Chapter Fourteen

 

The beeping of Sabre's heart monitor woke Tassin from her doze in the chair beside his bed. She raised her head, wincing as her neck twinged, and rubbed it. Her aching ribs sent lances of pain through her at every breath, despite the painkiller Tarl had given her. Sabre appeared to be asleep, but the monitor showed that his heart rate was seventy-four. Two days had passed since his first, disastrous awakening, and Tarl had kept him sedated since then. The others were away sleeping or eating, and, since it was late evening according to ship's time, the hospital was dim and empty. Tarl had assured her that Sabre was too heavily sedated to wake up, so he must be dreaming again, she decided.

Rising, she sat on the edge of the bed, leaning forward to stroke his cheek as she had done many times during the past two days. Somehow touching his warm skin helped to allay her fears, and holding his hand comforted her. She remembered the tide of cold despair that had threatened to overwhelm her when she had seen him lying on the floor, more dead than alive. Picking up his hand, she rubbed a bit of peeling skin from his fingers and held it to her cheek. She would never forget that brief moment of lucidity, when his hands had clasped her waist and thrust her into the life pod. He must have known then that he would not be able to follow her. She shied away from the memory of her ribs breaking with dull pops under the tremendous pressure of his hands.

The heart monitor beeped faster, and she glanced up at it. Eighty-nine beats per minute. Her gaze dropped to his face, and her breath caught. His silver eyes were fixed upon her.

"Sabre?"

He blinked and swallowed. "I must be dead... there's an angel on my bed." His voice was a husky whisper.

"You're all right." Hot tears flooded her eyes and overflowed.

"Hey... don't cry."

She shook her head, brushing at her eyes. "I'm just..." Her throat closed.

His hand gripped hers and tugged her closer. "Come here."

Tassin hugged him, pressing her cheek to his skin, uncaring of the pain that shot from her ribcage. Sobs racked her, and he enfolded her in a firm embrace, stroking her hair.

"Hush. It's okay. I'm okay, you're okay... everything's okay," he murmured.

"I must call Tarl."

"No, not yet."

The heart monitor's beeping grew faster still, then stopped, and she raised her head in alarm.

Sabre smiled. "No, I'm not dead. I just switched it off. It's annoying." His eyes roamed over her face. "I thought I'd never see you again."

She clasped his cheeks. "I thought I'd lost you too. I saw you... drifting..."

"Yeah... that must have been awful."

"I'm just so glad..."

"Me too. Fairen, huh?"

She nodded. "Did you call him?"

"Yeah. I didn't think he'd make it in time, though."

"You were... frozen." Her voice emerged as a strangled croak.

Sabre pulled her close again and held her so tight she could hardly breathe, and her ribs twinged in protest. She clung to his solid warmth and wished the moment would never end. He held her in the way in which she had longed for him to hold her for three years. Minutes passed before her tears eased, and he loosened his hold when she raised her head. To her amazement, wet streaks ran down his cheeks, and she wiped them away.

His smile was crooked and shy. "I'm just a big sissy."

She giggled, her breath catching. "No. You're a beautiful, gentle man. And you're not that big."

"True. I'm a small sissy."

"I'm just so happy you're okay."

"I thought I would die for sure this time. I'm glad I didn't."

"Do you need anything? Are you thirsty? Hungry?"

He shook his head, glancing at the tube attached to his arm. "Looks like Tarl's been pumping me full of fluids, and other crap."

"He saved your life."

He shifted. "Yeah, but he's shoved tubes into other parts of me too, and he's going to pay for that."

"You don't mean that."

"Oh, but I do." He chuckled. "Okay, I'm kidding."

Tassin smiled and stroked his cheek. "You saved me."

His smile faded, and he reached up to cup her face. "All I could think about while I was dying was that I never told you how much I love you. There are no words to express what I feel. When I heard you'd been taken, the wall in my mind broke. I know what it is to truly love you now. What I felt before was just a shadow of the truth, an overflow from behind that wall. I didn't mind dying, as long as I saved you."

Tassin blinked as fresh tears spilt down her cheeks. A huge lump blocked her throat, and all she could do was gaze at him and shake her head.

A wry smile tugged at his lips. "Don't cry."

"I can't help it."

"Hush." He pulled her into his arms once more, stroking her hair. "You'll make me cry again too if you keep this up."

"I love you," she mumbled against his chest.

His arms tightened. "I know."

