The Link Pt. 03: The Huntress

"I lost my boy," Mrs. Tisdale whispered to Teegan.

"It was my fault," Teegan said, "I didn't listen to him. He told me not to, but..." Teegan's voice left her and her head collapsed into Mrs. Tisdale who pulled her close.

"He saved you," Mrs. Tisdale said clearly, surprising the nurse. "Even if he had known the outcome, he would have done it." Her hand stroked through Teegan's hair, comforting her as best she could. "He thought you were an angel and so you must be."

"I'm cursed," Teegan said. I moved toward her, hating what this was doing to her. Mrs. Tisdale waved me off.

"You will not lessen my boy's sacrifice," Mrs. Tisdale whispered, "I can feel him in you. Barely a day, and he gave you everything. You have to prove that his choice was the right one."

"I don't know how," Teegan said, looking up into Mrs. Tisdale's tearing eyes.

"None of us do," Mrs. Tisdale said, "but figure it out for him. He was such a good boy." She pulled Teegan tighter like she never intended to let her go.

"She's not used to this much activity," the nurse told me, unable to figure out what was going on. "I'm not sure we should stay long."

"God has taken Jason," Mrs. Tisdale told the nurse.

"I know, Mrs. Tisdale," the nurse said, her straight red hair shifting forward as she leaned into her charge to whisper something.

"Give me some time, Wendy," Mrs. Tisdale said, waving her away again. Wendy looked at me, confused as to where the sudden clarity was coming from. I shrugged my shoulders adding to her confusion, thinking there were already too many people who knew about the link.

"Why has everything become so clear?" Mrs. Tisdale asked Teegan. Teegan leaned back, still holding her hand.

"It's the reason I needed Jason's protection," Teegan replied, "I was born with it, and now people are dying because of it."

"Why would anyone want to hurt you?" Mrs. Tisdale asked. "Such a wonderful gift, so pure and beautiful." Her words defied the tears streaming from her eyes. Her grief was strong, but the link held it in an analytical state.

"Not everyone is impressed," Teegan said, "some think it's unnatural, a gift from hell. I'm beginning to agree."

"You're more angel than demon," Mrs. Tisdale said. "Don't you let my boy be wrong." Teegan nodded, unable to form words she thought could be lies.

"I won't let her," I said, feeding some strength into Teegan. She was greatly weakened by the conversation.

"Take her," Mrs. Tisdale said, probably concerned with Teegan's disillusionment. I moved forward.

"I want to visit," Teegan promised, "on Tuesdays."

"Don't waste your time on an old woman," Mrs. Tisdale said, a weak smile forming on her lips.

"I want to visit Jason's mother," Teegan insisted. She was holding Mrs. Tisdale's hand tightly, not wanting to break the bond.

"Then I'll I look forward to it," Mrs. Tisdale agreed and patted Teegan's hand. She looked back at Wendy, "Please move me up to the coffin. I need to say goodbye to my boy." Teegan released Mrs. Tisdale's hand, and I watched reality fade away from the woman's face. I could feel Teegan cringe inside as Mrs. Tisdale's head slumped back toward the ground. Wendy moved forward, her eyes searching both Teegan and me as if we were space aliens. We watched her wheel Mrs. Tisdale to the coffin though Jason's mother no longer seemed to realize her son's fate.

"That was hard," Teegan said, folding herself into my arms. I held her as she cried. There was nothing I could do with the pain except share it. It was pitifully inadequate.

We returned to the house under the watch of Terence who had taken over Jason's job as head of security. He had provided way too many men at the church, and Teegan was always surrounded as we moved in public. Teegan hated it, but kept it to herself, not wanting a repeat of what happened to Jason. I did the best I could keeping anger simmering just below the surface whenever we moved outside. It wasn't difficult to imagine someone hurting Teegan and that made it easier to store hatred.

It was late afternoon when we finally pulled up to the house. Victor met us at the door and once again expressed his sympathy. Strange, Victor knew Jason much longer than we did, but he could sense Teegan's special connection. We moved up to the bedroom and closed off the world.

"Love me," Teegan said. I looked at her beauty, diminished only by the cloak of depression that formed at Jason's death. She didn't move, looking at me weakly, like I might decline. I moved to her in silence knowing words would only damage her fragile mood. My fingers moved to the side of her face, gently pushing some loose hairs over her ear. I cradled her neck and pulled her lips softly to mine. Her entire being sighed, yielding to my touch.

