Chapter 8

8

Remember the movie Arachnophobia ? Remember the size of those spiders? Now imagine one in your apartment, spindly-legged, hairy, with a gaping maw big enough to swallow me.

I shrieked and saw my wide-open mouth replicated in its multi-faceted eyes. But worse? The mandibles that clacked as they tried to grab me!

I threw my bowl at its face and scrambled away. Not far because my small place didn’t have anywhere to really go except the bedroom. But hiding in there would leave my other friends at risk. My phone sat across the room on the charger, meaning I couldn’t even call anyone.

The eight-legged freak stalked me slowly, enjoying my fear, or so it seemed. It spat a gob of something gooey, which I barely managed to dodge. Before I could figure out a game plan, my door got kicked open, and in stormed Levi.

Looking more thunderous than a dark cloud and wielding a gun, he took one look at the threat and ditched the firearm for a sword he pulled from a sheath down his back. I’d not even known he carried one.

With blade in hand, Levi partially crouched and kept his gaze on the spider, which moved more cautiously with a real threat to face.

He didn’t look at me as he muttered, “Before I slice it to pieces, can I assume this isn’t one of your friends?”

Had the curse giganticized my sweet Charlotte? “Um…” I glanced to the ceiling with its little web and saw Charlotte quivering in a corner of it. “Definitely a foe.”

“Permission to kill?”

Since when did he ask? “Squash it!” And my friends thought I didn’t have a single cutthroat gene. This was one time I fully advocated for the killing of a living thing.

The one thing I didn’t take into account?

The mess.

As legs were severed, each spewing nasty glowing green ichor, my place got goobered. Slime spewed from each stump, and the spider retaliated by shooting balls of slimy thread. Splat. Ick. Gross.

Despite standing out of the way, I couldn’t avoid getting covered in the gore from the fight, and by the time it finished, with Levi victorious over the corpse of the massive spider, my place had been ruined.

I hadn’t fared much better.

I blinked my sticky lashes in shock, which led to Levi barking, “Cinder, are you all right?”

“Do I look all right? I’ve been slimed.” And it stank.

“You’re not injured, though?”

I shook my head.

“Good. But I know someone who’s going to get a verbal beating. Fucking Hannah. She told me she checked your place.”

“She did.” I jumped to her defense. “I don’t know where the spider came from. Suddenly, it was just sitting beside me as I ate my cottage cheese.” In that moment it hit me. “Little Miss Muffet.”

“What?”

“It’s a nursery rhyme.” I frowned. “Although the spider wasn’t that big in the poem and has nothing to do with my story curse at all.”

“Wait, since when is the Grimm Effect reenacting poems?”

“It might be,” I cautioned. “We shouldn’t jump to conclusions from a few incidents.”

“How many will it take?” he drawled. “Or are you waiting for one of them to kill you?”

I wanted to argue, but I had nothing. “I don’t know what’s going on.”

“What’s going on is you’re being targeted.”

“Which makes no sense unless…”

“Unless what?”

“The Grimm Effect somehow thinks I’m going to ruin the Little Ash tale. In which case, it would make sense for it to get rid of me.”

His brow arched. “I doubt the Grimm Effect is sentient enough to care about a single person.”

“We don’t know enough about it to say anything for sure, but I don’t know what else makes sense.”

“I do. Hundreds of wannabe Cinderellas who see you as a threat on their pathway to marrying a prince.”

“That’s just silly. I don’t want to marry Killian.”

“They don’t know that. Could even be the curse is trying to convince you that you should.”

“It will have to try harder,” I huffed. “I am not marrying anyone unless it’s for love. The real kind,” I emphasized. “Not some magical spell that makes me think I am.”

“How would you ever know the difference?”

“I just would.” I had to believe that.

“You’ve been in love before?”

I shook my head. “No, but I’ve read enough romance novels to know how it feels. How your heart flutters when they’re near or you think of them. How your toes curl when they kiss you. How your dreams and thoughts are consumed.”

A moue of disgust twisted his features. “Sounds unpleasant.”

“It’s the best thing in the world if you can find it.” I’d seen the transformation in my good friend Blanche, from grouchy to happy.

“Must be nice for those who can find it.”

“It could happen to you.”

“Doubtful. As you’ve stated before, I am a killer, and the kind of women that attracts… Let’s just say I’d rather be alone.”

I almost opened my mouth to say he underestimated his appeal, but then that might lead to me saying something dumb like how good-looking I found him, and sexually appealing, plus kinder than expected. Not to mention brave, rushing in to rescue me.

“Wait a second, how come you knew I needed help? Are you spying on me?” I glanced around for cameras.

“Uh, well, um, I might have, kind of, um, been staked out watching your place.”

I narrowed my gaze on him. “Why?”

“Because my gut told me to.”

It made me think of his appearance that morning. He’d since changed and shaved, which led to a light bulb moment. “You were here last night too!”

“And if I was?” he huffed. “You should be glad I listened to my instincts, or you’d be cocooned and marinating for the spider.” He waved a hand at the body, and I shuddered.

“Fine, you were right, and I’m glad you were nearby, but you could have told me.”

“What would that have accomplished?”

“You could have slept on my couch instead of your car.”

He grimaced. “I think my SUV is more comfortable.” He might have a point given my love seat wouldn’t accommodate his length.

“You must have been close to have heard the commotion.”

“Close enough. Luckily you scream pretty loud. Surprised you didn’t shatter a few windows.”

I arched a brow. “Not all of us are warriors. And I hate bugs.”