"But I do need to breathe."

"Sorry." He loosened his hold.

Several moments passed in silence, then he asked, "How many ribs did I break?"

Her breath caught, and she swallowed. "Not that many."

"How many?"

She sighed, knowing he would scan her anyway. "Only two."

"I'm sorry."

Tassin sat up to gaze down at him with a tremulous smile. "I wouldn't have cared if you'd broken all of them."

His eyes swept over her and came to rest on her midriff. "Show me."

"No, Sabre..."

"I want to see. Show me."

"It's bandaged."

Sabre tugged up the edge of her blouse and eyed the bandages that swaddled her ribs. "Please take them off."

"It will hurt."

His eyes rose to meet hers. "I must see."

"Why?"

"I need to."

"It will only make you feel worse."

Lowering his gaze to her waist again, he unclipped the bandage and tugged it loose, starting to unwrap it. Seeing that he was not going to be swayed, she unwound the strip of stretch fabric that supported her injured ribs. The brow band flashed, telling her that he was scanning her too. The last bandage fell away to reveal the dark purple handprints that clasped her waist, and he stared at them for several seconds, a frown furrowing his brow. Raising his hands, he placed them over the bruises, which were a perfect fit. His eyes flicked up to meet hers, filled with anguish, and she tugged her blouse down and leant forward to clasp his face.

"It's all right. I know you didn't mean to hurt me. Please don't feel bad."

"I had no choice," he murmured. "There was nothing else I could do; nowhere else I could hold you... I knew..."

She sat back and shook her head. "I don't blame you. You saved my life."

Sabre raised a hand and frowned at it, and she clasped it, raising it to kiss the back of it, then held it to her cheek.

"It's okay," she whispered.

"I swore an oath." Tears overflowed his eyes and ran down his face. "I said I'd never hurt you. Do you remember?"

"Yes." Tassin leant closer to wipe his cheeks. "But if you'd let me die because you didn't want to hurt me, I'd be quite angry now. Thanks to you, I'm alive, and my ribs will heal."

He met her eyes. "Hurting people is what I do. It comes with being a killing machine."

"You're not a killing machine. I want you to stop calling yourself that, and stop thinking of yourself as that. Tarl's wrong. Killing machines don't cry."

He smiled. "I guess they do if they grow a conscience."

"Stop it. It would have made no difference if you'd been a normal man, except you wouldn't have had the strength to throw me into the pod, and I'd be dead now. I'm not angry with you for hurting me, but I will be angry if you keep beating yourself up about it."

He averted his eyes to gaze across the room, and she wondered what was going on in his mind, wishing she could read it.

Heavy footsteps hurried closer, and she sensed him tense. She rubbed her eyes and glanced around. Tarl trotted up, a grin creasing his face, his eyes bright.

"Hey, bud. You're awake!"

"Your powers of observation never cease to amaze me," Sabre said.

"Well, that's no mean feat, without a pulse." Tarl glanced at the heart monitor.

"It was annoying."

"How are you feeling?"

"Like I have a tube shoved up my..." Sabre's eyes flicked to Tassin, then back to Tarl. "Where I really don't want a tube."

"Yeah, well, you've been out for two days."

"And it looks like you've been having fun." Sabre glanced at all the monitoring equipment around the bed and pulled the data cable out of the brow band.

Tarl's smile faded. "If you call watching you almost die 'fun', you've got a sick mind."

The cyber considered him. "I seem to recall strangling you, and yet here you are, still alive."

Tarl stepped closer to the bed. "Want to have another shot at it?"

"Not right now. I'll wait until you've taken all these tubes out of me."

Tassin snorted and shook her head. "You two! Why don't you just tell each other how you really feel?"

"How's that?" Sabre enquired, raising his brows.

"That you love each other."

Tarl made a rude noise. "Yeah, right."

Sabre shook his head. "You're kidding."

"Well I know you do, and you both know you do, so all this chest thumping is just a load of hooey."

The cyber chuckled. "Yeah, come here, bud, let me give you a big old hug."

"No way." Tarl shook his head. "Try that on Martis. It might work."

"I might just do that."

"Good, because he was really pissing me off, going on the way he did."

"About what?"

"Brain damage. But I know you don't have a brain, so no chance of that."

Sabre cocked his head. "I should have strangled you."

Tassin sighed and folded her arms.

Tarl studied Sabre. "Why are you awake? I gave you enough sedative to knock a horse out for a week."

