A Conquest Like No Other (9 page)

“And he was an asshole about it
too!” Nikki added. “He had her in tears more than anything else in the first
few weeks.”

“I can understand that,” Jewel
agreed. “Out of them all, he’s the most intense. He hides his emotions from
everyone, except when he’s pissed off. Then he’ll happily display them for all
to see.”

“Yes, we’ve noticed,” Nikki
muttered, still annoyed at the treatment her friend had endured at the hands of
her mate.

“Have you also noticed that Viper
tends to be the opposite?” Jewel asked before continuing. “He wears his
happiness for all to see, even if it’s fake. But his anger is controlled,
hidden until he’s ready to attack.”

“And Judge plays the role of
teenager well, flirting with anything and everything, but that’s all an act
too,” Gabby added. “Chaos, I have yet to work out. He appears to be the
brooding type, hiding away in his kitchen more often than not.”

“Yep, that sounds about right,”
Jewel conceded, sadness in her eyes. “So, Nikki, how did you and Viper meet?
Was it through Gabby and Devil?”

A chill ran up Nikki’s spine at
the memory of her first meeting with Viper. The vile smell of the warehouse
still haunted her. “Sort of. Gabby and I got kidnapped by the dipshit who
murdered Gabby’s
half brother
. When the guys came to
the rescue, they discovered Gabby was pregnant and it turns out that Viper also
discovered I was his mate. That I only found out about this morning.”

“Holy shit,” Jewel exclaimed, her
green eyes widening as she looked from Nikki to Gabby. “I think I’m definitely
going to like hanging out with you two. Never a dull moment, by the sounds of
it.”

“How do you feel about Viper
being your mate, Nik?” Gabby asked, looking concerned.

“Now that I know, things seem to
make sense,” Nikki answered honestly. “My body responded to him from the moment
I woke after the incident at the warehouse. It terrified me. Then he came to
the house, claiming to want to get to know me because we were now family. Of
course my body wanted him to be more than family. I wanted him in my bed, which
both confused me and scared me. I felt
…
safe with him, and he managed to vanquish thoughts
of Paul.”

“Why am I only finding out about
this now?” Gabby asked, hurt evident in her blue eyes.

“How was I supposed to tell you
about an attraction I had for your new brother-in-law, when I thought he was
just attempting to be nice and welcoming me into the family? It was
embarrassing, and I didn’t want to screw up what you had just found with your
new family by throwing myself at someone who didn’t reciprocate my feelings.”

Gabby tucked a section of blonde
hair behind one ear. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about your connection to
Viper, Nik. Devil assured me Viper had a plan to ensure you wouldn’t get hurt
or scared. And in a way it has worked if you’re okay with his presence.”

“Yes and no!” Nikki replied,
looking down at her hands. “The sense of security and rightness I feel with him
is intense, but there’s still fear. I just wish I could have dealt with the
fear before I met Viper. Then I wouldn’t be hurting him like I am by making him
wait.”

“Honey, I don’t think you could
have dealt with it without him. The fact that you are allowing him this close
to you says a lot about how much trust you have in him already,” Gabby
reassured.

“It’s obviously the mating bond
at work.”

“That’s bullshit, Nik, and you
know it. With anyone else, you would have pushed them away, not allowing them
to get close,” Gabby challenged. “Viper is the first man you have let into your
circle since your attack. And while the mating bond may have played a role in
bringing you two together, it has nothing to do with the trust you have in
him.”

Chapter
Eleven

Nikki was still thinking about
Gabby’s comment as she ate the risotto Viper had ordered. It was a meal that
had been one of her childhood favorites. She vaguely remembered mentioning it
to him in one of their previous conversations, but she didn’t think he would
store something as innate as that away in his memory banks. Surely he had more
important information to retain than the meal she’d coveted often from her
mother. But then again it spoke true of what little she knew of the man.

In the last couple of weeks, she
had shared more about herself with Viper than she had with Paul, who she had
dated for over a year. Paul had been more interested in fucking her than truly
knowing her. Viper, on the other hand, had done nothing but take care of her,
feed her, offer her light with his company instead of the darkness that usually
haunted her. And now he’d opened up his home when danger threatened her. For a
man who had given her so much, she realized that he had also given so little.
She barely knew anything about him.

It was time to alter that, but
firstly she needed to clear something that had been niggling at her since their
conversation that morning. “Can I ask you something?”

“Of course, sweetheart. Ask
away,” came his instant reply.

“You didn’t seem happy about us
being mates when we first met. Is that because you aren’t attracted to me, or
is it because of my past?” It was an answer she needed before she could even
consider opening herself further to this man.

Her question had Viper moving. He
got up from the table and walked around to her. Crouching down, he grabbed her
hands and said, “Never doubt my attraction to you. And as for your past, it
makes you who you are. My own warrior princess, which is what you technically
would be if we mated. My hesitation has everything to do with my past, not
yours.”

