“What has happened to this island?” she asked.
He shrugged and then reached for her shoulders as soon as she was close enough. He bent his head and kissed her passionately, trying his best not to think about how cold she felt.
He pulled back and beamed into her eyes. “I don’t know what’s happened. No one does. But I’ve missed you, Liv.” He pecked her lips. “I’m going to take you back to the house and show you just how much.”
She gave him a curious look. “I thought you were sick.”
He offered his most winning smile. “Oh, but I am. Which is why I must return to bed immediately.”
“I’m serious, Roen.”
“So am I.” He sighed. “I continue to feel weak, but we can discuss that later. First, I need to get my cock inside you and make up for how I treated you.”
She smiled at him. It wasn’t real.
Now he could see it so clearly—every blink of her eyes, every smile that twitched across her lips, all fake.
His cock was about as hard as cooked spaghetti.
“Let’s get you back to the house, then,” she said.
He placed his arm over her shoulder, noticing the coolness of her body.
“How are you feeling, Liv?” he asked.
“Great. I mean, it’s odd to feel another heartbeat inside me, but it’s what I’ve always wanted.”
“You can feel the heart?” Roen’s stomach flipped.
“Yes. Of course I can. It’s your baby. He’s strong. He’ll be the strongest merman yet.”
He suspected that was what she wanted: Stronger mermen so she could use them just as she’d done for thousands of years. Once they showed any signs of weakness, they’d miraculously end up dead—challenged to a fight by another merman or simply killed for breaking a law. There had always been someone dying on this island for “legitimate” reasons that really just served to cull the herd. It was also why she ensured there was a steady stream of new mermen on the way, and she carefully chose which women came to the island and became pregnant.
Genetic engineering at its finest. If by chance one of the women turned out to be a man’s mate, she got to serve in another capacity—as a maid and protector of the island. She would also serve as leverage to keep her man in line. Life on this island had been a well-thought-out system meant to serve Salla’s needs.
Well, that’s all going to end. Fucking bitch.
“Roen, you’re shaking,” Salla said.
Foke. He really was. But it was from anger, not from illness. “The walk made me tired. I’ll drink some water and lie down. I’ll be fine.” They made their way up the long steps that led up to his home.
“I can’t get over how different this place feels,” she said. “Why didn’t you mention it?”
He tried to play it casual. “I don’t know. It didn’t seem as important as seeing you. What took you so long to get here, anyway?”
“The jets were under repair.”
“I would’ve sent the one we have here back for you,” he lied.
“You told me not to come; otherwise, I would’ve asked.”
“I was a fool to think I could be separated from you for very long, Liv. I’ve been going crazy not seeing you.”
“It was the strangest thing,” she said suspiciously. “The mechanic working on the other two jets kept telling me the parts were on the way and they’d have the repair done, but then the parts didn’t show and then it was the wrong part.”
“I’ll have to speak to him about that.” He pushed open the front door, moving as slowly as possible. All for show, of course.
“Don’t worry about it. I fired him and then had your little bitch Cherie charter a plane. Oh, and I fired her, too.”
“Why did you do that?” He tried not to sound upset. He really valued Cherie.
Salla shrugged. “I don’t like the way she talks about you. And because I can. I still own your company.”
Roen bit back his anger. “She can’t help obsessing. After all, human women find me irresistible.” He winked at her and they made their way upstairs to the bedroom.
The moment they entered, he felt a sense of dread overwhelm him. Could Salla sense it?
He stopped next to the bed and sighed dramatically.
“What is it, Roen?” she asked. As if she gave a shit about him.
“I think that hike wore me out. I’m not sure I can…you know.” He gave her a look.
She smiled. “No problem. You rest for a while. I’ll come back later.”
“Where are you going?” He couldn’t let her leave.
“To explore. I want to see what’s going on with this place. It’s so quiet. Too quiet. Haven’t you noticed?”
“Not really.”
She turned to go.
“Wait! I’ve missed you. Let me have a drink and we can take a shower. Perhaps you can help me along?” He lifted his brows suggestively.
He seriously doubted it, but he had to try. He needed to buy more time to allow Liv to be ready to fight Salla.
“You don’t look like you’re—”
“You’re denying my request?” he said, lowering his voice, deciding to play hardball.
“No, I just…”
“Then take off your clothes and get your sexy ass in that shower.”
Salla gave him an irritated look.
“Please?” he added, in a not-so-nice tone.
She huffed. “Fine.” She kicked off her tennis shoes, pulled her T-shirt over her head and then slid down her jeans. She then removed her undergarments and strutted naked into the bathroom.
Her body was still Liv’s—beautiful, soft, womanly curves; sweet, full breasts; and a nice round ass. She’d even put on weight, which he loved. She’d been far too thin when they’d first met, a result of her having been stranded at sea for ten days without food.
She turned on the water, and he tried to just focus on his favorite parts of her body—the parts that aroused him: her pink nipples, the patch of dark hair between her legs, those lips. He loved her eyes most, but he couldn’t look at those. Liv wasn’t inside.
