Viper's Defiant Mate (18 page)

Tina was showing him that he was the one meant for her. She was telling him in her own way that she trusted him to protect her, care for her, and be there for her. Viper could almost feel another thread connecting them as he realized the gift she was giving him.

“They pulled me around back and began beating me. I fought back, but it wasn’t much of a fight. What I had learned by reading books on boxing were nothing compared to the way they fought. They ripped at my clothes and threatened to carve their gang symbol into my skin,” she murmured. “What really got to me was they were laughing. They thought it was funny to hurt someone else. They thought it was cool to rape and kill. As I lay on the ground, they kept laughing and kicking me and taunting me. I realized that I didn’t like the world or the people in it very much anymore. They either hurt you or left you and I didn’t want any part of it.”

“What happened?” Viper asked in a voice devoid of emotion.

“Pearl happened,” Tina sniffed. “She was worried when I didn’t show up at the library. She was going to surprise me for making the honor roll and take me out to dinner to celebrate. She drove around back and saw what was happening. I spent two days in the hospital. When I was discharged, she packed everything up and we moved to San Diego. I took the test at the local community college and graduated with my high school diploma. A few months after we moved down, Toni showed up looking for a place to stay. Pearl took her in. What happened to me was nothing compared to what Toni had lived through.”

“But…” Viper encouraged.

Tina lifted the white cloth to wipe the tears that had escaped. “I guess I have to accept your surrender since I’m using your flag,” she laughed self-consciously.

Viper reached out and cupped Tina’s cheek. Turning her to face him, he leaned closer. He waited.

“But, those kids laughter wouldn’t go away,” she whispered. “I could hear it in my sleep. About a year ago, I went down to the local gym. I saw this guy fighting in a way I had never seen before. There were four guys coming at him and he was beating them all. I wanted to be able to do that. I never wanted to hear the laughter again. I… didn’t want to be broken any more.”

Viper leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to her lips. He waited until she returned the kiss with one of her own. The small, desperate touches of their lips spoke of a deeper need.

“I love you,” he whispered. “I was the one broken, but you have healed me. You have filled in the missing pieces that I didn’t even know were missing. Together….” He paused and looked deeply into her eyes. “Together we are whole.”

Tears glimmered in her eyes for a moment before she looked down at the crumbled white cloth. Her eyes flickered to the bouquet of flowers lying on the ground beside them. She gave a watery laugh and nodded to them.

“Are you giving me weeds again?” She teased, looking at him with a crooked smile.

“Yes,” he said reaching for them. “They are wild and beautiful and they stand up against the strongest wind. They remind me of you.”

“They’re beautiful,” she whispered, fingering a delicate bloom.

“Almost as beautiful as you,” he replied, lifting her chin with his finger. “I claim you as my mate, but I ask you to be my wife. Will you marry me, Tina, in the ceremony of your people, before your family and mine?”

Tina snorted and laughed, but nodded her head. “Yes,” she whispered. “Yes. I love you, Viper. I missed you.”

Viper pulled Tina into his arms until she was sitting on his lap. He held her like he would never let her go. Burying his face in her shoulder, he breathed in a deep, calming breath. They would take it slow. He would teach her about her new life and she would teach him how to not be an arrogant ass. The biggest thing was they would be together.

“Come on,” he suddenly said, sliding her off his lap so he could stand up.

Tina looked at him, startled, but placed her hand in his. “Where are we going?” She asked breathlessly when he bent to pick up the flowers and handed them to her.

“To plan our wedding,” Viper said with a huge grin. “This time, though, I don’t want to be lying on the floor.”

Tina grinned up at Viper as he carried her up the steps leading up to his forest home. By the time they reached the palace, Tina had decided that she didn’t want a big, elaborate wedding like her sister. She had stopped Viper and asked him if he would consider eloping.

His hot kiss after she explained what it meant told her he not only would consider it, but that he was definitely happier with the idea. They weren’t able to completely sneak away, though. Pearl came in as she was packing the clothes that Rosario had delivered for her. If she thought her grandmother was an amazing woman before, she knew it for certain when Pearl started throwing her clothes into the bag faster than she could.

“That boy loves you,” Pearl snorted. “I could see his smitten face the first time he saw you.”

Tina shook her head as she dumped additional items into the bag. “He’s not a boy, grandma,” she laughed.

Pearl grinned. “I know that, but it irritates the hell out them when you call them that. Vox’s face turns this really funny shade of blue. I swear he looks like he’s about ready to blow a gasket whenever I call him it,” she chuckled.

Tina paused as she stared at Pearl for a long moment. “You’re happy we came, aren’t you?” She asked in a soft voice.

Pearl’s eyes softened as she gazed back at Tina. “You’re damn right I’m glad,” she said. "To see you and Riley happy, to be a gram, to know that both you girls will be safe and cared for is all I ever wanted. I know I wasn't the perfect mom, but I loved your mother. I tried to fix the mistakes I made with her. I'm glad I lived long enough to see this."

