Viper's Hope (Anguis Defenders Book 1)(71)

Viper glanced up in time to see Tara's horrified expression. She was a physician, so she cared for any injured, but the look on her face radiated more than professional concern.

"Why don't you go in and assist." He suggested.

Tara nodded and rushed through the doors.

Hope was right there was something going on between their two friends. Maybe Tara and Ophidian weren't mates but who knew. It would be good for Ophidian to have the female at his side, even if she wasn't yet an expert in Anguis medicine. Tara might just give his friend a reason to hang on, better than any medicine could.



Hope

Hope couldn't concentrate as she sat in the pod looking over the stuff she was supposed to decide on for the wedding. She couldn't care less what colors were chosen. Hope was just too happy having seen her family.

She'd already let Hyla have her way with so many things like the food, location and what not. Why not another few little things? Hope was sure Hyla would be only too happy to handle it. Viper insisted Hope should have some things the way she wanted them for her own wedding. However Hope didn't care too much about minor details. In fact earning some brownie points with her mother-in-law seemed far more valuable.

Hope really didn't have a ton of requirements. She asked that nothing be eaten alive or slaughtered at the feast although she did that before learning it wasn't even being considered. Acris and Viper had looked at her like she had two heads when she mentioned it.

Hope also requested a cake or dessert of some sort. She liked the tradition of feeding each other cake along with a toast. She insisted they trade rings at some point and say some vows. But the most important thing was that she would be there with Viper.

Besides, if she let Hyla have her way with most of the ceremony maybe the woman wouldn't balk too much at the addition of a flower girl and ring bearer.

"Okay so maybe things are getting complicated." Hope sighed as she debated eloping. "Oh well Hyla can deal."

Hope was happy to add her family to the ceremony. She was actually overjoyed her family hadn't immediately lost their shit upon awakening on a distant planet. That more than anything had her giddy. She didn't even stress over Viper taking care of business. The man was damn near a super hero, he would handle it.

Hope grinned as she pictured him getting out of the shower that morning, water dripping down his chest and abs.

"Yes I do!" She blushed.

There was a knock on the door. Hope got up and answered it expecting to see Acris with dessert samples. She didn't recognize the Anguis man that stood outside her door.

"Viper's not here, he's dealing with the protesters." Hope told the man then immediately regretted it.

The male stood leering at her in a creepy way and she'd just told him Viper was gone. "Smart Hope!"

"That's good because I'm not here for the Prognatus. I'm here for you Uxorem." The man sneered the title.

Before Hope could scream, the man lunged forward and slapped his hand over her mouth. With the other he yanked her hand up and scraped his teeth across her arm. She'd almost forgotten their freaky venom could have that tranquilizing affect as she started to sink to the floor. Viper's hormone laced serum no longer had that affect on her. Hope didn't know if it was because Viper's physiology recognized her as his mate, or if Viper could consciously alter his bite.

The strange man threw Hope over his shoulder none too gently and draped a blanket over her back to hide her from view. She had a hard time focusing on the sounds that passed as her view of the ground blurred. Her head throbbed and soon the rush of blood overcame her.



Viper

Viper hadn't waited in the infirmary lobby that long or so it seemed before Tara came out from the back looking exhausted.

Viper stopped pacing.

"He's going to be okay." Tara released a deep breath. "The knife nicked one of Ophidian's hearts. The surgeon stopped the bleeding and is closing him up now."

Viper sighed a great weight lifting from his shoulders.

"He's lucky. If Ophidian was human, he'd be dead. He'll need a lot of bed rest or he risks tearing the sutures and bleeding out."

Viper could see Tara's hands were shaking though she appeared relieved. Humans had one heart. In fact they didn't have any of the self protective adaptations Anguis had. No doubt human evolution had been a bit kinder than their own genesis. However they had one thing in common, Anguis could still bleed to death if not treated.

"Thank you for letting me know. It goes without saying he'll get whatever he needs to heal."

Tara nodded then went back into the operating room.

Viper said a prayer of thanks. Ophidian was like a brother. To lose him would be a hard blow to handle.

Adder pushed through the waiting room doors with a grim scowl contorting his face. He was followed by Viper's mother, wringing her hands, and Acris who looked like she'd faint at any moment.