Roen stripped off his suede and looked down at his cock. It now stood straight up, long and proud, the tip bright pink and just begging for what was between those legs of hers.
“Well, well,” Salla said. “Looks like someone is feeling a little better.”
He gripped his cock in his hand. “Little?”
“Okay…hugely better.” Standing under the steaming spray of water, she beckoned him with her index finger. “Now get in here and fuck me.”
He stepped inside the shower and pressed his lips to hers, grabbing her thighs to part her legs and lift her. Pushing her against the wall, he maneuvered his cock to her entrance and thrust inside her.
Cold. She’s so cold. He just wanted to get this over with. Don’t foking think about it. Don’t…but he could already feel his cock going soft.
He pushed inside her again, wanting so badly for his body to obey and want this, but his heart simply couldn’t be lied to. Not anymore.
This woman was not his mate. She was vile and a monster. She’d destroyed so many lives, including those of his parents. He and Lyle had also suffered.
Liv stopped kissing him, and he looked at her, about to make up some lame excuse for his lack of enthusiasm, but she spoke first. “When did you find out?”
He gave her a look. “Find out what?”
“Do not play games with me, merman.” Salla’s voice—the voice he’d learned to hate, the voice of the island—came through like a poison to his ears. “And do not fuck with me—remember that I’ve got your precious Liv’s body and your baby.”
He released her, and she slid down the length of his frame. He fought the urge to scrub his skin raw, while his mind quickly went to work. His experience with the island had taught him three things: one, she was cunning. Two, she was ruthless. And three, she was arrogant.
Okay, she still doesn’t have a clue what we’re planning
or that I’ve spoken to Liv. The element of surprise was still on their side.
“What the foke did you do with her, Salla?”
There was a moment of shock in her eyes, followed by a wicked smile. “So you finally figured out who I am.” She stepped around him out of the shower, making her way over to the towel rack with a cocky little strut. She didn’t fear him. She didn’t fear anyone.
Big mistake.
She went on, “I knew you would, merman.” She began toweling off, and he stepped out of the shower, standing only a few feet away. “It’s why I chose you, you know. You’re smarter and stronger than the rest.” She threw the towel at his chest, and he caught it. “And that Liv; you and her are like fire and gasoline. Together you generate such delicious energy. I knew you’d be perfect.”
“What. Did. You. Do. With her?” He towered over her, doing his best to get her to continue talking. Every minute that passed was another minute closer to his people being transformed. Hell, if he got lucky, Miss Cocky Bitch here might even tell him what she really planned to do.
“She’s here, Roen. Her heart so full of love and strength is fueling everything—but I’m guessing you already know that, too. Don’t you?” She shot him a look, but he held is poker face.
“What do you want, Salla?”
She shrugged. “I’ve already got what I want. A powerful merman who’ll give me powerful children. And, at least for now,” she waved her hand in front of her body, “a body.”
A little click went off inside Roen’s head. That body wouldn’t last forever. “You can’t have daughters. We’re only able to make male offspring.” It was part of the way their species had evolved. Why? How? He could only guess, but the females always came from the human world. All it took was one bite from a merman and they transformed.
“Ah.” She raised her finger. “But the stronger the merman, the stronger the mate they’ll choose.”
So she didn’t plan to kill the baby, she planned to make more. Probably as many babies as that body would permit. And her hope was those sons would go off and find nice, healthy strong women who could serve as vessels.
“I gotta say, Salla, I’m impressed. But you do realize you need me to foke you for your plan to work.”
She laughed. “Oh, you’re so wrong, Roen. You see, I have come to realize that you were right. My ways were archaic. It’s like…” she waved her hands through the air, “I’d been living in the dark ages and just waiting for my time to come. The age of technology has freed me.”
He stared at her, waiting to hear the sadistic punchline.
She slipped on her panties and jeans and threw on her T-shirt. “I don’t need you people anymore. You took care of those vile humans with your new security team. As for that useless cock of yours…” she pointed to his extremely limp penis, “I just needed you to fill a cup.”
He crossed his arms over his chest. “Good luck with that, because I won’t be jerking off for you.”
She laughed and cocked her head to one side. “Oh, honey. I’ve collected enough of your powerful merman sperm to last a lifetime.”
He frowned. “When?”
She winked. “Oh now, do you really want the details of what I did with all that cum from your five daily ejaculations?”
Dear foking hell. No, he did not.
“The fertility clinic is wonderful at providing those little collection kits and accepts deposits twenty-four seven.”
“You’re one sick bitch, Salla.”
She pointed at her skull. “I’m one smart bitch, merman. But I owe my transition into the twenty-first century all to you.”
“All right. So you no longer need me or my people. What next?” Would she tell him?
No. She was too smart to tip her hand.
Suddenly she came at him with a knife.
He grabbed it and twisted it into her stomach. It was purely a knee-jerk, self-defense reaction.
“No!” he cried out the moment he felt the warm, wet liquid oozing from the hole he’d made right in her upper abdomen.
He dropped his hand and looked down. Salla did the same, a look of shock in her eyes. “You…stabbed me.”