“Says the woman who is friends with a spider.”

“A little one who wouldn’t hurt—” I couldn’t say fly so substituted with, “Me.”

Levi glanced around. “Your place is a mess.”

“I’m aware. This is going to take forever to clean.” I sighed.

“You’re not cleaning this. This is now a crime scene, which means we need to call the bureau for a team to bag, tag, and document.”

“Think they’ll let me stay while they handle it?” I already knew the answer. Protocol stated people had to vacate the premises of a crime scene.

“No.”

“Where am I supposed to go?” I said then immediately snapped my fingers. “I’ll call Belle. She has a spare room at her place.”

“You’re not staying with Belle.” A flat reply.

“Yeah, well, I am not paying for a hotel that won’t let me bring my friends.” With the threat gone, the mice emerged, their pink noses twitching from their openings in the walls, which looked like doors since I’d drawn around them, giving them frames, and even fake windows with flower boxes.

“Hold on, you’re bringing mice with you?”

“Not just the mice. Izzy and Charlotte, too, if she’ll leave her web.”

For some reason, Levi sighed.

“What?” I exclaimed. “Why do you look so annoyed?”

“Because I am not an animal, or arachnid, kind of guy.”

“I don’t understand.”

“You’re obviously being targeted, princess, which means you need protection. Since we’re both working the same mission with the prince, it makes the most sense that you stick close to me.”

I blinked. Digested his words then gasped, “You expect me to stay with you?”

“I’ve got a suite at the hotel, one floor below the prince. It’s got two queen beds so no worrying about your virtue.”

“Why can’t I get my own room?”

“Because I can’t spare an extra guard.”

“Killian has an extra bedroom in his penthouse suite.” I couldn’t have said why I mentioned it.

Levi’s expression went several unhealthy shades of red and purple before he growled, “No.”

“Excuse me? Why not? It would make sense to have us both in the same place, seeing as how we both need protection.”

“It might make the curse harder to manage. Unless you want to marry the prince?” For some reason he sounded angry saying it.

“No, I don’t want to marry him. Add to that, if there was concern about the curse, then why would anyone put him with me as our liaison in the first place?”

“It wasn’t my idea,” he snarled. “I argued against it, but the director overruled me.”

“I’ll bet that made your bossy butt happy.” My tart reply.

“Why must you be so difficult?”

“Because spending time with you is a trial,” I grumbled. “Do you think I enjoy arguing? I’m a happy person. A simple person. Not a person who deals with monster spiders and rat armies in elevators or black birds baked in a pie.”

“Well, get used to it for the next little bit because I have a feeling it’s only going to get worse.”

“You really need to start playing ominous music when you make those kinds of dark declarations.”

He glowered.

“Actually, that expression works too.”

“Pack a bag while I call for a crew to dissect the crime scene.”

“Can’t I shower first?” Yes, I whined.

“No. We don’t want to disturb any of the pipes in case the spider used one to squeeze its way in.”

“You saw the size of it. No way it came up through my tub.”

“Seeing as how spiders that size don’t exist, I wouldn’t rule it out. Especially since your windows and door were shut. Now, no more arguing. Pack.”

“Grumpy butt,” I muttered as I went into my room. Despite what he said, I did change clothes, dropping my slimy nightgown to the floor and then using a towel to mop my face and hair as best I could. The mice were already at work, packing my suitcase, not just with clothes for me, but with supplies for them and Izzy too.

Apparently, Charlotte would be staying, tucked up in the rafters. Levi’s murder of the other arachnid freaked her out. Understandable.

I emerged from my bedroom with my suitcase in hand, mice perched on my shoulders and in my pockets. By the door stood Izzy, who flicked his tongue at me.

“Yes, you’re coming too,” I assured him.

Levi stood in the kitchen area with his phone to his ear, but he put it away upon seeing me.

“Give me the case.” Levi snared my suitcase, leaving me free to scoop my lizard. We then marched down the stairs to his SUV just as flashing lights arrived, spilling the bureau’s forensics team. While crimes involving humans still required police to do their own investigation, cases involving otherworldly creatures, such as the spider, went through a different processing, a magical version conducted by witches. Surprised we employed sorceresses? You shouldn’t be since not all magic wielders turned out bad.

I headed for my car, only to have Levi snap, “Where do you think you’re going?”

“To the hotel. Duh.” It slipped out.

“My car is that way.” He pointed to the large SUV.

“I want to have mine handy.”

“I can’t protect you if we’re in separate vehicles.”

I took a mulish stance. “I am not being left without transportation again.”

He glared at me as if he could bully me into compliance. He’d obviously not met the people in my life who thought they could walk all over me.

Rather than pointlessly argue, I simply got in my car and started it. The mice scampered off to their spots. Orville liked riding on the front dash. Rosy got carsick and usually huddled on the mat in the backseat. The rest liked to cuddle in the cup holder. As for Izzy, he usually took the passenger seat, but this time, he scooted into the back.

I craned and frowned. “Everything all right?”

Tongue flick. Fine.

Creak.

The car sank as Levi sat in the passenger seat.

I blinked. “Um, what are you doing?”

“Riding with you.”

“But what about your car?”

“Gerome can get it in the morning.”

“You can’t seriously think I’m going to be attacked again tonight.”

“You’ve already had two incidents today.”

“We don’t know the pie was intended for me. After all, it was baked for a king.”

“I swear, if you don’t shut up…”

“You’ll what?” I sassed.

To my shock, he suddenly gripped me by the head and dragged me close for a kiss!