MERMADMEN (The Mermen Trilogy #2) (15 page)

Don’t be such a wuss. It’s not like he keeps mermaids down there.

She descended and pushed open the door. “Roen, I need to know where…” Liv noticed Roen and five old men seated around a dark, circular, wooden table. Each man had long white hair and a beard and looked suspiciously similar to the life-sized oil paintings of the fierce men—carrying spears, machetes, or swords—on the walls behind them. It was like looking at an exhibit of before and afters.

“Liv, what is the meaning of this?” Roen snarled, standing from the table.

She held out her palms. “I’m so sorry. Really. But I need the data you’ve been collecting on the island.”

Roen made a rumble deep in his chest and stormed toward her, grabbing her elbow and dragging her back up the stairs.

“Out!” Roen barked at a few men prepping food in the modern, industrial chef’s kitchen. “And you!” he yelled at Liv. “What is the meaning of this? You cannot interrupt a meeting with the elders like that; they could have you executed.”

Liv lowered one corner of her mouth. “This is important.”

Roen crossed his arms over his bare chest. “You have five seconds.”

“Love. We’re missing love.”

Roen groaned and dug the heel of his palm into his forehead. “Liv, I thought we settled this—”

“No! Not us. I’m talking about the island. Love, reproduction, bonds—it’s what drives the underlying habits and behaviors of every species. And the more evolved the species, the more complex and sophisticated the bonds between them.”

“What’s your point, Liv?” Roen asked exasperatedly.

She couldn’t say the truth and risk the island realizing what she was really after: finding the island’s weakness so maybe they could turn the table on their situation. To do that, she needed to understand what made Crazy Dirt tick.

“I’m not sure yet,” Liv replied. “I need to see that data.”

“It’s stored over in the science center.”

“You have a science center?” Liv furrowed her brows.

He shrugged. “Of course. Why wouldn’t we?”

“Ohmygod.” Liv pinched the bridge of her nose and shook her head. “This place is so bizarre.”

“I can tell you, however, the data they collect is related to temperature, water properties, air quality, and level of contaminants in the surrounding ocean. All meant to assist us in creating an artificial habitat if necessary.”

“Your plan B is moving an entire island?”

“No. Building an enclosed, secured structure around her.”

Liv raised her brows. “Like I said: bizarre. Well, maybe I should take a look anyway. It could help me understand more about her as an organism.”

“The project is in its infancy, I’m afraid, so they won’t be able to tell you much. Right now they’re focused on understanding life-support elements—the basics to sustain her.”

“You mean her food source?” And did he have any clue how speaking with him like this was turning her on?
God, I love science. So. Hot.
Almost as hot as anthropology and sociology.

“She doesn’t eat. But yes, more or less.” Roen glanced back at the stairwell. “Liv, I respect your desire to help us, but—”

“But what, Roen? I’m a landlover and couldn’t possibly have the intellect to be of any use or understand?” She narrowed her eyes.

Roen clenched his jaw, and she watched the little muscles pulse with tension. “
But
I must go now. The elders say I must release Shane. He’s broken no laws and—”

A man burst into the kitchen. “Roen!”

Roen rolled his eyes, likely on his last inch of patience. “What now?”

“There’s smoke coming from the mountain.”

“Smoke?” Roen asked.

“Why smoke?” Liv asked.

“It’s probably you-know-who letting off steam. Nothing to worry about.” Roen pointed in Liv’s face. “You stay here, Liv. I mean it. Do not leave this house.” He turned and rushed from the room.

Yeah, that’s totally how I act when it’s ‘nothing to worry about.’

Suddenly, Liv felt a frigid wave of doom wash over her, like a tidal wave straight from an icy hell. Something bad was coming. Something big and ugly that would separate her and Roen forever.
What the hell was that?
The feeling was so strong, it almost pushed her over. She hoped those were nerves talking, and not the island subliminally declaring war.

