World 4: The Spiderman’s Bride

LENA FIGURED HER NEW employer would be strange after the interview she had. The interview was done in a plain white room with only one interviewer, her boss, Anna. Even when she took the test on the computer that measured her aptitude for the job, the questions were odd to her, questioning how well she handled secrets and who she considered was important in her life. She planned to withdraw her candidacy after the interview, but she couldn’t say no when she was hired on the spot with an offer letter and an upfront fifteen thousand dollar bonus. Money was money, and a job offer on the spot was rare.

Here she was, on a boat to her new job. She was surprised when the six-month contract required her to live on an island away from her family and friends, allowing no contact with the outside world. She couldn’t have her phone or any other electric device at the job site or living quarters, not even her Nintendo Switch.

“We’re about to dock. Just follow directions, and once we get to the compound, I’ll show you your apartment and workspace,” Anna said as she walked past Lena; her short red halter dress swayed in the sea breeze, blowing her long brown hair and it made Lena wonder if Anna was freezing her ass off.

Lena was thankful she decided to wear black pants and a red shirt, shielding her from the freezing wind. With her box braids, she wouldn’t have to worry about doing her hair. In the distance, as the small cruiser boat got closer, Lena saw the island. It was huge, reminding her of Jamaica. However, the closer they got, the more the island’s edge looked like a military operation. She saw various brown and green military-like vehicles and guards wearing brown while holding semi-automatic rifles. Even some of the nearby boats in the water looked like small military search ships.

What kind of place is this?

Eventually, the boat parked into one of the boat slips.

“This way,” Anna said to Lena as she gripped her black Prada bag and went to walk off the boat onto the wooden planks.

Lena followed behind Anna, gripping her carry-on suitcase. As Lena roamed her eyes around, past the numerous guards lingering about, she noticed the island was more like a forest than one of the modern-day islands. Lena then watched as Anna flashed a badge to one of the guards, allowing both of them the ability to step onto the land.

“This way,” one of the guards said, pointing his rifle down to the ground and leading the two women to a vehicle transport.

When Lena saw the vehicle, her eyes widened. On the floor and under the seats were grass blades, branches, dust, and debris. Since it was only her first day on the job, she didn’t want to make a scene, so she followed behind Anna and sat down across from her. The guard from before, who checked Anna’s badge, sat beside them. That’s when Lena noticed the man had short blonde hair, blue eyes, and a bit of stubble around his jaw. He had roughed features, reminding her of a rancher or field hand. She eyed the gun, feeling uneasy in its presence. Why would they need guns here?

As Lena kept her gaze on the gun, looking like a cat ready to cower in fear, Anna moved beside her.

“Does the gun scare you?” Anna asked Lena, keeping her brown eyes on the seemingly scared female.

“...a little. What kind of place is this?” Lena asked.

Before Anna could respond, the vehicle roared to life and started to move, driving past the military camp of various men, tents, and, to Lena’s surprise, rocket launchers. As the trunk reached the edge of the camp, a tall, barbed wire fence with a gate came into view. Standing on wooden ledges, the men on top of the gate waved them through; however, Lena didn’t miss the other soldiers at the top, pointing their guns into the forest.

Anna chuckled. “It’s scary at first coming here, but you get used to it.” She shrugged. “Andrew here is in charge of our protection,” she said, flickering her gaze between the blonde-haired male and Lena as she crossed her legs. “So, you asked what kind of place this is…the owner of this island is a Billionaire–”

Lena’s eyes widened. “You mean like Elon Musk?!”

Anna laughed again. “Yes, but not all billionaires like to have a public profile. The owner of this island is…well…he likes to keep things private. While some billionaires are trying to have a space race, the owner believes more of Earth needs to be explored. You know, Lena, there are all kinds of creatures on this planet, some that have been discovered but were never disclosed to the public,” she confessed, which made Lena drop her bottom lip as she sucked in a breath.

A shiver went up Lena’s spine at the thought of what could be living on this island. She also didn’t miss that various soldiers were mulling about along the dirt road they were taking, keeping their guard up towards the jungle surrounding them.

“Uh…am I going to see the creatures?” Lena asked.

Anna waved a dismissive hand. “No, no! Of course not! Your job is strictly data entry, nothing else. The owner doesn’t want any internet use on this island, and he doesn’t trust any of the new applications on the market, knowing most of them require some connection to the internet or, worse yet, an account for one of his competitors like Microsoft, Amazon, or Apple, so all data entry is manual. You’ll be working in the lab, but far away from them. And even if something were to happen, Andrew here will take care of it,” Anna said, glancing at Andrew.

Andrew nodded and studied the new girl. Since she was already shaking at the sight of his gun and the scenery around them, he decided to stay quiet.

Lena released an anxious breath. “That’s a relief. Are the housing units also located by the lab?” Lena asked.

“Yes! All the buildings are connected to ensure the staff’s safety in the compound,” Anna answered, her voice laced with confidence.

I suppose that’s a good thing, Lena thought as she scanned the forest again, wondering if she would see anything, but only the tall trees and bushes greeted her sight. She was surprised that the trees were so tall and healthy that they blocked out the sun’s rays, allowing cool air to blow on her face.

“We’re almost at the compound,” Andrew said, his voice deep.

Lena’s mouth dropped open when she saw the giant buildings come into view. And as Anna said, all three buildings looked connected by a tunnel. To the left must have been the housing building based on the windows and balconies, and the other two black buildings, one as the main and the other to the right, had to be the labs. In front of the buildings was a giant metal gate with a lookout at the top. It reminded her of a prison, except they were keeping something out instead of keeping something in. On the lookout, Lena saw more soldiers mulling about, some pointing their semi-automatic guns at the forest.

Andrew waved up at the guards, and then the gate began to open. The vehicle drove in, stopping right in front of the main building.

“Let’s go!” Anna beamed as she gripped her black leather purse strap and got up.

Lena followed behind her and was curious why Andrew wasn’t moving.

“I’m going back to the docks. I’ll see you later, Andrew,” he said as he did a wave.

Anna nodded and then stepped out of the vehicle behind her. Lena did the same and gawked at the massive building before her. It reminded her of a skyscraper, spanning multiple stories.

“Big, huh? I know it looks out of place in this jungle,” Anna laughed. “Well, come on! I’ll show you to your apartment.”

The two double glass doors opened for Anna as she walked inside, followed by Lena. Inside, it was like a typical office building. In the front was the security desk, in the middle were elevators, and past that was another set of two glass doors. On the right was the tunnel to the next building.

