Total pages in book: 114
Estimated words: 109033 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 545(@200wpm)___ 436(@250wpm)___ 363(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 109033 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 545(@200wpm)___ 436(@250wpm)___ 363(@300wpm)
Stepping out, she was hit by an abundance of street sounds. Voices talking. Distant music. Muffled laughter. Phones ringing. Heels clacking as people walked back and forth along the strip and filed in and out of the various premises.
There were bakeries, coffee houses, delis, bars, specialty stores. You name it; the Underground would have it.
She walked in the direction of the tattoo shop, shrugging past the many pedestrians. The Underground was as busy as always. Cart vendors were around. The occasional busker could be seen. Street sweepers did a good job of keeping the strip as litter-free as possible.
Finally arriving at her destination, Naomi stepped into the exceptionally neat reception area. The scents of ink, paint, coffee, and citrus disinfectant surrounded her.
Urban Ink was the epitome of cool. Sketches, metal art, and decals decorated the white walls, which were a contrast to the dark hardwood flooring. Muffled chatter mingled with the buzzing of tattoo guns and the rock music video playing on the wall-mounted TV in the reception area.
She spotted Harper straight off. The sphinx was wiping down the leather recliner at her station while talking into her cell phone. The other three tattooists—Raini, Devon, and Piper, who’d all been part of Naomi’s lair until they mated—were at their own stations, their focus on their respective clients. At the rear of the studio were some doors, a sink, autoclave, and tracing table.
Crossing to the reception desk, Naomi waved at Khloë.
The imp’s gray eyes lit up. “Hey, you’re here. And late.”
“This surprises you?”
“Not in the slightest.”
And so it shouldn’t. “Can you let Harper know I’m here?”
“Sure. Harper, your next client is here!”
Naomi sighed. “As always, you are pure class and grace.”
Khloë grinned, gently patting her messy dark bun as if it were a perfectly styled updo. “Aren’t I just?”
Her gaze on Naomi, Harper held up her index finger as she spoke into her phone.
Naomi gave her a nod.
“Hey, Naomi,” a stunning blonde succubae greeted from her station.
Naomi felt her lips curve. “Hi, Raini. How’re things?”
“All good,” Raini assured her.
As she rested her tattoo gun on her shelf, Piper’s pale-green eyes flitted to Naomi. “I bumped into your mom the other day. She said one of your exes was bothering you. Is that a thing of the past yet?”
“Whatever his Prime said seems to have gotten through to him,” Naomi told the dark-haired nightmare, not wanting to get into specifics in front of a shop full of strangers. “The guy has stayed off my radar since then.”
“Good,” said Devon, skidding her wheeled chair a little closer to the recliner at her station. “Weirdos are everywhere these days. Including behind the reception desk near you.”
Khloë frowned at the hellcat. “I might be quirky—”
“ ‘Insane’ would be a better descriptor,” muttered Devon, using her arm to knock her ultraviolet ringlets over her shoulder.
“—but I’m not even half as weird as your homicidal spawn.”
“Hey!”
“What? Anaïs is a death dealer. Which I love her because of, not in spite of.”
Raini snickered. “Of course you do.”
“Whatevs.” Khloë turned back to Naomi. “We should just ignore them. It’s so enjoyable. Let’s talk about something else. Ooh, by the way,” she went on, lowering her voice, “I haven’t found out anything interesting about the clerics yet.”
“Unsurprising,” said Naomi. “They weren’t interesting.”
The imp planted a palm on her desk. “You know, we could show a picture of the emblem to one of the Black Saints,” she suggested, referring to a local motorcycle club whose president was mated to Luka’s anchor.
“Why would we do that?”
“They’re fallen angels, Nome. They might know of a monkhood that wear clothes bearing that particular emblem.”
Naomi pulled a face. “I don’t think we need to go asking the Black Saints about it. They’ll only wonder where you saw the emblem, and I’d rather outsiders weren’t poking their noses into this. You’ll find the answers without them.”
Khloë inched up her chin proudly. “Of course I will. I’m awesome that way.” Her gaze shifted to a guy who’d materialized beside Naomi. “Yo, what can I do for you?”
Stepping away, Naomi glanced over at Harper, to find that the sphinx was heading her way.
Casting her an apologetic look, Harper sank her fingers into her dark hair tipped with gold. “I’m really sorry, Naomi, but I need five more minutes.”
“I don’t mind waiting, it’s fine.” Considering that Naomi consistently lost track of time and had to often apologize for making others wait, she had no room to complain anyway.
Her smile one of both relief and gratitude, Harper said, “Thanks. I’ll be as fast as I can.” Then she was gone, putting her phone to her ear once more.
Naomi took a seat on the leather sofa and swiped a tattoo portfolio from the coffee table. Crossing one leg over the other, she hummed to the music playing on the TV as she idly flicked through the portfolio.