Viper's Hope (Anguis Defenders Book 1)(24)

"It helps to reduce panic once we awaken everyone." He stated, and she nodded. "Like I said it's not ideal, but neither is what happened to your planet."

Hope walked to a bed holding a woman with a tiny male child. The little male was snuggled next to his mother both fast asleep.

"How do you know they belong together?"

"Most likely she held him when we tranquilized this group. Sometimes we recognize pairs by their smell." Viper pointed to an adult couple that were clearly mated.

"Why didn't you do this to me?" Hope asked with inquisitive eyes.

"You saw me before I could." How did he explain his mating instinct without frightening her? He hadn't even understood himself at the time. "I was unable to put you here."

"I think I've seen enough." Hope said with one last concerned look at the hundreds of beds. "Viper I have family and friends in Saint Louis. Is there any way to get them?" She looked so hopeful as Viper led her out.

"Anything you ask I will try to accommodate."

Viper led Hope to the control room instead of going back to his suite. Viper was desperate to assuage Hope's fears. If he could rescue her family, he would do anything in his power to make it happen. It wasn't just that he wanted to get back in Hope's good graces because he feared her rejection and wanted to right the wrongs he'd committed. Viper genuinely wanted to help the humans. But there was also a part of him that physically hurt when he scented Hope's pain.

"Boaz, this is Hope, my subeo. We need you to bring up a map of the area we collected from."

"Yes Prognatus" Boaz replied.

The male, like everyone else seemed surprised that Viper's subeo turned out to be human. Viper was too, but fate was what it was. She was lovely, so he couldn't complain. Viper turned to Hope.

"Your planet's communication satellites were damaged by the meteors. So we can't easily tap into any of your networks. But if you can narrow down your family's location we might be able to do a mass rescue."

The map of the west coast of her continent was pulled up on the screen.

"How do I manipulate this?" Hope asked.

Boaz swiped his fingers across the smaller screen to move the image left or right. Hope watched. Boaz arose giving her the seat. Hope backed the image out to view the entire continent. She narrowed in on a place somewhere in the middle by a large long river. She got close up on a major city with a massive silver arch.

"It is highly likely this area is still okay since it is in the middle of the continent." Viper reassured her.

One by one Hope pointed out where her loved ones lived and the coordinates were recorded.

"They will be home at night." She said as she pointed out her sister's house. Her sister was mated with young. "This is where I worked. Oh my god there's Tara and John Paul my friends." The people's image were captured.

"Boaz, send a small skid to collect those two since we have their current location." Viper instructed the male, and he got busy. "It shouldn't take long since we have a visual confirmation of your friends." He told Hope, and she looked relieved nodding with a slight smile. It wasn't a big change in her demeanor but it Viper latched onto her lovely expression. "Come now we should talk. Someone will notify us when they are safe." Hope's face turned serious again and Viper wanted to kick himself. He dreaded the discussion he was about to have with Hope, but it couldn't be avoided.

Viper and Hope reached his quarters just as Acris was leaving.

"Prognatus I have left your meals and some additional clothing for your subeo. Is there anything else you wish?"

"No thank you Acris" Viper replied to the female.

Acris bowed and was about to leave.

"Hello my name is Hope" Hope said with an outstretched hand before he had a chance to introduce her.

Acris looked shocked to be directly addressed. It was not Anguis custom for someone of Acris' station to address Hope, given the position she now held. Viper realized he needed to remind his people that human customs were different, so they didn't appear rude.

Viper could see Acris was uncomfortable and unsure what to do with Hope's overly familiar gesture. The female was already on edge assisting Viper in his private quarters. Because Acris was mated to his assistant, he had requested her service. Viper had been too uncomfortable with his new mate to permit any males in his quarters just yet. It had been bad enough escorting Hope around the ship with so many males. The thought of another male's scent in their quarters was just too much, too soon.

Acris stared at Hope's hand, till Hope pulled it back in embarrassment.

"Acris would you mind being my subeo's first assistant. You have been doing the task anyway."