Sabin, A Seven Novel (45 page)

“Say my name.”

“Sabin.”

“And?”

His voice is sexy, gruff.

“I love you, Sabin,” I scream. My hands splay out on the shower wall, fingers digging against it as I come apart. Thank god for his arm, or my legs would buckle. He puts the best spin on an orgasm. But then I feel and hear him coming. He lays his head on my shoulder as he nips it. After a minute, he pulls out and I feel his cum trickle out. His hand moves to my sex to rinse it away. Then he spins me and is kissing me, softly.

“Serena, I’ve told you you’re my forever. Be my wife. It’s not as customary for us to marry here as it is on Earth, but I will do anything you want to make you happy.”

“You want to marry me?”

“Very much so. I’m the father of your child and I want to be your husband.”

Laughter bubbles out of me because I was just proposed to in the shower! But when I look at Sabin, he looks as though I’ve kicked Walter. Then I realize what I’ve done.

“No, oh, no. Not that. I laughed because I realized our marriage proposal took place in the shower.” Then I grab his face and kiss him. “I would be honored to marry you.”

A smile spreads across his face and then he starts laughing, too. “Not very romantic, huh?”

“Oh, I don’t know. It was some pretty hot sex right before.”

“There’s something else I want for you. I want you to finish your work as a marine biologist. You can do something similar to that here, and I think you will find it equally stimulating.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. This was your dream, and there isn’t any reason for you not to fulfill it.”

“Can you be any more perfect?”

“Serena, my flaws are too many to name. You are the one that is flawless.”

He picks me up and carries me out of the shower, wraps me in a sheet, and deposits me on the bed. Then he does the same to himself.

“Stay put. I’m going to put some clothes on and get us some food. But I want you naked for a long time.”

My hand touches my belly as I think of everything he said. “Sabin? You’re serious about the marine biology stuff?”

“Very. We can get you set up as soon as you’d like.”

“Do you think it would be okay for the baby?”

“I think it would be fine. You’ll be studying, Serena, and maybe doing some diving, in the early stages. Later on, you won’t, but that’s not for months.”

