QuaranTeam - Dave in Dallas Ch. 04

"Damn," she said when she caught her breath, "they weren't lyin'." Hunger dominated her features as a wicked smile spread over her face. She rolled them, still connected, taking the top spot.

"Ride 'em cowgirl."

Shawna laughed as she began rolling her hips, her body writhing sinuously with the motion. Her bounteous breasts swayed rhythmically, hypnotically. Dave grasped them, curling his torso up to bring his mouth to her pec pillows and feasted greedily upon the supple flesh. Shawna moaned louder with the attention. Her hips moved faster, beginning to hop an inch or so with each swish of her hips.

"Let's kick this to Warp 10 baby." Shawna braced her hands on Dave's shoulders, pushing him flat to the mattress. Using him as an anchor, she began lifting and lowering herself along his rod, riding him hard and fast. Immediately her vocalizations were louder, more primal. Dave could feel the tremors rising in her body just as his own arousal raced to the peak.

Dave held off for several minutes before letting loose. As she received his load, Shawna's body shook like she had gripped a live electrical wire. Her torse collapsed on to him like a marionette with the strings cut. Dave heard her chant "Imprinting..." twice before the room started to spin and everything went black.

******

September 29, 2020

When Dave awoke, he was alone in bed. For a moment, by the light level, he thought it had only been a few hours. Then he noticed the angle of the shadows and realized it wasn't later that afternoon, it was several hours past the following daybreak. On the plus side, he felt great. And,... something was wrong. He couldn't place it. No, was something right? It'd be easier to concentrate if Esme's giggles from the kitchen weren't punctuating his thoughts. He couldn't hear any words, but the background sounds sure made it seem like she was helping someone in the kitchen. WHAT? How the hell could he hear them that far away? He hadn't heard that well since his early twenties. AND WHERE THE HELL WAS HIS TINNITUS?! Ho-lee shit. The high-pitched whine that filled his days and haunted his nights was gone. Shit, now it would be easier to hear women and kids again.

Dave barely remembered to throw on shorts and a shirt before sprinting downstairs. He picked up Esme and spun her around. "I hear you! I hear you! All the way up in the bedroom and I could hear you!" He hugged her close. She giggled, once she realized he wasn't mad.

Dave set her down and gave her a big kiss on her forehead. "You are officially my favorite stepdaughter."

This apple didn't fall far from the tree. She narrowed her eyes and grinned. "I'm un-officially your only stepdaughter."

"Still my favorite." He said, his voice receding with him.

Dave went upstairs to his office. He had a Zoom call to make that he'd been putting off.

******

"Hi, Uncle Dave." The deep brown eyes, framed by pale skin and equally brown hair of Olivia Barnes stared back at Dave from the screen. Her father's hawkish features softened by the influence of her mother's rounder ones. Except the skin around her eyes was reddened, and somewhat puffy. Dave feared he knew why his goddaughter had been crying. It had been more than a month since he'd heard from his best friends, Carter and Janelle Barnes.

"Hey Livy Bean." Maybe his longtime nickname for her would be comforting, of a sort. She did brighten slightly. Like a slightly less dim twilight. "Sorry I haven't called in a while. Things have been changing a bit around here."

"Oh, that's fine." She couldn't have sounded more like Eeyore if she tried. "I just --"

Olivia was cut short by the playful screech of Esme rocketing into the room, obviously being pursued. She hid behind Dave's chair as Becca entered.

"Hey, you two, settle down, I'm on a Zoom call."

"Oh, sorry." Both said.

"Dave?! What the hell are people doing in your house! Why aren't you quarantining!?"

"Yeah, that's part of the busy." Dave looked to Becca and Esme, starting to leave. "Don't go just yet. I should introduce you. Liv, this is Esme, she's the daughter of Lupe, my next door neighbor. Becca was Esme's babysitter doing a long-term babysit when the lockdowns started. We quarantined in separate houses, but worked together to make sure we each had what we needed." They each waved as their names were mentioned.

"I recognize the names from earlier conversations. So how are they in your house now Dave?" Energized by questions that needed answering, Olivia strangely seemed more alert than at the beginning of the call.

Dave shooed Esme out, Becca following after her and shutting the door.

"About two weeks ago now, a guy came to my door, telling me they had a vaccine for this virus. But it has some weird effects."

"What kind of weird effects?" Olivia's redheaded roommate Melanie Ustanich popped her head into view.

