"How do I close this?" Adder yelled till one of the stunned technicians told him what to do to reseal the door.
It all happened so fast. Her world was torn apart in a handful of disjointed confusing moments.
Hope just stared at Viper. His hands were pressed to the glass. He looked broken. Tears streamed down her face as she sobbed the words, "I love you."
Viper's mouth repeat the phrase then she heard his deafening roar as she passed out.
Viper
His worst possible nightmare had come true. There was no redemption to be had, not with this.
The scientists and physicians didn't want to patch up Hope's injury, insisting it was futile, till Viper threatened to gut them. He refused to see her in pain for the last few hours they had together. Now he watched Hope sleeping through a thick sheet of glass, tubes piercing her small pale body.
"I can't even hold her one last time."
Viper gripped the arms of his chair, feeling them contort as he desperately held onto his sanity. The frantic need to comfort Hope, and also himself, eating at him.
"Filius, you know what to do when I go to sleep." Viper turned to see his sire in the other quarantine room. His mother had long since passed out from hysterics.
"I have the cryo-units ready." Viper's voice broke.
"Come now we both know what has to be done my filius."
"They will find a cure dammit!" Viper growled with impotent rage.
"I'm not going to argue with you." Adder said as he stoically faced his fate like a true mercenary.
Viper looked up to his father, strove to be half the male he was. Adder Rex could always be counted on to do what was right even if it wasn't easy.
"I'm proud of you. Remember that." His uttered words meant the world to Viper.
"Viper?"
Viper turned back to see Hope staring at him. He was so glad to see her awake, till again he was reminded of his new bleak reality, and it struck him like a knife to the gut.
"It's bad isn't it?" She asked looking forlorn.
Viper couldn't find his voice. He couldn't bring himself to say the words out loud. He couldn't even wrap his head around the nightmare. So he just nodded once.
"How long?"
Hope asked how long they had left together and Viper nearly collapsed. He wanted to be strong for her but couldn't summon the will.
Oh Goddess, how, why was this happening?
"A day maybe." Viper tried to say but choked on the words, his throat thick, his hearts constricting in his chest.
Hope's eyes were closed again. The pain medicine making her sleep. At least that's what he told himself.
Viper failed yet again to protect his precious mate. The horror of it ripped Viper apart as he sat through the next several hours, mutely watching Hope's family and friends, along with his father's, come to say goodbye. Viper's sorrow was more than he could bear, but seeing their grief crumbled his remaining strength.
Viper wanted to throw something and rage at the injustice of fate. But all he could do was sit, and watch his sweet mate as each second, minute, hour passed and then she would be gone from his life.
His mother sat with her face pressed to the glass, much like Viper was at Hope's window. Adder's fever increased steadily through the night till he slipped away. Viper watched as the azure cryogenic fluid flowed through the tubes connected to Adder.
His mother's ragged sobs filled the room.
Viper turned to Hope. She was awake again, and she had witnessed his father's passing.
"The king is dead, long live the king." Hope whispered the somber sentiment.
Her eyes turned to focus on Viper.
"I am sorry Viper." Tears streamed down her cheeks.
His precious mate fought to hold on to life and yet she mourned for him.
"Never be sorry beautiful. I have been so honored and blessed to have you in my life, both of you." Viper tried to muster a smile for her.
"I want you to know before..." Hope paused. "Thank you for rescuing my family and friends. Thank you for all the love you've shared. Thank you for giving me a chance to see the stars." Hope's voice wavered.
Viper didn't know how much longer she would hold out. She barely had a fever, but she'd been coughing violently even in her sleep. Each moment he had left with her was a gift and he refused to take even a fraction of it for granted. Viper placed his hand on the glass and spoke the words he'd said when they first met.
"Let us just enjoy being together today, we can worry about tomorrow when it comes."
Hope nodded and tried to smile as her tears flowed.
Viper wanted to wipe them away, to take her pain into himself, but even in this he failed her. Hope started coughing again and the medicine they pumped into her caused her to go back to sleep robbing him of the few precious moments he had with his sweet Hope.