I didn’t imagine I could be this happy. A family with the man I love, living in this beautiful place surrounded by people who
care
about me, and doing what I love the most. I’m living the dream.

~~~~~

By the next afternoon, there are so many requests to see me, we finally pull ourselves out of bed and make an appearance. The questions come so fast, I laugh at all of them.

“I can’t possibly answer with the rapid fire way you’re asking.”

So, one at a time, I tell them what they want to know. They are all things Sabin and I discuss, but bottom line, all of us are still bemused over the Melody thing. None of us saw that coming. And when I think about it, it freaks me out, but Edge and Verus assure me that the real Melody is perfectly fine. They promise to take me to the sec center later that day to show me on one of the complinks.

This whole thing about Paradox and Judgment Day baffles me. “I wish that damn necklace wasn’t so cool. Maybe then people wouldn’t want it.”

The men all stare at me.

“It’s true,” I insist. “It’s one of those things that women are inherently attracted to. Men just don’t get it. It was probably designed with that in mind. But I have a question. Have you all ever thought about destroying it?”

Sabin answers. “It’s been tried. For centuries. The word is that people have died trying. We can’t even identify what the damn thing is made of.”

This almost makes me stumble. This is Nyan’trua, where their technology is too much for my simple brain to wrap around. And they don’t understand this weapon. “Okay, Sabin, you’ve just scared the crap out of me.”

“Didn’t mean to, but it’s the truth. The fact that it can destroy all life should be sufficient enough to scare you senseless.”

A question comes to mind. “Do you all have proof that it actually has that kind of fire power?”

Every pair of eyes in the room homes in on me. I am once again the dual-headed human. “Well, it seems a reasonable question. How was it ever tested?”

No one responds.

Finally, Sabin says, “Serena, how would you propose we do that? If it works, no one would be left alive to say, ‘Oh, well, now we know it does what it’s supposed to.’”

“Good point. So I guess we have to go on the assumption that it does.”

I get no response, because none is needed.

“Serena, you know the stone possesses certain qualities. It’s a given that there has to be something powerful about it.”

He’s right. When I would wear that thing, it was almost creepy in a way. But it also made me feel … confident.

“We protect it and will continue to do so.”

Our serious conversation is broken up by a ruckus outside the room and then Walter shoots in the room like a rocket, with Graylyn on his heels, yelling something about how she’s going to transcend him into the next galaxy. She screeches to a halt, and says, “Oh, my apologies, L’han. Miss,” and does her little bow. Then she resumes her cursing of Walter under her breath as she chases him.

Rafe bends down and snatches him up, only to find he has a pair of my panties in his mouth.
Dammit, Walter
! Rafe finagles them out of his mouth and dangles them by a finger. “These belong to anyone?”

Edge says, “They’re not mine.”

Verus is next. “Nope. Not mine.”

“I don’t recognize them,” Helios says, grinning.

Drey shakes his head saying, “Not my color.”

Drustus walks up to Rafe, bends down to get a closer look, and says, “Nah, can’t say their mine.”

Sabin walks over to Rafe, holds out his hand, and Rafe drops them into it. “While I can’t claim them as my own, I
will
claim them, because the true owner has consented to marry me, and I suppose that gives me certain rights where her panties are concerned. Oh, and there’s something else. Serena and I are having a baby.” His hand automatically covers my belly, where it always seems to end up lately. He is going to be a very protective father. I can already tell.

A huge shout goes up in the room and then all the men congratulate us. While all this is taking place, Walter runs in a circle and happily urinates over everyone’s feet. I imagine that’s his way of celebrating.

If we thought there were questions before, now they ambush us. But the best one of all is Edge’s.

“Serena, I hope you’ll let me be your man of honor.”

If a pin were dropped, it would be heard, it is that quiet. But then I say, “I wouldn’t have any other, Edge.” Before I know it, he gives me one of his bone-crushing hugs, while Sabin reminds him I just got over my broken ribs.

Then all the guys ask him if he’s going to wear a dress. He says he’ll wear anything I want him to. That’s some kind of friend.

Sabin and I decide to get married the following week. It’s only the The Seven, the next best thing to a minister he can find, Graylyn, and Kernell. Walter is there, too, but I’ve put a diaper on him. I can’t have him peeing on my dress. It’s only a simple white long silk gown, and it’s very plain, but I won’t have my puppy ruining the dress I wear for my wedding.

Verus walks me down the short makeshift aisle on the terrace, and Rafe is Sabin’s best man. Edge is mine and he grins during the brief ceremony. At the end when the minister, or whatever he’s called, proclaims that we’re married, Edge almost shoves Sabin out of the way to hug me. I have to remind Edge that Sabin kisses me first as Sabin glowers at him. Edge has the decency to look like a scolded child. Walter barks and tries to pull his little diaper off.

“Edge, as man of honor, you need to take care of Walter.”

“Oh, right.”

While he grabs Walter, Sabin gets his long awaited kiss in as I giggle at the whole thing.

Then a thought fires up in my head. “Hey, I have a question,” I say, pulling away from him.

“Hmm,’ he says, pulling me back.

“What am I? Mrs. Sabin?”

He stops and starts laughing. Hard laughing. “No, we don’t use those titles here. You are simply Serena. Or, Serena of The House of Lhu’hantran.”

“That’s it?”

“Yes. Did you want more?”

“No, but how will everyone know I’m yours?”

“Oh, they’ll know. Have no worries about that.”

Then he kisses me and I guess I’ll just go with what he says, because I’m not gonna lie, I’m pretty crazy about this man. And what can I say? He hasn’t steered me wrong yet.

Serena stands with her hand on her hip, a very luscious hip, I should add. “Are you sure about this?”

“I’m positive. I wouldn’t suggest it if I wasn’t sure.”

“And it’s safe. I won’t have to worry about staying on Earth because honestly, I really love Nyan’trua.”

Grabbing her, I pull her into my arms. “I’m glad you love it here. No, you would not have to stay there. I only brought it up to see if you wanted to have a little fun. You know, get back at those douche wipes who fucked with you all those years.”

She taps her toe as she thinks. Then a toothy grin appears on her face. “I think I’d like that.” But then her eyes darken and narrow. “You’re not going to kill any of them, are you?”

The thought has actually crossed my mind, but I’ve backed down from that. “No, sweetheart, not unless you want me to.”

“Sabin, you know the answer to that. I couldn’t live with myself. I mean they did bully me all through elementary, junior high, and high school, but I still don’t want them to die for it.”

“Then you have nothing to worry about. But I might teach them a lesson or two, especially with regard to your hair. You know how I am about your hair.”

Her infectious mega-watt grin is back. “Oh, I know. I might be doing a little teaching too.”

Two days later, we show up at a reunion her high school class holds every year. Serena wears a form fitting deep green dress that I hope can last the night without me tearing it off her. You can’t tell she’s pregnant yet, as her belly is as flat as a board. Her mahogany waves hang loose down her back, and her shoes … I’ll have to keep my eyes off them. They’re sky-high pumps and have fuck me written all over them.

“Quit drooling,” she teases.

“Not a chance. If you didn’t want me to drool, you should’ve worn ruffles up to your neck.” Right as I say that, we walk into the party room and some chick is sporting a ruffled blouse that buttons all the way up to her chin. Serena’s bubbly laughter fills my head.

Serena grabs my hand and drags me over to the table where you can fill out nametags. They’re the peel off kind and I stare at them, aghast.

“What the hell?”

“Just go with it.”

She’s written “Serena Callahan” on hers, and “Mr. Sabin Callahan” on mine. I shake my head.

“You could at least put a little smiley face on mine.”

She grabs mine back from me and does exactly that. When she places it on my chest, she leans in and says, “Have I ever told you how sexy you are in black?”

“Yes. But don’t let that stop you from saying it again.”

I score a kiss for that comment. Then I hear, “Excuse me, are you part of this group? This is the Magnolia High School Annual Reunion party.”

It’s some sour-faced woman, but Serena says, “Yeah, we are. And you are?”

“Do I know you? I’m Lauren Lincolnwood. I was class president. And you are?” She sneers.

“I’m Serena Callahan, just like the name tag says. And this is my husband, Sabin. I think I remember you, Lauren. Didn’t you used to say nasty things on the bus to me? Call me really ugly names? Tell me I smell?” Serena’s smile is wide and perfect. She’s beautiful and confident, while this Lauren chick is not.

“I, uh, well, I … “

Serena pats her on the head! On the fucking head like she would Walter! “It’s okay, Lauren. I mean, come on. The past is the past, right?” She uses this sing song voice and she gives her hand a little wave as she leans in closer to Lauren. “How has life treated you? Good, I hope?” Lauren looks like she’s just been struck by lightening. Serena pats her on the head again and says, “Well, I’ve got to move along. My husband here will need his hourly fuck soon so I need to make the rounds fast. Isn’t that right, lover boy?”