was white and its wings spread wide, but instead of a horn it had a shining silver knife coated in blood. Arching over it was a shimmery rainbow with the name of their gang running through it. Among the other tattoos were more rainbows, clouds, wings and horns, some surrounded by words like this is your one and only horning, you have been horned, glitter is fitter, talk to the wing (or I’ll stab you up). Across Sparkle’s collar bone were the words rainbow is the new black.
It would have been hilarious if I hadn’t seen first hand how ruthless this gang could be to anyone weaker than them. They really would stab you through the chest with their horns out in the Order Yard and I’d seen more than one of the small Orders be trampled to death by them out there.
“This whole side of the wall is Lunar territory,” I snarled. “You can go and try your luck carving out your own territory with the Oscuras if you want, Sparkle. But everywhere here is my domain. So challenge me for it or get out of my face.”
She bristled and a few of her herd stamped their feet in rage. “Why’s the rat so special to you, Shadowbrook?” She narrowed her light blue eyes at me.
“That’s none of your business, love,” I growled, my hackles rising.
“Humour me,” she insisted, an edge to her tone like she really was considering challenging me today. And with the mood I was in, I would have relished the fight.
“He’s a decent tattoo artist. There’s not many of those about judging by the art on your herd,” I snickered and Glitterpuff snorted aggressively beside me. As if I was gonna be intimidated by an overgrown My Little Pony though. “Now take your tiny glitter gang and fuck off.”
“My gang is growing every day,” Sparkle snarled, a warning in her tone. “Remember that, Shadowbrook.”
“Noted.” I flipped her the bird and turned away, clapping a hand to Alvin’s shoulder and nearly knocking him onto his ass again from the force I used. “Stay out of trouble.”
“I will,” he said quickly, bowing his head to me, about to scurry away when I tugged him closer.
“I need another favour,” I murmured to him and I cast a silencing bubble around us before explaining about the mark I needed him to tattoo onto Harper. When he agreed to do it tonight, I made him swear to keep his silence then let him go and sent Harper back to our pack.
I hunted down Cain beyond the fence and strode over to him at a casual pace, though my heart was beating a mile a minute as I closed in, anger racing through me. I swallowed down the words I really wanted to say to him – let my mate go you bloodsucking piece of shit – and slapped on a winning Shadowbrook smile.
“Officer,” I said politely. “I suppose I ought to thank you for locking up my arch nemesis.”
Cain’s stormy grey eyes scraped down me, his mouth set in a flat line and I wondered if I’d ever seen the bastard smile. It was like he’d had it permanently removed at birth.
He said nothing, so I went on.
“It’s been a while though now, should I be preparing myself for her strutting back in here sometime soon like the queen bitch she thinks she is?”
Cain ran his tongue across his teeth and my gaze shifted to a shiny new device hanging around his neck. What the fuck was that?
“She’ll be rotting in there for a while longer,” he said in a hollow tone.
A snarl caught in my throat and I tried my best to school my expression as rage clawed up my spine. “Don’t tell anyone, but I’m kinda missing the challenge of beating her down. Do a guy a favour and send me back a worthy opponent. I promise you can enjoy watching me spill her blood. I’ve seen the way she pisses you off.” I dangled the juicy carrot in front of him but didn’t get the reaction I expected. He took his lightning taser from his hip and pointed it at me, his fangs lengthening as he glared. “Get out of my sight, One.”
“Oh, come on,” I pleaded, but it came out as a snarl, my anger overflowing.
“Last warning,” he hissed and I clenched my jaw, backing up, my muscles tight.
I spent the rest of my time in the compound pacing and furious, giving up on posting jobs