CHAPTER 44

"I see." He was surprised to hear her speak so candidly about Velvet and Eulalie in such a manner. "What would you have me do?"

"Leave them here. Send Eulalie back." It was clear she had another solution in mind, but he knew she wouldn't say it out loud.

"They are dangerous, aren't they?" He moved away from the Jeep and walked toward the gargoyle. "Could easily snap my neck and drag me out into the woods. But so could you, if you wanted. Or Sofia. Lily and Yuki both almost killed me, yet I got away even if it was by the skin of my teeth. Hell, Jenny almost smashed my face in with a table."

"Mike." Her voice was pleading. "I don't know how to convince you."

"I know." He was in front of her now. She was shorter than he was, and he put his hand on her cheek. "You're just trying to protect me. Because that's what you do."

She nodded. Her dark eyes were like pools of ink.

"Do you remember when we first met? How you saved me from the Mandragora?"

"How could I forget?" Her voice was almost a whisper.

"In those first moments, you were so amazing." She had broken through glass windows and grabbed him before he could become Sweet Pea's next meal. "Yet you were frightening. This stone woman with wings and talons. A magnificent tail that swished behind you as you tore me free and saved my life. I was so grateful to be alive that it never occurred to me that you were there to hurt me."

"You looked so pathetic," she muttered, then laughed. "How could I not rescue you?"

"I'm surrounded by amazing women," he said. "Every day, I feel like I see something new that astounds me. But what I've realized is that every woman in that house is different in her own way. Even from their own kind."

Abella looked up at him, her eyes narrowing. "You still want to trust them, don't you?"

"It's not like everyone gets a chance to save my life to prove their worth." He moved his hand around her waist and pulled her close. Her lips parted as he pulled her in. "Please. Give them a chance. For me."

He didn't know what to expect, but Abella pushed him away. She stomped out of the barn and took to the sky in such a manner that he could tell she was angry.

"Well...damn." He sighed, then headed back for the cabin. This was going to take more effort than expected. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and frowned. There was still no signal. Frustrated, he stuck it back. Tomorrow he would try to find somewhere to receive a signal. He could text home to check in, and maybe get some advice from Beth or Naia.

Headed back to the cabin, he felt a cold spot in his stomach. It was subtle enough that he almost didn't notice, but when he stopped to scan the trees, he felt it intensify when he lifted his gaze toward the top of a distant pine. Hoping to catch a glimpse of whatever threatened him, he stared defiantly.

The chill flared briefly, then vanished. Whatever danger lingered had passed.

Wiping sweat off the back of his neck, he did his best not to run back into the cabin.

It didn't take Abella long to find a rocky outcropping suitable to land on. She was far enough from the cabin that nobody would casually find her, but close enough that she could get back if something happened.

"Damnit, Mike." She slammed her fist into the rock, smashing the top layer into dust. Why did he have to be so trusting? She smashed a few layers of rock under her fist before pulling her legs in and wrapping her arms around them.

The sun was on her back, and she closed her eyes and let out a sigh. The warmth was slowly working through her body. Her kind didn't need to eat—in fact, they could absorb energy from just about everywhere. Sunlight was always best, but even a good downpour of rain could make a decent snack.

She feasted on the sunlight, her body huddled in a meditative pose. There was plenty right now to think on, and those thoughts made her feel like she was tumbling out of the sky.

Mike clearly accepted the Arachne, but she could sense hesitation on his part. Something was triggering a fear response in him, and she wished he would listen to it. Instead, he was so focused on playing monster philanthropist that he was ignoring his basic instincts.

It also didn't help that the Arachne were attractive from the waist up. Her lip twitched, and she dreaded to even acknowledge the effect this would inevitably have on Mike. Thousands of years of evolution had designed them to be appealing, for it was in their nature to hunt, to kill.

And regrettably, to breed.

Abella struggled to keep up with Pierre as he followed the Arachne through the streets and buildings of the Panier. They were staying high enough to avoid detection for even she had heard of the Arachne's legendary ability to sense movement. The creature was moving stealthily, and Abella was unable to hear her footfalls. She did hear the occasional grunt from the prostitute, and was surprised that she was still alive.