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"Awesome," they all said at different tiot forme feel totally ancient But those were the manners of the South, born and bred, and once baked into your brain, they always and forever remained From his back pocket he pulled a folded piece of white sketch paper and opened it up He handed it to hly It was a hand-drawn sketch of a Celtic-inspired tribal lizard

I nodded "Nice" It was, too "Fantastic detailing You draw this?" I asked

"Yes, aze "Let me copy this and run a transfer off the computer, and then we’ll be ready to ink"

"I’ll fire up the Widow!" said Nyx with exciteenerator (called a Black Widow) I had Inksomnia set up completely in the spacious front roo area with a sofa, two plush chairs, and a few ladder-backs A square leather-topped coffee table with several albuns took up the corner of the storefront Two inking stations were in the center, with a clear view from River Street so that passersby could look in and watch The only thing hidden was the equip near the steps that led up to my and Seth’s apartment Upstairs was our kitchen; down a s room; then, farther doere two bathrooht, and had a perfect view over the Savannah River Preacher had helped et it a few years before

About two hours and ten minutes later, I finished Zac’s Celtic lizard, and he was totally thrilled with it I adht shoulder and shoulder blade, the head just peering over his collarbone He and his buddies asked to take pictures with reed I was always baffled by hoas treated byher job, nothing ht I did Nyx said I was a legend in the tattooing industry; I merely loved my artwork Zac proood-bye Somehow--and I don’t knohether it was because they were so young and full of life, or because I knew they’d eventually be thrown in the center of battle, their innocence gone forever--that good-bye felt sad Typically, I wasn’t the mushy sort, but I was definitely in ain aboutsince we opened, time had flown by, and I’d just finished a wicked cat skull on a guy’s rib cage, when the fact that Seth hadn’t even come into the shop all day suddenly hit ed Fear grabbed ht he was dead Old memories left a lot of scar tissue, and the way I’d found etting to the bed, and I grabbed Seth’s hand It was still warm, and in the back ofout "Seth?" I said, and shook hi as I waited for my baby brother to respond I resisted the lack of air in e breath, and followed it with a shout "Seth!"

Part 3

CHANGES

Slowly, Seth’s heavy lids lifted, and confusion glazed over his green eyes as he tried to focus onwith the feeling that I was behaving like an overreacting mom With the back of my hand I felt ht on staring athorn from the center of my head I searched his face "Do you feel okay?"

Seth tried to rise but fell back against the sheets "Yeah Fine Justtired"

I brushed the hair from his face "Thanks to your fun run at Bonaventure, you’re probably co" I wasn’t sure that was how you ca days of summer in the South, but Moood now "Just stay in bed for now and rest Do you want anything to drink? Eat?"

Seth’s eyes were already closing again "No, thanks" He turned onto his stomach "You’re not sneakin’ srinned "No, Moet son to me; he’d never been sick, and as I’d said before, he’d never been in trouble I suppose that made me a bit complacent Noorried And I didn’t like it Seth, on the other hand, worried about ht I’ll check on you in a little while" I kissed the top of his head "Love you"

"Love you, too," Seth mumbled, and was fast asleep before I left the room

Inksomnia stayed busy the rest of the day I had appointments until seven pm, and Nyx usually didn’t make appointments on Saturdays at all--she kept that day open for walk-ins, and they kept her Widow running hot all day long The entire day, I couldn’t stop thinking about two things: uy at theI don’t know--so about hiuy was a black T-shirt, dark brown hair that was kind of shaggy and swept to the side, and pale skin He’d been too far away to see detail--except for a pair of perfect full lips So why had he affectedhe’d show back up; I was positive he would, and I bet I glanced at the storefront a gazillion times He didn’t show, and it really wasn’t a surprise after all; although he’d certainly caught uys ere attracted to uy had to be pretty confident and open-on tattooed up her back and both ar inked at the corner of sty teen years--my first tat--and to be perfectly honest, I don’t even re, woke up the next afternoon, and bam--there it was, the delicate skin around it as red as a beet, and in coel I must have been pretty wasted not to feel it Seriously pathetic But I’o with the flow Besides If there was one thing I deuy, it was confidence Fit that with open-ht there was probably the main reason I didn’t have a boyfriend Two difficult traits to co