Liquid vials of antibiotics lined the top shelf and he quickly grabbed one. This particular medicine packed a powerful punch, sure to help her beat whatever infection coursed through her body. He opened a drawer beside the fridge and collected a few needles. Here was hoping Meriya didn’t have a fear of sharp objects.
Rowan tried to rush back to his vehicle but struggled with not looking suspicious if someone did see him. The sound of a car faded as he approached the door and his shoulders relaxed. There was the chance someone could come to check on the animals, but most of the holding tanks had cameras where they could ascertain their conditions from home if they were concerned. He high-tailed it out of there needing to get to Meriya as soon as possible.
24
Rowan left her all alone. Nightmares of Nick coming back to finish her off played on repeat in her head, her world spinning as the fever climbed. She’d never been sick before, not like this.
She sank to the bottom and laid down to rest until Rowan got back, but as she curled up and put her head on her bent arm, her chest started to ache.
She couldn’t breathe.
Her gills burned and she shot to the surface, sucking in a lung full of air as the pain in her chest receded. She felt like death and probably wasn’t far from it. Forget that nonsense about becoming human. Surely, the process wouldn’t hurt this much if it were true.
She pulled herself out of the pool and barely managed to get to the fence before she collapsed. With one arm stretched through the bars, her mind called out to the ocean to save her.
No one answered.
No one would save her.
Cayson never offered to come rescue her. He told her to figure it out and then left her to her own devices.
Her fate was sealed. Even Rowan would be too late it seemed as her breathing became more labored. She never thought she’d be alone in her final moments. She’d always envisioned her family and friends surrounding her. Choking on a sob, she sent another prayer out to the water, hoping her family was at least okay.
“My, my… what do we have here?” A sickly, sweet voice cooed from behind.
She groaned, rolling onto her side, and discovered Nick standing over her. His booted feet planted on either side of her tail as he glared down at her.
Gasping, she tried to pull herself up, but she was too weak.
“No need to run. I’ve got you right where I need you. You’re going to make me a lot of money.” Nick rubbed his hands together as he licked his lips, eyes wild.
“No!” she screamed, but even her voice came out weak, barely a whisper. “Rowan will be back any minute. You’ll never get away with this.”
“Oh, but I already have. My good buddy is going to make sure Rowan’s delayed. I’ve got plenty of time.” His grin chilled her to the bones.
Nick pinned her to the ground with her arms trapped between his legs as he pressed a cloth over her nose and mouth. She struggled against him in vain.
Soon, her world blurred even more than it was with the fever and then winked out, pulling her into darkness.
25
Rowan’s foot couldn’t push the gas pedal down any farther. He’d be home in less than ten minutes at this pace. He needed to find a way to change her mind about returning. He’d figure that out once she started getting better, but damn, she’d only given him a day. Maybe she’d give him another to make sure she could survive.
His truck started to putter, jerking as it coasted to a stop. Looking at the gas gauge, the little orange gas pump light stared back at him, mocking his lack of fuel. He’d filled up the other day. How could he be out of gas?
Great. Just his luck.
He threw the truck into neutral, opened the door, and used it to push the car to the side of the road. This problem would be revisited later. He didn’t have time to wait for roadside service to put gas in his truck. Meriya needed him.
Home wasn’t too far. He kept one foot on the ground as he sat in the truck, leaned over to the passenger seat and grabbed the medicine and needles, and yanked the keys free as he stepped out.
The road stretched out before him, the sun still holding on to the day. He ran as much as he could and walked when he got tired. Perhaps if a car came near, he could catch a ride.
There’s no way he could have run out of gas. He kept trying to figure out why this happened when he filled up the other day and he only went to work. Scratching his head, he didn’t notice the headlights slowing down and finally coming to a halt near him until the window rolled down and Courtney yelled, “Need a ride?”
Rowan dipped his head and tried his best to wipe the sweat off on the sleeve of his shirt, the whole time, trying to keep his eyes on her.
Courtney’s eyes drank him up, no straw needed, brow cocked in fascination. He was glad he’d been avoiding her, but why couldn’t she stay gone?
He didn’t answer her question about needing a ride. “I ran out of gas.” The last thing on earth he wanted to do was get in a car with her. He wouldn’t be able to explain about Meriya, but what choice did he have?
“Yeah, I thought that was you walking on the side of the road, so I thought I’d offer.” Before he could even form a response, she already leaned over and popped the door open for him. “Get in. I’ll take you home.” Her words held a promise he wasn’t ready to commit to.
Regardless of the situation, his body felt too winded to argue. He needed to do more cardio in his workouts. Perhaps it was time he took up running along the beach again. He walked around the car and dropped into the seat of her tiny car, buckling up.
The space between them filled with silence, one he was perfectly okay with, though, he wasn’t sure if she was. Courtney loved to talk, even during their romp between the sheets. Those odd comments spoken between moments of pleasure were what irritated him the most.
No one wanted to be reminded they were out of milk in the middle of sex. They especially didn’t need to be told their eyebrows needing plucking either. He wondered if she was even really into the act, but she always came crawling back for more.
