Spider

by T E kessler

  She turned her head, but the space in the bed next to her was empty. She couldn’t remember if Yash had slept there or not. She reached over to feel his warmth, but the bed felt cold. She raised up on one elbow. The space next to her looked unruffled and unslept-in.

  ‘I’ve had food brought up,’ Yash said from across the room.

  Beth sat up, letting the duvet fall and gather in her lap. She felt her stomach flutter at the sight of Yash, but he had his back to her. Her body was reacting to him, behaving in a way she didn’t fully understand. She should hate him for what he’d done to her last night, but the opposite felt true. She was disappointed he hadn’t made love to her, and even worried that she’d dissatisfied him in some way. She watched as he placed dishes of food on the table, and the smell of bacon wafted over to her.

  ‘Can’t we have breakfast in bed?’ she asked, pushing out her chest and liking how her nipples puckered against the cooler air in the room. She wanted to entice Yash back to bed.

  ‘I’ve had your bag brought here,’ Yash tossed over his shoulder; he still hadn’t looked at her. ‘There’s a robe on the chair to your left,’ he added.

  Beth stared at him, disappointed, as he busily stacked his plate with bacon and eggs from steaming dishes. Beth looked over and saw a dark robe. Feeling herself pout, she reached over and grabbed it and slipped it on over her naked body. Like the dress, it fit her perfectly.

  She moved towards the table where Yash was seated. The table was laden with food of different varieties: fruit, bacon, sausages, waffles, eggs, and pancakes, which all smelled heavenly.

  Yash had piled a plate with bacon and waffles and tipped a small silver jug of maple syrup over it. He put the plate on the table and indicated she should sit down. ‘Eat,’ he commanded, pointing to the plate he’d filled.

  She noticed her holdall and handbag on the loveseat. Yash must have had it brought up to her this morning. She knew she should check her phone but preferred Yash to take her in his arms.

  It was as though she’d been taken over by a shameless harlot.

  Beth sat at the table she had been lashed over last night. She immediately groaned. Her ass felt taut and sore against the hardness of the chair.

  Yash jerked a thumb behind him. ‘Grab a cushion.’ He spoke with no embarrassment as if he offered cushions to women he’d beaten all the time. She sidled past him to the loveseat, brushing his shoulder purposely with her arm. She wanted to touch him and to feel the warmth of his skin. But he ignored her sly touch. She grabbed a cushion, then sat back down at the table feeling sulky. She picked up a knife and fork as Yash reached for the coffee jug. He poured two coffees and pushed one along to her, followed by the sugar bowl and milk jug. He’d drunk his coffee before she’d stirred in her milk. It was as if he was in a hurry to get rid of her.

  She glanced at him, and when he looked at her, she offered a small smile.

  He frowned and placed his coffee down.

  Beth was torn between begging him to finish what he started last night and to getting home to her mum. She wondered what time it was. The light was pushing in between the curtains confirming it was morning.

  ‘So, I’ve decided,’ Yash said, breaking into her thoughts, ‘I’ll accept your one-sided deal: your scrawny body against my team of men finding your sister.’

  ‘Accept? It’s already been agreed! Two nights with you, and one night is already completed!’ she said, and all at once any romantic thoughts toward Yash vanished from her mind. It was as if, with that one short sentence, he’d lifted the hypnotic spell he held over her. Beth was disgusted with the way her mind had imaged herself in love with him. She suddenly needed a hot bath to scrub herself clean.

  Beth forked bacon into her mouth angrily. The sweetness of the syrup and the salt of the bacon made it a delicious combination. She glanced up at Yash and spied on him as he ate. He shovelled food into his mouth as if without tasting. He lowered his fork and reached for a piece of toast. He tore it in half and popped one half into his mouth, then, still chewing, stood up and pointed to her holdall.

  ‘Take out all the items I asked for regarding Lara and leave them on the table.’ He jerked his head at the food. ‘Finish your breakfast. I’ll be back in an hour to take you back to your car.’

  She watched him from guarded eyes as he left. A key turned in the lock behind him.