“How so?” she asked. “And wait, a
princess?”

“Yes, a princess,” he replied,
laughing before turning serious once again. “I’ll explain everything, but maybe
we should adjourn to the sofa first. This story requires comfort.”

She took his offered hand.
Pulling her up, he led her to the sofa, guiding her to one end of the large
leather settee. He placed himself on the other end before grabbing one of her
feet. It wasn’t the first foot massage he had given her, but it was the first
one where she wouldn’t be able to push him out the door before pleasuring
herself.

As he manipulated every nerve
ending within her foot, she could see that he was gathering his thoughts. His
face was void of emotion and when he spoke, his voice was strong but he refused
to look at her.

“A very long time ago, before
time had been given a unit, I lived within my father’s kingdom. I was next in
line to the throne, married with a child on the way.” This comment had him
finally making eye contact. As if trying to ease her mind about previously
having a mate, he spoke his next words while looking at her. “Maya and I grew
up together. We were childhood friends before we discovered that we were
destined to be mates. Our love for each other was borne out of friendship, and
that alone. The passion I feel for you in my whole being exceeds anything I
have ever felt before. The very thought of you has me hard.”

 
Her pussy responded by weeping, while her
heart filled with some unexpected emotions. Surprised by the jealousy and
possessiveness that swamped her, she pushed the foreign emotions aside and
said, “Tatts, I would never deny you your memories or your past, just as I hope
you would return the favor. It sounds like what you and Maya had was special.
Something many people never get to experience in their lifetime. Why would I
ever want you to renounce such a thing? I just hope it wasn’t her who hurt
you.”

“Aww, sweetheart, you have no
idea how special you are. Few would be as understanding as you,” he replied,
reapplying pressure to her left foot. “And to answer your question, no it wasn’t
Maya, but my own brother. Though I doubt many people know him to be the guilty
party.”

Viper’s gaze once again was aimed
elsewhere. His eyes became distant as if he were in another time. His next
comment proved that he was. “I still remember it as if it were yesterday. Maya
had been experiencing horrid sickness, so we retired to bed early. I myself
felt quite weary, which had us thinking it was an illness, not the sickness
that accompanied pregnancy. Anyway the next thing I knew, I woke in a pool of
blood. It was not my own, but Maya’s. Even in my sleepy state, I was able to
call for help. It wasn’t until the guards arrived that I realized I was holding
a bloody dagger. The very weapon that had killed Maya and my unborn child. In
my heart I knew I wasn’t guilty of taking my mate’s life. It just isn’t
possible to do such a thing. Unfortunately, given that all the evidence pointed
toward me, my father had no choice but to order my death.”

Her hand flew to her mouth as a
gasp escaped past her lips. “You mean, your brother murdered Maya and pinned
the blame on you? Why would he do such a thing?”

“He had always been jealous of
the fact that I was to be next king, a title he wanted for himself. I think the
fact that Maya and I announced her pregnancy a couple of days prior culminated
in his actions. With both myself and my heir dead, he would gain the crown. A
fact that he gloated about in the cell I was held in as my execution was being
arranged.”

“That bastard!” Nikki yelled,
trying to sit up, but Viper held on to her foot. “How could your father have
been so blind?”

“We were all blind to his true
evilness.”

“But I thought you could see
auras? Don’t they speak of a person’s emotions?”

“Yes, but unfortunately, I
discovered, again through my brother’s gloating, that he had been practicing
the dark arts to hide his true feelings. Like all magic users, there are good
and bad. He, unfortunately for my people, chose the bad.”

“Why would you say that? Why
unfortunately for your people
?”

“Because my father was ready to
step down and hand over the reins. My brother would have been handed them. I
have met many
fae
on this realm, all here to escape
his rule.”

 
Her fisted hand ran over her heart as it wept
at the injustice he had suffered at the hands of his family. “But how are you
still here if you were to be executed?”

“I was executed by my father’s
order, but as I approached death I was met by the Gods. They offered me a
chance to protect others from such injustice dealt in the name of greed. It was
when I met Devil, Judge and Chaos. In terms of history, we are often referred
to as the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.”

Straightening, her whole body
leaned forward as if trying to get a closer look at the man massaging her foot.
“Holy crap, you’re those guys. Who are you? Death, no that’s probably Devil.
What about Conquest, War or Famine, which one are you?”

“Before I tell you, I must
explain that the Four Horsemen was a story created by my brothers and myself.”

“Why create such a story?”

“We began losing the fight
against greed when the idea of profit was introduced, so we created a myth in
the hope that it would have the humans considering the consequences of their
actions before they acted. The myth seemed to grow as a rolling snowball does,
compliments of the humans’ imaginations.”

“So the names aren’t real?”