Rowan, so deep in thought as he stared out the passenger window, paid no attention to the fact that Courtney pulled right into his driveway without having to open the gate, parking by the garage in the back.
He didn’t linger in her car, choosing to throw the door open, and poke his head back in momentarily. “Thanks for the ride.”
He slammed the door and strode up to the house, but Courtney would not go quietly into the night. No, she got out of her car and followed him, feet stomping loudly to alert him of her presence, her ass right on his heels as he stepped into his house. “Rowan, wait!”
“Not now, Courtney.” Inside the house was a safer place for this argument, even though it was the last place he wanted to bring her, but he wanted to keep her away from the pool.
“Please, talk to me,” she whined, another reason why they hadn’t lasted too long. Sure, she was hot, but she whined, and they literally had nothing in common. Why she became so attached was beyond him.
“There isn’t anything to talk about, Court.” He set the medicine on the counter, turned around, and leaned against it to block those items from her view. “I’ve already talked to you until I was blue in the face.”
Undeterred, she sauntered up to him, placing her hands on his hips and leaning up to get in his face. She was going for seductive, but it was anything but. “We were good together, real good,” she purred, practically climbing him like a cat tree.
“You thought we were good, not me. I’m not trying to be an ass here.” He pried her hands from his body, pushing them away from his clothes. “I’d still like to be friends, so this doesn’t get awkward at parties.”
Her bottom lip gave a slight shake before her mouth settled into a thin line. Pulling herself together, she squared her shoulders and tried her best to salvage at least a shred of her dignity. “Fine.”
When she didn’t say anything else, he began to worry. “Fine?”
&nb
sp; “Yes, fine. I know when I’m not wanted.” As if she hadn’t acknowledged the twenty gazillion conversations before this one. Her eyes still held a calculating gleam, as if biding her time. In his mind, they’d only ever been friends, but he thought she still held out hope.
Taking a step forward, he forced her to move out of his way. “If you’ll excuse me, I need to arrange a tow truck.” No need to elaborate. Short. Sweet. To the point.
Her shoulders rose and fell and he half expected her to press the matter of staying. “Okay, but if you change your mind or want company, you know how to reach me.” Winking, she turned and sashayed out the door, a purpose to her steps and a swing in her hips. She would be the death of him.
Good grief, what had he ever seen in her? This was all Nick’s fault. At the thought of his now ex-best friend, he snatched up the medicine and ran out to the pool.
Meriya was nowhere in sight, but this situation didn’t set off any warning bells this time around. She’d hidden beneath the water before or behind the bushes lining his property. She had to be around here somewhere.
“Meriya?” The crystal-clear water held no signs of Meriya, nothing. Checking behind the bushes was a useless cause. She was nowhere to be found.
His search became more frantic, tearing at the bushes, throwing pool chairs.
“You looking for your girlfriend?” The question resonated from the yard next door.
Leaning against the fence dividing their backyard stood Rowan’s neighbor, garden tool in hand. His wild gray hair stuck out in various directions, the evening sun highlighting it from behind.
Oh no. He’d seen her? His neighbor didn’t ask any questions about her lower anatomy. Maybe he hadn’t noticed she was a mermaid.
“Yes, Mr. Caldwell. I’m looking for my friend, Meriya.”
“Some fella’ was in your yard about an hour ago. I saw him hauling something away.” He tossed the tool aside and pulled his glasses off to clean them with the edge of his shirt before resting them back on the bridge of his nose. “Perhaps she went with him?”
Nick. Damnit! He must have come back, but how did he get in? Rowan changed the gate code.
“Thank you, Mr. Caldwell.” Rowan spoke as calmly as he could, no reason for any panic at all, even as his pulse thumped in his forehead, anger rising within at an alarming degree. Nope, no one had been kidnapped. No one was being held against their will. Rowan plastered on a smile like it was just a normal day.
Giving his neighbor a friendly wave, he backed up a few steps before turning and painstakingly walking to the house, noticing the gate was completely open. Why didn’t it shut behind Courtney after she’d left? His first instinct was to run, but he didn’t want to make Mr. Caldwell suspicious.
Think, Rowan, think. His truck was out of commission and who knew where Nick could have taken Meriya and she was deathly sick. He made it to the end of his driveway and sank to the ground near the gate. She could be dead by the time he found her.
Blame festered within. He should have taken her back to the ocean the first time she asked, then she wouldn’t be in danger.
Upon first inspection, the gate looked fine, but when Rowan mustered up the strength to stand back up, he found where someone hacked at the control box with a screwdriver or some other tool. The door hung slightly askew, not enough to notice at first, but up close, yes. Nick must have climbed over and messed with it.
Nick wouldn’t have taken her back to his house if he was smart. Rowan snorted. If he was smart, Nick was anything but. Compulsive. Arrogant, yeah, but not smart.
Was his house too obvious, though? Or would he want Rowan to think his house was too obvious? To be safe, he’d have to check his place first.
He was getting him nowhere fast with his truck stuck on the side of the road. His heart sank when he realized he should have been nicer to Courtney. Maybe he could have gotten a ride to Nick’s house, but then, again, he might have to explain why. It was safer if fewer people knew about Meriya.