The cyber shrugged. "Metabolised it."

"Right."

"I'd like to see Fairen."

Tarl nodded and went over to the com-link on the wall. When he returned, Sabre frowned at him.

"Now you can take all these damned tubes out of me."

"Sure, bud. I didn't actually put that one in. It was a nice little female medic."

Sabre looked away, and Tarl chuckled, moving around the bed to remove the drip needle from the cyber's arm. Tassin turned her back while he removed the other tube and Sabre donned his shorts. A short while later, the door opened and Overlord Fairen came in. He approached the bed, his hands hidden in the sleeves of his jacket, then turned to her.

"I would like a minute alone with Sabre, if you please."

 

 

As the door shut behind Tassin and Tarl, Fairen pulled off the veiled hood, revealing a flushed, smiling countenance and tousled hair. He removed his gloves and perched on the edge of the bed.

"I'm glad you're all right."

The cyber smiled. "Thanks to you."

"And Tarl. If not for him, I would not have been able to save you. How are you?"

"Pretty good, considering."

"Your emotions are strong now."

"Do they bother you?"

"Not too much. They're good ones."

Sabre sought the peaceful emptiness he had owned before, consigning most of his feelings to the dark pits in his mind.

Fairen tilted his head. "Don't do that. It's not necessary. It's corruption that sickens me. You fought for your feelings, keep them."

"Only if you're still able to give me a hug."

The boy smiled and leant forward to embrace his friend.

Sabre gave him a good squeeze, patting his back. "Thank you."

Fairen sat back. "If only you knew how good I feel to have been able to help you. You should have called me sooner. I was almost too late."

"I thought I could handle it."

"I still have Tarvin. What should I do with him?"

Sabre shrugged. "That's up to you."

"I want to punish him for what he did, or almost did, to Tassin, since she's your betrothed, but he's also your relative. I shall forbid him to keep cybers and order him to send the ones he has back to Myon Two." He stood up. "I'll let you be with Tassin now. When you're ready, I'll return you to Omega Five. Next time you get into trouble, call me sooner."

"I shall."

After Fairen left, Tassin and Tarl returned with Martis, Estrelle and Kole in tow. Sabre smiled at Tassin as she came to his side and took his hand. Sitting up, he swung his legs off the bed and glanced at Tarl.

"You going to help me up, bud?"

Tarl shook his head. "Not a chance. Martis will do it."

"Ah, come on."

Tassin said, "I'll help you."

He shot her a smile. "Better if he does it. My legs are a bit rubbery."

"Then you should stay in bed," Tarl remarked.

"I'd really like to get up."

"Why won't you help him?" Tassin looked puzzled.

Tarl shook his head. "I don't think he really needs help. His bio-status is sixty-four per cent."

"Well my legs are still weak. I might fall."

"You'll bounce."

Martis stepped forward. "I'll give you a hand."

"I want him." Sabre sighed. "Never mind." He rose to his feet.

Tarl gestured. "You see? He -"

Sabre lunged at the cyber tech, who yelped and tried to run, but took only two steps before Sabre caught him and yanked him into a bear hug. Tarl groaned as the air was squeezed from his lungs, and coughed when Sabre thumped him on the back. The cyber released him and held him at arm's length, grinning.

Tarl grimaced, rubbing his back. "I think you cracked a rib, bud."

"That'll teach you to run away. How far did you think you'd get, exactly? You didn't believe the bit about the rubbery legs, did you?"

"Nope."

Sabre clasped the side of Tarl's neck. "Thanks, bud."

"You're welcome."

"Tassin's right, you know. I don't hate you anymore."

Tarl nodded, looking embarrassed. "Glad to hear it. You're still a little shit, though, and a bully."

Sabre released him. "If anyone messes with you, let me know."

"Aw, thanks, bud." Tarl thrust out his hand.

Sabre glanced at it and grinned. "You're kidding, right?"

"Nope."

"Good for you." Sabre gripped Tarl's hand, but, instead of trying to crush it, as he expected, the cyber tech pulled him into a bear hug, using all his strength and pounding Sabre's back. The cyber chuckled when Tarl released him, shaking his head with a grin.

"Pathetic. Is that the best you can do?"

"Yeah well, I don't have bloody reinforced ribs."

"Have another go."

Tarl sighed. "It won't do me any good."

"Go on."

Tassin clicked her tongue and rolled her eyes. "When you two have quite finished your pissing contest...?"

