Page 11 of Spooks & Specters

“Sure thing. In fact, why don’t the two of you help me put it on?” Kit grabbed both of their hands and started toward the bedroom. “After you take my clothes off, that is.”

Along Came a Spider

Chapter One

SAN DELAIN, a sprawling metropolis, stretched as far as the eye could see. Tall skyscrapers dotted the skyline, glittering in the warm sunlight. The city was a melting pot of cultures, evident in the varied architecture and diverse people bustling about on the busy streets.

It had a warm and sunny climate, a diverse job market, a rich cultural scene, beautiful beaches, a thriving food scene, and unparalleled shopping and entertainment opportunities.

But even with its bustling streets and crowded markets, the city had a darker side. Its seedy underbelly was rife with crime and corruption, a fact that most people would consider a stain on the city’s reputation.

But for Isadora, this was a good thing. The intrigue and danger of the criminal world called to her, tempting her to explore its depths. Others may see it as a blight, but she saw it as what it was: a food source.

She stood before the full-length mirror, taking one last look at her reflection. The dark jeans hugged her curves perfectly, and the black T-shirt draped over her figure like a second skin. She slipped on a pair of sleek black tennis shoes to complete the casual, yet stylish, look.

Her jewelry was simple but elegant—small diamond studs adorned her ears, a delicate diamond pendant rested against her throat, and dainty gold bracelets adorned her wrist. The clothes and jewelry radiated an air of understated wealth and sophistication. Since she wasn’t in the mood to be dragged around by her hair, she braided it and then pinned it up into a bun.

“Let the games begin.” Turning from the mirror, she picked up her purse and swung it over her shoulder.

She used the keyless remote to unlock her custom Land Rover. It wasn’t the most expensive vehicle on the market, but it’d certainly draw attention, and that was what she wanted.

Said the spider to the fly.

It took almost a solid hour of driving to get to the part of the city she wanted, and she exited the interstate. Even though it was ten o’clock, there was still a lot of traffic at this time of night.

For the last several miles, the appearance of this section of town had been steadily declining. Crumbling buildings, their walls covered in garish graffiti, loomed overhead. Boarded up storefronts lined the streets.

The scent of decay and neglect hung heavy in the air, as trash littered the sidewalks and spilled out onto the road. It was a stark contrast to the bustling city she had just left behind, a grim reminder of the harsh reality facing this forgotten part of town.

The cars parked on the street were older, and a few looked abandoned—their tires flat tires and windows busted. A fog of desperation surrounded the place. She almost,almost,felt sorry for what she was going to do that night, but she had to eat just like anyone else. At least she tried to avoid innocents.

As the very obvious drug deals taking place on the street corners became more prevalent, she started looking for just the right place to set her trap—to spin her web, so to speak.

She was certainly garnering a lot of attention.

When a young man in a dirty tank top and jeans did the finger gun motion at her, Isadora knew she was where she needed to be. Seeing a darkened alley, she tapped her brakes a couple of times like her motor was spluttering, then quickly pulled to the curb and killed the engine.

Taking a deep breath, she slapped a look of terror on her face. She glanced frantically around. The people eyeing her from the shadows had no idea this was all an act. Her heart rate picked up. It was excitement zipping through her veins and not fear.

Grabbing her cell phone, she pretended like she was making a call as she made panicky hand gestures. People stepped from the shadows. A quick look at her dash console showed that it’d taken exactly two minutes to draw a crowd.

Three young men circled her vehicle. Isadora guessed them to be gang members in their early twenties. The bandannas around their foreheads, the guns stuck into their waistbands—yeah. This was exactly what she was looking for. She liked the big, muscular, and tattooed men with their firm skin and youth.

They were tasty.

When the banger tapped on her window, she shook her head. Grinning, he tried to open her door.

This motherfucker. So cocky. So enjoying what he thinks is my terror.

While he was doing that, another one slowly climbed onto her hood. Isadora had to fight a scowl. He had better not dent her damn hood. She turned wide eyes to him.

He waved at her.

Asshole.

The third banger tried the back passenger door, and Isadora jerked her head around to stare at him. He pointed at the door like he thought she was stupid enough to unlock it for him.

They’re enjoying this. I’ll remember that.

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