(Nikolai's POV)

I've waited for this day, for so long that I've honestly lost count.

Who could've ever guessed that I would finally find my one, my only...my beloved...through a seeking employment ad, and in the United States, of all places?

Certainly not I.

I would have never looked in such an odd, unexpected place, had it not been for my mother's suggestion.

She called me from Aitoliko, Greece, where she was overseeing the mating of the Tetragnathas, and said that I should read the employment wanted ads in an Indiana newspaper.

It was a rather vague and odd request, but that's my mother for you. I've learned over the millennia not to question anything she says or asks of me, no matter how bizarre it may seem.

She knew that I would know, the second I read it.

I was so excited that I wanted to go out and celebrate...cover the town with beautiful webs...

Instead, I held my composure and contacted her...my mate – a Miss Jenna Dawes, and hired her...even though I have no need for a cook, seamstress, nanny, or housekeeper.

She emailed me a few hours later and declined my offer. I was devastated and asked what her reservations were.

When she explained that she'd never traveled abroad and didn't have a passport or the money for an airplane ticket, there was no way that I was going to let such insignificant things get in our way.

I did not want to seem overeager, but I told her that I would take care of everything, and I did...immediately, using an overnight express courier to deliver a sum of American currency, instructions, and a plane ticket to her doorstep.

Curiosity got the better of me and I easily looked her up on the internet...with a little help.

She's absolutely stunning and seems sweet, but is very small, young, and...human, which was and still is a bit of a shock.

Supernatural beings most always keep to themselves and, if they ever mate, it's usually only with another of their kind or similar kind...and that's not even considering my position.

Like things with like things, as my mother always says...yet she's the one who led me to Jenna – a destitute human of no nobility or title.

That's when I questioned my mother. Surely she had made a mistake...despite her usual infallible nature.

But no...she told me that I had always been a bit of an oddity, in spite of what I am, and that I needed to trust this.

And trust it I have, and will continue to do so.

I'd always assumed I'd mate with a high-born spideress and then face my fate, as all male spiders do.

Hell, I've lived longer than most, so I couldn't really complain.

But I must admit that finding out that I have a human mate was and is honestly a huge relief.

Jenna...

Just thinking about her always sends delicious shivers from my pedipalps to my fangs, down my cephalothorax, through my abdomen, into my spinnerets, and down all eight of my legs...causing all 48 of my knees to quiver, feeling as if they will buckle, for the first time in my entire existence.

That's why I'm not picking her up from the airport or meeting her down at the gatehouse this evening.

I want her to have a chance to get settled in tonight and hopefully not feel as overwhelmed as I do.

Plus it will allow me to observe her in person before I actually meet her.

She'll never even know I'm there...

I'll just have to make sure I'm well fed, which reminds me...

I pull the pocket watch out of my vest and see that it's nearly 5:00 pm, so I had better go hunt and get that out of the way before she arrives.

I quickly disrobe and open the balcony door before leaping off and morphing into my true self, halfway down.

I land smoothly on all eight legs, despite being the largest of my kind, and head out into the dense, private forest that belongs to my estate.

Being a predator certainly has its advantages as I am able to locate my prey rather quickly and easily take it down.

The buck I catch isn't as big as I'd like, but it'll do, for now.

Only two bites and its gone.

I didn't get too messy, but wash off anyway in a nearby spring before heading to the patch of woods nearest to the gatehouse to wait...

I leap from rock to rock, tree to tree, and hill to hill, spanning long and wide distances with ease, having a bit of fun before ballooning.

I attach a web to a nearby tree branch and hang onto the end...letting the wind carry me to where I need to go.

The sun is just beginning to disappear behind the mountains as I sense them nearing...especially Jenna.

She's here...she's here...she's finally here!

I spin around in circles, for a moment, so excited.

I literally feel as if I am crawling out of my own skin...no pun intended.

I see the car approaching the gatehouse and I rub my two front legs together in eager anticipation.

They finally come to a stop after locking the gate before Anton opens the rear door of the car...

And out steps the most beautiful creature that these eight eyes have ever looked upon...despite her rather casual attire.

I focus on her with rapt attention, taking everything in...feeling her vibrations which cause me to lean heavily on the tree next to me.

It's overwhelming!

Venom pools in my mouth and begins to trickle down my fangs and onto the ground.

The urge to cocoon her is so strong...

But I can't. I don't want to scare her away...

Once they disappear inside, I edge closer.

She's looking around the parlor, which makes me think of an old poem...

