Unstoppable Liv Beaufont Boxed Set

by Sarah Noffke

  “Knowing Rudolf, it’s a gem or a watch or some other strange treasure,” Liv stated.

  Bermuda blew on her hot tea. “I’m not so sure. Mermaids are really only interested in one thing, and they will kill anything that tries to take it from them.”

  Liv leaned forward and Rory did the same, both of them highly curious about what Bermuda would say.

  She set her teacup down. “Well, isn’t it obvious?”

  Liv and Rory glanced at each other, their faces full of confusion.

  “It isn’t to me,” Liv said. “How about you, Ro?”

  He rolled his eyes at her but shook his head. “Yeah, I have no idea.”

  Bermuda dropped two lumps of sugar into her tea. “It’s mortals. Mermaids are obsessed with mortals. They only go after vessels that have mortals aboard. They’ll murder a magician or any other magical creature who gets between them and their feast.”

  “Wait, then that means that mermaids want to eat mortals, but this one is apparently guarding something else because a mortal wouldn’t be alive at the bottom of the fountain,” Liv reasoned.

  Bermuda nodded as she stirred her tea. “I agree, which means the mortal isn’t alive. That makes the most sense, because mermaids only eat their prey alive.”

  “So the mermaid is guarding a bunch of bones?” Liv asked.

  Bermuda looked at her son. “She does understand how magic works, right?”

  “Barely,” he answered with a sigh.

  “Hey, there,” Liv warned. “I’m learning. I don’t have the benefit of your many, many years on this Earth, old man.”

  Again he rolled his eyes at her.

  “Liv, if the mermaid is in fact guarding something, then it must be a mortal, probably in a preserved state,” Bermuda said, trying to take another sip of her tea. “She might be waiting for the mortal to awake. Mermaids, as deceptive as they are, aren’t the brightest. They tend to fantasize and pine for things they can’t have.”

  “Well, then I just have to offer her something that she’ll like more than guarding a dead mortal,” Liv reasoned.

  Bermuda clapped, the action sounding like a firecracker going off. “That’s actually good. You can bait her with a different mortal. Do you have one you can throw to her?”

  Liv shivered with disgust. “No! That’s horrible. And no. Just no.”

  “Well, you need a way to distract the mermaid, and she’s going to be hungry,” Bermuda said.

  “Not to mention dangerous,” Rory imparted.

  “Yes, and the fact that you can’t breathe underwater will be another disadvantage for you,” Bermuda said.

  Liv let out a heavy sigh. “Why can’t I just drain the damn fountain and watch as the beast flops around while I get the prize?”

  Bermuda gasped with shock. “For starters, mermaids are endangered species. If you killed her, I’d be liable to report you to the Threatened Magical Creatures office.”

  “Of course you would,” Liv said dryly. “Didn’t you just say that it was impossible to get past a mermaid? Why are they dying out?”

  Bermuda shrugged. “Because, like I said, they aren’t smart. They end up in fishing traps or tangled up in trash in the ocean. Usually they see the nets as some sort of oasis.”

  “Okay, so I have to get into the fountain, get past the mermaid, and retrieve a mortal’s body, which, by the way, I have no idea what it’s doing in the House of Seven,” Liv said.

  “Stay focused on the problem at hand,” Bermuda commanded. “It’s none of your business what the body is doing there, but using a minimizing spell will help with carrying it to the surface.”

  “Can I try to bait the mermaid with something else?” Liv asked.

  “Only mortal blood will be of interest to her,” Bermuda answered. “However, the moment you slip into that fountain, she’ll attack you to defend her mortal.”

  “Would a disguising spell work?” Rory asked.

  Bermuda shook her head, taking another bite of the crumpet she had tried to eat before. “They can’t be fooled like that due to their sense of smell.”

  Liv stood suddenly, an idea occurring to her out of nowhere. “But her sense of hearing would work the same way as other sea creatures’, wouldn’t it?”

  Bermuda appeared perplexed. “Well, yes…”

  “Then I think I have an idea that could work, but I need to get to John’s shop first.” Liv grabbed a crumpet and waved to the two giants. “Thank you for all your help!”

