Vex: Mythical Ink Series (book 1): An Exotic Ink Novel

by LS Anders

“Where’d you stash the paperwork our friend needs to sign?” Vex asked, beginning to open and close every drawer in the angel’s desk.

  “Next drawer, but it won’t be official until we do it in front of a notary.”

  “Well, fuck,” he cursed. “It’s better than nothing.”

  Rolling up the form, he turned to find his fairy standing behind him with his coat in hand. Taking the heavy leather from her, he swung it on and stuffed the rolled up paper into his inside pocket.

  “Time’s ticking, people. Let’s get this show on the road.”

  Alea nodded her agreement.

  Leaving the shop out the back, the cold air had Alea moving in closer to his perpetual heat. He welcomed the contact. Needed her strength to keep his knees from buckling, anxious about what new information Lucian was going to learn from Sevin’s last whereabouts as he was about what Jason’s answer would be regarding partnering with three males that had been complete strangers to him just a few weeks ago.

  Stepping through as the slabs of glass parted, Alea was back in the one place that made her skin shrink up tight over her bones. Having her demon at her back and the promise to see Jason’s eyes finally open, had her double-timing it over to the bank of elevators at Lennox Hill Hospital.

  Taking the first elevator to part its stainless steel panels, they made their way up to the second floor.

  Callie and Vehn were just getting onto an elevator going down as they emerged. Waving at the couple before the doors blocked them from view, the redhead gave her a wide, friendly grin as she waved back.

  She was gonna like that girl. After all this mess was behind them, she was going to make it a point to become friends.

  Unlike the night it all happened, the hall was empty and quiet as they made their way down to Jason’s room.

  Knocking lightly, they entered as Evana’s voice bid them to come in.

  Tegan was standing with his back against the wall, his brow in a deep furrow as his attention momentarily shifted from Jason lying so still on the bed and over to them.

  Hustling over to Evana, she left Vex to converse with Tegan, the woman was cloaked in apprehension. The level of worry was measured in the way she rung her hands and chewed her bottom lip.

  “I’m glad you all could come for a visit,” Evana breathed out as Alea came around the foot of the bed to her. “He hasn’t woken up since I called you and it’s only been brief moments of consciousness, but the doctor said that was still a good sign he’s recovering.”

  “Of course he is.” She tried to reassure the woman. “He’s just resting. I know in my heart, he will be just fine.”

  “I know.” Evana let her head fall back. “I know. You’re right, but I just can’t stop myself from worrying about him.”

  “Hey, I’ve got an idea. When’s the last time you left this room?”

  “Oh, I don’t know. Why?”

  “I saw a Starbucks on the first floor. Why don’t you and I leave the boys here and take a little break. We’ll be back before you know it and it might do you some good to get a change of scenery. We can take a turn around the hall, too, and give your legs a stretch,” she suggested, trying to add some enthusiasm to her voice to entice the woman to go with her. “What do you say? My treat.”

  Evana’s gaze roamed over her man out cold in the hospital bed. The unique purple hue of her eyes reminded Alea of an Amethyst broach her mother had always favored. Strange how random thoughts could be conjured at the oddest moments.

  “You know, that sounds like a great idea,” Evana conceded.

  “Great. Let’s go.”

  Tegan appeared surprised. His goateed lips lifted at the edges in appreciation as they left. Apparently, no one else had been able to budge the woman from the room. How could she blame her, she would be the same way if that was Vex flat on his back in there.

  Taking the elevator back down the way she’d come in, Evana remained silent. Lost in her own head, Alea gave her the space she needed. The love she felt for Jason was so tangible, you could see it in the depths of Evana’s eyes. She wondered again about the issue’s the couple were having when she’d first met Jason.

  There was a short line at the mini-Starbucks. Once they ordered and got their steaming cups of caffeine to go, she followed Evana back to the elevators. No dawdling with this woman. She was clearly on a mission to get back up to that room even though she was trying to appear to be taking a break.