“Be careful, Ro…” He was already gone.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Cold rain drizzled from the dark gray sky, casting a gloomy shadow over the path that led from Roen’s home to the great hall situated in the heart of the mountain. He had no idea what awaited, but he hoped it was nothing more than what he’d told Liv: the island blowing off some steam. He knew she was upset—everyone knew—but sonofabitch, what had the island been thinking?

Seeing those women torn apart this morning had left an indelible mark on his soul, only fueling his conviction that this way of life had to cease. Then there’d been that moment when he’d believed Liv among the dead, and he’d felt his world crumble. Without her somewhere in his life, he had a difficult time seeing a path forward.

The mountain in the center of the island rumbled and a plume of oily black smoke erupted from its snowcapped peak.

What the foke was that?

He’d never seen the mountain smoke, and they used the great hall frequently—for claimings, dispute resolution, issuing the men’s weekly rations of sacred water, and celebrations—though they didn’t have many of those. Life on the island was mainly dedicated to working—building, standing guard, fishing, upkeep of equipment and boats, or keeping the grounds. A small, very specialized group studied the island for the project he mentioned to Liv.

Of course, I left out a few things.
He saw no point discussing how the island’s health had been deteriorating for years—water production declining and her behavior becoming more erratic, sometimes going silent for years as if sleeping or trying to conserve energy. They assumed the massive pollution of the oceans and global warming might be to blame, which was why Roen initiated the project. He’d be damned if he followed in his father’s footsteps, blowing up factories or sinking ships. Murder was not the solution. Mankind either evolved into a more conscientious species or the planet would perish.

That is if you don’t foke things up for everyone first.
Roen now feared he would be the cause of all life ending. If he failed to persuade the island to adapt to modern ways and failed at freeing his people, it would all be over.
Change isn’t inevitable; it’s necessary for survival.

Roen reached the jagged mouth of the great hall and paused outside. The sound of screaming—not the violent sort, but the suffering sort—echoed outside. He immediately tensed, his mind going into a state of hyperalertness. He grabbed a fallen branch from a pine tree situated next to the entrance and entered, ready for anything.

“Anything except this,” he muttered under his breath, taking in the horrific and chaotic scene before him.

Some of the men clawed at the walls of the cavern, their fingertips raw and bloody. Others held pickaxes and pounded away at the empty pool. Some lay on the slate-gray stone floor, pressing the heels of their palms to their temples or eyes, moaning in agony.

Holden, their healer, lay closest to Roen, writhing on the floor in pain, his mop of curly red hair flopping from side to side. Roen kneeled down and gripped Holden’s shoulder. “Holden, can you hear me?”

Holden, who looked like his face had been sunburned, groaned in agony, covering his face.

“Holden, if you can hear me, tell me what’s happening.”

“It burns. It burns.”

“What burns?” Roen asked.

“My eyes.”

Roen pulled Holden’s hands from his face. “Open your eyes. Let me see,” Roen commanded.

“No. I can’t. It burns too much,” the man wailed. “I need the water. I need the water.”

Roen pried the man’s right lid open, catching a glimpse of what was inside. “Foking hell.” Roen snapped his hand away. Holden’s eyes were blood red.

The man who’d come to retrieve him, a fellow with sandy-blond hair, was in the corner, giving another man sips from a bottle of water.

Roen rushed over. “What are you doing?”

The blond man moved to help another. “It’s my water ration.”

“Is it helping them?” Roen asked.

“Yes, sir, but I don’t have enough.”

Roen looked over his shoulder at the man who’d received a small sip. He got right up and his eyes appeared normal. “You! Tell me what happened,” Roen commanded.

He rubbed his red face and then ran his hands through his short dark hair. “I don’t know, sir. I was outside working and my skin and eyes started burning. I ran straight here, but there’s no more water.”

A punishment
. Roen knew the island would lash out, though who could’ve anticipated this? He’d expected her to come after him.

“You two,” Roen pointed to the two men who’d been healed, “go through everyone’s homes and round up all of the rations. Bring them back here.”

The two men hesitated. There were very strict rules about entering another man’s home—one of the many quirks of being a merman. Each man was granted a piece of land on the island, and no one could enter uninvited with a few exceptions. A home was a merman’s castle, which he built with his own two hands, which was why the men who were handy with a hammer had the better homes. Obviously the rule didn’t apply to the leader.

