JUDY PICKED UP THE phone and dialed. “Rick, do you remember that special wedding gift you gave me before we left for our honeymoon?”

“Yes,” he said slowly.

“Well, do you think I can have the number of that painter? I’m thinking there’s something else I’d like to have done.”

Silence filtered over the line. “Can I get you that when I get home?”

Overhearing the conversation, I got the distinct impression that he did not want the agency to have any inkling that they had the tattoos. I could understand it. They wanted to control every aspect of their agent’s lives, and having the charms that transmitted their whereabouts topped the list. So if Johnson didn’t trust the agency, then he’d have to have some other form of protection and the tattoo fit the bill.

“I wanted to surprise you,” she whined.

I turned away, cringing. Her saccharine voice set my teeth on edge.

“I’m sure it will keep,” he said. “I don’t have the number here, though.”

“Oh. Okay. We can talk about it when you get home to see if you agree.” Disappointment laced every syllable, as though he just ruined an amazing surprise.

“Sure. Love you,” he said, and the call clicked off.

A few minutes later, a text came through from an unknown number with the name Phillip, a phone number, and a message to tell Phillip to treat it the same way he treated the last favor.

I tilted my head. Johnson had a burner. That wasn’t even something I would have thought of. It gave me pause. I wondered what the hell Johnson was doing that would warrant a burner, but I was also thankful. Thankful for both their discretion.

Judy dialed the number. “Is this Phillip?” She paused. “Yes. This is Judy Johnson. My husband Rick contracted you to come to our house on our wedding night.” She smiled. “Yes, the charm tattoos. Well, we need you to come again and do one more of those, along with doing a howling wolf on my ass cheek and a friend’s as well. My husband said to treat this the same way as the last favor.” She listened. “That would be great. We’ll be here.” She disconnected the call and smiled. “He’s going to bring a sample book of wolf tattoos for us to choose from while he does the charm.”

“When’s he coming?”

“He should be here within the half hour.”

Johnson had that much power? Wow. Okay.

“Hey Robby, you might want to shave the inside of your thigh with my razor right now.”

“Oh, he takes care of that,” Judy said.

Robby poked his head into the kitchen. “Can you at least conjure me up a speedo or something so I’m not going all full monty with you girls watching?” he asked me.

I waved my fingers and a gold speedo appeared in his hand.

“Gold?”

I smiled back at him. “I need a sample of the color I want him to tip the black fur with on my tattoo.”

The tilt of his smile was endearing. “You’re putting me on your ass?”

“I want the world’s most gorgeous wolf on my butt cheek, so yes.”

“Wait, he has gold-tipped fur?” Judy looked between us.

“It’s something relatively new,” Robby said. “But apparently I do.”

“Oh, I have got to see that.” Judy waved for him to shift.

Robby glanced around the room. “Shifting inside here isn’t a good idea.”

“Oh, come on. Rick has done it.”

I chuckled and glanced at the height of the ceiling. Robby’s house only had an eight-foot ceiling, which was a far cry from Cassius’s cathedral ceilings throughout his home. “Robby would do damage to the structure. He won’t fit in this kitchen. I mean, he’s always been a big wolf, but now, he’s fucking huge. Larger than any wolf you’ve ever seen.”

Her eyes widened. “How?”

“Phoenix tears.”

“Excuse me?” She cocked her head like a lost puppy.

“He died and was brought back to life by my tears.” I glanced at him. “And that somehow made him extraordinary. Not that he wasn’t before,” I added with a smile.

She glanced between us and then crossed her arms. “You’re shitting me, right?”

“No. You can ask your husband when he gets home. He’s seen my juiced-up wolf.” Robby smiled and ducked away before Judy could hammer him for any more details.

She looked at me with new interest. “Your tears did that?”

I could see the wheels turning in her head, as if I had a use in her life beyond just being friends. It made me fidget in the chair. “These are things that do not leave this room. They don’t leave your mouth.” I raised my eyebrows as my commanding tone layered over the room.

Annoyance flashed and her eyes narrowed. “You didn’t have to do that,” she hissed.

“Are you going to tell me you weren’t getting ideas?” I raised an eyebrow, challenging her.

She opened her mouth, and then shut it and looked down at the table. “Fine, I was thinking. I’m sorry.”

I gave her a nod. “You’re forgiven.” Truthfully, if I had been fed this type of information before I was turned, I would be thinking about how to capitalize on it, too.

The doorbell rang, and Judy got up to answer it. She looked through the peephole first and then opened the door with a big grin.

“Phillip, how wonderful to see you again.” She waved him in, and he entered with a thick duffel bag and what looked like a large thin suitcase and a smaller attaché case.

“Hello, love. What can I do for you today?”

The way his eyes sparkled made me curious.

“Well, as I said on the phone, one of our friends needs the exact replica of the sigil you did on my arm. And my other friend and I are looking to get tattoos on our ass cheek, if you have time,” Judy said.

