The Girl with the Wolf Tattoo

The Escape

An entire biker gang came through wanting matching tattoos. One of their own had died unexpectedly and they were getting memorial tattoos. The whole shop worked for the better part of a week to get through all the orders. Finally, Alex was finishing up the last one. Her hand cramped, but she kept it steady not wanting to mess up even slightly. They were known by bikers and gang members to be the shop to go to for no judgment, no snobbery, just good work. They dealt mostly in cash so those who didn't want to leave a paper trail could do so. It was also known that any violent criminal would be turned away. They didn't serve bad people if they knew about their character. They served misfits and outcasts. They carved out a safe place for those without any sense of safety in their lives. That was why Alex worked there. She was an outcast in her own way. When she needed a break Griff gave it to her. She worked hard to make sure he never regretted that decision.

She sank into a chair and massaged her hand. "That was a tall order. I'm glad it's over."

"I think we made enough o stay in the black for the rest of the year," Griff said.

"That much? Really?"

He nodded. "Now if we could get that kind of work regularly we'd be living the high life."

The bell over the door rang. Alex groaned, but her heart jumped when she saw who stood in the doorway. The handome stranger from a week ago.

"I have a question about my tattoo," he said.

"Ask away."

"It's a little red and flaky. It looks inflamed. There's some itching around the edge."

"Come here and let me see it." She no longer felt flustered by his presence. She was in full professional mode now.

He pulled up his shirt to show her. "Oh... it does look a little irritated. Do you have allergies? Sensetive skin?"

He shook his head. "No allergies. My skin can be sensitive, but nothing too bad."

"I see..." She took a container of cream from behind the counter. "Put this on it every day, morning and night. If it doesn't completely heal up then come right back in, okay?"

She handed him the cream and when he took it his hand brushed hers. Something inhuman flashed behind his eyes. Hers did the same in response. She looked down quickly to conceal it. The man stepped back. His face had gone pale and he looked like he'd seen a ghost. Alex turned and practically ran out of the room.

Griff followed her into his office. "Alex, what's wrong?"

With a shaky voice she asked for her paycheck early.

"Alexandra, you can talk to me. What's wrong? Did that man do something to you?"

She shook her head. "Please, I don't ask for much."

Griff sighed and went to his safe. He pulled out a wad of cash and handed it to her.

"Surely this is too much," she said.

"Take it," he said. He folded her fingers around it. "Just under stand you always have a place here. If you're in trouble you can come to me."

She nodded and quickly left before he could see the tears welling up in her eyes. She practically ran out of the tattoo studio. She hated doing this. It tore her apart. But what choice did she have?

She got into her car and slammed it in reverse. When she got to her apartment she barely took the time to park. Running up the steps, taking them double, she got into her front door and began frantically packing. She didn't have much so within fifteen minutes she was out the door again. She hit the highway and didn't stop until she was two cities over and had driven all night.

She got the cheapest motel she could, paid cash and crashed for the night. She was exhausted from crying the entire drive.

The next day she got a job as a waitress at a diner down the street from her motel. Anything to get money piled up she could start over properly.

Time slipped by. Days, weeks, a month... She'd just begun to think she'd made her escape when a familiar feeling began to run up her spine. The handsome stranger was back and he was looking right at her.