Mira
While Kerry talked with his “ink guy” Yuri, I looked around with curiosity, aware Rome was watching me. I turned away from him and rolled my eyes. I mean, we were in a tattoo parlor. What trouble could I possibly find here?
“Like what you see,chica? My place is only a block away.”
I blinked and realized I was staring at a man whose earlobes were stretched by wooden circles as big as ? sockets.
“What? No, I was, uh, admiring your plugs. I’m—”
“That’s not all you’d admire about me.” He looked me up and down in a way that made me feel soiled.
I started to turn away and Plugs made the mistake of grabbing my elbow.
“Take your hand off me,” I warned him.
With a laugh, he slid up against me and pressed himself against my hip.
From the corner of my eye, I saw a haze of blue, then a low rumble made the framed photos clack against the walls. If I didn’t end this soon, Rome was gonna murder this guy.
When I’d planned this field trip, it was primarily to distract Kerry. Now, it might end up in a fight, and, as slimy as Plugs was, he probably didn’t deserve to die.
He probably didn’t deserve to keep his junk intact, though.
Well, I warned him.
Swinging my free arm back, I grabbed his privates and squeezed hard enough to make him shriek.
“Touch me again and you’ll draw back a nub. Understand?”
“Si,” he gasped.
I let him go and cut my eyes over to Rome. He leaned against the counter with his arms crossed, one ankle draped over the other, and an expression wiped clean of emotion. His eyes were fixed on something behind me, though, and I knew he was tracking Plugs’ every move.
Wait. Ifheisn’t fired up, then— Uh-oh.
Kerry’s eyes were incandescent, and power snapped and snarled through his hair like static.
On one hand, I was touched that he wanted to protect me. On the other hand, I was insulted that he thought I couldn’t protect myself.
“I can fight my own battles, Kerry.”
“I know that,” he spat, “but you shouldn’t have to! Makes me wanna follow him and—”
“Well, Harker,” Yuri cut in, “my schedule has suddenly freed up. Let’s see what you want done this time, hmm?”
34. The Leash
Kerry
“So how much will this cost?” Mira handed over the phoenix sketch.
I told Yuri he could keep the design for his flash album, which would knock off some.
“You want the illusion ink like Harker? And it’s to cover a scar,da? Three will cover it.”
“Three hundred? Good thing you got me a refund on that weeping reaper, Kerry.”
She pulled out a fistful of crumpled bills and laid them on the counter and looked pleased with herself. Yuri’s expression didn’t change, but his eyes skated over to mine.
