Stolen Ink (Ink Born Book 1)

by Holly Evans

  “I knew I could count on you, Dan!” Jake said.

  I held up a hand and tried to stop the trembling. It was a mix of pure exhaustion and absolute terror. What had I just done?

  “It was just luck. Really. You killed the thief?” I said.

  “No. The moment he became visible, he took off. Zayne and a pair of youngsters are tracking him,” Jake snarled.

  I sighed. So the bastard was still at large. Still, I’d saved the girl.

  Jake raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. The rest of the pack was filtering into the area, emerging from alleys and rooftops.

  “I’m going to head home. I need food and a break,” I said.

  Jake pulled me into a tight hug.

  “Thanks, Dan,” he said.

  I returned the hug and walked away before anyone could ask any questions.

  “That really was remarkable,” Caiden said.

  He was leaning against the wall, watching me approach with a grin on his face, his arms crossed across his chest.

  I shrugged. “Really, it was nothing.”

  I was stupid. I should have known better. Fuck.

  “Isa had said you’re something special,” the hound said.

  “Pure luck,” I said.

  I prayed they knew little enough about tattoo magicians to really understand. Caiden gave a small nod, his eyes never leaving me.

  “I’ll see you in the sparring ring tomorrow,” he said.

  I smiled and nodded while trying to keep a calm pace on my way home. For the first time, I didn’t curse out the gods.

  I asked them to watch over me.

  45

  “You’re as white as a sheet,” Ethan said when I collapsed onto the sofa.

  I told Keirn to stop screwing around with art and tattoo some people. I immediately regretted it, but what was done was done.

  “The thief tried to steal a tattoo from one of the pack,” I said.

  “And?” Ethan said.

  “I stopped him.”

  Ethan leaned in close, too close, and whispered, “With ink magic?”

  I pushed him away, firm enough to get the point across and nothing more.

  “Yes.”

  “And the thief’s been killed?”

  “No. He got away somehow. The pack was tracking him, but he did something to block his scent after a minute.”

  Jake had texted me saying as much on the way home. The thief would return, but that was for another day.

  “Why didn’t you call me to come and help?” Ethan asked softly.

  “I didn’t think. I just acted. Someone’s life was in danger.”

  Ethan nodded, his gaze shifted to the doorway.

  “What happened?” Vyx asked.

  “The thief tried to steal a tattoo from one of Jake’s pack,” I said wearily.

  “But you saved them,” she said.

  I smiled and closed my eyes. Sleep was calling.

  “Yes,” I said.

  A plate was placed in my lap. I half-opened my eyes to peer at it.

  “You’re hungry, and I have a tattoo,” Vyx said.

  I opened my eyes entirely and looked at her, standing over me with an expectant expression on her face. The familiar faint itching buzz was certainly present now that she was closer.

  “Your tattoo can wait. Or Keirn can do it,” I said.

  She huffed. I looked up at her.

  “It’s barely there right now. It won’t kill you to wait a couple of days, anyway. I did just save someone, give me a break,” I said.

  She smiled and gestured at the plate of sandwiches. “You should eat. Isa would be sad if you got ill. I like Isa.”

  I laughed. She had her priorities straight.

  “Why don’t you help Keirn? I’d like to have a word with Dan,” Ethan said.

  Vyx muttered something, but left.

  I sat up on the sofa and devoured the sandwiches. Now that I had food, I was ravenous. Ethan closed the door to the living room and sat down in his preferred armchair. He leaned forward, elbows on his knees, eyes intently focused on me. I finished my last sandwich and waited for him to start.

  “You could help a lot of people, Dan.”

  I ground my teeth and said nothing.

  “You have huge potential, and you’re hiding it. Think of what you could do. Of how many more lives you could save.”

  “And how many hours would it be before the council locked me up somewhere? What about Isa then?”

  “Your weaver isn’t that delicate and you fucking know it. It’s the strongest, most determined little creature any of us has met.”

  “Yes, he is strong, but that doesn’t stop the fact that the council would drag me away the moment they heard about me. Do you know what they’d do to me? Because I’ve had nightmares about it.”

