Tattoo Symbolism Meaning Novels & Stories

Elian let out a low whistle and didn’t answer my question. "Alright, Sherlock, color me impressed." “But I wasn’t done.” I gestured subtly toward his tattoo. "And the snake? That’s not just a trendy ink job. The way it coils on the back of your hand, if it’s ready to strike anyone in front of you? It’s not for show. People who get tattoos like that usually have a deeper meaning attached. Protection, maybe. A warning. Or a mark of affiliation."

It disappears beneath the fabric of the tank top, hinting at a larger tapestry that covers his torso. "What’s that one?" I point to a symbol on his rear deltoid. It looks like a wolf, but abstract, geometric. "Ink," he deadpans. "You don't say. I thought it was a very specific bruise." I lean closer, squinting. "It looks tribal. But not the I got drunk in Cancun kind of tribal. It looks meaningful. Is it a gang thing? A badge of honor for every time you successfully intimidated a client into silence?"

I could see him take a deep breath when my palm landed on his chest, tracing the drawings. There was a wolf with wide wings on his right arm and a phoenix on his left arm. I felt something magical with them; they seemed to relax at my calm touch. The lion standing under a tree on his chest looked so endearing that I couldn't help but look into the lion's eyes. The tattoos weren't ordinary; every one of them had a meaning that I was sure of. "Do you love it?" He asked softly, looking up at me; our eyes met, his not leaving mine.

Or at least, I try. But my gaze never makes it to his face. Instead, it lands on them. His tattoos. Dark ink sprawls across his chest in a masterpiece of meaning I can’t quite decipher. Hawks take flight from his ribs, their wings stretching wide, as if fleeing something unseen. Beneath them, shadows curl into thorned branches, creeping toward his arms, where they twist into something darker—skulls hidden within the tangle, their hollow eyes watching. And beneath it all, symbols—sharp, cryptic, carved into his skin like remnants of a past that refuses to be forgotten.

and it was littered with maple leaves, successfully covering up her other tattoo. She thought it was beautiful. And the way it sort of wrapped around her like it was holding on to her had so much meaning. Just like everything that had happened to her… things always seem to take hold and try to bring her down.. especially the most beautiful ones. She loved the symbolism of it all.

She asked, thinking that he probably walked down all those stairs. “No. Thank you.” He put the cup down. “I see you got a tattoo.” “Ah… yes.” “It must be Marcus. He is known for his art.” He was indeed talented. “A dandelion. Interesting.” “Does it mean something?” She asked. “A dandelion represents hope and healing. One blowing in the wind means a wish for a good fate.” She frowned. “Do you think Marcus knows that?” He smiled. “I am not sure, but sometimes we do things by instinct without truly knowing.”

It was so abrupt but needed. “You okay?” His hand touched my arm. The one with the tattoo. I grabbed it, holding it up so I could feel it. I couldn’t see it anymore in the dark, but I knew it was there. I traced my fingers over it, feeling his skin. “Why do you have a tattoo that usually means peace?” He tensed. “What?” “The dove. The rays of sun. Your life is not about peace.” He didn’t answer right away. “Because there was a time in my life when I needed some. So I got it.”

Lissa tried to shrug but, the movement was limited to little more than a twitch due to the bindings around her hands. A shudder rippled through Penny, “This whole thing just makes me uncomfortable.” Alex perched herself on the bed next to Lissa and studied her branding, a deep frown settling on her face. “See this here,” she pointed to the branding on Lissa’s chest. Penny stepped closer and gave a slow nod. “This is the symbol for ‘possession’ and this one, this is ‘fertility’ and this one is ‘death’.” Alex pointed to each of the symbols that had been burnt onto Lissa’s skin.

He allows the shirt to fall to the floor, and points to his clavicle. “This one hurt a lot,” he says, gesturing to the tiny wolf that sits there, “It’s symbolic of the pain of being apart from you and your wolf.” He unbuckles his belt, and slides his pants off. His body is full of tattoos, but I see he is showing me only some of them. He points to the bramble design on his upper thigh. “This symbolizes the night I gave you the bramble ring,” he says, “The night we both met and I knew that we would be together forever.”

But something else pulls Heaven’s stare—a tattoo inked over every inch of his back. However, she later notices it looks more natural than a tattoo, or… something sort of strange to be on a person’s skin. The only reason an art would feel that way is if it had an otherworldly meaning, as in linked to extreme dark magic. Like… a curse? Heaven may not know much about the wolf world, but she certainly has read some things; like how the mark of a cursed wolf is a tattoo that drives down a bizarre feeling. The tattoo could be anything. It could be random dots. It could be the full-on image of a person. In all, it signifies a state of revulsion.