Climbing Up the Walls

Restored from https://web.archive.org/web/20160725235205/http://pastebin.com:80/mmN5fp53



CLANG!

CLANG!

CLANG!

Richard twitched awake. His face of confusion turned to one of concern when he realized two things:

That was an awfully loud and panicky way of calling for Sunday Mass.

It was Monday.

"Hell's bells," He hissed as he jumped out of bed. Just his luck that there'd be an alarm on his first hunting day of the week. After rubbing the last few grainy bits of sleep out of his eyes, Richard did a circuit of his room, throwing off his sleeping attire and replacing it with the standard affair of tunic, trousers and shoes. Though an actual hunt was out of the question, Richard attached his hunting knife to a harness on his belt. It was his firm belief that a man should never be unarmed during an emergency. He reached for his coat, but wrenched his hand back while gasping through clenched teeth; a spider the size of his thumb had shot up the coat sleeve right as he was about to pull it off of the wall. Richard decided that the middle of fall was too warm for a coat anyways.

Composing himself, he headed outside to find out why the alarm was raised. Living in a fringe settlement like Lodi had made him well acquainted with the brass tone of a church bell. The number of times it was rang for an actual Sunday service was miniscule compared to the number of times it was rang for an emergency. Less time spent giving thanks to the heavens, more time spent helping the local militia frighten away marauders. It was enough to make Richard  question whether the tax benefits for living here were really worth it.

The bell was still tolling away as he stepped out on the path of dirt and dead grass that served as the hamlet's main street. Looking up the way towards the church, Richard saw his fellow townsfolk shambling out of their thatched-roof homes; some of them hadn't even gotten themselves out of their nightclothes. It impressed him how there were people so passive about danger that they would be willing to face it with a nightcap on.

After rubbing his hands together to guard against the autumn air, Richard jogged towards the church. It was a simple building for a simple place. It could have been mistaken for another cottage if not for the raised section of the roof that contained the bell.  As Richard came closer, a man dressed in plate mail rushed out of the entrance, followed by two concerned clergymen. The three of them stopped at a knee-high platform usually reserved for the town crier and shared a few hasty words before the soldier stepped upon the podium and beckoned the growing crowd forward. Once the townsfolk settled down before him and the bell fell silent, the man began to shout:

"People of Lodi! I bring grave news from the north! Pine-no-more is under siege! They hold fast, but the hordes that assail them are fierce, and their gates are not indestructible!"

Richard frowned. Pine-no-more, named in honor of the section of forest that was clear cut to found it, was a town on the very border of the kingdom. The fact that it was right on the border, combined with the word choice of the knight, concerned Richard. Lodi had its fair share of violent encounters with monsters, but nothing that he would consider calling a "siege." Quite a few of the other townsfolk shared his line of thought; many started to murmur amongst each other about their suspicions. Ignoring the muttering of the people, the knight continued on with finishing his announcement.

"I have been sent back to request the aide from the heart of our kingdom, and spread warning to those that may be in the path of danger! Make preparations for a possible withdrawal and pray for the brave souls of your northern neighbor! Through order and vigilance, we will prevail!"

Without another word, the soldier-turned-messenger-boy strode off the podium towards a nearby hitching post where his steed was waiting. With a "hup!" he raised himself upon the saddle before snapping the reigns, thundering down towards the southern gate and the road beyond. His two pious escorts watched him go with sour, disapproving gazes, as if he had just spouted a crude joke at the expense of monotheistic faiths.  Some of the shrewder people in the crowd were already hustling back to their homes. Those who stayed glanced around, waiting for someone to declare themselves the authority. Hopefully it wasn't someone who was still wearing a nightcap.

Richard made his way over to the grim-looking pair of holy men. He wanted a better picture of the situation, and his past generosity with his venison was probably enough leverage to convince them to be a little more open with him.

"Morning, Father Odell," he said, raising a hand in greeting to the first priest. "Sebastian," he added, nodding to the other. He got a glare in response.

"Good morning, Mr. Hedd," replied Odell, taking his eyes off the horizon and settling them on Richard. "Is it not a bit cool for you to be going without a coat?"

