The Spyder's Web, page 1
The Hounds of Zeus MC
Book 5
By Faith Gibson
All rights reserved. In accordance with the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, the scanning, uploading, and electronic sharing of any part of this book without the permission of the publisher is unlawful piracy and theft of the author’s intellectual property. Thank you for your support of the author’s rights.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locations, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.
The author acknowledges the copyrighted or trademarked status and trademark owners of the wordmarks mentioned in this work of fiction.
Copyright © 2021 by Faith Gibson
Published by: Bramblerose Press LLC
Editor: Candice Royer
First edition: June 2021
Cover design: Michelle Sewell, RLS Images Graphics & Design
Cover photography: JW Photography and Covers
Cover model: Ryan Stacks Harmon
Dedication
For my little momma – the best biscuit maker ever
"Now hear another monstrous sight: Beware:
The sharp-beaked hounds of Zeus that never bark"
~ Aeschylus, "Prometheus Bound", 5th century BC
Table of Contents
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
A Note from The Author
Coming Soon
Cast of Characters
About the Author
Other Works by Faith Gibson
Prologue
Charlotte
“Don’t panic, but we have a tail. Black truck, three vehicles back.”
Charlotte gripped the steering wheel tighter. She waited until the last second to take the exit, but when she glanced in the rearview mirror, the truck was closing in on them. “Shit, hang on.” Charlotte took the right at the bottom of the off-ramp faster than she should, barely missing a car merging into her lane. When the other driver laid on their horn, Charlotte muttered, “Sorry.” The van wasn’t made for speed. Still, she pushed it to its limit. The truck, however, was powerful. Traffic was thick on the four-lane, but Charlotte wove in and out of the cars like a pro.
“Where’s a cop when you need one?” Charlotte blew through a yellow light with the truck on her ass. “Seriously?”
“Charlie, you can’t outrun them. We need to find somewhere to—” The truck tagged the van’s bumper, and both women were pushed forward, their seat belts digging into their chests. “Sonofamotherfucker! Crazy fucking pig licker!” Zedra braced her hand on the dashboard as Charlotte changed lanes then slammed on the brakes. “What are you doing?”
Charlotte made a U-turn in front of oncoming traffic. Cars braked hard. Horns blared. Charlotte didn’t let up though. She punched the gas and took off in the opposite direction. “Get someone on the phone. Tell them we need a divers—” A loud pop sounded, and the van careened hard to the right. “Bastard shot my tire!”
“Charlie, look out!” Zedra shouted, like Charlotte couldn’t see the light pole they were headed for. Charlotte pulled hard on the steering wheel, but it was no use. She closed her eyes, let go of the wheel, and braced for impact. The airbags did their job, but the seat belt still cut into Charlotte’s chest and stomach. The cab filled with a nasty, ashy substance from the airbags deploying, and Charlotte started coughing while waving her hands.
Sirens rent the air, but they weren’t close enough for Charlotte’s peace of mind. Zedra, still cursing the driver of the truck, released her seat belt. Before Charlotte knew what was happening, an animalistic growl filled her ears as Zedra crawled across the console. Were those fangs? And holy shitballs! Zedra’s long hair was no longer auburn. A fur-covered head that looked scarily like a lion smothered Charlotte’s face. She couldn’t see, but the roar that left her guardian was deafening. Okay, so she’d hit her head and had passed out, because if she’d been conscious, she wouldn’t have a lapful of wild animal. That or she was dead. Charlotte didn’t think she warranted Hell. She’d lived a good life.
“Shit, shit, shit.” Zedra lunged backward onto her side of the van. Bloody claws retracted, and Charlotte started laughing. Not in a humorous, this-is-funny laugh but a hysterical, I’ve-lost-my-mind, high-pitched chortle. “Fuck, I’m so sorry.” Zedra wiped her hands on her jeans, but the blood wasn’t coming off.
