Viper's Hope (Anguis Defenders Book 1)(26)

Regardless this was still absurd!

Hope ran a hand through her hair tugging at the light tresses in frustration.

Viper stepped towards her moving in that compelling, hypnotic, lithe way that reminded her of a predator. His green eyes trained on her. Hope hated how she instantly responded to his nearness, it frustrated her even further. He reached out his hand to touch her arm and Hope put her hands up.

"Don't!" Hope was pissed and conflicted. She didn't want to be cajoled or soothed.

Viper dropped his hand and backed up, some of the brightness in his eyes going dim.

"The women of my people have fought long and hard to have a choice and to feel safe from men and their hormones." Hope railed at him.

Just the way Viper described how their woman just accepted this mating thing, rankled. Hope was not the kind of girl who silently took whatever a man dished out. She positively refused to just bend over and take it, literally!

"I will not touch you again." Viper stated as he stared at his hands in distaste.

Hope grunted in agreement as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"That's right you won't, not unless I say so. I don't care if you are one dark sexy alien." Hope thought to herself as she nodded.

She needed to cool down and get a handle on this situation. Things were turning out to be very different than she'd first assumed.





6 Reunion  



Viper

"It was just as I feared Hope rejects our mating."

The devastation of it crushed Viper's hearts. He was beyond disgusted with himself and the way he treated her, but there was nothing he could do to turn back time.

Viper watched Hope sashay into the bath and groaned. How was he going to keep his hands to himself? Just being near Hope set him on fire.

"I have to fix this."

Hopefully if they found her family that would help. Viper didn't quite know what else to do, to woo his subeo.

"What do human females like? Dammit, I'm screwed."

Viper roamed the room wondering what could be done. He tapped onto the comm-unit.

"Basilisk, I need your mate Acris to acquire all the things a female requires for our quarters." Viper requested.

"Yes Prognatus, but I do not know what is available on the ship." The male stated.

Viper groaned. The ship had been outfitted for males and rescue, not courting females, and certainly not human females.

"Do whatever you can." He entreated.

At that moment another signal beeped on the comm.

"Yes."

"The Uxorem's male and female friends have been acquired, and will arrive within the hour." Ophidian reported.

"Keep them sedated till Hope can be there to revive them." Viper instructed his friend.

"As you wish. How is your female?"

"I don't want to discuss it."

"She is not Anguis, give it time Viper."

"Well what you all did hasn't helped!" Viper growled at Ophidian.

Viper heard Hope open the door and immediately calmed. She got uncomfortable when he was angry. He tapped the comm off, then turned to her. She was dressed in a blue short skirt and top. It looked good with her eyes and pale hair.

"Your two friends will be here soon."

"Oh thank god!" Hope clapped her hands together looking relieved.

"I want you to be there when they are awakened." Viper said.

She looked so happy that he couldn't help but be happy as well. This was good.



Viper stood back as the human male and female were laid on the bed in quarters nearby his. The dark-skinned male didn't smell like the other sleeping female. They obviously weren't mated. The medic administered the antidote to the tranquilizer then backed up. Hope sat by her friends. It wasn't long before their eyes fluttered open.

"Girl how'd you get here?" The dark-skinned male said groggily as he focused on Hope.

The dark haired female just blinked in shock.

Hope wrapped her arms around the dark human male and Viper almost came unglued. Hope refused his touch, her virum, but she embraced this other male. The growl in his chest rumbled threatening to break past his lips.

The dark haired female's eyes flew to Viper, and she started screaming hysterically.

"Stop stop! It's okay Tara." Hope quickly grabbed her female friend and tugged her face so she only looked at her.

"Hope?" The hysterical woman sobbed. "What is that?"

"WHAT IS THAT! I am not a that! This is why we put them in hibernation." Viper groused to himself.

"He's the man who saved us." Hope said and Viper was instantly placated.

She could've said a lot more uncomplimentary things.

"What the hell is going on Hope?" The dark-skinned male said with more than a bit of concern in his voice.

"Did you see or hear about the meteors?" Hope asked and the female, Tara, nodded.