He went on, “And, truthfully, we only need you for your wombs and mothering abilities, since none of your genes are carried on with our children.”
“They’re not?” the anthropologist in her couldn’t help asking.
“Of course not. Otherwise, our species would be diluted with human blood, which is why only our men pass along DNA, and we only have male offspring. Anyway, if our leader says he could never risk having such a weak and feebleminded female to care for his progeny, who am I to argue?”
All right. Don’t get angry. Remember, you don’t want to be a part of this. She’d only wanted Roen. She still did, and that was something she desperately needed to get past. It’ll take time, that’s all.
On the academic side, however, Liv found this tidbit of reproductive info fascinating.
“Well,” she stood up, “thank you for your honesty and words of encouragement to little old human female me.”
“Sure. Anytime, Liv.” He reached out and gave her shoulder a soft squeeze. “I know it’s not your fault you’re defective.”
What a charmer. Jason literally had no filter, though she found that to be true of all the mermen she’d interacted with. They all spoke the language of Brutal Honesty.
“Don’t you mean discarded?” she said condescendingly.
“No. You’re immune to our charms. That definitely makes you defective.”
Now Liv was rejected and defective? Wow. Any more flattery and she might have to change her identity to avoid the public shame. In all seriousness, though, she had no clue why their “charms” didn’t work on her. A complete mystery. Just like the fact their sacred water, which could heal a dying man with a few drops, only sort of worked on her. She needed a gallon of that stuff to make minor healing happen. It was all very intriguing, though none of it actually mattered. Dana did.
“Welp. That’s me. Feeble, weak, rejected, and defective,” she said glibly.
“Hey, at least Shane wants you. That’s a consolation.”
No, not even a little. But his statement opened the door to the one really important question on the table: What was Shane up to? Shane hadn’t fought for her during her first trip to “paradise for the insane.” He’d said that she wasn’t worth dying for. Not that she cared what he thought. It was simply a point. Shane had really gone out of his way to get her back. Why?
“Yes. Lucky, lucky me,” she said, “especially considering my shortcomings. So why exactly do you think that is?”
“He belongs to the ‘finders keepers’ school of thought.” Jason referred to the fact that Shane had spotted her drifting on the ocean after that fishing boat had gone down. “And our kind is known for being extremely possessive. Especially if the object happens to be a beautiful woman.”
“So now Shane thinks I’m his mate?”
“He’s already mated. He only wants to claim you for mindless sex and reproduction.”
The thought of sex with that mer-madman made her nauseous. Although the truth was, thinking of sex with any man but Roen made her feel the same. The Shane factor merely raised the aversion level to extra-special-revolting.
“Besides,” Jason continued, “if you were Shane’s mate, you’d probably sense it and he’d be busy trying to keep everyone away until he claimed you. After that, he’d kill anyone who got between you or go crazy trying.”
“Crazy?”
“Separating mates once they’ve found each other drives them mad. It’s like depriving a person of air or food. They can’t survive for very long.”
“Wait.” She folded her arms. “You’re telling me that they literally go insane—straightjacket, padded-room insane?”
He scoffed. “Don’t sound so shocked. We have hearts, you know. And there’s nothing more important to a merman than his woman.”
Liv felt a few random pieces click into place. Her feelings for Roen, from the first moment they’d met, had defied all logic. It was like a fire in her heart and soul she couldn’t put out. Then, after leaving Roen behind on the island, she’d tried to move on with her life, only to find Roen infiltrated her dreams—when she managed to sleep—and occupied a solid portion of her daytime thoughts. The harder she’d pushed herself to think of something else, the more she burned to physically be near him. It was completely irrational. It had been driving her mad. However, if this mate thing was real, it explained everything. It explained why Roen had repeatedly laid his life on the line for her, too.
Oh God. I’m his mate. The realization startled her. Partially because she didn’t know such a thing really existed. Yeah, she’d heard Roen mention the word, but she figured it was merman-lingo for a woman they considered to be “keepers” versus sex toys, or something like that. She’d had no idea what it really meant.