“What the fuck are you?” Charlotte managed to ask after her wheezing stopped. Before Zed could answer, Charlotte’s door was wrenched open. She screamed as she tried to back away from the door.
Chapter One
Spyder
“Breathe, motherfucker!” Jude demanded of himself as he stared at the cracked concrete while begging his brain to get onboard. You’re a fucking Gryphon, for Zeus’s sake. The ear protection did nothing to drown out the sounds of the shooting range, and each bullet fired hammered into his chest. The chest currently having trouble gathering enough air.
“Spyder?” Ryot’s voice met Jude’s ears right before a firm hand clamped down on his shoulder. “Jude, fuck.” Ryker “Ryot” Lazlo, the President of the Hounds of Zeus MC as well as one of Spyder’s best friends, grabbed Spyder’s bicep and dragged him away from the range and into the building. He continued hauling Spyder by the arm until they were out front. The noise from weapons being fired was still loud, but nothing like it had been standing close to the other Hounds.
“Breathe, Jude,” Ryker demanded. Jude stared at his Pres, breathing in through his nose, then exhaling out his mouth until his lungs finally inflated properly.
“Sorry. I thought I could handle it.” Jude hated guns. Hated what they could do. After the last job in Texas had gone to shit with Spyder and Havyk going up against the Mexican cartel, Ryker decided all the Hounds should start carrying. Claws and fangs had been good enough for Spyder. Still were. He pulled the ear protection from his head and handed it off. “I gotta get out of here.”
“Spyder, wait.”
Spyder didn’t wait. He left Ryot standing there with no explanation. Instead, he rushed to his bike and straddled the seat, slammed his lid on, and buckled the strap. He cranked his Harley, pealing out of the parking lot. He and Ryker had been friends for a lot of years, but only Hawk was aware of Jude’s past. If Hawk had been aware Jude agreed to go to the shooting range, he would probably have kicked Jude’s ass.
Instead of heading home, Spyder took the back roads south. He had nowhere to be for the next couple days. He had a Shibari demo Wednesday night at Dominion, the BDSM club where he, Hawk, and Kyllian were Masters. If he hadn’t already agreed, he would stay away a few days longer. By the time he rolled up in his mom’s driveway a few hours later, Jude’s mind had cleared.
The front door opened before he got his kickstand down. Indigo Sterling was shorter than Jude by several inches, but the female was fierce. Indigo wore jeans and a mint green sweater, with her long hair braided down her back. Her bare feet gave no indication it was winter in Upstate New York.
“Hey, Mom.” Jude tucked his helmet under his arm as he closed the distance between them. Indigo held her arms open, and Jude let his mother’s embrace soothe his soul. It had been the two of them for many years, ever since...
“Come in. I was getting ready to fix a sandwich, but since you’re here, I have just the thing.” Indigo’s feet carried her into the kitchen, where she pulled two beers out of the fridge. Jude set his helmet on one of the dinette chairs, then took the bottle. He didn’t bother arguing about her feeding him. It wouldn’t do any good.
“Thanks.”
He downed the pale ale in one go. His mom swapped the empty for a full bottle before pulling something from the freezer. When she turned around, she asked, “Do you want to talk about it?”
Jude set the bottle down, dragging the band from his ponytail before redoing it. His mom had a sixth sense where he was concerned, as evidenced by the food defrosting in the microwave. His favorite cheesy beef casserole scented the air. Somehow, she had known he would stop by and would need the comfort food. Even though she was Gryphon, Indigo rarely ate meat, so the casserole was for him.
“Ryker thinks we need to carry guns on our mercenary jobs.”
Indigo narrowed her eyes, then retrieved a cider out of the fridge. After taking a healthy swallow, she leaned against the counter, waiting.
“I thought I could handle it. The sound, I mean. I joined him and a few others at the gun range this morning, and...”
