The Hunter's Serenade Ch. 01

Reaching over and carefully cupping her face, Sev assured his commitment to her. "But you don't have to worry about me forgetting about you, Serina. You are my first love and wife. You will always be my priority." His words were sincere and struck deep. Serina smiled warmly, her cheek half tucking into his cupped hand.

"Plus, if it makes you feel any better, I don't plan on taking on any other women in the near future. This is merely my right. Although Elder Remus is pushing me to take on more women, right now all I'm thinking about is spending lots of quality time with my first wife," Sev assured her, gently caressing her cheek with his thumb. Serina loved being called his wife. It just rolled so nicely off of his tongue and straight into her mind. "And I'm pretty picky with my women anyways."

Serina couldn't suppress a chuckle as her raw emotions gradually subsided. "Dammit... I didn't know you could be so convincing, Sev," she sighed, resigning herself to her situation. "But I'll be keeping a very close eye on you. I better not catch you running off with any other girls without my approval," she continued in her sternest tone.

Sev raised an eyebrow in inquiry. "Your approval?" he questioned. Serina confidently nodded.

"Yes. As your first wife, I get to approve of the women you choose," she declared. "Whenever that happens, of course. Hopefully not anytime soon. Just so you're aware."

"Hm, I'm surprised you're taking this so well," Sev teased. Serina rolled her eyes.

"I'm not taking this well. I'm currently cursing you to holy hell inside my head right now. You're lucky that I love you," she said, inflexibly. "Now come here and kiss me so I can forget about all of this." Serina's firm words masked the underlying playfulness in her tone as she extended an invitation for a distraction.

Recognizing that the optimal course of action was to honor his lover's request, he didn't want her to dwell on his responsibilities. Leaning forward, he met her lips with his own. Before long, Serina found herself on her back once more, and their passionate lovemaking resumed, creating an intimate symphony that played out for the rest of the night.

-

After a night of shared, passionate bonding that consummated their connection, Sev found himself standing at the entrance of the Conclave, a place that felt like a distant memory from ages past.

"Why must you leave so soon? You just got back?" Darius roared, giving Sev a hearty pat on the back. "And Serina just got inducted. Shouldn't she be getting acquainted with her new home at the Conclave?"

Sev indulged him with a chuckle. "Hm, I know, Darius. But this isn't our life. We have responsibilities to return to."

"Running around the galaxy taking contracts for meager rewards is what you call responsibilities? Gah! You should be here, with us!" Darius retorted.

"I wouldn't call them 'meager' rewards, but I get your point," Sev replied. "Nevertheless, it's better to utilize my skills than to linger on this dreary rock of a planet doing nothing." Darius shot him a stern look, casting an awkward silence between them.

"You always had a sharp tongue. As much as I hate to admit it, I suppose you might be right. Hmm, I might give this 'bounty hunting' job a try somewhere down the line. It must be interesting," Darius said, breaking the silence.

"I can assure you, interesting is an understatement," Sev agreed.

"Boss, let's get going now. Serina is waiting for you on the ship," Kira informed him through his helmet. With a nod, Sev bid farewell to his brother. Gazing beyond him, he waved to Hadrian and Elder Remus as they faded into the distance before making his way back to his ship.

As the platform closed behind him, Sev caught sight of Serina, apparelled in her complete Hyperium armor, stowing away some gear in their weapons locker. He couldn't help but gaze at her elegant form; the feminine armor hugged her body flawlessly. Sev's eyes were particularly drawn to her ass, the form-fitting undersuit accentuating every curve with enticing allure.

However, his gaze was interrupted by Serina calling out to him. "Whatcha staring at, tiger?" she teasingly said, playfully covering her backside with her hands.

Shaking his head, Sev replied, "You." Rolling her captivating amber eyes under her helmet, Serina resumed her gear organization.

Sev chuckled a bit before heading to the cockpit of his ship. Seating himself, he began engaging the ship's systems. "I didn't know you could be such a pervert," Kira playfully quipped. Sev paused for a moment. "Eh, sorry, boss. It was just a joke," she quickly backtracked, her artificial voice sounding uneasy.

Shaking his head back into attention, Sev let out a chuckle and replied, "Just get the ship started and set a course for Redshift-9."

"Understood, boss. Charting a course for Redshift-9," Kira obediently said. "Shall I send a heads-up to Roxy?" Sev nodded. "Understood. I'll make sure to provide her with a list of all your specs and gear, including Serina's," she added.

"Thank you, Kira. I can always count on you," Sev complimented.

Kira let out a small, happy giggle. "Of course, boss."

Soon, Sev's ship ascended into the sky, piercing through the thick, stormy atmosphere of Aurelianus Majoris. Activating the ship's jump drives, they catapulted into the dark expanse of space, ready for Sev's next adventure with his woman by his side and a trusty AI at his hip...