daughter of Lupe, prone to the occasional snarky comment. Adores Dave.

Becca -- 18yo, Lupe's babysitter, was watching Esme when lockdowns occurred. Her refusal to abandon Esme, as her mother insisted, likely saved Becca's life, since her extended family ignored precautions and died of Duo. Esme, Lupe, and Dave are all Becca has left in the world. Short, medium build, small breasts, with short blond hair and a smile that is shy with strangers and beams with family and friends.

Janice Wheeler -- 33yo, Dave's first partner to arrive, a librarian at Cedar Valley, another community college member of DCCCD. Slender build and medium height, Jance is 3/4 Korean, her paternal grandfather is Anglo. Medium length black hair often pulled back in a bun for work or ponytail at home.

Shawna Cooper -- 36yo, senior meteorologist at WFAA, Master's degree in meteorology from OU, worked at NSSL and spent time as a storm chaser. Whole hog scifi nut, beginning with Start Trek TNG. 5' 10", large breasts, medium brown skin, dark brown eyes, shoulder length black hair styled like a frizzy weeping willow.

Olivia Tyler (Liv) -- 21yo senior studying horticulture at Tarleton State University, near Dallas. Daughter of Carter and Janelle, Dave's best friends since college. Had a well-known crush on Dave throughout her teen years. Since her dad was former SF and a survivalist, Liv is skilled with several firearms as well as bladed weapons. Never failed to take a deer any season she's hunted. 5'10" long, dark brown hair, large breasts, lightly tanned, brown eyes, and a wide smile.

Melanie Ustanich -- 22yo graduate student in IT at Tarleton, Liv's roommate, recently found a passion for cooking. Spent most of her life in foster homes, Liv's parents accepted her like family the first time she went with Liv on Thanksgiving Break. 5'8" medium length auburn hair, green eyes, small mouth with a ready, mischievous smile.

Kareena Agrawal -- 18yo classmate of Becca's. Popular, not always nice. She's taking this radical change in life as an opportunity to improve herself. 5'6", dusky skin, long raven hair, dark brown eyes

Vanessa Worton -- 38yo realtor, assisting with the re-housing project in Dallas. 5'6", medium length bleach blonde hair, blue eyes.

Nicole Lassiter -- 28yo computer security expert, imprinted to Dave the night before the raid. Formerly a high school and college track star, she only recently worked her way to walking independently after a car accident crushed her legs. 5'6", dark skin, dark brown eyes, dark hair in long thin braids that reach down to her ass

Carmen Verratti -- 31yo Dallas police detective, took one class with Dave ten years ago. Carmen informed Dave of the location and prior actions of the men that attacked his home. 5'4", pale skin, raven hair, brown eyes.

******

Ch 14 -- Consequences

October 29, 2020 11:15am

Just before the Blackhawk transitioned to forward flight, Dave's mind finally made the leap beyond events and people in the compound. He pulled out his phone, noticed he still had a few bars, and sent a quick text to Shawna.

-Liv and I are fine. Being taken to Dallas. Think PD or AF want to have a little talk.

After maybe ten seconds, the little dots started bouncing.

Oh thank God. Listen, Lupe is leading a charge of pissed off ladies that are not happy with you or me right now. They'll be relieved you are ok, but emotions are high. Get back here soon baby. I love you.

And so do they, they're just a bit worried right now.

He lost signal before he could reply.

Thankfully, the Air Force troops let the medics stitch Dave up before they 'talked' with him. One suggested he not get anesthesia. One look from the nurse cut that talk off in a hurry. Dave was fairly certain they were joking anyway. Mostly.

The nurse kept him under observation for half an hour. She advised him to use acetaminophen once the local anesthetic wore off. The nurse was especially careful to emphasize not exceeding the labeled dosage instructions.

The guards escorted him from the hospital, into a sedan. They drove a few blocks a non-descript looking building that was bustling with activity. The guards walked him into a room containing a table and three chairs. Two of the chairs were on opposite sides of the table. The third was against one wall. The guards walked him into the room, stepped out, then closed and locked the door.

Dave wandered around the room. Whoever cleaned it did a great job. There wasn't even any dust to tell how often the room was used. It was slightly larger than a purpose-built interrogation room -- well, the ones Hollywood used anyway. No windows anywhere. Examining every detail he could focus on allowed Dave to stretch out his inspection of the room to forty five minutes. Roughly speaking. The guards had taken away his phone, so he no longer had a way to objectively measure time. By then, his arm was beginning to ache again, either from getting shot, or getting sewn back together. Dave took a seat in the chair that faced the door and rested his arm on the table. Taking the weight off helped. He faced away from the camera in the back corner of the room.

With few other distractions available, Dave studied the surface of the table. Amazingly, it seemed to be a real wood table. Not a terribly expensive wood, but it was still wood. Thinking back to middle school shop class, it looked a lot like the white pine he'd used to make a cutting board all those years ago. The sanding and finishing were higher quality than what his fourteen-year-old self produced way back then. Small scuffs and scratches were evident, more so when Dave moved his head to view the surface at oblique angles. No coherent patterns, though. No messages. Not even 'Tom hearts Jane'.

His shoulder was throbbing now. It was beginning to eat into his concentration. To occupy his mind, Dave began sorting through which of his partners would need dosing once he got home. Assuming he went home today. Becca was good for four, maybe five days. Reena might be needy by Sunday, but should be fine until then. Vanessa was both more recently dosed and older, so she was good for at least a week, week and a half maybe.

Niki. Holy hell. She's probably out of imprinting sleep by now. Waking up into a madhouse and wondering what the hell she signed up for. I better think up some great soothing one-on-one activities to help her settle in with all this crap going on. Too bad I can't invite her along on a run .

Melanie would be getting itchy soon, if she wasn't already. Not so much she'd jump him when he came in the door, but that would be partly due to her self-control. Maybe he should have made time for her before he left. This serum shit was not easy to get used to. Well, in someways, yes, but damn.

The throbbing in his shoulder was growing. Cutting into his thoughts. He really should have better self-control than this.

The door opened. A man and a woman in plain clothes entered, closing the door after them. The man took the chair across from Dave. The woman leaned against the side wall to Dave's left. Both wore professional clothing. The man was clean shaven, his hair short and off his ears. The woman's hair was pulled back in a tight bun. Her features were severe. Combined with the bun it looked as if the tie for the bun was pulling the skin of her face back.

Dave canted in his seat slightly to bring the woman solidly in his field of view. She'd parked herself in a place right on the edge of his vision when she came in. The man and woman stared at Dave for over a minute before saying anything.

"So, Mr. Belsus," the man began, "you've been a busy boy. Between yourself and Ms Barnes, you killed thirteen men in less than an hour. For a soldier in combat, that's quite a lot of action. For anyone else, it's alarming."

Without a question being asked, Dave decided not to respond.

"What is your association with Andrew Bilk?"

"Don't know the guy. I only recognize the name because the Air Force Tech Sergeant mentioned it. He's the rich guy the raiders hit last night, right?"

"And that's the only time you've heard his name?"

"Correct."

"No other interactions between your family and Mr. Bilk?" the man pressed.

"Nothing I'm aware of. He's some really rich guy right? Like Las Colinas or something? Those folks and I don't swim in the same seas."

"Not Las Colinas. One of those 'tucked away' rich neighborhoods in the southern suburbs. That's how the boys from the compound got away so quick. They were already on the outer edge of the quick reaction force's reach, and they didn't stay long."

The woman against the wall cleared her throat. The man immediately switched topics.

