The Arachnid Conclave: A Suspense Romance Novel (MC Saga Book 2)

by Brogan Riley

  She needs me to take care of her. She needs my love. She needs peace.

  Chantal

  He shoots his arm towards me and seizes me around the waist. I slump into his embrace. His body is like a hard rock that shelters and protects. I feel safe with him. I trust him.

  It’s just that he shouldn’t have lied about his family. It wasn’t fair.

  Or maybe I’m unfair.

  I lied to him until I didn’t.

  I guess, we should sit and talk. We should get to know each other better.

  He kisses me on the forehead, his lips so deliciously hot. “You can trust me.”

  “I know.”

  “But I have to punish you.”

  “Punish? I didn’t do anything wrong.”

  “For your doubts.”

  “Well, I still have some doubts,” I tease as my pussy pulses and starts leaking.

  He shoves me towards the sofa. “On all fours.” He slaps my ass lightly and pulls my jeans and panties down. “Now.”

  I step out of my jeans and panties and position myself onto the sofa with my ass towards him. He glides his palm over my ass cheek and lines his cock up with my wet entrance. I shiver as he pushes in and his balls slap against my crotch. A burning pain seizes my bottom. Dante grunts like a beast.

  He grips the back of my neck and pushes me down so my elbows flex. His cock slides in and out, stretching me. His finger slips into my mouth and I swirl my tongue around the tip.

  “Good girl,” he says.

  He pumps in and out, fucking my mouth with his finger. I spread my knees as wide as the sofa allows me.

  Dante pulls his finger out and touches my tight hole. The tip is wet. The sensation is arousing. I hiss as he slides the fingertip into my other opening. His hips move against my ass, giving me a delirious sensation of being full.

  “You love it, Chantal, don’t you?”

  “I love it,” I gasp.

  He thrusts into my pussy slowly as his finger goes deeper and stretches my tight hole. The fullness is decadent and dark. Driven by my carnal instincts, I start stroking my clitoris.

  “Tell me, Chantal.”

  God, my voice halts. His cock and finger keep fucking me and I feel like I’m disintegrating. There’s no me. There’s my hot need to explode in bliss.

  I moan like a good whore. My shoulders dip. Dante’s cock pounds into me, his finger deep inside of my ass.

  I rise towards my peak and explode. Dante’s body trembles against mine as his hot cum fills me.

  Dante

  She dishes up for us. “Tell me about your family.”

  “My parents are nice people. My mom is a retired hairdresser. My dad is a retired mechanic. They’re simple nice people.”

  “Any siblings?”

  “Four sisters.”

  “Wow.”

  “It was difficult to survive in such a girly home.”

  Chantal sits down beside me and grabs a fork. “You know everything about women then.”

  “No, women are still a mystery to me. My dad is the same as me. We don’t understand all those mood swings and snorts.”

  “Mood swings?”

  “Women are very complicated creatures.”

  She nods several times. “Why did you choose to be a cop?”

  “My childhood friend was kidnapped by the arachnids.”

  She freezes. “I’m so sorry.”

  “I want justice for her, you know. They’d held her captive for years and then killed her in cold blood.”

  Her hand squeezes mine. “I want justice for my mom and grandma.”

  I lock my eyes onto hers. “What do you mean?” The cop in me awakes. “Tell me.”

  “I don’t know much. My grandma has their tattoo on her shoulder blade.”

  “Your grandma?”

  She bobs her head. “Her name is Sonja. She’ll visit soon and I’m sure you’ll have a chance to talk to her.” She winces.

  “Chantal, baby, what is it?” I pull her into my lap.

  “I need to tell you something.” Her chin trembles.

  “You can tell me anything.”

  “You should know.”

  Chills go down my spine at the dread widening her eyes. “Chantal, talk to me.”

  “She is my grandma, but she and my mom are more than a mother and a daughter. They are also…”

  Something strangles my throat. I’ve investigated the arachnidan motherfuckers long enough to know some of their sick ways. “I know. That’s okay, Chantal. That doesn’t change anything between us.”