  ‘One night down, one more to go,’ she said to herself. She sat back in the chair and looked at the ceiling. She closed her eyes. Ridiculously, she felt close to tears. She’d lain on this very table and had her arse whipped by a man—a Jelvia—she barely knew. Then he’d been strangely gentle with her, making her feel safe and cossetted before taking her across his knee and spanking her. The feelings he’d caused, what he called subspace, had been liberating—no, it was more than that. She felt… rescued.

  Standing with a groan, she went over to her holdall. Her handbag was sitting on top of it, and she unzipped it and took out her phone. Her eyes went immediately to the time. It was 6.25 a.m. She had a message from her dad, sent in the early hours of this morning, and another message from Colin that he’d sent several hours after the last one she had ignored.

  She opened her dad’s message first.

  I hope you’re OK.

  She didn’t reply, knowing she’d be home soon and he’d be in bed. She opened Colin’s first text.

  Harry came back to the Dog last night. You missed him by 15 mins. He’s asked for your number, but I didn’t give it. I think he still has feelings for you!!

  Fuck, Harry! Why now?

  Rubbing her forehead, she opened Colin’s second message, sent to her just before midnight last night.

  Sorry, love, this is a head’s up. Harry’s been asking the regulars and staff, and I think he knows where you live.

  Suddenly, the image of Harry came to her—his tall, slender frame; floppy blond hair; smiley eyes; wide smile; and ridiculously long arms and big hands—and Beth wanted nothing more than to be wrapped in those arms.

  She composed herself and pushed her phone away. Then she unzipped her holdall. As soon as it was open, she could tell that her bag had been searched. The contents, although returned to her bag neatly, were not where she had them. Her makeup bag was at the bottom of the bag and not in the inside pocket. Her clean underwear and toiletries had been taken from their clear plastic bag and were now in the side pocket.

  She looked back in her handbag. Yes, that too had been searched.

  Disturbed more than angry, she pulled out the folder that contained all the information about Lara. She laid it on the table. Then, taking her bag, she took herself to the bathroom, where she washed Yash’s scent from her body. She didn’t use any of the smellies on display—she used her own. She was determined to get back to normal. She was sure, once she was home, her sensibilities would return.

  TWENTY-FOUR

  The earlier euphoria was gone.

  She was back on earth with a splat—not a bump. She felt drained of all emotion. Empty. She’d dressed back in the clothes she had arrived in and was seated at the table with her bag by her feet when Yash came in. He ignored the folder on the table and just stood at the door.

  ‘Let’s go,’ he said.

  He didn’t offer to carry her holdall. Beth followed him down the wide staircase and into the vast hall below. Downstairs was bathed in light from the wide window, which Beth could now see was made up of several large windows.

  One of the doors leading off from the hall—one that had been closed last night—was slightly ajar. Yash glanced at her. ‘Wait there,’ he said, then walked over and pushed it open.

  Beth stood by the windowed door, trying not to look impatient as Yash poked his head around the door.

  ‘When did you get back?’ she heard him ask. Curiosity urged Beth forward, but she couldn’t see around Yash’s huge bulk.

  ‘Just now,’ Beth heard a deep voice reply.

  ‘Any word on Aldarn?’ Yash asked.

  The
man on the other side of the door sighed deep and long, then, ‘Yes, and it’s not good news. The bullet has further damaged his brain. He now thinks we’re aliens!’

  ‘Fuck, what? Seriously?’

  ‘Seriously. He’s gibbering on about how we came to Earth five-odd years ago to obliterate the human race—’

  ‘Hang on,’ Yash said and turned to look over his shoulder at her.

  Beth looked out of the window and pretended she wasn’t interested in what he and the other Jelvia was saying. And she wasn’t interested. All she wanted was to go home and forget all this ever happened.

  The door closed and she turned around. Yash had stepped through it and had closed the door on her.

  Beth looked up and down the hallway, wondering if she should just make her own way to her car, but then remembered Yash had her keys. She tried to slide open the glass door anyway, but the small flashing red light indicated it was locked. Turning, she stepped towards the door Yash had disappeared behind and pressed her ear against it.

  Not interested, eh?

  ‘—thinks we’re aliens and we came here, apparently, several years ago. He doesn’t believe we evolved from simple primates like humans.’