“Wow!” Lena said as she twirled around. Despite the massive entrance, there was only one person, the security guard, who looked like one of the previous military men.

“You will be working back there; pass the elevators and two glass doors, and follow me to your room,” Anna said as she turned to the left, heading to the tunnel. Lena followed behind her and entered the tunnel, which was like an airport connection tunnel with a moving walkway.

Once they entered the housing building, which looked like a hotel hallway with many rooms, Anna pressed the button for the elevator.

“Your room is on the seventh floor. Here is your key card to enter the office and your room,” Anna said as she took the card from her purse and handed it to Lena. “Do you have any questions?” Anna asked.

Lena shook her head, still overwhelmed with how strange her new workplace and living arrangements were.

Both women entered the elevator and rode silently until they reached the seventh floor. Anna stepped out, followed by Lena.

“Your apartment is 701! Remember, no electronic devices are allowed from outside the island. Also, since TV these days requires the Internet, we won’t have it, but we do provide movies and TV shows on DVD that will be in your room. Enjoy, and I’ll see you tomorrow!” Anna said as she quickly rushed back into the elevator and waved to Lena.

“Wait, you are…” Before Lena could finish, the elevator doors closed. Lena sighed. I guess I’m on my own now. What a strange place! I hope this isn’t like a horror movie where someone will kidnap me at night and then chop my body up.

The thought made Lena shudder, but she kept moving, going up to the door for 701. She swiped the key card in the door lock and then opened the door. Her eyes went wide when she saw how big the room was. In the entrance was a room with a TV and sofa, then in the back was the kitchen in the middle that led to a bedroom and bathroom. She put her suitcase down and then walked out to the balcony.

“How big is this island?!” More shock went through Lena when she finally saw how big and wide the island was. However, something else caught her eye as the sun descended into the horizon. She noticed that the island had different terrains. To the northwest was a water-like area with a waterfall and a body of water, different from the East, which had a mountain-like landscape with what appeared to be caves. In the center of it all was the forest, and then above that, near the edge of the island where the docks were, was a desert-like area with mostly sand and no trees and petite bodies of water.

She sucked in a breath when she realized how close to the desert area she was. This place is so strange. Well, at least it’s only six months, and then I’ll be gone, Lena thought as she returned inside and meandered to the living room area again.

Sitting on a small bookshelf were various DVDs, so she decided to pick one and settle in for the night. As she watched Why Did I Get Married?, she thought about her boyfriend, Lance. She scoffed as she thought about him, remembering what he said: I am not ready for commitment. I don’t even know if I want to be with one woman. Since you’ll be gone for six months, can we try an open relationship?

Why did I even agree to that? Lena thought as she sat on the sofa and continued watching the movie. Lance was hot, and she loved his pale skin and long black hair with his gothic style, but his personality was terrible. She didn’t want to lose him, especially at almost twenty-eight years old, so she agreed to an open relationship. It was a stupid move, and she was sure he would move on by the time she returned home, especially since she couldn’t call him. All she wanted was a man who would give her a dedicated relationship without all the baggage, but it was getting harder to find in the modern era of hookup culture. Not wanting to think about it anymore, she decided to turn off the movie and go to bed, slightly nervous about her first day tomorrow.

Lena got up and quickly got ready for the day. She wore a lovely black floral maxi dress with short sleeves and a black sweater. After dressing, she promptly made her way back to the lab building and walked past the elevators beyond the double glass doors. Once inside, she saw the setup; it was like a regular office building with only one cubicle with her name on it.

I am the only one working here! That shocked her, but everything else about the island was so mysterious, so it didn’t surprise her. As she sat down to work, she noticed another door, a steel-looking one with a glass pane in the middle at the back of the room. She shrugged and ignored it until she saw a few people walking out wearing white lab coats. As they walked by, they nodded and smiled at her. Feeling optimistic, she read the white paper with instructions on how to log in to the computer until she heard a bang.

“What was that?!” She jumped up and heard it again. Bang!

On the steel door, she heard bang, bang, bang.

Her heart leaped in her throat, and she recoiled.

Then, all around her, the lights started to flash and dim. “Code Red, Code Red, Code Red, Code Red, Code Red, Code Red, Code Red, Code Red, Code Red,” a computerized voice announced as the banging continued, getting louder.

Lena screamed as the steel door started to bend and reshape as if something loud and big was hitting it.

“What is that?!” Lena slowly backed away from her desk and moved to the entrance when she heard another loud boom and then whoosh. The steel door flew into the air, landing against a wall with a thud. Lena screamed and then darted to the room’s entrance, but something slimy brushed her skin before she could make it. She whipped around and was shocked to see a giant blue tentacle roaming the room as if searching for something. Soon, smoke rose into the air, seeping from where the tentacle was coming from.

What the hell is that thing?! Lena spun back around. Before she could open the door, a rush of soldiers moved in, running past her and then firing at the tentacle. Then, one of the soldiers grabbed her and pulled her behind him. Her pulse raced as her heart thumped against her chest; fear had gripped her.

“We’re evacuating the island! Move!”

That voice! She looked up when she saw it was Andrew with a frown. The soldiers kept firing through the haze of smoke; however, it didn’t stop the tentacle as it lunged for them, knocking the guns from their hands and grabbing them, throwing their bodies against the wall. Screams of fear filled the area as Andrew grabbed Lena by the arm and ran with her through the lobby of the main building.

“What’s happening?!” Lena yelled, but Andrew ignored her.

“We lost control of the island! And we need to get the fuck out of here!” He yelled without looking at her as they ran through the lobby to the outside.

Before Lena could say another word, the scene before her shocked her, various military transport vehicles were being loaded up with people dressed in white lab coats and a few others that looked like cooks and cleaners.

“Get on!” Andrew yelled as he yanked her body to a vehicle. Lena didn’t need to be told twice to get the fuck down. She quickly sat in a seat and saw all the worried and fearful faces from the other staff. Some people were shaking, while others were crying. Soon, the car thundered to life and zoomed out of the compound, heading into the jungle. All along the road, she saw the soldiers firing their guns. The vehicle kept going until a crashed car with bloody corpses in front of them caused the driver to swerve off the road, driving into a tree with a crash. Lena screamed as her body was hoisted forward. Blood pumped in her ears as they rang.

She blinked and looked around. What she saw next caused fear to wash through every inch of her. Jaguars, walking on two legs with faces that resembled a man’s, roared at the newly crashed vehicle as they emerged from the forest. The remaining staff that weren’t knocked out from the crash or died screamed into the air and bolted, heading into the woods, but the Jaguar men jumped on the bodies and bit them, causing blood to spew into the air.

