The Spider Queen

by Emma Slate

  I marveled at his body. Rippling muscles, cut definition. He was a sight to behold. And yet, that wasn’t what made my heart trip. He was more than the sultry curl of his lips and the languid look in his eyes. He loved me, and I knew it with every part of me.

  “You’re awake,” I said, my tone soft.

  “It was just a nap. I had plans for you, but I woke up to find you gone.”

  Even in the low torchlight, I could see his gaze darken with hunger. Hunger for me, for my body, for the desire shared between us.

  “You fell asleep in the middle of a fight,” I said lightly.

  He sighed. “I want to protect you. I haven’t been able to do that—and this was the only way I knew how.”

  “I don’t need protecting.”

  “I guess you don’t. This will take some getting used to, I think.”

  I nodded.

  “It won’t happen overnight, but we’ll figure it out.”

  “Why didn’t you come and find me?”

  He leaned up to grasp my hand to pull me on top of him. I sat astride his straining erection and absently rubbed against him. His hands grasped my hips, gathering my black nightgown in his grip.

  “You seemed to need time to work out whatever it was you needed working out.”

  “You really understand me, don’t you?”

  “Of course I do. You’re my mate.”

  “I still hate that word.” I smiled to take the sting out of it.

  “Care to come up with another title?”

  “You’re not a fan of wife.”

  “Limiting,” he pointed out.

  “Immortal romantic life partner?”

  He laughed. “I think we were closer with wife.”

  I caressed his jaw. “I don’t think it matters, really. What we call one another.”

  Thane turned his head so his mouth grazed my palm. “No. I don’t think it matters at all.” He leaned back against the pillows and peered at me. “You seem different. Lighter.”

  “I was able to get to the bridge.”

  “Were you, now?” he murmured. “Intriguing.”

  “The soul that wouldn’t pass over? It was Hunter.”

  Thane removed his hand from my hip to scratch his jaw. “Why doesn’t that surprise me? It didn’t even occur to me, though, to be honest.”

  “You’ve been occupied. With all the souls that needed you.” My finger traced across his chest to circle around his heart. “I let him go, Thane. Truly let him go.”

  “Ah. So you really are lighter.”

  “He said something…something that really resonated with me. I thought all this time I needed him to absolve me for what I did. For what I’d had to do. And I was hoping he’d be angry with me. I was hoping he’d punish me for it.”

  “But now you’ve forgiven yourself?”

  I nodded.

  His hands slid up my body, pulling the nightgown up and over my head. He stroked my skin, inflaming my desire. I leaned over so my hair brushed his chest. Our mouths met in tangled heat. And when he pulled me under him and slid inside me, I grasped him to me and called out his name.

  The torches flickered as our moans echoed off the walls. Time was measured in whispers and touches, in kisses and in rapture. We came together, and then he collapsed on me, refusing to budge, refusing to separate us.

  And when he remained hard inside of me, we did it all over again.

  He held me in his arms as the moons and starlight above us disappeared and dawn streaked across the sky.

  “We earned our happiness. Didn’t we?” I asked, lifting my head off his shoulder.

  His golden skin was flushed with pleasure. Thane brushed the hair off my breast and gently drew a hand down my curves. “We did.”

  “I wasn’t ready. Before.” I bit my lip. “To celebrate our union, I mean. I was too…”

  “I know. It’s why I haven’t pushed it, Poppy. Why I haven’t begged to have a jubilee so that we might show the world that I’ve found my queen.”

  His smile was bright, but then it dimmed. “We might be immortal, but if I learned anything, it’s that you can’t count on prosperity and peace. So we must enjoy it while we have it. And share it with others.”

  “Later.” My mouth brushed his. “We’ll share it later. I need you again. Now.”

  Chapter 63

  I stood in the throne room, marveling at the mural painted on the wall. My hand reached up to caress it. I was immediately transported back to the battle by the River Styx. I remembered the feelings and thoughts I’d had at that time.