"Well, they can't give the vaccine to men at all. At least not directly." This is not the way he had intended this conversation to go, but here they were. "Women can take the vaccine, and then... transmit the immunity to a man."

"How?" Melanie asked with a scowl.

"Oh boy. That's were this gets surreal." Dave temporized. "Giving the vaccine directly to a man is 100% fatal. But, a woman can share her immunity with a man directly, through, um,... intercourse."

"Okay, I'm calling bullshit." Melanie huffed out of frame. By her footstep sounds, she left the room Olivia was transmitting from.

"That's crazy Uncle Dave."

"Yeah, that's what I said. But then I read all the documentation, I took the survey. And I have four partners."

"FOUR!?"

"The effects of the vaccine only partially transmit to the man, and have to be reinforced by frequent... contact. In order to keep a man... safe... he should have multiple partners." Dave winced. "Last I heard, the ultimate goal is twelve to fifteen women per man. And it's permanent. Once a woman gets the vaccine and... sleeps with a man, sleeping with any other man would be dangerous, even fatal."

Dave paused while Olivia absorbed what he'd just said.

"It's for a lifetime, Liv. Look, if you know someone you think you can make it work long-term with, you should find him and talk to him. The people doing the vaccination should be getting out to Stephenville in another week or so. Maybe you can find someone suitable by then." Dave squirmed in his seat.

"I don't have to look anywhere Dave. I know who I'd want to bond with for the rest of my life. The same man I've yearned for for years."

"Good, you should call him immediately. And tell your roommate to think about who she'd want to partner with. And she might want to consider the same guy."

With a small smirk Liv replied. "Not a bad idea. This guy likes redheads. But he has a blind spot though. Has trouble noticing when women like him. Especially younger women. He keeps passing it off as infatuation. 'Just a crush'."

"Well maybe you need to --" Dave stopped with his mouth hanging open, frozen. He had to remind himself to blink.

"Dave, you ok? Do I need to turn you off, then turn you back on?"

The sarcasm snapped him out of it. "Very funny Liv." He gathered his thoughts, or tried to. They kept scattering like cats at bath time. "I'm more than twice your age Olivia. I changed your diapers for god's sake! I helped raise you. You came to me when you were afraid to talk to your parents. Biologically it's not incest, but damn."

"It's not the same David! Please --" a knock at the door interrupted them. Shawna slipped in.

"Is everything okay in here?" She brought herself into the camera's field of view.

"Uh, hi. I'm Olivia, David's goddaughter. Who are you?"

"I'm his newest partner. I just imprinted yesterday." Shawna settled gently on Dave's thigh, keeping part of her weight on her feet.

"Imprinted?"

"That's what they call the binding process that happens when the vaccine serum mixes with a man's semen inside a woman's body."

"Huh." Olivia looked pensive. Melanie had come back into view. Presumably, she'd been in hearing range for a minute or so. Olivia squinted at the screen, as if trying to pick out an important detail. "Anyone ever tell you you look like the weather lady on channel 8?"

"It's been known to happen." Shawna said coyly. "You may have noticed I wasn't on the air last night. And I won't be for two more nights. Vaccination leave. Some places give longer, but there's only so much staff at the station these days. I couldn't drop that much load on the rest of the weather room staff."

"Oh wow. Wow. Just. Okay. This is a lot all at once." Behind Olivia, Melanie typed furiously on her phone. When the site she searched for came up she held the phone out, as if beside Olivia's laptop screen, her eyes scanning back and forth between the two.

"No fucking way. Your uncle is banging the channel 8 weather chick?"

Shawna's eyes narrowed. "I have a master's degree in meteorology. I have five year's experience storm chasing, another four year's experience at NSSL, and six year's experience at the station. I am a scientist as well as a broadcaster. I am not a weather chick. Hell, I have three scientific papers as the PI."

Melanie looked cowed. "I'm sorry. I got a little caught up in the moment. You're right that was out of line." She paused. "Wait, you're a detective too? How does that work?"

"No," Shawna said with a hand to the bridge of her nose, "PI is principal investigator -- it's the polite term on a scientific team for the HMFC -- head motherfucker in charge." Dave stroked her thigh, keeping his face blank. He wasn't going to laugh at her phrasing, nor admonish her harshness. "Yeah, now I need to dial it back. Sorry girls."