  ‘And this is all caused by a bullet?’ asked Yash.

  ‘That and his previous head injuries. He’s a mess, Yash. He says our memories are falsely implanted.’

  ‘What does the committee say?’

  ‘They want him back to the islands. I’m still hiding him here, but I don’t know for how much longer. Once he’s back over there, they’ll terminate him.’

  ‘Is he worth getting into trouble for?’ asked Yash. ‘You can’t go against the committee, Calder.’

  ‘I can’t give up on him. Narcifer doesn’t want to give up on him either, and Courtney certainly doesn’t.’

  Beth’s heart thumped at the mention of Courtney’s and Narcifer’s names. It certainly sounded as if Courtney was as deeply involved with Jelvias as Macy—if not more!

  ‘Fucking Courtney,’ Yash said. ‘If it weren’t for her, Al wouldn’t be in this predicament. The sooner we eradicate humanity, the better.’

  ‘Does that go for the little playthings you bring home each time? Who is it this time? A blonde?’

  ‘It keeps the committee out of my head.’

  There was a short laugh—she didn’t think it came from Yash. ‘And that’s the reason you’re not a Sward,’ the other voice said. Whoever it was, it hadn’t sounded pleased with Yash admitting the committee was on his mind.

  It sounded like whatever this committee was, she was Yash’s distraction—along with many others! How many other women had he terrified and beaten?

  There was a noise of a chair scraping across a hard floor, and Beth moved back quickly. She was just in time, because the door opened and Yash came out. He eyed her suspiciously, but said, ‘Let’s go.’

  Beth followed him, glowering at his back. His shoulders, his arms, even his forearms were huge. She was beginning to realise how lucky she was. After last night, she was fortunate to be able to walk away without injury. He could have easily beaten her to death.

  ‘Hurry up!’ Yash barked at her as he strode outside, and Beth quickened her pace.

  Outside, the expanse of land looked immense. The grass was trimmed, but there were only a few trees dotted around, and no flower beds or shrubs.

  They walked around to the front of the house towards a black car. This time there wasn’t a driver. Yash circled to the driver’s side and climbed in, leaving her to climb into the passenger’s side. Without waiting for her to fasten her seat belt, he turned on the engine and, spitting gravel, zoomed off up the winding driveway.

  The gates opened just in time before their car flashed through, although Beth had closed her eyes instinctively, expecting impact. She opened them, letting out a breath of relief that they had passed through without incident.

  She shifted in her seat, wanting to reach out to Yash. He might be a brute, but he’d done something to her last night that she’d never forget. She felt bruised and sore, but mentally she felt purged. It was a strange feeling.

  ‘I’m sorry if you’ve received bad news,’ she said at last.

  His hands tightened on the steering wheel. ‘What did you hear?’ he demanded.

  ‘Nothing!’

  ‘Are you sure?’

  Sighing, knowing he’d not let her out of the car until she revealed something, she said, ‘Just something about Aldarn and a bullet damaging his brain. I heard Courtney and Narcifer’s names, but that’s all, I swear. I’m not interested in you or your other stupid Jelvian friends. All I want is for you to find my sister! And believe me, I’m paying you bloody highly for that!’

  She knew she shouldn’t be raising her voice to him, but she couldn’t help it. She wasn’t frightened of him anymore. He was just a man with a weird fetish. He wouldn’t kill her. He could have done so many times, so she knew she was safe from him.

  ‘Not high enough, in my opinion,’ he said. ‘Maybe I’ll spice up the final instalment. Introduce a bit of bondage, or maybe ask my “stupid Jelvian friends” to take it in turns to fuck you.’

  Beth paled. She knew she shouldn’t have said that. ‘You wouldn’t?’ she whispered, feeling worried.

  He laughed humourlessly.

  ‘You’re not a nice person, are you? You’re nothing but a bully,’ she said. She stared straight ahead and didn’t turn to meet his hot gaze on the side of her head.

  ‘A bully?’ he repeated.

  ‘A bully,’ she affirmed, feeling she’d hit a sore spot with him.

  ‘If my hatred of humans comes across as bullish, then get used to it.’

