Page 43 of Shadow Wolf
I hadn’t beenon campus in weeks, but I did bump into Seamus a few nights ago. He said the girls were out on the town and he was too old for this shit. I reminded him that he didn’t need to protect Vicki, she was hella powerful on her own. But he just grumbled and ignored me.
I told him I got a job here, downtown doing tattoos. He gestured to my body and told me it suited me. I laughed. Seamus, as much as my panther prickled at his scent— warning me to stay away from the vampire— he was growing on me. I would even say we could be friends.
“You’re not after Vicki cause you wanna be a day walker, right?” the thought had crossed my mind a few times, it wasn’t like you came by a witch every day. But I hadn’t seen him to ask. I didn’t get that vibe from him at all, but then I didn’t get much but fuck off vives from vampires.
The look he gave me had my panther rising within. He was mad at my words.
“Fuck off,pussyboy.” I held my hands up and backed up. I didn't want him to be worked up and start a fight, so waiting for him to cool down was best.
“Yae, see me as a day walker kid? I protect her.—” he pointed at me “—From the scum who dae.”
My eyes narrowed as I thought back to that night, the night I met Clare and he was with another vampire.
“That vampire you were with that night. He wasn’t after Clare. He was after Vicki.”
Seamus nodded, then shrugged. Hell, he was probably after a feed then a witch. Would he have let him attack Clare? I didn't want to know this answer. My panther was already on edge and the thought alone had me wanting to rip out that vampire's throat… But I didn't want to go up against Seamus either, he was old, and you didn't get that old without being faster than shifters.
Fuck, I had no idea that was happening at all. Hell, did Vicki? I was just about to ask him that question but he shook his head.
“Don’t. Be. Telling. Her.” His words were clear. The warning was there, I wasn’t to mention anything. But why? Vicki should know.
“What she dinnae know, won’t hurt her, kid. Leave it.”
But why? I didn’t ask him… My panther was on edge as it was. Seamus must have reasons, ones I didn’t understand. Or maybe he didn’t know himself. I didn’t want to push him further. I was just glad that he was watching out for her, knowing what I do now. I didn’t want Clare getting caught up with a vampire trying to get to Vicki, but Seamus just grumbled something as he made his way back over to the bar across the street.
I had wanted to go in and see her that night, but knew better. She wasn’t ready to see me. She had my number, I stared at my phone more than I should have, willing a text to come up with her name. Even if it was to say she hated me, I would have been happy. At least she still thought of me.
But here she was now. In the tattoo shop… her emotions were all over the place. But she wasn’t upset. That was a good sign forward. I was surprised she agreed to come talk to me. I had to stop myself from fist pumping the air, I was so excited.
My panther was purring in my chest and I willed him to stop. But there was no stopping him. Clare looked at me, obviously she heard it this time and I gave her a sheepish smile that hopefully said “yeah, I know.”
My mate.
The urge to touch her was strong, my panther wanted to mark her and claim her. But I had to stop him from getting closer to the edge. I needed to talk to Clare, not rub myself against her like an animal. She wouldn’t come back if I did that.
She looked at my work area, I had a table with my inks and my tattoo gun,a stool, and my tattoo bed. I moved it so it was in a seated position then patted it for her to sit in and she hesitated a moment, her eyes going wide and finding mine.
“I’m not getting a tattoo.”
I chuckled. “I know, I just thought maybe we could sit down? You can have the stool, but the bed is comfier.”
She looked at the stool then smiled up at me. She jumped up a little to sit on the bed. She shuffled her way on and let out a sigh. I sat down on the stool and tried to calm my panther by taking deep breaths.
“This is comfy. Is this all yours?” I shook my head.
“No, but one day I hope it will be.”
I moved closer to her. Her hand was so close, I wanted to hold it, tell her how sorry I was for everything. That I never wanted to lie and break her heart. That I would take everything back if she would just hold my hand and tell me I could keep her.
Julia moved around my curtain and winked at me. I might have told her about Clare when she found me sulking one afternoon, staring at my phone. I spilled my guts to her, she was a good listener and told me that one day, she will come back.
“So, what’s this tattoo idea for your friend?” Julia leaned over and asked Clare.
Clare giggled and shook her head as if she couldn’t believe this was actually happening. I watched her mischievous grin as she scrolled through her phone. She held it up to Julia and showed her. She nodded.
“Is she a fan?” She questioned, I could tell she didn’t want this tattoo to come back at her if Vicki didn’t like it. But Clare nodded.
“Biggest. Make sure to add the words too.”
