MERMADMEN (The Mermen Trilogy #2) by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff

the faces in the room. “She’s already punishing us, and if I do nothing about it, my sons will be next.” He pointed to Liv, who at this point was sure she’d stopped breathing. “And Liv, my mate—not my discarded claim—will face centuries of serving the island.”
    The room filled with loud grumbles and voices.
    “Don’t listen to him!” Shane yelled, his face a furious shade of red. “Our people are strong because of the island. And our ways keep her protected. The time of the Dorans is over. He’s weak. He’s afraid.”
    No one seemed to give a crap about anything he said. They were too busy debating with each other over what Roen had proposed.
    “You must decide now, men.” Roen’s deep, magnetic voice cut right through the noise. “It will not be an easy journey, but we will make it if we stick together.”
    A small group of extremely rude-looking men, wearing red cloths, broke away from the crowd and faced Roen. “We will follow you. We are not afraid to face the island.”
    Then it was like a domino effect. One by one, the rest of the men did the same. All except Shane and his gang of about ten.
    “Roen, Roen, Roen…” they began chanting his name. The walls rumbled and the floors shook violently. At first, Liv thought their deep, loud voices caused it; however, she realized it was the island answering back.
    She sounds really pissed.
    When Liv opened her mouth to suggest the party move outside before the mountain came crashing down on their heads, Shane turned and grabbed her by the throat, slamming her backward into the ground. A horrible pain racked her body, and her vision blacked out for a moment.
    “Liv!” Roen yelled out, and the room fell silent.
    Shane snarled viciously, “There are no rules against killing a landlover for fun, so let’s see how brave he is without you.” Shane squeezed, and in that moment, Lyle smashed his fist into Shane’s face. He fell unconscious to the side.
    Roen reached her, his eyes filled with panic. “Liv? Can you hear me?”
    Liv couldn’t breathe let alone speak.
    “Someone bring water!” Roen turned back to Liv. “Just relax, Liv. You’ll be okay.”
    A man showed up with a glass bottle, and Roen quickly shoved it to Liv’s lips. She tried to swallow, but it wouldn’t go down.
    “All you need is a few drops,” Roen said, “and you’ll be fine. Try to drink it.”
    That wasn’t true. While the water did work on her, it didn’t have the same effect as it did on everyone else. She seemed to need a lot more to produce minor results. It was why they said Liv was “defective.”
    The room began blinking out.
    “Drink, Liv,” Roen commanded, “or I’ll throw you into that pool.”
    What? No! Liv’s air returned to her, and she pushed Roen’s hand away. “I’m fine,” she whispered. “He just knocked the wind out of me.”
    Roen smiled at her, brushing the hair back from her forehead. “Thank God. You scared the hell out of me.” He looked over his shoulder at Lyle. “Put Shane into a holding cell. Make sure his men join him.”
    Lyle gave the nod, and the men from Shane’s little band of thugs were immediately seized and dragged off.
    “What about the women?” Lyle said in Roen’s ear, loud enough for Liv to hear.
    Roen shook his head. “Send them to their cabins. There will be no more claimings. Not today, not ever, if I can help it.”
    Lyle nodded and started directing the men to take the “guests” away.
    Liv smiled and looked up into Roen’s beaming green eyes. “You had a plan B.”
     

CHAPTER NINE
    After telling his men he’d return shortly to discuss the next steps, Roen grabbed Liv to return her to the cottage. He insisted on carrying her, and she didn’t protest. After everything that had happened, there was no place better than Roen’s arms.
    They moved along a dark path through the forest, and his touch literally made her feel like she might burst wide open with joy because they were together now and a