The Link Pt. 02: The Hunted

"I thought you were a myth," Wendy said, leaning forward into my ear. The crowd was on their feet, a standing ovation for my song. I didn't understand her reference, but let it go. I knew intimately that she was a good person and meant nothing by it. Standing, I found Caleb's eyes searching for me. I smiled and cheered as I promised I would. The immense pride in seeing him up there was not expected. I turned back to Wendy.

"He looks so handsome on stage," I said. She approved of Caleb, that much I knew.

"It's okay to like him," Wendy said, "the future's not written." I smiled at her, and we hugged as if we'd been friends for eternity. The bond had broken through all the weirdness that usually took time to dissolve. I took a deep breath and reestablished my mental walls. Sharing was a wonderful thing, but I didn't want to do it with the world.

"Thank you!" Tom said into the microphone. "We're glad you enjoyed it. I've been trying to get that tune out for 18 years. It took a talented violinist to make it work." He pointed to Caleb and the crowd gave Caleb another round of applause. "I suspect this isn't the last time you see Caleb McGuire on a stage." More cheers. I was beaming, but nowhere near as much as Caleb was. It was obvious how he wanted to spend his life.

"We're taking a break. The Smooth Gliders will be back on stage in about an hour," Tom said. With that, he and Caleb began exiting the stage.

"I kind of lost control," I whispered into Wendy's ear. "Caleb doesn't know. To tell the truth, no one is supposed to know." She looked like she knew exactly what I was talking about.

"Tom already knows you," Wendy said. I looked at her in confusion. "He met you once before. I always thought he was making you up." I squinted my eyes and tried to comprehend what she was saying. She leaned closer, "You're Stinky," she added with a laugh.

Chapter 11 - Sam

"What the hell was that?" I asked Natalie as I lowered the newspaper. Natalie was looking over some contract that she shouldn't be touching on the weekend. She always spent the weekend looking over her associate's work, making sure it was okay before adding her name. It always meant less us time. I had gotten used to it, but it didn't mean I liked it.

"I haven't felt her like that since she was a baby," Natalie said. She dropped her work on the table and looked up at me. "You don't think she bonded with that boy?"

"I don't think so?" I replied, "Someone else maybe. It was so strong, like she hit the afterburners or something." Natalie chuckled and gave me that look that said I was going to be warm tonight.

"You don't like me working weekends," Natalie said. I had told her as much before, in a nice offhanded way. It was greedy of me to demand so much time. "I saw what you want," she added as she got up from the chair and moved toward the couch.

"Bad girl," I said with a smile, "you haven't cheated in years." Natalie took the paper from my hands and tossed it haphazardly onto the coffee table.

"It's been so long since I've seen inside you," Natalie continued. "You still see me naked in your mind." I took her hand and pulled her onto the couch and into my arms.

"You shouldn't be messing in a man's mind," I chastised, putting my hand behind her neck and caressing behind her ear with my thumb. She leaned into my hand and curled her body closer to mine. "Besides, you already know I love you." I pulled her lips to mine and felt that special impassioned tingle that came when our desires were moving at the same speed. Her lips parted, and the kiss left lovely and entered into a luxurious passion.

"Minor in the room!" Zane shouted as he came down the stairs. Natalie laughed as she broke the kiss. A thought flashed through my mind, something about being childless. It disappeared as quickly as it came. "Is it okay if I spend the night at Rick's? He picked up a bunch of horror films, and he's having people over."

"Text us when you get there," I said, mentally scooting him out the door. Natalie smacked my shoulder and stood up. Her sweet smile softened the blow.

"You have to drive him," Natalie said, "it's already dark out." I sighed and thought again of being childless. This time, the thought lingered for a tenth of a second. I stood, and she wrapped her hands around my neck and kissed my cheek.

"I'll be here waiting," Natalie whispered in my ear. The breath tickled my ear, as she let go slowly. I loved the way her eyes looked at me. They were her young eyes, the ones that only I was allowed to see.

"You packed?" I asked Zane quickly. The drive was only ten minutes, but I could do it in five if I broke a few laws.

"Yep," Zane said, holding up his backpack. I smiled.

"And what if we had said no?"

"You're predictable," Zane replied, shrugging his shoulders. "You only say no when I've been a pain in the ass."