"What, in this little chill?" Richard said, his hands firmly tucked in his armpits, "I'm made of sterner stuff than that, Father." Odell nodded in reply while Sebastian rolled his eyes. "Moreover," Richard continued, "I'm wagering that canned fool wasn't giving us the full story up there," Richard said.

"He was indeed twisting the truth of the matter," Odell said, "but I would still prefer it if you would not speak of a servant of The Order in that way." Richard put up his hands and smiled.

"Forgive me father," he said, "I guess it is sort of a bad idea to bite the hand that feeds. Still," Richard leaned in, taking a quick look behind him before turning back to the priest, "you know I don't like being kept in the dark when it comes to going-ons."

Odell gave Richard a hard look. He then turned to his companion. A silent conversation took place between him and Sebastian, spoken with a language of raised eyebrows, head tilts, and wayward glances. They reached a conclusion with a solemn nod. Sebastian turned to Richard before speaking.

"Pine-no-more's been completely sacked."

"What?" Richard said.

"Sir James told us," Sebastian said, "that the entire settlement was overwhelmed by monsters within an hour."

"So," Richard said, swallowing a lump in his throat, "So that man-"

"Was only able to flee the catastrophe fast enough to bring us the news of its occurrence," Odell said, "there is not a single doubt in my mind: that army of beasts will not rest at Pine-no-more, they will be charging down upon us within the hour. There is simply no time for us to prepare a retreat."

"To put it bluntly," Sebastian said, "We've been given the job of 'temporary roadblock.'"

Richard stood still. He nervously clenched and unclenched the handle of his hunting knife. He became aware of how sweaty he felt even in the cool morning air. He licked his lips. He opened his mouth.

"What the hell do we do now?"

Odell and Sebastian both hung their heads.

"Sebastian and I will remain here," Odell said, "and face whatever fate may bring before us."

"That's suicide!" Richard said, looking between the two of them.

"There'll certainly be a bunch of little deaths," Sebastian said. His coworker gave him a stern look.

"We have made our decision, Mr. Hedd," Odell said, "what you do is within your own hands."

Richard continued to clench and unclench the handle of his knife, until his hand settled on gripping it like a lifeline.

"I-"

HRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH!

All three of them snapped their heads to the north, where a man in a lookout tower had just removed a hunting horn from his lips. Trembling, he pointed out towards the northern road beyond the settlement's fortifications.

"T-the beasts are here!" the lookout yelled, "They're past the tree line! They're- there must be hundreds of the-" A feathery blur fell upon the man, and in the next instant he was rising skywards in the talons of a harpy. The feeble struggle he put up soon ceased when he realized freedom would come at the price of a forty-foot drop.

Odell and Sebastian calmly walked back to the church as the townspeople still milling about on the main road finally settled on an authority to lead them, and that authority was panic. As the crowd pushed itself towards the south, a man-at-arms in munition armor rushed through in the opposite direction with a cadre of leather-armored militia following at his heels. Richard watched them, marveling at their bravery and action in the face of imminent death. The leader ordered his men forward, clearly projecting his voice above the din of the retreating crowd. Every single militia-man was stone-faced and determined, their spears sharp and their shoulders squared, ready for anything the underworld itself could throw at them. Richard looked down at his hunting knife. Perhaps he too could demonstrate such gallantry and selflessness for his fellow man! Perhaps he too could show the hordes of hell just what mankind was made of!

Richard began sprinting to the south like a homesick penguin. There was a tremendous crash as the northern gate gave way behind him. Yells and shrieks of a one-sided battle soon followed, spurring both Richard and the crowd forward with terror-fueled vigor. Though the townsfolk seemed to be set on a blind rush to the southern gate, Richard deviated from the crowd, tearing past his home and ducking into the small space separating his cottage from his neighbor's. As he emerged out the other side, he came upon a small storehouse. It was unnoticeable from the main road thanks to the line of housing Richard slipped through to get to it, which would buy him enough time to set his survival plan into motion.

