Spider Sense

by Charlie Richards

  “What if I don’t want you to resist me?” Lou whispered.

  Haben groaned and gave in to the desire coursing through his system. He grabbed his mate’s hip with his free hand and yanked his body close, bringing their pelvises crashing together. The contact against his half-hard dick had him instantly firming. His mouth hovered over Lou’s and he forced himself to give his mate one more chance to turn him away. “If we start this now, we won’t finish until we’re in your bed, naked, sweaty, and with my spent dick in your ass.” So it was more of a premonition than an out, but it was the best Haben could do.

  Lou moaned so sweetly, then tipped his head and closed the distance between their lips. Haben let go of Lou’s hand and wrapped his fingers around his mate’s slender neck, cupping his skull. Taking control, Haben tilted Lou’s head. He nipped Lou’s lower lip gently, then soothed the sting away with his tongue.

  Lou hissed, and Haben thrust his tongue into his mate’s mouth. He growled at the human’s minty taste, which told him Lou had brushed his teeth not too long before. It was thoughtful of him, but he’d enjoyed the man’s natural taste. Of course, it occurred to him that because Lou had brushed his teeth, he’d expected to at least make out with Haben.

  That sent a soft growl of excitement rumbling from his chest. One last thought managed to surface in his brain and Haben brought the kiss to an end with a groan. Resting his forehead against Lou’s he whispered, “Is Damon still up?” He’d already given the kid one shock today.

  “He’s in bed but probably not asleep yet. We just need to be quiet,” Lou replied.

  “Quiet. Right,” he growled. “I can do that.”

  Lou snickered. “You sure?” he whispered against Haben’s lips.

  “Sure, sure,” he responded absently.

  He slid his hand under Lou’s shirt, massaging the muscles along his human’s back. He pressed his erection against Lou’s stomach, feeling a bit of give and loving the sensation. He had to work to keep the moan at a low volume. Okay, so maybe being quiet would be a little tough. Haben couldn’t remember the last time he’d fucked a man when another was in the house. The kind of men he met at bars weren’t really family men.

  “Bedroom. Now!” Lou gasped.

  Haben was glad it wasn’t him who’d suggested it. He was nearly two centuries old, but he felt like a randy teen around his mate. “Lead the way.”

  Releasing Lou proved to be difficult, but Haben did it. He kept one hand clasped tightly on one of Lou’s as the human led them silently up the stairs into a loft style bedroom. A California king bed only took up about a quarter of the room. There was a desk in one corner with a laptop on it, a couple of nightstands, a dresser, and two doors were on the left wall.

  Before he could ask about them, Lou was easing his t-shirt over his head. Haben went with it, lifting his arms and letting Lou pull the shirt off him. He stayed his soon-to-be lover’s hands and worked the buttons of Lou’s shirt. He only bothered with the first couple at the top before yanking the tails from Lou’s jeans and helping his mate out of it. It was better than he imagined. The soft pudge of Lou’s stomach called for his kisses, but Haben resisted and focused instead on his jeans.

  He shoved the denim down Lou’s hips, followed quickly by his boxer-briefs. Lou’s engorged shaft bounced up, smacking him in the stomach and smearing it with pre-cum. Haben wrapped his hand around his mate’s short, thick erection, gratified by how Lou’s breathing hitched when he pumped the swollen dick.

  Jacking Lou’s dick, he watched the wide slit in the red, swollen head ooze a drop of pre-cum. Haben dropped to his knees, unable to resist the siren call to taste his mate’s flesh and fluids. Hands landed on Haben’s shoulders as he leaned forward and lapped up the bead of clear liquid. His mate’s taste washed over his tongue.

  Haben moaned and sank down on Lou’s dick, sucking the head gently, working the sensitive bundle of nerves under the head. A soft mewl of pleasure came from above, and Haben looked up at Lou through his lashes. Lou’s eyes were at half-mast as he stared down at Haben with undisguised desire, his teeth capturing his kiss-plumped bottom lip to keep his more vocal cries inside.

  He knew it was necessary, but Haben sure wished it wasn’t. There was nothing better than listening to the sweet moans and cries of a lover and he wanted to discover every sound Lou could make. He sucked his mate’s dick until Lou tugged painfully on his short, black curls. He released his lover’s dick and sat back on his haunches.