I slowly undressed Teegan, kissing the skin as it was exposed. She closed her eyes and let her soul merge with mine, completely surrendering to my strength, having her own sapped by the day's events. I pulled back the covers and laid her on the bed. She watched as I undressed, not helping as usual. I felt her need of our intimacy more than any climax we might find.

Goosebumps formed as I lightly caressed Teegan's breasts. I chased them with my warm lips, tasting her skin and watching her nipples react. It was a slow dance that speed would have ruined. My hand caressed her side as my lips returned to hers. She reciprocated gradually, not wanting to insult her pain with strong passion. I could feel the edge she was precariously hanging over, the cliff she didn't want to fall off of. She needed my love and my touch. I needed her love of self to return.

My hand traveled tenderly between her legs, and I felt her lips curl against mine. The first sign of us unmarred by events. A shiver ran up her spine as my fingers teased her entrance, urging her body to respond.

"Love me," Teegan repeated. I shifted my body between her thighs, her hands became more animated guiding me, aligning our coupling. A soft moan escaped her lips as I sank into her. I let out my breath, struggling with my mind to make sure my passion didn't overwhelm the moment she needed. Her warmth was welcoming, drawing me deeper. Once my limit was reached, she wrapped her legs around me and used her arms to pull me closer. Our motion stilled with only a deep kiss expressing our need.

In time, Teegan relaxed her embrace, and I slowly withdrew and then returned. A careful, tender motion, concentrating more on depth than speed. We breathed slowly, in time with the motions. With each descent, more of Teegan returned. The pain of death being lessened by the movements of life. I could feel her tightening as my own need grew. I closed my eyes and struggled to keep the ecstasy at bay and allow the beauty of our joining to continue.

Teegan's body went rigid and a moan fought to escape her lips. Her nails dug into my back, pulling me closer as her hips rose of their own accord. It was more than a man could withstand. My body joined with hers and for a moment, the world and all its problems faded from our minds. Love trampled all weakness, crushed all fears, and promised a glorious future.

"I love you," Teegan whispered when breathing became easier. I smiled at the strength of the statement. Lately, the words had sounded practiced, generic. These held meaning.

"And I you," I said, kissing her sweaty cheek. We had raised the temperature, though the physical exertion was less energetic than usual. She turned her lips to meet mine. I loved how soft they were. They held a determination that supported her words. I moved to the side, pulling a sheet over us. We cuddled into each other, ignoring the heat we had generated. There, we found the sleep we needed.

*****

I woke alone in the bed. The room was dark, but my eyes spotted Teegan's silhouette against the French doors that led to the balcony. I rose, noting the clock's red LED numbers said it was three in the morning. Teegan didn't move as I approached, her eyes looking out into the night.

"I want to find them," Teegan said as I encircled her naked body from behind.

"So do I," I said, knowing that them meant the people hunting Teegan. She turned in my arms, her eyes finding mine.

"I want to hurt them," Teegan said with a determination that didn't leave room for negotiation.

"Not if I get to them first," I said. Her hands pulled my head down to hers, and she kissed me hard.

"I won't be able to stop," Teegan told me. I thought back to the times we had invaded the minds of our attackers. One of us was always sane enough to stop the other.

"They killed Jason and shot your brother," I justified her words.

"I want them dead," Teegan said, "no matter what it takes, I want to hunt them down and remove them from this Earth." Her tone was calm, but her mind was firing on all cylinders. I doubted that it would end any other way. It was their fault, forcing us to such an end.

"It's their own fault," I added.

"Will you still love me in hell?" Teegan asked.

"Eternity with you is all that matters," I replied.

Chapter 11 - Teegan

"The message to your parents was delivered yesterday afternoon," Victor said. He was holding a tablet in his hands reading down a list. "The press has gotten wind of your inheritance and we expect it to be public knowledge tomorrow. May I suggest a teleconference with your key CEOs, letting them know before they read it in the newspaper."

I sipped my tea, trying to fathom the idea of having key CEOs. I woke up thinking I had one goal in life; find the people who killed Jason. It was stupid to think Corbett's empire ran itself, but it had gotten along without me so why couldn't it now? I wasn't sure I could multitask and I certainly wasn't confident enough to hold a meeting. Victor was looking at me, waiting for my response.

"I have CEOs?" I said stupidly.