"Will you walk into my parlor, said a Spider to a Fly; 'tis the prettiest little parlor that ever you did spy. The way into my parlor is up a winding stair, and I have many pretty things to show when you get there...

"Oh, no, no!" said the little Fly; to ask me is in vain: For who goes up that winding stair shall ne'er come down again..."

I sigh as she disappears into the kitchen, out of my line of sight.

I hate that I have to suffer under the pretense of being her employer, relegating her all the way out here in this damn gatehouse like a servant, but since she's human, I'll need time to woo her...let her get to know me.

Well, the human part of me anyway, for now...

We never discussed what her position here was going to be. I'm sure she assumes that I need her for the menial work she had requested, but I already have all of the staff that I'll ever need, in a domestic capacity.

I would never allow her to do manual labor anyway.

So...I had to create a new position, just to make all of this plausible.

It's a good thing that I happen to own several silk mills...

She will be my assistant who basically will do nothing but type a few letters, file a few papers, and spend time with me.

Sure, it will seem odd to my employees who have never saw me have the need for an assistant before, but I'm the boss and I could care less what they think.

I just hope Jenna goes for it.

Anton finally drives away and Jenna continues to explore the downstairs, allowing me glimpses of her through the windows here and there.

When she enters the room that I set her sewing machine up in, I inch closer, hoping that she likes what I did for her.

She seems stunned at first and then panicked as she takes a cellphone from her pocket before frantically rushing out of the room.

She tries to use the infernal thing, but of course, there is no service out here, which is why I don't own one.

She's calling someone from the phone in the kitchen and I listen intently...

It'd better not be a male...

A female answers, to my relief, and they begin a short conversation.

At least she thinks it's beautiful here so far, and tomorrow, she'll see that I don't smell like sauerkraut, which gives me a good chuckle.

She ends her call and finishes looking around before heading upstairs where I left a fresh bouquet of flowers for her in one of my Ming dynasty vases, along with a note.

I return to the back of the gatehouse, shrink myself in size, and climb up the tallest, nearest tree, bringing me eye level to the windows in her bedroom.

Yes...I suppose I'm being a bit of a Peeping Tom this evening...but I cannot help myself.

The flowers seem to please her, which brings a rare smile to my inhumanly face as she begins to unpack.

She doesn't have much, for a lady her age, but I shall have to remedy that soon...

She is very neat and tidy, separating everything into neatly folded piles on the bed.

Her delicate movements greatly intrigue me and the urge to be nearer to her is so immense that I leap...landing on the windowsill.

She unpacks what looks to be an old, glass doorknob and places it on the bed with everything else before stowing her bags under the bed.

Now that I am closer, I notice a bruise on the top of her right hand and frown...hoping no one dared to harm her in any way.

My hairs stand on end at the very thought of someone hurting her.

God help whatever soul may have done it, for I will certainly not!

My size begins to increase uncontrollably, wanting to revert to my monstrous and imposing size, knocking me from the windowsill.

I quickly shoot a web up onto the eave, catching myself before I hit the ground...not that it would've hurt me.

I scurry up the wall, stopping beside her window, peering around...not wanting to miss a moment of looking at her.

But I do need to calm down first...

I don't want to do something rash and frighten her.

I shake my head and rub my face with my two front legs, trying to rid myself of any irrational thoughts.

I shall ask her in the morning how the bruise came to be there and hopefully my ire will be completely unwarranted...although I hate to see her injured, for any reason.

I peer back around the side of the window just as a piano solo begins.

She stops in her tracks with a look of surprise and recognition before a tender smile spreads upon her beautiful face.

This must be a musical piece that she likes...

A man begins to softly sing and his words perfectly capture how I feel...

My love, there's only you in my life,
The only thing that's bright...

This is exactly why I'm hanging outside of her window like a lovesick fool.

A woman begins the next verse and Jenna joins in. She has the loveliest voice and I'm completely enraptured.

This song, although I've never heard it before tonight, resonates with me in ways that no opera or chamber pieces ever could.

She begins to dance around the room, singing into the doorknob she'd brought, and I've never seen a more precious sight!

How I want to take her into my arms and waltz all night with her.

Before I realize what I'm doing, I spring backwards from the wall, still attached to my lead web, and swing over in front of the window where I begin to dance upon the air with her, like an aerial performer.

My first love,
You're every breath that I take
You're every step I make

And I...I want to share
All my love with you
No one else will do

Two hearts,
Two hearts that beat as one
Our lives have just begun

I continue swinging around on my web in perfect time with her, completely lost in these unknown and overwhelming sensations...