  Ethan sighed and leaned back.

  “You have friends who’d protect you,” he said softly.

  “At what price?” I growled.

  He stood and walked out of the room, leaving the door open. I was perfectly aware of the good I could potentially do, but I was painfully aware of the consequences of trying. I’d taken a huge risk saving the wolf female the way I had. It was too much of a risk. It wasn’t worth it.

  Once I’d had a nap and eaten a copious number of sandwiches, I went and apologised to Keirn. He was understanding and apologised for being too wrapped up in his art as of late. Both he and Vyx had attracted some buyers for their art, and they’d been working on a collection together. Keirn had made it clear from day one that his passion was art and he’d do that alone if he could make enough money from it. It seemed that Vyx was making that a real possibility. I was overjoyed for him, but it also brought into question what would happen to me as a tattoo magician. We worked in pairs, after all.

  Isa came around late in the evening. He greeted me with a tight hug and a gentle teasing kiss.

  “I heard what happened with Jake and the pack. Caiden told me you saved Beth,” he said.

  I kissed behind his ear, making his breath hitch and goosebumps run down his skin.

  “It was pure luck,” I said.

  “Bullshit,” he whispered.

  I took his bottom lip between my teeth and slowly increased the pressure while holding eye-contact. When he gave in and gasped, I released him.

  “And how was your day?” I asked.

  “Fantastic! They’ve offered me a contract for the big security job at McKeltarns, you know the air house place?”

  I grinned at him and kissed him hard. “I’m proud of you, that’s fucking fantastic.”

  That contract must have been worth a decade’s wages for someone like me.

  “What are we celebrating?” Ethan asked.

  “Isa got a contract doing the security for McKeltarns!” I said

  Ethan slapped Isa on the back with a huge grin.

  “Well done, that’s amazing news!”

  Vyx took Isa’s hand and danced around the kitchen with him, both of them wearing huge grins. Keirn pulled out his secret stash of garou wine.

  “Tonight, we truly celebrate!” Keirn said.

  The room was full of laughter and smiles, the troubles of the day entirely forgotten. My dear little weaver had made us all proud. His eyes glowed with joy as he explained in simple terms what he’d actually be doing. It made no sense to me, all I heard was how well he’d done. How far he’d come. My Isa had accomplished so much thanks to hard work and dedication. Nothing else mattered that evening. The night belonged to Isa.

  46

  Isa had slipped out just after dawn. He had to go over to finalise the details on the McKeltarn contract before he started his work for the day on the other contract he had. He was in increasingly high demand. Vyx had taken that as her cue to come and get me up for the day. I’d been enjoying the idea of another couple of hours of sleep. She had other ideas.

  “My tattoo’s ready now,” she said through the door.

  “It can wait a few days,” I called back
.

  “Nope.”

  “Yes.”

  “You’re awake. It’s ready.”

  I threw my blankets off and pulled on some jeans before I opened the door and stared at her.

  “Vyx. You’re not going to die if the tattoo waits a couple of days.”

  “She was bothering you, too, then,” Keirn said, bleary eyed.

  The little vixen grinned up at me.

  “You can wait until we open up the parlour proper. I’m tired,” I said.

  She huffed, but left me alone.

  “She thinks it’ll be her fox tattoo to allow her to shift,” Keirn said.

  “Is she going be broken-hearted if it’s a songbird or something?”

  He laughed. “No, I think she’ll be happy with anything.”

  Clanking and crashing came from downstairs in the kitchen area. Just in case there had been any chance of my trying to return to sleep.

  “What are we going to do about the thief?” I asked Keirn.

  “No one can remember the name of the student Goldarn was sleeping with,” Keirn said.

  “No one at all?”

  “Someone said it was something Blue maybe.”

  “Blythe? The scrawny scruffy dark-haired guy that always sat in the back corner?”

  Keirn frowned and thought for a moment before he finally grinned.

  “Yes! Yes, that must have been him!”

  I felt as though a physical weight lifted.

