by S. K Munt
‘Saving yourself for a man you pimped your girlfriend’s out to the other night? He asked sharply.
He felt Grace shrug beside him. ‘You needed what I couldn’t give you. Watching you with them...it was easier than watching you fall all over Ivyanne.’ She kissed his collarbone. ‘Though I can’t wait until you’ve got your shit together enough to take what you need from me, and me alone.’
Her breath on his ear did funny things to his head, like warm hope raking through cold coals.
I could have her right now. He thought as the flames of desire licked their way from his lower abdomen down and up, taking complete possession of him as her lips moved to the back of his neck. Or Pintang, Saraya….I am mer. I have three duties-to breed, to protect my environment, and to keep our secret. I could marry Grace or I could play the field. I could turn a human woman for myself, or I could impregnate one of the Marked girls and join those branches. There’s nothing I have to do but live, and no rush to make a choice. Tristan may have what is mine, but now I can take what was his-everything. I can be legendary too. And I can make Ivyanne Court rue the day she let me slip through her fingers like wet sand!
The promise of such vindication made him smile, and he was eager to see just how much of a siren he could be. He turned to kiss Grace, but she was already walking away, humming prettily to herself, encouraging him to follow with a free will-an option Ivyanne had never given him. He could almost see the door Grace had left open behind her- the exit from the man he had always been, and the entry to who he was destined to become.
Yet Lincoln stayed where he was, smiling at last, embracing hope. He had time to conquer the world. And if he was going to lay a hand on someone like Grace, it wouldn’t be until he had cleared his heart of every other mermaid obstruction. She deserved that much, and if he could never love her the way she needed, she deserved his restraint.
For now, all he really needed was the ocean.
End.
Afterword
I just wanted to steal a few more seconds of your time, because clearly, I like to ramble on. But my intention is to thank those who have thrown themselves into and behind this little tale of mine. I’ve always been an avid reader, worshipping my favorite authors, and yet strangely only ever wrote to a few. I figured they were too busy to pay my fan-girling any mind.
Now that I’ve been on the creative side of the book, I’ve learned how much it means to an author to hear from fans, and I have screen shot every sweet comment, letter and review I’ve found, and each of them has made me cry. Being self-published isn’t an easy task and I know this story isn’t for everyone, nor is my style, hair-cut or the fact that I tend to vacuum a lot when the T.V is on, but every great review is worth one hundred negative ones, and keeps writer’s going when nothing else is.
I was pregnant when I started writing The Marked Ones, had my baby just as I passed Heads Or Tails around to my loved ones for feedback, and she will turn one two days after I publish it. They’ve grown together and my universe has been turned upside down by both in the very best ways. But I haven’t slept, barely eaten and have logged hundreds of hours at my desk a week for almost two years, hoping that I could make at least one person out there somewhere, turn the page.
So...thank you for turning the page. For forgiving my poor editing and for taking a chance on an unknown writer. When I hit the final chapter of this last night, I began to sob. It could be a sign of insomnia, but that aside-this has been the best experience of my life, even when it was the worst.
A big thank you to the people of Mackay who have shown their support by spreading the word. To my Facebook friends for sharing, to Beki, Hayley, Terri-Lee, Jess, Amanda, Alison, Kristyn, Kali, Courtney, Kylie and countless others who have been nagging me non-stop for the next book and reinforcing my belief that I might have something. To my husband James, three daughters and family, for agreeing not to speak to me for several hours a day or months on end because I was always ‘just about finished this page.’ To the mermaids I’ve met via the internet who have been eagerly spreading the word, to the brilliant writers, Anita Heiss and L.A Larkin for their encouragement this year, and the mermaid authors who have been showing their support, Tracey Lane and Emm Cole and lastly, to the wonderful new friends I’ve made via Goodreads who thrill me by never actually ceasing to talk about Tristan (and sometimes the others) Howard, Marie, Jen, Amie, Abby, Andrea, Mermaid Summer and Emm. You guys have made me giggle non-stop! I hope you find some peace with the ending ;)
Special mention goes to my cover artist, Natalie Rose Spasic, who was just brilliant to work with and actually worked through the night a few weeks ago, trying to perfect Heads Or Tails, and my web-designer Chris De Vincenzo. Every self-published writer needs a team like that!
And lastly...kisses to the new generation of ‘Marked’ children who I’m fairly certain were conceived, in large part, thanks to Tristan! Sonny, Sadie (who’s due any day!) And my own little Quinn-cess.
And in case you were wondering...no it’s not over. But I need to drag my board back down to the ocean before I write another word-THIS mermaid is suffering from some serious withdrawals.
Aloha!
S.K Munt.
Table of Contents
Copyright
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2.
3.
4.
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7.
8.
Part Two June 28th 1996
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14.
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17.
Part Three Part Three January 31st 1998
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24.
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26.
Epilogue
Afterword