“I have to get out of here!” Lena jumped out of the vehicle and ran past the Jaguar men, chewing on the first set of bodies that tried to escape. She kept running past trees and bushes until she stopped, frozen, eyes wide. She realized where she was–near the caves she had seen before.

Panting heavily, she heard the roaring of the Jaguar men behind her, which was enough to push her forward near the cave. She stopped at a cave entrance to catch her breath when she whipped around and saw five Jaguar men growling at her a few distance away from the cave.

Why aren’t they coming closer? Lena questioned. As she stood there watching the Jaguar men roaring at her, flashing sharp teeth and fangs, she heard screeching from behind her; however, before she could whip around again, something sticky had wrapped around her ankles, knocking her to the ground with a thud. Sharp pain smacked the back of her head, spreading to the rest of her body. Lena groaned and blinked, but as she was being dragged into the shadowy cave, she felt her consciousness slip away, and only darkness greeted her.

Lena felt heavy; her muscles were sore and burning from running. She fluttered and slowly opened her eyelids, making out a dark ceiling above her. Heat emanated around her, warming her skin. She propped herself up with her elbows when she saw a fire burning a few inches away. Under her fingers felt soft. Looking down, she noticed she was lying on a pile of blankets.

Where am I? Lena thought as she roamed her eyes around. Wherever she was dark, and if it weren’t for the fire illuminating the area, she wouldn’t have been able to see anything. In the distance, she saw a faint orange-red light. She groaned and touched her forehead, remembering the massacre that occurred: rushing from the office and the Jaguar men.

Lena shuddered at the thought of what happened as all the images of blood and corpses came back to her.

“You’re finally awake,” a deep, masculine voice entered Lena’s ears, causing her heart to leap in her throat.

“Who’s there?!” Lena said as she quickly jumped up, body shaking.

“Calm down; you’re safe here,” the same voice said.

This time, Lena followed the sound of the voice when she saw a man’s face and upper torso on the ground, staring at her with his head resting in his palm. He smiled at her with an expression of amazement and curiosity, which confused her. Her breath hitched when she looked at him. He was gorgeous. With his pale skin, sculpted face, and unique eyes, which had whites around them, but the pupils were solid black, he was the most unique man she had ever seen. Framing his face were long raven tresses with red stripes, which looked so natural she wasn’t sure if they were highlights or not.

She blinked, shook her head, then released an anxious breath. “Who are you? Are you another survivor?” She asked curiously.

The mysterious man kept a grin on his face. “My name is Axl and something like that,” he said with a shrug, which surprised Lena.

“I’m Lena. We should try to get to the docks. There could be some boats left,” Lena insisted.

To her words, Axl’s smile dropped to a frown. He snarled. “Your body is tired, Lena. You should eat and get some rest,” Axl said as he rose from the ground. Lena expected to see his lower torso, but all she saw was darkness. However, based on where his upper body was, she could tell he must be tall.

“But–”

“We’ll talk more tomorrow, and I suggest you stay out of the forest,” Axl seethed as he disappeared into the cave’s shadows.

Lena huffed and then let out an exhausted sigh. Even though she wanted to chase after him and plead her case, she acknowledged he was right. Today was supposed to be her first day of work, and instead, it became a nightmare. She scanned her eyes around the cave corner when she saw a pile of food–protein bars, canned goods, and bottles of water. It wasn’t ideal, but Lena took what she could get. She sat down, grabbed a protein bar, and accepted that, at least for the time being, she needed to do what Axl said.

Lena…Axl repeated the name in his mind, mulling it over. Axl and his brothers knew the Jaguar men and other species on the island were growing tired of the scientists, especially since they didn’t want to be poked and prodded anymore. The Jaguar men had asked for their help to kill the humans, but he and his brothers rejected the idea, knowing one wrong move could cost the females their lives. However, he didn’t think the scientist would be so stupid to try to tame a creature of the deep. But, of course, these humans were that stupid, and he almost hated being close to half-human.

Axl sighed as he crawled along the wall and eased himself into his webbing. When he awoke to the sounds of battle and death, he didn’t expect to find any humans alive, so he was shocked when he spotted the frightened, light-tanned female. After he secured her safety and warmth, he told his brothers what happened. His brothers insisted on mating with her immediately, saying that since humans took their females and removed them from their proper homes, humans should be the ones to grow their species again. Axl snarled at the thought of taking a female against her will. Unlike his brothers, Axl had a mate once, and to him, a willing female mate was better than a forced one.

Axl kept his gaze on the ceiling, thinking about Lena. He figured she wasn’t a scientist since she wasn’t wearing a white lab coat or knew what he was. Even though they were a different species, he enjoyed her smell and female pheromones. When she was lying on the ground, with her dress hiked up, he had to fight the urge to follow the smell between her legs. Even her hair was different from what he was used to, which intrigued him. He couldn’t deny he missed his deceased mate and still longed for her. Lena was human, different from him, and as he lowered himself from his web to prepare for the night’s haunt, he wondered how she would react when she saw his whole body. For now, he wouldn’t think about it and instead gather any supplies they needed, including food and clothes for Lena.

Once the bit of light from the outside streamed into the cave, it was enough to wake Lena from her sleep. She turned around, opened her eyes, and saw the burnt wood from the fire. It’s never just a dream, is it? She thought as she realized, yes, she was in a cave, and yes, everyone else on the island was most likely dead. Instead of falling asleep, Lena grabbed another protein bar, drank water, and got up. Since it was light out, she could see she was in a cave, but she didn’t see any signs of Axl. However, as she left the cave, she saw a large webbing on the ceiling. A shiver ran up her spine to the thought of sleeping under some giant spider. Gross.

To her surprise, it was a beautiful day out after all the death and destruction. No clouds were in the sky, and the sun radiated warmth in the air. Maybe if I walk the dirt road, I can make it to the docks, Lena thought as she walked further away from the cave. It was apparent Axl didn’t want to leave for whatever reason. Lena waved a dismissive hand at Axl’s words. She knew she would be stuck here if she didn’t enter the forest and make the journey to the docks.

So, she inhaled and exhaled and then stepped into the forest, hoping the Jaguar men were gone. So far, so good. As she kept walking past tall trees and bushes, bodies came into view scattered across the ground. The smell of iron and rotten meat whiffed into Lena’s nostrils, making bile rise to her throat. It was like rotten eggs mixed with the scent of warm garbage, and it filled the air. She quickly placed her hand over her nose and kept going until finally she saw the wreckage from before–the vehicle she was riding in, and then the other crashed one. Dead bodies were everywhere, and she did her best to ignore them until she noticed something odd. Some of the bodies looked melted as if something sucked up their insides, and all the guns and weapons were gone. Instead of waiting around, Lena ran past the destroyed cars and followed the dirt road. I don’t want to die here! Lena thought as she pumped her legs, hoping to make it to the docks.