"You say you have no prior involvement with Andrew Bilk?"

"No sir."

"So you didn't hire the Brotherhood to take him out for you?"

"WHAT?! Why the hell would I?" Dave was puzzled and offended and it showed all over his face. No one with any experience in interrogation techniques -- or poker -- could miss the obvious signs of surprise etched in Dave's face.

"You know of no reason why you would want Mr. Bilk dead?"

"Never heard of the guy until your sergeant mentioned his name at the compound. That's the dead guy, right?"

Now the woman spoke. "You take satisfaction in his death Mr. Belsus?"

Dave looked at her like she had a screw loose. "The only time I ever saw this guy, he was lying dead against a wall and a nurse was siphoning semen out of his balls." It occurred to Dave that the woman was the senior partner here. He kicked himself for not realizing it earlier. She wasn't learning and observing, she was supervising and lying in wait.

"Indeed," she intoned. "And why was that?"

Dave knew this was a leading question, but figured honesty was the only thing that would get him out of here. It wouldn't be quick, but it would get him out.

"I didn't know she was a nurse until later. I also wasn't quite sure where she stuck the needle. I saw the syringe go from green to purple, and then she stuck the needle into a woman's arm and one of the ... Brotherhood?" the man nodded, "... guys imprinted her. I figured it had something to do with the reason the guys at my house had their nuts cut off."

Both the man and the woman looked uncomfortable.

With a stern, judicial sounding tone, the woman spoke to Dave, her eyes attempting to rivet him to his chair. "Mr. Belsus, you will not share with anyone what you saw or what you think you know because of what you saw. Nor will you share anything shared to you by the detective or the nurse. Failure to guard this information will result in severe penalties including confinement. Even after the serum itself is made public, you will not discuss the nature of what you have learned. Am I perfectly clear Mr. Belsus?"

"Yes ma'am, crystal clear."

A pregnant silence hung over the room. Dave fought the urge to look up for a sword dangling by a thread, or a swinging axe slowly dropping with each swing. After more than a minute, the man started asking questions again. He prompted Dave to lead them through ever step of his actions since waking up yesterday in the early hours of the morning. Dave did so, his shoulder throbbing more and more until he finally relented and asked for some acetaminophen and a drink. After sharing a look, they acquiesced. The man stepped out for a few seconds and then returned to his chair.

A young airman entered a few minutes later with one of those small hospital paper cups and a bottle of water. Dave quickly downed the pills with a large swig of water. Then a second swig. He was getting dry. Then he continued answering the man's prompts regarding his and Olivia's actions. It took another half hour to finish. Well, sort of finish.

"You skipped over the part about how you knew where to intercept the Brotherhood's convoy, Mr. Belsus." The man continued to stare at Dave, who remained silent. "We already know Detective Verratti is involved in this. Don't bother covering for her. She's been getting her ass chewed since about 8am this morning. She'll be lucky if she still has a job by the end of the day."

Dave just blinked at the man. Outwardly. Inwardly, his mind was racing. What if she hasn't confessed? What if they only have suspicions. If I fess up, then that blows things for her.

Sighing, the man pulled out his phone, scrolled for several seconds, then turned the screen towards Dave as he pushed 'play'. On the screen was Detective Carmen Verratti outlining her conversation with Dave at his house and the text messages while he was on the road.

"Yes, that's how it happened. Olivia and I left the house knowing only that the attackers were somewhere east or southeast of Athens. Verratti texted that the attackers had struck again, and were coming down 287. We got to the junction of 287 and 19 and waited for them. Once they passed, we followed with our lights off. At their compound, we saw them hauling women out of their suburbans -- like I said before -- and that confirmed these were the guys. What I saw through the window sealed that certainty."

"And then you started killing them."

"I didn't fire on anyone until life was endangered. Those first two were going to kill that woman with their cum." Dave was deliberately vulgar in his choice of words here, and it worked. The man sat back in his chair and the woman was unable to control a shiver that ran through her body. "Self-defense includes defending the life of another. Natasha's life was in clear and present danger. Law enforcement or other official responders were at least half an hour away. I removed the threat."

Dave had his eyes locked on the man as he spoke. He held no menace, no glare in his eyes, just a firm certainty that he'd done no wrong and wasn't going to roll over for some witch hunt. Which is what this was beginning to look like. Either that or an anal-retentive version of 'be sure you know everything.' Maybe both. A minute or more passed, and the man broke eye contact with Dave and glanced at his partner. Some form of silent communication passed. Then the man turned to Dave. "Okay, let's go through this again, to make sure we have all the details."

Dave's arm was beginning to throb again. He'd lost track of any sense of time by this point. He wondered if it was getting dark yet. Or already was dark. As the latest interminable run-through of 'all the details, just to be sure' wound down, the man switched topics.

"What do you know about the Oracle system, Mr. Belsus?"

"Oracle? Oh, the survey I filled out? That's all I really know. Fill out the survey. Women fill one out too. Then some program runs the results and says we could be a match. The ladies that were sent to me say they got a page with several matches, and a 'percent match' number for each one. The ones that picked me, came to my house."

"And you haven't had someone in the system steering women to you?"

"No."

"You have several requests in the system. Looks like five out of your nine partners were by request."

"They each reached out to me, asking that I choose them. According to the CDC guy that first came to my house, I had to request them for the system to work. I only asked for women that explicitly wanted me to do so."

"Four of those five are young women. Two college upper classmen, and two recent high school grads. You tellin' me these four young women have a thing for older men, and specifically you? From where I'm sitting, it looks more like you're a pervert with power."

"Rebecca was my neighbor's long-term babysitter. We got through lockdown together. At a distance, but together. She and Lupe asked for me immediately when the CDC guy came around. Olivia is my goddaughter. Her parents were my best friends since college. She's been ... interested in me since she was a teen. Melanie was Olivia's roommate for years. Kareena was a high school classmate of Rebecca's and asked to join our house. I initiated requests within the system, because that's how we were told how it worked. I never made such a request with out prior prompting from the woman." Throughout, Dave's voice was cold and analytical. Mind-numbing repetitions of what happened when thirteen men were dead was one thing. Pinning a 'pervert' label on him was a whole other matter.

A knock at the door interrupted any response from either inquisitor. Without pause, the door opened, barely. Dave could not see the interloper. The woman came off the wall immediately. On her signal -- a subtle hand signal that Dave nonetheless caught -- the man rose and met her and the visitor. The door closed after a few minutes of whispering. The man and woman kept their heads together, their backs to him, whispering further. The only thing Dave was sure of was that they were not happy with whatever they'd been told. He cleared his throat.

"Am I free to go? I've been here quite awhile. I've answered all your questions three times already. I even kept an even keel when you decide to smear me. Unless you're going to charge me, I'd like to leave."

The woman faced him. She wore her displeasure on her face. "We can charge you with murder, Mr. Belsus. We do have several dead bodies in the morgue, all tied to you and your young partner."

"That was self-defense."

"All the witnesses are dead. We only have your word, and the word of your partner. Rather convenient."

"Wrong, Natasha was there. She can testify after she comes out of her imprinting sleep. She's probably matched by now, so it'll take a day. Also, the women in the compound can testify to their conditions."

"But they didn't see any of the shooting."

"They can verify the mentality of those men towards women and how they abused the serum."

The woman deflated. "Fine. We are releasing you Mr. Belsus. You have a date of sorts."

"Excuse me?"

"Ms Larmonov is indeed ready to be imprinted. She has asked for you. The guard outside will take you back to the hospital."

"Larmonov?"

