Sabin, A Seven Novel (26 page)

“Sabin, you think to humiliate us, but think again. This is not a game here. To claim a subspecies is a dangerous thing.”

“I am no fool. You think I haven’t thought about the ramifications?”

“We don’t know what you think. You run off like some group of renegade soldiers, gallivanting across the universe, thinking you’re infallible.”

My blood boils at his words and it takes every ounce of self-control to rein in my temper. It’s when I feel Rafe and Helios’ hands on my shoulders that I fill my lungs with air, and calm myself enough to speak.

“You sit behind your mighty table and don’t have one notion about the risks we take to keep your lousy asses safe.” I knew this was coming, so I nod to Verus, and he does what we spoke of. Images leap forth, scenes from what we encounter with the Shaurok. Battle scenes of what we face, how we fight, injuries we sustain, how we kill, and as they play I watch the faces of the Council members. Every one of them registers shock and horror, except for Ali’yah. She sits there with her arms crossed, still snarling, like her face is going to detonate. Bitch. Gotta say I’m loving this moment.

The Council leader speaks. “It is my understanding that this was a risk you all accepted freely.”

“It was and still is. That does not mean I chose to give up
all
my rights. I can claim whomever I want. As I see it, the discussion about my personal life is over. Now, we, The Seven, have something of a completely different nature to discuss. We are invoking our right to take over the protection and custody of Judgment Day
and
Paradox.”

Cries of outrage erupt from the Council members. They are furious.

The leader states, “That would be highly inadvisable as it would be regarded as treasonous.”

“We believe that to be to the contrary. We believe we would be protecting this world and the universe. Ever since this Council has been guarding it, nothing but danger has ensued. Therefore, once again, as a sovereign member of the house of Lhu’hantran, I am invoking my right and demanding that control. Now you can make this easy or difficult. Which do you prefer?”

Each member, especially Ali’yah, looks as though they want to throttle every one of us. I’d like to see them try. We are trained operatives, fighters, assassins. Yes, we only kill to protect. But that doesn’t make us any less dangerous.

The group begins arguing amongst themselves until their leader calls a halt. Then he tells us to leave so they can discuss what has turned into a shit show before their eyes. We leave the chambers, victory within our grasp.

With the heavy doors closed behind us, Helios says, “Surprised they didn’t try to kill every one of us.”

“That would’ve been most unfortunate for them,” I say.

Rafe gives me one of his scrutinizing looks. “You sure they’re not going to call forth the planetary governing bodies? The way Ali’yah was looking at you, she wants to eat you alive.”

What else is new? She’s wanted that ever since I refused to take her back after … Brushing those thoughts away, I say, “They won’t because that will make them look inept, incapable of doing their jobs. If they call them forth, they’ll all be canned. Pride will prevent them from doing that.”

“But what if?” Rafe insists.

“I’ll take the blame and you all will continue as is.”

“What about Serena?”

“Take her back to Earth and keep her safe. That’s all I ask.”

Before he can answer, the doors open and we’re called back in.

I look around and the leader rises, saying, “Sabin, Commander of The Seven, the Council wishes to inquire where you plan to keep Paradox and Judgment Day, if we grant you custodial care of them?”

“In my home.”

Their murmurs become quite loud as they confer.

“How secure is your home?” he asks.

“More secure than this place. I have top level security, the assistance of MSI, not to mention Verus here, and I can install anything I deem necessary to make it even more sound. The exterior of my home is a fortress, impenetrable by anyone not having a means of entry.”

They mumble again, and finally the leader tells me I am granted the rights to protect them. What a sham! But first, my team must meet with the Council’s four leaders to determine exactly how this will proceed. All other members are dismissed and we adjourn to another room and begin our negotiations. I give them one hour to say what they have to say. My plans are set to build a vault and I tell them what I have in mind. We talk for exactly one hour and then I inform them they will be notified when the vault is completed, at which time they will be given a tour so they can inspect it. I tell them this inspection will not be so they can or cannot give their approval. It will be so they can see it and take note of how it was set up, for future reference. When the meeting is finished, we return home. I’m eager to spend some time with Serena, hopefully on better terms now that this is behind me.

This is the most beautiful place I’ve ever been, except beneath the sea. Maybe there is a sea here that I can dive under and inspect. I’ll have to ask Sabin about that. I sit in a chaise by the pool, sipping on some kind of delicious drink when an unfamiliar voice disturbs my daydreaming.

“So you are the one he has claimed?”

Lifting my head, I find myself staring at the most startlingly beautiful woman I’ve ever laid eyes on. Flaming red hair falls below her slim waist, and her skin is so pale I want to touch it to see if it’s real. She quirks a brow at me as if to say, “Did you hear me, or do I have to repeat myself?”

Swallowing, I find myself unable to answer.

“Hmm, I wonder what he found so enticing. You can’t even respond to a simple question. Humans,” she spits out, as though the word leaves a bad taste in her mouth. “You know you are nothing but a sub-species to us? Distasteful and disgusting.”

Who is this woman? As soon as the thought lights up my mind, she laughs.

“Ahh, I see.” She steps in front of me and bends down so she’s eye level with me. “He hasn’t told you about me, has he?” she asks in a singsongy voice.

Clearing my dehydrated throat, I croak, “No. Who are you?”