Axl hated daylight, like most spiders, and he remembered how surprised the scientists were when they learned that about his species. They figured they would like the sun since his kind was half-human. “Pff.” Axl turned around in his web, not able to sleep. I hope she stays in the cave. He was worried about Lena. If he learned anything about humans these past few years, it’s that they don’t listen, letting their stubborn nature and curiosity take over. He sighed and figured he would check in on her. At least if she was still sleeping soundly, he could try to fall asleep again. He lifted himself and crawled along his web that connected his part of the cave with hers. And when he didn’t see her lying on the blankets, his eyes went wide. Frantically, he rushed from the cavern, heading into the dreaded sunlight he hated.

Lena stopped running as she panted heavily. She didn’t know how long she was going for, but it wasn’t enough. I don’t even know where I am going! Frustration built inside her as she leaned against a tree to hold herself up. She regretted rushing out and not bringing food or water bottles with her. Stupid! Standing against the tree, she heard twigs and branches snapping from behind her. What was that?!

Quickly, she got up from the tree and spun around when she saw a Jaguar man emerging from the forest, growling at her. Panic and fear flooded through her as she shook and took a step back, but then, behind her, she heard another roar. She glanced between them and saw both creatures moving closer, licking their lips. Oh God! Oh God! Oh God! Lena knew there was nothing she could do. She had no weapons, and her speed compared to a Jaguar was next to nothing. The Jaguar man bared his fangs and cackled at her, warning her he was about to strike. I guess this is it! I should have never taken this stupid job! Lena thought as she shut her eyes. She prepared for the strike, but to her surprise, the strike never came. Instead, she heard whoosh.

She opened her eyes wide; there was nothing and no one in front of her. What?! She spun around. The other Jaguar man looked up and then back at Lena. He rushed toward her with his arm and claws out, getting ready to strike her. Lena stepped back and was about to turn and run when something crashed into the ground, landing right before her. Lena’s mouth dropped to the dirt. She couldn’t believe what she was looking at. It was a half man, half spider. The upper torso resembled a male with a broad, muscular back and arms, but the lower half was all spider. The creature had three long black legs on each side, and the abdomen, the hind body part, was jet black with a giant red dot. The more she looked at it, the more she realized it reminded her of a black widow spider, but male.

A scream rose from Lena’s throat as she whipped around and ran for it, darting into the forest. She couldn’t think; all she could do was run for her life. She kept going until she saw green leaves raining in front of her and heard the trees rustling above her.

What now?! Before she could take another step, the half-man, half-spider from before, jumped down from the trees, landing in front of her. He was so massive that the ground shook with a slight tremor, knocking Lena on her ass.

Her bottom lip trembled, and for the second time today, she knew she was going to die.

“I told you not to leave the cave!” The booming male voice roared through the forest.

Wait! Lena blinked, looking into the creature’s raven eyes and noticing the familiar long ebony locks with red highlights, which were now wild and untamed.

“Axel,” she muttered in disbelief as her eyes widened.

Axel let out an exhausted sigh, wishing Lena hadn’t found out about him this way. “Yes, it’s me,” he confessed.

“You’re…a…what are you?!” Lena stuttered out as she moved backward on all fours. For every step she took, Axel also took a step. He couldn’t risk Lena running off and getting into danger again.

Axel pursed his lips. “What do I look like?” He asked, annoyed.

“A spider!” She exclaimed, still in shock at what she saw. Below his waist was all insect. He even had two short, sharp appendages slightly below his waist, above his long legs. Despite his lower torso reminding her of a creepy crawly, his upper body was all male–strong muscular chest, abs, and forearms. As she kept eyeing him from his head down to his waist, she couldn’t deny how good he looked for a half-spider man.

“Yes, Lena. The scientists said humans would consider us half humans, half spiders,” he explained.

Her heart thumped in her chest to his words, and she felt adrenaline pumping through her. She moved backward again, and then Axel moved. It was obvious he was following her movements.

“Okay, okay…why didn’t you kill me like the others? Why are you helping me?!” She rushed out.

“If I wanted to kill you, Lena, I could have done it last night, and I didn’t,” he said bluntly and then added, “I have no desire to hurt you,” he confessed, which confused Lena even more.

“Then will you take me to the docks? There could be a boat there, and I could…return home!” Lena shook her head. “I knew I shouldn’t have taken this job, but I…”

Axl sneered at the thought of Lena leaving, but he figured he should tell her the truth if she was so insistent on trying to reach the docks. “I can’t do that, Lena. My brothers have already checked there, and the boats have all been destroyed. The only one left was a small row boat.”

When she heard those words, she felt a pit form at the base of her stomach. It took one-to-two days to reach the island when she traveled with Anna by courier boat, so taking a small rowboat by herself would be a death sentence. Lena was in such shock and despair that she couldn’t talk. The reality of being trapped on the island started to sink in. All around her was death and dangerous creatures she had never seen before. For a moment, she mused about ending her own life by finding a knife or gun. It was either kill herself or die by some creature’s hand.

“Lena,” Axl called to her, his voice low. “We should get back to the cave; it’s not safe out here for you,” he said, snapping her from her thoughts.

Lena’s brown eyes gazed into Axl’s raven ones, and he couldn’t tell what she was thinking. Her face was stoic as she stayed still, not moving. He called her name one more time when she finally got up.

“Okay…” was all she said as she started to turn around.

“I’ll carry you. You don’t want to fall into one of the worm’s traps; they are like quicksand,” he tried to explain.

“Okay…” Lena responded, her voice robotic.

Lena kept her gaze on the dirt and still didn’t move. Axl knew hearing about the lack of escape would depress her, but at that moment, whatever fight in her seemed gone. He walked up to her, scooped her tiny body into his arms, and held her close. As he looked down at her, he didn’t miss the sad expression on her face as a single tear streamed down her cheek.

She buried her face into his chest, hiding away from him as she whimpered.

“Why are you keeping me alive?” She asked.