"Now I want to say no just to be spontaneous," Natalie joked.

"Mom!"

"Go, go," Natalie said sweetly. "I want you home in time for dinner tomorrow. You have that history test to study for tomorrow night." I grabbed my keys and practically shoved my son out the door.

*****

"What did Teegan do?" Zane asked once we were on the road. There was a lot of curiosity in his voice.

"You felt that?"

"I think the world felt that," Zane replied. "I didn't know it worked that way. I mean, I feel you guys and know when you're pissed and stuff, but it was different this time." I could feel my face heating up as I wondered how much he felt. Natalie saw things only she should see, and we certainly didn't want to share those things with our children.

"What did you feel?" I asked carefully.

"I felt more of me," Zane answered. "It was like I was able to rethink things without any worries, I guess." I smiled, relieved that he didn't inadvertently walk into my x-rated thoughts of his mother.

"She hasn't done that since you were a baby," I answered honestly. "We all thought it had faded away. Obviously, it hasn't. She was able to turn it off quickly enough."

"Is it wrong to like it?" Zane asked.

"No," I said after thinking a moment, "though I wouldn't depend on feeling it again. It's been over 15 years since I felt it the last time."

"Dad, who is she?"

"Your sister," I replied. I looked over expecting to see fear in his eyes. There wasn't any, just curiosity.

"I know that," Zane said, "I mean, I want to know the things you're not telling me." Though we hadn't told Teegan everything, she was aware of the fake birth certificate and some of how she came into the world. Zane, we had left more in the dark. It was the first time he expressed a desire to know.

"I think I've waited too long to tell you," I said. "Now, it's Teegan's right to tell you, not mine or your mother's." It was a type of cop-out, but I felt it had some correctness to it. Teegan was a young woman now, and it was her history.

"She's told me some," Zane admitted. That surprised me. "I know she's adopted, and like her power, no one else can know."

"Then you know a lot," I said. "She is our family and always will be," I added in case he thought she was less for not being tied by blood.

"Dad," Zane sighed. I could hear the eye roll in his voice. "I'm not trying to get rid of her. I'm just trying to figure things out. She'll always be my sister and knowing stuff won't change that." He was getting older before my eyes. It wasn't the first time he could sense my subtlety and answer my unasked questions.

"You're right," I said, "I just didn't want you thinking we loved her less because she's adopted."

"Like I don't feel it every day," Zane said with the same eye roll tone. I had to laugh, more at myself than him. Of course, he knew how much we loved each other. No one in the family could escape that. I really had to stop thinking that everything needed to be explained to him. He was coming into his own mind and didn't always need my conclusions.

"Sorry," I said, "you've grown up while I wasn't looking."

"Remember that when I'm 16," Zane said. "I was thinking a Corvette for my birthday." The seriousness of the conversation faded from there. I explained to him that it would be a cold day in hell when he had a 'Vette before me. He reminded me that air conditioning had come a long way. I liked the bit of bonding the drive provided us. When he entered high school, hanging out with his friends suddenly became more important than spending time with his dad. It was rare to have a conversation that spanned more than a few words. I realized I missed it.

"Thanks," Zane said as he exited the car. I reminded him about being home by dinner, which he half-heard as he hustled to Rick's door. Our time was over, and friends once again reigned supreme.

I was at a stoplight when I felt Teegan's love explode into me again. More powerful than I had ever felt her before. Whatever triggered it, I welcomed it with open arms. I sent back all I had to her, a father's love untainted by reservations. The night was magnificent. Life's problems sorted themselves into neat solvable chunks. In the middle of it, I found Natalie and our loved mixed in a dance of our making. The link broke, my smile didn't.

When I returned home, I was surprised to find most of the lights out. The one at the top of the stairs was on, so I followed it like a beacon. A lamp in the master bedroom led me there. I called out for Natalie.

"In here," I heard from the bathroom. I walked into flickering candlelight lightly bouncing in the mirror over the sinks. Our rarely used tub was filled with water, and the most beautiful woman in the world was half submerged.

"No bubbles," I said with feigned disappointment. I was removing my shirt, and kicking off my shoes as I spoke.

"I saw what was in your mind," Natalie said softly. Her breasts bobbed softly in the water. "It made me feel young again. You still find me sexy."

