MERCILESS (The Mermen Trilogy #3) by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff Page A

“Drink, Roen. Drink.” She poured a little more and then stroked his cheeks, placing his head in her lap.
    Nothing happened.
    “We had a deal, you bitch. We had a fucking deal.” Liv held back a sob. What would she do without Roen? She remembered telling him once that they were meant to be together because she wasn’t afraid to love him. She wasn’t intimidated by his stunning good looks, his defiant personality, his seemingly cold exterior. She’d seen right through him.
    But now I am afraid, Roen. I’m afraid what will happen if I lose you. She felt so much anger and rage surging inside her. She could feel herself drifting further and further away from who she was supposed to be.
    She hunched over and pressed her cheek to his. “I can’t, Roen. I can’t if you’re not here.”
    Roen suddenly gasped in her arms, his green and hazel eyes wide open in shock. “Liv?”
    “Roen…” She pushed her lips to his forehead, clinging to him for dear life. “Thank God.”
    “What’s happening?” he groaned, completely out of it.
    “The island, Roen. The island happened.” And I have to find a way to end her hold over you. This has to stop. For the first time, Liv understood why Roen would give anything to free his people from this place. Living here was like living on a ship sailing straight to hell. And that crazy bitch is the captain.
     

CHAPTER NINE
    While Roen rested in his room, healing slowly from his wounds, Liv went downstairs to the library and took care of poor Lyle. She gave him a little water and then left him lying there flat on his back, snoozing like a log, but he’d probably be up and about in minutes. Liv then dashed into the enormous chef’s kitchen, just off the dining room, and started dividing up the water into empty jars and bottles she scavenged from the cupboards. She’d wanted to give Roen every drop she had, to heal him faster, but she had to think about everyone. Roen would want that.
    Liv then packed up the water and went to find Amelia.
    “How did you get this?” Amelia asked, standing in the doorway of Jason’s cottage, blinking at the bottle in her hand.
    “Doesn’t matter,” Liv replied. “Please, just be sure you give it to as many men as you can.” She simply would have to trust that these women would act honorably and fairly. But just in case… “If I find out anyone gave more to any one man than Roen got, I’ll kill them. You hear me?” It sounded harsh. Yes, it did. But she’d just agreed to give up her life for that water, and the man she loved only got enough to keep him from dying.
    Amelia nodded. “I’ll see to it.”
    “Thanks.” Liv turned to leave.
    “Thank you, Liv. I can only imagine what you had to do to get this. I know the men will appreciate it.”
    All she’d really done was manage to buy more time. If the plane got here soon, that would buy them a little more. However, after another day or so, they’d all be right back in the same boat. Liv suspected the island was merely waiting for the opportune moment to make her grand scheme known. What would she demand this time?
    World domination and an endless supply of wrinkly old assholes for her pond? She mentally cringed as an extremely distasteful and very literal image popped inside her head. I will never eat Fruit Loops again.
    Liv gave Amelia a solemn nod. “Let’s all just focus on getting through this.” Liv hiked back to Roen’s and up to his room. There wasn’t much left to do now. Just wait. Wait and spend what little time she had left with Roen.
    She walked through the doorway of his bedroom and made a sharp, appreciative exhale. His mattress was still on the floor, but he no longer looked like a man on his deathbed. His olive skin had returned. His lips were pink and plump. He looked more beautiful than ever, including those big strong arms lying over the blanket tucked tightly around his body.
    “Are you going to stand there staring or come over here and kiss me?” he said, in