Axl lips formed a thin line. He knew he needed to tell her the whole truth and decided to tell her everything at once. “My brothers and I were taken from our home in the forest. We lived happily there and in peace. The few humans we saw didn’t disturb us and seemed to worship us as gods. However, when the humans with guns came, my brothers and I tried to fight them off, but they captured the females, including my mate. They told us to do as they said, or we wouldn’t see the females again, which would mean the end of our species,” he paused and then continued, “My mate then died protecting our unborn brood, and after that, they separated us from the remaining females. We were brought to this island many years ago. The scientist taught us how to speak, read, and write. We learned many things from them, even about other humans across the sea who wouldn’t accept us. My brothers…they want to mate with you, Lena. They don’t believe we’ll see the females again, so they want to take you, even by force. My brothers had never had a mate before, as they were too young then, but I know a willing female is a better mate than a forced one.”

He knew it was a long explanation, but it was the knowledge she sought. As he continued walking in the forest, he waited for her to speak and make any noise. However, she stayed silent, and he didn’t want to pressure her to say anything.

“I was just supposed to be a data entry clerk…it wasn’t supposed to turn into this,” Lena muttered as she held back her tears and paused, “I am sorry about your family…they should have never taken you from your home.”

A pregnant pause passed between the two of them. For the first time since he had been brought to the island, someone besides his brothers felt sorry for his loss. Hearing those words from Lena’s lips melted his angry heart, and from that moment, he knew he wanted to be with her, to see if they would be compatible, even if she couldn’t give him offspring.

“Thank you, Lena. I have since accepted her loss and the loss of my unborn children.”

Lena tensed up, unsure of what to say next. She wasn’t taken from her home like him, but she was trapped, unable to return to where she belonged. “...what will happen to me now?”

Axl hesitated momentarily and finally said, “My brothers will try to mate with you, but…if you agree to be my mate, they will accept you as one of us and stay away from you. If I may suggest, we can be temporary mates for a week, to see if you will accept me. If not, then…you may do as you please, even if it means escaping from us,” Axl proposed, even though he hoped she would agree to the trial period and eventually accept him.

“Can I…think about it?” Lena asked as she finally looked up at him, watching his long, shadowy hair sway as he walked through the woods.

He nodded. “Of course, you can tell me your decision tomorrow morning,” he agreed.

That isn’t much time, Lena thought, but then again, she figured he was kind enough to give her a night to think about it. As dusk appeared on the horizon, Lena’s body felt heavy again. All of this was too much, and with all her being, she wished she had never taken that job. Soon, Axl reached the cave and brought her back to the spot by the burnt woods, food, and blankets. He gently placed her down on her feet. Lena bit her bottom lip and asked, “Can I be alone?”

Axl nodded, even though he didn’t want to. Leaving his potential mate alone to grieve the loss of her old life pained him, but he would give her the space she needed. As he walked away and ascended to his webbing on the ceiling, he finally heard her cries and whimpers. His heart ached as he knew what she was feeling, but he decided to leave her alone to mourn and decided he would check on her later.

Lena had already dropped to the ground and wrapped the blankets around her body, crying. She hoped Axl couldn’t hear her but was too distraught to care. So she spent the rest of the night letting her tears flow until she fell asleep, crying her eyes out over her stupid decisions.

Axl tried to enjoy the last few hours of sleep, but he was concerned for Lena, so instead of sleeping, he rose and crawled along his webbing that connected his cave to hers. Even though it was pitch black, he could see with ease. She was wrapped in the blankets, shivering from the cold and shaking. His eyes widened. He couldn’t let her get sick, so he immediately went outside and gathered more wood and flint to make a fire. After he dropped down from his web into the small space, he lit a new fire for her and rubbed her back. As the heat penetrated the inner cave, her shivering died down. Nighttime was for hunting, but he didn’t want to leave her alone, so he lowered his legs into the tight space and stayed by her side, ensuring she was warm and safe through the night.

Lena tossed and turned the following day, feeling something on her back. In fear, she jumped up when she saw Axl’s familiar face lying down next to her. Did he stay with me the whole night? She was shocked. Even though she didn’t know much about spiders, she knew they were more active at night, so the fact that he fell asleep must have shown how tired he was. She sighed and accepted that Axl wasn’t her enemy. As he said, if he wanted to kill her or take her, he could have done it already. Even then, she didn’t miss the signs of the fire built last night that warmed her in the cold cave. He fed her, had clothes for her, and more. She still didn’t know him well but found herself interested in him.

As she watched his sleeping face, she couldn’t help how cute he looked. Yes, his black spider legs and red and black abdomen would take some getting used to, but thanks to all the fantasy books she read and anime she watched, it wasn’t something that strange to her. After all, monster erotica was a thing, and in a way, this reminded her of all those books on Amazon Kindle Unlimited that she read. She moved in close and pressed her lips to his forehead, at least hoping that would be a good thank you for all he had done for her; however, when his eyes snapped open and he hissed at her while grabbing her arm, she yelped.

“What were you doing?!” He growled with his brows knitted together.

“I am sorry! I just…I just wanted to thank you with a kiss,” Lena rushed out as pain burned from his grip on her arm, and she worried he would break her limb.

To her words, Axl’s eyes softened. What have I done?! He muttered human curses under his breath for what he did. It had been so long since he felt a female’s touch in his sleep that he had forgotten how to act. If he didn’t know it was Lena, he would have spit his acid on her face, killing her instantly. He quickly released her, and when she hissed from the pain, he rubbed her back and apologized.

“It was my fault,” she said, shaking her head.

“No, I am sorry, Lena. It has been so long since I’ve…had a female around me who showed me affection,” he explained, his gaze meeting hers.

Lena’s heart pounded against her chest as heat rose to her cheeks. She bit her lower lip and then said, “I…I want to try being your mate,” she confessed.

Axl’s black eyes went wide, and his heart was overjoyed. He brought Lena into his embrace, hugging her tightly. Still embarrassed but happy, Lena accepted his hug. He had already shown how protective he was; if it wasn’t for Axl, she knew she would have died outside the cave, so she wanted to give him a chance, just as he had her.

Axl felt awful for ruining Lena’s surprise kiss, so he asked for a do-over. When she smiled slyly and then kissed his forehead, his heart fluttered. It had been so long since he felt loved and accepted. After their awkward human teenage moment, Lena told Axl she wanted to rest some more, and of course, he complied with his mate’s request. Even though it was daylight, he found all his brothers and immediately told them what happened: Lena had chosen him as a mate. At first, his brothers were angry, saying it was unfair for him to have another mate, but after Axl showed his dominance as the oldest and strongest, they agreed to leave Lena be. For the time being, he told his brothers not to reveal themselves so Lena had time to adjust to her new home. Ultimately, his brothers were happy for him and hoped she would fully agree to be his mate and spawn a new brood.

