Viper's Hope (Anguis Defenders Book 1)(74)

Hope had to use whatever advantages she had in her favor. But what did that amount to?

Maybe their ignorance about humans could be used against them? They thought she was small, and that somehow equaled weak. Anguis women were physically larger and stronger than human women, but they were also more demure and biddable, especially with the men. Hyla seemed to be an exception and only when it came to her son. These men had never experienced a human woman scorned nor did they know the depths of her guile.

"I can work with this." Hope silently thought as she studied her abductors.

Hope needed to pull their strings to see what sway she might gain.

"What's going on? Why do you hate me? I don't understand." Hope wailed letting the crocodile tears flow and her chin quiver. She was stressed and scared so they were easy to release.

"See you frightened her now she's leaking." Keelback groaned.

"Look we don't hate you personally." The other male tried to placate her but Hope just sobbed louder. "We just don't think it's right for our people to someday be ruled by a mixed breed."

The man's excuse in response to her distress gave her hope that they might be moved in her favor. Hope sniffed and looked up at them with the biggest saddest puppy dog eyes she could muster.

"It's not my fault you know how mating is." She blinked innocently.

The Anguis couldn't really control who struck their fancy, so the men knew the mating urge was out of her control. If she could convince them she was an innocent woman, maybe they wouldn't harm her.

"Why did you reject the Prognatus, but now there's to be a mating ceremony?" Keelback demanded.

He was clearly the brains of the group. Hope had to answer carefully. They may scent her deception. How should she play this?

"I didn't think he loved me." Hope wailed letting more tears slip down her cheek.

"Do you mean amare?"

"Of course she means amare, idiot. Females may accept a mating but they really want amare." Keelback stated.

"I know that." The third male replied defensively.

"It's because I'm human isn't it." Hope sobbed again using the very real fear she'd felt over the last few weeks to fuel her fit.

"Look your people aren't that bad. Anyone of us here would be content to mate you. It's just as a leader of our people that's a different thing." One man stated and even Keelback nodded.

Hope wondered if the three men knew how ludicrous they sounded. Then again maybe they were just attempting to mollify a distraught woman. Anguis males couldn't seem to handle female emotions.

"Look at how timid she is. Wyvern is right. Our Prognatus is unsuitable if he let her dominate him." Keelback huffed.

That pissed Hope off. She didn't owe them an excuse but hearing that made her mad.

"I was so afraid after he marked me." Hope sobbed as she showed the large scar on her neck. "He's much too big for me. He did it so he wouldn't hurt me." Hope blinked.

Hope couldn't believe she was talking about her sex life with these bastards. It wasn't necessarily a lie. Viper could break her if he wanted to.

Keelback considered her shrewdly.

"She is very petite. That would keep Prognatus Viper from crushing her." The short one stared openly at the ragged mark on her neck.

The other man nodded in agreement.

Idiots.

"I need to go to the bathroom." Hope hiccuped as she whined.

Hope really did have to go, but it would also be good to look around and get them comfortable with her moving.

"Here I'll take you." The shorter Anguis male indicated.

"Thank you." Hope looked up at him through shuttered lashes, attempting to pour on the damsel in distress charm.

The shorter man then led her out of the main room and Hope saw the exit in the hall. She attempted not to look at it overtly as they passed. Through the window beside the door she could see it was getting dark outside. But more importantly Hope noticed the city street and park outside.

Hope's heart leapt in her throat as a surge of excitement gripped her. She wasn't in some remote location. If she could get out she might find shelter or attempt to find help. The question was how to distract her abductors?

The man thankfully let Hope do her business in peace rather than follow her into the bathroom. Hope sat on the commode her head in her hands.

"Think Hope." She racked her brain, her stomach in knots. "How to get to that door?"

There was no way she could attack the man. Even the short one outside the bathroom was taller and stronger than her. He would overpower her in an instant. Then they'd probably bite her again.

"Oh god." Hope's stomach roiled.

A thought came to her.

Hope started sobbing loud enough she knew it traveled through the door. Between piteous moans she took two fingers and shoved them down her throat. With how worked up she was it took nothing at all for her to puke up the contents of her stomach. Hope didn't repress the wretched sounds of her gagging as she heaved into the toilet.