Read Online MERCILESS (The Mermen Trilogy #3) by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Mimi Jean Pamfiloff
Ads: Link
won them over because they all began sharing bits and pieces about what they remembered and knew about this illness going around. Sadly, it wasn’t much.
“Amelia? What about you?” Liv asked. Amelia was the first to be transformed, so she had been back the longest.
Amelia shook her head regretfully. “I don’t know much. Jason told me that he got sick the moment he broke ties with the island.”
That was similar to what Lyle had said. “How did he break ties?” Liv asked.
She shrugged. “He simply revoked their connection. He said they all shut her out of their hearts.”
Okay, so if the island was using them somehow, feeding off of them, then she’s dying because of that. But why are they dying, too?
She thought it over for a moment. They’re still connected. They’re linked in some other way . It was how species evolved when they were in closed ecosystems. On a microscale, you had bacteria that lived inside people to keep them healthy while the person provided a nice little comfy home. On a macroscale, you had the planet. Everything depended on something else for survival. On a merman-scale, this island hadn’t just fed off them, it had also kept them alive because there was no other place on Earth that could’ve hidden them from humans for so long. Logic said that the mermen’s connection to this place was more complex than simply a prisoner and captor relationship.
Liv’s sat phone rang, and she dug it from her pocket. “Hello?”
“Liv, it’s Phil.”
“This isn’t a good time. Can I call you back?”
“I’m calling to tell you I did it.” His voice broke up with a bit of static.
“Did what?”
“The island is officially yours under US Law.”
Owning this hunk of insanity was the last thing she wanted or cared about. “Fantastic! Gotta go now—”
“Don’t hang up!” he blurted. “I’m also calling to let you know that I just checked with the Coast Guard, and they have no intention of deploying any boats to help with your little trespassing situation.”
“What trespassing situation?” Her blood went ice cold.
“I guess someone hasn’t been keeping up on their National Inquirer ,” he replied.
Oh no. The Fountain of Youth people. “My life is generally much too drama-mazing for that, but I assume you’re talking about the crazies looking for eternal life.”
“Yes. That would be them.”
Excellent. This was absolutely what they needed right now: Tabloid fans looking for a free facelift. And now that the island was sick, it seemed her little camouflaging trick wasn’t working.
“What about the private security Roen hired?” Liv asked.
“They need a few weeks to put everything into place, Liv. It’s a big hunk of land in the middle of nowhere, and they’re not allowed on it. That means getting large ships out there to patrol and—”
“Okay. I get it. We’re on our own.”
“That’s why I’m calling to warn you, Liv. I pulled a few strings and asked my friend at the Coast Guard to check out who’s near the island. Some of them are regular fishing boats, but they’re looking in the wrong area. But there is another boat five miles off your shore, heading right for you. There are about a hundred p—”
Phil cut out. “Phil? Hello?” Liv glanced at the device. No reception. She remembered once Roen saying that it wouldn’t work when the satellite went out of range. She’d have to call him back because she still wanted to ask if he could track Dana’s plane. Jets didn’t just disappear into thin air. Usually.
Liv pinched the bridge of her nose and then looked up at the women waiting impatiently. “We’re going to have company—a boat full of crazy tourists or something.” She sighed.
“The maids will kill them all,” said Amelia flatly. Liv was unsure if the statement was a happy one or out of concern for the people. There was a rumble from the other ladies.
“They’re getting weak,” said the black woman.
“They’re sick,
“Amelia? What about you?” Liv asked. Amelia was the first to be transformed, so she had been back the longest.
Amelia shook her head regretfully. “I don’t know much. Jason told me that he got sick the moment he broke ties with the island.”
That was similar to what Lyle had said. “How did he break ties?” Liv asked.
She shrugged. “He simply revoked their connection. He said they all shut her out of their hearts.”
Okay, so if the island was using them somehow, feeding off of them, then she’s dying because of that. But why are they dying, too?
She thought it over for a moment. They’re still connected. They’re linked in some other way . It was how species evolved when they were in closed ecosystems. On a microscale, you had bacteria that lived inside people to keep them healthy while the person provided a nice little comfy home. On a macroscale, you had the planet. Everything depended on something else for survival. On a merman-scale, this island hadn’t just fed off them, it had also kept them alive because there was no other place on Earth that could’ve hidden them from humans for so long. Logic said that the mermen’s connection to this place was more complex than simply a prisoner and captor relationship.
Liv’s sat phone rang, and she dug it from her pocket. “Hello?”
“Liv, it’s Phil.”
“This isn’t a good time. Can I call you back?”
“I’m calling to tell you I did it.” His voice broke up with a bit of static.
“Did what?”
“The island is officially yours under US Law.”
Owning this hunk of insanity was the last thing she wanted or cared about. “Fantastic! Gotta go now—”
“Don’t hang up!” he blurted. “I’m also calling to let you know that I just checked with the Coast Guard, and they have no intention of deploying any boats to help with your little trespassing situation.”
“What trespassing situation?” Her blood went ice cold.
“I guess someone hasn’t been keeping up on their National Inquirer ,” he replied.
Oh no. The Fountain of Youth people. “My life is generally much too drama-mazing for that, but I assume you’re talking about the crazies looking for eternal life.”
“Yes. That would be them.”
Excellent. This was absolutely what they needed right now: Tabloid fans looking for a free facelift. And now that the island was sick, it seemed her little camouflaging trick wasn’t working.
“What about the private security Roen hired?” Liv asked.
“They need a few weeks to put everything into place, Liv. It’s a big hunk of land in the middle of nowhere, and they’re not allowed on it. That means getting large ships out there to patrol and—”
“Okay. I get it. We’re on our own.”
“That’s why I’m calling to warn you, Liv. I pulled a few strings and asked my friend at the Coast Guard to check out who’s near the island. Some of them are regular fishing boats, but they’re looking in the wrong area. But there is another boat five miles off your shore, heading right for you. There are about a hundred p—”
Phil cut out. “Phil? Hello?” Liv glanced at the device. No reception. She remembered once Roen saying that it wouldn’t work when the satellite went out of range. She’d have to call him back because she still wanted to ask if he could track Dana’s plane. Jets didn’t just disappear into thin air. Usually.
Liv pinched the bridge of her nose and then looked up at the women waiting impatiently. “We’re going to have company—a boat full of crazy tourists or something.” She sighed.
“The maids will kill them all,” said Amelia flatly. Liv was unsure if the statement was a happy one or out of concern for the people. There was a rumble from the other ladies.
“They’re getting weak,” said the black woman.
“They’re sick,
Similar Books