Tina laid her hand on Pearl's arm in concerned. "Are you okay?" She asked, unable to keep the concern out of her voice. "I know you had some doctor's appointments recently. You said that it was just a normal check up."

Pearl chuckled and patted Tina's hand. "I'm a tough old bird," she said as she turned to pick up a beautiful night gown. "You don't want to forget this."

Tina blushed and snatched it out of her grandmother's hand. Carefully folding it, she couldn't stop the excited smile that curved her lips. No, she didn't want to forget it, even if she was hoping she wouldn't get a chance to wear it.

*.*.*

Three hours later, Viper paused outside the small home he had built in the thick forests an hour outside of the Sarafin capital city. He had built the rustic home by hand, needing the time between missions to decompress. He enjoyed working with his hands in the solitude of the woods. The beauty of the massive trees, thick vegetation, and abundance of wildlife always gave him a sense of calm. There were times when he would spend days in the form of his cat, roaming the forests and enjoying the freedom and agility of his primitive side.

He smiled down at Tina's excited face. He decided to use one of his air bikes instead of a shuttle for their journey. Pearl's eyes had held the same excitement when she saw it. He had cringed when he first saw Pearl as she was carrying a large bag over her shoulder. He had been afraid that she planned on going with them. Both women had laughed at the undisguised relief on his face when he discovered she was merely helping Tina carry her luggage. She had surprised him by reaching up and kissing his cheek before giving Tina a big hug and telling her not to worry about Ruby. She would love to chicken sit until their return.

"It isn't as big as my rooms back at the palace," he said nervously as the door opened. “I can add on to it if you wish.”

Tina tenderly turned his face toward her. “We don’t need more room… for a little while,” she added shyly.

A low purr escaped him as her meaning sank in. While he would love to start a family eventually, he wanted to spend time with Tina alone first. There was a lot he wanted to show her, starting with their bedroom upstairs.

“I’ll get our bags off the air bike later,” he murmured in a husky tone filled with desire. “We won’t be needing them for a while.”

“I like that idea,” Tina whispered, burying her head in his shoulder.

Viper turned to the left and climbed the staircase that wrapped around the outer edge of the foyer. His eyes swept proudly over the dark wood finish of the stairs and the lighter wood of the walls. He had cleared the minimum number of trees to build the house. Every bit of the lumber came from the trees he harvested. In return, he had planted additional trees around the house.

The trees were fast growing, adding almost four feet per year in height. The average tree was slightly over sixteen hundred cubic meters in diameter. Their thick branches, evenly spaced out, made for a cat’s playground. He had sanded and polished the boards until they glistened with a mirror reflection. Each corner piece had been fitted by hand. The bannister was one of his proudest achievements. He had carved each section to represent a different time period in the Sarafin history. The oldest at the top and moving down to the most current.

“It’s beautiful,” Tina murmured.

Viper gave her a tender smile. “Thank you. I did it myself,” he confessed. “It is one of the things I am the most proud of. It is a chance to create, instead of destroy.”

He knew Tina could see the haunted look in his eyes. He had killed, a lot. He was an assassin, a spy, a servant to his people and his King. It mattered not to him if that King were family or not. What mattered was the safety of his world. When it was in danger, he struck out and he struck hard. He would not give those that threatened it another chance.

That responsibility had been one reason it had taken a little longer than he wanted to bring Tina here. His responsibility came even before his own wants and desires. He had met briefly with Vox and explained what he had found. He had hidden the scroll here for safe keeping. A part of him was relieved that Vox had known about the legend. He, Titan, and their cousin, Banu, had learned about it from Titan’s mother, Illana, his aunt.

Vox explained that Illana related a tale of four brothers who were the first rulers of Sarafin. One ruled the forest kingdom, one ruled the city near the ocean, one ruled the desert kingdom, and one ruled the ancient city as its guardian. She explained that the gods had divided their world so none was more powerful than the others, but together they would be practically invincible.

“She said that each symbol had to be placed together for the location of the
Heart of the Cat
to be found,” Vox explained during their brief meeting. “I have Titan and Walkyr working on it.”

Viper wasn’t completely convinced that the only way to find the
Heart of the Cat
was through the symbol on the heirs. Something told him there had been another way. A way that had been hidden in the scroll that the cleric had died protecting.

Viper shook his head, refocusing on the present. Vox had turned the investigation over to Titan and his brother. He was ready to let it go. He would give Walkyr the scroll and tell him what he knew in a few days when they returned to the palace for more supplies. Right now, right now, he had been given an order by his King to enjoy himself. That was one order that he would not argue about.

“Welcome to your new home,” he said as he set Tina on her feet in their bedroom.

He chuckled when she turned in his arms and pulled his head down toward her. It would appear she had been given the same order as he had. His tongue swept between her parted lips. She met him with a matching passion. A low groan escaped him when he felt her hands working at the buttons of shirt.

