Every Miraculous Moment (Hyena Heat #6)(3)

“Tatts don’t work on dragons; your skin won’t hold it. Unless…are these tears?”

Both women nodded.

His eyes widened, and he grinned. “Well f*ck me, that’s awesome! I hope it works. There are some other types of supernaturals who can’t hold a tatt. You could sell your tears. You interested?”

“Um, no. That’s a personal thing to ask. Dragon tears are hard to get and take time,” Miracle said. Her stomach churned uneasily, but she ignored it because she trusted Tonya in choosing the right tattooist.

He put his hands up. “Hey, sorry. No worries. If you ever change your mind, give me a call.”

Miracle gave a non-committal snort and sat down on the chair, lying across the tilted back and bringing her long blonde hair forward over her shoulder. Tonya sat in a chair across from Miracle and got out her sketch pad.

“You’re not sketching another tattoo for me,” Miracle said.

“Of course not. I’m sketching you getting a tattoo.”

“Good grief,” she said, rolling her eyes.

The machine began to buzz, and he laid the needles against her skin. Her dragon huffed in annoyance. Unnecessary pain wasn’t appreciated. Closing her eyes, Miracle listened to the buzz of the needles as Tonya discussed a blind date she’d gone on the night before. Miracle smiled, deciding she couldn’t wait to go on a few dates herself.

Four hours later, with her shoulder throbbing from the needles, Miracle stared at her reflection in the mirror. The phoenix was lovely, colored in shades of red, yellow, and orange that made it look like it was made of flames. It was both fierce and delicate, a feminine design she was proud to wear.

“Do you feel like a phoenix?” Tonya asked.

“Yeah.” She hugged her friend and said goodbye to the tattoo artist, after paying him for the tattoo and collecting the vial of remaining tears.

Miracle had been living with her parents since the mating had been dissolved. The council had agreed she could have the house that she and Tais had lived in, but she didn’t want it. It was nothing but four walls and bad memories. She’d cleared out all her belongings immediately, but she was still in the process of looking for a new studio for her glassware.

“I need to stop at the studio,” she told Tonya as they got into her friend’s car.

“Did you find a place yet?”

“No, but there’s a shed manufacturer I found online who ships completed buildings right to you. All you have to do is have a concrete pad for them. Dad said I could use their backyard.”

“That’s cool.”

“Yeah. It would work because I’d be able to stay with them and help out, but I’d also have my own space.”

“You could always stay with me.”

“I know. That’s because you’re such a good friend.”

“Good? I’m freaking awesome.”

They walked around the small house toward the studio. The house was quiet, so Miracle didn’t think that Tais was home. She hadn’t seen him since the council dissolved the mating. He’d been angry and had threatened to hurt her if she didn’t take back the dissolution. His uncle had threatened him, telling him that he wasn’t to touch a hair on her head or he’d be dealt with severely. Since that time, she’d not caught a glimpse of him, which was just fine with her. Once she found a place for her studio, she’d never have to come to this part of the gated community, and he could rot alone in the house for all she cared.

Her steps slowed as she saw that the door to the studio was open. The lock that she’d installed to keep Tais out of the studio was broken.

“Oh no,” she whispered as she pushed open the door to the studio and saw the ruins of her hard work. Everything was destroyed. All her finished glassware, which she’d kept on metal shelves against one wall, was smashed to pieces. The kiln had huge holes in it, as if someone had taken a sledgehammer to the sides, and all her tools were bent.

“How could he do this?” Tonya demanded as she pressed a button on her phone. Miracle couldn’t even answer. Everything she’d made in the last three months was destroyed beyond repair. She’d have to start over from scratch, and she’d most definitely lose clients because of the delay. It would cost her a fortune.

She listened to Tonya inform the head of security about the break-in and destruction, and within an hour the incident was investigated and a report was sent to the king.

“The king sends his apologies,” Ness, the head of security, said as he looked at his phone. “He asks you to send him a list of replacement items and their cost, and he’ll have the money transferred into your account.”

“Fat lot of good that will do with her customers,” Tonya said.

Ness shrugged. “Tais is angry. The king told him to leave you alone, but this is technically his property. The king is being generous in replacing the ruined items. You had to know when you dissolved the mating that he might retaliate.”

Miracle blew out a breath. She had wondered if that might happen, but she hadn’t expected him to destroy her studio. Maybe that was foolish on her part.

“He shouldn’t be allowed to retaliate,” Tonya said.

Ness opened his mouth, shut it, and then sighed. “All I can tell you is to just try and move on with your life. We’ll keep an eye on him, but if you have any other problems, call the security office immediately.”