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  The placid waters of the fountain reflected Liv’s image. She stared into the pool, seeing shimmering blues and greens deep in the water.

  She glanced down at Plato beside her. “What do you think of the plan?”

  “I think it could work,” he answered, his eyes on the water. “But it could also not work.”

  “I knew you were going to say that.”

  “Then why ask the question?” Plato said.

  “Well, it’s this thing people do when they need to be reassured and encouraged in a dangerous situation,” Liv answered.

  Plato plastered a fake grin on his face, which looked all wrong, as if he were a deranged cousin of the Cheshire Cat. “You can do this. Go, you.”

  Liv grimaced. “Don’t ever be cheerful again. It doesn’t suit you.”

  His smile dropped. “I could have told you that.”

  Liv pulled the Fish Finder that Mr. Simmons had dropped off at the shop for her to fix from her pocket. She’d repaired it but had conveniently forgotten to tell him that it was ready for pickup. She’d return it to him after one small use. Turning the device on, she waited for the sonar sensor to detect whatever was in the pool. A moment later, it showed a giant fish on the far-right side of the fountain.

  “Looks like we found our pretty lady,” Liv said, striding to the opposite side of the fountain, some twenty yards away.

  “Yes, I’m sure she’s pretty. About like an anglerfish,” Plato stated.

  Pulling off her cape and boots, Liv prepared for the plunge. She knew the water was going to be cold, and that she’d have to swim fast. What she didn’t know was if the minimizing spell she’d just learned would work on the mortal’s body so she could easily carry it to the surface. When she’d practiced it on the refrigerator in John’s shop, it had made it so that it was lighter but not any less bulky. Plato had stated that was how the spell was supposed to work. Too bad for Liv, she’d learned how to expand things, like the shop, but hadn’t figured out how to do the opposite with a compacting spell.

  Liv would have taken the time to learn the spell, but Plato informed her that they didn’t work well on physical beings and could have permanent side effects. It would do no good to retrieve the mortal for Rudolf, only to deliver a tiny person who wasn’t in the shape he wanted them.

  “Why does Rudolf want some mortal who is sleeping at the bottom of the fountain in the House of Seven again?” Liv asked Plato.

  The lynx flicked his tail, watching the surface of the water. “Dead,” he corrected. “His mortal is dead, most assuredly. A sleeping spell wouldn’t work underwater.”

  “Okay, same question as before,” Liv said. “Why does he want some dead person?”

  “Some people are into that,” Plato said with a laugh.

  “Oh, gross.” Liv grimaced.

  “I’m sure you’ll find out when and if you’re successful.”

  “Again, can we work on being a bit more positive when I’m about to risk my life for a mission?”

  “Okay,” Plato affirmed. “But do I have to be positive otherwise?”

  Liv shook her head. “No. I realize that would kill your spirit, and I wouldn’t want that.”

  After she’d rolled up her sleeves and removed her socks, Liv tied her hair back, trying to minimize anything that could potentially slow her down. It had been a lifetime since she had gone swimming. Many in Los Angeles went to Malibu or Santa Monica and swam on the weekends, but firstly, Liv didn’t like the tour
ists who were always clogging up the beaches with their popup tents and bratty kids. And secondly, swimming in freezing-cold shark-infested water wasn’t the least bit appealing to her.

  She laughed at the irony as she stared at the chilly pool of water where a monster resided, guarding something that she couldn’t leave without.

  The vial of John’s blood that Liv had taken from him was still warm thanks to the spell she’d put on it. She was a little tired of taking blood from people she loved, like when she’d had to use Sophia’s to trick Queen Visa. However, Liv was pretty certain that she needed John’s blood to make this work, and also, it was viable as bait to entice the mermaid as long as it was fresh. Liv hoped that the blood of a mortal was enticing enough to take the mermaid away from the spot she was guarding.