I only caught a quick hint of his scent when he stepped farther into the living room. This was not a human. But I couldn’t quite pin what type of other he was. I stepped to the doorway between the kitchen and living room, and glanced up the stairs.

Robby was already descending, and he gave me a warning look that all was not copesetic with this tattoo artist. I racked my brain as to what it could be. I had never seen him before, so it had to be someone Robby and Johnson knew from before the academy.

Why else would he be doing favors for Johnson?

He was setting up his table with his back to us when we stepped farther into the room. Phillip stiffened and gasped.

“Are you okay?” Judy asked from beside him.

He turned slowly, as if any sudden movement would mean a quick death.

I nearly rolled my eyes, but it wasn’t me who triggered the fear to radiate from his skin. His gaze locked on Robby.

He slowly put his hands up, palms out, like he was trying to appease Robby. “Look, I mean no harm.” His voice squeaked as Judy and I looked on—her with surprise, and me with amusement. Most people who knew Robby didn’t act like he was going to tear their head off.

“What are you doing in New York City?” Robby growled.

“I opened a tattoo parlor,” he said with both indignance and fear.

“And what exactly do you get paid with? Souls?” Robby growled and then glanced at Judy. “Is that what you and Johnson did, sold your souls for magical tattoos?”

Judy blinked madly, and her mouth popped open and closed as she shook her head.

“Johnson gave me a second chance when he could have easily killed me. I owe him my life, so I’ve done a few favors like this when he has asked.” Words tumbled from his trembling lips, as if Robby would take matters into his own hands.

I stepped next to Robby, and Phillip’s nervous pallor went another shade paler. “You know this...” I waved at Phillip. “Soul eater?”

Robby nodded and his teeth made an appearance, as if there were a real threat in the room. “He came through our town once. We ran him out before he had a chance to feast, but once he left pack lands, we didn’t pursue him.” His eyes narrowed. “Perhaps we should have.”

“I don’t take much,” he whispered, now visibly shaking from head to toe.

“So, you did take from them,” Robby growled, pointing at Judy.

Phillip vehemently shook his head, making his hair flop back and forth and then fall into his eyes. He brushed it away. “No, only in my parlor. They sign a waiver for payment that includes a minute fraction of their essence. Just enough to slide under the radar of the MDA.”

“But Johnson knew.” Robby crossed his arms. His arms barely made a dent in the terry bathrobe. If he had been at his healthiest, a show like that would have split the seams.

Phillip nodded emphatically. “Yes.”

“How long?”

Phillip shifted his feet. “Just a couple of months.” His gaze kept jumping to me and back, and a crease appeared between his eyes. “You gave a vampire a pass, why are you giving me shit?” He waved at me, seeming to grow a pair since Robby hadn’t attacked yet.

“You did that tattoo?” Robby pointed at Judy’s arm. “Without payment from her?”

“Y-yes,” he stuttered.

“And you’re willing to do the same for me without a piece of my essence?” He took a step forward, crowding the soul eater.

He nodded but didn’t verbally assent.

Robby growled.

“Yes!” he yelled out, and backed into his table.

“And whatever the girls want? No cost to that either?”

“Yes. As long as you promise to leave me be in my business once I leave here.” Phillip’s palms were up again, making him look like a criminal giving up to the police.

“Fine. I won’t relieve you of your head.” Robby stepped back, giving him some breathing room.

I cleared my throat. “And Phillip, you will not say a word to anyone about being here today, and the minute you step back in your shop, you will forget you ever saw us.” I pointed between Robby and me, and pushed my compelling power outward.

He looked at me and then through me with a sluggish nod. It only passed over him for a second before he shook his head and patted his table. “Who’s first?”

Robby dropped the robe and hopped up on the table with his skimpy gold speedo on.

Phillip’s eyebrows went up and he unloaded his bag, setting up a smaller table with ink. He unfolded a piece of paper with a detailed drawing of the charm with all the sigils placed accurately. I’d be willing to bet Johnson drew that for him the first time he had Phillip tattoo Judy and himself.

I glanced over Phillip’s shoulder, making him flinch. “Don’t worry, I’m not hungry enough to devour a soul eater.” I pat him on the shoulder.

He gave me the side-eye and then glanced at Judy. She gave him a reassuring smile that seemed to relax him. “In the attaché are samples of wolf tattoos. Feel free to peruse while I do this.” Phillip looked at Robby. “I gather you want the tattoo in a similar location as Johnson?”

“I don’t wear gold speedos for my health,” Robby said.

I snorted a laugh. “He doesn’t. I conjured that for him to make sure you understood what color I want my wolf fur in my tattoo tipped with.”

Phillip raised an eyebrow but didn’t look my way. Any nerves he might have been feeling disappeared as he got down to business, situating Robby. He pulled out a razor and cleaned up the inner thigh area that Robby had attempted to shave, but my razor obviously wasn’t as effective as Phillip’s. He plugged in his tattoo gun and hooked it up. “Black ink?” he asked.

Robby nodded and winked at me. “I am partial to red, but black will do just fine.”