  Hannah

  My eyes sweep over the mutilated body. The mistress has chopped off her breast. She’s torn out her vagina. She’s clawed her eye out.

  I’m sixteen years old.

  I’m an ant.

  I bury the corpses the arachnids produce.

  I was once a human, but that was a long time ago.

  All the ants working here are responsible for cleaning up the blood and other body fluids, for cooking, for serving. We serve in every way.

  I was supposed to lose my memories and emotions during the conditioning process.

  I didn’t.

  I learned to hide them in the very beginning.

  I learned to be a good ant soon after.

  I want to live.

  One day, a brave man will kill all the arachnids and save me.

  They sometimes whisper his name in fear. His name is Liberator.

  Liberator, please come here to save me. Please come here, before Mistress Leticia claws my other eye out. Before she kills me.

  I dig my shovel into the sand. The sun’s rays burn the nape of my neck. The other ant growls, urging me to dig faster. She’s twenty-two. She’ll be sacrificed soon. She loves that prospect though. Her mind is a grey void. Her personality stopped existing a long time ago.

  The blond man standing three steps away from us lights up a cigarette. A grey cloud of smoke rises toward the crown of a Joshua tree. Three hills covered by rocks and low vegetation profile against the cloudless expanse of the sky. Yes, the centre of the Mojave Desert hides a lot of dreadful secrets.

  It takes us two hours to dig up a grave and throw the body into it, and two more hours to cover it with the stones and sand. It will mummify and turn into dust. In theory.

  Some of them only mummify and the police can find them.

  The blond man tilts his head to us and we start walking toward the mansion. It’s an old Colonial style building encircled by a high wall. I can see its pale orange walls and arches emerge from the shimmery air of the desert. A brown tiled roof tops it. There’s a round mosaic pool at the back of the house. It’s filled with intensely blue water and encircled by palm trees. The surface tints with blood each time Master Leonardo and Mistress Leticia party. They are a husband and a wife.

  They’re evil.

  Their son saw their evilness one day and decided to die. He shot himself dead. I remember him. He tried to help me but his father discovered that and whipped him.

  I believe that the memory of Andy has prevented me from falling into the grey cold numbness that changes one into an ant.

  The blond man stops.

  My heart jumps up into my throat.

  He smacks the back of the other ant’s head. “On your knees, cunt.”

  He’s not a scorpion. He’s one of the subsidizers but he’s failed the Arachnid Conclave so they’re teaching him a lesson. This place is the kind of rehab centre. They call it the Clinic. Insubordination is against the cult’s code of conduct and individuals like the blond man come over here, chained and battered. They either learn the rules or die. The blond man is very eager to learn.

  He avails himself of the other ant, making her throw up. He punches her in the face and she says thank you, choking on her blood.

  Stupid bitch. No dignity.

  I shudder.

  They have beaten and raped the dignity out of her. She’s lost her humanity. Death will be her salvation.

  I
have only one eye. I look disgusting to the blond man so he’s never touched me.

  They hurt me in the beginning, but the mistress clawed my eye out and gave me safety. Sort of.

  I’m a very hardworking ant so they’re going to keep me for a bit longer.

  I will fight. I will survive.

  Liberator will come to save me. I just know it.

  Chapter 11

  Dante

  Jackson slides a shot glass toward me. “Kathryn O’Mavry?”

  “My boss.” I’m sure he already knows it, so I add, “She’s very private and seems to be very dedicated.”

  “There have been lot of mails from her coming to your mailbox. A secret police division created to fight against the Arachnid Conclave?”

  “No fucking idea, Prez.” I smarten up the front of my cut with a respectful movement of my hand, evoking his grin.

  He threads his fingers through his hair and turns into a stone cold killer. “She’s written a number of times that they could support us if we decided to strike against the Arachnid Conclave.”

  “Never heard of it, Prez.”

  It’s clear to me that O’Mavry must be suspecting that I’m with Liberator. That’s why she keeps writing to me.

  He empties his shot and slams the glass down on the table. “They must be desperate.”