  Finally, Liv pulled the sonar device she’d made from under her cape. This was the part of her plan she doubted the most. There had been no way to test it, and it was unique technology since she’d created it herself—after fixing the Fish Finder, of course. Using a normal active sonar device she’d found in the junk bin in the shop, Liv had tweaked it using magical tech. She wasn’t sure if her skills were up to par for combining her magic with electronics, but all of her mess-ups fixing things had paved the way. Once she had repaired and upgraded the device, Liv had made it so that she could increase the frequency, which, when combined with the magic tech, would hopefully make the mermaid a non-issue.

  Liv laid the device down beside her cape right in front of Plato. “You know what to do?” she asked him.

  “I click that button on top,” he answered, holding up his paw like he was going to do it right then.

  “Do you know when to do it?” she grilled him.

  He nodded. “When it’s time.”

  Liv rolled her eyes. “Do you know when that time is?”

  “Before you get eaten.”

  Liv shook her head. “If I die in this fountain, I will haunt you for the rest of your long-ass life.”

  “Good, you can join the club,” Plato said seriously.

  “And if someone comes into this area of the garden?” Liv quizzed.

  “Then I disappear, leaving you to fend for yourself,” Plato answered.

  “I don’t believe that was what we discussed.”

  Plato huffed with annoyance. “I’ll use my voodoo to ensure I’m not seen, but otherwise, I’ll be right here, monitoring the sonar device.”

  Liv wasn’t sure how long the sonar device would work, but she was gambling on having at least a minute, or maybe a bit longer where the mermaid was no longer incapacitated. That was why the timing had to be right. And she wasn’t sure it would work, but she was running out of time to experiment.

  Uncorking the vial of blood, Liv offered Plato one last look, full of hesitation. “Okay, get ready. It’s almost time.”

  “Get ready for what?” he asked through a long yawn.

  Liv couldn’t help but laugh. “That’s the kind of morale boost I expect from you. Thanks.”

  She turned the vial over, spilling the contents into the fountain and staining the water red.

  Something jerked under the surface, knocking into the side of the wall on the far side.

  “Looks like Viperfish is awake,” Liv said, tensing all over.

  The water rippled as the mermaid swam under the surface, and the waves increased as a dark figure moved closer to the top. She wasn’t to the halfway point of the tank when Liv jumped up on the rim bordering the fountain and sprinted along the side, then dove in. She sincerely hoped the pool was thirty feet deep because her body was arched. She really didn’t want to dive into a shallow basin, but it was too late to worry about that now.

  Her hands reached out in front of her as the night air whipped across her face. Although it had been many years, her dive was in form, her hands touching the surface of the water first followed by her arms, head, and body.

  The cold was piercing, the water dark. Liv kicked hard, headed for the bottom of the tank. Not only was she confined by how long the sonar device would work, she also knew that in this cold tank she wouldn’t be able to hold her breath for long. Already her lungs were pulsing with the urge to breathe. Liv kept her lips pressed tightly together and pushed harder to the bottom.

  The darkness grew as she got farther. Liv doubted if she’d even be able to see the mortal’s body down there when a shimmering light caught her attention ahead. Bubbles blurred her vision as she swam.

  A scream pierced the water, echoing in Liv’s head. The mermaid knew she was there.

  Chapter Thirty

  Liv dared to look over her shoulder, but all she saw was a commotion on the other side of the tank. There were bubbles everywhere, like something was caught in a tornado. Soon it would be time for Plato to start the sonar.

  Although the mermaid was apparently faster than a shark, it would still take her a little while to cross the tank, which was one of the reasons to bait her on the other side. Also, there was little chance of getting to the mortal with the mermaid resting right on top of it, or however she spent her time.

  Kicking hard, Liv finally caught sight of the mortal lying at the bottom of the fountain. It was a woman wearing a white gown. Her long brown hair floated around her, partially obscuring her pale face. However, Liv could tell that she was stunning, her features balanced and her skin flawless even after all this time submerged.

  Liv pointed a finger at the mortal, sending the minimizing spell at her. Her body rose off the floor of the tank slightly.

  So far, so good, Liv thought, feeling victorious.

  Then it happened again—the scream, this time closer. Liv whipped around, and bubbles were rushing in her direction. That was when Liv saw her.

