Emojin was nodding, her gaze distant as she saw it in her mind. To match yours?
Yes, but were not a couple, so they should be different, he said. Make hers full to show her completeness.
Complete? Was he kidding? I was about as unfinished as one could be and still survive.
Let me think. Emojin hit a few buttons on her keyboard, and a huge, outdated printer behind her hummed to life. I gave you black fluffs. Lets keep that element the same between you to show unity.
This was getting more complicated by the moment, but I didnt want the two of them to come up with something that was going to take more than a day to complete and cover my entire back. Um . . . I said hesitantly as a piece of paper slid from the printer. Sometimes less is more. Maybe we could stick with just three flowers. Make one yellow, one thats closed and ready to change, and the last one with the black dandelion fluff?
Emojin leaned to take the printout. Her eyes were sharp on mine when she came back and set it before her. Change, she said, looking me up and down with the same evaluating air shed had when I first met her. Thats what youre all about, isnt it? David, shes right. Give me a second.
Only three flowers? he said, clearly thinking that I should have more, and I smiled nervously. I didnt want a bouquet. I wanted something simple.
Emojin had a black pencil in one hand and another in her teeth. Almost oblivious to us, she began sketching a new drawing beside the original print. She was a true artist, and as I watched the tattoo start to take shape, I decided I liked the idea of wearing something that this woman created.
This is good, she said as she added a few floating seeds from the open seed head. Simple, elegant, easy to do, and rich in symbolism. What do you think?
She spun the drawing to us, and I took in a breath, loving it. Oh, this is beautiful, I said as I picked it up, and Emojin beamed. Even David seemed happy despite there being just three flowers and only two actually looking pretty. The third was in an ugly in-between stage, like me, I suppose. My God, she had somehow made the angles on the leaves look like wolf heads, and with the moon highlighting it, it was a true piece of art. And it was mineif I wanted it.
Okay, I said, handing it back. Ill do it. I dont care how much it hurts.
Emojin smiled, all her wrinkles folding in, making her beautiful. I knew you would.
From the front of the store, Wayde made a rude bark of laughter, and I turned to him. What are you laughing at? I demanded, and David put a calming hand on me.
You. Wayde slouched in his chair. God, Rachel. Its not going to hurt that bad. The way I hear it, youve had worse.
Not intentionally, I said, stifling a shiver. Youre just sulking because you got pwned by an elf.
David gave my arm a squeeze as Emojin slid from her stool. Thank you, he said earnestly. I know this means more to me than you.
Uncomfortable, I winced. Im sorry it took me so long, but at least now I know it will last. I shook my arm with the silver band, and a hint of worry crossed his expression.
Moving slowly, Emojin joined us. So, all I need to know is where you want it.
I blinked, remembering a demon asking me the same thing. Uh . . . I said intelligently. Where would you suggest?
She exhaled, tired. Youve not given this any thought.
Wayde had started our way, and he pulled his collar aside, saying, A real Were would put it here, where everyone could see it, but since you dont want to show affiliation
Mr. Benson, David growled, facing him with his hands clenched.
Thats not it at all! I said, angry as well. I just didnt want to get one only to have it vanish after some stupid demon transformation curse! They dont last through that, you know.
Wayde stopped a good eight feet back, slumped with his weight on one foot in a maybe-show of submissiveness, but his jaw was still clenched defiantly. Smirking, Emojin stepped between them. Id suggest an arm or an ankle, she said as if the two werent ready to face off. Training or not, Wayde would lose badly. The only reason David had asked for Waydes help was because David had a problem forcing me, his alpha, into anything.
Emojin shook the paper to get David and me to look at it. Youre going to want to show this off on request. Putting it on your ass might be a bad idea.
I laughed to help defuse the tension, and both men turned from each other. The ladies have put theirs on their front shoulders, David said. Its very showy.
But I didnt want showy. I wanted subtle, and my stomach started to hurt.
With your fair skin, this is going to look fabulous, Emojin said, seeing my hesitation. I may ink this myself. Can you hold still when something hurts?
I nodded, remembering the needles from when I was a child. God, I hated needles. Yes, I said, trying to find a way to meld my desire for subtlety with Davids wish for show. If it wasnt where someone could see it, there wasnt much point to it as far as he was concerned.
Id like this on the back of my neck, high and almost behind my ear so my hair covers it most of the time, I said, taking the drawing from Emojin. And the detached fluffs coming around the front somewhat. One on my neck by the main piece, one on my collarbone where everyone can see it, and a third where you think appropriate.