  Making small talk as they returned to the second floor, she watched Evana struggle to not rush back into the room. Smiling at her through clenched teeth, the woman seemed to force her feet to go to the right instead of left and make the loop around the second floor in the opposite direction. But, the closer they got to Jason’s room, the faster Evana walked.

  A familiar voice filtered down the hall. The deep rumble of Jason’s words sounded like they were being run over gravel as he spoke, but stopped both of them in their tracks as they recognized the men conversing.

  Evana’s eyes swung over to meet hers before sprinting off to disappear inside the room where her man was now awake enough to carry on a conversation.

  Her own eyes filling with tears at Evana’s joy, she followed behind at a slower pace meeting Vex and Tegan in the hall as they filtered out to give the couple some privacy.

  Her demon and Tegan continued with their conversation as they waited in the hall. It was surprising how Vex had formed such a fast bond with the human tattoo artist.

  He just wasn’t a male that struck her as the socializing type, but the deeper they involved themselves with Jason and the group from Exotic Ink, the more friendships were being forged between them and the humans. Even she was looking forward to getting to know Callie better.

  Clasping hands, Vex said his goodbyes and Tegan left with a promise to meet up again at Wicked Brews for a few beers after work.

  “Were you able to talk to Jason about partnering with you guys?”

  “No. Never had a moment alone with him. He and Tegan are pretty tight. I don’t want any outside influences that could sway him not to join us. But, I did some rummaging around inside Gale’s head. I popped a few lids off of his desires to be a shop owner again, so when he’s asked, he’ll agree to it,” Vex said. “I didn’t detect any fear towards us. He’s not stupid. He knows something’s off with us, but he doesn’t know what. He won’t be an issue, but I think we should keep him close just as a precaution.”

  “Maybe you like him, too,” she smirked.

  “You’ll never get me to admit it.”

  “Stubborn demon,” she mumbled.

  The door cracked open. Evana was still wiping at her eyes when she invited them back in. “Thanks for waiting. He was hoping to get to see Alea.”

  That special place in her heart she had reserved just for Jason swelled.

  “I’ll be back in a moment. I want to update everyone,” Evana said holding up her cell phone.

  Stepping inside the room, she was immediately captured and held with Jason’s pale blue eyes. The complete attention made her a little flustered, and she damn near tucked her hair behind her pointed ears in a nervous tick. His eyes always held such kindness towards her that she almost forgot the difference in their species.

  “How are you feeling?” She cringed at her own stupid question as she made her way over to the side of his bed. Of course, he felt like shit. God, she could say some ignorant shit.

  He gave her a lopsided grin as his eyes had to cut hard to the left to see her since his head was still strapped down to the bed.

  “I’ve been better,” Jason answered.

  “I’m glad to see you awake.” She tried for something more intelligent as she moved down and leaned in so he wouldn’t have to cut his eyes so hard to see her.

  “Me too.” He smiled at her.

  Vex’s phone let out a buzz. Looking back at him, he signaled he would be right outside the door. Must have gotten some information from Lucian. She hoped it was good news.

  W
atching her demon leave the room was nearly unbearable which was ridiculous since he was only stepping into the hall. She just couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something significant closing in on them. She’d first felt it a few days ago and had chalked it up to Sevin having gone missing. Perhaps, overly worried that they might not ever see the shifter again.

  But, as she watched Vex’s broad shoulders disappear through the door, the oppressive feeling hit her full in the face. Trying to shake off the weight of pending doom and gloom, she absently reached out and placed her hand over Jason’s, rubbing her thumb over his smooth skin much the same way she had when she’d healed him.

  “I remember this,” Jason said, giving her hand a jiggle. Her head swung around having gained her complete attention. “I remember you holding my hand. I was in total darkness, but I heard your voice and, you're gonna think I'm crazy, but I would swear you were inside my head with me.”