"Good ones," Victor responded, "and they'll need reassurance that you don't intend any immediate changes." He paused a moment and gave me a strange look. "Unless you intend to change things."

"No," I said quickly, "I don't know enough to make any decisions. Who's been running things since Corbett died?"

"I have," Victor replied, "Mr. Corbett thought it best that I handled the trust since I knew the businesses and you."

"Teegan doesn't have full control until she's 21," Caleb said, making it sound like a question.

"Legally, yes," Victor said, "though I will defer to her judgement as long as I don't deem it overly detrimental to wealth preservation."

"You won't let me make any stupid decisions," I clarified.

"Just not expensive ones," Victor said, adding a smile.

"And what will these CEOs say when they see a high school dropout is now in charge?" I asked.

"That would depend on how you handle it," Victor said. The thought of talking with influential business people piled on the stress. I didn't have the experience to make any rational decisions. The one thing I didn't need was key people making panicked moves that would upset the applecart. I had to make sure that everyone knew I had no intention of disturbing the status quo, at least until I had a better understanding of what the status quo was.

"I agree," Caleb said to me, smiling. He was thinking the same thing and had felt my internal panic attack. Suddenly the decision held more merit. I loved the support he gave me, even though Victor looked confused at his statement.

"Set up the meeting," I told Victor, "we need to make sure that everyone knows I have no intention of changing anything until I understand what's what. My guess is that will take years."

"Yes, Ms. Fuller," Victor said, tapping on the tablet. I could see he thought my decision was a good one. I found it funny that the decision to make no decisions was the best decision. "Detective Cruthers has asked for a meeting this afternoon."

"Has she found something?" Caleb asked.

"I suspect so," Victor said, "she's had our investigators working overtime. I've been getting reports, but the way she parcels out the work it's hard to assemble a coherent story. I think she may have a lead on Anthony Lewis, somewhere around Monterey, California."

"We definitely want to meet with her," I said, sharing some heavy thoughts with Caleb. Victor nodded. "Make sure Terence is there as well," I added, thinking I would like his input as well.

"How should I handle the press?" Victor asked. "They'll be calling once the news is out."

"What do you suggest?" I asked. That's all I needed, another pile of things to do. I'd always figured rich people sat around all day drinking bai tais on their yachts.

"A short press release," Victor replied, "and decline interviews for now. Mr. Corbett never liked the media. He said they added unnecessary emotion to situations."

"I certainly don't need anymore emotions," I said, "I think I'll let you handle them." Victor nodded and did some more work on the tablet. "I also think it would be wise for me to start learning about the business."

"A few hours a day?" Victor asked.

"Yes."

"I'll start putting that together," Victor continued. "I could give you an overview today, then we can start going more in depth by business sector. It might be a good idea to have the key personnel explain their mission, meeting them would kill two birds with one stone, so to speak."

"Maybe I shouldn't participate," Caleb said, "it will be hard enough to explain you, much less a second drop out."

"It's my understanding you can't be excluded even if it were desirable," Victor said.

"Nope," I agreed, "and it would be best if everyone got over that hump all at once. They'll have to get used to seeing Caleb with me. If they don't like it, then now would be the time to refresh their resumes." Victor didn't even bat an eye, tapping on his tablet as if it was an expected turn of events. It was a scary thought, being in charge. It was more frightening that I had so little knowledge of what I was in charge of.

"I'll be quiet in the beginning," Caleb said. "Let them get used to you first."

"I suspect Ms. Fuller will desire your full participation," Victor said like a grandfather. "Never show a lack of confidence, or fear." He looked up from his tablet. " I learned a lot about business from Mr. Corbett."

"Is it alright to have butterflies on the inside?" I said, using my coffee cup to hide my smile.

"Yep," Victor replied, "just don't let them fly about. Mr. Corbett always started his day with a swim, said the buoyancy settled his thoughts. You might want to give it a try."

"That actually sounds nice. Do we have swim suits?"

"I'll make sure the area is clear," Victor said with a smirk. "According to Mr. Corbett, settling one's thoughts requires skinny dipping. Everyone got quite good at avoiding the pool in the morning. He wasn't exactly an Adonis." Victor chuckled at his thoughts as he had a few more things on his tablet. I could feel the smile in Caleb. Visions of me as some kind of mermaid, water dripping off perfect breasts filled his mind.

