The Infected [Books 1-6]

by P. S. Power

  Kerry looked good. Normal. Her biggest liability, as far as Tobin could tell, was actually that, as she'd mentioned, her father was a religious nut that had raped her for years, and that she had something like forty brothers and sisters. It was a horrible situation, but not her fault.

  That she was Denis's sister actually just sort of made sense. After all, powers ran in families, after a fashion, and really powerful Infected often had relations that were also Infected and pretty strong too. Most Infected people were class ones, but a lot of people that had class two or better abilities had family members that did too. About half of the kids of the Prophet Darren Jones were at least class two.

  Tobin blinked and realized that the woman had kept speaking, while he'd been drifting off in thought. It was a rude habit of his, so he tried to focus on her while she lamented her love life.

  "It's not easy finding someone here. I put the word around, in the rec room and even Dave didn't bite. Given that he used to hint at us getting together for years... Well, it's the stuff that's happened. People can forgive being Infected, but they hear that you're inbred and start imagining banjo music." Then she hummed a few bars of a familiar tune under her breath.

  Denis snorted.

  "Seriously? You know the theme to Deliverance, but have never watched Star Wars? What's with that? It's like I don't know you at all." He was being funny, to distract from her plight. After all, he wasn't really having problems that way, but Den was good-looking and willing to sleep with almost any female that came his way. A bit of a man-whore, but since Tobin wanted to be more like that than not, he couldn't knock it. After all, would he turn down Peggy if she knocked on his door?

  He doubted it. Especially now that he'd actually gotten to do something. Just thinking about that got him to suddenly turn a brilliant green color and Denis, for all that he was famous and had women, had been around him enough to learn what that meant. His response was automatic and involved making Tobin feel calm and confident. That meant he could talk and while it wasn't perfect control, he sounded decent, his first mode buried for the moment.

  "Georgia said that you and I should date. It doesn't have to be real, and we can see other people, but you'll need to be seen sneaking out of my room in the morning a few dozen times." She grinned, and made it a small one, since he really expected her to shoot the idea down, or at the most take it as a political maneuver. Still, he felt good, so managed to go on. "The best way to do that is really do it. Date, I mean. Would you like to?" Then he stopped, the offer out there, ready for the woman to demure, or claim that she really had her eye on someone else.

  Hobbs maybe?

  That was a good idea, really. He was a great guy and while he dressed like a homeless person, it was a fashion choice. He was always clean and his clothing in good repair, he just didn't waste money on new things to look good. There was a lesson in that, Tobin was almost certain.

  Kerry shocked him a lot, lighting up, her snubbed nose looking a lot prettier with a broad smile on her face.

  "That would be super! Thanks. So... do I sleep in your room tonight?" She blushed and then glanced at the others. Denis had a funny look on his face, but Mark just read his papers, blandly.

  When he spoke he sounded that way too.

  "Probably a good idea. Get with Charlot and make sure that you leave together in the morning. She can set up a few of the news people to be around for pictures. We'll get you a hotel room together for the special too. Something cozy, since we have no real budget." Then he started right into a discussion about dressings and the safe ways to make traditional seeming stuffing for turkey that wouldn't give people fatal food poisoning.

  It was an instant change, for the rest of them, but Mark obviously gone somewhere, using his power and come back, since there was a cookbook on the table next to him. Picking it up he started to look through old recipes, smiling gently.

  Kerry, blushing or not, let her foot move out and touch his under the table. It was nice and friendly of her. Flirty.

  The rest of the meal was a discussion about food, with a bit of information added about acting and the songs that were being used in the show. Mainly as to how to tie them in to eating. It was that kind of a meal. A working one.

  When they were breaking up for the night, just as Prime walked past and waved to him, Tobin made himself lean in.

  "I have some singing lessons right now. That should be done about nine? I have room eleven now, on the first floor." It was true that she could just get up early too, and come in just before the news people got there, but he had no reason not to try and pretend that they were supposed to sleep together. It probably wouldn't happen, but he could ask. Maybe. If he could muster the courage. Georgia had said he should. Actually, she'd told him that he could be a player, if he wanted. That had to be one of those perks of fame, but he was willing to try, if it wasn't going to end with him being publicly humiliated.

  The idea was a hard one for him to manage, but he waited, to find the girl nodding at him a bit. She seemed subdued, and a little pensive, but not unwilling.

  "Got it. I'll be there. At nine."

  She let her hand come out and touch him on the shoulder, which was reaching down for her, even if she wasn't all that huge. That was another problem that he was always going to have, he knew. Even if he'd been regular looking and flesh colored, he was tiny. Women liked big men. Tall, and with large dicks. That was the consensus at least, on Team Two, and while the women mentioned that not mattering to them all that much, the funny looking big men got a lot more attention than he did, so it was probably true.

  He didn't let that get to him too much, since, after all, he had so many hurdles to get over to get a woman that being short wasn't going to be the barrier that stopped it from happening. Plus, while not ready for porn, he'd measured himself and was actually better than average. Georgia hadn't complained. Then, Tobin wasn't certain that she was capable of thinking that any sex was bad.