  She just blinked at him, her jaw going slack at what he'd recalled. She wouldn't have guessed he would have remembered anything.

  “But, that's painkillers for you, huh.” Jason laughed as he took in her expression. “See, I shouldn't have said anything. Now you think I'm looney. I mean, I did get hit over the head.”

  “No.” She shook her head. “I don't think that at all.”

  “I woke up with an urgency to see you. To thank you for…something. I know it’s something really important, but I just can’t seem to remember what it is. So, thank you for whatever it is that you did that I can’t recall at the moment,” he rambled. “Maybe, I’ll remember in a few days.”

  She just grinned at him not wanting to comment as it might jog his memory.

  She’d learned from Vex that Jason had seen him light up a back alley and had seen Sevin in wolf form. No need to add to the list of stuff the human should have never witnessed.

  They stayed a little longer until Evana stepped back in. Jason was fighting to keep his eyes open, and she knew he needed his rest to finish recovering. Besides, she was wiped out and hungry. They’d only been at the hospital for little more than an hour and even with her shot of caffeine, she was ready to fall flat on her face.

  Grabbing take-out on the way home, Vex filled her in on nothing much that Lucian had learned from retracing Sevin’s last steps. The only logical conclusion was he had gotten into a car, but at least he wasn’t at the mercy of Micah and his pack of thugs.

  Kat was thrilled to have the company and was all over them as soon as they opened the door. Filling her bowls with food and water, they made quick work of the deli sandwiches they’d brought with them and headed for the shower.

  A tandem shower was part of their nightly routine as was their bout of love making. A leisurely tussle in the sheets, neither one of them had the energy for their usual explosive vigor.

  Vex arranged her limbs the way she liked to sleep on him, using him as a mattress. Barely a goodnight was uttered and she was out cold.

  A while later, a shiver ran over every inch of her body. Curling into herself, she couldn’t seem to shake off the cold. Strange, she had never been cold since she’d moved in with Vex. He was like her own personal warming rock—

  Coming fully awake with a start. She sat up, looking around the darkened room. It was still night, only a shimmer of filtered street lights splashed long rectangular patterns on the floor in the living room beyond. A quick glance at the clock said she was right. Just 3 a.m.

  “Vex?” she called out into the darkness.

  No answer.

  Swinging her legs over the side of the bed, Kat met her at the bedroom door as if she were ready to help with the searching. This early, the cat was still normally fast asleep at the foot of the bed.

  There wasn’t much to see as the apartment wasn’t very large, but she flipped on the overhead light anyway.

  Swinging her eyes around the small space, she noted that the light was off, and the bathroom door was open. The front door was locked and the security chain was still strung across and secured in its little metal catch.

  Panic gripped her and an emptiness filled her belly. This was the feeling that had been plaguing her, now brought to three dimensional life as it became a reality and no longer a niggling at the back of her mind.

  Eyeing the closet next to the kitchen, it was foolish to think he would be hiding in there, but it was the only other place she hadn’t looked except for under the bed.

  Her hand on the knob, she said a little prayer before swinging the door wide and facing off with a row of coats and the vacuum cleaner tucked in the corner.

  A knock at the door levitated her about a foot off the ground.

  Kat circled her legs and sat at her feet waiting for her to answer the knock.

  Her heart was hammering behind her sternum as she raised up on tiptoes and peered through the peephole. The angel stood on the other side. His face a mask of sadness as it took her trembling fingers several tries to free the security chain and flip open the deadbolt.

  Slowly opening the door, she wasn’t in a hurry to hear what bad news Lucian had brought, because she already knew what he was going to tell her.

  Stepping back so Lucian could enter, he shut the door and gathered her in his arms. The embrace broke open the floodgates, and she clung to him. His arms the only thing keeping her from crumbling to the floor.

  Vex was gone.