She belts out a hearty laugh.

Then her mouth contorts into a malicious sneer as she regards me with cold speculation. Rising back to her impressive height, she says, “No one you want to tangle with, that’s who.” Her nostrils flare and for a fleeting moment, I fear she’s going to strike me. Though I have no idea why, this woman despises me. And then it hits me.

“You were part of his past, weren’t you?”

“
Part
of his past?” Her face fills with rage as her light gray eyes darken and her pupils bleed into her irises. “I
am
his past, present, and future. I am his
wife
!” she spits out.

Her words are implausible to me. Sabin’s wife? He has a wife? And he brought me into his home? Where his wife lives? Why the hell would he do that? Not only that, I’m sharing his bedroom! And he claimed me. This makes no sense.

“He has no morals. But make no mistake, you are not welcome here and …”

I don’t give her a chance to finish because for whatever reason, I don’t believe her. He had to have some reason for claiming me and bringing me here.

“Shut your lying mouth! Until he can tell me his side of the story, keep yours to yourself.”

Flamehair gets into my space, which pisses me off, and grabs my arm. A sneer forms on her mouth as her gaze rakes my wrist. “Listen to me, you little hrouran, you think that mark means something? You’re nothing to him. You understand?”

“Get out of my face!” And I make the mistake of throwing a right jab to her jaw. When I did that to Sabin, he ignored it. Flamehair doesn’t. She fires back so fast, and lets me have it. Edge told me they were stronger than humans. That’s an understatement. One fist connects with my ribcage and my body leaves the chaise. Excruciating pain explodes throughout me. By the time I slam into the ground like a rag doll, I hang onto consciousness by a thread. But trying to inhale brings on another dose of vicious pain that wracks my body. The last thing I remember is her grasping me by my shirt and telling me something in that odd language of theirs, and then her spitting on me.

~~~~~

“Serena? Can you hear me?”

Wincing in pain, I answer, “Yeah. I think so. What happened?” There isn’t a part of me that doesn’t hurt.

“That’s what I’d like to know. We found you unconscious by the pool, with more broken bones and injuries than I care to recount. You’re nearly all patched up, but hang on a sec.”

One of those machine things hovers over me. Then it pronounces me fine.

My memory is fuzzy and I try to sit up.

“No, don’t do that yet. You’re sedated and you may be lightheaded.”

“My head is throbbing.” I massage my forehead.

“It should be. Your nose was broken. It looks like you took a pounding from someone’s fists.”

When he says it, an image of that flame haired bitch dances in my head and even though I’m sedated, I turn into a hellcat.

“Care to tell me about
your wife
?” The words come out of me with such vehemence; he literally takes a step backwards.

“My wife?”

“Yes, your wife.”

“What the … aw, fuck. She’s not my wife. She’s my ex-wife. And what does she have to do with this?”

“She’s the one who beat the shit out of me.” The words are said with such contempt that Sabin takes another step back.

“You’re telling me that Ali’yah came onto my property, and accosted you?”

“No, Sabin, she didn’t
accost
me. She called me a ‘little rooran’, whatever that is and I’m sure it’s not anything good, and then she proceeded to beat the shit out of me. Now you know why I was unconscious. Oh, and let me quote her. She said, ‘You know you are nothing but a sub-species to us. You think that mark means something? You’re nothing to him. You understand?’ Care to explain that?”

“Bloody fuck. RAFE! EDGE! VERUS! HELIOS! DREY! ANDROS! My quarters! NOW!”

It doesn’t take long for all of them to arrive. Sabin is so angry, he can barely form a coherent sentence. It takes Rafe to get the information from me, which I let him have in the same manner I gave to Sabin.

“She came here while we were in our meeting with the Council, discussing the vault,” Rafe says.

“That fucking bitch.”

Edge says, “She called Serena a hrouran and said she was nothing to you? That fucking whorebag.”

Since I want to know, I ask, “What is that exactly?”

Seven faces strained with fury swivel my way. Of course, none of them respond.

“Serena, you don’t want to know. It’s not something I’d care to repeat,” Sabin’s soft voice says. His tone does not match the rage carved in his features.

Helios speaks next. “What are we going to do?”

Sabin steps close to me. Eyes on me, he says, “
We
are going to do nothing.
I
am going to move to have her banished to a critical penal colony. She harmed my claimed one. That will not be tolerated. I will execute this by the order of the house of Lhu’hantran.”

What is he talking about? “What’s the house of Loohantrun?”

When I’m the focus again, I speak. “Okay guys, I may not be from your planet, but please don’t look at me as if I have two heads. What the hell are you talking about?”

Silence. Now why should this surprise me? Because I almost died, that’s why!

“Come on, damn it! I almost died!”

Rafe steps in and says, “You may as well tell her, Sabin. She knows just about everything else.”

Sabin’s mouth curves, though the smile doesn’t quite reach his eyes. “I suppose you’re right. The House of Lhu’hantran—and you need to drag the ‘u’ out a bit and kind of let it linger in the back of your throat—is the house of royalty I was born in, for lack of better explanation. I have certain rights because of this, and I am exercising these rights. I have been lax where Ali’yah is concerned, and that ends now. She deserves much worse, but by breaking through my security and attacking you, she has committed a grave crime.”