Viper's Hope (Anguis Defenders Book 1)(43)

"Oh you rotten bastard just you wait till I find you!" Hope hollered after Viper as he loped back towards the path, laughing the entire time as he disappeared again.

She had to step up her game. Hope went down the solid path following it looking for any evidence of where Viper might have stepped off it into the sand.

She didn't see his tracks, so she kept going nearly to the edge of the arboretum. She took a turn in path and ran right into a solid body. Hope stumbled and fell off the slightly raised walkway nearly falling into mess of small cacti with hundreds of hairy needles.

A arm reached out and grabbed her before she fell into the bramble.

Hope looked up to see Canebrake was the one gripping her arm.

"Thanks." She said, but he didn't release her, his stern eyes just staring at her.

"I heard you yelling obscenities at our Prognatus. Do you know the penalty for such disrespect?" Canebrake frowned.

Hope blinked realizing her foul mouthed response to Viper's teasing had clearly offended the general. Hope suddenly was worried. Surely Viper knew she was kidding. He wouldn't punish her for a slip of the tongue would he. Hope realized she knew so little of their laws.

"We are playing a game and he was tickling me. I meant nothing by it."

Canebrake didn't look mollified as he held her arm tight.

There was a sudden roar behind her. Hope turned to see Viper pushing through the tall grass. He was on Canebrake a second later. The general released her arm as he was tackled to the ground. Hope regained her footing as she gaped at Viper snarling at the other man, his fangs a scant breath from Canebrake's neck.

"You dare touch my subeo!" Viper snarled deep his voice nearly unrecognizable.

Hope was shocked how drastically Viper's personality switched turning deadly. He'd been increasingly aggravated with the men that got too close to her. It was worrisome, but this was different. None of his men had dared to touch her. Hope wondered what the penalty was. Viper looked like he was seconds from slaughtering Canebrake.

This was her fault she had to do something.

"Viper I tripped and almost fell into the cactus." She reached out and smoothed her hand along the muscles of Viper's rippling back as he hovered over Canebrake. "Come on I'm fine." Hope cajoled as she rubbed his tense muscles.

Viper grunted as he looked from the silent man to her. It took him a moment but the claws on his hands retracted and the spikes on his arms relaxed laying against his forearms.

Viper huffed as he stood though he still eyed Canebrake.

"Seriously I almost tumbled into that. It would've really hurt." Hope pointed out the clump of cacti.

Viper nodded curtly.

"Thank you." He bit out to Canebrake. "What are you doing here? I reserved the arboretum." He demanded with a growl.

"I am sorry Prognatus. I'm so used to cutting through here I forgot it was closed for the evening." Canebrake replied sweat pouring down his face.

"Well I guess it was good you did." Hope tried to smooth things over further.

"It is late we should go." Viper replied as he picked her up and stomped out of the arboretum with a final nod to his general.

They walked back to Viper's suite and Hope was a bit disappointed their evening was cut short. Viper was still so tense when the entered his room. Things had been going so well then she was reminded allover how little she knew about Viper and the Anguis.

"I keep forgetting how delicate you are." He said as he set her down. "I am glad you weren't injured."

The way Viper said this made Hope feel like she was made of glass. He looked stricken at the thought of her being hurt. It was nice but also annoying at the same time. Did he fear hurting her again? Is that why he pulled away from her in the arboretum?

"I would've been fine. We just would've had to pick a few needles out of me."

"You should shower before bed." Viper glanced at her dirty feet.

Hope showered then came back out dressed for bed. She was tempted to ask Viper to share the bed again, but he was already stretched out on the couch that was too small. Hope sighed as she noted his steady breathing. Viper slept already.

Hope stared at him a dozen thoughts tumbling in her head. She wasn't sure of what lay ahead. She found she liked the time she spent with Viper, a lot, but there was so much that also made her unsure and nervous.





9 Tied Up in Knots



Hope

Viper spent the last five nights on the overstuffed loveseat that was too small for him. He was so damn tall he put an NBA star to shame. Viper seemed to grow increasingly agitated and grumpy when he wasn't preoccupied with fretting over her. Hope started to feel sorry for his men. He needed to get some real sleep. She repeatedly tried to offer him the bed, but he declined, holding to his original promise.