64–Alex
I took a couple of selfies, with the front of my shirt open, the Oni tatton exposed. Holding my phone in my hart I looked down at the black On doll from Joey’s dresser and frowned, taking photos of it tom
It was as if someone had taken the doll off my skin and made it real
it looked bär
How the fuck had I not recognized it. The bloody thing was unique. Thad had it custom–drawn by the clan) had only made one copy of it, the one on my skin. So, how the fuck had someone found out made a damned doll out of it!
I sent the photos to Oliver, knowing what his reaction would be the moment he saw them, then turned off no pl 1 wouldn’t love it on where I was going
“Pearl isn’t going to be impressed with you turning up at her house, this time of morningSota sail and I grin
It was a Saturday morning.
The one day of the week. Pearl didn’t have to deal with work, or her hudund, or anything It was her Zentime, and Pknew she was probably going to skin me alive but she was the clan’s only link to traditional Japanese mythology, and she had an extensive range of Japanese dolls,
“Did you bring the other doll”
Sota nodded. “It’s in the back”
I turned in my seat and reached back, picking up the other On doll. Sitting them both on my lap, I looked downs at the hideous little demons. They were fairly well made, no bigger than a soda can, and made my skin cras
Sota pulled the sedan up alongside the huge, gated house and I looked at him “Might be best for you to wast here. At least you’ll be able to relay to Yuka that I died in battle against a witch.”
The deadpan look I received had me chuckling.
“Just wait in the car. Sora.”
“Yes sir.”
I climbed from the car and walked to the gate, reaching out to press the buzzer.
“Alexander, I’m going to slap you.” Pearl’s voice came through the intercom.
I held up the dolls to the camera, and the gate popped open. Taking a look back to Sota, I pushed open the rate and stepped through to another world.
Momma Mori’s house looked as if she had picked it up out of the Japanese countryside and plonked it into the middle of East Village. The bubbling stream that ran through the beautiful, tranquil gardens instantly made you feel at peace, soul would have been, if it hadn’t been for the woman standing on the villa’s steps, tapping her foot
“You took your damned time.” She said as I stepped up to her and bowed.
“Pearl, my sweet.”
“It’s seven in the morning. Alexander. You’re lucky you’re cute”
I grinned at her and she rolled her eyes
“Give them here “Handing over the pair of dolls, housed in their bags Pearl grimaced at them. “Well, they re ugly
She turned and walked back inside, and I lifted my foot to follow, and she stopped, turning her head. Her gaze moved to my
feet
“You better not be thanking of setting a shord foot on any part of this house
My fare burned with embarrassment, and I bowed “Sorry”
I removed my shoes and followed her into the houne, closing the rice paper doors behind me. We moved through the house, past the kitchen and into another, bigger room I stopped at the entrance and stared at the array of dolls on the shelves “Oh wow”
“I have six hundred and three She said, going to the table in the middle of the room and she flipped on a hight” have been collecting them since I was a child. The oldest one, used to belong to my grandmother, when she was a chub
61–Alex
“It’s an amazing collection, Pearl.”
“Hmm, come on, sit down. Don’t just stand there.”
1 walked across the room and sat on the other side of Pearl, as she pulled out a pair of cotton gloves and put them on. “Have these been checked for prints?”
“Yes. There wasn’t any
Pearl nodded and opened the bag of the green Oni and gently removed it. She placed it on the piece of silk on the table and turned her attention to the black one. “I think I might leave him in his bag for now.”
Her attention went back to the green doll and she picked it up and started to examine it.
“Well, it’s not made by one of the big artists.” She turned the doll. “It’s not Menya Shoho, or Usaburo Kokeshi, nor is Hirato Goya.”
“Meaning”
“Meaning someone else made it.” She said, lifting her gaze, a smirk coming to her lips. “It doesn’t have a maker’s mark, which is going to make it near impossible for you to figure out who made it.”
“Great.” I said, my shoulders slumping. The black Oni though..”
Pearl put the green one to the side and picked up the black one, gently taking him out. She placed him on the table and looked at it. I’ve never seen an Oni like this one. It’s..”
“Unique
Pearl nodded and looked up at me, as I pulled back the collar of my shirt and exposed my tattoo. “Oh…”
She looked back down at the doll, then to the tattoo again.
“It’s exactly the same.”
“Yep.” I closed my shirt again. “Someone has seen my tattoo and made a doll out of it. But the only ones who saw it were Yuka, the tattoo artist, and Joey. I don’t go to the bathhouse, and don’t walk around with it exposed.”
“Who tattooed it?”
Tadashi. I watched him burn the stencil and original drawing when done.”
“Well then, Alex. You have a problem. There’s no other explanation. Someone has gotten photos of it, when you’ve had your shirt off.
My stomach dropped to my feet. That meant someone was taking photos of me, in my house, or. The thought of someone taking photos of Joey and I making love had my stomach churning and I stood up and walked out of Pearl’s house and into the gardens.
She followed, standing on the step, as 1 paced.
“Alexander.”
I turned and looked at her.
She frowned. “Sweetheart, I think someone is stalking you.”
