Chapter 20: Monitor Dream

Renée and I got into her car and made our way back to her apartment. She was quietly focused on driving while I thought about the day's events.

Somehow, throughout the day, I had drawn the attention of most if not all the women in the mall. It was quite intimidating at first but I finally started to ignore the looks and glances, the cat-calls and the occasional groping. Whatever it was that drew all that attention to me -- I called it my Charm -- may have explained why Renée, Erin and Nadia took to me so readily as well. What I couldn't understand was why it was happening at all. It could have been some kind of chemical imbalance and my pheromones were far more potent than any other man in the mall, but somehow that didn't seem quite right. Pheromones were supposed to attract women for mating, but the women I encountered, Jeri, Yvonne, Tabitha, and Chloe, enjoyed my attention without the desire to have children. They just wanted the pleasures of sex.

What made it worse to me was the fact that I wanted those women too. If it had just been their attraction to me and I just had to avoid them it wouldn't have been so bad, but whatever it was that drew them to me had me longing for their touch. How I had gained enough control to not just screw any willing woman I was near, I would never know, but that control was present because by the time Renée introduced me to Linda, I didn't want to just fuck and she seemed well composed too. Maybe it was a short-lived Twilight Zone thing that was finally over.

No, that wasn't true. Whatever it was that had brought out such passionate play, it lingered. I knew because when thinking about any of the women I had been with, it was like thinking about a new girlfriend. That buzz of excitement that runs through your body knowing someone finds you fascinating enough to want to talk and touch and do other things together. I felt it for each of them with a distinction like the varied flavors of foods. All of them were mine and I belonged to them. What made that idea weird was the fact that all of them seemed perfectly happy to share me. Yet, I still had the burn of jealousy at the thought of sharing them with anyone outside of our family.

The strangest event happened at lunch. A stranger, Renée called him Whisper, approached me and gave me messages suggesting something truly horrendous happening or going to happen. He warned that I should find all of 'mine' before any more fell to The Users, whoever they were. Renée seemed to know part of what Whisper was talking about, but she was nervous about giving me any details until we got back to her apartment. Whisper had said that 'she' made a good choice in me. I wondered if Renée had been that 'she'. It seemed likely. None of the really weird stuff started until after I met her. My life had been boring and lonely until that night we had together. Now it was anything but boring and lonely.

What bothered me was why she chose me from all of the guys on the campus and surrounding city to be her protector from the person or group that had abducted almost a hundred women and completely avoided the police? Convincing me that I was the kind of guy she desired was one thing, but how did she know I was the right person for the protection gig? Even when Mike tried to get Erin to leave with him, I wasn't sure what I could do about it if he pressed with what he wanted. I hoped Renée could answer my questions.

I also wondered if my miraculous growth and magical charm with women was tied into that mysterious event. If it was, then how had all of it happened? I didn't really believe in magic, but that seemed to be what I had. Another question was how did I get this ability? Why did it show up now and not while I was in high school? There were too many questions and not near enough answers.

We arrived at her apartment and I silently followed her in. Renée held open the door for me as I entered.

Turning to her, "I need to know what's going on, Renée."

She pushed the door shut and turned to face me. Looking up into my eyes, she appeared somber. It completely threw me off track for what I learned to expect from her. Concern for her pushed my thoughts aside, and I held out my hand to her. She took it and allowed me to pull her into a gentle embrace. Again, the feel of her body touching mine, at those points where our skin touched, felt so right, so good. It had to be destiny or something, right?

"There's so much I have to tell you, but I don't know how." She whispered at my shoulder. Fortunately, the apartment was deathly silent and it allowed me to hear her soft words.

"What do you mean?"

She looked up into my eyes. With the way she was acting I would have expected tears, but there were none. "Some of the stuff I have to tell you won't be much of a shock. But the rest of it..."

I had no idea what she meant. Her statement only confused me more. I needed to know what she knew in order to fulfill my duty as protector for her and all the others that had accepted me. She seemed worried that I might not like what she had to say. "All I can offer is to not be upset about anything you tell me." I studied her face as she heard my words. I'd like to say it helped ease her concern, but it didn't look like it.

Suddenly, she pressed her lips to mine. She didn't invade my mouth or use any of her womanly charms to get me out of my shorts. It was almost like she was kissing me for the last time, and I didn't like it.

After she eased back I asked, "What was that for?"

"Just in case..." was all she said as she pulled from my arms.

I held onto her hand, "I'm not deserting you. This changes nothing, no matter how bad you think I'll take the news. I've promised to take care of you and I don't go back on my promises."

She nodded and slipped from my hand, but her demeanor didn't change. I started to follow her to her bedroom but she held up her hand. "Stay here. I have to get something. It'll help me explain what's going on."

"What is it?"

"You'll see..." she said softly as she went into her bedroom.

It felt like I was watching her leaving to get some proof that everything we had enjoyed together was just a dream, a lie, a hallucination. She was going to try to tell me that none of it happened, but I wouldn't let her. I wasn't about to let her ruin something that both of us enjoyed.