  “It’s enchanted,” Thane said from behind me. “So anyone that touches it will know what we lived through. So history will not be forgotten.”

  My eyes drifted across the wall to the scene of Hunter’s death. With a deep breath, I walked to it and stroked the silver paint that depicted his silver blood. Grief welled up inside me, but there was also peace.

  “Did your spiders do all this?” I whispered in awe. The gold torchlight made the mural gleam. I could stare at it for hours.

  “They did. With help from yours. I wasn’t there when Hunter…”

  “Right.”

  I heard his quiet steps across the ebony floor. He stood behind me and then set his hands on my shoulders. “What do you think, Poppy?”

  “I think”—I swallowed—“it’s the most beautiful homage I’ve ever seen.” My gaze slid over Hunter’s death scene to rest on the depiction of Thane cradling my dead body. It made me tremble. Even without touching the wall, I felt the anguish. I remembered all of it.

  Thane swept my loose braid off my shoulder and placed his lips on the curve of my neck. “I wanted to be able to show this to those who are coming to our celebration in a few months.”

  “A few months?” I turned in his embrace and pressed my head to his chest. “Why a few months?”

  “I think it’ll take that long to get all the souls sorted. Also, Zeus needs help capturing the Titans…”

  “You’re going to volunteer, aren’t you?”

  “Maybe.” He leaned away from me to take my hand. “Let’s go to bed and discuss it there.”

  We left the throne room and headed down the hallway to our bedroom. The door opened, and we stepped inside. I ran my hand up and down my arm, feeling a chill sinking into my bones.

  Thane noticed and with a few murmured words, a fireplace appeared in the wall. Blazing hot flames blasted heat across the room, easing my shivers.

  I sat on the bed and curled my legs underneath me while Thane paced back and forth across the floor. “I feel responsible for the release of the Titans.”

  “Why?” I frowned in genuine confusion. “It wasn’t your fault that you were entrapped by the same mage who entrapped the Titans.”

  He sighed. “I know, but I guess, I don’t know. I want to clean up messes. And maybe stop creating new ones.”

  “Is it dangerous? To go after the Titans?”

  He shrugged. “There’s a risk to anything, I guess. But I’d help Zeus. I wouldn’t be the main ringer.”

  “Back up, huh?” I bit my lip. “I would never tell you not to go. If you feel you have to, then…”

  Thane sank down on the bed, his black eyes earnest. “I do feel like I have to go.” His hand skated across my belly. “I’d do anything not to feel this conflicted.”

  I shook my head. “Stop with the misplaced guilt.” I reached out to stroke a hand down his cheek. He turned his head to kiss my palm.

  “When would you leave?”

  “In a few days.”

  “What about Lucifer?”

  “Lucifer is missing. He’s in exile. Sitting and waiting for him to come calling is enough to drive anyone mad, so I refuse to think about it right now. I did what I had to do to save you both.”

  “Okay,” I said, wanting to ease his mind. “What about the souls? You can’t leave to trap the Titans until the souls are taken care of.”

  Thane’s hand gripped mine. “You can access t
he bridge.”

  “Only because it was Hunter’s soul calling me. I haven’t felt another pull like that since.”

  “You’re a Guardian now. Just like me.”

  “There are two of us?” I breathed. “But how?”

  “That, I have no idea about.”

  “But there’s never been a female Guardian,” I said.

  “There’s a first time for everything,” he said with a slight smile.

  The weight of responsibility settled over me. “So I can take care of the souls, and you can aid Zeus?”

  “Yes.”

  “And that will make you happy?”

  “I don’t know if happy is the right word.” His eyes searched mine. “But I think it will bring me peace.”

  “Peace is good. Do what you have to do, Thane.” I smiled slowly. “Your daughter and I will be here waiting for you to come home.”

  He blinked and a light sheen covered his dark eyes. “Daughter?”

  I nodded. “I felt her thread link to mine.”