"Oh," I said as I went to work on my belt, "if you only knew."

"I do know," Natalie said with a soft laugh. There is an attitude that makes a woman sexy. It's not the visible parts as much as the aura of desire they can project. I had been married to the woman in the tub for 17 years, and she could still get me going with only a look. "Don't fall," she added when I almost tripped stepping out of my pants.

"Someone likes the bath idea," Natalie said, looking between my legs. I chuckled as I stepped into the bath. I felt twenty years younger, about to do something illicit with a new girlfriend. It had been a long time since we had been adventurous. Natalie scooted to the front of the tub and directed me to sit in the back. The water was warm, just on the cool side of hot. I sank in, and she slipped between my legs with her back to me.

Natalie tilted her head back and kissed me with the same passion I felt on the couch. She rose up, the water sloshing, and guided me between her legs. I tossed all the foreplay I was planning to the wayside as she sank onto me with a moan.

"That's better," Natalie sighed, smiling into my lips. "It took you forever to get back here." I could feel her shifting, making me comfortable inside of her. It was so sensual; I began to worry I would lose it like I was twenty years younger as well. I ran my hand up her tummy, pulling her back into my chest and allowing my hands to roam her breasts.

"Next time I'll break a few more laws," I whispered. Our lips joined again as Natalie twisted herself to make it possible. I straightened her out and pulled her head to my shoulder. My lips nibbled on her earlobe as she began to move her hips. We somehow found a smooth rhythm that suited the confines of the tub. Natalie floated above with her back arched into me, controlling most of the movement. My hands roamed her overly excited body, triggering very sexy twitches. I moved my lips to her neck, and she started losing her rhythm.

"I love you," I said as I felt Natalie begin to stiffen. I used my hips to drive myself deeper, and she shifted, causing me to find places inside her that made us both twitch. I felt the tingle start in my loins, and a moan escaped my lips. Natalie matched my sounds, and her hips began to shake. Together, we found our private heaven.

Natalie started laughing when we returned to earth. I was still deeply inside her, feeling the laugh as much as hearing it.

"And what's so funny?"

"The expression on your face when you walked into the bathroom," Natalie replied. "You looked like a ten-year-old at Christmas." I shifted her around so I could kiss her.

"In my defense," I responded, "you looked so damn sexy." The candles were flickering in her eyes enhancing the way she studied at me.

"I can't believe you still see me that way," Natalie said, "I'm getting saggy and wrinkly in all the wrong places." I couldn't believe she had lost confidence in her beauty. I would always see her as she was when we first met. Imperfections can't survive loving eyes.

"You have to know I'll never see anything but beauty when I look at you," I said. I loved how she could laugh and kiss me at the same time. Somewhere along the line, I had failed to reinforce my love for her. I guess raising kids had a tendency to shove intimacy aside for practicality. I kissed my wife back, making sure she knew my love still had the aggression it did when we were younger. Never would I let her forget it again.

Teegan had no idea what she re-awoke in us when she found her full power. We'll never tell her, but will be eternally grateful all the same.

Chapter 12 - Teegan

"You can't tell Caleb," I emphasized to Wendy.

"He wouldn't believe me anyway," Wendy said in a calming tone. Caleb and Tom were getting swamped as they exited the stage. The crowd had enjoyed the song and wanted to meet the musicians.

"How did they know that song?" I asked.

"Tom said he heard it from you," Wendy laughed. "He spent years trying to duplicate it. I thought It was just his creative side, which has always been a little bonkers."

"But he said Caleb finished it," I pointed out. "I've never bonded with him." I looked at Wendy who still wore a mask of extreme happiness for all the world to see. "What?"

"He really loves me," Wendy said. It took a moment for what she said to sink in.

"Tom?"

"Yes," Wendy replied, her smile glued in place. "You showed me how he sees me." She pointed to the men as they neared. Tom was the first to break through the crowd and Wendy nearly tackled him. For a moment, I thought she was going to rip his clothes off then and there.

"What did you think?" Caleb asked. I looked away from the kissing couple, blushing a little for the both of them. I was grateful that things passed through me without my knowledge. I certainly didn't need visions of desires not meant for me.

"How did you finish that song?" I asked.