Breathing heavily, Richard zipped in front of the double doors and removed the iron-reinforced wooden bar that was keeping them closed. Wasting no time, he made his way inside and tossed the bar into the corner. Gravel crunched underneath his feet as he took in his surroundings. It didn't take long for his eyes to adjust, as the windows set into the very top of the walls allowed a generous amount of sunlight to stream in. The room looked big enough to comfortably hold around five well-fed cows, as long as one removed the multitude of materials scattered about its walls and shelves. It was among these materials that Richard found what he was looking for. A small stack of wooden boards, slightly similar in size to the iron-reinforced bar he had chucked aside. He grabbed one of the plain wooden boards and hurried back outside.

The sounds of clashing steel and growls of exertion were being replaced with the sounds of retreating footfalls and whimpers of fear. As Richard finished putting the wooden board into place on the doors, a thud sounded out behind him. He twisted his head around to see a man on the ground, just coming around the corner of one of the nearby cottages. The man reached out towards Richard, but before he could beg for help, a translucent tentacle of blue goo snaked out from behind him and firmly wrapped itself around his mouth. With a muffled cry he was dragged back out of sight. Giggling and squelching noises followed.

With a crunch, the board was broken and the doors swung inward thanks to a well-placed kick by Richard. After taking a split second to look over his handiwork and decide "yes, this does look like it was forced open by a beast with no time or brain power for polite entry," he rushed inside. He ran about the storehouse, shoving and kicking as many things as he could to make the room look properly ransacked. Satisfied with his carnage, he went to a corner, positioned two boxes between him and the doorway, and then lay flat on his back, hidden from sight.

Richard lay still as he hyperventilated. The fate of the lookout who sounded the alarm made it all too apparent that running would be an exercise in futility as well as just being exercise. Pine-no-more's fate was what drove him to fall back on the hiding option. It was obvious from the speed of the monster's advance that they didn't stick around the places they pillaged. The beasts must have simply killed all those they could find and then moved on to Lodi so they could begin the massacre anew. So, Richard had to simply make sure he wasn't one of the poor souls they found. He hoped his clever ruse was enough to make sure that happened.

Said ruse was about to be put to the test, as Richard heard heavy footfalls approaching the storehouse. Though still short of breath, he forced himself to breathe through his nose; he wasn't about to get himself killed over some clumsy mouth-breathing. The door was pushed further open, and the gravel crunched underneath the feet of a mighty beast. Richard shut his eyes tight and laid as still as a corpse, hoping to prevent himself from becoming one. Seconds passed. The beast took a step towards the two boxes in the corner. Richard laid still. The beast took a second step, its breathing hard and raspy. Richard laid still. The beast took a third step; it couldn't have been more than three feet away from the boxes. Richard was about to lose control of his bodily functions.

The beast let loose a slurred profanity and stomped outside, slamming both doors closed in frustration. Richard's eyes opened. He slowly brought his hands together and began a silent prayer of thanks to the heavens above. Once he finished, he gently laid his hands back down on the ground and let loose a long breath of air. He was safe. He had survived. All that was left now was to wait for night to fall so he could begin the perilous trek back to civilization.

Unpleasant thoughts started to surface in Richard's mind. What if there was no civilization left to return to? This was the largest monster attack he had ever witnessed in all his time in these wild lands, and he had been here for the better part of his adult life. If they didn't stop at Pine-no-more, why would they stop at Lodi? How many villages would he have to travel through until he found one that wasn't a slaughter-induced ghost town? Would he ever find one? Had the route of civilization, the massacre of mankind, finally begun?

Richard shivered, suddenly aware of how cold and tired he was. Fear and exertion was taking its toll, but he kept strong. His survival depended on his awareness, and he made sure to keep his ears keen. The muted sounds of strife outside were slowly dying down, replaced with the odd moan and pitter-patter of passersby. Time passed agonizingly slowly, and all the while Richard remained where he was, silent and vigilant.

♦     ♦     ♦

It was an hour or so after midday when it happened. Richard was as still as he had been for hours; his eyes were drooping at times, but stayed open. Despite how much time had passed, he still heard an occasional voice outside his hiding place. Perhaps some marauders stayed behind to torture their victims? Richard did not dwell on that. The last thing he needed was more worries clogging up hi-there was something on his arm.