So did Roen know all this? If yes, why hadn’t he told her?
“Jason, you said Roen denounced me. But if the connection between mates is so strong, how’s that possible?”
“Obviously, you weren’t his true mate. It’s rare that we’d ever make that sort of mistake because it’s not a choice—it’s something that just happens. But I guess it’s possible. Case in point, Roen refused to finish the claiming ritual with you and then had you tossed off the island. A merman would never be able to do that to his true mate. He wouldn’t be able to resist her, and he’d definitely never separate from her voluntarily.”
Liv felt more little clicks inside her head, the seemingly random pieces latching together and painting a bigger picture. Roen was the most stubborn, fearless, determined person she’d ever met. If anyone could defy the rules, he could. That meant he’d resisted his urge to be with her and then lied to his men. All probably in an effort to protect her somehow.
Except, maybe Shane didn’t fall for it.
Liv’s brain tingled—she knew she was onto something. Ohmygod. Maybe none of this is really about me. Otherwise, Shane would’ve gone for her the first time around. Maybe Shane wants to pick a fight with Roen, using me as bait. Why? What did Roen have that Shane wanted? The only answer she came up with was control of the island.
“Jason, what would happen if someone challenged Roen for the island?”
“Like who?”
“Does it matter?”
“Not really. Under our laws, anyone can challenge, although no one would be stupid enough to do it without a thumbs-up from the Big Girl herself. Why? Think you’ll go for it?” He laughed.
Not in a million years. She wanted nothing to do with this place. Nevertheless, his discriminatory, backward attitude irritated her. “Maybe I will.”
Jason shot her a look. “Women are only good for two things: being mermaids or making babies.”
Liv sneered with revulsion. “Golly gee, Jason. Thank garsh we have you big strong men in little skirts to put us small-brained females in our places, garsh.” She made a little hoedown rocking motion with her fist.
“You’re welcome.” He took a bow right when someone knocked on the door.
“About fucking time!” Jason yelled. “Next time, you babysit the crazy-stupid human.”
This guy is such an ass!
“Okay, landlover.” Jason yanked open the door. “Time to get you ready for tonight’s big event.”
Liv’s stomach lurched. If she was right, then the situation was no longer about her and Dana, it was much bigger: Shane was planning a coup. And if Roen lost power, Shane might kill him and then do whatever he wanted with her and her sister.
The only problem now was she wasn’t sure what to do. Running to Roen might be exactly what Shane wanted.
CHAPTER FIVE
Trying to keep her head out of the meltdown zone, Liv followed Jason into the dimly lit, narrow corridor lined with cabin doors, up several flights of carpeted staircases, and out onto the deck. Once her eyes adjusted a little to the darkness, more of the ship came into focus, including the hot tub, lounge chairs, shuffleboard, and bar. The place was a regular Carnival Cruise ship. With scary mermen.
Her eyes
then spotted an even larger yacht moored at the pier. Dozens of boats filled the massive harbor.
“Holy crap,” she half gasped. She really couldn’t believe all this was here. The first time she’d come, none of it had been visible. Just one big island with a giant peak in the middle and a few cabins sprinkled around the forest.
Jason smiled at her. “The big boat’s Roen’s.”
She almost wanted to laugh. Of course it was. That man didn’t believe in small.
“Where is everyone?” she asked, noticing the empty ship. More importantly, where was Dana?
“Our guests are in their bungalows, getting ready.” He pointed to the forested hillside overlooking the marina, glowing with lots of lights. “And, of course, the ladies are in their usual spot, so don’t get too close.” Jason pointed to the water. “Hi, ladies!” he said cheerfully.
Liv looked down into the black water, where thousands of big yellow eyes bobbed in the gentle waves. “Holy shit!” She instinctively jumped toward Jason. Of course, the moment she realized it, she stepped away. But not too far away.