  Grinning up at Lou’s panting form, he whispered, “Need something, sweetheart?”

  “You,” Lou gasped. “You, in me.”

  Liking the sound of that, Haben groaned and leaped to his feet. By the time he managed to strip off his jeans, Haben looked up and found Lou lying across his bed, a bottle of lube clutched in one hand and two fingers of the other hand buried in his hole. It was the most erotic sight he’d seen in over a century, and Haben had to grip the base of his dick tightly to keep from coming right then.

  Once he felt in control, Haben let out a low growl and prowled to the bed. He climbed onto the mattress and peered through his lashes as Lou stretched himself. From the way Lou whimpered and trembled, Haben knew his mate was close. He reached up and gripped the base of Lou’s dick firmly. The man’s eyes, desperate and wide, snapped up to stare at him.

  “No coming until I’m buried balls deep in your tight ass,” he ordered.

  Grunting, Lou nodded quickly. “Please. Now, please,” he whined.

  “I thought you’d never ask,” Haben moaned.

  He gently pulled Lou’s two fingers from his ass, making him mewl so beautifully. Taking the lube, Haben slicked up two of his own fingers and slipped them into Lou’s channel. The muscles immediately clamped down on his thicker digits. He pumped them in and out slowly, stretching his mate. Seconds later, he slid a third inside.

  Lou bit his bottom lip, holding in his moan. Haben saw the desperation in Lou’s expression. The human gripped the back of his thighs and spread himself open, begging with his eyes for Haben’s cock. Unable to deny what they both so obviously wanted, Haben pulled his fingers free, slicked up his dick with the rest of the lube on his fingers, and lined up the head to Lou’s twitching entrance.

  His mate opened his mouth as if to say something, but Haben didn’t give him a chance. He pushed forward, and the head of his thick erection was clamped in glorious heat and pressure. Panting softly, Haben thrust slowly, steadily, until Lou’s rectum encased his entire length. Buried balls deep in his mate for the first time, Haben paused and stared down at the amazing human Fate had made just for him.

  He took his lover’s mouth in a slow, deep kiss, dipping his tongue into Lou’s mouth again and again. Keeping the tongue action going, he gently eased his dick halfway out of Lou’s chute, then slid back in him.

  Haben continued the controlled thrusts, changing the angle of his hips with each one. When Lou moaned into his mouth and his body bucked, Haben knew he’d found the man’s sweet spot. Noting the location, Haben picked up the pace of his thrusts, making certain to hit that spot each time.

  The sensation of Lou’s clenching channel squeezing him, massaging his dick, had Haben’s balls pulling tight in no time. Finally, Haben broke the kiss. He raised his head just enough to stare down at Lou, enjoying the soft mewls escaping his parted lips. Lou’s lids were at half-mast, and Haben saw his blunt nails digging into the backs of his thighs as he rocked his hips to meet each thrust.

  Shifting his hands to Lou’s ass, Haben urged his mate to rest his legs over his shoulders, where they naturally slid to the crook of his elbows. He lifted Lou’s hips higher, the new position allowing him to penetrate deeper. Immediately, Lou stuffed a fist in his mouth to muffle his screams.

  A feral growl rumbled through Haben’s chest as his strokes sped up. He pounded into his mate, his cock sinking deep into the tightness of Lou’s body. He watched Lou’s eyes widen. The man’s body tensed and jerked. Lou whispered his name just as his chute cl
enched and the human’s cock shot.

  Haben froze, his dick held in the vice of his lover’s body. He watched Lou’s erection expel streams of creamy seed across his belly and chest. Haben’s balls were pulled so tight they ached and his dick throbbed in Lou’s channel as he struggled to hold his own orgasm at bay, not wanting to miss one second of his mate’s blissed-out expression. The flush on his chest and neck made him appear to glow.

  Leaning down, Haben swiped his tongue through the seed pooled on Lou’s chest, scraping a nipple in the process. His mate moaned and jerked, and Lou’s ass massaged him one more time as a dribble of warm cum hit his chin. The eroticism was too much, and Haben lost it.