He hadn’t meant to. She’d come at him, and he’d grabbed her hand. Before he knew it, he’d twisted the blade around and had plunged it inside her.
“Foking hell, Salla. What did you do?”
Her mouth flapped as she looked up into his eyes. “You…you…stabbed your own mate? Why?”
He realized that she’d thought it impossible.
With tears in his eyes, he gripped her shoulders. “You are not my mate, Salla. You evil foking bitch.” Because now she’d destroyed Liv’s body, their baby, his everything.
Salla dropped to the floor, a vacant stare in her eyes.
“No. Godfokinghell. No.”
“Roen?” Liv’s sweet voice filled his head. “Wha-what happened?”
“She’s dead,” he whispered, falling to his knees, looking at the body in front of him.
“Who, Roen? Who’s dead?” Liv’s voice was filled with panic.
“Salla—I mean you. Your body.”
“No. Oh God. No.”
“I’m sorry,” he sobbed. “She came at me with a knife and I just…”
“It’s okay, Roen. It’s okay. I know you didn’t mean to.”
The rage inside him was too much. “It doesn’t foking matter what you believe; I killed you and our child.” He could never live with that. “I destroyed any chance you had to come back.”
“Roen…?” Liv’s voice was choked. “Bring my body to the pool. There’s still a heartbeat.”
Roen froze for a moment. He remembered the story in the ancient text. Ari had tried to bring Salla back. It worked, but it was unclear what had happened.
“I’m here, Roen,” Liv said. “Just come to me.”
His vision blurry with tears, he scooped up the body and made his way to the Great Hall. “I’m on my way.” He simply prayed that whatever came back into this body, it would be Liv. And the other tiny life inside would be all right.
~~~
Liv could practically taste Roen’s anguish. It was dark and bitter and filled with so much hate.
“Dana? You there?”
“Yes, Liv. Ohmygod. What happened?”
“Salla tried to kill Roen.”
“And?” Dana asked.
“And she lost.”
“Oh no. Oh no. What does that mean?”
“It means…I don’t know.”
“And Cray-Cray?” Dana asked, frantic.
“I don’t know that either. I don’t feel her presence anymore, but the body—my body—still has life in it. Roen’s going to the Great Hall.”
“We’ll be right there, Liv.”
“Whatever happens, Dana, tell Lyle that Roen can’t self-destruct.”
“I won’t let him,” Lyle responded.
Of course he’d been listening in. Everyone could hear her.
“Here he comes…” Liv said. “Pray for us.”
~~~
Roen entered the Great Hall and didn’t stop until he reached the pool. He jumped in with both feet forward, cradling Liv’s body in his arms. He watched as the water covered the wounds and her torso.
“Please, please, please bring her back.” Bring them both back.
With his eyes closed, he held her tight, wishing for the impossible.
After several minutes, he looked down and saw that the wound was the same.
“No,” he cried, running his hand over her forehead. “It’s not working.”
Liv, after all, was resistant to the healing effects of the water. The very thing that made her strong also made her vulnerable.
Roen held her tight, feeling his heart gripped with despair.
“It’s all right. There was nothing you could do,” Liv said.
But there had been. He could’ve let Salla stab him. “Tell that to our baby.”
“Roen?” Lyle spoke from somewhere be
hind him. “I’m sorry, brother. But where is Salla?”
He shook his head. “I don’t know,” he whispered.
How could this have happened? He’d lost his hope of a future with Liv and any hope at all.
“Roen, honey. Don’t give up. I can feel them.”
He wiped his eyes. “Who?”
“Them—the mermen. They’re waking up.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
At first, Liv was unsure, but the blatant rejoicing in Dr. Fuller’s voice was unmistakable. Then Liv felt them. At first one and then two. Then three and four. Ten and a hundred. The seconds sailed by, and she felt them all bursting to life.
Were they sea monsters? Were they something else? Liv only knew they were no longer the mermen she’d first encountered—violent, angry, coldhearted. And they were a hundred times more powerful than before.
She could hear their hearts thumping away like two hundred war drums beating in unison, surging with defiant rage. They savored their freedom and would do anything to crush anyone who tried to take away who and what they were.
In a million years, Liv couldn’t begin to explain the swell of emotions she felt radiating from their collective soul, but she finally understood why Salla had never wanted to let them leave. The mermen were an ancient people who’d evolved, survived, loved and fought for each other and their mates. Their bond was unlike anything that had ever existed. Their power came from each other. Their strength came from each other.
And in this moment, they were fighting for Liv’s soul.
Without a second thought, she began pushing every ounce of energy she could muster into her body, willing it to heal. Liv immediately felt something happening. Tingling and pulsing. Warmth and light. She felt herself moving into her body.
“Hi, you fucking cunt. Thanks for bringing back your body,” groaned a familiar hate-filled voice. “I knew you could do it.”
Salla. She wasn’t gone. She was right there, her soul clinging to Liv’s flesh and bones, like an evil hermit crab.
“I’m not letting you do this, Salla. It’s time for you to go.”
Salla laughed. “Who’s going to make me?”