“You had a panic attack.” It wasn’t a question. His mom knew his past better than anyone. She had lived through it right alongside him. At least she hadn’t been there when... Jude swallowed hard. Remembering his sister wasn’t a hardship. Reliving the day she had been gunned down still brought him to his knees all those years later.
“Yeah. And instead of
The microwave dinged, interrupting their conversation. Indigo checked the food, set the timer for a couple more minutes, then returned her focus to him. “You’ve been doing mercenary work for a while without an alternate weapon. Don’t you all get to choose which jobs you take?”
“We do. For now, I’ll only accept those that are quick in-and-outs. I will have to explain to Ryker why though.”
“Do you think he won’t understand? Ryker seems like a fair male.”
“He will, and he is. I just hate talking about it.”
Indigo finished getting his plate ready and set it on the table in front of him along with a fork and paper napkin. “Perhaps talking about it will lessen the effect.” When Jude’s eyes narrowed, his mom held up her hand. “Don’t glare at me. I’m not saying you’ll forget. But I do know from experience the more you share your story, the easier it is to deal with it internally.” She tapped her temple with her index finger. Indigo had seen a therapist after Michelle’s best friend’s boyfriend gunned her down. His mom tried to get Jude to see her therapist, but he refused. He was a Gryphon. Being such, Jude should be able to handle the trauma on his own. Apparently, he was wrong.
While on the job in Texas with Havyk, Jude had barely kept his shit together. He had gone twenty years without being around guns. Now, those memories of the day Michelle was taken from him were haunting him, thanks to the cartel and the FBI. The report of the pistols that morning was the same as the one plaguing his memories and nightmares. Each caliber gave off a unique sound, and that of a 9mm was forever ingrained in his mind. Jude didn’t comment further; instead, he chose to enjoy the food in front of him.
Indigo changed the subject, knowing her son. “I visited with Rory last week and got to meet the twins. You weren’t kidding about those two. I about peed my pants when Rory introduced me, and Major asked, ‘Where did you go, Indi?’ That kid is something else. And Marshall is just as cute in his sweetness.”
Jude couldn’t help but grin. “You aren’t wrong. I want five of each as long as they’re all boys.”
His mom’s smile softened. “It’ll happen, Son. Well, maybe not ten boys, but you’ll find your mate one of these days, and she will be just as special as you are.”
Jude didn’t consider himself anything special, but his mom had a right to be biased, as did all mothers who carried and nurtured a baby in their stomach for nine months, then popped them out like it was no big deal. He was glad to be a male. Jude couldn’t imagine that level of responsibility females carried. They were remarkable creatures. Strong and resilient. Both his father and sister had lost their lives to gunfire – his father trying to stop a robbery and Michelle in a domestic dispute. Despite the deaths of her mate and child, Indigo Sterling had come through both losses and continued living. Next to Rory Lazlo, his mom was the strongest female he knew.
Jude took his empty plate to the sink, kissing his mom on the cheek as he passed her. “You ready for another one?” he asked, grabbing himself a beer.
Indigo downed the few sips left in her bottle. “Yep. I take it you’re staying a while?”
“Thought I might.” Jude strode into the living room and plopped down on the sofa. “Other than visiting Rory and the twins, what have you been up to?”
His mom sat in her recliner, extending the footrest. “Actually, I’ve been looking at houses. I think a change of scenery is in order. It’s one reason I went to see Rory. There’s a cute little cottage close to her house.”
“Yeah? That’d be great.” Jude loved his mother something fierce. He relished being able to visit when he wanted to get away from life, but having her closer would be even better. “Just let me know if you find a place, and I’ll help you move.”
“Oh, I’m counting on it. Why pay a moving company when I’ve got the Hounds at my beck and call?”
Jude tipped his bottle in her direction. “Truth.” Like Jude, his father had also been a Hound of the MC. He had been Sutton’s VP and one of his closest friends. The two weren’t brothers by blood, but the club had brought them together, forging a bond only broken by his father’s passing.