"It's not a pissing contest," Sabre said. "Tarl's just trying to bully me back. He's not so good at it, though."

"Agh, well, I don't want to hurt you."

"Right," Sabre drawled.

Tassin held out his trousers. "Perhaps you should get dressed."

Sabre took them and pulled them on.

Tarl clasped the side of his chest and grimaced. "I seriously think you cracked a rib."

Martis said, "If he did, it was intentional, because a cyber knows, to the last micron, how much pressure is required to crack a normal man's ribs, and...." He trailed off as Sabre turned to stare at him.

"Just who exactly are you enlightening?" he enquired. "Because Tarl knows that shit, and if you call me a cyber one more time, I'll crack a few of your ribs."

"I - I was telling Tassin. She doesn't know, does she?"

"I reckon she could guess, and she knows Tarl's full of shit. She also knows I wouldn't hurt him, intentionally or otherwise."

"Martis loves to spout that drivel," Tarl said. "He can't seem to help himself."

"Well he'd better learn to control his urge to pontificate about the intricacies of cyber design while I'm around, because I really don't enjoy hearing about how my innards are strong enough to tow a spaceship and my fingers make excellent door stoppers."

Martis hung his head. "Sorry."

Sabre glanced at Kole and Estrelle. "You two are very quiet."

Kole shrugged and smiled. "Glad to see you back on your feet and in one piece, old pal."

Estrelle tilted her head. "How are you coping?"

"Coping?" Sabre smiled. "Ah, I see. Yeah, I'm finding that it's a lot easier to deal with emotions when they're good ones. I feel fine."

 

****

 

Overlord Fairen turned to face the six people who walked across the black marble floor to stop before his dais. In the screens behind him, Omega Five hung like a glowing blue and white jewel. The sight of it made a lump block Tassin's throat, and she slipped her hand into Sabre's. Endrovar had been released, and Fairen had ordered the enforcers to ferry Tarvin and his crew home before the Scorpion Ship had translocated to Omega Five. Fairen settled upon his throne and raised a hand. An aide emerged from the shadows carrying a sheaf of transparent sheets, one of which he handed over. Tassin glanced at Sabre, wondering what was going on, but he appeared unperturbed.

Fairen beckoned. "Queen Tassin Alrade, you may approach."

Tassin walked up the three shallow steps onto the dais, her heart pounding. Even though she knew Fairen was only a fourteen-year-old boy, she still found his veiled presence intimidating. He seemed to sense it, which of course he did, she reminded herself, since he was an empath. He tilted his head, and she could almost sense his smile.

"Be at ease, Tassin, I bear good news. I have decided to lift the restrictions on your home world. From this day forth, Omega Five is free to rejoin the space-faring community." He held out the transparent document. "Here is my seal upon my decree. Show it to any who dispute your right."

She took the sheet, turning it to gaze at the embossed gold writing and flamboyant scorpion sigil at the bottom. "Thank you, My Lord. This will mean much to my people."

Fairen laced his fingers and inclined his head, and she retreated to Sabre's side, glad to quit the dais and Fairen's attention. The aide handed the young Overlord another transparency.

Fairen said, "Tarl Averly, you may approach."

Tarl looked even more nervous than Tassin had felt, and Fairen held out the sheet.

"Here is my decree that pardons you of the supposed crimes you committed on Myon Two. This I bestow upon you for the services you have given to my friend. Show it to any who attempt to imprison you, and they will release you or incur my wrath."

Tarl bowed and took the sheet, stepping down from the dais with a bemused smile.

Once more the aide handed over a transparency, and Fairen beckoned to Estrelle and Martis. When they bowed before him, he held out the sheet.

"Here is my pardon for any crimes Myon Two might attempt to charge you with, in return for the aid you gave to my friend."

The cyber techs bowed again, and Martis took the sheet. When they had returned to their place beside Tarl, Fairen beckoned to Kole as he accepted another transparency from his aide.

"Kole Arvan. For services you have given to my friend, here is my pardon for any and all crimes you may have committed during the commission of those services."

When Kole had rejoined the little group, the aide held out the last transparency, and Fairen beckoned to Sabre. As the cyber mounted the dais and stopped in front of him, the young Overlord rose to his feet.