"The woman you rescued, Natasha."

"Oh. Holy hell." Under his breath he muttered, "Sometimes gratitude can go too far."

The man must have heard him, because he started snickering. Dave rose and walked out. Just as the door closed behind him, he heard the man asking his partner in a not-quite-low-enough voice, "Does this give us anything we can use to get around Jefferson?"

The same young man that brought the water and pills waited just outside.

"Are you my guide?" Dave asked.

"Yessir," the young man replied, then headed off down the corridor at a respectable clip. He remained silent as he made his way to an attached parking garage and an unmarked sedan. He motioned for Dave to take the shotgun seat while opening the driver's door for himself.

"So, any idea what's going on?"

"I've been instructed to take you to the Vaccination Center in the hospital complex. They've repurposed a whole wing for this project. Someone will meet you at the ground floor entrance and guide you further. I'm to return to the command center."

That shut down conversation rather effectively. Especially considering the bored tone in his delivery. The rest of the trip passed in silence. As they entered the hospital district on Harry Hines, Dave had to suppress a chuckle at the contrast of the kind of life-giving care on this end of the boulevard as opposed to the kind of life-giving happening several miles down the same road when one does not take precautions. And only for a price.

Pulling into a circle off Forest Park, Dave noticed Olivia's truck parked in the circle. Probably. Granted, old pickups are not uncommon in Dallas, but the stickers in the back window, and the pattern of scratches on the side of the truck bed looked the same as Liv's. There were two people waiting at the entrance of one wing of the UT Southwestern Medical School complex. One was wearing scrubs -- not a surprise, given the location. The other was somewhat shorter, with black hair, and a small smile. He got out quickly so the young man could get on his way.

"Detective, good to see you again. Does this mean I'm still in trouble?"

"Well, there are folks still pissed at you, but that's not why you're here. I'm here because people are pissed at me." The grin never left her face, presenting Dave with the dichotomous image of 'happy goth'. In response to his querying look, Carmen continued. "That's a story for later. For now, just know that I'm actually happy to be here and you will be as well, soon."

"Oh, that's so much less cryptic. Thank you for clearing that up."

Verratti's face turned radiant as she gave Dave's shoulder a playful shove. The nurse allowed herself a small grin before speaking.

"Mr. Belsus, before we enter, I'm going to have to lay out a few requirements for you. Just inside the outer doors is a rack of isolation suits. You will don one, and then we will proceed to our destination. You will say nothing while in transit. Not one word. Look straight ahead. Do not look to the sides. Once we get to the destination room and close the door, you may speak in whispers, or normal tones, but do not raise your voice for any reason. The detective will remain with you as will your other partner. One of them may step out to inform the staff your business is completed in that room. Any questions?"

"No ma'am."

All business, the nurse turned on her heel and proceeded inside. Dave cocked an eyebrow at the nurse as he suited up, noting that neither the nurse nor the detective were putting on an isolation suit. She looked on blankly, her look conveying only 'We're waiting'. Once Dave was suited, the trio headed down the hallway. Several yards from the suit rack they waited for an elevator. They rose to the third floor. Just before the doors opened, the nurse stepped ahead of him, saying, "Not. One. Word. Eyes forward."

They turned immediately upon exiting. The left quickly opened up into a waiting area. Several people were seated in the space, though Dave had only his peripheral vision to tell him that. Following her through a few turns, Dave was ushered into room and came to a halt inside. The door closed behind him as he took in the people in the room. Except the nurse, he'd met them all before.

Natasha, the woman he'd rescued, stood beyond the halfway point in the room. A controlled nervous flowed from her. Dave took in her high, perfectly sculpted thin eyebrows that managed to avoid the cartoon arcs that so many did not. Her narrow, elongated nose added a distinctly aristocratic air to her piercing blue eyes and high cheek bones. Her perfectly proportioned mouth was set in a neutral smile, a balance of hope and concern.

Olivia looked at him oddly, until she got a good look at his face through the face plate. She rushed to hug him.

"You can remove the suit," the nurse said from behind him. "Just make sure you put it back on before you step outside this room. I'll be just down the hall. Send one of your partners to get me when you make your decision."

Dave didn't think it was worth the time to correct her that he only had one partner in the room. It seemed... overly pedantic. Besides, he was busy getting the head piece off so he could kiss the very anxious Livy. The interfering suit part went flying and his sweet Olivia was in his arms, pressing her lips against his and her breasts into his chest. Lips and tongues tangled, familiar, reassuring, reconnecting.

Dave pulled back. "I don't know if I would have been successful without you on overwatch." He paused so her eyes could twinkle in 'I told you so'. "Even so, I'm worried. Liv, I -- "

"Don't start. I went in with my eyes open. Yes, shooting men is different than shooting deer. These men weren't innocent like the deer. If I'd somehow been tricked into shooting an innocent person, yes, I'd have a problem. That's not what happened." She took a breath before continuing. "Now focus. You have duties to attend to." Olivia helped him shrug out of the suit, then stepped to one side.

Dave noted the chair dominating one side of the room. With that design, it must be from a gynecologist's office. Well, he considered it might be used for childbirth, possibly, but the one time he'd observed a birth, they'd used something resembling a reclining tabletop. Dave smiled for a moment. He remembered who he'd seen being born. Then he remembered what had happened to that precious young man. A flood of memories came flying at him, ending with a dry, written notice of his son's death. Dave stumbled, catching himself against a wall, then took an unsteady breath. Three sets of eyes, one light brown, one a deeper brown, and one pair blue as the deep ocean locked on him with concern.

He raised his hand to hold off any approach. "I'm alright. I just ... I'm fine, sorry to upset you ladies. Could someone explain why I'm here, please?"

Natasha, dressed in a hospital gown, with paper slippers on her feet, came closer. "David, I have asked to be imprinted to you. Once I expressed my interest, Olivia was brought over to speak with me." She shared a grin. "We have been having a bit of girl talk about you and the family you have drawn to yourself. I must say, I am more comfortable with my decision now than before we started."

Dave's eyebrows knitted with concern. "Natasha, there's no expectation on you to do this. You can choose anyone you want."

A soft smile spread across Natasha's face. She lifted a hand to cup his jaw. "Oh David, I cannot possibly pick another. Just as you could not have let those men kill me." She put a finger to his lips to forestall his objections as she collected her thoughts. "You were not on my initial list of twenty. I asked that they compare us. It seems that's not customarily done at the woman's request, but my social status and the situation allowed for the irregularity. Our match number was not high, but I liked what I read in your profile, as well as the attached letters of four of your partners."

"Four?" Dave recalled Jan, Lupe, and Becca mentioning writing letters.

Olivia interjected. "It's been a month since Shawna arrived. Maybe she got her letter in yesterday during her down time."

"Maybe. Knowing her, she started on her letter as soon as the other three mentioned writing theirs and kept editing it to perfection until all she had to do was hit 'send' when the prompt arrived."

"That does sound like Shawna." Liv replied, nodding her head.

Dave turned his attention back to Natasha. "Sorry for the side-track. You said something about ... social status?"

"I spend much of my time organizing or attending charity balls and black-tie fundraisers. I have a few causes I champion. That is how I came to know Drew in the first place. I thought he was a pleasant enough man." Her face darkened again, before she visibly forced the unpleasantness from her mind. "I am much more assured of the man before me."

Olivia stepped in, figuratively. "Charity balls and black-tie events? Are you an heiress or something?"