  His orgasm roared through him. His penis erupted deep in his mate. His hips jerked as Haben plowed Lou’s ass twice more, coating the human’s rectum with more of his essence with each stroke. Then he froze as he buried the last stream of seed as deeply in his mate as he could get. His body sated, aftershocks of the most intense orgasm in his life twitched through him. Haben gently eased Lou’s legs to the mattress, then wrapped his arms around him and rolled onto his back, sprawling his lover over his chest.

  “That was amazing,” Lou mumbled against Haben’s chest.

  Haben grinned and kissed Lou’s sweaty temple. “You are amazing.”

  Lou turned his head and looked up at him, a sleepy smile on his face that Haben knew he could quickly grow to love. He knew they needed to get cleaned up, but for the moment, he just wanted to hold his mate. Haben smiled at his lover, happier than he could remember being in a long time. Giving Lou a wink, he whispered, “I told you I could do quiet.”

  Lou snorted with suppressed laughter.

  Chapter Four

  “Be careful,” Haben warned as he stripped down and prepared to shift. “You’re walking into the lion’s den.”

  Terence snorted. “I bet you’ve been waiting forever to say that.”

  Haben chuckled as he kicked off his boots and reached for his jeans. “It still applies.”

  “Don’t worry. I’ll be safe. I can charm the ladies when I need to,” Terence replied, winking.

  “Good,” Haben said, stripping off his jeans. “Kontra would have my hide if anything happened to you.”

  Instead of letting off a snarky remark, Terence remained quiet. Haben glanced at his friend, who had a vacant look on his face. “Hey,” Haben said, trying to get his attention. “Everything okay?”

  Terence seemed to come out of a trance. He took a deep breath, shook his head, and focused on Haben. “Yeah, sorry. I just thought I smelled—” He shook his head again. “Never mind. Let’s get this done with.”

  Haben eyed him for a moment longer, but whatever had caught Terence’s attention seemed to have dissipated. The man pulled on his helmet and opened his saddlebag, motioning Haben to get inside. Removing his underwear, Haben folded his clothes and tucked them into the hard-sided containers. Taking a step back, he let out a breath then let the shift take him.

  The world expanded, changing colors and shapes as his eyes reformed and split into eight small orbs ringing his head. Mandibles grew at the sides of his mouth. Mild stabs of pain shot through his mid-section, telling him his additional four legs were forming. His body hardened and reshaped. Within a moment, Haben’s foot-and-a-quarter wide body crawled across the ground.

  He was larger than the average South American Goliath tarantula, complements of his shifter DNA. His venom could paralyze, and his exo-skeleton held the strength of body armor. He clambered up the side of Terence’s idling motorcycle and crawled into the saddlebag with his clothes.

  He could still detect his mate’s scent on the fabric. His animal wanted to track the human down, sink his fangs into him and claim him. His human side held him in check. Cuddling in afterglow, the two of them had talked. Haben had explained how claiming worked as well as why they didn’t need condoms. Lou had been intrigued by the idea of the claiming bite, but worried how it would appear to Damon if Haben moved in so soon after meeting them. Haben had told Lou he’d give him time. He prayed he’d be able to.

  The rumble of the motorcycle slowed, then the engine cut. Haben quickly spread his legs wide to keep from being thrown sideways when Terence leaned the bike on its kickstand. He sensed the vibrations of people speaking more than actually making out the words. The plastic saddlebags were too thick for him to know who was speaking, but Haben assumed it was Terence and another lion.

  He felt the saddlebag shift as the clips were unclasped. Looking up into Terence’s smiling face, he waited for information. His grin carefully in place, the lion shifter reached into the saddlebag and made a big deal of looking for the file he’d brought.

  It gave Haben the chance he needed to crawl under Terence’s coat undetected. He heard Terence mutter, “Three males on the porch. None of them like me much.”

  That didn’t surprise Haben. No pride wanted a strong lion invading their territory and possibly taking their lionesses. And it wasn’t like Terence could tell them he was gay, because then they’d kick him out or beat him. This way, at least, he had twenty-four hours to complete his task and leave pride territory before he became fair game.

