MERCILESS (The Mermen Trilogy #3) (21 page)

“I cannot prevent you from coming,” he said, “but I ask you to do what’s right for our child.” Of course, she didn’t give a shit about the child, and she would try to get on a plane to the island as soon as possible. Unfortunately for her, there were only three corporate jets. One was on the island. The other two were in for repairs—a manufactured coincidence, of course. “I’ll call you later, but I have to go now.”

“Okay,” she said solemnly.

Now all that was left to do was focus everything they had on Liv. If anyone could finally put an end to Salla, it was her. The love of his life with a heart big enough to fuel an entire island with hope.

~~~

Three days later…

“She’s on her way,” said Lyle.

“What? Now? We need another day. Or perhaps even two.” Roen set his book down on the coffee table in front of the fireplace. He’d been reading to Liv, listening to music with her, and spending every moment he could laughing and sharing memories. The good ones, anyway. There had been so little time for the two of them to simply talk and know one another. Liv, for example, told him that when she was growing up, she and her two sisters had dressed up as mermaids for several Halloweens. “It was fate you became my mate, then,” he’d said. He’d told her how when he was little his best memory was of his mother’s smile. Things had never been easy for him and Lyle growing up, but her warm eyes and reassuring smile never failed to comfort him.

Meanwhile, life around them on the island had slowly begun to change. He and Lyle were the only ones taking water. The rest of the men—nearly two hundred total—had all decided to endure the painful change back to their natural state. Even some of the women asked to be bitten, but Liv wouldn’t hear of it. She said they’d all suffered enough.

So now it was up to the mermen to make this happen. What everyone wondered, given how the island had changed, was if they would become those creatures with the yellow glowing eyes or turn into the creature of their legends. No one knew.

“She got tired of waiting. She chartered a plane,” Lyle explained.

“Foke. That gives us five hours at most,” Roen said.

“I think we should rethink this, Roen. We’re not ready,”
Liv chimed in.

“I think we need to check in with Dr. Fuller first.” She’d been monitoring everyone and documenting their transformations. Like before, each man was growing weak and black spots appeared on his skin. And as of this morning, about half looked like they were about to die—shallow breathing, weak pulse, coma-like state. “If we need more time, we’ll have to figure something out.”

“You can always take her to bed,” Lyle suggested.

Roen shot him a look.

“What?” He shrugged. “It will keep her busy for a few minutes.”

“Very foking funny, brother. Can you be serious for a moment?” Roen grumbled.

“I am being serious. Pretend to be excited to see her. Spend the next few days keeping her in your room.”

Roen hung his head. “I can’t. There’s no way my cock will get hard for her.”

“You’re a foking merman. You’ve faced greater challenges.”

“He’s right, Roen,”
Liv chimed in.
“You have to buy us more time. No one’s transformed yet.”

Foking bloody hell.

“
Just pretend it’s me
,” Liv pushed.

That was impossible. His imagination wasn’t a superpower. “I will try to play the role of passionate mate and attempt to distract her. But if it doesn’t work, be ready to move forward, Liv. Do what you can.”

“Just remember. You promised me that you’d back down if she threatens our baby.”

“I will. I promise,” Roen said.

“Okay, then tell everyone it’s time for radio silence. They can’t hear me. I can’t hear them. Salla can’t know that we’re all so strongly connected now, and she certainly can’t know that you and I have been talking. Complete radio silence.”

Everyone had already discussed this point before they initiated the plan. Hopefully no one would slip up. Salla would arrive, see the island in a new state—that couldn’t be helped—and Roen would whisk her away to bed while everyone else finished transforming. Once Dr. Fuller gave the green light, Liv would begin pulling strength from them and push Salla out. To where? No one knew. But the souls of the dead went somewhere. Liv simply had to break Salla’s bond to this place.

“Just one last thing, Roen: I love you.”

“I love you, too, Liv.”

“I’m afraid,”
she said.

As was he, but the one thing he’d come to learn from all of this was that one couldn’t give up hoping and trying. If you failed, you just dusted yourself off and kept going. How many times had he almost died these past few months? How many times had they faced the impossible? Honestly, he’d lost count. But as long as life kept giving him chances, he’d keep taking them.

“The mermen have a saying, Liv. There is a time to eat. There is a time to fuck. And there is a time to kill.”

“Jeez. How inspirational. I’m feeling the tingles of victory already.”

“The point is, Liv, there is nothing else. It doesn’t say a time to feel sorry for yourself or give up. It doesn’t say there is a time for fear or even a time to die. Because those aren’t options. There is only living and fighting. That’s it.”