  “So we can track him down,” I said.

  “After coffee,” Keirn said.

  I laughed. “I’ll tell Jake. He can pull up the address. The pack will want to be involved.”

  I hoped the pack would handle it entirely, but I doubted they would. It was an ink matter, after all.

  Keirn left me to call Jake. I doubted the alpha would be happy to hear from me so early in the day, but it was what it was.

  Once I got past the cursing and growls, he was remarkably happy and eager to get moving with things. I heard a few yips and snarls in the background before Jake told me the pack were working on hunting down the address and we’d have it by lunchtime.

  “You’ll join us in searching the premises, I trust?” Jake said.

  “You’re a big strong wolf. I’m sure you don’t need me,” I teased.

  He laughed. A growl rumbled below the humour.

  “You saved Beth. I’d feel better having you there,” he said.

  “I don’t have it in me to argue,” I said.

  “I’ll text you the address when we have it.”

  With that, he hung up.

  Well, fuck. I didn’t know what they expected me to do, but no good came from pissing off the pack.

  At least Keirn had been good enough to slip a little extra kick into my coffee. Ethan came into the kitchen looking half asleep. His hair was a mess, and his T-shirt was on backwards.

  “Has no one told Vyx that foxes are nocturnal? Why is she up so fucking early? And why is she bouncing?” he said.

  “I have a tattoo!” she squealed.

  “Well, good for you,” Ethan said.

  She huffed and bounced into the parlour. I groaned and knocked back my coffee. It was going to be one of those days.

  Vyx was still bouncing when I opened up the parlour. Keirn had begun setting up his paints and such for the day. I had every intention of having him bring through Vyx’s tattoo. The likelihood of its requiring both of us was very slim. The parlour had barely been open two minutes when a fox shifter strolled in. He was the same height and similar build to Vyx, with the distinctive thick red hair of a fox shifter, although his had pure white ends. His amber eyes immediately settled on Vyx, who was busily bouncing on the balls of her feet while watching Keirn set up his paints, ready to bring through her tattoo.

  I couldn’t feel the usual buzzing sensation of a tattoo on him.

  “Can we help you?” I asked.

  “I heard there was a new vixen in the area,” he said.

  The fox shifter strolled over to Vyx, a smirk on his lips and a slight sway to his hips. I stood back and watched the show. There was no doubt in my mind that Vyx could handle herself. I’d likely get myself bitten if I tried to handle it for her. The fox shifter put his hand on Vyx’s lower back and whispered something in her ear. She spun around and snarled at him, much to his confusion.

  “Does that ridiculous line actually work?” she demanded.

  The fox composed himself and gave her what I assume was meant to be a charming smile. It had too much teeth to really pull off.

  “I wouldn’t know, I haven’t used it before.”

  Vyx sniffed and glared at him.

  “I know what you want, and I have no interest in giving it to you,” she said.

  The fox took a step closer. Vyx bared her teeth at him.

  “But darling, I’d give you a day and night you’d never forget,” he said.

  Vyx closed the space between them and grabbed his crotch. Given how pale he went, I had to think she had quite a grip on him.

  “I have no interest in physical intimacy. Not with you, or anyone else. If you don’t get out, I’ll make sure you never give anyone a night to remember again,” she growled.

  Keirn and I closed in around the fox, just to make sure he knew Vyx wasn’t alone in that thinking. Vyx released him when he began to whine. He turned tail and stalked out, muttering under his breath.

  Vyx rolled her eyes and grinned at Keirn as though as nothing had happened. “Ready for my tattoo?”

  47

  “If you don’t sit still, we won’t be able to do anything,” I said to Vyx.

  She huffed but settled down and finally stopped bouncing. Keirn approached her with a smile and began painting the tattoo onto her shoulder. She’d had the good sense to wear a halterneck dress to give us easy access to her shoulders and upper back. Vyx frowned and chewed on her bottom lip, her hands clenched in her lap while she fought to remain still. She was practically vibrating when Keirn had added the finishing touches to the painting.

  “It’s my fox, isn’t it?” she asked.