“Don’t worry,” he said, “they’re forbidden from going on the piers or land during the Collection. Otherwise, they’d eat all the guests. But don’t get any ideas about going out for a midnight sail; they’d eat you faster than you could say ‘hungry, hungry mermaid.’”
Liv nodded absentmindedly, staring at the flickering orbs. As frightening as the creatures were, her heart went out to them.
“So do they know what’s happening?” Liv asked.
“Of course. They’re mermaids, not mindless fish—hell, most of the newer ones have college degrees.”
Oh God. They were women like her, trapped inside those bodies. Except they eat anything that moves.
Liv carefully disembarked the ship, staying in the center of the gangway and dock, closely following Jason. If they make a move, I’m throwing him in the water. Those sharp teeth were literally four feet away, lurking between the boat slips.
Jason and Liv then made their way out of the marina up a windy dirt path toward several clusters of cottages. She still couldn’t believe all this. The place looked like a five-star luxury island retreat.
“Is that how this all works?” she asked, slightly winded from the climb. “You comb the beaches for women and tell them they’re going to some exclusive resort?”
“No. We do not comb beaches. We have standards. And we have scouts with very good instincts who go out and do a little preselection. Here we are.” He stopped in front of a brown cottage with white shutters, nestled between two colossal pine trees that soared toward a star-filled sky. Potted flowers, with little lights around the edges, illuminated the flagstone walkway to the front door.
“I’ll wait outside while you get ready,” Jason said. “You’ll find the ceremonial dress and white sandals you’re to wear in the bedroom closet. There are snacks and beverages in the kitchen. I suggest the champagne—it’s a favorite with the ladies.”
Liv glanced at Jason skeptically.
“I meant the human ladies,” he added. “Mermaids don’t drink. Not alcohol, anyway. Blood is another story altogether.”
Liv made a sour face—“Thanks”—and walked toward the front door.
“The back door is bolted,” Jason called out, “so don’t try sneaking off.”
Of course it was.
“Oh!” he added. “And Shane asked me to remind you that you’re not to go looking for Dana. He said he doesn’t want her upset again.”
Reaching for the door, Liv gritted her teeth. What Shane meant was that he would get upset and hurt Dana. Bastard.
Liv entered the dark cottage and slammed the door shut before leaning against it. What the hell was she going to do? Shane had her backed into a corner. A big scary, cobweb-filled corner with giant fanged spiders and boogie men.
Running to Roen was no longer a smart move. What if that was what Shane wanted—to start some big fight? Going along with Shane’s demands and pretending she wanted him would also provoke an ugly confrontation because, like Jason said, nobody got between a merman and his mate.
Goddammit. Goddammit! All of these options led to very heinous places.
What if I prevent Roen from fighting for me at all? What if she convinced Roen that she didn’t want him anymore? After all, she was “defective,” so maybe she could convince him that her mate feelings had gone away.
No, it wasn’t a permanent solution, in terms of Shane going after Roen, though it would buy her time to figure out what to do next and keep Dana from being claimed.
Of course, if she was successful, she might actually end up becoming Shane’s for the night.
Liv’s entire soul bucked in protest, but there simply wasn’t another option. Liv ran her hand over the wall next to the door and found the light switch.
“Hello, Liv.”
“Fuck!” Liv jumped.
With his hands casually in his pockets, Roen stood at the other end of the cozy living room—decorated in a nautical theme with powder-blue walls, paintings of sailboats, and large seashells on the distressed white coffee table. Like the last time she’d seen him, both in person and in her dream, Roen wore a crisp white dress shirt and dark, well-tailored pants that accentuated every inch of his tall, masculine form.
“Nice to see you, too,” he said in that slow, arrogant, deep voice before casually strolling toward a small table in the corner topped with a tray of clean glasses and several liquor bottles. He poured a tall glass of something, scotch perhaps, threw it back, and then stared with flaring nostrils, his thick arms over his broad chest. All the while, Liv watched his every move, trying to keep herself calm. She knew his laid-back stance was for show, because a look of pure rage flickered in his hypnotic green eyes.
