Page 48 of Prey

“You got it.” A smile came to his face and he rubbed some stuff on my skin as he got the design in place. When he stepped back, I looked at the letters on my neck. I nearly gasped as my imagination brought them to life as the real thing.

“Perfect,” I said, returning his smile.

“Great, why don’t you climb up and I’ll get things ready.”

The black leather chair was cool as my shirt rose and it met my heated skin. “Bruce?” I looked at him while he messed with the packaged needles. His head turned and he glanced back.

“Yes, Tessa?”

I couldn’t stop my eyes from going to his arms. “How long would it take if I wanted to get my forearm done? From wrist to elbow, all the way around?”

“Depends,” he said, fixing the tattoo gun. “What are thinking of getting?”

“It’s hard to describe. I want good versus evil. Angels and…demons. But with music and roses mixed within.”

“Sounds interesting.” He sat down on a chair, spinning toward me. The sound of the gun had me looking over at it cautiously. “If you want, I can draw something up for you. It’ll take a few days, and maybe even a few tries, but I like the concept.”

I didn’t have a few days. Not if I died.

“I might have to leave for a while. How about you keep my idea in mind and when I get back, I’ll let you know. Then we can make it happen.”

He rolled the chair he sat in closer. “Sounds good to me. Now, do me a favor and lean your head more toward me. Just try to relax.”

I nodded, turning in toward his chest. The rock band that was on the front of his shirt became my focus and I clenched my fists tight as the buzzing got close to my ear. Marko. My eyes flew open wide as I realized he’d feel what I did. The thought only began to register as the needles connected with my skin. My whole body jolted from the pain, but I kept still as the needles branded me. My mind opened and I tried to hold in the smile as my heart began to explode in rhythm. It wasn’t all from me. Curiosity left my mind completely focused on the connection Marko and I shared.

“Tessa?” Panic and anger. The mix had my eyes narrowing as my hands gripped tighter to the armrests of the chair. “Answer me, mon chaton. What in the hell is going on?” More buzzing filled my ear and even through the pain, I could feel myself relax. It reminded me a little of Marko’s bite. The initial sting. It was heaven.

“Tessa!”

Fear overpowered his tone now. Interesting. But probably because he thought I was getting hurt and he was upset it wasn’t being done by him. The need to shake my head at my fucked up situation almost came. Instead, I breathed through the new surge of pain.

“Almost halfway,” he said, wiping over the letters.

Bruce’s voice had Marko’s growing quiet, but not for long.

“I know you can hear me, God dammit. So help me, if you don’t answer me…”

A smile surfaced and I bit my lip as the burn grew. A growl came from Marko and I could hear noises in the background, which rarely happened. Usually it was just his words. But…crashing. He was going crazy. Good. He deserved it for what he continued to do to me.

“Do to you? Mon chaton, speak. I’m only catching words here and there.” He paused. “You have two minutes to tell me what’s going on or I’ll send someone to get you. And I will. They’ll drag you back here by that long hair of yours and I will…”

“Kill me?”

“Not tonight.”

His words threw me off. I expected an angry response. There was no anger anymore. Just…uncertainty?

“What is that sound? What’s happening? You’re in pain. Why?”

I stayed quiet, a frown sliding into place.

“Do you need help?”

“No. I’m perfectly fine.” I laughed out loud, not able to process the ridiculousness of his question. My killer wanting to turn into my knight and shining armor. In what world did that happen?

“Laughing, now that’s something I’ve rarely come across,” Bruce said, quietly, above me. “Crying. Yelping. Now those I’ve heard, but laughing is new.”

“Sorry, I was thinking about something.”

---