  Hey, pretty lady, Liv thought, momentarily wondering if ugliness could be a weapon.

  The picture in Mysterious Creatures didn’t do the mermaid justice. Her long, flowing seaweed-like hair spread all around her, its pointy locks twirling as she sped in Liv’s direction. Her mouth, with its rows of knife-like teeth, was open. Her dark eyes resembled those of a fish, large and unblinking. Her long-clawed hands reaching in Liv’s direction, her black dorsal fin propelling her faster than a motor on a boat.

  Hell, she’s supposed to be incapacitated, Liv thought urgently. Could she create a portal here if necessary? She didn’t think so. She realized she was screwed when the mermaid collided with her like a torpedo.

  The mermaid’s clawed hands grabbed Liv’s arms, piercing her skin and sending blood into the blue waters. Liv brought her leg around to kick the mermaid in the chest, which under other circumstances would have been totally rude since she wasn’t wearing a top.

  The assault didn’t have any effect on the mermaid, who screamed in Liv’s face, her voice somehow making Liv’s teeth hurt from the vibration.

  She tried to pull free, but the mermaid was impossibly strong.

  Sit-ups, Liv thought morbidly as she fought for her life. The mermaid spent endless hours at the bottom of the tank doing sit-ups and other strengthening exercises.

  The mermaid’s jaw came unhinged, her face splitting almost in half, making her look like a strange doll. Liv knew what came next: one bite, and she’d be dead. Nothing could survive an attack from something that size.

  Air escaped Liv’s lungs as she kicked and thrashed, doing everything she could think of to fight the mermaid. If she could just get away an inch or two, she could try a spell on the creature, although they hadn’t found anything that would be instantly effective. Still, dying at the bottom of the fountain after a short fight had the worst potential.

  The mermaid’s eyes widened as she pulled Liv into her to chomp down on her shoulder. The monster was going to eat her heart out.

  This was the end, Liv thought, continuing to fight the impossibly strong mermaid.

  The grip on Liv’s arms loosened and she jerked free, kicking backward as the mermaid let go, floating away, her head lolling to the side.

  It had work
ed! Liv could hardly believe it! And not a moment too soon. The sonar must have taken longer than she’d calculated to work.

  She didn’t waste any more time, swimming back in the direction of the mortal. Liv knew she only had twenty or thirty seconds before she was out of air. Scooping up the woman’s body, Liv sped toward the surface of the water, her lungs aching for oxygen. She nearly opened her mouth, allowing water to surge into her body.

  Just a bit farther, Liv encouraged herself, seeing the light brighten as she neared. The girl’s hair flowed into her face, partially obscuring her view. Each second was making it harder to kick, and Liv was losing momentum. Even when she got to the surface, she’d still have to get the woman out of the fountain. It seemed hopeless, but she didn’t give up.

  She slowed when the surface was only a few feet away, finding it impossible to continue to carry the woman all the way to the top. Her lungs burned.

  Only two more feet.

  The mermaid screamed at the bottom of the fountain.

  Liv pushed harder. I can’t ever give up. Not now, not ever.

  One foot.

  She felt the surge of water under her as the mermaid sped toward her.

  She’d never get out of the tank and pull the mortal out before the mermaid got her.

  When Liv broke the surface of the water, she took a giant breath, her lungs drinking in the air and welcoming it like a spring day after the longest winter.

  She was about to push the woman’s body over the side of the fountain when something like a lion’s mouth gently picked the woman up by her gown, pulling her out of Liv’s arms. She barely had a moment to register the strange vision or protest when something bit into her ankle.

  Liv screamed, grabbed the side of the fountain, and held on for dear life as the mermaid tried to yank her back under.

  Trying to kick the mermaid in the face, Liv screamed. “Plato! The sonar!”

  The lion disappeared, having safely put the woman’s body on the ground beside the fountain. Liv squeezed her eyes shut, trying to pull herself up as the mermaid clawed at her legs. The only thing that had saved her so far was that the bite wasn’t that big. However, soon the monster would unhinge her jaw like she had before and then she’d be done.