“Roen, what are you doing here?”
“You sound afraid.”
Of course. She had no clue if Roen was a threat. The man had changed. Bigger. Meaner. Deadlier. Then there was her. Five seven, medium build, about as much muscle as a mussel.
“I’m not afraid,” she lied. “I just know how you can get.” She discreetly placed her hand on the door handle at her back, ready to run.
“You may remove your hand from the door. I’m much more controlled these days,” he said, his voice low and menacing. “When I want to be.”
So much for discreet. She’d forgotten how mermen had better hearing along with the eyesight.
“So…why are you here?” She dropped her hands, attempting to appear calm and indifferent; meanwhile her eyes wouldn’t stop moving up and down, gliding over his beautiful body, drinking in every inch of him. His shape, right down to the wide width of his shoulders and narrow waist, was pure seduction material. Not too beefy and bulky, but tall, solid, and sublimely male. And his face, though now sporting a short rich-brown beard, was nothing shy of breathtaking, including those sensual lips that balanced between silky soft and firm, just perfect for wrapping around a throbbing nipple. Or lower.
As if reading her suggestive thoughts, his intensely carnal gaze moved down, down, down and lingered over the body part longing for his attention.
Don’t, Liv. Don’t show him what he does to you.
She cleared her scratchy throat. “Why. Are. You. Here?”
His sinfully seductive gaze crawled up her body, leaving every inch of her skin tingling. “Why am I here? I live here, which you already know. So I believe I should be directing that question to you.”
“The reason is no one’s business but my own.”
“Bullshit. Who’s the stupid asshole that came to collect you?” His body didn’t move, but his eyes told her he was holding back a tornado of caustic rage.
Liv’s panic button began flashing bright red. “Roen—”
“Tell me, goddammit. Who. Is. The foking asshole. That brought you back to the island?”
Make him believe, Liv. Do what you have to do to make him believe.
“I’m not sure that matters since I want to
be here. I even brought my sister.”
“I won’t tolerate you lying to me, Liv.”
She shrugged. “Why would I lie? Even you have to admit that merman charms are pretty impressive.”
He looked away, grinding his jaw, and ran his strong hand through his silky, jaw-length hair. “Those charms don’t work on you,” he replied so sharply, the words nearly cut through her charade. He knew her too well. She had to convince him she came for some other reason.
“Doesn’t matter. I’m still a woman and what woman wouldn’t want to be fucked by one of the beautiful men on this island. Personally, I’m hoping to land Shane.”
Roen’s eyes narrowed on her face, and his chest expanded with rapid breaths. “Shane? You expect me to believe that?”
“It doesn’t matter what you think or expect, Roen,” she said, doing her best impression of a heartless bitch. “You made it perfectly clear you didn’t want me.” She wagged her finger at him. “And shame, shame on you,” she purred, “because I was left with a craving I can’t seem to satisfy with just any man. And trust me, I’ve tried. Boy, oh boy, how I’ve tried. With dozens and dozens of men,” she lied. “However, I’m betting that my needs can be satisfied by a merman—any merman—since you all have exceptional equipment.”
Roen stormed across the room and stared down at her with cold, calculating eyes, causing Liv to push her body firmly against the door. “I’m not buying the act, Liv. And I have to believe that somewhere deep down inside you know my rejection was to protect you.”
“Pah!” She barked out a little laugh. “Roen, dear, haven’t you figured out by now that I used you to save myself? I did it again when we saw each other in Seattle. Your little bitch of an island wanted to come after me because I broke my promise not to tell. And once again, there was big strong Roen ready to come to my rescue.” She laced her fingers together and rested her chin on the backs of her hands, batting her eyelashes. “Oh, save me, Roen. Save me!” She dropped her hands and laughed. “Like I said when we first met: you’re an ass. You’ll always be an ass, and now it’s time for you to leave. I need to get ready. For. Shane,” she added.