Forever...oh
I'll hold you close in my arms... all eight of them...
I can't resist your charms

Ooh yes...
You will always be...
My endless love

'Cause no one can deny
This love I have inside... no...not even you, Jenna!
And I'll give it all to you

My love, my love, my love
My endless love...

Yes! Yes! Oooh yes! A million times YES! She will always be....my endless love! I sing aloud as I twirl around wildly on my web.

The song sadly comes to an end as I hang midair, dangling, with my legs pathetically wrapped around myself, wishing it was Jenna that was ensconced in my place.

I hear her slight panting and flip myself over, so that I can look into her window once more.

She looks on the verge of tears, yet happy at the same time as she cradles that old knob to her heart.

Once again, I'm taken aback by the sublime beauty of her, wishing I knew what made her feel that way...wanting to share in it all with her.

I climb up onto the window and try to feel her vibrations through the glass, but am unfortunately louder than I intend to be, thanks to my claws.

She looks over at the window, startled, before rushing towards it.

I jump up and grip onto the wall above and stay completely still, knowing she won't be able to see me.

I give her a few moments to satisfy her curiosity before I climb up onto the roof and head towards the chimney that leads down into her bedroom's fireplace.

I attach another lead web to the top of the chimney and then jump down inside, landing silently on hearth of the fireplace.

I sever the web and quickly make my way closer to her, staying in the shadows and sticking to the dark corners and recesses of the room.

She's hanging her meager wardrobe up inside of the armoire, and while her back is facing me, I scurry over to the other side of the bed.

She continues to hang her things up with great care as I just watch and wait...

Once she goes to sleep, I can hopefully just touch her...even if it's just for a second or two.

She finishes a few minutes later, but removes a towel and washcloth out of the bottom drawer before closing the doors.

She carries the towel and cloth over to the tub and I know what's coming...

She's going to bathe.

Give me strength...

Now...I've always thought of myself as a gentleman, despite of what I am, and though I'd love to stay and feast my eyes upon what I'm sure is a heavenly body, I must excuse myself.

I make myself even smaller and head underneath her bed, with only her luggage to keep me company.

Although I must say...the scent emanating from them is utterly divine.

I crawl inside her suitcase and roll around like a pig in slop.

I both hear and feel the aging faucets turn on as the water runs up through the groaning pipes and begins filling the porcelain tub. I close my eyes...concentrating on her scent in order to keep me honest...keep me under here.

She places a few things on the floor beside the tub as a floral scent begins to fill the room, interfering with her natural, wonderful scent inside this bag.

I expose my fangs in displeasure until I hear the rustling of clothes...

And shudder in the most delicious way as my imagination runs away with me.

It's taking every ounce of my control not to peek out from under this bed...

The temperature of the room rises, mingling with the slight steam, making me feel as if I am in a sauna.

Dante's Inferno is more like it, as I suffer the hell of not being able to see or touch the woman I love...

I know that if I were to present myself as I am, even this small, it would only frighten and disgust her.

Not to mention that she'd probably either run and scream or try to swat at me or smash me with a shoe...that's always fun. Not.

I have far too many memories like that from when I was a curious little spiderling, long, long ago...

I sigh sadly before I hear and sense the displacement of water, followed by a pleasure-filled moan, causing me to nearly lose my composure.

How much more can a spider take?!

I quickly huddle up in the corner of her suitcase and shoot thick webs all around the inner circumference where the zipper meets...insuring that I stay honorable...

I lay here, for some time, lost in my fantasies where a girl falls hopelessly in love with a spider...hoping it's not delirium from being entombed in this web-filled case of lust and desire.

I hear the water finally draining, then footsteps, and more rustling...

The footsteps come nearer and stop before a few drawers are slid open and closed, followed by...you guessed it...more rustling.

I slam my two front legs down onto the fabric lined case in frustration.

I'm dying to get out of this thing, but as much as I'd love to look, I refuse to let the first time I see her naked be like this, where she's unaware...

The faucet on the sink turns on followed by the sounds one makes when brushing their teeth.

It sounds like she combs her hair afterwards and then sits right above me...on the bed...making rubbing noises.

Why? Why must she torture me so?!

I swear, when we are mated, I want to be the one who bathes her, combs her lovely locks, rubs her delectable body, and clothe her in the finest of silks...

I hear her footsteps descend the stairs and jump up, break through my wall of webbing, and then fall onto the floor with a slight thud...landing on my back with all of my legs pointing upward...probably looking as if I'm dead.