To Richard's credit, he was able to stop himself from screaming like a prepubescent banshee. He was not able to stop himself from catapulting up into a sitting position while flailing his arm about, trying to fling off the spider crawling up from his hand. The boxes he was hiding behind crashed forward, and the small victory he gained from getting rid of the palm-sized interloper was immediately quashed when he heard a small "Hmm?" from outside.

He was discovered.

He was doomed.

He was about to die because of a goddamned spider.

He was not going to die cowering.

Hiding had failed. Flight would have failed. All that was left now was fight. Richard stood.  He gripped his hunting knife. The blade glinted as it was pulled from its harness. He moved to the center of the room, facing the closed doors. He flipped the knife around so he held it in a stabbing position. He bent his knees down, ready to pounce. He became aware of how sweaty he felt even though the room was cool and musty. He licked his lips. The closed doors began to creak open.

Richard's knife fell to the floor with a clank.

A thin, chitinous leg came through the door. The appendage was a dull, milky-white color, and it made a soft 'chk' sound as the black-barbed claw stepped upon the gravel. Another followed it, and another, until six of the things had anchored themselves within. Then, with a dreadful hiss, the owner of the limbs drew itself inside. Its abdomen came into view and, in contrast to its dull legs, was a pure white, with a bright red streak along the edges as if someone had ran a knife along its side. Two scrawny hind-limbs followed the creature as it finished entering the storehouse.

Richard was going to die cowering. His knees buckled, his eyes clamped shut, and he collapsed to the floor. He tried to scream, but all that came out of his mouth was a strained croak. He frantically scooted backwards, trying to get as far away from the thing as he could. Even after reaching the back wall, he continued to try to push himself away, as if his efforts would make him shrink and pass through a crack in the woodwork.

The beast slowly approached him. Richard whimpered and covered his head with his arms as its gravelly steps filled the room.

"chk, chk, chk, chk, chk."

This was how it would end. He was going to be eaten alive.

"chk, chk, chk, chk, chk."

He was going to punctured by its dripping fangs and turned into a slurry to be sucked up.

"chk, chk, chk, chk, chk."

The beast was upon him. He could feel its presence towering over him. Any second now the only thing he would know was pain. He tucked his legs in close while giving out a strained whine of terror. All of it would end here.

"Are you... well?" a soft, regal voice said.

Richard stopped shaking. He slowly uncovered his eyes and looked up. A small gasp escaped him. Apparently he had been so caught up in his arachnophobia that he had failed to notice the human-shaped extension of the beast's thorax.

From the waist down, a spindly nightmare. Above that, a porcelain beauty. She was almost completely nude save for a pair of elbow-length gloves and a shawl of webbing draped on her shoulders, which did little to hide her impressive figure. If anything, the pattern of the webbing seemed to enhance and draw attention to her curves. Sleek, shoulder-length black hair framed her face.  She might have been able to pass as an albino human with solid black sclera if not for the two extra pairs of eyes peeking out from under her bangs.

Unfortunately, the eyes reminded Richard to look behind her and see that she was in fact, a monster. His fear returned and his tremors resurfaced. He glared at her.

"What the hell are you waiting for!?" Richard barked, "If you're going to kill me, get on with it!" He closed his eyes again, waiting for the death strike to come.

"Why would I kill you?" She said. Richard opened his eyes again so he could properly give her a dumbfounded look.

"Why would y- because you're a monster!" he spat, "a savage!" to his astonishment, the spider-woman actually looked a little hurt. Her solid-black eyes became downcast, and her arachnid body seemed to droop. This only served to anger him further. Why was this uncivilized nightmare acting like a human being with feelings!?

Charlotte, for that was her name, was having a disappointing day. She had been unable to find a partner at the first town the feeding frenzy had passed through, and now the one she had stumbled upon by sheer luck seemed to be immune to her charms. She was never good with rejection, especially when the rejector in question seemed to be doing everything in his power to make her feel like a miserable little worm. She sniffled. Perhaps it would be best to just leave this rude man. She didn't have to take this. She could find a better partner, one who would treat her like royalty rather than like an over-grown bug.

"But that would be admitting defeat, would it not?" She thought.

