Page 20 of The Spider Queen

Male.

I looked at the spider, my hand dropping slowly to set the spider down on the dresser. Shaken, I left my room and shut the door behind me.

“Poppy? You okay?” Hunter asked, worry clouding his blue eyes.

“Fine.”

“I don’t believe you. You’re pale.”

“I’m always pale,” I said, aiming for light and deflective.

Hunter’s eyes remained on my face, and then he patted the seat on the couch next to him. I walked over and plopped down.

“I think I need a nap,” I muttered.

Grasping my legs, Hunter pulled them up onto his lap. “Take one. I’ll stay.”

Chapter 7

Someone was calling my name and shaking my legs. My eyes flipped open and my heart jumped into my throat.

Hunter’s gaze caught mine, worry evident in his face. “You were dreaming.”

I struggled to sit up. I felt feverish, sick, and hot. Lifting my hair off the back of my neck, I inhaled a breath of air.

“Let me get you some water,” he said, moving my legs off his lap so he could stand. “What were you dreaming about?”

“I don’t know,” I lied.

I dreamed ofhim.Again.

The dark-haired, dark-eyed man whose erotic carnality blasted through my subconscious like a wrecking ball. In my dream, we’d been together again. Only this time, he’d been driving into me from behind. His hands had linked with mine as he’d brought me to the heights of pleasure.

Hunter returned with a glass of cool water, and I drank it in three long gulps. I set the empty cup on the coffee table. “I think I’m coming down with something.”

“Maybe I should go. Let you rest.” He headed for the door and I followed him. “Rain check?”

I nodded. “Sorry.”

“Don’t be,” he said with a light smile. “You sure you’re okay?”

“Yeah. I think I’m gonna go back to bed. I’m not used to being up late. I think it’s messing with me.”

Hunter pulled me into his arms, and my head met the center of his chest. “Hope you feel better, Spider Girl.”

“Thanks, Pre-Med.”

I breathed him in. His cologne was earthy, masculine. I eased away, waved at him, and then closed the door. It was just past three o’clock, but I hadn’t lied when I told Hunter I was going back to bed. Grabbing my computer and cell phone, I trekked back to my bedroom.

Awareness rippled up my spine. I didn’t feel like I was alone. I looked at the spider. It was still in its cube, still on its back, legs wrapped around the ebony stone, still…still.

Of course it’s still.

I let out a relieved chuckle. Feeling like an idiot, I sat on my bed and opened my laptop. I had an email reply from Dr. Beaumont, a researcher at one of the world’s leading research institutes in Frankfurt. He expressed his keen interest in the spider, but had failed to identify it down to a species level and could say only that he hoped I would stay in touch when I found out exactly what it was.

I pouted in frustration.

I texted Anita, wondering when she would be home. She didn’t reply right away which meant she was absorbed in Jonah. He seemed cool and he obviously liked my cousin. Then again, they’d known each other for a minute and a half. And everything and everyone looked different late at night. In the morning things were different—I wondered if her infatuation with him would wear off soon.