The Outlaw Cyborg (Cyborgs on Mars #5) - Honey Phillips Page 0,47
John decided it was a good time to mention his request. “Kami said you perform weddings.”
“So it’s like that, is it? Interesting woman, your Serena.”
“I’m sure you mean that in a positive way,” he said coldly.
“Oddly enough, I do. I wasn’t sure at first, and I still don’t trust GenCon, but I trust her.”
“You should. She gave up a lot to try and keep this planet safe.”
The Judge raised an eyebrow but didn’t comment. Instead, he clapped John on the shoulder. “Then I suppose congratulations are in order. I should warn you that Addie and Kami will take over as soon as they hear the news.”
“I believe your daughter has already elected herself as a flower girl.”
The other man laughed. “My daughter is very fond of weddings.”
When they entered the habitat, Serena was nowhere in sight. Addie was sitting at a big table, looking oddly thoughtful. Kami informed him that she was drawing flowers for the wedding. He thanked her gravely but was more concerned about Serena.
“She’s through there,” Addie said softly. “Second door on the right.”
With a muttered thank you, he went to find his woman.
She was sitting on the padded floor of an empty room, looking out over the desert, her expression remote.
“Is something wrong, love?”
“No.” She smiled up at him, holding out her hand, just as she had done that first night. “I’ve been thinking.”
He sat down behind her and lifted her onto his lap. “About what?”
“About love. You know the reason that Kami doesn’t have to wear a mask is because she received a blood transfusion from the Judge and now his nanites are active in her system.”
“You knew about this?”
“Oh yes. And she’s not the only one. Another cyborg saved his baby son with a transfusion.”
“I don’t understand. If the process works…”
“It doesn’t always. You remember Kami said her mama ‘melted a man?’”
“Yes?”
“That too was the result of a transfusion. One that went horribly wrong. Addie originally thought perhaps it worked for Kami and Brian because they were children. But she just told me about someone else—an adult woman whose cyborg husband saved her life with a transfusion.”
He thought about the little girl, bright-eyed and inquisitive, seemingly completely human. But he also shuddered at the thought of something going horribly wrong. “Does Addie know why?”
“She has two theories. One is that the adrenaline created by an emergency situation may be a factor. The other is… love. That in each successful case, the person giving their blood loved the other person completely.”
“If that’s the case, you would have nothing to worry about,” he said neutrally, even though the words “horribly wrong” still echoed in his head.
She looked up at him, eyes bright. “I know that, John. But I think… I think I’ll wait.”
Oh, thank God. Relief swept over him.
“Addie is still making progress, and the information from the other lab may help. It’s not that I doubt your love,” she added quickly, “but even though I still want a child, I don’t need one. I’m not alone anymore. I have you.”
“Always,” he vowed, drawing her close.
“Are you nervous?” Addie whispered to Serena later that day.
They were standing inside the airlock, waiting for the wedding ceremony to begin.
“I don’t have any reason to be nervous. I know we love each other.”
“But…”
“But I’m nervous anyway,” she admitted. “Isn’t that ridiculous?”
“Not at all. I felt the same way—and we had waited a very long time.”
The airlock door opened and Kami danced in, her face glowing. “We’re ready!”
“Good luck,” Addie said softly. “You look beautiful.”
She smiled a little ruefully. Addie had loaned her a dress for the wedding, but the two of them were completely different shapes. Still, it was a pretty shade of blue, and it floated softly around her body. It was as far from one of Serena’s polished suits as it was possible to get, but it seemed appropriate for the occasion.
Kami led the way outside, scattering the little paper flowers she had drawn, then Addie followed, and finally it was her turn. They had decided to get married outside on the plateau at sunset. They had come together for the first time outside under the Martian sky, and she liked the idea that they were now coming together permanently in the same way.
The temperature was already dropping, but it was worth the chill for the view. The setting sun illuminating the valley below and washed the sky with streaks of gold. John was waiting with the Judge at the far end of the plateau, and her