A smile spread upon her pale face, showing a hint of her fangs. Charlotte never shied away from a challenge to prove herself with. Yes, she would show this man what it meant to be an apex predator.

In a flash of movement, Charlotte scampered onto the wall and swung behind Richard. Before he could react, a silken blindfold was firmly pulled over his eyes, leaving him in complete darkness. He tried to bring his hands up to regain his sight, but found that his arms had been securely bound to his sides as well. Panic began to overtake him once again. He twisted, grunted, and squirmed in an attempt to break free, but his captor put an end to his efforts via a gentle embrace. A flowery scent filled his nostrils as he was raised off the ground.

"Just relax," She whispered, placing a single finger on his trembling lips. "I promise I won't do anything to harm you." Richard shivered as her warm breath tickled his earlobe, then gave a yelp as his chest was suddenly bared. "Don't worry," she said as she tore off the remaining few shreds of his tunic, "I'll replace it later. Right now it's just in the way."

With his garment removed, the spider-woman began exploring Richard's upper body with her touch. Sliding and teasing, she searched about for his weaknesses. The lack of sight did wonders for his other senses. The scent of daylily was almost intoxicating and Charlotte's excited breathing meshed well with his own. Her gloved hand traced across his chest, and the smooth feeling of silk upon his nipples drew a soft gasp from Richard. She smiled, pleased with his reaction, before continuing her attentions, slowly circling around his little nubs of flesh. The tantalizing sensation of silk on skin was too much for him, and his moans became less and less suppressed.

"I'm not hurting you, am I?" She said, planting a kiss on his neck.

"W-Why," Richard said.

"Why, what?"

"Why are you doing thi- ah!" he twitched as Charlotte squeezed him closer, pushing her breasts into his back.

"Do you need a reason for pleasure?" She said. She demonstrated her point by suckling on her prey's earlobe and softly pinching his nipples.

Richard, who less than five minutes ago shivering with terror, was now shivering with ecstasy. His feelings were in turmoil. Every time he tried to remind himself that there was a disgusting monstrosity feeling him up, another jolt of pleasure would arc through his body. He couldn't think of those skittering legs without feeling his ear being teased. He couldn't think of those dark eyes without feeling his chest being massaged. He couldn't think of those terrifying fangs without feeling the sweet touch of silk rubbing across his body.

Tired of waiting for a response to her question, Charlotte slid her other hand down to his belt. After fiddling with the clasp for a moment, she began slowly sliding his pants off, giving a little "aha!" when his erection sprang out, straining against his undergarments. Her grip on Richard tightened in anticipation. Then, after a little hesitation, she guided her hand towards the impressive tent peeking out from his pants.

Another sigh flowed through Richard's clenched teeth as his captor felt up his cock through the fabric. The combination of soft material and circling pressure on his head was like the touch of an angel. A trickle of precum oozed out and spread on his underwear, adding slickness to the mix of sensations. Before he could stop himself, Richard was gently bucking his hips, silently urging the spider-woman to increase her attentions.

She gladly complied, removing his shorts and letting his dick stand tall in the open air before resuming her stroking. Though the linen was gone, her silken gloves were just as pleasurable. Each stroke drove him further and further into a delirious haze of bliss. All the while Charlotte continued to tease his nipples and plant gentle kisses upon his neck.

Richard was nearing his limit. Every stroke was becoming more and more maddening, and his breathing was approaching the point of hyperventilation. Charlotte could sense his excitement as well, and she loved every telltale sign, from his loud groaning and breathing to the uncontrollable movement of his hips. But, she wasn't about to let his orgasm go to waste.

"Mh, I suppose that's enough," she said, stifling a laugh.

"What!?" Richard squawked. She released him, making sure his bindings were enough to keep him from doing anything to finish the deed for himself. She then moved out from behind him to the center of the room. Free of her support, Richard fell to his knees with a crunch of gravel, still slightly moving his hips, hoping that the feeling of air on his cock would make him ejaculate. No such luck.

"W-what are you doing?" Richard said, panting as he slowly raised himself from a kneeling position, which was a little difficult considering his pants were still around his calves. He twisted his head around, trying to figure out where she had gone.

