Viper's Hope (Anguis Defenders Book 1) (14 page)

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.

It wasn't just that she wanted him to get some rest. Viper had teased her with his body all week though not intentionally. The man never wore a shirt over his mouth watering chest, and he thought nothing of leaving the bathroom door open when he bathed. Hope wanted to pinch and bite his firm ass on more than one occasion. Just the way he swaggered when he walked was captivating.

It really didn't help that the man was so sweet. Viper insisted on carrying her about, till her infernal monthly friend was over. Being held in his strong arms made the jittery feeling inside her go wild. Not that she could act on her increasingly naughty thoughts with aunt flo in town. Thank god the bitch left yesterday.

Still Hope dropped hint after hint, hoping that maybe they could snuggle or make out a little before bed, but besides the incident in the garden, the only time Viper touched her was when he carried her. It was maddening.

So either the man was truly honorable, or he really was having a hard time with the fact she was human. Though Hope refused to believe that, he was too personable, and she was sure he flirted with her. Plus the dates they went on around the ship were too romantic.

Despite the sexual tension they had a good time together, and the conversations were amusing. Not only was Viper sexy in a swarthy dark way, he was also pretty charming and funny.

Hope looked over at him as he told his story and smiled.

"I found myself on the back of the Hecca beast. It's almost like your cows but the size of your elephants, you saw them in the holo room." Viper described his first hunt. "It was running, and I was holding its ears as I flailed around its back." Viper mimicked how he looked as a youth bouncing around on the shaggy wild animal's back as it went on a rampage.

God, the man was cute. Watching his face and gestures as he told his story, had Hope admiring his body, as she had a dozen times a day. It was driving her crazy. Just because she wasn't certain about this mating thing, didn't mean she'd decided to become a nun. This was her fault. She was the one who insisted he not touch her.

"How old were you?" Hope asked realizing she was smiling and staring at Viper with goo-goo eyes.

"Ten rotations, that's usually when a male is old enough for their first hunt. I was a bit shorter than you are now." Viper smiled back, his fangs peaking from behind his lips.

Hope's hand drifted up to her neck, feeling the spot where he'd marked her.

"That's young." Hope replied bringing her wayward thoughts back to their conversation.

Hope imagined ten year old Viper trapped on a charging elephant. She would've freaked out if she were his mother.

"Well the beast managed to flip me off his back." Viper pantomime cartwheeling end over end with his hands.

"Please tell me you didn't break both your arms and legs!"

"No worse. My fall was broken by landing in a massive pile of crap." Viper shook his head in disgust but also chuckled. Hope adored hearing that sound, it made her smile. Apparently Anguis males took great honor in sharing their first hunt story, it was like some rite of passage thing. Hope could only imagine how embarrassed young Viper was.

"My brothers loved that one. I used to hate their teasing." Viper said pensively.

Hope learned Viper had lost all of his siblings to the Morbo virus, like many of the Anguis. It was a sad story. She could see he was thinking about how he wished he had his brothers to tease him now. She wanted to change the subject, they were having such a good time sharing stories.

"No shit!" Hope winked at him, impressed with her pun.

"You are a comedian huh?" Viper's mouth tipped up in amusement as he stretched uncomfortably.

"I insist you sleep in the bed tonight. If you don't I'll take the floor." Hope threatened.

She decided she'd try this angle, knowing full well Viper wouldn't abide by her sleeping on the floor.

Viper's looked absolutely miserable with his long legs hanging off that footrest, though it had to be a stitch better than the hard floor. Tomorrow afternoon they would land on his home world. The man really needed to get a good night's sleep before he had to start in on the task of getting the colony settled.

Then again her offer wasn't altogether altruistic. Hope's nipples constantly ached begging to be touched, and she felt empty inside. It had only gotten worse as the days passed. She wondered if she was going through some sort of withdrawal, she certainly wanted him like a drug.

"Hope I cannot lay in that bed with you." Viper rejected her offer yet again.

Hope was starting to feel slighted. It's not like he had to do more than sleep. She got up, grabbed a pillow along with one of the blankets and plopped down on the floor casting him a defiant look in the process.

"I will not have this." Viper shook his head.

He pulled himself out of the loveseat, stalked over, shoved one arm under her ass, the other under her back and picked her up like she weighed nothing at all.

"Hey!" Hope groused in frustration.

"Hush female!" Viper nearly growled as he put her back in bed then returned to sit back down.

Hope got the feeling he wasn't used to being defied. Well he was going to be just thrilled with her then. If he wanted to date her or be mated or whatever he was going to have to put up with her stubborn streak.

Hope wiggled out of bed and was back on the floor by the time Viper turned around again to recline in the loveseat.

"Hope!" His voice vibrated deep.

"What?" Hope fluttered her eyelashes in mock innocence.

Viper's chest rumbled as he marched back over and picked her up again. It didn't frighten her, not anymore, in fact if anything the sexy growling excited her.

Viper leaned over her as he tucked her in, making sure the blanket was snug around her so she'd have difficulty getting out of bed again. His bare chest looked so good, the muscles rippling. She wanted to rub up against him like a cat in heat, till she remembered his rejection.

Viper noted the frown on her face.

"If I lay in this bed with you, I won't be able to keep my hands to myself and I don't know if I could stop myself even if you asked me to." Viper said between clenched teeth.

Hope grinned to herself. She glanced down and noticed the bulge in his pants. God, the man was hung.

