Chapter 22

22

“I’ve got some good news and bad news,” Stacy said as I climbed out of the tank at the end of my shift. She held out a towel for me to dry off and looked down at the ground sheepishly.

In all the years that we’d worked together, she’d never looked down when I came out, even though I was always naked. Something about her behavior had my nerves on edge.

“What’s up?” I asked and quickly got dressed just in case she’d suddenly developed a case of shyness. I didn’t want someone I considered a friend to feel uneasy around me. Just because something had been okay before didn’t mean it was now.

“I’m leaving the aquarium,” she blurted.

My head had just popped through the hole in my shirt at her announcement and my mouth immediately dropped open. “What? Where are you going? When? Why? Is it me?”

She held up her hands to stop my barrage of questions. “I found my mates, but they live across the country,” she explained quickly, her cheeks turning bright pink as she fiddled with the bottom of her shirt. “I’m moving in with them.”

I threw my arms around her shoulders and hugged her tightly. “Congratulations! That is so exciting!”

“You don’t hate me?” she asked as she looked up and met my eyes.

She’d obviously been worrying about breaking the news to me, but only a jerk would be upset at someone for following their heart.

“How could I be mad that you found your mates? That’s the best news anyone could receive.”

“Well, there is one more thing,” she said and stepped back. “My replacement is here and she wants to meet you.”

Her replacement…

It made sense that they would have to replace her, but now I was the one worried. What was she like? Would she like me? Would she be as nice and understanding as her? Thank goodness I just took that vacation with the guys or this new person might have denied it and ruined my chances of getting Reed to stay.

“Okay, let me dry my hair a bit more and we can go meet her.” As quickly as I could, I wrung out my hair, towel dried it, and put it up into a ponytail. Once I was certain that I was presentable, I followed her to her office.

My heart rate picked up as we approached, nerves I hadn’t felt in a long time.

Reed and Grant watched me walk by with their brows furrowed as if they could sense my tension. Perhaps they could. Our connection was a bit of an odd one. Our emotions sometimes filtering through, but not all the time.

The office was small, just meant for her to work on her computer as she didn’t handle the high-level clients here, that was done by the higher ups, and she preferred to take her tablet with her as she walked around the aquarium to keep it in working order.

Inside of the office stood a woman with her back to us, a turquoise green dress wrapped tightly around her body, flaring out into a mermaid style with pearls on the hem. Her hair was a vibrant turquoise similar to the dress that reminded me of someone, but I couldn’t place who.

“I’ve brought Kass, our star, our tiger shark, to meet you, just as you’ve asked,” Stacy said brightly.

The woman spun around, her hair flaring out around her as she did. My heart sank as I spotted the one arm which was missing after the elbow.

Koia. The mermaid who was Theo’s worst enemy and the one I’d bitten an arm off of.

Shit.

She smiled sweetly. “Thank you, Stacy. Can you give us a moment alone?”

Stacy looked from my shocked face to Koia and frowned. “Alone? You want me to leave? I assure you that whatever you have to say, you can say in front of me.”

Koia’s smile turned into a baring of teeth. “Fine. Kass, it’s clear you’ve made a big impact on the aquarium, your exhibit was one of the most visited last year. However, recently the visits to your exhibit have dwindled, the jellyfish have become more of a draw.”

“I was on vacation, so the children thought I was sick. Now that they know I’m back, I’m certain this month’s visits will increase.” I raised my chin, refusing to give in. My children visitors loved me and came back often to see me as well as to buy merchandise. With the addition of the live feed camera, our merchandising had doubled thanks to online orders.

“You know what sells even better?” she asked as she took a step forward, her eyes dark with malice.

“What?” I asked when it was clear she wouldn’t continue without prompting.

“Death. Memorialization.”

“What?” Stacy gasped.

“Excuse me?” My teeth lengthened at the threat and I prepared to defend myself if necessary. I liked my job, but I would destroy her before she could hurt me.

Koia spun, her hair flicking me in the face as she did, and walked over to the desk. “Yes, the design team spent all day coming up with these new items, which I’m certain we will sell out of quickly. Your death will be mourned by all and your memory will live on forever, as merchandise.”

“What are you talking about?” Stacy asked.

Koia picked up a board with images of new products, ones that were for Kass, the tiger shark, with the years I’d supposedly been alive and my death listed as this year.

“You’re going to kill me off so you can fire me,” I realized, “while still making money off of my image.”

Koia clapped her hands together and smiled wide. “Exactly!”

“Kass still gets royalties on those sales, even if you fire her from being an exhibit in the tank,” Stacy said sternly.

Koia nodded. “Of course. Of course. We’d never think about not giving you what you’re owed. In fact, we’re going to give you a nice severance package as well in addition to a five percent raise on your merchandise royalty rate. It’s our way of thanking you for helping the aquarium become what it is today.”

I should have bitten off her head instead of her arm.