  “We’re having a girl?” He smiled so bright and then it dimmed. “We’re having a girl.”

  “Just now realizing she’s going to grow into a teenager?”

  “Yep.”

  “Terrified?” I prodded with a teasing grin.

  Thane tugged me into his arms and then fell back onto the bed. “You have no idea.”

  Chapter 64

  The next morning, I stood in the courtyard of the castle and watched Thane strap his sword to the scaled, winged lizard that would fly him to Olympus. The flying lizard was like a second cousin to a dragon. It wasn’t capable of shifting, or of having rational thought. It was merely a beast. Intelligent in its own way, but nothing compared to a dragon. Just one of the few things I’d learned while reading through the books in the archive room.

  “I’ll be back before you know it,” Thane said.

  “I know. But now that I’m Guardian, I won’t be sitting at home, waiting for my husband to come home.”

  “Husband?” He snorted.

  “Fine. Mate. Waiting for my mate to come home. Happy?”

  He grinned. “Immensely.”

  I kissed him goodbye, refusing to let my tears fall. This was not a battle between Heaven and Hell. “Come home in one piece.”

  He kissed me deeply and whispered in my ear, “Make use of the pleasure bath when I’m gone.”

  “Hmmm. It might take the edge off, but it’s not as good as you.”

  Thane tipped his head back and laughed. Sobering, he quickly kissed me again and then released me. With my heart in my throat, I watched him saunter to the winged lizard, stroke its scaly nose, and then climb up into the saddle. The breeze gently blew his dark hair off his forehead and sunlight molded to the curves and angles of his face.

  I committed the vision to memory because I wanted my spiders to paint a picture of him on the wall, so he could see exactly how I saw him.

  Thane dipped his head and then grasped the leather reins. The gigantic lizard turned in a circle, flapped its wings, and then sprang into the air. They flew off into the sky, and I watched them until they disappeared from my sight.

  I’ll be back before you know it.

  You better check in with me once a day.

  Yes, dear.

  I snorted.

  Don’t think about going silent and blaming it on lack of cell service or going through a wind tunnel.

  I’m losing you…I’m losing you… Just kidding. I’ll reach out when I get to Olympus.

  I laughed and inhaled a deep breath. I turned and went back inside and got down to business helping souls find their afterlives.

  The morning passed in a daze. It didn’t matter how many wagons of souls I worked through; it seemed like I would never make a dent.

  Cassandra brought me lunch, and I stopped for a short break. “It’s a thankless job,” I muttered, taking the sandwich she held out to me.

  She laughed. “You’re unbelievable.”

  “What?”

  “You were complaining about not having a purpose. Now that you have one, you’re complaining about it.” I blinked. Her humor fell from her face. “Oh, I’m sorry. That was too bold—”

  My peals of laughter echoed through the throne room. “You’re so right! I’m unbelievable!”

  Cass giggled, obviously relieved I wasn’t upset.

  I quickly finished my meal and then got back to work. Thane reached out late in the afternoon to say he was settled on Olympus and that tomorrow they’d start tracking the Titans. By dinnertime, I was completely exhausted. I realized I wouldn’t be able to keep the same hours as Thane—he wasn’t pregnant. So I listened to my body and headed to my bedroom. I thought about taking a soak in the bathing pool, but I realized I was even too tired for that.

  I slipped into a nightgown and pulled back the covers. As I climbed into bed, my gaze went to the clear blue bottle on the bedside table. A white piece of paper rested next to the bottle. Curiosity had me reaching for it.

  Drink this on the first night I’m gone. You’ll miss me less.

  I uncorked the top and then brought the bottle to my lips. It smelled like nectar and dreams fulfilled. Ambrosia, maybe? I took a sip and warmth curled through me. I took a healthier swallow.

  Heat bloomed inside my heart, and my skin flushed with pleasure.

  I set the bottle back on the bedside table, careful not to let it spill. I felt drunk and happy. Leaning back against the pillows, I closed my eyes and stifled a giggle.