  “A lot of cops want to do this old style, Prez. I’ve come across them investigating the arachnids. They’d be eager to join someone like you.”

  “Give me the names.”

  I grab a pen and scribble down all the names on a piece of paper, all the people who care enough to hold a gun and go protect the innocent, risking their job or even their life.

  Jackson takes the list from my hand and sweeps his eyes over the names. “Good.”

  “Do you need to know anything else?”

  “We’ll see.” He refills our shot glasses. “You trust that O’Mavry?”

  “Her papers are spotless. She’s locked up seven of them so far. She seems very determined.”

  He nods. “Alright. You and I are going to meet up with that O’Mavry in two months.”

  “Aye, Prez.”

  We down our shots and exit the office. The bar is unoccupied when we enter it. Jackson stands behind the bar top and pours me a glass of beer like he’s been a barman his whole life. His jaw muscles twitch.

  “Chantal okay?” he asks as his voice breaks.

  “I’ve been teaching her to cook.”

  “Good.”

  I’m certain he wants to rip my skull apart and know whether his little princess is happy or not. He reminds me of my dad. My old man had smashed a number of dicks who attempted to hurt his little princesses.

  Pain jabs my heart.

  My family must think I’m dead.

  Jackson pats my shoulder. “Your family is fine. I write to them once a week.”

  I erupt into laughter. “Man, that’s unhealthy. I feel like your son.”

  “You are my son.”

  Something squeezes my throat at the raw emotion in his voice.

  Now, I understand. It’s like a fucking supernova has been born in my head.

  His men want to fight and die for him.

  And so do I.

  Chantal

  She gets out of the car and spreads her arms. I walk over to her and cling to her slim form.

  “I’m so happy to see you, grandma,” I whisper into her ear.

  She stiffens against me and then her glassy eyes lock onto mine. “I’m so happy to see my granddaughter.”

  I wink at her and she winks back.

  Her kids mingle with my siblings and the whole group walks off. Doctor hugs me. I hug him back and pull away.

  I hold Sonja’s hand and pull her towards my parents’ house. Dante is standing in front of the door ajar. I introduce him to my grandma and we walk into the house. A nervous silence falls upon us. The screeches of chairs break it. My mom’s pale face and sad eyes make my heart crumble. I know it’s hard for her. I know she’s scared, but it has to be like this. We’re a family.

  My mom bustles around the table as I tell Sonja about the recent changes in my life. She folds her hands as if praying as her eyes sweep over Dante.

  “The club has always pulled all sorts of strange individuals,” Sonja says.

  “Nothing wrong with being an eccentric,” my dad says.

  “I’m a very valuable asset to the club,” Dante says. “My mopping and dusting is the best in the area.”

  Everyone erupts into laughter.

  It’s nice.

  It’s almost safe.

  Almost because I know a deadly threat looms over us. It threatens our safety, our sanity, our life. It threatens everyone in the world.

  It must be destroyed once and for all.

  Dante

  I seek out my chance to have a chat with her.

  She looks like a pale older version of Poppy; the nightmare she’s gone through is visible in the sadness of her eyes and in the delicate wrinkles on her face. Prez is so happy to see his old friend Doctor he stops paying attention to the others. Poppy is busy doing the dishes. Chantal goes to help her mom so I ask Sonja to go with me to the conservatory.

  We settle ourselves into two wicker armchairs.

  “You’re so curious,” she says.

  My jaw drops open.

  She chuckles. “No, I’m not a witch. I’m an old woman who’s learned to read people.” She leans slightly forward as her hand searches for mine. “There’re others like me. They’re worth saving.” Her eyes wander off as she winces. “Humans are strange creatures. They turn into evil beasts if given freedom to do so.”

  “Your family…” My voice falters. I know I shouldn’t ask. Prez may not like it. It’s just that my cop instincts urge me to get my answers.

  “My father supplied them with all sorts of drugs and laundered money for them,” Sonja says. “That’s all I know.”

  “Sonja Med.” It just slips out of my mouth.

