19. How to get rid of a predator.

"What is this?" I emphasized each word looking from Mia to Sophie and back for explanation.

Mia sighed audibly and leaned against the couch shrugging when I raised a brow at her. Sophie is the culprit then.

"It's just the draft" she planted her hips next to me and leaned over the chart in my hand "I'll make the final draft when you both agree to it" Its lunch hour and Sophie has decided that it's the appropriate time to terrorize me.

"And me?" Caroline voiced her presence from the couch she was sprawled over. She tagged along with me this morning to my office. I made her sit at a corner with some past case files. She seems to have taken it seriously and immersed herself into the papers immediately.

"Why is this predator here again?" Sophie complained.

"I'm not a predator" Caroline objected immediately "We only eat fishes"

"And fishes are the new kind of fruits no one told me about?"

"Soph stop" Mia chided "She's a kid. You are so immature"

"Yeah! Go ahead and bully the kid" Caroline jumped into Mia's ship immediately.

"I remember you telling Arthur yesterday that you aren't a kid" I wasn't going to leave poor Sophie defenseless.

Caroline grumbled "I'm not leaving. This is a unique case study in itself. I don't think I will ever see another case like this in my lifetime and I will live long. So please let me in" She drawled on the long emphasizing on the fact that Mer-people live long lives.

I rolled my eyes and turned my attention to Sophie "What's this?"

"This is an outline of how we are going to get rid of Arthur Leoline without the world finding out" Sophie took the chart from me and pressed it carefully on the coffee table.

"We are planning a murder?"

"Caroline stop getting excited" Mia spoke "You aren't even supposed to be a part of this"

"Sophie" I inhaled deeply before looking at my friend "I don't think we need this. I already did that. In case you haven't noticed, he's about to mark the woman I set him up with"

Caroline whistled, cleverly voicing her approval without speaking.

"Yes and I can't tell you how proud I am of you" Sophie nodded "That was very clever of you. We just need to improvise on that. Here" she tapped the pen in her hand on the points she made "We have more man-power now. You aren't alone"

"Fine, enough with the sappiness. What's your plan?" I gave in.

Sophie grinned "First and the most important thing you aren't to be left alone with the predator. It's dangerous"

"She has been living with him for over a month" Mia reminded her "I don't think he's that dangerous"

"Not that kind of dangerous" Sophie shook her head "We already checked physical abuse off the list. But I did a lot of research in the last past two days. I even got Ricky to help me you know with his psychology books. He had books on predator psychology"

"You told Ricky" I accused.

"No I didn't. I just told him I encounter some trouble with a predator client" Why didn't I think of ever doing that? Ricky would have been very helpful "That's not the point" Sophie continued "What I found out was that while chasing or courting human mates, predators can go to any extent to keep their mates close to them, to make them comply to their wish of completing the bond"

"Arthur doesn't want me" I assured her trying not to linger on the thought.

"Sometimes it doesn't matter what they want. It can be involuntary. We have to keep that from happening" She said solemnly "He could trick you to give in to him, to fall for him Amy. It's a blessing that something that disastrous hasn't happened yet"

I had to remind myself to breathe.

Breathe.

Keep a straight face.

"What do you suggest" Mia asked suddenly looking interested.

"We kick the predator out of her place"

"We can't do that" I objected "His animal could take drastic steps if that happens"

"Are you sure?" Mia asked.

"Yes. His animal is already displaying signs of displeasure. He forces Arthur to seek me out whenever Arthur takes a step towards dissolving the bond"

"What do we do about it?" Mia frowned.

Sophie sighed "We have no choice but to guard her. We take turns to be with Amy until the predator marks his chosen mate"

"He has a name" I found myself saying.

"I can do that" Caroline offered drowning my objection with her excitement "I'll be here for a month"

"One week" I countered.

"Good" Sophie actually smiled at Caroline surprising the teen "You can keep a tab on him this week then Mia and I will take turns"

"But....."