"Until now, you had no family name, since your ancestry was lost. We have now discovered it, and with this decree I bestow upon you the freedom and privilege of a free-born man, and officially restore to you the name Myon Two stole. You are Sabre Stargane, twin brother of High King Sharlin Stargane, rightful heir to the Estron System and all the worlds therein. Should you choose to reclaim your heritage, I shall uphold your title."

Sabre smiled as he took the sheet. "Thank you."

The boy turned to the little group. "You may leave."

 

 

When the door closed behind them, Fairen pulled off his hood and ran a hand through his hair, shooting Sabre a sad look. "I don't want you to go."

"I know." The cyber turned to gaze at Omega Five.

"I could guarantee your safety if you stayed with me."

"Yeah. I wish you could come with me, but I can't stay here. My life is there, with Tassin."

"I understand."

Sabre clasped the boy's shoulder. "Hey, if you ever need my help, or if you just want to talk, you know where I am. You'll always be welcome; hell, I want you to visit as often as you can."

"I shall install an embar tube in Tassin's dwelling."

"Good, then we can talk whenever we want." Sabre released him. "You know that, if not for Tassin, I'd stay with you, right?"

He nodded. "I do."

"Don't Overlords get holidays?"

"No." Fairen smiled. "But I could if I wished."

"There you go then. We'll ride horses in the woods, fish in the lake, go swimming, lots of fun stuff."

"And spar?"

Sabre chuckled. "Yeah, and spar. You'll have to work on your technique and strength first, though."

"I will."

"Good. Why don't you take a holiday right now, and come down with us? You could stay for the wedding."

“When is it?”

“Tomorrow, if Tassin has her way.”

Fairen smiled. "You have come a long way, Sabre. You've gone from a cool breeze to a warm one, and now you are a deep, warm ocean full of mystery and promise.” He paused. “Now that Omega Five is no longer restricted, I shall declare it my home base, and under my protection. You need a ship, and some modern toys, like air bikes and water hoppers."

"The natives are in for a shock. What about your real home world, and family?"

"I was born on Tevlar Ten, a chunk of rock orbiting a gas giant. My parents were miners, and died in an accident shortly after I was taken away. I have fewer claims to family than you do. You're royalty. Your people are the Allarians, inhabitants of Allar Four, well known for their fighting skills and selective breeding for physical perfection. Tarvin is your descendant."

"He's a moron."

Fairen chuckled. "Because he fought a cyber?"

"No, that was quite brave of him. Because he thought he could win."

"You know why he did it, don't you?"

"Because he's an egomaniac?"

"No, because in his mind, he was fighting High King Sharlin, the greatest warrior who ever lived."

Sabre snorted. "Which just proves my point. Although Tassin says he didn't know about that until after he was crippled."

"Doubtless there are pictures of Sharlin in Tarvin's palace, so I'm sure he suspected it beforehand, but confirmed it afterwards."

A soft cough drew Fairen's attention, and Sabre glanced around.

Shrain bowed. "My Lord, I apologise for the interruption. A distress message from Emareld Prime. A deadly virus is sweeping the planet, and ships are evacuating people – possibly infected – to Juno Eleven."

Fairen sighed. "At least they had the decency to report it. Emareld Prime, the jewel of the Diamond System, a stinking cesspit of a swamp world where it never stops raining and fungus grows on people."

Sabre nodded. "I think I've been there, briefly."

"I'm in a mood to blow up a planet."

"Yeah, only about two million people on it."

"I suppose I must go."

Sabre turned to him. "Come back soon, okay?"

"I shall."

"Good." The cyber swept the boy up in a bear hug and squeezed him until he squeaked, then dumped him on his feet and ruffled his hair. "Behave yourself, and I'll see you soon."

 

****

 

Sabre descended Striker's steps and stepped onto the soft grass of Omega Five. His home. He breathed in crisp, cool night air redolent with humus, night flowers and the musky scent of spice tree bark. Dark belts of forest loomed against a the star-sprinkled sky, and he looked up at the glittering crimson light that was the Scorpion Ship, stationed in geosynchronous orbit fifty thousand kilometres above them. It was possible to make out its shape, and it would be larger than the orange moon, Pythal, when it rose. By then, however, Fairen would be gone.

Sabre was sad to be parted from the young Overlord, while at the same time happy to be home with Tassin. It would take some time, he mused, to get used to all the strange new emotions he was experiencing now. The cyber band was switched off, and no data scrolled through his mind. No flashing red lights or scanner information. No analysis of the air, ambient radiation or surrounding landscape. He was almost human.