*****

The olympic sized pool was magnificent. Gray-white tile lowered gradually into water, a beach entrance without the sand. The ceiling was built of pitched glass, two stories high, sitting atop stone walls. It was private, yet seemingly open to the world. As soon as Victor left, Caleb stripped and I watched his cute ass disappear into the deep end. I could feel his joy, singularly juvenile and so appealing.

After one more look around, my eyes guaranteeing our privacy, I undressed and took the sloped entrance into the water. The temperature was perfect, a slight chill at the surface where the water first curled around my skin, but softly warm beneath. Caleb's love hit me hard. It was peppered with a growing lust as his eyes watched me slowly descending into the water. He was envious of how the water encircled my skin and, in his mind, embraced me. He swam toward me, meeting me neck deep.

"That was sexy as hell," Caleb said, his arms pulling me close. I blushed as the physical proof of his thoughts brushed against my leg.

"I just walked into the water," I whispered, kissing him below the ear. A man who mistakenly saw me like a goddess deserved a kiss. And another.

Caleb moved us toward a set of steps. A moment ago, I wasn't even considering making love, and now my mind was filled with nothing but. His hands were tender, yet his muscles tightened as he shifted me toward our destination. Our lips joined and I blindly drifted with him, my body floating as easily as my heart.

I laughed as Caleb tried to work out the mechanics when we reached the steps. His confusion was strangely erotic as he quickly discounted positions that would obviously drown me. Taking me from behind was somewhat enticing, yet it struck him he wouldn't see my face. I twisted forcibly, lovingly sitting him on the third step, about chest deep.

Rising out of the water, I purposely stalled to let the water drip from my breasts. I loved the intake of his breath. It still felt foreign, his thinking I'm sexy. Though, I was learning to enjoy it, feeding his lustful thoughts and exciting my own. I reached between my legs, guiding him into me as I lowered myself. A moan escaped my lips which pleased him greatly.

Calebs hips rose, forcing my breasts out of the water. His eyes drifted from mine and lingered on my chest, dripping in the air.

"You like that," I said, wiggling my chest. I felt him stiffen inside of me.

"They're perfect," Caleb said, his mind quickly flashing through and discounting the images he had seen in the past. In his mind, I exceeded every woman on the Internet and TV by leaps and bounds. It was he, who was perfect. I devoured his lips and ground into him, trying to get closer, trying to merge as close as our minds. Our desire mixed with our love as a wonderful feeling grew in the small of my belly. Our breath collided in our mouths, sharing the same space as our entwining tongues. I raised and lowered my hips, my legs shaking with impending ecstasy.

"Teegan," Caleb said with some urgency. I sank onto him as his legs began to tighten. "Oh God," he exhaled and tried to lift me from his lap. My sex decided to ignore his concerns, the part of me that wanted him, demanded all of him.

"It's too late," I whispered into his mouth. Caleb's mind instantly shifted from the danger and our love exploded, he inside of me. We rode to the clouds in each other's arms, our bodies shaking in a blessed rhythm that nothing could stop. For the moment, our individuality disappeared.

"Oops," I said when my breathing returned. There was concern in Caleb's mind, but not enough to ignore the wonderful moment.

"It was a really nice oops," Caleb said. He kissed me hard still fully impaled inside of me. I wanted him to stay there, just enjoying the feeling of him inside of me. It felt perfect, like this was the way life should always be. The rest of the world was created just for us to be in that pool at that moment. We didn't need mai tais and a yacht.

"I couldn't stop," I said, running my wet hand along his face. "You have to stop thinking of me the way you do, if you want me to be responsible."

"Yeah, and maybe you can get the world to stop spinning as well," Caleb said. It was many kisses later before we found our way back into the deep end. We did discover that it was easy to make love standing up in a pool. Caleb liked the way it made him feel strong, standing and holding me as well. I like being able to wrap myself around him. Yes, buoyancy does settle one's thoughts. It lets you live in the moment, and ignore the little things like protection.

Chapter 12 - Teegan

The screen was scary. I don't know how else to describe it, but to say it was scary. Caleb, Victor, and I sat in the conference room staring at the west wall where it hung. A large flat panel, its wires hidden from the world, was mounted stiffly and glaring at me. The image was divided into eight equal sized squares, four on the top and four on the bottom. The bottom right square was an empty black, but the other seven contained people. They were dressed in expensive business attire, the one woman in the top right wore a blue suit my mother would die for. All were many years my senior.