"Moving on to point two" Sophie cleared her throat "Rhea Wright. She's going to be our focus now. We have to absolutely make sure she doesn't back out"

"About that" I interjected "I was thinking of speaking to Arthur about telling Rhea the truth"

"Does that work in our favor?"

"I think she deserves the truth" I said.

"It will be favorable to us" Mia answered Sophie "Once Rhea knows that Amy is his mate, she will be sure that there's no going back for Leoline. It will hasten her decision"

"But what if she decides to inform the senior Leolines about it instead? She has ties with them" Sophie reminded "It will put Amy's life in danger. I heard George Leoline has underworld ties"

"What would they gain by killing me?"

"It will save them the embarrassment in case everyone found out later" Mia replied thoughtfully.

"You guys are being paranoid. Rhea's a good person and George Leoline isn't scary" Sophie narrowed her eyes at me "Okay maybe a little" I conceded "but I'm still planning on telling her"

Sophie shook her head in disappointment "Now onto point three...."

___________

"Please please please....."

"No Caroline" I leaned against the kitchen counter and narrowed my eyes at her "You can survive on vegetables for a week. I wouldn't allow that in my home"

"But I can't live without sea food"

"I guess you should return home then" I smiled at her narrowed eyes.

"We can always go out to have dinner" Arthur supplied from the living room "Just saying"

"Yes, let's go out" The Mer agreed.

"Go ahead" I nodded "Have fun"

"I'm not going alone with him. He's scary when you aren't there. He almost took me to the cops yesterday"

I rubbed my temple trying not to snap at her "What do you want?"

"Take me out"

"Fine" I gritted out "If that gets you out of my hair. Let's go"

I walked towards the living room and picked up my wallet. I then stood in front of Arthur who was lazily flicking through the television.

"What?" he asked.

"Caroline ask him if he needs a special invitation" I wasn't looking at him. I was looking at the other person in the room.

"Do you need a special invitation?" She repeated.

"She's taking me too?" He asked Caroline and jumped up from the couch.

"I don't know any restaurant that has fish on their menu" I replied looking at Caroline "Tell him"

"He heard you" she said.

"Let's go" he nodded already halfway to the door.

"Wait aren't we going to dress up?" Caroline walked out after Arthur.

I locked the house as Arthur pulled out his car and we were soon driving our way through the busier streets.

"I'm in my pajamas" Caroline complained for the fourth time from the passenger seat while I had the back all to myself.

"This is a food hunt not a date" I reminded her.

"Of course it's not a date" She replied "I would have to speed dial your friend otherwise"

"What?"

"Caroline shut up before I kick you back to the sea" was my indirect reply to the Lion.

Arthur thanks to the stack of money he sleeps on, booked a private room for us to dine. The servers were a little taken aback by our attires but one look at Arthur and all their apprehensions took a back seat. Arthur could afford their food.

I wasn't planning on eating but they promised they had a separate vegetarian kitchen and chefs so why not.

"Um, this is awkward" Caroline said somewhere in between the meal when I was busy trying to not look at them "Are you guys always this silent during dinner"

"This is the first time we are having dinner together" Arthur answered.

"Seriously? And you have known each other for over a decade?" Caroline widened her sea-green eyes in surprise at me. I shrugged. "That's.......well I'm glad I could be audience to this momentous occasion. Should we cheer to that?"

I looked at Arthur to find his gaze on me. We looked away instantly.

"I'm good" Arthur said curtly.

"Me too"

"Did you guys fight last night?" Caroline asked "Are you not on talking terms?"

"What gave us away?" Arthur replied dryly.

______

It was around midnight when I felt a shift next to me on the bed. I would have shrieked had it not been for the velvet skin rubbing against my arm. I blinked adjusting to the night and focused on the beast's outline as he settled comfortably next to me.

I exhaled the breathe I was holding and relaxed enough to run my fingers through the distressed Lion's mane.

"So this was your plan when you gave up this bedroom"

He simply lapped at my arm with his tongue and closed his eyes. I gave in to his demands. I can fight the human not the animal.

"Good night to you too" I whispered into the night.

_____________