Odin sighed. “Yes, I suppose it can be fun. But—”
“Why do you want kids, if you don't think they'll be fun?” Viper interrupted.
Odin scowled at Viper.
“It's a simple question.”
“But the answer is far from simple,” Odin said. “Children are the physical representation of love. When I look at Vidar, I remember all the moments Sabine and I spent raising him. Loving him. We didn't just bring him to life, we also helped to form him into the man he became. He's a living monument to my life with Sabine. But Sabine is now Vervain, a completely different person. I have new memories with her, a new life, and it would . . .” Odin sighed. “It would mean everything to me to create a new child with her. I want to see Vervain in our child. I want another piece of her to hold and love. A pure piece that I can protect and guide and experience the worlds anew through. There is nothing like that.”
“Exactly.” Viper grinned in a veryyou're-welcomeway.
Odin's jaw dropped. He'd been led and hadn't noticed. That did not happen to him. Then he looked at me.
I had to blink back my tears.
“Oh, sweetheart, no.” Odin pulled me into his arms. “I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pressure you.”
“You didn't.” I hugged him. “That was just very sweet. I love you too, Odin.”
Odin relaxed around me, his huge body both my shield and support. I was safe there. And loved. I had been since the day I'd been born. And even before that.
Chapter Thirty
“Come here, Starlight,” Viper said, his voice low and sexy.
There was only moonlight to see by, but we both had excellent eyesight. I could see the striations in Viper's bright green snake eyes and the little lines in his full lips. Those lips lowered to mine, and I met them halfway. I hadn't realized how starved I was for him until that moment.
The image of Viper with a pitchfork in his belly flashed in my head. Cold burned through me. Cold fury that needed vengeance. No one hurt my Viper. The trickster was going to get more than a pitchfork in their belly.
The day I brought Viper home to Pride Palace, I lost Toby. Tobadzistsini, Lord of Darkness and Child of the Water. He had walked out on me. It was too much for him. I moaned losing his love, but Toby and I had never been destined for each other. We fell in love despite destiny. In my world, that wasn't enough.
To love me, you had to be solid in yourself. You had to know, without a doubt, that you were meant to be with me. With us. You had to be destined to be a part of our family. My magic could bond my husbands to me and each other, but fate is what brought us together. It's what keeps us together. And Viper had always been destined to love me.
He had waited for me in the Void. Viper had been an Atlantean who died in the fall. Instead of being reborn, he stayed in the Void. He sensed that I would come for him. And he waited. And waited. And waited. When I finally showed up, I was tainted by evil, my star infected by the god Ilmarinen. Viper had known. In the Void, things like that can't be hidden. But he believed in me. He was solid in his faith. He knew that he risked being taken by evil too. And still, he went with me. Viper took that risk because he knew our love would be epic. Dark or not, he had to be with me, and I had to be with him.
Did I regret losing Toby? No. I had let him go and made peace with his decision. That alone told me that what we had together never came close to what I shared with my husbands. I would never be able to let any of them go. I had tried to let Odin go once, and it destroyed the future. Destroyed. The. Future. That's how important my men and their love is.
But right then, I was focused on one man. My Star God. Plucked from the Heavens to stand beside me. To lie beside me. And atop me.
Viper groaned as he rolled onto me, bracing his big body on his forearms before sliding out of our kiss. His hot mouth latched onto my throat, thin snake fangs grazing my skin. I arched up against his hard belly. My nipples beaded against his. Every touch became a symphony of desire. A shiver rolled into an undulation. A caress led to a clench. A kiss turned into a lick.
“Viper!” I cried out, my hands clutching his short, dark hair to pull his face closer to my sex.
He chuckled against me, the vibrations sending me into another round of trembling. Pleasure winged out and up. I spread my legs wider. And then Viper was lapping at me. Thenflicking his tongue. He took his time to find the right cadence. And when he did, I sang for him.
Body arching and muscles locked up, I rushed into my orgasm with a bit of relief. I needed it desperately. And my Viper had known that I needed it from him. How lucky that this was his night. Or was it fate working in our lives again? There was some security in that, knowing that we were right where we were meant to be. Which was funny since I used to be so against destiny. I've grown up a bit, I suppose. And I learned that there are benefits to destiny. But I wouldn't get cocky this time. No, I was going to appreciate all I had.
As soon as Viper rose onto his forearms to enjoy the view of my release, I got up too. I grinned when his eyes went wide and used his surprise to push him onto his back. With a growl that came from all my beasts, I bent to lick his chest, right over one pert, pink nipple. Viper hissed, baring his fangs, but then retracted them with a click.
I headed lower.
Viper's big hands went to my head, fingers sliding into my hair, but he didn't grip me as I had him. Not even when I found my prize. He did, however, cry out.
“Oh, fuck!” Viper jerked, barely holding his hips down.
With him firmly enveloped, I let go of his base to spread my hands over his pelvis and dig in my fingers. Viper bucked, unable to hold back any longer. His dick surged up, and I loosened my throat to take him, simultaneously closing my lips around him. Pulling out got him another firm massage. But then I took over. I bobbed over him, one hand moving down to cup hisballs. Playing with them delighted my dragon, but she wanted more. I couldn't bring him into pleasure. Not like this.
Coming off his cock with a delightful pop, I rose onto my knees, then straddled Viper's waist. His hands went to my hips and his stare ate me up, eyes gleaming in the moonlight. He was so large but his hips were lean, allowing me to set my knees firmly on the mattress. And move.
