Spider's Lullaby Read Online Free PDF

men until the day that Saint Dobrynya Nikitich had put an end to it by nearly killing him and then converting him to faith in Christ.
    Yes, Ivan Dragonovich was a born-again Christian. Russian Orthodox to be exact.
    Now he lived among men, killing bad guys as a form of retribution for his past sins. We were a lot alike, which is why we were kind of friends. Okay, so we were acquaintances who didn’t kill each other. He’s a monster who hunts evil humans. I am a human who hunts evil monsters. We don’t talk about the fact that if either of us lose our way and fall to the dark side, then we would instantly go to the top of the other one’s hit list.
    Number one with a high-velocity, armor-piercing bullet.
    â€œAnd who are these beautiful women you have with you tonight?”The Russian stepped past me. His hand reached out to clasp Tiff ’s. She offered her left, keeping the right one in her pocket where the 9mm was.
    Good girl.
    â€œIvan Dragonovich, meet Tiff. Tiff, this is Ivan.”
    Tiff bowed her head in greeting. Ivan held her hand for a moment, looking at her closely. Thick brows came together as he studied her. “Your eyes very beautiful. You should guard both of them closely.”
    It was a strange thing to say, but dragons are like that. Tiff made no response, just smiled and took her hand back.
    Letting go, he stepped to Charlotte.
    â€œIvan, Charlotte. Charlotte, Ivan,” I said as introduction.
    He took her hand, smiling broadly. The moment their skin made contact his spine straightened sharply, bringing him to his full height. Wide nostrils flared as he took a deep whiff. Inhumanly fast, he stepped closer, bringing his face to the side of her neck. Metaphysical heat washed back over me, flaring my power to life.
    My gun was out and pointed at the back of his head two seconds before Tiff cleared hers from her pocket.
    The Russian ignored both of us, inhaling deeply, face only inches from Charlotte’s skin. She stood unnaturally still, not moving even the smallest muscle, not even breathing. It was like they were locked in some weird stasis.
    The heat was rising. My finger was tight on the trigger. I fought to keep from squeezing the last quarter of an inch. My voice came through clenched teeth. “Ivan, I’m going to shoot you if you don’t back off.”
    Drawing in another whiff of air, he stepped back. Slowly, his head turned, looking over his shoulder at me. His eyes were black. Not the pupil, not the iris, the entire eye was black. The surface swirled in rainbow patterns like oil-slicked water. Lids closed in a long, slow blink, batting down, then up, then down again. When they opened the second time they had clicked back to normal. Almost.
    His voice was even deeper when he spoke, throaty and thick with ... something. “I am sorry.” His hand waved in the air apologetically toward Charlotte. “Has been many, many years since have seen woman of your kind.” A toothy grin split his face. “She was just as lovely as you. I become lost in memory. Forgive me.”
    Charlotte tilted her head toward him. “No apology needed, Were-kin. The Arachnae always remember what you did for our race. Every generation bears the knowledge to every generation after it until the end of eternity.”
    The tension ran out of my shoulders as I dropped my gun down, finger easing off the trigger. I slid it back home under my coat. “One of you tell me what the fuck just happened. What the hell is a Were-kin? What the hell does any of what y’all just said mean?”
    Ivan motioned us all to sit. I let the girls slide in first, leaving me untrapped by the table.
    â€œI am Were-kin. Same family with different result.”
    I leaned in. “Wait. Ivan, are you telling me you are a lycanthrope but in reverse? You are naturally a dragon who shape-shifts into a man?”
    The Russian picked up a fat cigar that was laying in an ashtray. It was cold