"No, dear, I came to the United States with very little. I modeled in my teens and twenties, and like most, I got tossed on the heap shortly before reaching thirty years old. While I was working, I saved my money and I made a lot of connections. By the time I was tossed aside, I had savings and investments that could sustain me indefinitely and connections that would allow me to grow my financial base further while giving me an opportunity to remain relevant in wealthy society as a charitable socialite. In the past decade, someone decided that older women were keeping themselves in shape and still liked showing themselves off, so I have begun modeling again."

"I believe that." Dave blushed as he recalled her exquisite exposed figure from this morning.

Natasha kissed his check, then turned his face back to her by means of one gentle finger under his chin. "Do not be embarrassed that you remember seeing me nude. That will forever be one of my happiest moments. I was naked, terrified, about to be murdered, and a man I had never met stepped in to save my life. You were a strong defender, and a perfect gentleman. There is nowhere I want to be but in your arms. I am safe, completely nude in your presence."

Dave exhaled audibly. "You sure about this?" Natasha nodded. "You come across as a very cultured lady, and, to be brutally honest, the most cultured thing in my house is the cheese."

In a corner behind Dave, Carmen busted out laughing. Livy developed a wicked grin.

"Oh, I am so ratting you out to Jan and Shawna."

Dave blanched. "Okay, that's fair." He returned his focus to Natasha. "My instincts are still pre-serum. I should probably take more time before I speak because of that. Every woman that has entered my house made it classier than it was before all of this." He looked pointedly at Liv. "Including Miss Kadiddlehopper there."

Olivia blew him a kiss and bowed.

Natasha kissed Dave gently on the cheek. With tears riming the bottoms of her eyes, she said, "This is what I want to be a part of. This ... acceptance, this love bond. Please let me join your family, David."

He still knew very little about her. What he did know was not negative on its own, it just seemed incompatible with the state of his family. Yet, the look in her eyes was pure and honest. Even as he paused before speaking, he knew there was about as much chance he'd turn her down as there was of him kicking a puppy.

"This is a once in a lifetime decision, Tasha. Oh, sorry -- "

"No, that is fine. I like the way that sounds." Her grin widened. "It is a signal that I am starting a new life. A life I want, now and forever."

"Okay, then. He twined his finger's into Tasha's. Her smile ramped up to a thousand watts. Dave turned towards Liv. "I guess that means it's time for you or the detective to inform the nurse."

"I'll take care of it," Carmen said as she slipped out the door. She returned in a few minutes with the nurse. Dave finally noticed her nameplate 'Kittiwake'.

"Both parties are agreed to this reassignment?" Dave and Tasha both nodded. "You both need to understand that a consequence of reassignment, your 'latency period' will be reduced by a day, possibly two. That may not be much of an issue, given that older women generally have a longer cycle time to start with."

"I was told at the start that I could possibly go two weeks without having an uncontrollable need. My prior partner never put that to the test."

"Right, so now instead of twelve to fourteen days, you're looking at ten or twelve days between encounters as your maximum. That would put you on par with a woman in her thirties."

Tasha looked at Dave. "Are you ok with that?"

"Yes. I've been keeping up pretty well so far. If they keep sending women my way though, I may need to set up a spreadsheet or something." Dave shook his head. "But, you'd be my tenth partner, so surely that's maxxed out."

The nurse looked at him, sadly. "I wouldn't be so sure about that. You can expect a slow down as more men are brought into the system and need reach the minimum number of partners, but you could likely be assigned more partners as the weeks roll by."

A young woman in lab whites that appear to have been crisp some time in the past few days entered. She held small rectangular box. On a look from the nurse, she flicked open the lid, revealing a syringe with a distinct purple liquid in it. It was the same purple Dave noted when Parker was reassigning women in the community building. Then she closed the lid again.

"Alright," ordered Nurse Kittiwake, "Ms Larmonov, I'll need you to hop into the chair. We will restrain you once you are in position. This is necessary because of the effects of the reassignment serum."

"I understand. I was informed of that requirement previously." Tasha spoke as she strode purposely to the chair. She climbed in quickly. The nurse and the lab tech strapped her in. Tasha waved Dave over to her. He approached and stood near her head, taking her hand. She puckered her lips and Dave obliged. They held a slow comfortable kiss until the nurse cleared her throat.

"Mr. Belsus, the straps are for her safety as much as anyone else's. Once injected, she may enter a ... feral state. The exact reaction varies. She will need to be imprinted immediately. Nothing fancy. She won't be able to appreciate any special care you might prefer to take, but she will be... energetically aroused. Get yourself to climax, inside of her, as quickly as possible. She'll fall into the normal imprinting sleep. Once she wakes, the two of you can carry on as you chose."

"We'll need to take her home while she's unconscious?" Dave asked.

"That's covered," Carmen interjected. "You'll have the hands and vehicles necessary."

Dave nodded his thanks. He bent down once more, kissing Tasha firmly. Then he stepped back.

Tasha locked eyes with the nurse and nodded. Nurse Kittiwake opened the box the tech had brought in, removed the syringe, and positioned it at Tasha's arm. One last look for confirmation and the nurse inserted the needle and pushed the plunger.

Immediately, Tasha surged against the restraints. Her breathing accelerated and her skin flushed. "OOoooooo, David, doit, now David, doit now, now, now, now."

Slightly shocked, but intellectually registering his role in this ritual, Dave walked away from Tasha's head and around to between her legs. He had been studiously avoiding looking at her exposed sex with the paper gown shoved up to her hips and her legs strapped into the chair attachments. Now he had trouble seeing anything but her bucking hips and her engorged and glistening nether lips.

A body pressed up behind him and a hand snaked around to rub his crotch. Olivia's voice purred in his ear. "She's all yours Dave. She's chosen to send her life with you." A second hand reached around to unbuckle his belt. "This classy, beautiful lady wants to join your band of sass mouths and get addicted to your cock. Look at her writhing in lust. You know you want her. You know she wants you." The young woman's hands freed his hardened cock and lowered his pants to mid-thigh. Dave took three shuffling steps forward and lay his cock head against Tasha's wet entrance.

"Pleeeaasse, David. OH GOD, please make me yours. I'll fold towels and clean bathrooms, just please keep me, bind me to you. FUCK ME DAVID, PLEASE!"

Dave grasped her hips and drove himself full-length into her soaked passage in one rapid thrust. He must already be leaking pre-cum because Tasha went into a different, and very familiar convulsion before settling into an agitated peace. She looked Dave in the eye, grinning broadly. The hunger in her eyes abated, slightly. "I'm yours now David. No other man may have me. Finish me off. Knock me out with your semen and let me wake up a new woman."

Liv came up behind him again, stroking her fingers of one hand in the shaved area above his shaft and the other hand tracing erotic gestures across his chest. Dave pounded away, feeling like a god and a turd for not doing anything for Tasha's enjoyment. His mind knew better, but his instincts chided him anyway. The writhing woman in front of him, and the ministrations of his partner behind him slammed the door on the naysaying part of his brain. Reveling in the feel and view he experienced from a gorgeous lingerie model socialite bucking on his cock and begging to be his forever sent him over the edge and firing rope after rope of cum deep inside her. It had been nearly a full day since he'd ejaculated. Under pre-serum circumstances, that would have been fine. With multiple women bound to him, almost twenty-four hours without release meant a notable backup of waiting man cream bursting out once finally released.

Tasha's body arched to the extent possible within her restraints as she howled a primally satisfied cry. Then she collapsed in the chair, utterly spent. "Imprinting, imprinting, imprinting, ..."