  She glanced at him. ‘If you hate humans so much, why are you helping me?’

  ‘Do you believe I’m helping you now?’

  She looked to the front again. ‘No, I don’t. I believe you have Lara and will only return her to me if I allow you your weird fetish.’ She waited, sure he’d stop the car to yell, or worse, at her, but instead, he chuckled, this time with genuine amusement. She looked at him, watching how his face creased up into laughter. The side presented to her was the one without a tattoo. She’d seen it before, but it was only now that she felt brave enough to study it. It was a strong face, the lips parted and full as he laughed, his eyes sparkling with mirth. It was a handsome face. Unmarked and fresh. She suddenly wondered how old he was.

  Then he turned, and his spider tattoo became visible. The spider’s legs stretched across his face, and one of its legs disappeared into the corner of his mouth. Beth didn’t avoid it as she usually did but noticed how that side of his face, beneath the spider, was pockmarked with scars. His mouth was disfigured, and as she studied him while he chuckled, she noticed that that side of his mouth was frozen, making his expression seem sullen and sneering.

  ‘You think I engineered this?’ he asked, his laughter dying. ‘Kidnapping your sister so I could thrash you?’

  ‘I don’t know what to think,’ she admitted. ‘I’d never met a Jelvia before. I didn’t think you were capable of bargaining with or even talking to!’

  ‘Instead, you found we can bargain very well.’

  She flushed and struggled to find something to say. In the end, Beth said the first thing that came into her mind.

  ‘Why the tattoo?’

  Without glancing at her, he said, ‘I lost part of my face as well as my brother in a helicopter crash. The tattoo is a reminder, whenever I look in a mirror, never to trust a human.’

  ‘I lost a brother, too. But when I look in the mirror I try and look forward, not back,’ Beth said softly.

  A muscle jerked in his cheek, then he looked at her, catching her off guard with the intensity of his gaze. ‘You don’t look forward, Beth, any more than I do. You like wallowing in your grief.’

  ‘How dare—’

  ‘You think you control your grief like you control the people in your life. You control every aspect of your mother’s life, your
father’s and even your boss at work! You control your boyfriends—yes, Beth Roberts, I’ve checked you out thoroughly,’ he added as she gasped. ‘Harry Everson-Watts was your first, and you loved him, but your control wasn’t all that tight back then, so you found it easier to dump him instead. So, Beth, when you look in the mirror, can you honestly say you look forward any more than I do?’

  ‘I hate you,’ she said.

  ‘Because?’

  She didn’t answer.

  ‘I’ll tell you why. It’s because I can force you to surrender your control.’

  She hated him with a passion—or wanted to. The truth was, he was the only person able to speak to her the way he did. She turned to look out of the window. They were in a long queue at traffic lights, and she could see people trying to see into the Jelvian car, but its blacked-out windows prevented any inquisitive gaze.

  She’d never spoken to anyone outside of her family about the day of the crash—the day her life had changed forever—but suddenly felt compelled to tell Yash.

  ‘My dad lost control of the car when it skidded on black ice. It flipped and killed my brother instantly and put my mum in a coma for months. The only people to escape unharmed were my dad and Lara. Lara was just five years old when it happened. How about you? What happened to your brother?’

  ‘You really want to know?’

  ‘I do,’ she said earnestly. She began to reach out to touch his hand in a gesture of solidarity, but as if anticipating her gesture, he moved his hand away.

  ‘We were involved in a helicopter crash, which was the result of a human ambush. I was thrown from the craft, which probably saved my life because anyone who survived the crash was captured and taken into custody. Or that’s what your media called it—the reality was that the survivors were taken to a laboratory and experimented on.’

  ‘And one of the survivors taken was your brother?’

  He didn’t answer immediately. Beth suspected he wasn’t used to small talk. Eventually, he said, ‘That’s correct.’

  ‘What did they do to him?’

  Yash didn’t answer her. He slowed the car while indicating to turn into the Ranch’s carpark. A car opposite flashed him to go, and as Yash passed, Beth saw the driver do a double-take of them. Yash pulled up alongside her car and leaned across to open the glovebox. He took out her keys and handed them to her.