Sucking it up, he called the one person who he knew would help and not blab to the whole island, but probably wouldn’t believe a word he said.
Uncle Terrance.
He picked up on the third ring.
“Hello?” Uncle Terrance inquired, even though he knew it was Rowan. With this day and age, there was caller ID and Rowan knew his contact info was saved on his cell phone.
“Hey, um… listen. I need some help.” Starting off simple seemed best.
“Sure, what can I help you with?” Rowan knew he’d do anything for him. He’d practically raised him after Rowan lost his father. He stepped into the role like a champ.
“Can you come pick me up? I need a ride to my truck. It broke down.” Which was the truth, sort of? “It’s a long story. I can tell you about it on the way.”
“Fair enough. Let me change out of my work clothes and I’ll be right over.”
“Thanks.” Rowan disconnected the call, his hands clenching and unclenching. Nick was going to pay for this.
26
Her old friend darkness greeted her when she awoke. She was in water, but the stairs she laid on were tile, not concrete. This wasn’t Rowan’s pool. Nick took her somewhere else. Every time she tried to go underwater, her lungs felt clogged, and she wasn’t able to breathe through her gills. Something was wrong.
Hesitantly, she brought a hand up to feel behind her ear. Her fingers brushed across faint, raised lines where her gills used to be. A strangled sob escaped her, bouncing off the walls of the room.
As her eyes adjusted to the dark, she wished she had the power to generate light like some of the others in her class. Sure, she’d figured out how to shield herself, but only in the direst of circumstances. Not that this wasn’t dire, but she didn’t feel in any immediate danger at the moment.
She was a failure. A nobody. Both her body and soul ached. Her body for the sickness coursing through her. Her soul for the family she’d never see again.
Was her family searching for her like the Ocean? Did they even care she was gone?
Her vision blurred, obscuring what little she could see, but she made out a figure standing at the edge of the pool. For a brief moment, she thought it was Rowan and her heart flipped. No, that wasn’t right. Dizziness swirled around her and she swore the face attached to the body was her father. Her thoughts all crowded together, fighting to get up front. Not only was her head on fire, but her whole body felt heated.
She closed her eyes against a blinding light. The sky lit up bright as the noonday sun, but it flickered and hummed. She blinked rapidly, adjusting to the onslaught. Above her was a ceiling with circles of light hanging down. That’s where the light source was coming from. She wasn’t outside, Nick trapped her in a dilapidated building.
Concrete block walls accosted her from all sides, covered in chipped, blue paint. The figure who she’d first thought was Rowan was actually Nick. Her weak heart pulsed out a pitiful beat of dread, her hands trembling at her side. Whether from anger or fear, she wasn’t sure.
“You can’t hide from me now.” His lip curled up, malicious intent written all over his face. How was she going to get out of here and back to the ocean? If she could only get back to Her, she bet She could fix Meriya, make her well again.
Swimming from the shallow side of the pool out toward the deeper end proved a struggle. She relied on her arms way more than she should have, but her fins weren’t doing their job.
“Where are you going, sweet thing? I’ve got big plans for you. A friend of mine from the news station is coming to check you out.” Nick began pacing up and down the edge of the pool as she struggled to get away, his hands tucked neatly behind his back. “She doesn’t know it yet, but she’s about to meet a mermaid.”
“Please, let me go. I need to get back to the ocean.” Her stomach did a somersault, seized with panic. “I’m sick.”
“Tsk. Tsk. You’re not fooling me. If I take you back, I’ll never see you again, and I’ll lose my one chanc
e at fame.” His pacing stopped and he squatted down to where she clutched the side of the pool, abandoning her escape plan, unable to swim any farther.
“All these years, Rowan screamed at me about the existence of mermaids, telling me they were real. He finally gets one and hides it from me and the world.” Nick shook his head, disgusted. “He’s an idiot. His father left him plenty, but with you, he could have been set for life. I plan on taking all the glory now.”
Meriya’s insides churned, threatening to bring up what little she’d eaten the past twenty-four hours. Tears burned at the corner of her eyes, but no streaks of wetness followed. The fever dehydrated her. When she chanced a glance at the water to check out her reflection, to wallow in her grief, her eyes focused beyond the horrific image of her face and through the water.
Her fins were gone. In their place were what looked like toes. She still had most of her scales, but all around the remaining pieces peach-colored skin shown through.
The legends were true. She’d been away from the Ocean for far too long. Her body started the process of rejecting her previous form, trying to make her adaptable to the human world. Her tail hadn’t separated into two legs yet, but it was only a matter of time.
Could she reverse this? She didn’t want to live in a world where people like Nick existed. Cayson had the answers to her family. He also held the answers to why he thought she was royalty.
“What’s the matter with you?” Nick screamed at her, his voice grating across her eardrums, not helping with the nausea as it built up. “Stop crying. You’re going to be famous.” He marched to the only door she could find and peeked out, head shifting this way and that before sealing them back in.
He stomped toward her and she lacked the strength to try and swim away. She also couldn’t hide in the water since she could no longer breathe below its surface.
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