I considered it for a second, then shook my head.
“No. I’m good.”
“Then let’s do this,” Yuri said.
He fluttered my sketch at me and asked me where I wanted it.
“My back. Fill it up.”
“The skin is too bad there. I told you that before. I can’t—”
“It’s fine now.” I pulled off my shirt to show him. “See? Gemma fixed it.”
“Bozhe moy!Look at this!” He sounded stunned. “Your lady must be very powerful to do such amazing healing.”
“She is both powerful and amazing.” Something jammed up in my throat, and I had to swallow.
“Well, get in the chair. You know how it goes.”
While Yuri worked on me, he told Mira how to care for her new ink, and I tuned him out. I could recitethatlecture in my sleep. I rested my chin on my forearms and appreciated the calm she’d sprayed me with while it lasted. Despite Gemma’s healing, most of my back was fairly numb, so even the needle pricks didn’t disturb my zen.
Not that I woulda noticed it too much, anyway. Getting a tattoo was nothing compared to some of the stuff I’d endured.
Their voices washed over me—Yuri’s heavy accent, Mira’s endless questions, and Rome’s patient answers—and combined with the calm to make me drowsy.
I’ll close my eyes for a minute. Sorry, Gemma, but I’m so tired. Just for a minute, my angel, I promise …
“I think he fell asleep,” a girl giggled.
“Not surprising, really,” a guy said. “He spends most of the night pacing, drawing, or working out.”
“Kerry?” the girl whispered next to my ear.
I sat up and rubbed my eyes with the heels of my hands.
“ ’M awake.”
“First time I’ve ever had someone fall asleep while I inked their back.” Yuri grinned as he offered me a hand mirror.
Getting to my feet, I took it and went over to the full-length one.
Oh, yeah. There’s my girl.
I’d given her feathery wings, and sparkles drifted from them in tiny swirls against the evening sky. Her glorious hair fell loose around her shoulders, just the way I liked it, and a small smile curled her lips. All of her attention centered on the big tiger standing at her side, and her eyes shimmered with something I saw a dozen times a day in real life.
It had taken me forever to figure out what it was, and even longer to believe it.
Truth was, Istillstruggled to believe it.
The tiger looked straight ahead, and his snarling face clearly said he was there to make sure no one messed with the angel while she flew as high and as far as she wanted to go.
Originally, I’d toyed with the idea of her holding the tiger by a chain, but realized that wouldn’t work. She’d set me free, not chained me. Everyone said I was too literal, and they were probably right, but I understood symbolism well enough to know that much. So instead, I drew her resting one hand on the tiger’s head.
“I knew I could trust you to get it right, Yuri. Thanks.”
“My pleasure. I always enjoy the challenges you bring me.”
Mira came over and stared at my back.