  Keirn smiled and handed her a mirror to look for herself. She squealed and grinned like a lunatic when she saw the red fox sitting on her shoulder waiting for her.

  “I’ll be able to shift, won’t I?” she said.

  Keirn gestured for her to sit back down. “If you sit still long enough for me to pull it through, then yes. You’ll be a full fox shifter.”

  She danced around the room with a large grin plastered across her face. She did two laps before she finally settled back down into the chair. I had to admit that her glee was addictive. I couldn’t help but smile. Keirn took his time making sure that the fox was something truly beautiful, a work of art to be proud of when she was in her human form. Vyx didn’t appreciate his attention to detail, she was far too eager to try it out and shift. I had no doubt she’d appreciate it in time, once the novelty had worn off some.

  She burst out of her chair the moment Keirn finished and proceeded to close her eyes and begin her first shift. I turned away. It seemed no one had told her that the vast majority of shifters, particularly those who shift from a tattoo, can’t shift their clothes. It seemed respectful to not look at her increasingly exposed form. I turned around again when I heard the familiar clicking of nails on the floor and saw her bouncing around in a circle, a grin on her foxy face. Keirn’s spirit fox emerged from wherever it had been hiding and proceeded to bounce around with her. Kyra, of course, chose that moment to decide she was healthy once more and thus had to come out of her tattoo.

  The three small furry creatures tore around the parlour like things possessed, causing absolute mayhem. Somehow, I didn’t mind it at all.

  48

  There had only been one client that morning. Keirn and I had sat in the comfortable chairs in the parlour and watched the small furry animals tearing around the place. For the first time in weeks, Keirn relaxed a little. He smiled and laughed at the antics of the foxe
s and Kyra. I put my hand on his, something I hadn’t done in a good while. It had felt too intimate, too much of a risk with my dating Isa. Things had settled, though, and I wasn’t willing to lose my best friend.

  “How’s the art coming?” I asked.

  Keirn looked away from the foxes, who were seeing who could bounce the highest in the middle of the room.

  He sighed softly and smiled. “Slower than I’d like. My muse has been sporadic in her visits.”

  I frowned and squeezed his hand. “Can I help?”

  He ran his thumb along the edge of my hand. “Once this thief nonsense is fixed, she’ll return.”

  I smiled and held back my sigh. The pressure on me was mounting by the moment, and it was beginning to wear on me. We remained sitting, my hand on his, for another hour before the foxes and Kyra had thoroughly worn themselves out. My mind jumped back and forth between what I had and what I stood to lose. For the first time in my life, I was in a relationship, a happy relationship with a guy I was increasingly convinced I loved. That was terrifying. It felt as though I was being pushed into a corner, forced to use my ink magic. I could lose everything if the wrong people found out. I gritted my teeth and hardened my resolve. I wasn’t going to allow fear over potential outcomes going to stop me from saving lives.

  The two foxes and Kyra were curled up together in a small pile on an armchair when Jake’s text came through. A large part of me had been hoping he’d change his mind about bringing me in. The address was in one of the more rundown parts of the city, a forty-minute walk from the parlour. Jake had sent one of his pack over to collect me so I could be there to ‘do my tattoo magic thing’. I didn’t know how to explain to them that I wouldn’t be any more useful than one of the pack, not without giving myself away, at least. Still, there was no good arguing with him. There was a chance I could make a difference, I could help.

  I was glad to leave Kyra safely at home. She was more delicate than Aris, and I wasn’t willing to risk losing her. I doodled a sigil on my inner wrist to secure the bond between Aris and I and make the great snake stronger and far more difficult to harm. I added in another sigil to hide all non-animal tattoos just before the wolf shifter stepped in through the door. The sigils were coming more naturally, but I couldn’t afford to let anyone seeing me use them. I tucked the ink pen away as subtly as I could manage. The shifter was young and rangy, long limbs with narrow hips and shoulders. He couldn’t have been more than seventeen, but he was already taller than me and had the confident stance of an experienced fighter. At least I’d be in good company should something go wrong.