Dave retracted about an inch of himself before realizing the torrent that would pour from Tasha's vagina if he continued. Just then, a hand appeared with a small towel. He took it and held it in place to staunch the flow and squee-gee himself as he pulled out completely. He held the towel in place against her to catch any additional leakage.

A second hand came around from his other side with an additional towel and finished wiping him clean. That's when he realized the hand that delivered the first towel was not Olivia's. Dave's head whipped sharply over his left shoulder. Carmen just looked at him bemusedly and shrugged.

"Uh, I thought you went outside for this. I mean, I've gotten accustomed to one or more of my other partners in the room sometimes, but uh, you're not bound to me, so that's a bit different."

Verratti turned her back. "Is this better?" she asked with an impish tone.

Dave let out a soft grunt, then maneuvered to put himself away and secure his pants. "For now. I don't mean to be rude detective, but sex is a private thing for me. Not shameful, just very personal."

"I can appreciate that. I'll keep that in mind for the next one."

"Next one?" Dave barely managed to keep his voice down as the nurse instructed.

"Uh, yeah, so, the first lady imprinted by the redneck crew woke up and talked to Natasha," Olivia explained. "Apparently, they had a friendship while they were partnered with the rich guy. After talking with Natasha, she spoke with me. She said she was inclined to ask for you as well, but she wanted to think about it for a bit."

"Well, we should check in with her before we leave then." Dave's tone indicated he'd be just as happy if the next lady changed her mind.

"Oh, I got a text from the nurse while you were busy." Carmen said. "Peggy's ready."

"Peggy?"

"Yes, Peggy Spears. The name might be familiar."

"No, not really."

"Golf."

"Huh? I don't really follow ..." an image flashed in Dave's mind of a young lady with respectable golf skills and frequently in the news for her attire and figure. "Oh, shit. That Peggy Spears?!"

With a wolfish grin, Olivia said, "The Dave Belsus Big Titty club gets a new member."

Dave shook his head and looked at the unconscious Tasha, who had just ended her Litany of Bonding. "You see what you're stuck with now?"

"I saw what she got stuck with. Rather nice in my estimation."

Carmen's comment turned Dave a dark shade of red. Olivia laughed and gave the detective a high five. Dave tried to scowl at her, but she smiled sweetly, holding her hands behind her back.

"Let's just go to her room and check in with her." Dave suggested.

"I'll get the nurse," Carmen volunteered.

While she was out, Dave convinced Olivia to help him give Tasha some modesty. The two found the pins locking the leg attachments in their current spread position. With a bit of careful teamwork, the two got her legs together. They pulled the gown as far as it would go, then found a thin hospital blanket to cover her. Kittiwake and Verratti entered as they finished.

"Ms. Larmonov will be safe and comfortable in that chair for now. The detective mentioned you wish to speak with the other woman that considered bonding to you?"

"Yes ma'am."

"Got a thing for blondes, huh?"

Dave leaned back for a moment, perturbed. "Not particularly. They asked for me, remember? Actually, I kinda have a thing for redheads. Not that Oracle sent any my way. I have one redhead in my family and she asked me to ask for her."

The nurse smirked at him. "Well, regardless, you need to suit up again."

Dave moved to the crumpled suit on the floor. Olivia and Carmen posted up beside him for support and assistance. Their help greatly sped up the process. "Thank you both," he said. He sent a curious, but grateful look towards the detective. She replied with a small, enigmatic grin. Once the headpiece was in place, Dave turned to the nurse and nodded.

"Same rules apply, sir." She waited for Dave to nodded in acknowledgement before she turned and headed out the door. The trio followed her a few doors down the corridor before entering an identical room. Except for the woman waiting for him. Dave removed the headpiece to make it easier to talk ... and look.

This woman was more pensive in her expression. Her broad, rectangular face and generous lips bore a distinctly more WASPish loveliness, in contrast to Tasha's Slavic noble looks. Where Tasha's breasts hinted at their size within the awkward hospital gown, the early thirties woman facing Dave now stretched the gown to its limits. Honestly, a bit past the gown's limits, judging by the way the gown was creeping up her shapely hips. Dave did his best to focus on her eyes.

"Hi," the woman said, "my name is Peggy Spears. My friend Natasha suggested I should consider you as a new partner. I have to say, after hearing from her and from your partner, Olivia, and reading the letters of your other partners, I really like the idea."

"Ah," was all Dave could say. At first anyway. His brain began warring with itself. Time to sound intelligent, or at least competent now. "Yes, the nurse mentioned your interest. I, uh ... this whole situation is even weirder than the weirdness of the vaccine." Dave started stripping off the suit, with help from Olivia.

She smiled. "I agree. I just woke up from my imprinting sleep -- my second imprinting sleep." her face darkened, but the supportive sounds of the three women in the room helped drive back the painful memory, for now. "Natasha recommended I speak with Olivia. We had a good conversation. Honestly, seeing your face, your ... demeanor. It confirms so much that others have said about you. If you're willing, I would like to partner with you."

A deep breath allowed Dave to temporize before responding. "I'm flattered you would consider me, much less choose me. This vaccine makes relationships rather permanent, the way things were decades ago. That you would want that with me is staggering for even one woman. Knowingly becoming the eleventh woman tied to me is beyond description, even if your friend was the tenth."

Peggy's warm smile helped steady Dave's nerves. "After everything that has happened, staying close to a friend is certainly a factor in my decision. I loved the picture of you and the others formed in the letters of your partners. The way you approached me when you came in, the way you've treated me ..." her voice broke. "I want to feel safe. I feel safe with you."

Dave straightened his back, building a small distance between them, while a troubled look built on his face. "I understand your desire to be safe. You certainly deserve someone that will treat you like a person, not a possession, the way those rednecks did. My question is, am I truly the one you want for that. I have no illusions about being the 'last good man', or anything like that. So, I ask you, are you sure you want me ?"

"You know you're making me more certain you are the right choice by asking these questions?" She smiled at him, adding a small chuckle when he hung his head. "And no, I'm not a hundred percent certain. Neither is Oracle. It only gave us something in the mid-seventies. According to the worker there, some married couples register that low, or even lower. I think there's good hope for us. More so, I want this. And I think I can make you happy. Not just in bed." She added quickly when his eyes narrowed in concern. "Some of the things you mentioned as entertainment interests are things I've thought could be fun, I just never tried. And you mentioned you never played golf, and you thought that might be a mistake. Well, I can teach you golf."

Dave gave a light snort in response. He let his mind sift through everything he'd heard. It wasn't a lot for making a life altering decision for his entire family, and this woman. This very pleasant woman looking at him. She didn't have Tasha's desperation, or at least not to the same degree. Then he looked to Liv. Her eyes held excitement, and no reservation. He'd rather have the more mature council of Shawna, Lupe, or Jan, but that wasn't available. Olivia may be a kid in several ways, but she isn't a dumb kid. And she'd grown up knowing him. In many ways, she may understand him better than the older women.

"Ms. Spears, um, Peggy, I just want you to understand, I'm not doing this just to.. um, I mean ... you're more than just a pair of ... uh ..."

Peggy laughed through a radiant smile. "God, you're adorable. Yes, I do understand. You've already made that quite clear." Then she leaned closer. "Now you need to understand that having tied myself to you, I like when my man gets frisky with my breasts. I enjoy when you play with them, so don't neglect the girls, alright?"

Dave felt heat rising up his face as he responded, "Sure, I can handle that."

"I'll bet you can."

