Something Fishy About Love (Monstrana Paranormal Romance 3)

Rita growled and nodded her head suspiciously, but returned to her seat. Leo jumped up and went to greet his brother, meeting him in a warm embrace.

“I thought you were dead,” Viktor growled in his ear, pulling him in tight. “You can’t disappear on me like that. You’re lucky Rodrigo isn’t very good at listening to your orders.”

“I should’ve known,” Leo replied with a sour chuckle. “But tell your guard to stand down. Monstrana now has an official treatise with the ogre tribes.”

Viktor’s amber eyes grew wide. He made a motion with his hand and the remaining helicopters veered off. The guards at the edge of the clearing stood at ease.

“You did this?” He grasped Leo’s shoulders. “You got them to sign?”

“Actually, Eina did.”

Leo turned to point at the mermaid who’d returned to staring at her feet across from the giant ogre. He smiled sadly at her, his heart breaking into pieces at the sight. Saying goodbye would be too painful. He had to let go of her now, or he’d never be able to bear it. A clean break. It would be better for them both. She’d forget him, soon enough.

“Do me a favor. Take her back to her people and we can discuss the rest of this at home.”

“Whatever you say, brother.” A proud smile canvassed Viktor’s face. He slapped Leo on the back. “I’m just happy to have you back.”

Chapter Thirteen

Eina paced the tunnels of her colony’s underwater labyrinth, her tail flipping anxiously and the fragile gills on her neck fluttering. She clutched the bottom of her shirt and listened hard to the debate going on inside the main gallery. There had been a few shouts, some angry words, and a lot of mentions of her name. Her sisters were debating her future in Aestus and right now, it didn’t sound very good.

When King Viktor had taken it upon himself to personally return her to her colony yesterday, the sisters couldn’t have been more surprised. He’d explained how Eina had personally negotiated a treaty with the ogres for him and that he was more than happy to discuss supporting Aestus as a fledgling kingdom of its own. It was everything they’d hoped for, but there was still one matter left to discuss.

Eina had committed treason.

By disobeying her leaders and stealing their hostage, she’d committed the ultimate crime against her mermaid sisters. That crime had to be paid for and there was no telling what the punishment would be. She’d know soon enough, though.

“Surely, they’ll forgive you,” Cascade said, drifting next to her and placing her tiny hand on Eina’s shoulder. “You did get them what they wanted-in the end.”

“Yes, but I still broke the law.” Eina swallowed hard and clenched her jaw. “I deserve to pay. Whatever they decide, it’ll be because of my own doing.”

Cascade did a flip. “But surely someone will stand up for you. What about Prince...?”

“Don’t say his name.” Eina’s eyes flashed with pain as she gave Cascade a stricken look. “Please don’t say it.”

It had been over twenty-four hours since she’d last seen Leo getting onto a helicopter at the ogre’s village-without so much as a goodbye. He’d stared at her through the window, his face a stony mask, until the helicopter took off and disappeared over the forest. His brother had been the one to thank her for her assistance and escort her onto her very own helicopter. He’d been so friendly, but lacked the comforting presence of his younger brother. Eina had choked back tears the whole way home, wondering what she’d done wrong.

By the time they’d landed on the little island that used to hold the prince hostage, she’d come to one major conclusion: he was the same vampire she’d first met in that

ballroom. A man used to getting what he wanted, when he wanted it, and discarding women like day-old seaweed. The whole thing had been an act. The caressing touches, the intimate conversations, the kiss. She’d fallen for it-hook, line, and sinker. The pain was almost too much to bear. So instead, she focused on the anger and it kept her afloat.

Cascade threw her hands up in surrender and swam a few feet away. “I won’t say his name, but I just want to say it’s pretty rotten that he didn’t even say goodbye.”

Eina sucked on her cheeks and blinked against the tears that burned in the corners of her eyes. “He’s not the kind to say goodbye, Cascade. And I never should’ve allowed myself to get so attached. That’s the moral of the story.”

“You care for him.”

The statement sent a shot of pain right through Eina’s heart. She unwillingly recalled the sweet taste of his soft lips and the way he’d pressed into her as if that kiss was his last. Her mind flashed through scenes of his dimpled grin, the times he’d teased her, and their time spent together over the last few days. She ached for that companionship. She’d never felt so at ease sitting next to someone. At the same time, his very touch could send her spiraling into a rambling, hot mess. He was an enigma of emotions too strong for her to consider at that moment.

She bit back the bitter taste in her mouth and scowled. “Cared, Cascade. Past tense. He didn’t care a wink for me. I should’ve known better. He’s got the perfect poker face, after all. I thought I was his winning hand, but I was just another joker.”

The water sprite caressed Eina’s shoulder and gave a sad musical sigh. “You can’t help who you love, my friend.”

She glanced miserably at Cascade and dropped her gaze to the floor. There it was; the four-letter word she’d been avoiding the past day. She’d fallen in love with him and there was nothing to do about it anymore but move on with her life, wherever life took her now.

Loriella came swimming out of the gallery at that moment, her face a stoic mask. She beckoned for Eina to follow her into a smaller room at the end of the tunnel. Eina obeyed, waving briefly at Cascade, who watched her go with apprehension on her perfect little face.

“I’m not going to soften the news,” Loriella said, using her powerful red tail to turn in the water and face Eina. “There are many of your sisters who think you ought to be excommunicated for your crimes. We are building a country, Eina. We cannot tolerate disobedience.”