Mi-o tragi (Fuck...me).

My abdomen rises and falls rapidly as I finally get some fresh, cool air.

I sure don't miss being a small or curious one any more...

The radio goes off and I reluctantly roll over onto my legs before making my way carefully down the stairs.

She's in the kitchen, going through the larder, before she chooses something, and I think of that silly poem again...

Said the cunning Spider to the Fly, "Dear friend, what can I do to prove the warm affection I have ever felt tor you? I have within my parlor great store of all that's nice: I'm sure you're very welcome; will you please to take a slice!"

"Oh, no, no!" said the little Fly; "Kind sir, that cannot be; for I know what's in your pantry, and I do not wish to see."

Afterwards, she sits all alone, having her snack, looking a bit tired and sad.

You're not alone, Jenna...I'm here...

Someone so beautiful should never be sad or alone.

I quickly scurry underneath the table as she takes a drink of her milk.

I climb up underneath the tabletop where I can be close to her, yet completely hidden.

She doesn't linger too much longer before she washes her glass, turns the light off, and heads back upstairs.

Once the coast is clear, I follow her, lying low until she gets into bed and turns the light off.

Ahh...hello darkness, my old friend...

I anxiously wait until she falls soundly asleep before I climb up into the bed with her.

I try not to touch her...I do...but temptation gets the best of me as I head underneath the covers, making light, gentle touches here and there, no more than a whispering wind.

However, she jolts awake, turns the lamp on, and throws the covers back, frantically looking around.

Whew! That was a close call. It's a good thing I'm quick...although I do feel guilty for waking her.

She nervously shuts the light off and lies back down.

Once she dozes off again, I climb up the tapestry style drapery that surrounds her bed and just watch her sleep for hours.

I look down at the alarm clock beside her bed and see that it's after 4 am.

I hate to leave, but I have things that I must attend to before returning here at 8 am, for our official first meeting.

I look over at her once more. Her mouth is slightly parted as she takes the gentlest of breaths. Her lips look so soft and full...calling to me like nothing has before.

I know this is a risk, but I'm willing to take it, as I know that it may be quite some time before I will be able to touch her again, or kiss her...

Well...a spider's kiss is all I can offer her right now.

I climb the rest of the way to the top of the canopy, leap onto the ceiling, and then crawl over to the middle...right above her beautiful face.

I attach a lead web to the ceiling and slowly slide down to where I am hanging an inch above her luscious lips.

Her breath is sweet and every time she exhales, it lightly caresses the hairs on my cephalothorax, making me want to hang here all night...          

Ah, Jenna...what a little temptress you are. You have completely ensnared me without even spinning a web, when it is I who hopes to ensnare you in mine...

I carefully tilt myself downward a bit, so that I can gently caress her cheek with my right front leg.

It sends delightful little zings throughout my body as the corners of her mouth turn upward, as if to smile.

I'm filled with glee, thinking that for once, a human is happy to receive a spider's touch. She is the one for me!

I lower myself just a centimeter more, lightly touching my fangs to her precious lips.

However, she jumps up out of the bed in fright, knocking me backwards before batting her face and hair hysterically as small, shrill screams escape her lips.

I detach from my web and quickly scurry over to the fireplace, preparing to leave the way I came.

That certainly didn't go as planned...

Talk about wounding my ego.

More like my heart...

Not only that, but I feel guilty once more, for disturbing her sleep...for even thinking that a thing like me could ever touch such a beautiful being.

I should've known.

I look back upon her as she's shuddering and scratching herself in disgust.

I sag in sadness and devastation. Maybe I should let her smash me with a shoe...

It would be nothing less than I deserve.

I gaze longingly upon her one last time before making my way up the chimney.

Goodnight, Jenna...

I'm sorry.

A/N : Poor Nikolai! Even though he's a spider, how many of you want to give him a hug? Please let me know what you think!

🕷PLEASE BE SURE TO VOTE AND COMMENT!!! 🕷

FYI : Spiders do in fact have 48 knees - eight legs with six joints on each. And when Nikolai speaks of mating with a spideress and excepting his fate, it's because the female spider eats the male spider after they mate. 😱😭

The spiderweb phenomenon in Aitoliko, Greece really did happen in September of this year, 2018.

*Excerpts from the poem, "The Spider and the Fly", by Mary Howitt, 1829.

*And once more, "Endless Love" was written by Lionel Richie and performed by Lionel Richie and Diana Ross, 1981.