  Realm of the Dead

  Vex rolled over onto his back. Shifting around in search of a more comfortable position, the back of his head ached from the lack of cushioning. He must have lost his pillow sometime during the night, and he needed to get a new mattress. This one had turned hard as a concrete block.

  Where had his blanket of fairy flesh gone?

  It wasn’t like her to not be using him as her own personal mattress when he awoke. He didn’t like the empty sensation of her not stretched out all over his skin.

  Stretching out an arm, his hand found nothing but smooth, cold stone. Dread turned his blood to an icy slush.

  Afraid to open his eyes and make what he knew to be true his new reality, he willed himself back to sleep. Maybe this was a horrible, very realistic nightmare.

  No such luck.

  Booted steps were drawing near, stopping where he lay. Cracking open his lids, he recognized the face staring down at him.

  “Welcome back.” A sentry from his past tossed him a bundle and walked away.

  No. There was nothing welcome about this fucking place.

  Raising his body off the ground, the weight of his head lolled it to the side. Stiffening the muscles of his neck, he reached up and—

  His horns were back. Not as large as they had been when he’d had them ripped from his skull before his banishment, but back all the same.

  Fucking great! Something else as tangible as the hard ground beneath his ass to reassure him where he was now.

  Alea must be freaking out.

  Not being able to contact her was a kick in the nuts, to tell her what he had wanted to say and was never going to get the chance to. Was he going to have to wait until her soul departed her flesh and bone body for him to get a chance to tell her he loved her?

  What of Lucian? Had he been brought back as well?

  There was only one way to find out. If so, the angel would eventually make an appearance in the holding arena if he were reassigned his duties as a transporter.

  Unwrapping the bundle that he’d been left with, he cringed at the coarse material of his old uniform. Void of any rank, looked like he was to start from scratch.

  Back to being a simple custodian, the sector he found himself in wasn’t heavily populated with cube like prisons or occupants housed within. He had the distinct feeling this was a second chance for him to prove he could handle the job.

  Setting the heavy boots aside, he covered his nakedness in the scratchy uniform that was provided. Like donning a heavy cloak of sorrow, he already missed his life in the Realm of the Living.

  He had been plucked
away at the most inopportune time, leaving so much unresolved.

  Bile settled in the back of his throat. Sevin had yet to be found. His adopted son might need his help and here he was unable to do a damn thing about it.

  He barked out a laugh, rubbing both hands roughly over his face. As a puppy, that little shit had pissed all over a brand new pair of his boots. Mad because he hadn’t allowed him to stay up past his bedtime to watch some stupid television show.

  He would give anything to see the shifter one more time. One last embrace and a few words to let him know how proud he had always been of him.

  What of his new friend, Jason? The human was out of immediate physical danger thanks to his fairy and her gift of healing, but was the danger with the bikers really at an end? As far as any of them knew, the Satan’s Disciples were extinct, but there were always repercussions to every action. He couldn’t stop himself from wondering if being cast back to Netherworld was just that.

  It was a discussion he and the angel had avoided. Neither one of them wanting to look too closely at their own actions that resulted in all those deaths.

  For all he knew, he could be dead himself. His body lying cold and still in his bed in the Realm of the Living. He could be occupying a prison he himself had designed. Locked inside one of the clear cubes that he was supposed to be guarding. A prisoner in his own fucked up world that he had created for the wrongs he’d done.

  But, then again, he had never been aware of having a soul. He and Lucian had often pondered if they were eternal beings void of any kind of death. Surely, if something horrific were to happen to their bodies, they would cease to exist. Maybe that was all that would happen to them. They would simply cease to exist. No Utopia or Netherworld for them, so this had to be where he was at now and not in a cage.

  Looking around the all too familiar cave, life here was going to be a desolate existence without his fairy. Despite his internal heater, cold was going to be his norm. Now that she had shown him the heat of desire and the warmth of her heart, that part of him she’d awakened was going to forever rest in his past. A small piece of memory to hold close and visit at his loneliest moments.