The Spyder's Web, page 2
It had been Hawk who talked him out of going to the prison. Hawk knew Jude’s beast would want to shred Greg Parker with claw and fang. No matter what answers the man gave, Michelle would still be gone. Jude had been present when a younger War went after his mate’s attacker. The male who took Harlow from War suffered greatly, but in the end, it didn’t bring her back, just as speaking to Parker wouldn’t bring Michelle back. The best Jude could do was follow his mother’s example and remember the good times. If he could only get past the sound of a pistol being fired at close range.
Ryker called Jude to check in with him during his stay at Indigo’s. He didn’t push, but Ryker did urge Jude to come back for a group ride. Jude loved group rides, especially those that included mates and kids. Sure, they might remind him of what he didn’t have, but he wasn’t one to shy away from get-togethers for that reason. Any time he could spend with Major and Marshall, Jude took it. He kissed his mom and thanked her as he always did before walking out of her home. He had been blessed with excellent parents, and he would strive to be half as good to his own children. By the time he rolled up to Ryker’s house, the others were loading up.
“Hey, Spiderman!” Major called from inside his and Marshall’s sidecar. Marshall gave Jude a wave. The twins were bundled up and strapped in.
“Hey, Little Dudes.”
Hawk strolled up and held his fist out. “Hey, Spyder. You good?”
Spyder bumped his friend’s knuckles. “Yeah. Just needed a little mom time.”
Hawk was one of Spyder’s best friends. He knew about Michelle. Had been around when she was killed. He had stuck like glue to Jude in the weeks after, making sure Jude didn’t do something stupid. Hawk was also a fan of Indigo. Like Rory, Jude’s mom took on the role for those whose mothers weren’t around.
“I hear she might be moving closer.” Hawk straddled his bike and put his helmet on.
“That’s the plan. She found a smaller house not far from Rory and Sutton.”
“Let her know I’ll be more than happy to help lug furniture.”
“I’ll do it. She’ll appreciate it.”
“Hounds, let’s ride,” Ryker called out once everyone was ready.
Family rides were different from when they were in club formation. They still took to back roads, but there were more stops so the little ones could pee and grab a snack. All the kids who accompanied them were good about not complaining, but they could only hold it for so long. Their destination was a state park where they could stretch their legs and enjoy a packed lunch before heading back home. While the adults sat around talking and enjoying the sunshine, the kids ran around playing tag or just chasing one another.
Spyder sat with Kayos and Hawk as they usually did since they were the single males of the group. “I saw the guest list for Intro Night at Dominion. It’s going to be a full house,” Spyder said.
Hawk swatted at Major when he ran past them, and the little boy jumped out of the way, then did a butt wiggle, laughing. When he ran off after his brother, Hawk leaned his forearms on his thighs. “Silas asked me to be a Dungeon Master. He also asked me to keep my eye on Master R. Silas did a background check and everything was aboveboard, but he feels there’s something off about the male.”
Silas Cain owned Dominion as well as Transcendent, a gay BDSM club where he and his mate preferred to hang out. Spyder didn’t know a lot of gay Gryphons, but he had no problem with them. To Jude, love and attraction were fluid. He had been drawn to males before but never acted on it. He preferred the softness of a female, but he could see the enticement of being with someone who could give as good as they got.
Kayos shifted on the stone bench of the picnic table. “I’ll help keep an eye out. I’ve only met the human once, and that was in passing. Something about him set my Gryphon on edge, but I was getting ready to do a scene, and I was already keyed up.”
Whenever Spyder was getting into the right mindset to do his rope work, he meditated beforehand. He had no idea what Kyllian did to get ready to inflict pain, and he’d never asked. It wasn’t his business. “I’m doing a demo, but I’ll also help watch. The last thing we need on Intro Night is for the human to show his true colors if he isn’t who he says he is. Is he a Master with a slave?” In their world, Masters could either be those who were proficient in one or more aspect of the lifestyle, or they could be into the Master/slave kink.
