The Human Hunter

Chapter 25

Sidestepping a weak thrust from Jake, Emma ducked behind another bookshelf. Panting quietly, she watched as he straightened back up and calmly turned to face her. The sick grin on his lips stretched slightly and his eye twitched twice. He had already given her several cuts on her shoulders and one across her cheek, but they weren't deep enough to slow her down.

"We really should end this little dance, babe. Once Madam finishes off those pesky new kin and your meager oddball group, she'll meet me up here and expects you to be properly subdued."

Wait. New kin? She knew about the attack?

Emma thought it was insane at first, to think that Madam could have predicted things so easily. After another moment, however, she realized that she likely had plenty of ears around the city and saw it coming. Dread settled in her belly at the idea of Madam being able to plan her own counterattack, but considering she could already hear the rushing water far below through the open door in the floor, she hadn't been able to stop the second half of the plan.

Perhaps she was fooled and didn't realize there were burrowers until it was too late.

When Jake's knife suddenly swung toward her again, Emma snapped out of her thoughts and ducked to the right, then carefully began backing up as he stalked forward. Out of the corner of her eye she could see Catch appear from the inside of a broken bookcase. His large, fuzzy body silently made its way behind Jake, then disappearing from sight. She couldn't be sure, but she also thought that she saw Stilts, surprisingly, on Catch's back, but the much smaller spider was a lot harder to see in the dim light, especially with its gray coloring.

If any of you guys aren't still busy with the worms, I could really use your help in Widow's shop.

Emma pushed the thought out from her mind, hoping that it got the attention of at least a few black widows, then returned her full attention to Jake. He was only about three feet away, but as she hurried to put more distance between them, her back came into contact with a hard surface. She tried to pull away and duck around the dilapidated bookshelf to her left, but when she darted to the side, her shirt jerked taut, forcing her to stumble backward.

When she chanced looking behind her, since Jake had stopped for some reason, she realized the huge mistake she'd made. She'd backed into the front door. The threads Madam had woven across the old wooden frame easily held her shirt, keeping her from being able to move much.

Great. This would have been a useful trap for Jake, yet you got caught in it instead, genius.

Emma slowly leaned forward, trying not to look suspicious as she tested the silk. Most of them were firmly secured to her shirt, and she could just barely feel others tug at strands of her hair. It's going to hurt like hell getting off this door... but I can do it.

Biting her lower lip to hide a grin, she turned her attention to calming her breathing and focusing on Jake. He had walked closer, stopping little more than a foot away. He was turning the blade nonchalantly in his hand, his gaze narrowing on it as he snuck tiny glances up at her between rotations.

"You've kept me waiting for so long," he finally mumbled quietly as he met her eyes, right hand grasping the knife tightly. When it began to lift toward her neck, Emma had to force herself not to lean her head back. She couldn't afford to get her hair stuck further.

"You'll look just as pretty under me with a few more scratches... and you'll have learned a valuable lesson," he said, his voice turning into a growl as he spoke.

Emma felt her breathing pick up but she kept her mind focused and pushed away the panic trying to grow there. This is your chance. Now or never. With that thought, she ducked abruptly. The flat portion of the knife smacked her beneath her jaw but thankfully didn't cut as she dropped out of her shirt. The threads stuck in her hair pulled, making her wince and yelp as it tore strands from her scalp. She hurried past Jake the second she was free. His eyes were wide with surprise clear on his face.