Page 3 of The Jorogumo

When Haruto was silent for a minute, I glanced back at him to find him watching me with brows still furrowed. "You look nothing like theHulk. If I had to make a comparison, I'd say you're much closer to Steve Rogers."

I was too stunned to answer, and it took me a few moments to find my voice. "Uh, we've gotten off-track. Were you looking for an issue or series in particular?"

"Ah yes. I wanted the next issue in theAmazing Spider-Manseries. And a few others."

"Of course. The new issues are at the front, so we can get them on your way out. Anything else? Or would you prefer to just browse and see if something catches your eye?"

"I think I'll browse for a bit."

"All right. Just give me a shout if you need anything," I said before leaving him to his devices.

Back behind the counter, I was still thinking about what he'd said and what it meant—had it just been an innocent compliment or was he flirting with me?—when Dustin found me, an issue of aBatmancomicin his hand.

"Found it," he said with a grin, then tilted his head at me. "What's with that look on your face?"

"What look?"

"The confused puppy face. Did something happen?"

"Haruto said I look like Steve Rogers," I blurted out, and Dustin's brows shot up.

"I'm so curious about how the conversation got there, but he isn't wrong."

I rolled my eyes, and he stared back at me, unamused.

"I mean it. Your personalities match too, though I'd say you're a lot less violent and way more gentle."

My mouth moved without words coming out, and then Haruto returned before I could figure out what to say. I found the new issues he'd been looking for, then billed up their purchases.

"See you soon, Liam," Dustin said as he collected the shopping bag, and I smiled.

"Yep. You know where to find me."

"It was nice meeting you, Liam," Haruto said, and I smiled at him. Maybe over time he and I could be friends too.

"I hope you visit again."

Haruto nodded, and Dustin held the door open for him. I watched them leave, then eyed the doors. I'd added a ramp outside when I was first hired as the store manager a few years ago, but I needed to add some more modifications to the list. Like a button that opened the door so someone in a wheelchair could open it without assistance.

I wondered if Haruto would be with him the next time Dustin visited, then wondered why I wanted to see him again.

Two

Haruto

I kicked with myback leg, sending my web hammock swinging gently as I flicked the page, my thoughts drifting again to the big, sweet human who ran the comic book store. Liam.

It'd been almost a week since I met him, and for some reason, my mind refused to let go. I wasn't sure what it was about him that had me hooked. Was it the self-deprecating way he'd compared himself to the big green superhero? Or was it the way his face lit up when he smiled?

Like Dustin had said, he was remarkably similar to Silas, and yet I'd never spent hours thinking about the half-troll. What was it about this human?

I'd thought about talking to Dustin, but I was worried he'd say something ridiculous, like that I might be interested in Liam.

Romance was a complicated topic for me, made more so because of what I was.

Jorogumos fed on sexual energy. Traditionally, a jorogumo would take on the appearance of an attractive person and seduce a human, then wrap them up in their webs and feed on them to increase their powers. Over time, our species had evolved to feed on the sexual energy humans exuded when we seduced them.

I could take on a human form if I wanted to seduce one, but otherwise I needed power to do so. Power which I would get from feeding on a human's sexual energy. Which I didn't want to do because being the object of someone's lust made me extremely uncomfortable.

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