The tattoo parlor was tucked between the wine tasting room and the recently opened yoga studio, which was run by a selkie.I made a mental note to suggest Daruka check it out.A selkie, like a mermaid, needed water, so he ought to know where she could get her fix.
River’s place, Ink A New You, was decorated for Valentine’s Day, just like the rest of the businesses in town.The resident vampire had started our tradition of throwing a Valentine’s festival and decorating the entire town with red and pink hearts.The poor guy was more of a sap about love than I was.
On the door of River’s shop, underneath the name, was an elaborate painting of a phoenix, the tail curled and twisted to look like smoke.Phoenix had that exact image tattooed onto his back.
Inside, the walls were covered with photographs of his work.
I followed him past the counter that separated the work area from the lobby, all the way back to his office, which was the size of a closet and smelled faintly of ash.
He flipped on the bright lamp on his desk and waved at the drawing lying there.
As expected, it was extraordinary.A beautiful, sultry woman, vaguely resembling a pin-up model from the 1940s.
“I keep having dreams about her,” River said while I studied his artwork.“I finally had to draw her.But I’m not sure I’d be willing to ink her onto someone else’s skin.”He frowned, as if he didn’t understand his own words.
“No worries here,” I responded.“I’m in the market for new ink, but not a woman.”If I ever inked a woman onto my skin, it’d be a blue-haired mermaid.Except something told me Daruka would not be pleased if I put her likeness on my body without her permission.
“What about a mermaid?”I asked.“A generic one.Not blue.Not one that?—”
“Looks like our newcomer?”River suggested with an eyebrow lift.
I’d glare at him if I weren’t fully aware of my own thought process.Instead, I shook my head.“Yeah, I should wait.”
Because I didn’t want a generic mermaid.And I didn’t have time to make a well-thought out decision about anything else I might be willing to permanently etch onto my body.
“I should get back so she isn’t wandering around town alone.”
“I understand,” River said solemnly.I suspected he really did.
Which was unnerving.Me, thinking such thoughts was one thing.The fact that my buddy could tell I was thinking such thoughts?
Unnerving.
I shoved my hands into my pockets and headed across the street.I could see Queenie through the plate glass window, fussing with a display and sliding clothes on hangers back into place on the rack.She was moving about as if she were alone in her boutique.
I kicked up my pace, burst through the entrance, triggering a sound like wind—or spirits—in the desert, because Queenie thought that was more fitting than a simple bell.
“Where’s Daruka?”I demanded.
Queenie glanced up from the mannequin she’d been dressing with pink and red strips of cloth.A Valentine’s Day mummy?
“Why, she left,” Queenie said.“Something about checking out the hellmouth.”
Oh, hell.
Literally.
ChapterSix
Daruka
Ihad to know.About the hellmouth.Did it really exist?
Did Dad know it had been opened?Selina had said something that implied it was still open, somewhat.
Somewhatwas all Dad needed.If he were so inclined, he could turn himself into a mouse to sneak through the smallest of crevices.
Or, more likely, a cockroach.