  Thane’s side of the bed dipped.

  “Did you come into some sifting powers like Gabriel?” When he didn’t answer, I asked, “Or is this a powerful illusion spell? What did you give me? A drink sprinkled with angel dust?” My hand reached out to touch Thane’s wrist.

  Instead of warm skin, I encountered cool flesh.

  My eyes snapped open, and I choked on a scream.

  The man was terrifying and beautiful. Dark hair. A cruel mouth. Electric indigo blue eyes. Skin so fair I wondered if it had ever been kissed by the sun.

  “Hello, Poppy.”

  His voice was melodious yet horrifying. It was a voice that could command a legion of soldiers to march off a cliff to their own deaths. It was a voice that could make a woman weep as she stripped out of her clothes and offered herself to him.

  He was lust and sin and greed and pain.

  He was all that and more.

  “Lucifer…” I said, unable to stop my voice from shaking.

  His smile was slow. “Yes.”

  “What are you doing here?” I demanded.

  “I thought we should have a chat, you and I. About the debt incurred by the Guardian of the Bridge.”

  “I’m a Guardian now, too,” I voiced. “You can deal with me.” I attempted to scramble up from my spot on the bed, but the liquid from the clear blue bottle had rendered me inert.

  He cocked his head to one side. “Are you now? How fascinating…”

  I felt his darkness caress me, probing me, discerning the truth. I tried to push him out of my mind, but the drink had made me physically and mentally useless.

  His hand snaked out to draw circles on my belly. I felt coldness seep into me. The tiny seed inside of me vibrated with pain.

  “Stop! You’re hurting her!”

  “Fascinating, indeed.” He removed his fingers, and the relief I felt was instantaneous. I leaned my head back against the pillows and breathed deeply for a few seconds. I tried to reach Thane, but my emotions and thoughts disappeared into a void.

  Lucifer ran a finger across his bottom lip like he was deep in thought. “Yes, I know exactly what I want in payment for saving your life…”

  In his eyes, I saw every nightmare that had ever been, and those that had yet to come to pass. I saw destruction and malevolence. I saw a hunger that would never be assuaged. I saw greed that would never be satisfied.

  “What do you want?” I croaked, desperation coating my tongue.

  His smile
was heartless, and he said nothing.

  Terror bloomed in my chest.

  He wants me, Mama. Lucifer wants me.

  Part III

  Prologue

  Poppy

  * * *

  “Did we do the right thing?” I asked.

  My mate came to my side to stand next to me. He grasped the balcony rail, looking out across the ocean of Purgatory.

  “She was unhappy, Poppy.”

  “Yes,” I agreed. “But she was safe.”

  “She spent her life in hiding. I know what its like to be confined for years. Our home had become her prison. That’s no life at all.”

  “It’s a mother’s job to protect her child. How could I let her go?”

  “She begged, Poppy.”

  I wiped a lone tear that fell from my eye to roll down my cheek. It remained on my finger and looked like a drop of dew glistening on a thread of a spider’s web.

  “The mage spelled Stella into believing she’s human. A human with strange hobbies she learned in the twenty years she spent here with us. Her human memories are manufactured and planted in her mind. She will have no idea that only a few months of mortal time has passed since the Great Battle.” I shook my head. “She’s going to think she had a tough childhood. She’s going to believe so many things—”

  “It was the only way. You know that. By ridding her of her true memories, she won’t know who she is. And there’s a chance, then, that he won’t find her.”

  “I miss her,” I whispered.

  Thane took my hand and brought it to his lips.

  “Do you think—will she be happy?”

  “Only time will tell, my love. Only time will tell.”

  Chapter 1

  Stella

  * * *

  Night wrapped around me like a protective cloak. Sounds of the city traveled to my ears—a homeless man digging through a metal trashcan, a rat scurrying between two rotting boards of a prewar building, the rubber tires of cars leaving their marks on the already stained streets of Manhattan.