Fairen's restoration of his true name had helped him to become human, although he had no use for the title, and did not consider himself a king by any stretch of the imagination. He was just himself. Not exactly a broken killing machine anymore, not quite a man, either. He was something in between; a cyborg. He had learnt to live with that, however, and his newfound feelings helped him to sort out which was which and deal with it. He no longer needed the supercomputer’s scrolling readouts and virtual dashboard to feel complete, although he still missed it when it was switched off. Old habits died hard. Most of the people who had helped him were still with him, and he treasured their friendship, annoying though they could sometimes be. He glanced around at the little group.

Kole complained that Striker would rust if she was left parked out in the open, and Tarl told him that if he wanted a hangar, he would have to build it himself. Martis tried to take Estrelle's hand, and she shook him off with a frown. He owed each of them a debt, Sabre reflected, but the greatest debt he owed was to the diminutive girl who came to his side and slipped her hand into his. He raised it and kissed the back of it, then pulled her close and rested his chin on top of her head.

"A penny for your thoughts," she murmured.

"I'm lucky," he whispered, his breath steaming in the chill air. "Very, very lucky."

"To be free?"

"And to have you." Sabre glanced at the bickering quartet. "And them."

"We're lucky too, to have you."

"I'm glad you think so. You all would have had good lives without me, though, got married, settled down... Well, maybe not Tarl and Kole. You would have all been happy, whereas I... I wouldn't have. And now I am. So I think I'm the lucky one."

She leant back to look up at him, shaking her head. "No. I would be married to that pig Torrian. Estrelle and Martis would be stuck on Myon Two, torturing cybers. Tarl would still be a smuggler, on the run from Myon Two, and Kole... Well maybe he's benefited the least, but I think he's happier than he would have been as a hacker on Ferrinon Four. We're all better off because of you."

He smiled and brushed a lock of hair from her cheek. "Are you happy?"

"Yes. I have my star man back, and that’s all I need. True love has no expectations and makes no demands. It just is. And it never changes or dies. That's what I feel for you."

Sabre glanced around and discovered that the bickering quartet had set off for the castle, which was visible in the distance. Tassin followed his gaze and smiled, looking up at him. Her eyes were pools of shadow and starlight silvered her skin. He raised a hand and ran his fingers along the side of her neck, barely stroking her skin in a feather-light caress. They came to rest on the soft place behind her ear, brushing the hair away to trace the outline of her ear before continuing along the edge of her jaw.

It was good to use his enhanced sense of touch to give pleasure instead of pain. His profound knowledge of human anatomy included all of the pleasure centres, purely because they were also optimal areas for inflicting pain. He could use what he knew for gentle pursuits instead of combat or torture, and he wanted to now. She shivered, her breath catching.

"Beware, My Lord," she whispered, "lest I drag you into yonder bushes and do ravish you in a most unseemly manner for a queen."

He chuckled. "Promise?”

She reached up and gripped his brow band, pulling his head down.

“Okay, not a handle, you –”

Tassin kissed him, her arms slipping around his neck. He enfolded her in a gentle embrace, wary of her injured ribs, and kissed her with tender passion, his heart speeding up with something other than combat preparation, for a change. When he raised his head, her cheeks were flushed and her eyes sparkled in the moonlight.

He said, “Let us go to yonder castle before the urge to ravish me in the bushes overwhelms you, My Lady. I’d much rather you did it in a soft bed."

She giggled. "Spoil sport."

“Oh, what, you’d prefer the bushes?”

“I just don’t want to wait that long.”

“It won’t take long to get there, trust me.” Sabre swept her up and strode towards the castle.

She twined her arms around his neck. “What about the wedding?”

“What wedding? Oh! That wedding. Nah, bugger that, I’ve waited long enough.”

“You’re the one who kept me waiting!”

“You’re going to argue with me now?

Tassin smiled and kissed his cheek. “No.”

“That’s a first.”

 

 

Tassin gazed at his profile, her heart so full of joy it seemed ready to burst. All the trials and tribulations they had been through to reach this moment had been worth it. Sabre would never be entirely human, and she was glad of it. He was so much more, and he finally seemed at peace with himself, something she had feared he would never achieve. His kind, generous personality was untarnished by all the suffering he had endured. He deserved to be truly happy and loved, and she intended to see to it that he was.

 

****

 

 

The Cyber Chronicles saga will continue…