Page 65 of The Spider Queen
“Date a bunch of truckers that stop through Charleston. Obviously.”
“Obviously.”
“Eat a bunch of burritos, watch terrible TV, dodge my mother’s phone calls, and text my boyfriend. A lot.”
He grinned like an idiot. “Boyfriend?”
“Yeah. Boyfriend. You gotta problem with that?”
“No, ma’am. No problem at all.”
Jonah honked again.
“Then kiss me goodbye one more time and then get out of here before Jonah has an aneurysm.”
Hunter took me into his arms and kissed me in a way that would have me thinking about him non-stop for the next week.
I stayed on the porch until Hunter and Jonah were out of sight and then went back inside. Everything was silent—Anita was out shopping, wanting to make sure she had the perfect wardrobe for when she met Jonah’s parents. After grabbing a snack, I went to my room and climbed into bed. I stared at the patch on the wall that I’d covered with paint. Maybe I’d use the week off and decorate. Make it a home.
Thane?
Yes.
Where are you?
Promise you won’t scream?
No.
I heard him sigh.Closet.
I got up and crept toward the closet. After opening the door, I flipped on the light and glanced around. There, high in the corner, above the shelf, perched Thane in the middle of an ethereal spider web.
Gone was the cube and the black stone he’d clutched while seemingly asleep on his back. But the most terrifying, unexplainable thing of all was his color—he was no longer translucent or even tan, but jet black. Ebony, shiny, and larger than any spider had any right to be. Like something out of a Stephen King novel.
I stared up at Thane, marking the changes from critter in a cube to living entity.
Say something, Thane stated.
It would be so much easier if you could hear your mind snapping—then you’d know for sure you were insane and almost be relieved that you know the truth and not worry about it anymore.
He sighed but didn’t engage.
You look…furry.
I am.
His legs were long, but not fragile like a Daddy Long Legs. He looked like a black tarantula, but not quite as stocky.Weren’t you spindly? Why aren’t you spindly anymore?
I’ve…changed.
You’re beautiful.
Thank you.
For?I asked.
You think I’m beautiful.