"Don't. It's fine. Kinda funny actually." Melanie's face began receding from its earlier attempt to match her haircolor.

"I apologize for being brusque, but can we get back to the topic at hand?" Olivia pleaded. "David, have you ever noticed or wondered why all my relationships never lasted longer than three months?"

"I just figured they weren't good enough for you."

"Well, you're not wrong there. I measured them -- all of them -- against you and they came up wanting."

"I would have thought a better comparison would be your dad. I mean, let's face it, he's a much more manly guy than me." Dave hoped he'd kept the bitter tone out of his voice. No one showed any hint it registered with them.

"I never wanted to fuck dad." Olivia stared at him like she could bore holes in the screen.

"Damn girl." Shawna chuckled. Melanie turned her head to Liv with her eyes wide.

"When I first heard about how babies were really made and what those parts of me were for, I thought about doing that with you. When I started feeling the desire to have sex, you were the one I wanted to be with. All of you said it was just a girlish crush. I tried dating other guys. I threw myself into relationships with, nice guys, good men, but none of them were you." She paused to catch her breath. Her argument was turning into an emotional plea. "I can't give you my virginity David, but I can give you all of me forever."

"Olivia, I -- I just -- "

"David, how about you let us girls talk for a bit. After all, she's been an important part of your life for many years. I'm your brand new partner. I'm sure she has some juicy stories to tell." Shawna winked at the screen. Dave nodded and left.

******

Dave spent some time in the greenhouse, tending the plants and 'smelling the green'. A few grow beds had separated at the corner so he repaired them. He checked the time to find it had been almost two hours since he'd left Shawna on the Zoom call with Olivia. He went back in to discover the ladies all gathered in the library. They shooed him out the moment he opened the door.

"Yeah, they wouldn't let me in either. I finished my last book and wanted a new one, but they have some important discussion going on, so here I sit, rotting my brain with TV," Esme said, with air quotes for emphasis.

"You could always choose a documentary instead of anime."

"You could always eat a tofu burger instead of red meat." Esme giggled.

"Blasphemy." Dave said, ascending the stairs. That brought a full chuckle from his nine-year old housemate.

Dave sat at his computer, working out a reasonable set of instructions for a physics lab students could do from home, with materials they already had. It was maddening to think they'd gotten a sizable grant only two years ago for some great equipment, which would now sit unused in a storeroom because everything was moving online. His focus was broken by Esme's voice.

"Hey Dave, they're in the living room waiting for you. I'll be reading in my room."

"Thank you, my sweet Esmeralda." Esme rolled her eyes, but accepted the hug.

Entering the living room, Dave found all four of his partners smiling, but serious. In just a moment's read of the resolve written there, he knew which way this was going to go. Huh. Maybe he was getting better at this. He chose a seat that could easily view everyone else's and lowered himself. Then he realized, they probably chose their spots so he'd be in this spot. "So, what's up?"

Lupe spoke up. "We think you should accept Olivia, David. Her roommate Melanie is interested, and we think you should accept her as well."

"I spoke with both of them for about an hour and a half, David." Shawna added. "Olivia's earnest in her feelings for you. I work beside media types, onscreen talent and production executives. I have a good feel for when someone's bs-ing me. If Olivia isn't in love with you, she's very close to that. My bet is, she madly in love with you. She'd be unhappy anywhere else."

Dave stared at Shawna. That last bit hit home. Olivia's happiness meant a lot to him. He suspected that last sentence was calculated, not just a lucky shot. He swallowed once and looked away. "You don't understand. I've known this girl since before she was born. I changed her diapers. She's stayed over at my house. I helped her understand boys as she got older. I've watched over her while camping or at the pool. Hell, I've seen her in bikinis since the time she started developing breasts and I've never allowed myself to think of her in... lascivious terms."

"Do you think she's pretty?" Jan prompted.

"Absolutely. She's as lovely as her mother." A very quiet ripple ran through the room. Dave realized he'd left an opening for another tale. One he did not want to get into. "And that's just the wrapping paper. She's got a hell of a lot more than her looks going for her."

All the ladies grinned. "David, do you hear yourself?" Lupe prodded. "Not just what you've said, but how you say it?"

"Yes, she is dear to me. I'd do anything for her."

"Then do the one thing she needs you to do right now. Love her as a woman. Allow your love for her to grow to encompass the physical."