After that, he went to check on her again when he saw she was rummaging through the pile of food. He knew he would need to return to the compound to find more supplies for her, so he planned to do that when night came. My mate, he thought as happiness flooded through him. He didn’t know if Lena could become pregnant with a new brood, but that wasn’t the time to bring it up. He would comfort, provide for, and love her as much as she needed until she was ready to be his mate.

Time passed quickly with Axl. Lena was surprised by how overprotective he was. When she insisted on bathing, Axl took her to a lake and watched over her, promising not to peek. However, she found herself wanting him to see her naked. Sometimes, she thought she caught him, but she needed to figure out how quickly he darted down and up trees. The thought made her laugh, and it honestly felt good to be happy again. Some days, she slept during the day so she could haunt and spend time with Axl at night. At first, he didn’t agree with her going on haunts, but she said she needed some items that were hard to explain to him–comb, brush, body wash, shampoo, etc. Reluctantly, he agreed as long as she stayed close to him.

She was in Axl’s arms this time as he told her stories of his childhood building tunnels and chasing his younger brothers through them. Even though he was half-spider, his stories almost reminded her of an ordinary boy, except for the haunting at night, crawling in the ground, and building webs to catch prey. “So, you consider yourself the best hunter of all your brothers?” Lena asked.

“Of course! You disagree?!” He beamed, grinning down at his mate.

“Well…I don’t think collecting canned goods and bottles of water is hunting,” Lena retorted.

“Hmm…well, my precious mate, would you like to know what else I hunt? If I tell you, you might like me less,” he said, his masculine voice was like velvet in her ears.

Lena scrunched her face to what it could be. “No thanks; I am just fine thinking it’s canned goods and bottles of water,” she confessed.

Axl chuckled as the warmth of her words spread through his chest. He gazed down at her, and Lena already knew what that meant. She tried to bury her face in his muscular chest, but instead, he captured her lips so quickly she couldn’t move.

After he broke the kiss, she said, “I’m still not used to your sudden kisses.”

“Once you answer my question, there will be more than kisses,” he warned her seductively. Blood rushed to Lena’s cheeks as she knew what he was waiting for. She wasn’t sure how much time had passed when he proposed the trial period, but she knew it had been a few days, and he wanted to know if she would fully become his mate.

Lena parted her lips to speak, but Axl said, “We’re about to enter the compound, so stay silent and close to me, understand?”

Lena nodded as she watched Axl past the broken-down steel gate. Even the lookout post at the top had fallen apart, with pieces of wood scattered throughout the ground. Under the moon’s light, Lena could see that the building that was once supposed to be her office was destroyed. Axl quietly entered the main structure and eased his way to the building on the right, which Lena had never seen. Like the main building, there was a security desk and elevators, but it was no longer clean and pristine. Vines and grass had grown on the floor, crawling up the walls. Axl pushed through two broken glass doors to a new room. Lena’s eyes widened when she saw it was a cafeteria. Various tables and buffet areas were around the room.

Axl then put Lena down and handed her a sack he had created from his webbing. He nodded at Lena, and she nodded back. He had already warned her to get in quick and grab whatever she needed within ten minutes, and met him back at the entrance to the cafeteria. Lena quickly ran over, rummaging through the checkout counters and shelves. She already grabbed bottled juice, chips, and other non-perishable food.

She noticed a restroom in the back when she entered the ladies’ room. Even though she was tempted to use an actual toilet and not a bush, she didn’t dare because of the noise, so instead, she grabbed whatever she found off the counter, which luckily had more than what she was looking for. At least they provided all these luxuries back then! She never expected to find body wash, packaged toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant, dry shampoo, and more. At least for the time being, she didn’t need to worry about her braids, but all this would come in handy when she finally wanted to wash her hair. As she left the women’s bathroom, she saw something strange from the men’s; a neon blue light swept from under the door. Walking inside, she noticed food, bedding, and more supplies, like someone was living there. Are there other saviors?!

“Lena!” She gasped when she heard Axl call her. At that moment, she knew she could have stuck around to wait for whoever owned the items to return, but she already knew the answer to Axl’s question. As she turned to leave the bathroom, she accepted that she was leaving her chance to find other humans behind; she wanted to be Axl’s mate fully, and when they returned to the cave, she was excited to tell him.

She saw Axel on the wall by the entrance, guarding it. She still wasn’t used to his spider-like tendencies, but the more time she spent with him, the more she got used to it.

Once he saw she was unharmed, he slowly dropped to the floor and walked up to her, pushing chairs and tables out of the way with his enormous legs. “Are you ready?” He asked quietly.

Lena smiled and nodded. He then scooped her up in his arms, holding her and their two bags of supplies. For a moment, Lena wondered where all that strength came from.

Axl quickly made it through the forest, and any creatures who dared to try and attack him backed off after hearing his hiss. Even the Jaguar men kept their distance from Lena, recognizing that Axl was her protector; Axl told Lena that attacking her meant earning the wrath of the spider clan, and the Jaguars didn’t want to risk that. After they had returned to the cave, Lena placed the bags down and sorted through the items, satisfied with their haul. For the time being, she had everything she needed, even though she wished she had some books or movies to watch, but that would come later.

As she sat by the fire, she felt her pulse race. Okay…I am going to tell him! She decided as she got up.

Axl was on the ceiling, sitting in his web, when he saw his mate’s brown eyes lingering on him. He dropped in front of the fire, wondering if something was wrong.

“Are you all right?” He asked, concern laced his voice.

Lena shook her head. “Uh…I have an answer for you,” she confessed.

Axl’s heart raced with anticipation to Lena’s words. Over the past week, he had done everything he could to prove he would be a good mate. He even tried not to peek at her beautiful tan skin while she was bathing, but it was hard, so hard. When he caught glimpses of her to make sure she was safe, or that’s what he told himself, the urge to mate with her was so strong he had to stop himself. He knew he shouldn’t, but he already prepared a sac with his sperm, just in case she was ready to be his.

He waited for her to speak.

“Umm…have you ever touched a human female before?” Lena asked nervously.

Axl arched an eyebrow at her. “I have learned how humans reproduce. It is not exactly the same as my species, but I am confident I could pleasure you,” he confessed, his confident words made Lena blush even harder.

Her lips formed an ‘O’.

She then averted her gaze from his.

Axl studied Lena’s movements, noticing her shaking legs and wavering gaze. He smiled, slowly walked up to her, and cupped her cheeks with his hands, forcing her to stare at him. When their gazes met, Lena felt her heart flutter.

She sucked in a breath as he pressed his lips to hers with a chaste kiss. “You don’t have to be nervous. We’ll take it slow,” he assured her, his raven eyes gleaming with lust for his mate.