  He walked quickly, in part to get away from the scene, before he turned green again and in part so that Prime wouldn't have to wait at his door, which seemed to be the plan. Running down the richly carpeted hallway he got there just in time to see the well dressed man turn to look at him.

  "I hear that you and Kerry are an item now? I mentioned that to Charlot before we left. She's going to set things up. That's really kind of you, making sure that her reputation is protected like that. I suggested to Charlot that I sleep with her too. That... didn't go over all that well." He smiled about it as Tobin triggered the door pad with his thumb. "I can see that, I think. She doesn't really like it when I have sex with other women. I know it's the truth, I just can't..."

  That got a nod as he opened the door for the larger man. One who, for some strange reason had thought that they were related. That didn't make a lot of sense, but his feelings in regards to his pretty wife did.

  "First mode crap. She's normal that way and you can't see why she wouldn't want you to have sex with a lot of women. Of course if I slept with her, you'd freak, wouldn't you? Even if it's fair for her to go and have lovers, just like you do?" It was dangerous, challenging the man that way, but instead of a fist to the back of the head, there was a soft sound.

  "Huh." It sounded right, considering and not upset at least. "That's true. She has done that. I hadn't thought of you that way... I'd rather you didn't." It wasn't mean, and was just a statement.

  "Okay. I won't, but you should try to be more polite with her about it. Even if you have to have other women, or can't see why you shouldn't, you should try to hide it. I think that's how it's done at least. Of course my education that way comes from movies, so maybe you shouldn't take my word on it?"

  That got a laugh, as the man moved to sit on the large orange sofa.

  "Well, that's pretty close to what everyone else tells me too. So, singing?"

  That got them started on a full lesson, and while it was clear that Prime wasn't exactly ready for what the learning would entail, it was ea
sy to remind him that doing the work was part of what would make him good, and that he needed to practice a lot, if he was going to be ready in time.

  "You probably can't, not with just a few days to go like this, but there will be a lot of chances to sing, if you want to. It's worth doing right."

  That only had to be said once, and the man got very serious and didn't insist that he was already the greatest ever at the new skill. In fact, he seemed to think he was doing worse than he was, comparing himself to Tobin the whole time. It clearly frustrated him, but a part of that was just vocal equipment. Tobin was short, had a big head and turned strange colors, but he also had a seven octave singing range, and the ability to control resonance inside his head and throat. It meant he had a very good instrument for the task at hand. Prime wasn't horrible however, and by the time they were ending had actually made a lot more progress than he would have figured might happen.

  "That's good. Practice all of this, whenever you can get time alone for it. We can do this each night for now?" It was strange, but he felt really at ease, compared to how he was with most people. Sure, the man was a little driven to be the best, but was that a bad thing? It just meant he was willing to try, and work harder than the others.

  Karen hadn't shown up to practice after all, had she?

  "I'll do that. Right now, I should get out of here, since you have a friend coming over for the evening. I'll remind Char about the media event in the morning. At six-thirty?" That he remembered when he'd knocked that morning was interesting. He even offered to do it again.

  "That way you two will have a reason to be rousted. It isn't like you aren't allowed to have guests, and she's certainly free to do what she wants, so her actually sneaking out would seem out of place. That was part of what got Karen into trouble. If she'd just been walking out of the room, or leaving with Georgia, no one would have noticed at all."

  That got Tobin to look at the far wall, feeling very shy.

  "If she shows. Still, if nothing else it will get me up for the day."

  "Why wouldn't she come? She'd be crazy not to." The man winked, and moved to the door, leaving it open as he walked out. At first Tobin thought that might be a mistake, but Bridget darted around the man, her face looking slightly flush.

  "Tobin! There you are. Remember, tomorrow we're working the cookout for the Fourth. So far that's me, you, Brian, Mark, and Denis. We need more people, and I told everyone that you'd sing for us, so you might want to plan that out. I know it's bossy and pushy of me, but... I am. Anyway..." She turned and looked at the door a bit strangely, as Kerry walked in carrying a small black bag with her. That got the tiny girl to cross her arms and snort.

  "This is what I get for being too young, isn't it? Someone is already stealing my boyfriend. Well, just remember that I called dibs. In a month he's mine." She sounded fierce about it, which was embarrassing and cute at the same time, and Kerry made a face.

  "Nuh-uh. We can share. It won't be the first time for me after all. Though if we do that we should work out some kind of rules. Trade off nights or whatever. Otherwise people end up being neglected."

  They actually both agreed on the idea, and, after a bit, Tobin came to understand that it wasn't about his luck having changed that much with women, but rather that the girls were teasing each other.

  That was less than fun, but he sighed and shook his head, not saying anything.

  Finally the redhead grinned and kissed him, on the cheek.

  "So, you have a training session with mom, right after lunch, and then we go and help with the food. Don't forget. Kerry, are you in on that too?" She said it as if she were trying to influence the girl, but didn't have to work too hard to get what she wanted.