Dave breathed heavily. A whole host of emotions welled up within him. "I held her in my hands -- hand -- when she was only a few hours old. I cleaned her boo-boos when she fell off her bike." He chuckled through tears.

"You've given her unconditional love her whole life, David. Is it any wonder she fell in love with you?"

"I just worry I'd be betraying their trust."

"Who?" Shawna asked.

"Carter and Janelle. Livy's parents."

"So ask them." Shawna suggested.

Dave replied with a pained expression. "I haven't heard from them in over a month. And when we started the Zoom call, Olivia's eyes were red and puffy."

A sobering silence held the room in its grasp.

"David, wouldn't that mean you're all she's got left?" Lupe asked tenderly.

"Yes." Dave sighed. Well, he did know walking in how this would go. "Okay. Okay. I'll contact the vax center and see what it takes to put in a request."

"And you need to include Melanie, Olivia's roommate in the request." Shawna added.

"I know nothing about her."

"We took the time to talk. Olivia told her enough about you she said she would be willing."

"That's an awfully thin data set for a life altering decision that you can't take back!" Dave objected.

"David," Lupe said in her most soothing tone, "when you requested Becca and I, we still got a sheet of information about you, our match percentage in Oracle, and the chance to say no. If we said no, we'd be given a list of ten other men with their data and match percentages."

"This is a lot to take in." Dave paused. "You said a bio and a match percentage?"

"Yes."

"And she can refuse?"

"Yes.

"Okay. Hell, I like redheads anyway." Dave smirked. "And she's doing something in computers. That could be very handy. And if she can share a small off-campus house with Livy, she's probably reasonably compatible anyway."

"So we're resolved on this?" Becca asked. She'd been quiet during most of the conversation, although she nodded in agreement with some of the points made by the other women.

"Yes, Becca, I'll request both of them. I'll call them tomorrow to confirm, then I'll call the vax center."

"David, when we finished the call today, I made sure to get a clear answer from each of them." Shawna said. "Go ahead and call the vax center first, then call them to let them know the request is in."

Dave stared at her for a moment. "On something like this, I want to ask them myself. Hell, there's a chance with a night to think it over, they may have decided this is a bad idea. But I will call them a second time after I call the vax center."

Becca "Um, Dave, so, a friend of mine from school has been talking to me."

******

October 3, 2020

When Dave opened the door he was greeted by an enthusiastic "Woof!" and two paws immediately planted on his chest.

"Roscoe!" Dave rubbed the large rottweiler's flanks and dipped his head to kiss Roscoe's forehead, then quickly back to dodge the dog's tongue. "Oh look, you brought Livy and her roommate with you. Good boy." Dave signed the form, thanked the soldier, and led the ladies and Roscoe into the living room where most of the house waited.

Roscoe spotted Esme and bolted to her. She let out a squeak, then giggled as he licked her face.

"Roscoe, down! Heel!" The happy canine trotted back to sit beside Olivia's feet as she sat on one end of the couch.

"He sure is friendly. I thought rotts are supposed to be mean, like guard dogs." Becca said.

"If you train 'em mean, or abuse 'em sure. Or if they are seriously inbred. You treat 'em like family they will love on you like nobody's business. And rip the head off anyone that hurts the family. So, Esme, you play with Roscoe anytime you want. He'll love it. He's great with kids." Lupe grinned appreciatively at Livy's suggestion. She'd clearly understood Livy's implied meaning of acclimating Roscoe to see Esme as family for the purpose of defending her.

"Yeah, when we go to the park for walks, it can be a real job to keep him from running and frolicking with the kiddos." Melanie chimed in.

"So where's Shawna?" Liv asked.

"Work. Her new partner leave was up. She has the five and six o'clock broadcast, so she won't be back until this evening."

"And she's the only one Mel and I have met, so to speak." Liv said dryly. Her big toothy grin capturing attention of everyone. "Although, I've heard bits and pieces about Lupe and Esme over the past few years."

Olivia introduced herself, telling everyone she had been a junior studying horticulture at Tarleton State University when lockdowns started. She's into shooting and hunting, and lots of outdoor activities.

Becca looked pensive. "Oh, but don't worry," Liv assured her, "I'm usually down for group games and such. I take it your more of an indoor person?"

"Mostly. I mean, I like going to the pool, and sometimes the park." Becca's spoke in soft tones.

"Great. You show me some games you like, and I'll show you how fun hiking and camping can be. Maybe even teach you how to shoot."