Jude looked around his mom’s living room. Unlike his own house, there were tons of photos decorating the walls and tables, though few of them were recent. He understood why Indigo kept them, but for him, the reminders of who he’d lost were too painful. He preferred keeping his dad’s and sister’s likenesses stored away in the recesses of his mind, only bringing them out when he felt strong enough.
Jude had helped his mom pack up and move from the house he and Michelle grew up in. It about killed them both, but together, they managed. During that move, his mom had let go of most of his dad’s things, only keeping a few items special to her. Jude had inherited his father’s motorcycle, which he still rode. Havyk kept it running like brand new. His dad’s kutte was framed, hanging above the fireplace in his home. He placed it there to remind him of the kind of male he strived to be. Fearless. Selfless. Heroic. Jude wasn’t sure he had achieved any of those things. Truett Sterling left behind some mighty big biker boots to fill, and Jude wanted to do so. He wanted his pop to be proud wherever he was.
For the next couple hours, Jude’s mom rattled on about nothing in particular. It was her way of letting him zone out and just be. She didn’t ask questions that required his input. When she was talked out, she sat quietly and worked a crossword puzzle. Her presence was enough. When it was time for bed, Jude retired to the room she kept for him. He had spare clothes in the dresser and toiletries in the attached bathroom for those days he stopped by on a whim. Jude wanted to be that type of parent, if and when he ever found a mate and had kids of his own. He wanted to be a safe place to land, even when his children were grown.
As he readied for bed, Jude thought about his conversation with his fellow Hounds while looking for the cult members hunting Rhiannon, Ryker’s mate. He didn’t think what he wanted in his own mate was asking too much. Someone adventurous, and someone who loved his mother. Jude didn’t really have a type. He loved females of all shapes and sizes, but he’d never dated anyone who made his blood sizzle or his beast stand up and take notice. Not since Belinda, but he didn’t want to think about her. Jude had lied when he told his brothers he wouldn’t accept a female who didn’t like spankings. His interests in the BDSM world went only as far as his rope work, but if a woman wanted a little pain, he would dole it out if it were mild. He wasn’t a pain master like Kyllian. He wasn’t a Dom like Hawk. Jude didn’t require true submission, only someone who wanted to be tied up in pretty knots.
Finding a mate in one of the clubs he frequented hadn’t happened in the fifteen years he’d been doing demos and playing. Jude had gone out with a couple of Dommes over the years, but he quickly learned he wasn’t the submissive type. Plenty of women who were members of Dominion tried to catch his eye, but why give in when he knew he couldn’t give them what they wanted or needed? Maybe a mate wasn’t in the cards for him.
She’s out there.
Maybe. Maybe not.
Well, I’m not fucking giving up.
Jude sighed as he turned out the light and crawled under the covers. He wasn’t giving up either, although some days he felt like it.
Being around his mother always refreshed Jude. She carried on with her life, not forgetting her husband and daughter, but remembering the good times. Indigo bore none of the guilt Jude did because she hadn’t seen either one die. She tried to convince him he shouldn’t feel guilty that he hadn’t been quick enough to save his sister. It wasn’t his fault the man who pulled the trigger had done so. It wasn’t his fault Michelle had chosen that day to visit her best friend. Nor was it his fault the gods saw fit to allow it to happen. Jude didn’t think Zeus himself ever stepped in to help his children. There seemed to be some predestined plan for each being; whether they be shifter or human, and good or bad, everyone died at some point. One day, Jude would be among those who were no longer of this world. It could be tomorrow or years from now. He could die honorably as his father had, defending a human as he’d been put on Earth to do. Or he could be gunned down by someone who had momentarily lost that part of themselves that knew right from wrong as his sister had. Or maybe Parker just hadn’t cared. Jude had come close to visiting the male in prison and asking him why. What made a man so rageful he would attempt to take the life of the woman he supposedly loved?