"You didn't like it?" The look in his eyes was almost painful. I couldn't believe my rudeness. He had no idea what the song was to me.

"No," I replied quickly, "I mean yes. I liked it a lot. It's beautiful." I waited until his smile returned. "It must have been difficult to develop your part of it. There's so much complexity to it."

"That's the weird thing," Caleb said, "it just flowed out of me. Tom says it happens sometimes." He shrugged his shoulders. "Don't know if it will ever happen again."

"Of course it will, " I said, adding a friendly smile. "You've got talent, and everyone here knows it." Caleb's smile grew, which made me feel better than it should have. "You looked really good on stage."

"I had a few butterflies," Caleb admitted. "When the music started, they just disappeared. I have to say, it was a lot of fun up there." We were briefly interrupted while some new fans expressed their congratulations to Caleb. I liked how he moved closer to me, making sure I wasn't shoved out of the way and remained part of the conversation.

It took another ten minutes for the place to settle down enough that Tom and Caleb could sit down. It was still noisy, but not so much that a conversation couldn't be held. We talked about Caleb's first experience on stage for a paying audience. Tom kept looking at me warmly, and I began to realize that Wendy must have told him who I was. When Caleb excused himself to use the restroom, Tom immediately moved next to me.

"Stinky?" Tom said with a huge smile. I think I blushed.

"Teegan, now," I replied. He put his hand on the table in front of me and curiosity filled his eyes. There was no need for him to make a request, and if I hadn't placed my hand atop his, I don't think he would have taken it badly. I knew there were people who had kept my family and me safe when I was a baby. Tom was obviously one of them. I dropped all my walls and synced my music with his.

The world became a thing of beauty as our minds moved together. I was pleased to feel the happiness emanating from Mom and Dad. Something had brought them closer, cementing them together, stronger than I had felt in the past. It wasn't that they were ever drifting apart, just now it felt fresher, more alive. My choices, the ones I needed to make, felt trivial and obvious. My apprehension disappeared into a cloud I could easily blow to the side.

I saw myself, a baby in my father's arms, riding in the trunk of a police car. Tom's car. I saw Tom roll down the windows as a scent wafted from the trunk. It was a ghastly smell, a mixture of sewer and death. Still my father held me tight in loving arms. I knew then, he would never stop loving me and would shield me from all harm. Unbidden, my love exploded into Dad. It flew back with equal force, wrapping me in his security. I broke the link when my smile threatened to tear my face.

"Damn," Tom said, "you're more powerful than I remember. Still the most beautiful music in the world." I fell into his arms, and he hugged me back.

"Thank you," I whispered. It wasn't just for saving me so many years ago. It was more for the song that broke down the walls I hadn't realized existed.

"Do you remember me?" Tom asked with surprise.

"I do now," I replied. He didn't know what I saw. The linking, even at it's most powerful levels, wasn't completely two-way. We saw what we wanted to see, or what we needed to see and feel. "For the first time, I understand why Dad calls me Stinky," I added. We broke apart in laughter which did as much for our friendship as the link had.

"Caleb doesn't know about the bonding," I told Tom. "No one's supposed to know. We're still kind of in hiding."

"How can he not know?" Tom asked. "I saw you holding his hand."

"I usually block the bonding," I answered. "The song you two played opened me up and I accidently bonded with Wendy." Wendy smiled at me as she circled her arm around Tom. I had inflamed something in her. Tom turned and kissed her in response to the arm. I almost felt in the way.

"I'm confused," Tom said, "Caleb finishing the song suddenly made sense when Wendy told me who you were. Now, you tell me you never bonded with him."

"I didn't even know him when you two first met," I said. "We only became friends about a week ago."

"Maybe it's fate," Tom said with a sly smile. "He's a good kid, you could do worse."

"Stop it!" Wendy interjected for me. "She'll make her own decisions in her own time." I liked having an older sister, even if it was just for the night. Tom nodded and dropped his weak attempt at matchmaking.

"Tell me," Tom asked, "Sam and Natalie? Are they together?" He became hesitant at the end, wondering if he had intruded into something that should be left alone.

"Mom and Dad," I nodded with a forgiving smile. "I also have a brother who's a freshman." Tom laughed. I let the curiosity show with raised eyebrows.