“I didn’t see anyone with him, so if he is that type of Master, it’s possible he’s in search of a slave. If that’s the case, he’ll be on the prowl.” Kyllian stood and twisted at the waist before looking down at Jude. “You want to talk about what happened at the gun range?”
Jude looked around to see who was close enough to listen in. Being shifters, that was everyone. “Not right now.”
Kyllian inclined his head and said, “Just know I’m here if you need me.” He then started chasing his nephews. Jude closed his eyes and leaned his head back, letting the sounds of his family warm him as much as the sun on his face.
Chapter Two
Charlotte
“There he is!” Wynter shouted and pointed across Charlotte’s face, momentarily blocking her sight. Charlotte pushed her best friend’s arm out of the way and corrected the car before she ran over the pedestrians on the sidewalk.
“Jesus H, Wynter. If I wreck, spotting him won’t do us any good.” Charlotte loved Wynter more than anyone in the world. The two had been best friends since fourth grade when Charlotte transferred to her new school. Tommy Flanders made a smartass comment about Charlotte’s wild curls and freckles. Wynter punched him in the nose. They’d had each other’s backs ever since.
“Sorry, sorry. You know how I get.” Wynter got excited. Then she panicked. Then she got excited again. She had always gone along with whatever hairbrained scheme Charlotte came up with whether she agreed it was a good idea or not. Following this particular man was probably not a good one, but here they were.
“He’s in a different car tonight.”
“Maybe he traded,” Wynter said.
The man in question was Roland Smith. At least that was the name he gave Charlotte’s cousin. Elise was older than Charlotte by fifteen years. When Charlotte’s mom died, she moved in with her aunt Ellen, Elise’s mother. Ellen was a single mom, but she had done well for herself and her daughter, so taking Charlotte in hadn’t been a hardship. At least that’s what Ellen always told her. Charlotte had always looked up to Elise with a sort of hero worship. Wanted to wear the same clothes. Style her hair the same way. Listen to the same music. Being a wonderful person, Elise indulged Charlotte, and Charlotte’s love and devotion only grew over the years, even after Elise moved out on her own.
That devotion had Charlotte and Wynter following Roland. She had never met the man who was trying to get Elise to move away with him, only saw him from her car as she watched him leave Elise’s. Elise told Charlotte all about the new man in her life over the phone. While her words were kind and hopeful, something in her tone sounded off. Elise had a string of bad luck when it came to men, so it was no wonder Elise was leery that he was too good to be true. Elise had changed over the years, going from wild, party girl to devout churchgoer, where she met this man.
In her quest to make sure Elise didn’t fall for another loser, Charlotte had set about following the man, which was easier said than done. He rarely left Elise’s house until early hours when there was little traffic, and following him was all but impossible. Charlotte and Wynter were on their way home when they noticed Roland walking out of a bar in New Latham. They lost track of him while turning around, but they finally had Roland in their sights. Now if Charlotte could go after him without Wynter causing a wreck, things would be stellar.
It was easier to follow Roland when he turned onto Highway 9. Charlotte had little experience in tailing someone, but she’d watched enough movies to know you had to be stealthy. If Roland had nothing to hide, he wouldn’t expect someone to follow him, but if he did, then he would be paranoid and spot Wynter’s car if they were too close. Roland took the exit into New Albany. Since he told Elise he lived in the opposite direction, he had either lied or he was going somewhere else for the night.
Charlotte drove past the parking lot Roland pulled into. She circled the block and parked on the opposite side of the street. The parking served a nondescript, three-story brick structure and was full of high-dollar vehicles sprinkled with a few mid-priced sedans. There wasn’t a junker anywhere to be found. No sign outside indicated what was going on inside.
“Whatever this place is, they aren’t advertising,” Charlotte muttered. Roland had already disappeared by the time they parked, but Charlotte waited. The few people they saw going in were dressed as though they were going to a business meeting, but who the hell had meetings this time of night? “I’m going to get a closer look.” Charlotte reached for the door handle, but Wynter grabbed her arm.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.” Wynter was ever the cautious one. “What if you get caught?”