"Leaving," she said. She softly shuffled her many legs on the floor to complete the illusion.

"No!" Richard said, snapping his head in the direction of her voice, "you can't leave!"

"Oh?" she said, raising three of her eyebrows in mock surprise. "Why can't I?"

"Because," he began, but trailed off.

"Why would you mind if I left?" Charlotte said, folding her arms underneath her chest. "Am I not but a 'monster' and a 'savage' to you? This is a god-send for you, is it not?" Charlotte smiled as he faltered, the battle going on between his libido and his pride clearly playing out on his blind-folded face.

"So, what," Richard said, "Y-you want me to say I'm sorry or something?"

"No," she said as she moved towards him, "I want you to tell me why I can't leave. Why I shouldn't leave." She stopped before him, looking down at his twitching erection before looking over his twitching face. Feeling her presence, Richard tried to move forward, but Charlotte firmly held him at bay with one hand. She used her other to cup his cheek.

"Why should I stay?" She said. Richard turned his head to the side.

"I went to cmmrbl," he mumbled.

"What was that?" She said, smirking.

"I want to cum."

"Really dear, you must speak u-"

"I WANT TO CUM! I WANT TO MAKE SWEET, SWEET LOVE TO YOU AND FORCE YOU TO SCREAM MY NAME OH GODS ABOVE PLEASE GIVE ME RELEASE!"

Charlotte smiled as Richard panted like a sweltering Labrador. She brought her hand down from his cheek and started tracing circles on his bare chest.

"What is your name?" She said.

"Richard," he said, "Richard Hedd." He paused. "Yours?"

"Charlotte," she said, "Charlotte... Just Charlotte." Richard swallowed.

"P-pretty name," he said.

Charlotte released Richard and freed him of his bonds. He quickly brought his arms up to embrace her, but Charlotte placed a hand on his shoulder, placating him. She looked at him long and hard.

"I want you to do it without the blindfold," she said softly.

Richard stood still. He slowly nodded.

Charlotte untied the silk blindfold and let it drift down to the floor. Richard tried to keep his eyes on her pale face, tried to let himself get lost in those black pearl-like eyes, but he still found himself glancing behind at her pure-white abdomen and her dull-white legs. He trembled, he shivered, he wanted to close his eyes, but Richard stayed strong. He kept his breathing steady, he kept his eyes open, and, as much as he could, he kept them staring deep into Charlotte's own. Though her ever-so-slightly furrowed brow betrayed a tiny bit of disappointment, she still smiled, truly grateful for Richard's efforts.

Giving a small nod, Charlotte began slowly backing away until she was on the other side of the room. The sun streaming in from the open door behind her, paired with her naturally pale complexion, gave her a heavenly aura. As she used her arachnid digits to adjust her height so she was at a compatible level with Richard, she spread her arms wide.

"Come to me, Richard," she whispered, beckoning her lover forward.

There was a small jingle as Richard kicked his pants and belt off to the side. He wanted nothing more than to jump across the room into Charlotte's arms, but he knew the last thing he needed to be was a mood killer. It was as he was making a show of slowly walking over that he saw it. A subtle glint upon the ground to his right. His hunting knife.

God herself had given him one last chance. Charlotte wouldn't expect him to suddenly jam a knife into her throat. There was no telling she wasn't planning on eating him right after copulating anyways, right? All he had to do was rush her down and then hide until nightfall, and resume his plan! Richard stayed where he was, eyeing the spider-woman down. Her disgusting legs. Her chitin shell. Her swaying abdomen. Her vagina, dripping juices upon the floor. Her sweet, curvy waist. Her healthy breasts. Her soft, warm smile with a hint of fangs. Her sleek, black hair. Her shining, onyx eyes. Her entire, regal complexion.

In what idiotic reality would anyone want to harm this beautiful creature!?