  Terence strode up several wooden steps, the thump of his boots telling Haben that they were on a deck. To his amusement, Terence kept up a running commentary, telling those around him of the places he’d been and how they compared to the rooms they passed through, the foyer, the hallway, the den. He declined a cup of coffee, assuring his hosts he’d only be there a few minutes.

  He dropped to one knee next to a low-slung sofa on the pretense of tying his shoe. Haben took the opportunity and crept under the couch. He listened as Terence greeted a newcomer.

  “Who are you?” the female snapped.

  “I’m Terence Williams. I’m with a local courier service. Our client, Attorney Wesley Lynch, has a letter for a Ms. Vivian Kox. Are you Ms. Kox?” Terence responded politely.

  “Yes. What does that old fart want now?” the woman replied irritably.

  Haben could just imagine Terence’s big, fake grin as the lion shifter said, “I’m sorry, ma’am. I’m just the courier. If you could please sign here so my boss knows Mr. Lynch’s papers have been delivered, I’d sure appreciate it.”

  The scratches of a pen on paper vibrated the sensitive hairs on Haben’s legs.

  “Thank you, ma’am,” Haben said congenially. “You all have a pleasant day.”

  “Wait,” Vivian called, her tone dropping to a purr. “You don’t have to leave right away. I haven’t seen you around before. Why don’t we get to know each other? Maybe have lunch?”

  Terence and Haben had planned their visit carefully. Terence had assured Haben that a meal would never be missed by a big cat shifter. It seemed his friend was right. Everyone in the house would either be in the dining room and kitchen or out hunting live game. After that, many cats liked to take an afternoon catnap. It would make it easier to find out the woman’s plans if he could figure out which rooms were Vivian’s and find a hiding place. As a private detective and an arachnid, Haben had the patience of Job. He could wait for hours for some nugget of information.

  Haben didn’t hear Terence’s refusal, but he sure heard Vivian’s muttered, fucking fag as she slammed back into the house. Seconds later, Terence’s Royal Star roared to life and the sound of a motorcycle rolling down the driveway signaled his friend’s escape. He fought back the sigh that wanted to escape, uncertain who was still in the room.

  Carefully, Haben maneuvered to the edge of the couch and peeked around the room. No one was in sight. He took a chance and hurried as fast as his current anatomy could carry him along the edge of the room. Still pressing his luck, Haben climbed the wall. He preferred a bird’s eye view, and Terence had known it. That was why his friend had commented on the massive moose head hanging on the wall at the west end of the room over the fireplace.

  He made it up the side of the stuffed head just as Vivian came striding angrily back into th
e room. With her was a man, and although telling the ages of shifters was tough, from the way the guy deferred to her, he must have been younger. Both carried large plates of food.

  They sat on opposite ends of a leather couch. “I have a job for you,” Vivian stated before taking a bite of what smelled like chicken cordon blue. Haben wondered absently if these guys hired a chef.

  The man glanced around uneasily, as if making certain they were alone. “I don’t think we should discuss this here,” he answered, showing more backbone than Haben had initially given him credit for.

  “Don’t be ridiculous,” Vivian replied, waving her fork in dismissal. “Everyone else is in the mess hall.”

  “What if someone saw us?” asked the man.

  Vivian smiled coyly at her lunch companion. “Don’t worry, Ricardo. I dropped a few rumors that we’re sleeping together, so if anyone saw us leaving together, well…” She didn’t finish her thought. Instead, Vivian lifted one shoulder and made a humming sound.

  The man, Ricardo, froze—his spoon halfway to his mouth. The scent of the young man’s arousal was unmistakable. “Y-you said we’re sleeping together?”

  Giving him a smile Haben thought looked more calculating than sweet, Vivian set aside her half-eaten meal and slid closer to Ricardo. “Would you like that?” she asked softly, as if a shifter wouldn’t already know the answer from just the guy’s scent.

  Haben tried to keep his disgust to himself, knowing strong emotion carried their own scents. He had no desire to get trapped in here with a pride of lions. He watched Ricardo’s breathing speed up, his pupils dilate his tongue slowly lick his lips. The plate clutched in his left hand shook slightly, so the young lion shifter set it on the arm of the couch.