"Would that be so bad?" Hope asked as she looked him in the eye. She licked her lips, her mouth feeling dry.

Viper's piercing green eyes focused on her mouth for a moment before regaining his wits.

"I told you I would not."

Ugh! Damn gentleman. How many clues could she toss out at the man before he figured it out?

Viper smelled so wonderful as he leaned over her, bracketing her with his arms. Viper's face was serious, but he also looked pained.

Hope leaned forward and pressed her lips to his, gently pulling in his bottom lip, licking and nipping it tentatively.

Viper didn't move a muscle so Hope pulled away. She was practically throwing herself at the man.

"Hope I cannot control myself much longer." He groaned.

Good.

Hope thought about how it had been the last time they were together and almost groaned herself. She wanted to see Viper naked, but this time she wanted to touch him.

Hope suddenly had a wicked idea about how they could even the score between them. Viper held back because he made her a promise and didn't want to hurt her since she was 'delicate', but she had a solution for that if he was game.

Hope rolled away from Viper and the poor man practically wilted. The deflated look on his face made her almost give up her plan, but she didn't. After all the man had fucked her while she was chained up. Turn about is fair play.

"I know how to fix our problem."

"What do you mean?" Viper looked at her in confusion.

"You get a rope or something to restrain yourself to the bed. That way you'll be at my mercy. Then we'll be even and you can stop this drama."

"Drama! I mounted you against your will! There is no greater shame." Viper snarled.

He was an honorable man, too honorable.

"I may not be sold on this mating thing, but I do know how you can make it up to me." Hope smiled seductively at Viper as she knelt on the edge of the bed stared up at his dark rugged face.

He stood at the side of the bed looking conflicted, the muscle in his jaw flexing.

"This is what you wish? To get even?" Viper looked at her like she meant to torture him.

Perhaps she did a bit.

Hope watched as Viper walked over to his closet swaying in that sexy sinuous way he moved. He emerged with two sets of manacles. She almost forgot he had all his hunting and rescue gear in there.

"These should secure my arms to the bed." His voice was riddled with uncertainty as he lay down.

"That'll work." Hope smiled wickedly.

Viper hooked the end of the cuffs to either bed post, then stretched out and latched one around his wrist. Hope secured his other hand, but as she did, she leaned over him, placing her breasts teasingly in his face. That done she backed up and looked him over from head to toe. Viper was stretched out like an offering which was backwards since she was positive he was the sexy god in this scenario.

Viper wore skin-tight pants, no shoes or shirt. His corded arms spread eagle gave her an unhindered view of his bronze chest and washboard abs.

He was silent just staring at her as Hope perused his body.

"I think you are overdressed." Hope informed him.

Viper swallowed. He was obviously nervous. It was odd how having such a big dominant man at her mercy turned her on even more.

Hope trailed her hand slowly down Viper's chest towards his waist. The firm ridges of his abs rippled beneath her fingers.

"So strong." Hope crooned as she traced the peaks and valleys of his stomach.

Viper's breath stuttered as Hope ran her finger just inside his waistband, across the smooth skin and muscle just above his cock. She stroked the hard flesh, that had been getting bigger by the moment, through the material of his pants and Viper trembled. Hope flicked open the catch and pulled the edges back to reveal his straining cock.

He was so engorged it looked painful. Every ridge along his shaft stood out as it jutted from his pelvis.

"Very nice." She complimented the thick tool made for pleasure.

Viper was at a loss for words.

Looking at his hard shaft lit a fire inside her that made Hope's nipples burn and her clit pulse. She leaned forward and licked Viper's chest, then moved her mouth up towards his neck.

"You said you don't remember much."

"Not as much as I'd like." Viper husked.

Hope pulled her top off exposing her breasts.

"What about these?" She watched his skin color fluctuate. "Do you remember these?"

"Soft" Viper growled. His deep rumbling voice was super sexy.

Hope rubbed her tits against his vibrating chest, making her nipples harden further into tight points.

"Put your mouth on mine again Hope." Viper may have been chained, but he was ever the alpha male, making demands.

"Why, did you like that?" Hope asked as her hand stroked his stacked stomach. God, he was built! Even her palms tingled excited by the feel of him.

"Yes, I want to taste you." Viper growled, and she felt the vibration beneath her fingers.

Hope leaned forward and when she kissed him, Viper's tongue reached out and met hers. A delicious candied spice flavor burst across her tongue. The euphoric spicy chemical Viper exuded hit her like a freight train. Hope sucked him in suddenly ravenous. The sensation lit up her nervous system, making her moan as she thrust her tongue into Viper's mouth. Viper groaned as his tongue dueled with hers stoking her hunger and desire higher. Suddenly Hope desperately wanted to taste Viper everywhere.

It dawned on Hope that since Anguis females had fangs, Viper likely had never known certain pleasures. Although his talented tongue had certainly worked its magic on her. Hope released Viper's mouth much to his displeasure.

"Tell me Viper has a woman ever sucked your cock?" Hope asked him with a naughty smile. Viper's eyes grew wide but despite his shock his gaze smoldered at the thought.

"No I have...."

Hope put her hand on his mouth to silence him. 'No' was all she really needed to hear.

Hope kissed her way down his chest. It was free of nipples but had impressive pecs. She tongued the ridge between his stomach muscles before moving on to Viper's hips. Hope then pulled back because she was enjoying being a tease.