Richard resumed striding towards his lover. As he drew close, Charlotte removed her shawl and tossed it around his neck, using it to draw him in closer. He embraced her, and the two of them joined lips in a deep kiss. They passed their tongues back and forth, trying to take the lead from each other, but in the end, Charlotte proved the more pugnacious, and sent Richard reeling with her passionate technique. They separated, Charlotte giving Richard's lower lip one last playful nip of victory. She grinned at him, but that grin turned into a soft 'o' as Richard moved one of his hands onto her breasts, gently thumbing her nipple. She retaliated by grabbing his cock and giving him and expectant look. Richard yielded, adjusting himself so he could more easily slip into Charlotte's wet folds. As his tip began teasing her entrance, Richard looked deep into his lover's eyes. She was blushing a hot pink, a striking contrast to her pale features. He swallowed a lump in his throat.

"I love you," Richard whispered

"Actions speak louder than words, dear," she said.

Richard took her advice to heart and let himself sink in. He gave a long, shuddering gasp as the sensation of penetration overloaded his body. Charlotte joined in, letting her shawl slip from her grasp as she hugged Richard closer, giving him a peck on the cheek to signal her need for more intimacy. He obliged, once again forcing their tongues together as the soft and wet sounds of their love-making filled the storehouse. The smell of sweat and daylily was overwhelming, and Charlotte's spider half trembled under the strain of their ferocious coitus, or maybe it was just another symptom of her terrific excitement. Tears of happiness streamed down her face as Richard's efforts grew faster and faster.

Charlotte looked upon the wonderful man before her and smiled. Just ten minutes ago he was spitting insults and shame at her; treating her like a scuttling pile of scum. Now, he was clutching her like his life depended on it, moaning her name and filling her with his love. Charlotte always knew that the hardest battles gave the sweetest victories, and Richard was no exception. She was madly in love with everything about him: his voice, his scent, his stubble, his muscled form. Richard was the sweetest victory of her life, and as she felt the throbbing of his manhood inside her, she knew that he would be hers, and she would be his, forever.

With one last, trembling thrust, Richard reached his limit. Charlotte couldn't stop herself from using her chitinous forelimbs to hold her lover even closer as he climaxed.  She cooed in satisfaction as his semen filled her insides, her entire body tensing up as both she and Richard held on to each other like they would never let go. Then, after several more seconds of orgasmic shivering, both Charlotte and Richard sunk to the floor, still tangled in each other's arms.

As the two of them lay together, their faces flushed and their breathing heavy, Charlotte brought her mouth to Richard's ear.

"I think," she whispered, "I was not able to get the chance to say this, so let me just say it now: I love you."

♦     ♦     ♦

Several minutes later, Charlotte and Richard had detangled themselves and sat together, Richard in front, flanked by his lover's forelimbs. He had retrieved his trousers, which he had wadded up on his lap to give himself the illusion of modesty. Charlotte's shawl was draped over his shoulders, and the spider woman herself had him safely in her silken arms, petting his head as she embraced him from behind.

Richard was in a daze. Less than an hour ago he was convinced that he was going to end his life as a slurry in some foul beast's stomach. Yet here he was, having his hair stroked by said beast as both of them lay together, savoring the afterglow of their lustful act. Truly, a dazed mind would explain how passively he was taking his entire world being turned on its head. Monsters didn't kill people. Not only that, but they actively sought them out for reproduction. Richard shook his head, trying to make the concept seem less ridiculous by rattling his brain. It didn't work. At least now Odell and Sebastian's calmness in the face of "death" made a lot more sense. Richard wondered how many other people in the town knew about the truth.

Despite his clouded thoughts, Richard still found himself smiling like a giddy fool. Charlotte's soft, gentle petting was doing wonders to keep down his stress, and the feeling of her bosom on the nape of his neck was also appreciated. Honestly, Richard had a feeling that his life was about to become a lot more joyful and inter-there  was something on his arm.

With a yelp, Richard pushed himself closer to Charlotte and shook his arm about until the tiny invertebrate was dislodged.

"What's wrong!?" Charlotte said, holding her trembling lover in her arms.

"Th-there was a s-spi-" Richard began, but stopped when he realized what he was saying and who he was saying it to. There was a moment of silence. Charlotte burst into a fit of laughter, covering her mouth with one hand while she used her other to give Richard's hair a playful ruffle. He blushed.

"Oh, don't fret, my love," Charlotte said, embracing him with a giggle. "Well begun is only HALF done, after all."