“...I want to be your mate, fully and completely,” Lena confessed as she stared into the black irises she had grown fond of. Then, slowly, she lowered the straps of her short, Dandelion-patterned dress, letting the fabric slip off her body to the floor. She didn’t wear a bra or panties to prepare for the evening. Sure, their relationship was moving quickly, but in life-and-death situations, things happen. And if this weren’t a short story, then this would have been a 20+ chapter book with a slow, burning romance.

Feeling exposed and vulnerable, she wrapped her hands around her body, covering herself from her mate’s view. Seeing her cute gesture and lovely bare flesh made Axl’s heart swell. Instead of words, Axl captured his mate’s lips, kissing her with such passion and fierceness that Lena swore he was taking her breath away. His lips against hers were more than a kiss; it was the feeling she always longed for: a man, or spider, who was devoted to her, loved her, protected her, and cared for her in a way that was his own. She didn’t want Axl to long for the past anymore; she wanted him to look forward to the future they would build together.

Axl smirked against her plump lips as he snaked his arm around her waist, pulling her into his embrace. As he pushed his tongue into her hot mouth, he released his silk and rose them both into the air. While kissing her, he knew he needed to be careful with his fangs and poison so that he would go slow at first. Lena then broke the kiss, gasping as she felt her body hovering to the ceiling.

“I won’t drop you,” Axl said, his deep voice thick with desire to calm her beating heart.

“I am still not used to the…spiderness,” Lena confessed.

Axl pressed a kiss to her cheek and whispered, “You’ll have plenty of time to adjust,” he said, his sensual tone caused Lena’s need for him to grow. “This time, I’ll even skip my mating dance,” he breathed against her skin.

“You do a dance to mate?!”

Axl shrugged. “All spider-type creatures have some kind of mating ritual, but I can’t wait any longer to have you,” he growled, feeling his pedipalp pulsing and wanting to be set free.

Once both of them were in his webbing, Axl laid Lena down under him, his eyes burning with an overwhelming desire to touch, explore, and feel his mate’s body. Lena felt the stickiness of the silk glue to her flesh, keeping her in place. Even moving her legs was difficult, given her strength.

“Even this will take some getting used to.” Lena laughed, and her happiness was music to Axl’s ears.

He couldn’t wait much more as he felt his pedipalp under his abdomen grow from his slit. Unlike regular spiders, the males in his species could control their pedipalp and extend it when they needed to. His sperm sac was already for Lena, and he could only hope it wouldn’t scare her off when he inserted it inside her. The more he stared down at her naked torso, the more he needed to touch her. His eyes dropped from her face to her chest, looking at her mounds with excitement.

“Can I touch them?” He asked hesitantly, hoping she would say yes.

The question confused Lena, but she nodded. With her acceptance, Axl dropped his face down to one of her breasts and touched one of her peaks, poking it.

“You’ve never seen breasts before?”

Axl shook his head. “Only in books. Females in our species have their milk stored near their eggs,” he explained, “but…I want to learn your body, Lena, and how to please you.” She heard the determined tone in his voice, which made her smile.

“Do what you would like,” Lena said, urging him on as she touched one of her peaks, guiding him to explore.

His dark eyes lit up, and he rubbed a digit on her mound and used his other hand to capture the other, molding and reshaping it to his whim. He took one of her peaks into his mouth, running his long tongue over it, swirling and twirling until he heard soft moans exit his mate’s lips.

The sounds of pleasure rising from her throat were too much, and he wanted to hear more. He licked her from her peak down to her abdomen, stopping above the sweet scent calling to him between her legs. Slowly, he eased his hand to her folds and parted them, giving him access to the small bud inside.

Instead of asking for permission again, he glanced up at her. She cupped his cheek with her hand and lowered him between her legs. “I want you, Axl, so please, do what you want with me,” she urged him, wanting to feel her mate take her body as his own.

With a grin, he used his other hand to spread Lena’s leg with ease, not letting the stickiness of his web stop him from pleasuring his mate. He dipped his face into her sex, smelling her. Her scent was more than heavenly; it was maddening, making him crave her even more than he already did. Without wasting any more time, he licked her warm entrance up to her clit.

Another moan left Lena’s throat as her mate continued to lick her, roaming his tongue all around her nub. Axl groaned as his warm breath blew across her clit, then next, he clamped his mouth around her swollen nub, sealing his lips around it. He sucked and sucked some more, like the most delicious meal he had ever savored. Lena squirmed as waves of pleasure coursed through her, but thanks to the webbing, it kept her in place. She tried to jerk her leg, to close the entrance to the intense pleasure he was providing to her, but he wouldn’t let her escape. He tightened his hold on her ankle, keeping her still. He wanted to show her that even though they were a different species, he could satisfy her better than any human male.

“Axl,” she gasped as waves of pleasure thundered through her body, making her thrust her hips to his mouth. Her moistness pooled as he kept sucking and licking, causing her cries of ecstasy to reverberate through the cave. Thanks to the fire burning near them, he could see every inch of her to perfection: her bountiful chest, slim stomach, curvy hips, and semi-pink nub that demanded his attention.

As he continued to take her clit, he roamed his hand along her breasts, squeezing and pitching them as he pleased.

“How are you so good at this?!” She screamed out as she grinded against him, trying to match her pace with his own. Then, to her surprise, he stopped cold and looked down at her; his lips covered with her juices as he licked them clean.

“Oh?” Good at what? Tell me,” he teased with a sly smirk, dropping her leg but keeping it spread.

Lena scoffed, realizing she was seeing another side to Axl. “You’re a tease,” she said as she pouted her lips, and Axl thought it was the cutest thing he had seen.

He chuckled darkly, lowering himself to her ear and whispering, “I don’t want to finish you too quickly. Anticipation increases the pleasure.” He kissed her lobe as a single digit tranced her lips, then ran a hand down her stomach.

Lena hated that he was right. She had tasted what he could do, and she wanted more. A grin extended across her face as she touched the folds between her legs and parted them, rubbing her nub. She rode her hand, pleasuring herself in front of her mate. Heat coursed through her veins as she circled her clit, teasing him as she began to finish herself.

The sight of his mate touching herself in front of him was more thrilling than he had ever imagined. This experience with Lena was new and exciting. He was used to mating to make a new brood, but with Lena, mating was turning into something more, something dangerous and feral that made his male urges go into overdrive. Yes, he teased her; yes, he was enjoying her touching herself, but as a low growl rumbled from his throat, he realized only he would be allowed to finish her. She was his female, no one else’s, and he wanted to show her who she belonged to.

