A week later, newly single and ready to grab life by the horns and live, Miracle sat in the lobby of a tattoo shop in the next town. The place smelled of blood, cleanser, and ink, and the whir of the tattoo machines made her dragon pace.
“You Miracle?” a tall, lanky male with a long blond ponytail asked as he walked past the reception desk. He was tattooed on every visible patch of skin, from his cheeks to his fingertips.
“Yes,” she said, standing to shake his hand.
“Come on back, I’ve got your drawing ready to go.”
Tonya had made the arrangements with the tattooist via e-mail, sending him a photo of the image. Miracle had opted to have it placed on her right shoulder blade. She’d worn a strapless top that bared her upper back so she wouldn’t have to strip. After discussing the placement, he prepped her skin and then transferred the image onto it. As Miracle turned to look at the image in the mirror, Tonya said, “This goes in the ink.”
“What is it?” he asked, eyeing the vial skeptically.
“A special chemical that will allow the tattoo to become permanent.”
He looked at Miracle. “What are you?”
She looked at Tonya, who shrugged. Miracle answered, “I’m a dragon.”
“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 fuck 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.