"That's my cue." Carmen said as she grasped the door handle. She slipped out quickly, heading for the nurse's station. While she was out, Dave and Liv began helping Peggy into the chair. The hospital gown covered most of her body. The lower portion kept her sex in shadow. The trio left her covered, but the hem could be slipped upward easily when needed. Carmen returned with the nurse, who carried a small rectangular box.

"Ms. Spears, have you made you decision?" Kittiwake inquired.

Peggy nodded. "Yes ma'am, I have asked David to accepted me as a partner."

"And I have accepted her request, Nurse Kittiwake." Dave replied without waiting.

"Very well then, both parties being amenable, let's complete the process."

As with Tasha before, Dave stood near Peggy's head and held her hand as the nurse prepped the injection site and the syringe. Within moments of Kittiwake pushing the plunger, Peggy's eyes rolled to the back of her head She refocused on Dave in short order, though her pelvis began moving, as if seeking out a joining. Her breathing picked up.

"OOooooooh, David. Wow, this is intense." She panted several breaths. "David, I need you. Please. Now."

Dave leaned down and kissed Peggy on the lips. Once he broke contact, he moved around to a position between her knees. Her heavy breathing, and the way her breasts jostled within her gown had Dave hardening rapidly. His hands on his belt buckle, he looked at Peggy's face. She nodded, urgently, emphatically, her eyes pleading. He quickly went about opening his belt and pants, and getting himself disrobed from his waist to mid-thigh.

Peggy's hips were rolling and her legs strained against her restraints as if she was trying to clutch Dave and draw him in. He stepped forward. As his cockhead touched her labia, Peggy stilled her hips. Dave pushed forward, spearing her throbbing, hot, wet sex until their pelvises met.

"Oh, God, yes. Oh yes. Fuck me, David." Peggy moaned and groan until her body seized up in one great arc -- as much as possible with her restraints. After her lungs drew a deep breath again, she cried out, "Oh hell yeah. That's good. That's damn good. Now give me the real blast."

Dave grasped Peggy's hand. She immediately clasped him back. Then He began thrusting into her, pounding to a quick climax. The whole time, their eyes locked together, her look egging him on as he worked to claim her. Dave felt the familiar urge rising and accelerated his thrusting. Peggy's hungry look of recognition pushed him over the top and he fired off spurt after spurt of cum into her waiting chamber. Peggy's body seized in a manner Dave had seen several times now. A manner that Peggy was now experiencing for a third time. That fact, and the reasons, sobered Dave from his post-nut haze instantly. Carmen cleaned up Peggy while Olivia wiped Dave clean and pulled up his pants.

"You know," Dave said as he fastened his pants and buckled his belt, "this is way beyond what can be expected from a guard, detective."

"Just helping move things along," Carmen smiled sweetly. "I'm here. I might as well be helpful."

Carmen and Olivia adjusted the leg positions of the chair to give Peggy a bit of modesty, now that the deed was done.

"So, are we clear to leave now?" Dave asked.

"Yes, my instructions from my superiors were to guide you through checking in with these two and imprinting them if necessary. Then, I was to get you two and your two new partners home.

"Good, we need to get outta here. Liv looks like she's been awake for thirty-six hours. How are we going to transport Tasha and Peggy? The truck doesn't have much horizontal space, except the bed, and I'm not sticking them back there, especially in this weather."

"Speak for yourself, old man. I'm doing just fine."

In reply, Dave stuck out his tongue and wagged his head at Liv. She responded in kind.

"Well," Dave said, "now that we've covered the intellectual part of the evening," both ladies chuckled at his assertion, "how about we come up with a way to move these two ladies?"

The answer had apparently already been determined, just not relayed to Dave. Carmen drove a medium size hatchback with a second row that folded down. With decent padding, it would make a reasonable bed for three. She would of course have to take it easy -- no fast turns, sudden stops, or hard accelerations. Carmen assured her she only used such maneuvers on the job, and only when they were called for.

Kittiwake came into the room with an orderly and two more nurses. The orderly and one nurse each bore a stack of hospital blankets. Working together, they transferred Peggy from the chair to the hospital bed. They then rolled the bed down the hall to just outside Tasha's room. One nurse remained beside Peggy's bed. The remainder went inside, transferred Tasha to the bed in her room, and rolled her out as well. The elevator could only handle one bed at a time, so Carmen, Tasha, the orderly and Dave took the first descent. By the time the second group reached the outer door, Carmen had her car just outside, one door open as she worked to lower the second row.

Most of the blankets the nurse and orderly brought were used to form a semi-soft pad in Carmen's car. The ladies were lain in place. A thin blanket was tucked in around each of them, then two more blankets were draped across the pair.

With those to safely in place, Carmen got in her car and pulled around to the exit. Liv and Dave walked to Dave's truck, staged in one of the few parking spots next to the circle.

"You good to drive?" he asked. The yawn he followed up with made Liv bark out a laugh. She held aloft a travel mug with the university logo on it.

"Unlike you sir, I partake of the water of the bean. The orderly was kind enough to make me some to go, with one of their swag mugs."

Dave tossed the headpiece in the back of the truck, then tore off the rest of the suit and added it to the back. A few pieces of loose lumber placed atop the suit parts insured they wouldn't fly out. Liv had the engine running by the time Dave hopped in the shotgun seat. Before putting on his seatbelt, he leaned over and gave her a kiss. Nothing overly passionate. This kiss was ... comfortable. Love, gratitude, and familiarity conveyed by the lips. The kind of kiss shared by a couple that's been together for a few years. Liv's eyes twinkled when they parted. Then she backed out of the parking spot and the short convoy got on the road.

The extended day and post-nut euphoria (times two) dropped Dave into a hazy, 'half here' state. Because of that, it took him an inordinately long time to recognize they left I-30 well before crossing the lake.

"Where are we going?"

"Home."

"Are we tryin' to shake a tail?" Dave asked, turning in his seat to look behind them.

"Nope."

"Liv, I've driven to that house plenty of times from downtown. If you and the detective have some new route to get there, it's not terribly efficient. We should have hit Garland by now on the usual route."

Liv's only reply was to pat Dave's thigh and smile prettily before returning her full attention to the road and the taillights of Det. Verratti's car. Dave gave her some side eye, for a minute, then turned his attention out the window. They'd just entered a neighborhood that had actual signs of habitation -- and recent construction. In some cases, it appeared two houses had been joined, while others seemed to have had a second story added. In every case, the lawn space was enlarged. The brown patches on either side suggested that houses had been knocked down to expand the space available to the remaining units. Then they passed two blocks with restaurants and retail shops. No big box stores, but even in the dark, what Dave could pickup from the signs suggested a reasonable mix of stores. A quick look to the other side of the car showed a parking lot that might hold a bit more than half the expected number of customers at peak shopping times. If there was a similar lot on the other end of these blocks, then someone was setting up a walking retail district, right in the middle of a neighborhood.

The left turn snapped Dave's attention forward. As the headlights swept over the street sign he read 'Varma CIR'. Here, the homes looked new from the ground up, three stories, a larger set-back from the road, and ... grandiose. The houses were exclusively on the outside of the arcing road, with the large half oval containing other buildings that Dave could not immediately determine in the dark. The astronomer in him appreciated that very few lights were on.

"Olivia, where the hell are we?"

The car ahead turned into a circle drive of a home near the 'peak' of the road. Olivia followed suit. She stopped, got out and closed the door. Dave, somewhat wary, but trusting Liv -- and frankly, the detective too, he had no reason to suspect her, though little reason to trust her either.

"Liv?" There was a note of tension and sternness in Dave's voice.