I looked up, fixing on Davids eyes. If someone knows its a pack tattoo, theyll recognize it flat out. And if they dont, then they wont need to see the larger one.
David thought about that, and Emojin took the paper back. Like an open secret, she said, pleased. Rachel, this is good. Im so pleased that you came in. This is going to be one of my more satisfying pieces.
Why? Wayde asked, his stance belligerent. Because shes been such an ass about it?
Emojin stopped, turned, and nailed him with her glare. Because shes making this one piece all shell ever need to show the world who she is instead of coloring her body with random images and needing thirty expressions to show her soul.
My lips parted, and I stared as she paced to him, looking as if she wanted to smack him.
She might have come in sooner if she had had something to mull over other than you men telling her it isnt going to hurt, because she knows it is, and to believe otherwise is stupid.
Wayde backed up another alarmed step as the shorter woman faced him. I told you to bring her by for a drawing session first, she said. Rachel may have been an ass for standing me up, but she did come in. Turning, she made a last huff, then smiled at me. Men, she said as she took my arm and led me to the brightly lit room. They forget we need to see the outcome of pain before we willingly put ourselves through it. How else would we suffer nine months to have a beautiful child? We already know we have guts. Getting a tattoo to prove it means little. Youre going to like this. I know it.
She patted my arm again, inviting me to follow her into her small/big world of ink and needles and expression of soul. And this time, trusting her, I went.
Chapter Seven
I squinted, trying to tilt Ivys hand mirror just so and keep the damp hair off my shoulder as I stood with my back to the bathroom mirror so I could see my tattoo. It was a sunny afternoon, but not much light made it into the old mens room that had been converted into a laundry and bath. Exhaling loudly, I dropped my hair to turn on the light.
Hey! Jenks complained as he darted out of the way, but I wanted to see it, too.
What do you think? I asked as the bright fluorescent light flickered on, and I pulled my hair back again. The mirror was foggy from my shower, and it took me a second to get the hand mirror lined up with the cleared spot, but then I eyed the back of my neck in the small mirror. Jenkss wings were a cool draft, and he hovered behind me spilling a silver dust. His hands were on his hips, a garden sword on his belt, and a dirty jacket on his back. Hed been in the garden all morning strengthening the security lines and was probably trying to get his afternoon nap in. Hed finally cut his hair, and I felt better knowing hed gotten over that stumbling block. It had grown long in the months that Matalina had been gone, and it was nice seeing him getting back to normal.
I suppose its okay, he said, being of the mind that no one should subject themselves to injury for vanitys sake, though in my case, it hadnt been vanity, but a real need to show affiliation. If you like that kind of thing.
Okay? I shifted to get a better look at it. I love it. I shouldnt have waited so long.
Sure, it looks good now. He cocked his head and tugged his garden jacket up where it belonged. But its going to peel soon. And what about when youre a hundred and sixty? Those flowers are going to look u-u-u-u-ugl-y-y-y when your skin gets all saggy. I frowned at him through my reflection, and he added, Did it hurt?
Dropping my damp hair, slick with detangler, I turned to face him. My eyes were drawn to the tuft on my collarbone. The shower water had burned, but I didnt think thats what hed meant. It hurt like hell, I said, meeting his gaze. I passed out.
You? Jenks hovered backward until there were twin pixies in my mirror.
Nodding, I set Ivys mirror on the dryer and looked through my drawer for my comb. It was weird. I could take the pain okay. I couldve taken more, but I passed out. Finding one, I tried working the detangler through my hair some more. David panicked. Emojin told him that it only meant my mind was stronger than my body. Which was about par for me. It had always been that way. I was tired of people overreacting when I had a minor problem that would work itself through. So I had passed out. So what?
Jenks snickered, wings clattering as he dropped down to take a closer look at the seed tufts.
Im glad you got your hair cut. Did Jhi do it? I asked.
Darting back, Jenkss face was aghast. Jhi? he yelped. No. It was, uh
He hesitated, and I winced as I found a knot in my hair. Who? Bis? I guessed, the thought of the somewhat clumsy gargoyle near Jenkss head with a pair of scissors kind of scary.
It was Belle, he admitted, his feet landing on the faucets knob.
I looked at him, surprised. Belle? I thought he hated the fairy.
Jenkss wings were a bright red, fanning into motion though he didnt move at all. She cut it for me when I got it tangled in some burrs. She said that only babies have short hair, but if I was clumsy enough to catch it on something, I needed to cut it.