“And now, blue eyes, I’m going to fuck you. Like a man.”

Chapter Eleven

Talon

I plunged into her with force. She moaned as I took her.

“That’s right, baby, like a man. Fuck you like a man.”

She gripped me with sweet suction, as she always did. Every time with her was like the first time. She was a drug I could no longer live without. The noises she made, the way she smelled, tasted, like fresh apples from my orchard…

“God, Talon, I need to come…”

She shattered around me, her walls grasping me. But I wasn’t ready for it to be over yet. I leaned over, removed her nipple clamps quickly, and licked her tight buds to soothe the sting as she continued bucking with her orgasm.

When she came down, her eyes closed, her facial features peaceful and serene, I withdrew. I quickly discarded my clothes and turned her over. “Get on your knees, blue eyes. I want you this way now.” I grabbed her hips and plunged into her sweet pussy once more, and—

My flesh went cold. Icy shards of glass worked their way into my spine.

On the small of her back was a black outline.

She was getting a tattoo. And not just any tattoo…

I withdrew and walked backward, my back finally hitting the wall. I slid down and hugged my knees.

It can’t be… It can’t be…

 

“You keep your eyes open, boy. You do as I tell you.”

The boy coughed and choked, trying desperately not to gag.

Failing.

The colorful tattoo on the devil’s forearm drew the boy’s gaze. He stared hard at the image. And even though it laughed, the maniacal heckling not unlike that of the three demons, the boy could at least focus on it and not close his eyes. Its beak was yellow, like a canary, its body the red of a candy apple. Its wingtips bright pink, blue, and orange, ending in white-blue flame. Swirls of gray smoke surrounded the bird as it rose from burning embers.

The bird rose toward a five-pointed star.

“That’s right, boy, take it all. You’ll never be a man. Never.”

Eerie cackling danced around the boy, visible as black swirls around the tattooed bird.

You’ll never be a man. Never be a man…

 

The phoenix rose toward a star. I had forgotten until now, when I saw a near replica—the image etched onto Jade’s back.

She was kneeling before me, touching my cheek. “Talon, what happened? Are you all right?”

I couldn’t speak. I tried, but the words wouldn’t come.

Had I screamed, like the last time? I didn’t think so. Jade would have been acting differently if I had.

“Talon,” she said again. “Talk to me, please. What happened?”

I opened my mouth. This time a tiny croak emerged.

“Please, tell me what’s the matter.”

I inhaled and exhaled slowly, willing my drumming heartbeat to slow. “When did you get a tattoo?”

“I haven’t yet. I was about to get it tonight, but Haley only got the outline done before Marj called me with this ‘emergency.’”

I swallowed. The lump obstructing my throat didn’t budge. “What do you mean she only did the outline? So it’s not permanent, then?”

“No, of course not. It’s a simple ink drawing for her to follow. It’ll come off in the shower.”

I stood. A man on a mission. A strange whooshing met my ears. “It’s coming off right now.”

Her silver-blue eyes held compassion but also determination. “Talon, no. I like it.”

“I hate it.”

“It’s perfect. I saw it—”

“Where?” I grabbed her forearm, gripping tightly.

“Stop. You’re hurting me.”

I refused to loosen my grip. I couldn’t. My fingers were frozen. “Where did you see a tattoo that looked like that?”

Her eyes glazed over with tears ready to fall. “It was in Haley’s art book.”

“What do you want a tattoo for anyway?”

“I-I’ve always wanted one. I love tattoos when they’re done tastefully. I just never found the right image, and when I saw the phoenix—”

“Why the hell would you want a phoenix?”

She shivered before me. “It spoke to me. It’s perfect. I’m starting a new life here, rising from my broken engagement. It made sense to me, and the colors were so beautiful—”

“What colors were they?”

“I don’t know. Red. Orange. Some blue.”

Colors. I squeezed my eyes shut and tried to visualize the colors… I’d dulled them in my mind years and years ago—but in my flashback, they had been vibrant.

I opened my eyes. “You’re not going to get that tattoo.”

“Of course I am.”

“I don’t want you to have a tattoo.”

Still shivering, she bit her lip and then visibly stiffened. “I don’t recall asking your permission.”

I nearly snapped but held myself in check. She was right. She was not my slave, my property, even though I sometimes wished she were. “Fine. Mar your body if you want to, but not with that image.”

“But the image is perfect.”

A calculating need to control surged through me like rocket fuel. “Trust me, the image is far from perfect. It’s not you at all.”

“I disagree.”

“I don’t care. You’re not getting that fucking tattoo.”

Her eyes darkened to a smoky blue. “I am.”

I grabbed her, gripping her upper arms harshly.

She grimaced. “Let go of me.”

“Not until you promise me not to get that tattoo.”

She kept her mouth shut.

Fucking stubborn woman! No phoenix tattoo Not on my watch. I dragged her into my shower and turned it on with a swoosh of water. Once it was steamed up, I pushed her inside.

She cowered under the spray, her arms crossed over her chest as if to hide herself. She looked over her shoulder at me, her blue eyes glassy. “Why does this bother you so much? I don’t understand.”

I turned rigid, raking my fingers through my hair. “You’ll never understand. Why did I think you ever might?”

“Understand what? You haven’t given me any reason to—”