Days of Darkness

Chapter 19

Don't know me, huh?" I questioned Natalie.

"See what happens when you tease women," Natalie replied. She leaned down and smiled at Teegan who naturally laughed back. They traded some funny sounds before we continued.

"You just abandoned me," I joked.

"Tease my girl and yes," Natalie struck back, "I'll drop you like hot potato."

"Your girl?"

"Our girl."

"That would make you my wife," I bantered back. Natalie stopped, encircled my head with her hands and kissed the cockiness right out of me.

"And I don't even need the paper to prove it," Natalie said, before turning back to the cart. I stood there, in the middle of aisle, and watched my two girls head slowly down the aisle. Father, husband? Didn't I already know it? A warmth surge through my body, a comfortable feeling mixed with an unknown future. I smiled at the thought of sharing the unknown with those two. I stepped forward with a purpose and relieved Natalie of the cart.

"Knock anything else off the shelves," I scolded Teegan, "and I'll have to s***k your mother's bottom."

"Promises, promises," Natalie sighed with that smile I was really beginning to love.

We left Steele and headed back toward Bismarck and our cabin. Except for perishables, we were good for a while, a few weeks if we had too. The snow probably wouldn't arrive in force until the next month anyway.

"We can't spend your life savings," I observed as we traveled along 94.

"We can if we have too," Natalie said, "what's mine is yours." She meant it with the best intentions. I wasn't sure I liked the idea.

"It doesn't feel right," I continued, "I need to contribute." Natalie smiled, undid her seatbelt, and laid her head in my lap.

"Then you drive and I'll nap," she said, closing her eyes. It wasn't quite what I had in mind. I did like the idea of her laying there and I wasn't going to ruin it with a silly argument. I dropped my right hand down and absently played with hair. I let it go and drove while she napped. It was an argument for a time when I wasn't so comfortable.

Natalie made dinner that night. A chicken casserole that smelled delicious while it cooked. The smell was driving Teegan crazy, so I fed her first with Natalie's help. We should have picked up a highchair to make it easier. I put that on my mental list for the next trip.

It was an interminable wait for Teegan to sleep. I played with her in the bath and out. I followed her around, letting her crawl between my legs as she explored the cabin. It was amazing how quickly she became fully mobile. Natalie was busy putting everything small or dangerous above waist high. Cleaning chemicals above the sink, paper towels below the sink. We were novice parents, but not completely stupid.

Finally, Teegan's eyes got heavy. I cradled her in my arms and lightly rocked her to sleep. As a man, I would like to say it was a chore, but honestly, it had a special type of wonderful. A little life, depending on me for safety and comfort. She was so trusting and curled into me as if I had been there her whole life. I felt the love without the bond. I laid her in her crib as gently as possible.

"You are a good daddy," Natalie whispered, her arms circling my waist from behind. The words didn't bother me like they should. I turned in her arms to find her soft endearing smile. The kind of smile I thought I would never deserve. Her eyes weren't shying away from mine. I promised the world with a kiss.

In the past, I had to guess what a woman wanted. The exploration was always fun, but at times frustrating when they didn't respond as expected. That night was different. I took Natalie's hand and led her to the fire. I deployed blankets and made her stand still as I undressed her. I don't pretend to know all women, but with Natalie, timing was everything. I knew exactly where to touch, exactly what to kiss and nibble. I deviated to keep the caresses fresh and exciting, growing in intensity.

Natalie struggled to gain some control, soft laughter and the proper pressure melted her back to my will. The power I held to bring her joy was amazing. I could feel her body respond to me, my lips and fingers playing her like a precious instrument. Her scent, her movements, and her sounds were music to my senses. I learned things she didn't even know she desired. My greatest joy was watching her tighten, breasts thrusting upward to the sky, as she lost all composure. I teased her as she returned to the world, my tongue turning from pleasure to ticklish t*****e in mere moments. I loved the laughter as she struggled with weak muscles to remove me from between her soft thighs.

"You did cheat," Natalie sighed with a wicked smile, pulling me up her body. The sated look in her eyes was my reward. She looked so beautiful and I felt incredibly powerful. A n***d woman in my arms and my only desire was to share hers. Somehow, I forgotten my own obvious arousal. "You did things...it was so beautiful," she told me. Those words were all the o****m I needed. Natalie thought otherwise, then proved it.