“I’ll just tell them I was looking for somewhere with a bathroom. I’ll do a pee-pee dance and bat my eyelashes. You know – the usual.”
Wynter rolled her eyes but released her grip. “Be careful.”
With no traffic, Charlotte made it across the street and back in less than a minute. When she slid into the driver’s seat, she grabbed her phone out of the cup holder. “There is a small placket with the word Dominion carved into it.” Charlotte input the word and street name into the search engine. “Holy shit. It’s a BDSM club.” She turned the phone around to show Wynter. “I don’t see this being the type of place a Godly man would frequent. We need to get in there.”
Wynter grabbed the phone. “Says here it’s members only.” Wynter scrolled through the website with Charlotte looking over the console at her phone.
“Wait, go back up.” Charlotte pointed. “There. Looks like we’re going to get kinky.” She wiggled her eyebrows, and Wynter groaned.
This was the best idea ever or the worst one Charlotte ever had.
This was the two of them standing outside Dominion on one of the two nights a year it was open to the public. The owners didn’t let just anyone in. According to the website, this night was for women who were curious about the lifestyle to visit in a safe environment. They had gotten lucky when the soonest Intro Night fell on Wednesday the following week. It had taken that long to convince Wynter it was the only way for Charlotte to get close to Roland.
This time Charlotte parked in the attached lot instead of across the street. Theirs wasn’t the only vehicle which cost less than fifty grand. They climbed out of the Honda and made their way to the door where a sharp-dressed man waited.
“This is the worst idea you’ve ever had.” Wynter tugged at the short, spandex skirt barely covering her ass, then pulled her winter coat tighter.
“Probably.”
Wynter reached under the coat and tugged again, and Charlotte slapped at her best friend’s hands. “Why’d you dress like a hooker? Stop pulling at your skirt. You’re drawing more attention to it.”
Wynter crossed her arms over her ample chest. “I can’t believe I let you talk me into this.”
Charlotte reapplied her lipstick as they headed across the parking lot. While Wynter chose bright red, Charlotte opted for a subtle pink even though they were going to a club. “I told you I’d come by myself.”
Wynter huffed. “As if.” She uncrossed her arms, and when she started to tug the tight fabric, Charlotte gave her the evil eye. Wynter stuck her tongue out like a five-year-old, but she left her skirt alone.
Charlotte grabbed Wynter’s arm, stopping them a few feet away from the door. “If you want to go home, I’ll be fine. You can take the car, and I’ll grab a ride later.” Charlotte pushed her strawberry-blonde curls away from her face. She didn’t want to go in by herself, but she wouldn’t dare tell Wynter that.
“It’s fine. Let’s get this over with.” Wynter jutted her chin and marched to the door. Charlotte grinned at her friend’s back. Wynter liked to complain about all the things Charlotte conned her into, but at the end of the evening, she would also gush about how much fun she had.
Together, they had read over every piece of information about the club and what they could expect. To be considered, they had filled out a form, paid a not-so-small fee, and received a code when they were accepted. Once inside, they showed their codes and received an armband indicating their intentions. Red indicated they were there to watch. Yellow meant they were open to the possibility of doing a scene, but if they chose green, any of the Masters could call upon them at any time.
Wynter fell adamantly in the red column. Charlotte decided on yellow. She wanted to keep her options open in case Roland happened to be there. Not that she wanted anything to do with him, but she figured getting close to him was the best way to find out if Elise was going to get her heart broken.
A stunning redhead in all leather greeted them. “Welcome to Dominion. I’m Mistress K. Please follow me.” Mistress K led them to a table where they were given a list of rules. These same rules had been on the website, but they had to sign an agreement after reading them over. “The first floor is where you’ll see the demonstrations. The second floor is reserved for private rooms. Unless you agree to do a private scene, you will want to remain downstairs. Should you agree to a private demo, please know those rooms are monitored as well. We take our clients’ safety seriously. Do you have any questions?”
“Do we need a safe word?” Wynter asked.