The door to the enormous home opened. With a screech of "Daddy!" Esme came flying out, followed by the rest of his family. Becca, Reena and Esme were in the lead, though Shawna, Jan and Lupe were not far behind, and from the looks on their faces, they wanted to rush pell-mell too. Dave's chest heaved with emotion as he gave and received kisses and hugs.

As the scrum of love loosened, Lupe made her way in. She first grabbed Dave's face and drew him in for a deep kiss, full of longing. Then she released, nearly pushing him back and launched into a diatribe. In Spanish. A very energetic butt-chewing that Dave only caught pieces of, though the overall meaning was clear from the draining worry in her face and the yearning in her eyes. It was tough to focus on those with her finger shaking in his face. He picked out a few words, like 'necessary' followed by what might have meant 'need you'. Now, 'pendejo' he knew, but the light in her eyes softened the blow.

"Para!" Dave said firmly, then gripped her by the upper arms. He pulled her in a kissed her deeply. He could feel the angry energy drain out of her. When he separated them again, he said with a smirk, "Thanks for not breaking out the chancla." Lupe swatted him on the arm, her lips tight while she tried to suppress a smile. Dave grunted when her blow landed on his stitches. Lupe's eyes widened. She grasped his shirt sleeve and pulled it up.

"David?!! You've been shot!!" Several eyes, already fixed on him, filled with worry.

"I managed to notice. But don't worry," he adopted a rather poor British accent, "it's only a flesh wound."

Lupe was not amused. Mel punched his good arm. Becca and Reena giggled, though both had a look of concern. Clearly Becca had been keeping up with Reena's nerd culture acclimation.

Shawna moved in to kiss his neck and hug him tightly. "Let's take this inside, shall we? It's rather chilly out here."

"Uh, sure. We should get, uh, well, we didn't come home alone."

"Oh, we know. Liv kept us up to speed by text. Our hero brought back conquests from his campaign of justice."

"She left out the part about you getting shot though." Vanessa said sourly.

Dave fixed Shawna with a despondent smile. "I'm not living any of this down, am I?"

Shawna laughed as she shook her head, her short curls bouncing and her eyes flashing with joy.

"They're just in hospital gowns and wrapped in a blanket, so maybe send Esme out of view first?" Olivia suggested.

Dave nodded before kneeling next to Esme and wrapping her in a big hug. He planted a big, demonstrative kiss on her forehead. With him on one knee, Esme was slightly taller than Dave. "Back in the house now, mija." She beamed, hugged him tightly again, then let Lupe lead her away.

"Um, where's Nicole?"

"She's still out. We moved her in the backseat of my car." Vanessa replied.

"Okay, what are we doing here?"

Carmen stepped in. "The security risk for you staying at your prior home was too high. The politicians, police leadership, and Air Force folks maybe unhappy with you, but they also knew that you needed more safety. This new neighborhood gets regular police patrols, so this," she said with a wave of her hand, "is your new home. There's a lot more to tell, but it's late, and I know everyone's tired. You most of all." She moved over to her car and opened the hatch. The remaining members of Dave's family gathered around the back.

"Oh! I recognize her! She's the golfer with the big tits!" Becca cried.

Dave stared at her blankly. "Do I need to talk to you the way I talk to middle school boys? Her eyes are up there," he said with a wave of his hand towards Peggy's face. This is Peggy Spears, and beside her is Natasha Larmonov. They're imprinting, so I don't want to jostle them too much. I'll carry them up one at a time. Do we have beds and such set up?"

Jan replied, "Yes, the movers were very helpful. We'll need to get more furniture for the other rooms, but right now we have one unclaimed room with two twin beds. Those beds were already here."

"This was originally supposed to go to some big wig's errand boy lawyer." Vanessa added. "It was ready now though, and big enough for all of us, and then some. Somebody upstairs softened the blow by promising him a place in the same gated community as his boss, so he's getting an upgrade."

"From this?!" Dave said, incredulously. Vanessa just grinned back at him. "Ok, I'll get Peggy first. Someone lead the way please?" Dave was halfway to the house, Peggy in his arms and Vanessa in the lead when he heard the hatch slam. Looking back, He saw Shawna, Jan, Mel, and Olivia each clutching part of a blanket with Natasha resting inside. Shawna and Olivia, the two strongest took the rear, next to Tasha's head. He shook his head. He should have known his ladies weren't going to leave all the work to him. Vanessa led the procession upstairs, to a room near the back. Waited as Becca pulled back the covers on the left-hand bed, then carefully lay Peggy on her side, the thin hospital blanket loose around her. He pulled the covers back over her sleeping form.

Turning, he saw that Reena had performed the same role for Tasha and her carriers. Vanessa took care of covering the older woman. All six, plus Becca beside him, and Carmen at the door looked at Dave expectantly.

"Thank you ladies, I appreciate your help. Carmen, thank you for everything you've done today. I hope you don't have to far of a drive. I think we can handle it from here. I'll walk you out."

"I'm sorry, Dave. I'm afraid I can't do that."

Dave stared blankly at her for a minute, trying to suppress a grin and a groan.

"You got your injection today, didn't you?"

"I've gotten one injection yes, what about second injection."

Taking a hint, Dave played along. "You keep talking in movie quotes and I'm gonna have to spank you."

Carmen's face flushed. Actually, more than just her face. From her jet-black hairline down to the neckline of her shirt, the pale young woman took on a distinctly pink hue.

Becca jumped in. "Oh yes, spank her. And then me."

"And me!" Reena rejoined.

Piling on, Shawna added, "And after the spankings, the oral sex." Then she and the two teens chanted "Oral sex! Oral sex!"

Dave rolled his eyes. "Could y'all at least stay in one genre?" The trio laughed heartily, while the others stood there with grins, not quite catching the reference. He turned to Carmen. "So you got matched to me in Oracle?"

She hesitated. "Not exactly. I was told to partner with you both as protection for you and punishment for my transgressions. They did give me the survey and run me against you. Came up an 81% match, which, as I understand it is pretty good. I don't know anyone I'd want to partner up with, and ..." her face scrunched in embarrassment, "I kinda thought you were hot back when I first took your class." The pink, which had begin to fade, made it's presence known again.

"Well, it's good to know you used to think I was attractive," Dave said with a sly grin.

Now Carmen's ear tips turned bright red, much of her face following suit. Then she stomped her foot. "Ok, I think you're a good-looking guy, It's just ... I know more about you now, and that's not the only reason to be here."

Dave sobered up his behavior. "Sorry, I'm a little punchy right now, and sometimes I'll put on a faced wen I'm worried about something. In this case, I don't want you forced into pairing with me."

The short woman nodded her head. "Okay, I get that. Hell, that mentality is part of why I'm glad to be here. I'm sure one of the Bronte sisters could write me a better match, but that's not the real world. You an honorable man. I like your sense of humor, and I like these ladies you have around you. The fact of the matter is, I may not have a job by the end of next week. I would gladly be your security chief and keep you safe, for your benefit, and for all of us." She circled her hand around to indicate all of the women bonded to Dave.

Dave noticed a few heads bobbing. All of the women in the room liked the idea of someone keeping any threats away from him. And she was cute as hell. Dave gazed at the ceiling, his thoughts churning, falling into place like pachinko balls. "You're sure this is what you want? There's no going back from this."

Her whole face brightened in a way that answered him before a single syllable let her mouth. "Yes, I do."

"Nice choice of words." Mel observed, giving the detective a high-five.

