Viper's Hope (Anguis Defenders Book 1)(64)

"I'll do it." Hope said quietly and Viper was glad she was willing to speak to the people.

Many Anguis were intrigued even riveted by the unusual humans. As much as Viper didn't want Hope in the spotlight she was their spokesman by default.

"Thank you for being willing to do the conference." Viper said as his thumb caressed the back of her hand.

"Not that. I agree to do the ceremony with you." Hope replied as she looked at him.

"Finally she makes sense!" Viper's mother announced.

"Hope lets discuss this in private." Viper wanted to make it official with Hope, but this wasn't the way. She'd been forced into mating him, he wouldn't have her forced into the ceremony that cemented it.

"There's nothing to discuss." Hope replied, defeat in her voice.

"I want to be with you Hope, but for the right reasons, when you are willing. This would be as bad as our first night together. Dammit, I won't tie you to me like this!"

"We said one day at a time well that day has come Viper." Hope said sternly.

Viper just shook his head.

"We're going to give you two a minute." Adder said as he and the others made their exit.

Viper pulled Hope to her feet and wrapped his arms around her.

"What are you thinking little Lepus?"

"I don't want you to be forced to settle for me. I always wanted more from a relationship. The sum of our relationship shouldn't be based solely on the desperate need to fuck."

"I understand and agree." Viper replied, he turned Hope to face him, looking deep into her watery blue eyes. "I am not settling for you. I've never fully explained the nature of Anguis mating. I'm sorry for that. I didn't want to scare you away."

Viper felt so deeply for Hope he feared the depth of his building affection would drive her away. The intensity of his lust and possessiveness had certainly threatened to do that.

"So tell me." Hope asked looking desperate and insecure.

Viper suddenly realized while he'd been wooing his subeo and doing his damnedest to care for her physically, he hadn't truly told her how he felt about her, the feelings that moved him.

"The Anguis believe that the pheromones that drive mating come from more than just a biological need. We believe that the body responds to what the heart and soul recognizes in the other person." Viper stroked Hope. "Among my people we call this harmony of mind body and soul, amare. I always hoped to achieve amare with my mate and I think this is what you are looking for too." Viper ran his hands up Hope's back. "When I look at you I revel in the beauty and the perfection of creation that I see reflected in you, including your quirks, your unique humanity. It makes me appreciate and honor my own spark of the Divine." Viper paused as he brushed Hope's cheek. "I think amare is what is growing between us, and I don't want to snuff it out by pushing you."

"Oh Viper that's so beautiful. We call that love." Hope sobbed.

"I understand Hope, really I do. Amare takes time to build." Viper continued. "Even though many of us believe that when we mate we've found amare, I personally believe it's like a newly forged blade in its roughest form, it must be honed, before it is sharp and can withstand the battles set before it. And even at that it must be cared for so it doesn't become tarnished or dull." Viper said into the top of her head as he rubbed his cheek through Hope's silken hair.

Viper wanted Hope desperately but he would wait if pushing her meant he lost the potential deeper bond he felt forming between them.

"I've had the best few weeks of my life, despite what has happened." Hope looked up at him. "I've never experienced such passion or joy. I care about you so much." Hope hiccuped as tears streamed down her cheeks. "When I first saw you I felt like something monumental was on the horizon. I chalked it up to the fact you were so different, alien, but now I'm certain a part of me recognized I was staring at my future."

Viper lifted Hope's chin and kissed her. It wasn't a sensual kiss, just simple, but it still held a host of emotions he couldn't express in words. Hope's admission made him almost ecstatic.

"I have treasured our time together too and feel blessed to have found you."

"Viper if this is how things are going between us, I can easily see myself spending a lifetime with you." Hope's blue eyes sparkled as she gave him a shy smile.

"I don't want you to feel obligated to rush Hope. It's not the way I want us to be." Viper insisted. "I want you mind, body and soul, but on our terms, no one else's."

"That's funny because I don't want you to be obligated to mate me, some foreign girl, because of some hormone thing, even if I am a hot piece of ass." Hope smiled.