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“Please tell me you didn’t adopt a great white and name it Sheba.” Eason’s tone was equal parts horror and awe, the same thing we were all feeling at that moment.
Zosime tilted her head to the side, considering his words. “No, you cannot adopt a shark.” Her voice was condescending, as if we were the crazy ones here.
“This from the fish girl who rode the twenty-foot-long behemoth like a knight into battle,” Kye retorted. “Great whites terrify nearly all of earth’s current population, yet you made one a pet and named it Sheba.” Kye rolled his eyes, not angry, just bemused.
Her pale checks flushed, and she snorted. “She is not a pet; she is like me. A warrior who has seen battle and survived to fight again, a lethal predator designed to kill, a keeper of the balance, and protector of her territory. I came into her waters, and we grew to respect one another. I do not understand it myself, but we have become connected. She is near because she senses I am vulnerable, just as I would go to her aid if she required my assistance.”
Eason pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to stave off the headache of her logic. “Zosi, you do understand how insane that sounds?” he asked. “Maybe she’s nearby because you are vulnerable, and she’s hungry. Please tell me that this isn’t shark that chased you and Kye when he hit his head?”
Zosi narrowed her eyes but stayed quiet.
“It is the same shark,” Eason said, answering his question himself. “Is this also the same shark that has been chomping on your victims?”
This elicited a response from her. She gasped, her eyes widening. “You knew?”
“We aren’t idiots, Zosi. I also think we know why, but that talk will wait until later. How can you be so confident that this shark will take you to shore?”
Her chin lifted in defiance. “We have come to an understanding. I would not have made it to you in time yesterday if not for her assistance, I was not at my full strength. Without her help in the frenzy, we would all be dead. She has stayed in the waters near us since the attack, keeping away other predators who have been attracted by our blood.”
I had dedicated my life to studying the sea and her inhabitants. It wasn’t just a career; it was my passion. The behavior Zosi was describing was thrilling. There were cases of sharks recognizing divers that they form a strange type of bond with, that even seemed to enjoy being ‘petted.’ I had also reviewed hundreds of cases where a shark had every reason and opportunity to attack the humans in the water with them, but they showed patience.
It was amazing that a species portrayed as the bloodthirsty villain of the ocean could also show such restraint in not attacking the idiot tourists who harass and ride them, all for a photo to show their friends. I wasn’t particularly fond of humanity and doubted I would have such restraint if I had been in the sharks’ position. Movies and books had given sharks a bad reputation and stoked an irrational level of fear in the minds of most humans. It was important to be cautious, aware, and respectful of these powerful predators, but we didn’t have to fear them.
We needed to find a balance when it came to these magnificent beasts. They weren’t dolphins, and they shouldn’t be expected to act like one. As humans, we have rather limited abilities in the water, putting us at a distinct disadvantage when it comes to shark encounters. But humans aren’t exclusively on the sharks’ menu. They aren’t actively hunting humans, nor are they just waiting for us to dip a toe in the water so they can attack. Considering the tens of millions of sharks that humans slaughter each year, along with the fact that the creatures are found in all of the world’s oceans, there are very few attacks on humans. There are more than three hundred shark species, but only about a dozen species are involved in those attacks.
Sharks are curious by nature and certain things make them want to investigate further. The disturbance in the water from our boat fiasco, our panicked splashing, and the blood from our injuries had ticked nearly every box. Unfortunately for us, bull sharks were one of the more dangerous species.
If Zosi truly had formed a bond with this great white, the potential for what could be learned about these enigmatic rulers of the deep made me nearly faint from excitement. Knowledge is power, and with that type of inside knowledge, we might be able to find ways to keep humans and sharks safer from each other.
“Zosi, are you sure she will take you to the shore?” I asked. “It would be dangerous for you if she took you out deeper and you became stranded.”
“She cannot take me all the way to the shore,” Zosi replied. “In shallow waters, her size makes it difficult for her to remain unseen. I will not risk the humans seeing her and deciding to hunt her.”
“You can’t be alone in the water! It will take us a while to reach shore. If a fisherman saw you––” I shuddered, unable to finish the sentence.
“I can have her leave me at the buoy, I can wait for you there. If a boat comes near me, I will sink to the ocean floor and wait for your arrival.”
“I don’t like it,” Kye interjected. “You can’t swim, you shouldn’t be alone.” He had voiced what we were all thinking.
“Do not forget what I am.” Zosi’s pupils flashed to slits and her fangs lengthened. Her features shifted from injured prey to stone cold predator.
The fine hairs on my body stood on end and my heart beat faster; the automatic human response to knowing you’re in danger. She eyed each of us in turn, wanting to make sure we saw this side of her. It was a reminder that while we wanted to coddle and protect her, she wasn’t human. She possessed intelligence, venom, a Siren’s voice, and skills as a fighter. And those were only the things we knew about. Who knew what other secrets she possessed? The delicate mermaid we had all been fussing over posed a greater threat to life and limb than anything else currently swimming in the sea.
Her facial features shifted back to normal. The change was so swift that if I had blinked, I would have missed it. I also caught the wince of pain that flashed across her face. My heart ached. I didn’t care if she accidentally ate me in my sleep one night, it was a risk I was willing to take. I loved her.
“Zosi, thank you for the reminder, but it wasn’t needed,” I said gently. “You are the baddest monster in the ocean, but you are ours to worry over.” Her eyes were soft when she looked at me, and I realized too late what I had said. Ours. I didn’t dare look at the guys.
“There is another option,” Zosi said to us. “One of you will go with me.”
“With Sheba?” Kye’s voice squeaked.
I knew which one of us wasn’t going back with her. I couldn’t help the snicker that escaped. Kye shot me an annoyed look that only made me laugh harder.
“She is impatient. Do I go alone?”Zosi pressed.
“Fynn should go,” Eason said. “My large size might annoy the shark, I mean, Sheba. Kye is the strongest swimmer in our group. Storm is still on a weird mermaid blood high. He will probably pay for it later, but right now it’s an advantage. Fynn’s the only one of us that grinned when you spoke about Sheba. He will be most comfortable with the experience.” Eason turned to me and the guys and added, “Fynn can start treating Zosime’s wounds once they are safe, and he’s the only one left of our group that can feed her.” His logic was sound, and no one argued.
“It is decided?” Zosi’s tone was impatient. From exhaustion, not anger, if her drooping eyelids and limp body were anything to go on.