  “Yes.” Her face stiffens. “He threw two three parties a year at our mansion. I’d seen them twice.” She starts panting.

  “You don’t have to be telling me this, Sonja.”

  “No, that’s fine. My father didn’t want me to take part, but Sabine had to attend them.”

  Now, I know everything. Felix Selig was a victim who grew up to become a monster. He was even crueller than those who’d abused him. I’d investigated each of his foster families. Two men involved in his care were found guilty of abuse and then put into prison cells for life.

  Felix did the same to his own daughters.

  The Arachnid Conclave searches for such people and gives them a sick freedom to fall into decadence and murder. Felix must have been a very valuable asset to them.

  We’d never found his body though we suspected he was dead.

  “Felix Selig?” I ask.

  “He’s in hell.”

  “Good to know.”

  “Poppy killed him.”

  “Fuck.”

  “Sabine and she buried him on the outskirts of our mansion.”

  I nod. “Fuck.”

  Chantal

  “You okay, Mom?”

  She nods but she’s not okay. She’s on edge. “She seems to be relieved.”

  “And very happy. You see? Everything’s gonna be fine.”

  A short figure walks into the kitchen. It’s Sonja.

  “Our men want to talk,” she says with amusement.

  “No women allowed,” I add with a pinch of sarcasm.

  My grandma nods. “Exactly.”

  We freeze for a moment as though we’re unsure what to do, then Sonja holds my hand and my mom’s. I feel strong. I feel like everything is as it should be. I need my roots. My mom needs her roots. Sonja needs to be a proper part of the family.

  We start delivering dessert to the table. The kids wolf all the biscuits and cakes down. Our men return from their secret walk. My mom serves supper around 8 pm and after 11 pm,
Dante and I return to our little nest.

  “Did you get the chance to interrogate her?” I ask.

  He nods. “We had a chat.” His arms wrap around me from behind.

  “What did she tell you?”

  “Not a lot. I’m sure you already know everything.”

  “About Sonja Med? Yeah, that wasn’t very difficult to detect. I just needed to piece together all the names and clues.”

  His hot breath puffs against my ear. “My talented little hacker.”

  “I’m good at stealing, that’s all.”

  “Are you good at sucking a dick off?” His hand slips under my blouse and he squeezes my breast roughly.

  I feel his erection pressing into my ass. “I’m a very quick learner.”

  He emits a feral growl. “Chantal, baby, I’m mad about you.”

  I raise my arm and throw it around his neck, pulling him down into a kiss. His tongue strokes mine in such a shameless way that a wild fever seizes my body and mind.

  “I want to have your sweet mouth wrapped around my dick, Chantal.” He sounds like he’s insane.

  He keeps massaging my breast. My nipples harden. My core pulses.

  I turn around, lower to my knees, and open his jeans as his stiff cock springs free. A pearly drop of precum emerges from the tip. My fingers close around the thick base and I swirl my tongue around the head, tasting his musky allure. A low growl leaves his mouth. His eyes burn like he’s a ravenous devil. He pulls my hair together and winds it around his fist. He drives his cock into my mouth. The head slams on my throat and I gag. Tears fill my eyes and I dig my fingers into his thighs.

  I should have asked one of the club girls for some tutorial. I will do this as soon as possible.

  Dante pulls his cock out and drives it back into my mouth. He glides his thumb over my cheek as I try to catch a breath.

  “So good with you,” he rasps.

  His dark eyes say it all. He loves it dirty. He loves it rough.

  And so do I.

  I hold one of his balls in my hand and squeeze it gently as he slides his cock in and out. Thrust after thrust, he goes deeper and deeper.

  Fuck. My cheeks start to hurt.

  I gag again.

  But I want to please him. I want to be a good wife to him.

  He starts moaning so I must be doing a good job. I focus on my breathing and allow his cock to fill my mouth to the root. My body tenses as I gag. The tears flow down from my eyes. His cock twitches and swells. He pumps in and out. He keeps moaning, his thrusts like savage fury. I take. I want to take.