Liv sighed.

“So what time is it?”

“Time to kill,”
she said reluctantly.

“Try it with a little more conviction, woman.” Roen laughed.

“I’ll never make a good merman.”

“There’s a reason Salla chose you; you’re strong. Stronger than she is. You just don’t know it yet. And with us helping you, you’ll be even stronger. Now, can I get another one? What time is it?”

“Oh, stop being so corny. I think I liked you better when you were a complete hard-ass.”

“What’s that? I couldn’t hear you. Did you say you like my hard ass?”

Liv laughed.
“No, I said—”

“Because I cannot blame you. It is mighty and strong like a manly oak. Or is my ass more like two halves of a boulder? I don’t know.”

Her laughter died down
. “I love you, Roen. Whatever happens, just know that I’m glad I got to meet you—it’s been one hell of a ride.”

“The ride’s not over yet, my love. It’s just getting started.”

But as that plane grew closer, even he could feel Salla’s cold presence growing stronger.
There’s no time for doubt, man. That’s not on the list of options either.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Roen felt Liv’s spirit all around him. It was the one thing giving him comfort in this very critical moment.

Salla was only a few minutes away, and according to Dr. Fuller, no one had completed the transformation.

“It can’t be long now,” Dr. Fuller said, looking up at Roen with her deep, worry-filled brown eyes, holding a stethoscope over Holden’s heart. “His body is fighting, but he’s barely got a pulse.”

“I think you need to lock yourself in a room upstairs—just to be safe,” Roen said.

“Why would I do that? Someone’s got to stay and document what happens,” Dr. Fuller argued.

Stubborn landlover.
They were always so damned curious. Funny, he sort of liked it. It reminded him of Liv. Nevertheless… “If they turn into those voracious creatures, you’ll be nothing but a meal to them.”

“I’m not leaving Holden.”

Roen looked at her, beginning to understand the situation. “You like him.”

“He’s a doctor. I’m a doctor. We have a lot in common, including our fascination with this island. And he’s still single.” She shrugged.

“Okay. Well…good luck to you, then. I hope he doesn’t bite your head off. Literally.”

“I’ll take that risk. Good luck with Salla,” she said.

“Thank you. Where’s Dana?”

“She’s doing the rounds with Lyle, checking on everyone and reporting back in to me.”

Holden groaned, and Dr. Fuller leaned down and kissed his forehead. For a moment, Roen could see the spark of love in her eyes.

Of course, mermen were irresistible to human women. That said, he could see that perhaps her feelings were more than lust. Given how long Holden had been alone, mateless, he could see him being happy with a smart woman like Dr. Fuller.

“You two would have beautiful children together.” Holden was your typical-looking Irish, pale skin, bright green eyes, curly, long flaming red hair. Dr. Fuller was a lean, athletic beautiful black woman with short curly hair.

She gave Roen a strange look. “Do I look crazy to you? I’m not marrying a fish.”

Roen glared at her, and she cracked a smile.

“Ha. Funny,” Roen said.

“I’m sorry, you know. I’m sorry for all of the trouble I caused everyone.”

“It wasn’t your fault,” Roen replied. “You were a pawn—no different than any of us. And now, you’re going to help us usher in a new era.”

“We could heal a lot of people with the water here,” she said.

Generations from now, this island might be the key to stopping much larger problems on the planet. And there wasn’t enough water here to save every sick person in the world. “Tell the public about this place—the instant healing effects of the water—and every government in the world will be fighting to get their hands on it. The powerful and greedy will destroy this island. We must protect this place, study it, learn from it. With that knowledge, we can do more than simply help a few people.”

She blinked at him and smiled. “I guess you’re right.”

He dipped his head. “Now all we need is a little luck. Be careful, Dr. Fuller. Once he changes, he’ll be hungry.”

She winked at him. “Oh. I hope so.”

Oh-foking-kay.

~~~

Roen stood at the end of the landing strip, feeling like he was about to go on stage in front of an audience of thousands. Yes, it was something he did well, like any CEO who had to give speeches in front of one hundred and fifty thousand employees or investors all around the world. Being under pressure was where he excelled.

This situation, however, was an audience of just one, but everything was on the line.
Breathe slowly. Calm. Confident. You are foking Roen Doran.

The plane’s doors flew open and the small staircase extended out. Salla emerged looking like she’d put some effort into dressing more like a grown-up—a snug T-shirt and jeans. She’d left her hair down today.

Showtime.
He pasted on a smile, but did not go to her. He had to act as though he wasn’t feeling well, as he’d told her on the phone.

Holding a small travel bag, Salla made her way to him, the expression on her face as she looked around displaying her shock.

“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.”