  "Naturally. I wouldn't miss the chance. I'm going to make my special all American burgers. I have the ground beef already marinating for it. It's a sweet and sour spice blend with vinegar as a base. I ground the meat myself, so it's high quality and it will have cooked Walla Walla sweet onions with it, along with two types of tomato, and my homemade special sauce." She blinked and then shrugged, realizing that she sounded like a food commercial. "You two can help me cook it all? I can show you how."

  That got the girl to nod and then give Kerry a hug goodnight. She did grab her behind, but didn't hold the move at all, making the other woman jump. Then she left, pulling the door closed behind her.

  Tobin felt awkward suddenly, but shrugged, trying to force himself to stand up straight.

  "I need to get a shower. Want to come with me?" It was so bold that he changed color the instant that he said it, but the girl nodded.

  "All right." She just followed along, and started taking her clothing off as soon as they got to the door of the little room. It was...

  A lot easier than he'd thought it would be.

  It took remembering a half dozen Lifetime specials and some articles that he'd read in psychology today to realize what was happening. It also took him so long that they were under the flow of warm water in his nice shower. He had a separate tub too, which was huge, he noticed, and big enough for four of them to bathe in. Maybe more than that. He'd planned to just wash up, and was really surprised that she'd actually come with him for it.

  "Turn around." The words were low and whispered, which sounded sexy, rather than shy, and Kerry did it, without hesitating.

  Then, she wouldn't, would she? Her entire early life she'd been the sex toy of a very powerful man that did whatever he wanted with all his daughters and wives. Kerry probably couldn't help herself now, when a man, any man, told her to do something like this. For a few seconds he wondered if he should not do anything with her, but then washed her back instead.

  After all, she was an adult and even if she was a bit broken and had a troubled past, that didn't mean she couldn't say no if she wanted to. It was probably him rationalizing things, he knew, since he really wanted to have sex with her, but it was good enough, wasn't it? Was it taking advantage if you offered to date a girl and meant it? He didn't think so.

  In the shower they just played a bit, after washing. Kerry was a lot more impressive with her clothing off, having a nice figure and just a hint of abs showing. Not too much though, so she also had hips, which were normally hidden under her rather shapeless outfits. She put her hair up, so it didn't get all that wet and followed him with a small smile when he got out to dry. She wasn't shy about touching him either, and did it a bunch of times before they got to the bed. It was really large, a king size, which had her laying back on it and stretching out.

  "I guess I could get used to this. These rooms make ours on the fifth floor look like prison cells." She was naked and not grabbing for the covers, her smooth thighs playing on the bed spread, which had a silky quality to it. "I mean, they really do. I've never been in a cell, but it can't be that far off."

  The girl kept talking, but also touching him, running her hands all over his body, stroking him gently.

  "You have scales? I can just barely make them out. Your skin is so soft though, like satin. I... you don't have to sleep with me if you don't want to. It's okay. I know that the whole thing with my family throws a lot of people. I... the things I had to do with my father..." She didn't seem happy to be talking about it.

  "Nah, not a concern. I don't even know if I have a family. Shouldn't that be the other way around anyway? You don't have to sleep with me? I want to. You're very pretty." He meant it, but she snorted at him, and then smiled goofily.

  "I bet you say that to all the girls you sleep with."

  "That's true. But so far it's only been the one, and she is." It was a lot more information than he probably should have given, but in this situation, one on one, he only felt a little bit like he needed to hide under the bed. It was plenty big enough for that too, which he'd have to keep in mind.

  "Oh? Who? Or... I guess I shouldn't ask."

  "Why not? Georgia and today, so I'm not very good yet. I have condoms." He tried to make it seem bright and cheery, which seemed to wor
k, no matter how stupid he had to sound.

  "Good. I was going to ask. I... don't really want to be a mother. I mean, I have an implant, but I always feel better if I know that there's more than one safety net." She tensed, almost seeming like she thought he'd be insulted. It could have been a statement about him and not wanting to touch him down there, true, but so far that hadn't seemed to be the issue. That she might not want children, especially his kids, well that was sensible, wasn't it?

  "I don't want any children either. I know that the Infection doesn't pass directly, but the odds of having another me running around are too great. Doing that to anyone would be too much. Too evil."

  Tobin didn't know for certain, but he was nearly positive that they were doing the pre-sex pillow talk all wrong. He changed up to telling her how pretty her eyes were, which was true, and she returned the compliment. That led to some other things, and while he didn't learn anything new, since Georgia had been pretty good about showing him the ropes, she didn't seem unhappy at the end. Until they turned out the lights, and he could feel her sobbing.

  The deepest part of him wanted to leave it alone. It was him, he knew. She'd realized that she'd had sex with a freak, a real one, selling herself for a bit of media security, and now it was hurting her. It rang through his own mind like a purple bell, each sob tinged with green and pain. That deep kind that only those that had experienced true suffering ever really knew about.

  "Wa'ts wrong?" He sounded like a little kid, which was a thing that he hated about himself. It was the exact wrong time for it too. Even if she was crying because of him, and wanted to leave, he needed to be a man about it. "Sorry, I meant, what's wrong? I didn't bruise you did I?" It was possible. He was strong enough and in his passion he didn't know how perfect his control would be all the time. It was a new thing for him after all and he'd been going pretty hard at the end.