“I need a shower,” he mumbled, pulling the shirt she was wearing from the waistband of her pants.

“Good idea,” she muttered as she stepped back to undo the rest of his shirt. “I always wanted to know what it would be like to make love in a shower.” She paused to look up at him with a raised eyebrow. “As long as it is bigger than a telephone booth.”

“Telephone booth?” He asked with a look of confusion.

“Never mind,” she whispered, watching as he shrugged his shirt off. “With you, even a telephone booth would be exciting.”

A chuckle escaped Viper. He had no idea what she was talking about, but if she thought it would be exciting, he was willing to try it.”

It didn’t take long for them to shed their clothes. They had finally given up on undressing each other to undress themselves in their impatience. He jumped when he felt a sharp smack to his ass. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw Tina’s eyes dancing with mischief and invitation. His eyes darkened in response. If she wanted to get a little ‘frisky’ he was more than willing to accommodate her.

Turning quickly, he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her up against his hard body. He could see the surprise in her eyes. She had forgotten just how strong he was.

“Viper,” she whispered huskily against his lips.

“You are mine, Tina,” he said in a voice filled with need. “My cat wants his mate. He needs her.”

“How?” She started to say looking at him in confusion, before clearing her throat. “How?”

“I will teach you,” he promised, wrapping his arms around her. “Just accept them.”

Tina nodded. She wasn’t sure what was about to happen, but she had opened her heart and given it to Viper unconditionally. Pearl’s Rule Number Ten fit this situation better than anything she had ever experienced before and made her wonder if her grandmother had somehow known that this might happen one day. Was she ready for this? Yes. Yes, she was and she was going to go for it with everything inside her.

Yes,
a low, soft purr whispered.

“What?!” She gasped, looking at Viper in surprise.

“Accept her,” he whispered, drawing her forward into the large shower with him.

Tina nodded as she tried to focus on the voice she had heard in her head. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply, trying to listen. What she saw wasn’t the darkness that she normally encountered. This time she saw the faint form shifting in the inky blackness. Focusing harder, she felt like she was moving through space. For a moment, all she saw was the shadowy image, but as she moved closer, she saw a glimmer of… gold.

Who are you?
She thought, trying to understand who the figure of the woman was and what she was doing.

Welcome,
the golden figure whispered back, rising from where she had been kneeling.

Who are you?
Tina asked again, confused.

The figure tilted her head to look down at Tina. She knew what the human was thinking. It was a thought that was often associated with her. Turning, the figure waved her hand down over the darkened shape lying at her feet. A swirling wave of gold dust floated down, turning and dancing as if caught in a whirlwind. As the dust settled, the dark shape slowly rose. Tina stood stunned. She knew that shape. She recognized the dark brown hair and matching eyes. Only these eyes had pupils that were elongated, like a cat.

A gift to you, human,
the golden figure answered with a smile.
A gift to you and your warrior.

Who…
Tina opened her eyes and blinked up at Viper as the whispered name of the golden Goddess flowed through her as the figure disappeared. He was standing still, watching her with dark, knowing eyes. A smile curved his lips when her lips parted and they said the name of the figure together in one breath.

“Aikaterina.”

Viper gazed down into the eyes of his mate. Eyes that were the same and yet different. Dark brown eyes with the pupils of her cat.

“Come to me,” he commanded as he shifted right there in the shower.

*.*.*

Tina blinked in surprise. The shower suddenly seemed bigger. She shook her head and sneezed. Raising a paw to her nose, she wiped at it.

Paw,
she thought suddenly, freezing.

Looking down, she raised her paw and turned it over. She bent her head and brushed the tip of her nose against it before jerking back in shock. In wonder, she put it down onto the cold tile of the shower and watched as the water ran around it. Picking it up, she held it over the water before touching the floor again.

She turned when she felt a slight nudge against her shoulder. Turning, she stared in shock at Viper. His huge black cat was sitting under the pouring fountain of water watching her. Out of the corner of her eyes, Tina caught sight of a long slender tail brush over his shoulder and back. She focused and the tail moved until it was curling at the end around Viper’s muzzle.

A low rumble escaped her when he turned and nipped it with his long, sharp teeth. Surprised by the touch of pain, along with the pleasure, she stared back at him in uncertainty. He must have realized that she didn’t know what to do next.

He rose and pushed on the glass door of the shower. He stood for a moment, looking back at her. Understanding that he wanted her to follow him, she glanced up at the water falling from the shower head one more time before she stepped cautiously out of the shower.

The moment the door closed behind her, the flow of water decreased until it turned off. She turned back to look at Viper and tilted her head. The huge black cat stepped up to her and ran its long, rough tongue down along her jaw in reassurance before he turned and stepped toward the double doors that led out onto a small balcony.

Tina watched in amazement as the doors parted and Viper padded out onto the balcony and jumped up onto it. She hesitated for a moment before she followed. Not sure of her balance yet, she rose on her hind legs and placed her front paws on the wide ledge.