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“We’re not finished talking.”
Tina shoved Stacy away when Thomas tried to grab her. “We’ll get some coworkers to help you move next time. Let’s go.”
N
odding, Stacy started to turn, but stopped. “I want a divorce,” she told him in a quiet voice before she turned her back on him and walked away, not bothering to look back at the man she’d thought she loved for nearly a decade; the man she’d thought she couldn’t live without.
“Don’t walk away from me, you bitch,” Thomas shouted. But still she didn’t look back. “If you leave now, don’t think you’re ever going to come back. Stop right this second or we won’t get back together again.”
Stacy stopped and, looking back saw a smirk on Thomas face and a worried expression on Tina’s. She took a deep breath to calm her shaky nerves, then spoke slowly. “Do you promise?”
Thomas stood perfectly still, speechless.
“I’ll take that to mean that you acknowledge we are now separated. You are free to do as you please and I’ll consider myself to have the same luxury.” She didn’t wait for him to think up a witty response. Turning, Stacy strode out of the house, her hands trembling around the straps that she held in a vise-like grip.
“You did wonderful. Ms. Pope will see to it that the rest of your belongings are in your apartment when you get home.”
“How can she do that? How can she know what happened? How will whomever she sends know what’s mine?”
“I’m sorry, but that’s not one of the things that I can tell you right now.”
Stacy nodded her head. “How could he bring another woman into my house before I was even gone?”
“Give me the keys. I don’t think you need to drive right now. And trust me, if any situation deserves a binge on chocolate, this one does. And luckily, I know a place that has chocolate so decadent, you’ll think you’ve died and gone to heaven.”
* * * * * *
Stacy sat behind the desk which now had a brass nameplate bearing her name on it. Her feet were tapping with nervousness under the desk, and she was thankful that the floor had a carpet so no one could hear her.
She jumped when the door to the inner offices opened, and Ms. Pope entered the office with Tina.
“Calm down. Tina let me know what happened. I am sorry that you had to run into your ex before your first assignment, but you must calm down.” Ms. Pope’s tone was gentle, but her expression left no room for argument.
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Demetri will be here shortly, and Randall will follow about an hour later. Tonight you will serve as a mediator. We need those two to agree on boundaries. I grow tired of hearing complaints at all hours.”
“Ms. Pope,” Stacy started, then stopped. She thought they dealt in souls.
“We do. But we also provide other services for clients. Vampires need willing victims who won’t betray them. Werewolves, well, the kinky sons of bitches love to bite, but if we don’t provide them with a serum, the world would become overrun with them. We provide services to them, much as we provide revenge to mortals. Does that knowledge help any?”
“Yes, ma’am. And as a mediator, what am I supposed to do? I don’t know anything about the politics of this world. What if I mess up? What if I say something wrong?”
“Stop. You are going to have to learn to control yourself. It will take time for me to get used to how busy you are all the time. I grow tired being near you sometimes.” Ms. Pope shook her head. “You will do fine. Your job is to ease tensions, however you can. Whether it is by getting them refreshments, offering your own blood, suggestions, or whatever else you can come up with. Keep them from ripping apart the conference room, and have them sign a binding contract with terms both find agreeable.”
“Yes, ma’am. How will I have the contract ready for them to sign if I’m not typing it?”
“It will be in the folder on the side table. How is not important. Only know that what they agree upon will be in the contract. You will find a blood pen in your desk. Make sure they use that, or it is not binding.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Good.” Ms. Pope tilted her head. “Demetri approaches. You’ll do fine.” She disappeared without a sound through the weird door.
Another surge of panic flooded her. “I don’t know where the conference rooms are. What happens if I go in the wrong door?”
“Take a deep breath. Demetri is a nice enough guy. He can get a little rough sometimes, though. And he can smell fear, so please calm down. He knows you’re new, remember? He requested that this be your first assignment. Just breathe, and relax. He will outline what he needs you to help him with.”
Almost on cue, a bell rang. Tina smiled and took a step backward. “Open the door, Stacy.”
