Page 33 of The Vampire and the Tattooist (The Vampire and Series Book 4)

Hunter was hard at work with Danni’s tattoo. They had to occasionally stop because of the pain Danni was feeling and so he could sit up and stretch. He was just finishing up the left side of Danni’s chest and wiped away a bit of ink.

“So, this is the main outline done for this side. Do you want me to do the smaller, fallen leaves while I’m on this side or would you rather I start on the other side?”

Danni blew out a breath. “Can you start on the other side, please?”

“Yep,” Hunter says, rolling around to the other side. “Truthfully, Danni, how are you doing? We can stop for today and carry on in a day or so.”

“No, I can do this, but I might leave the fallen leaves and shading for another day.”

“That’s no problem. Same as before, if you want me to stop so you can take a moment, just let me know.”

“I will. Thanks, Hunter.”

Hunter patted her arm. “You’re doing great, honey.”

Danni smiled. “Thanks. I’ve impressed myself that I’m not a blubbering mess, to be honest.”

Hunter laughed and dipped his needles in the ink. “You’d be surprised how many tough guys I get in here who cry their eyes out.”

“Really?”

“Oh yeah,” Hunter said as he started working again. “I tell them there will be pain, but they somehow never believe me.”

“Did you cry the first time you got one?” Danni asked with a laugh.

“No, but I did swear like a sailor,” he confessed. “Apart from the woman that tattooed me, no one else knows that.”

Danni laughed. “Your secret is safe with me.”

Just then, Hunter”s phone dinged with a new message.

“Do you need to get that?”

“No, that would be my boyfriend just checking in. He knows I can’t answer him just yet.”

“Nice, what does he do?”

“Writes computer games. I couldn’t believe it when he told me the games he wrote, I have most of them. He has some serious skills.”

“I’m afraid the only games I play are things like online Monopoly and online Yahtzee.”

“Both good games. Mind you, I find Monopoly frustrating.”

“The online version is different. You don’t interact with anyone in person. But I still get annoyed when someone steals my money or tries to destroy one of my buildings.”

“I can imagine,” Hunter says.

“Tell me more about your boyfriend — unless you’d rather not.”

“I could happily talk about Gavin until the cows come home, and now as you’ve asked and can’t go anywhere, I can wax lyrical about him.”

Danni laughed and let Hunter talk.

A couple of hours later, Hunter was finished. “There, all done,” he said, putting his machine down and wiping the last of the ink off. “Let me grab the mirror and you can have your first look.” He picked up the mirror and showed Danni her new chest design.

“Oh, Hunter, it’s even more perfect than it looked on paper.”

“The redness will calm down...” Hunter went on to explain about aftercare as he wrapped the tattoo. “How about we wait a week or so and then we can do the fallen leaves and start the shading?”

“I like that idea. Let’s do that,” she readily agreed.

“Come with me to reception and I can book you in,” Hunter said, leading the way out.

He smiled to himself as he passed the kitchen and saw Taha and Owen wrapped in each other’s arms.

“They look happy,” Danni commented as they passed them.

“They are,” Hunter agreed.

Mark Sargent was sitting in the reception area waiting for Danni to come out.

“I hope I haven’t kept you waiting long,” Hunter said to him.

Mark stood up and smiled at him and Danni. “No, I’ve only been here a few minutes.”

Hunter left Danni and Mark to talk as he grabbed the diary and looked at his appointments. “Danni, how does a week Tuesday sound?”

Danni pulled her phone out and looked. “Yep, that works, about 10.30 again?”

“Yep,” Hunter said, picking up a pencil and writing her in. “I’ve booked you in. Remember the aftercare we talked about, and you have the leaflet, but if you have any issues, just call.”

“Will do. Thanks, Hunter,” Danni said.

“Yes, thanks,” Mark said, taking her hand and leaving the shop.

Hunter put the diary down and headed back to his room to clear up and sanitise everything. He paused in the doorway of the kitchen and looked at Taha and Owen, who were still wrapped in each other’s arms. “It’s a good job that killer witch isn’t around,” he said with a laugh.

They both looked at him.

“You’re safe. It’s fine,” Taha said, grinning.

Hunter snorted a laugh.

“I would still have heard you call for help,” Owen assured him.

“I’m just messing with you,” Hunter told them.

“Shell went out and got some lunch. Yours is in the fridge,” Luke said, walking into the kitchen and rolling his eyes at Taha and Owen.

“I’ll clean up my room and then have some,” Hunter said, turning and walking back to his room.

He tidied everything up, threw away what he needed to, and put everything that needed sterilising into the machine. Finally, he got the disinfectant and sanitised every surface. Once finished, he went to the sink and washed his hands. He was just drying them when he heard a noise behind him. He turned round, expecting to see one of his friends, but saw a strange man standing behind him instead.

The man was roughly his height at six-foot-six but was lanky with close-cropped hair and a sneer on his face.

Hunter couldn’t remember seeing him before. “Can I help you? Do you have an appointment?” he asked.

The man shook his head. “I don’t, but you do. You have an appointment with death.” And quick as anything, the man raised his hand.

It was only then that Hunter saw his wand. Before he could call out for help, the man flung a spell at him. Hunter jumped out of the way as the spell hit the sink and it exploded. “Owen, help!” he yelled as he hit the floor.

Hunter saw a blur, and the next moment, the witch was in a crumpled heap on the floor.

Taha raced in and rushed to Hunter”s side. “Are you alright?”

Hunter nodded and sat up, rubbing his arm. “I got out of the way in time.” He looked at Owen. “Thanks.”

“Stay there while I put the fire out,” Taha said, running into the hall to grab a fire extinguisher and rush back in with Luke and Shelly at his side.

“What the hell!” Shell exclaimed as Taha put the fire out, smoke filling the sink area.

Luke and Shelly ran to Hunter’s side.

“Are you alright?” Luke asked, holding his hand out to help Hunter up.

“A sore arm, but I’ll live,” Hunter replied, taking the offered hand and standing up.

“Do you know how he got in?” Taha asked with a final squirt of the extinguisher before opening the windows.

Hunter shook his head. “I didn’t hear the bell ring. I think he might have portalled in. I turned round and he was just there.”

“What do we do with that soon-to-be-dead man?” Luke asked.

Hunter looked at him. “Soon to be dead?”

“Yeah, Owen is a paranormal. They kill the bad guys,” Luke said, rolling his eyes as if the answer was oh-so-obvious.

“Unfortunately, this witch’s demise will have to wait. I need to take him to Gabriel. Pretty sure this is the witch they are after,” Owen said, pulling out some zip ties from his pocket. He rolled the man onto his stomach and tied his hands behind him. “I can message David and see where I need to take him.”

“I need to message Gavin,” Hunter said, grabbing his phone. He opened his messages and smiled.

G: At the wolf pack. Met the Alpha King… he’s strange. We’re having a celebration later for Sean and Kayden”s 10th anniversary. You have to come. X

Hunter sent a message back.

H: Would love to come. Just to let you know, we caught that murdering witch. Owen has him tied up.

Hunter waited for a message, but the next moment, a portal opened.