Mistress K didn’t scoff or make fun of Wynter. Her smile exuded understanding. “No. Those are reserved for anyone with yellow or green bands like your friend. Charlotte, with a yellow band, you can say yes to any of the Masters who approach. You can also say no. If you say no, there will be no further discussion. All the Masters have also signed their own agreements to abide by the rules of our club. Safe, sane, and consensual aren’t merely words; they are imperative for Dominion to be successful. If anyone were to approach you and not abide by your wishes, please find one of the Masters wearing a blue armband, and they will take care of the situation.” Charlotte looked around the room where several men and women wore the blue arm bands.
“Also, with a yellow band, you may not drink alcohol. We can’t afford for your judgment to become impaired. Your admittance fee includes all-you-can-drink soda or juice. If you have no more questions, feel free to walk around. Enjoy your evening, ladies.” Mistress K gathered their signed waivers and strode to the door to welcome the next patrons. Women filled the other booths and tables signing their own agreements.
“Do you see him?” Wynter asked.
“No, but the time we followed him, he came in later. Come on. Let’s look around.” Charlotte stood and pulled Wynter to her feet. Groups were already gathering for the various demos being held. Before she began looking into Dominion, Charlotte had never considered going to a BDSM club. She liked sex as much as the next woman but had never had so much as a spanking. Reading about the lifestyle in her romance novels was as close as she got. Charlotte had researched a little about what she might see during Intro Night, and she had been intrigued by all of it. Wynter had looked over her shoulder at the computer, going on and on about how she would never be into any of it, yet she would tell Charlotte to scroll back so she could get a better look at something. Wynter wasn’t anymore a virgin than Charlotte, but her smoking-hot friend loved playing the prude.
Charlotte stopped at the flogging demo where a man in leather pants was strapping a woman to a St. Andrew’s cross when Wynter grabbed her arm and muttered, “Sweet baby Jesus.” Charlotte turned to see what had Wynter intrigued, and Charlotte had to admit the man her friend was ogling deserved the sentiment. He, too, wore only leather, but his long hair and tattoos were eye-catching. Flogging forgotten, Charlotte crossed the room and joined the crowd for a Shibari demonstration. The blue armband indicated the man was a Master.
“He can Master me all he wants,” Charlotte whispered. Like he had supersonic hearing, the man glanced at Charlotte and smirked. Her panties may have gotten soaked with just a look. He returned his attention to the woman he was going to bind, and in that moment, Charlotte would have given anything to be in her place. Well, maybe not. The woman wore only a black thong. Her breasts, as well as the rest of her, were on display for all the club to see.
“For those of you visiting tonight, I am Master J, the resident Shibari expert. For my demonstration, Mistress M will be assisting.” His voice was smooth as he explained the history of the art along with the safety measures both top and bottom – top, the one doing the rope work, and bottom, the one being bound – ensured through communication. “It is necessary for the top to be familiar with human anatomy lest they endanger their bottom. I will demonstrate a simple chest harness combined with handcuffs.”
Master J grabbed a long length of what he had already explained was hemp. Charlotte was mesmerized as the man deftly wound the rope around his assistant. As he moved front to back, he checked in with Mistress M, assuring the bonds weren’t too tight and she was okay. The longer he worked, the more serene Mistress M’s face became, as though she were relaxing from a good massage.
“There are two types of bondage – Shibari and Kinbaku. While they are similar in looks, Shibari is more of an art form, whereas Kinbaku is less sensual, and the bindings are tighter. Some bottoms prefer the more intimate bondage, like being held in a lover’s embrace, while others prefer a little more pain. It is up to the top and bottom to discuss beforehand the bottom’s intentions. Safety is the top’s first priority.”
Charlotte’s eyes tracked the man’s deft fingers as he wound the hemp across Mistress M’s body, checking the tightness of the rope. Charlotte’s eyes may have dropped to his leather-encased ass more than once. As with the craft, his body was a work of art. His muscles bunched and released beneath his ink-covered skin. The moans from a woman being flogged behind Charlotte weren’t distracting enough to have her turn her gaze from the scene in front of her. Charlotte had all but forgotten why she was in the club in the first place until a presence at her back was too close for comfort.