Quickly, he captured both of her wrists and hissed at her; his spider instincts were coming out, but not to harm her; no, he wanted to take her. She gasped as he raised her arms into the air, pinning them together and then quickly wrapping them with his silk. He stared down at her, looking at his mate in her sacrificial pose, satisfied that he had taken control.

Lena parted her lips to speak, but before she could utter another word, Axl claimed her lips as he tapped his back legs along his web, creating the vibrations that showed his intent to mate. Lena’s body swayed on the webbing as the new frequencies from the web entered her ears, creating a sound of Axl’s lust for her.

As he kept kissing her, dominating her lips, he pushed out his pedipalp just long enough to reach her slick pussy. He lazily brushed his sperm sac along her sex before easing the tip inside her. Lena moaned into his mouth as she felt her walls spread, giving him access to her warm inside. He broke the kiss just long enough for him and Lena to get air before he kissed her again, tasting her saliva mixing with his and her juices.

Lena was overwhelmed by Axl’s fervent desire for her. Even if she wanted to take more breaths, Axl was in complete control, and she loved it. She let him mold her mouth as her inner walls stretched, eagerly waiting for his length. He finally broke the kiss, leaving her a panting mess as he clamped his mouth over one of her peaks. She moaned and then screamed. “Take me, Axl!”

“As my mate commands,” he murmured against her breast, enjoying the taste of her. He entered her with one quick thrust, pushing the tip of his smooth, soft pedipalp into her warm cavern and implanting his sperm sac. He knew human males had to move their whole bodies to pleasure their females, but he didn’t. He could pump his pedipalp in and out of her while focusing on other parts of her skin.

Lena hissed at the sudden expansion of her walls, but as he moved in and out of her, slowly and then increasing his movements, it felt good. Waves of intoxication rocked through Lena’s body, and she found herself thrusting her hips to his pace. She cried out. “Axl, it’s so good!” After he entered her, she felt so full in more ways than one, like a part of him was inside her, a giant egg, filling her up along with his appendage, but she didn’t mind it. She knew sex with him wouldn’t be normal, so she would embrace every aspect of him, even if it felt like an egg deposit kink.

Hearing her scream his name and enjoying his pedipalp made him move it faster and deeper, spreading her walls for him. He groaned against her mound as his pleasure started to course through his body, feeling her heated walls pulse on his pedipalp.

He then gripped her jaw tightly and smashed his lips to hers. He broke the kiss. “Who’s your mate?” He growled, wanting to hear her say it.

He slowed down the speed of the pedipalp, waiting for her to answer. Lena whimpered at the decreased pace, hungering for him to finish her. “Axl,” she breathed as her eyes bore into his. His lust-filled irises wouldn’t leave her, and as she saw his black-reddish locks fall in front of his face, she swooned. He retook her mouth, molding hers with his.

“My mate, only mine,” he murmured against her skin as the curls of his lips turned upwards.

Lena gasped as the pedipalp pumped inside her, going faster and faster with every second, spreading her walls completely as her moistness dripped to her legs. She arched her back; the growing waves of pleasure sparked through her, bringing her to the brink of sexual satisfaction. Axl groaned, and Lena moaned; their sounds of ecstasy for each other’s bodies echoed through the cave. Lena felt her orgasm creeping up on her. With the last long stroke of his pedipalp, Lena’s body quaked from her fiery and heated climax as she felt not only her juices but something else burst inside her, coating her walls. She released a shuddering breath as her warm passage convulsed and spasmed; he kept pounding inside her, ensuring his sperm sac had released his seed in her passion-moistened depths.

Axl threw his head back and finished with a guttural cry as he pounded inside his mate. Spasms rippled through him, causing his muscles to tense until he was breathless. He collapsed on top of her, breathing heavily and basking in the new sensations of intimacy he felt. Before, he had felt some pleasure when inserting his sperm sac, but with Lena, it was like capturing the perfect meal in his web with the juiciest flavor. Lena was the prey he caught, and the wetness between her legs was the most flavorful drink, sweeter than any piece of fruit or beast who stumbled into his webbing. Now that she was entirely his, he needed to finish their mating with his bite mark and a taste of her blood, but he decided to let Lena rest before doing another vibrating session on his, no, their web.

Panting heavily, Lena came down from her orgasm, calming her ragged breaths. “Uhh..Axl, can I have my hands back?” She asked as she averted his gaze, feeling shy over the deed they had just done.

Axl raised his head and smiled at her before quickly kissing her forehead. “Yes.” Using one of his legs, he cut the silk webbing and freed his mate.

“Thank you.” Lena returned her sight to his, lingering on his matted raven locks and eyes. She never thought she would have sex with a half-man, half-spider, but she enjoyed it. Her mate’s touch and the way he pleasured her was better than any human, and even then, she wanted more of him. She ran her tan fingers through his ebony-fire locks as he stayed sprawled out on her chest, resting on one of her pillows.

“Lena, you’re not going to leave me, are you?” The anxious tone in her mate’s deep voice caught her off guard as he wrapped his arms around her middle.

She rubbed his back. “I’m not going anywhere, Axl. You’re my home now,” she assured him as she stroked his hair.

Axl buried himself deeper into her chest, taking in her flowers and fresh water scent. He tightened his hold around her waist, keeping her steady as he felt her chest rise up and down. Feeling, being inside, and embracing her stirred a fear in him that he thought was gone; he didn’t want to lose another mate, and the thought of Lena wishing to return to other humans caused anger, worry, and resentment to dwell within him. However, he knew he needed to let those go. His mate was right here, under him, in their webbing and cave. As the faint signs of sunrise reached the cave, Lena and Axl shut their eyes, getting ready for sleep.

As Lena drifted off to dreamland, she was actually grateful she came to the island. She had found the love she had been searching for and so much more: her spider mate.

Little did Lena and Axl know they were being watched. The owner was upset when his island fell, but he already had a second military force ready to be deployed. He was planning to send them in when something else interested him. He never expected Axl to take a mate again, let alone a human, after he killed his first one. The owner snarled at Axl’s strength, a superhuman spider hybrid he wanted to harness for his needs. Axl was too foolish to realize what a great weapon he could be. The Jaguar men were too stupid, the deep sea creatures were feral, and the worms had potential, but Axl and his brothers were the best. Lena, he thought as he smirked. He would give Axl time to enjoy his new mate, and he would strike if and when she became pregnant. He leaned back and looked at the cameras outside the cave, wondering how their coupling went. It was such an unexpected twist of fate that he would enjoy, making him even more pleased that he approved her hire.