Flustered, the pale lady accepted the gesture, and sputtered. "I didn't mean it like that! I mean, I don't mean not that either, I just mmph--"

Dave put her out of her misery by taking hold of her shoulders and planting a kiss directly on her lips. He started with just mashing lips, moving them gently. Carmen parted her lips invitingly, so he delved into her mouth, tracing her tongue, and questing within her. She hummed at the initial kiss, then moaned as he took her with his tongue. Finally, Dave broke the kiss, though Carmen let out a soft whimper. They opened their eyes at the same moment, gazing at each other as they did so. Dave broke away from the soul staring to address the others in the room.

"Can one of you show us to the master bedroom please?"

"Sure," several voices responded, then laughed at themselves.

"It's just next door," Vanessa said. "and Nicole is resting in the room on the other side of the master suite."

"I'd like to check in with her real quick. I know you said she's still sleeping, but I'd just like to look in on her before going to bed."

"Oh, while you're doing that, I can run down and get my bags out of my car."

"No ma'am," Shawna interjected, "give us your keys, we'll bring your bags in the house. We'll put them in the room after you're out." In reply to Carmen's surprised face, she added "We're all sisters here, now hand over the keys and go get yourself ready for our man."

Carmen gave Dave a quick kiss and hugged Shawna after handing over her keys. Mel led her out of the room. Becca grabbed Dave's hand and led him out of the room as well. He took care to note which room Mel and Carmen entered as he followed Becca into a room much like the one they'd just left, but containing only one double bed. Dave brushed one of her thin braids out of Niki's face as he knelt on his toes by her bedside.

"When we moved her, we noticed some kind of ... stuff all over her legs. We left it alone because all the serum stuff is weird, and we didn't want to mess anything up. Shawna called the vax center while we were driving. It's some side effect of her regen. They said leave it until she wakes and just have her shower it off."

Dave nodded his head, half-absently. He turned to look at Becca. Her face was twisting with words she hadn't expressed. Dave took her in his arms. "It's okay. I'm back, I'm fine, and the bad guys won't be coming back." She squeezed him tightly with her thin arms.

"I was so scared, Dave. During the attack, and then while you were gone. I've lost everyone else, David. I can't lose you too."

He kissed her cheek, her forehead, then her eyes. "I'm not going away, baby. I love you, and I'm not going to abandon you."

She held him for another minute, then relaxed her grip and stepped back. "I better let you go. You have another babe to imprint."

"I'll get to her quickly, but right now I'm with you. The only way I'm going to get this even close to right is if I'm with the person I'm with, every time."

Becca's smile could have lit the room. "Thanks. I think I'm good now. At least for awhile. Besides, how can I call myself a nerd girl if I keep you from boinking Wednesday Addams?"

Dave swatted her ass.

"Ooo, got the spanking, no where's the oral sex?" she giggled.

"Later. This weekend, ok?"

She nodded happily. "Now go."

Dave exited quickly. He found the door Mel had led Carmen through and knocked lightly before entering. He closed the door behind himself quickly and quietly. Carmen sat on the end of the bed.

Her dark hair hung loosely behind her. Her blouse, pants and nearly everything else were removed, lying on a corner of the bed to her left. She wore only a white, lacey bra and white, high-cut panties with a lace trim around the waistband. Her legs were close together and feet brushing the floor. She kept her hands in her lap. Truthfully, she looked about as small as she possibly could. The look on her face reinforced the 'helpless little thing' image.

Dave crossed the space from the door to the bed, taking time to notice it was his four-poster canopy king bed. Something they might need to change if more women wanted to share the main bed. But that was a problem for later.

As soon as he sat down, Carmen leaned into him. He wrapped an arm around her.

"Talk to me, Carmen."

"I'm scared. Not of this, not being with you or in this family. I want that. I want you and I want them." She sucked in a shaky breath. "My whole life has been targeted at becoming and officer and climbing the ranks, being a detective. I even hoped to be chief of detectives one day. Not police chief, that would be more than I want to deal with, but chief of detectives would be just about right." She paused again. "And now, I may not get that. Hell, keeping your ass safe could be a full time job anyway. What with you galivanting off every time some cute lady tells you somebody somewhere is doing something bad." She giggled.

Dave placed his curled right index finger under her chin and gently lifted her head, turning it to look at him. "Hey, let's take this one step at a time, remembering you are not in this alone."

She gave a small grin and nodded. Then she brought one hand around behind his neck and pulled him down for a long, smoky kiss. Her other hand sought out Dave's leg, sliding up his inner thigh. She started stroking him through his shorts. When they broke the kiss, he could see the hunger in her eyes overriding everything else. Not a serum hunger. He'd had enough experience to notice a difference. Carmen Verratti wanted him . And she wanted him bad. Her nipples strained to break through her bra and her panties were becoming see through from her arousal. Those could be written off as the serum, if it weren't for the look in her eyes.

Shucking her panties, she turned and crawled up the bed, on her hands and knees. More rushed than a saunter, but just enough self-control to avoid racing to the top. Her pink, glistening sex taunted Dave. She shoved the covers down and waved him up. He stood quickly, his shirt already off by the time she signaled. He doffed the rest in short order and crawled up the bed, not hiding his eagerness. That drew a grin from the petite woman.

Carmen lay on her back, with Dave on his hands and knees above her. He bent down to kiss her. As he extended the kiss, he felt her slipping her legs out from under him, so that he was now kneeling between them.

"Eager beaver, huh?" The words were out before the entendre doubled itself in his mind. He grimaced.

Carmen laughed. "Why yes, actually. I haven't had many partners, but when I have a guy, my beaver is very eager to get filled." She bit her lip as she wrapped her legs around his waist.

Her hands settled over her head. Taking the hint, Dave placed one hand on her adjacent wrists. She moaned lightly. She moaned again, louder as his other hand cupped her small, perky breast. When his thumb began strumming her thick, brown nipple on her small, dark brown areola her body rocked beneath him. Her breath came in gasps.

"Oh God, yes. Oh, oh ... David, you know you can't get me there with out cum yet right? I mean, with the serum and all."

Dave had a wicked gleam in his eye when he looked at her. "I'm aware. But I can still make you feel good."

"I feel good now. On fire good. Electricity dancing on my skin good. I feeeeeEEEEEL ..."

Dave taking her remaining nipple in his mouth stripped away her ability to speak coherently. He didn't want to tease her mercilessly, though, so he lowered his pelvis to match her writhing lower body. He was aroused as she was, so a bead of precum already waited on the tip of his organ, along with more smeared about the head. The moment he made contacted with her slick, flowered folds Carmen's body was wracked with the most powerful orgasm she'd ever known. Her lithe body arced, her ribs slamming hard into Dave's. Her head rolled back, as did her eyes. When she relaxed again on to the bed, there was joy in her eyes, along with the need.

"More, please master."

That wasn't even a signal, that was clear, blatant, and unmistakable communication. Dave surged forward, but slowly, taking a full minute to seat himself inside her. With his balls pressed against her taint, he leaned down to kiss her once more. She groaned, receptively, and ground herself on him. Dave took the invitation and began thrusting, slowly at first, building in speed and power. Within minutes, Dave was hammering his cock into her eager, wet entrance as she panted and moaned her pleasure. Even with two prior inseminations, the serum plus an hour or so of recharge worked it's magic and David climaxed, blasting several spurts of man cream into Carmen's receptive tunnel. Carmen's body reacted instantaneously to the much awaited injection of semen. Dave held her with one hand as she seized. The other kept him aloft so he didn't crush her. When she went limp, Dave lowered her to the bed while she intoned "imprinting ... imprinting ... imprinting."

******

Who said all consequences must be painful?

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