“The tattoo remains on the skin, even when they shift, right?” I asked.

Phillip glanced at me with a nod. “This charm is embedded into his skin and his very essence. So, he will never be compelled by a vampire, whether he has the agency charm or not.” He grinned at me, as if it were my loss.

Judy went to open her mouth, and I shook my head, shutting her down before she spilled that it didn’t work with my commands. Hell, I bet Phillip had one of those little tattoos somewhere on his form. My bet was on his leg somewhere, or maybe even his foot. But his stylish high-top sneakers kept it from view.

Judy took the portfolio and opened it on the coffee table. I took a seat next to her on the couch. We looked at the array of wolf tattoos, from tribal ones to more realistic ones. Most were actual pictures of tattoos on skin with the date and a Smashing Tattoos logo in the corner. Judy zeroed in on the ornate tribal tattoos. But the more realistic ones were my jam.

There were a few growling wolves, full faces only, and full body prowling or howling. But the one that struck my fancy was a black wolf, sitting at an angle and staring straight out, as if looking directly at me with that unyielding stare. It held that I dare you feel, and with Robby’s blue eyes and gold-tipped fur, it would be perfect.

Robby lounged in an awkward position that would surely leave him with an aching back. One leg was bent with his knee pointing toward the ceiling and his bottom leg was folded so the inside of his thigh faced the ceiling, as he leaned back on his elbow. Phillip worked with his tattoo gun on Robby’s inner thigh, and Robby stared intently as the needle marked his shaved skin.

The aroma of his blood mixed with ink filled the air, and my mouth watered. I would need to eat sometime soon. Otherwise I might end up biting Robby, and that was a promise I could not break.

Phillip worked inhumanly fast, but he was other, and a hint of magic mixed with the blood and ink scents. His scribing needles moved effortlessly, and it only took him an hour to draw the charm into Robby’s skin. When he finished and started to clean the area, he mumbled an incantation. With every swipe of the towel, the scent of magic increased, layering over us like a soft rain.

Robby met my gaze, his forehead creased in confusion.

“Did he do that with you and Johnson?” I whispered to Judy.

Judy nodded. “That’s part of what makes the tattoo work, just like the necklaces at the agency. At least that’s what Rick told me.”

Robby’s confusion cleared as soon as Judy spoke. The tattoo on his leg glowed as Phillip continued the mantra. When he went silent, the glow magnified before it faded away, seeping into Robby’s leg like magic moisturizer. Phillip slathered gel on the tattoo before he put a protective film over it.

“Normally, my human clients keep the tattoo wrapped for five days, but since you aren’t human, I would say just keep the patch on for twenty-four hours.” He glanced at Judy. “That’s about how long you and Johnson kept yours on, right?”

She nodded. “Yes. They were totally healed by then, but we still used the antibiotic moisturizer you gave us for the full five days just in case.”

“Who’s next?” he asked as he wiped his hands.

Judy and I exchanged a glance.

“Why don’t you go?” she said. “Mine won’t take as long as yours.”

Robby slid off the table and grabbed his robe, putting it on as he crossed to me. I showed him my choice, and he bit the side of his lip, nearly sucking it into his mouth.

“You don’t like it?” I asked, hesitating at the doubt painting his expression.

“It’s a pretty close likeness.” He studied the photo.

“It’s fierce but not feral.” I grinned. “It will be a perfect representation with your eye color and gold-tipped fur.”

He nodded and let out a chuckle. “Then go for it.” He handed the paper back to me, and I headed toward the table.

I handed the photograph to Phillip. “The eyes need to be blue like Robby’s, and I need you to put gold accents on the tip of the fur like someone meticulously hand painted it on each strand.”

“You want a gold wolf?” He raised his eyebrows.

“No. A black wolf with gold-tipped fur. Gold like his speedo.” I pointed at Robby. “With blue eyes.”

“The eyes are the easy part. This is going to take a little time.” He glanced at Robby and then Judy. “I don’t think I’ll be able to do yours today,” he said to her.

She pouted.

“I can’t blow off all my customers today. A man’s got to eat.” His gaze shot to Robby and then to me. “You understand.”

The shit thing is I did understand. I was there right now. “If you did hers first, would you have time for mine?”

Judy turned the picture she held his way with her eyes in puppy-dog mode.

Phillip glanced at mine and then sighed. “Fine,” he said. “But Johnson owes me this time.”

I gave him a nod and went back to the couch with Robby as Judy squealed and gave me a hug before she headed to the table, dropping her drawers with no sense of modesty. She hopped up on the table, and Phillip cleaned her right cheek and went to work.

This time, the magic was more prevalent, and his hand moved faster than it had on Robby, but the details in Robby’s tattoo were much more ornate than the tribal wolf that he painted on her ass. The way he moved on this one was quick and sure, as if he had done this tattoo a thousand times.

He finished in half the time and washed the area before he did the same protective film over her art that he had on Robby’s.

Judy climbed off the table and showed us her ink.

“Nice work,” I said to Phillip as he wiped down the table.