Between Shadow & Ruin (Fangs & Fae Saga Book 2)

ninety-five.

Steph had found someone who was able to tattoo vampires – apparently the process was long as it involved multiple passes as we healed too quickly for a regular tattoo to take and they needed plenty of time to do it. They were willing to meet with me and even travel to Massachusetts to do so in order to finalize a plan and talk about what exactly it was that we wanted done. My phone buzzed at my desk before Aria's voice came through.

"Liz, there's someone here for you from Paranormal Paragon?" Paranormal Paragon... I thought for a second.

"Oh! Yes! I wasn't expecting them today. Send them in." Aria led them to my office, and I stood up, holding out my hand to shake theirs. "You must be Bryn." Bryn was small and thin, covered in tattoos from head to toe, and had a pixie cut. There was barely an inch of skin uncovered except for their face, and there were even a few small tattoos around one cheek and up around their eye. The second they walked in I smelled that they were a fae even if they didn't want to say it.

"I am. Madame Magister... I heard you and your wife needed a tattoo artist that specializes in the tattooing of supes," they said, sitting down.

"Yes. We do."

"Well, I can tattoo supes no issue. It's a matter of if you can take the pain of the needle passing over the same spot for a few hours. I have to convince your skin the ink is a part of it, so it doesn't keep rejecting it and holds the ink."

"Steph said you come from high recommendations. We are willing to go through whatever the process is. But I have a bit of a special request. Val is working on a potion of sorts, that maybe with your help, can be infused into a tattoo ink to provide special properties to the person who bears the mark."

"So... magical ink." They raised an eyebrow. "What do you think I use already? All the ink I use on supes is already imbued with magic. It's part of the whole 'convincing your skin' thing. What'cha thinking?"

"Are you comfortable tattooing sigils? This one is pretty important..."

"Like a real sigil? You want me to tattoo a real sigil with real magic onto you?" they asked. I wasn't sure if they were okay with it or not. I couldn't read their body language at all.

"Only if you're comfortable with it, Bryn. I could always look into someone else if you aren't."

"There isn't anyone else. Not as good as I am. Most of them are vampires who just shove the needle as far as it'll go and blow out lines and scar up your skin. I didn't spend thirty years travelling the world to learn techniques from different cultures for nothing. I can do it. But it's not going to be cheap."

"I didn't expect it to be. I really am looking for the best and if that's you, then I'm willing to pay the cost."

"Do you have a copy of the sigil? I need to know what I'm getting myself into... there are certain magicks I don't delve into and being that you're the wife of the Eminence I assume you're no stranger to magic."

"I can draw it for you and you tell me if you're alright with it." I grabbed a piece of paper and a pen and drew the symbol.

"A protective sigil against negative energy," they said, grabbing the drawing. "I don't even want to know what you need protection from that you're wanting to tattoo this on you. But yeah, I can do it. Has Our Lady come up with the potion?"

"She's still working on it. If you have any input, I'm sure she'd greatly appreciate it."

"How soon do you want this done?"

"As soon as possible."

"I guess it's a good thing I brought my equipment with me. I'm going to grab a hotel room, some food, and a shower. I can meet with her later on tonight if she's available to go over what I need to make this work and to see what she's got."