.15 - Sam

The first week in the cabin was an absolute joy. I had Natalie and Teegan all to myself. We would go for walks in the woods, something I was sure the impending winter would limit, and spend our nights in front of the fire. Teegan was crawling like she never knew any different. I felt every bump and nearly screamed when she closed her fingers in the drawer. I somehow absorbed it all. I was her personal pin cushion. Still, she learned. I knew she didn't like me feeling pain anymore then she would have liked it herself. It did encourage me to spend more time baby proofing the cabin. There was no way I would allow her to find an exposed electrical socket.

Whether it was Teegan's doing or not, I was deeply in love with the both of them. They had become my world, two people who mattered more than I. Most drugs would become weaker in time, destroy themselves while they destroyed the host. I felt stronger with a growing determination to see that nothing untoward would happen to lessen our family. That is what it was, a family. My family.

Natalie was equally committed. The woman could love like no other. I still had no idea what she saw in me. I just knew I had hit the jackpot. Smart, gorgeous, and so very comfortable to be around. She would smile and a rainy day became sunshine.

Except for her new found mobility, Teegan was the same happy child. Nothing ever bothered her. She was our main entertainment, her bouncing diapered butt our laughter. She was working hard trying to stand and was teething hard, which produced copious amounts of slobber. I could feel the ache in my gums as more teeth began to find air. Soft chewy things made it feel better, so I kept her well supplied.

Natalie was worried about the transfer of Teegan's pains. The power Teegan had over me was growing, and she wondered where it would end. It grew slowly enough that I found it almost natural. I liked that I could save her from pain. I also found it efficient that I knew when she was in pain. It was like a second set of eyes.

An unexpected knock at the door surprised both of us. My first thought was of Betty or her uncle. No one else knew we were here. I ended Teegan's crawling, picking her up protectively as Natalie peeked out the window. "A man," she mouthed, shrugging her shoulders.

"Neighbor?" I whispered.

"Maybe," Natalie whispered back, "it looks like he's alone."

"Who is it?" I called from behind the door. I tried to make it sound nonchalant like I was otherwise engaged in something that couldn't be interrupted.

"Dr. Hank Gunderson," the man called back, "I'm looking for Sam Donaldson and Natalie Williams." My eyes went wide at our names. Natalie moved quickly to my side with the same apprehension.

"No one here by that name," I said with less conviction than I should have. The knowledge of our names caught me off guard.

"What about Runnymede?" The man asked, "are you familiar with that?" He knew Rose. I immediately found Teegan's skin with my hand. I had been avoiding direct bonding, not knowing the long term effects. In this case, fear for Rose overshadowed the risk.

Dr. Gunderson held no animosity toward us. Teegan smiled at me as I drifted into his mind. Rose trusted him, and he was alone. I felt him smile, almost sensing what I was doing. He had bonded with Teegan in the past. I let go of Tegan's arm and opened the door.

"Sam Donaldson," I said, holding out my free hand. Hank smiled and shook it.

"And you must be Natalie," Hank said, holding his hand out to her. Natalie nodded, adding her smile as she shook his hand. She saw me bond and knew I thought everything was okay.

"Esmeralda!" Hank said, looking at Teegan, "You've grown so big." Teegan's mouth opened into a breathy laugh. She pumped her arms up and down with excitement. No apprehension at all.

"Esmeralda?" I asked, "is that her real name?"

"We called her Emma for short," Hank said. He made no attempt to touch Teegan or enter further into the cabin. He was purposely trying to be non-aggressive.

"Come in," Natalie said, her interest was as piqued as mine, "It's starting to get cold out there. We were about to have lunch. Would you like to join us?"

"Please," Hank replied as I closed the door, "anything without peanuts...pretty allergic to those."

"Ham and cheese," Natalie decided and moved toward the small kitchen that shared space with the main cabin area. We followed her to the kitchen table and took seats. Hank seemed less of a stranger having bonded with Teegan in the past.

"How is Rose doing?" I asked.