“I’m giving you permission,” Roen said. “No. I’m ordering you.”

“Yes, sir.” The two men nodded and ran off.

“The question you should be asking yourself right now, merman,”
said that chilling female voice,
“is where this will end?”

He knew she’d eventually pop up for air. “We’re not backing down. You can’t threaten your way out of this.”

“Who said anything about threats?”
she chuckled her words.
“I’m going to wipe you all from the face of this earth.”

“And risk being unprotected? I don’t think that’s wise. Not when I’m offering you another solution—protection from the world we live in today. It’s only a question of time before humans discover us.”

“You think I need protection from humans, Roen? Because I’ll strike them first. In a few days, they’re going to begin noticing what happens when my mermen step out of line—imagine entire cities going mad, people clawing out their eyes, suffocating in the streets. They’ll think it’s biological warfare, and what will happen then, Roen? How many wars will start when they lash out at their enemies?”

Absorbed in his conversation with the island, Roen had almost forgotten where he was: standing in the middle of a room of screaming mermen who never so much as flinched when in pain. That’s when he noticed one poor man had taken his machete and sliced his own throat. Blood pooled on the floor around him.

“No. Goddammit, no,” Roen said, shocked, stunned, and angry as hell.

“Oh no. Something wrong, merman? A little blood gotcha scared? Because just you wait. They’ll all be dead by morning, driven mad by the pain, and then I’ll get started on the landlovers.”

He fisted his hands, wishing he could kill her. “What do you want?” he growled.

She cackled triumphantly.
“Ah. Well, I’m not sure yet. So let’s start with an offering of good faith to get started. I’ll take your mate.”

“You can’t have Liv,” he snarled.

“That’s my price to stop this madness from spreading. I want Liv. Of course, that will be your first punishment for turning the men against me. One of many.”

Roen’s fear for his people closed in on him—had he made a mistake? Then he remembered his dream. The one where the island kept pushing him to choose between saving Liv or saving his men.
This is what she always does.
And probably was the same method of control used with his father.

Then, those childhood memories—nightmares, really—flooded his thoughts. Those boys in the group home, where he’d lived after his mother died, beat him every day. They broke his nose, they kicked his balls so many times he’d coughed up blood for weeks. No one lifted a finger to stop them, and it was the moment he realized it was up to him. No one was coming to save him. And they weren’t going to stop, because they enjoyed it too much. When the next violent confrontation happened, he was ready. He fought back with a goddamned baseball bat that delivered one broken arm and a concussion. Not nearly sufficient payback, but they never touched him again. From then on he knew those who didn’t stand up to bullies were only inviting them back for more.

Don’t back down. Don’t ever back down.
Because godfokingdammit this had to end.

“You’re trying to make me choose between Liv and everyone else, and I won’t. We want changes. We want the women back like you promised. So until you’re ready to be reasonable, this conversation is over.”

Silence.

Roen didn’t mistake it for a victory. This was far, far from over, and he could only hope his move wasn’t the wrong choice. It was one thing to go down fighting, but it was another to take everyone down with him.

~ ~ ~

After Roen left, Liv ran upstairs to warn Dana about something bad going down, only to discover an empty room.

Her temper shot off like a bottle rocket, quickly fizzling into terror. “No. No. No.” Liv checked ten of the bedrooms, the library, the kitchen, and a few other places. No Dana.

Shane
. It was the only other place Liv could think of. Dana had some sort of attraction to that despicable man—okay, Dana liked them all—and she seemed to like Shane the most. Thank God he’d already found a mate, as indicated by the black cloth he wore.

So where was the prison? Liv went to ask one of the men, but everyone had disappeared.

Liv ran out the front door, screaming for Dana, and crashed straight into Roen’s hard, bare chest.

With her hands firmly on his pectorals, she shook her head, trying to remain focused. “Dana is gone.”

Roen growled. “I told you to stay inside the house. Don’t your damned ears work, woman?”