“They were chosen by us as a
reminder of what greed could create. But each name held true to our natures as
well. Though our actions were borne from seeing justice served and the
protection of the innocent rather than greed, our choices could have easily
seen a more negative result. Our chosen names were a warning, not only to
humans, but us as well. They were meant to remind us of what could happen if we
allowed the power bestowed upon us to go to our heads,” Viper explained as his
fingers continued to work their magic. “I was called Conquest in the stories,
because I was known for my strategic thinking and refusal to give up. Once I
had a mission, I continued on that path until the outcome was to my liking.”

Thinking about what Viper had
just revealed, she asked, “Am I one of your conquests?” She couldn’t help but
hold her breath, waiting for the answer.

Viper seemed to recognize the
importance to their future relationship. He held her gaze as he spoke his next
words. “Sweetheart, you are the most important conquest I have faced.
Everything I have done was in practice for meeting you. To lose you would be an
unthinkable outcome. You are the reason I have continued to walk this earth.
Though I knew nothing of your existence, I now can concede that I have fought
to live this long for you. You are the gravity that holds me to this earth, and
without you I wouldn’t exist. I ask you to give our mating bond a chance. Don’t
reject it because of your past, like I nearly did. I couldn’t stand the idea of
opening myself up, only to be alone again, so I decided that I would prefer to
remain a playboy. It wasn’t until I spent time with you that I realized how
lonely I had truly been over the years.”

His words and the sincerity in
his voice had tears threatening to fall. But she knew she needed to be strong.
While he asked her to give their mating bond a chance, she suspected what he
was really asking was for her to accept him. His body was held stiff waiting
for her answer. Her mind demanded she do something to ease his masked anxiety.
Her need to comfort his man overrode her fear and mistrust.

“Tatts, I think I can understand
better than most how hard it is to open yourself up to being hurt. Hell, I
can’t guarantee that I’m still capable of trusting anyone of your gender,” she
admitted. “But I will try.”

“That’s all I ask, sweetheart,”
he said, slumping back into the sofa. His gaze hardened before adding, “Though
I’ll be honest. I’m not sure I like the idea of you opening yourself up to any
man but me.”

“And there’s the caveman!” she
said, pulling her foot from his hold. She stood, placed her hands on her hips
and attempted to appear angry at his statement. Though in truth, his
possessiveness had her pussy leaking, soaking her shorts through her bathing
suit.

“I’m not that old.” His hand was
on his heart as if she had wounded him. His eyes told another story.

“You’re still ancient by anyone’s
standards, Tatts,” she teased.

“You little imp! I’ll give you
ancient!” he said, racing after her. She placed the sofa between them. “You’re
making it harder on yourself, running from me like that.”

As she stepped out of his reach,
she replied, “Who’s running, old man? Old age has made you slow.”

Suddenly, her thoughts flicked to
a beach. The sound of the waves lapping at the sand filled her ears as she lay
sunning herself on a towel. Beside her lay Viper, the sun highlighting the
yellow pigment in his brown eyes. His arms suddenly wrapped around her, his
voice in her ear.

“Now who’s slow, sweetheart?”

“Huh?”

“Open your eyes.”

His comment confused her because
she had no memory of shutting them. But still she obeyed, lifting her eyelids.
Viper’s quarters filled her vision. “How?”

“How what?” he asked, pulling her
into his body. “How are you here, when only a moment ago you were lying beside
me on a beach?”

“Yes.”

“
Fae
magic. With a mere thought I can invoke any emotion. Even to the extent of
killing a person with their own living nightmare.”

“Wow, now that’s a skill that
would come in handy!”

“True, but I would rather take a
man down with my hands. It’s more satisfying that way,” he said.

Staring into his eyes, she felt
connected with him for the first time. His arms were around her, but she felt
no fear, only desire. As if reading her mind, Viper’s head moved closer to her,
his lips stopping just short of hers.

“I’m going to kiss you,
sweetheart. Say
no
now
if I’m moving too fast.”

She had no way of denying this
man. Closing the gap, she kissed him for the first time. Their lips met as
electricity raced through her veins. His body relaxed and his arms tightened
around her. He allowed her a few seconds to explore before he took charge of
the kiss.

His tongue probed her lips, which
opened willingly for him. Her tongue entwined with his as soon as it entered
her mouth. His exotic taste danced across her taste buds, teasing them,
enticing them. Nothing could compare. His taste was like nothing she had
sampled before.

All thoughts vanished when Nikki
felt Viper’s hand in her hair. He tugged at it, angling her head to his liking.
She was held prisoner against his hard body, and she couldn’t have imagined any
other place she would rather be in that moment.

He pulled away from her lips,
eliciting a disappointed moan from her until his hand came up, smoothing the strands
of hair that escaped his grip. “Sweetheart, while I would love for this to
continue, you’re not ready. And I refuse to use your hormones to gain advantage
over you. I need you to give yourself to me freely. But that not only includes
your body, but your heart and mind. Trust is a part of that. Without it we will
have nothing.”