result of their pheromones or something. It makes you high and feel stupid-happy, so you don’t realize that they only want to use you and hurt you. What you feel isn’t real.”
“I saw the way you looked at Roen while you were fighting. Are you saying that’s not real either?”
“Yes, it’s real. That’s because Roen and I have a special relationship that…” Ugh. This is stupid. “No. I’m sorry. You’re right; it’s not real, which is why I’m leaving with you tomorrow.”
Dana looked at her feet. “I don’t want to go, Liv.”
“Dana, you’re not thinking straight. Because if you were, you’d be begging to get the hell off this rock.”
“Then why do I feel so—”
“Mom and Dad love you, Dana. Krista loves you. And so do I. So if you can’t believe me about what you’re feeling, can you at least believe in that?” She would never understand why Dana felt more to her like a daughter than a younger sister. It might’ve had to do with the fact that when Dana was a baby, Liv spent hours rocking her and pretending she was hers. Of course, they were only five years apart and with their similar faces, long dark hair, and big brown eyes, they looked more like twins than anything else. Regardless, Liv felt fiercely protective of her baby sister.
Dana nodded. “I know you love me, but can’t I—”
“Good. Because I promise once we get far, far away from here, you’ll see things in another light.”
Liv also prayed that Dana went back to being that smart, sassy, independent sister she loved so much. This version was so damned annoying.
CHAPTER TEN
Early the next morning, a loud knock on the front door woke Liv. Her hair a tangled mess from tossing and turning all night, she slowly rolled from the king-size bed in the cozy bedroom, where Dana still slept, and went to answer, finding a handwritten note shoved under the front door. It informed them the boat would be leaving soon, and reminded everyone of the law prohibiting the women from speaking of their time on the island or of its inhabitants.
Should you break this law, the punishment will be swift and not limited to yourself.
The scary-as-hell part was that this threat wasn’t idle. The island had known when Liv broke the promise. And yes, the punishment had been swift and not limited to herself—she’d ended up having a seizure-like episode on the floor of her psychiatrist’s office and then, that same day, Dana experienced a similar episode, almost dying from asphyxiation right before her eyes in the ER. Miraculously—or more accurately put: suspiciously—Liv had a small vial of sacred water in her purse and used it to save Dana.
The thing was, Liv had no clue how the island had done it—getting to Dana—especially considering what Roen had said. The island’s reach was limited to things around her that she could react with or connect to.
Liv woke Dana, and they washed up. Neither had any belongings to pack since they’d been “invited” as “guests” Wild West style. After grabbing an apple and some bottled water from the small kitchen inside the cottage, Liv and Dana marched down the hill along the dirt path. The sun was just over the horizon, and the sky shimmered with electric blue.
Liv stared through the swaying treetops at the unnatural display. Love this place or hate it, the beauty was unlike anything on the rest of the planet.
“You see that?” Liv said to Dana while the two made their way toward the marina.
Dana said nothing. Liv could tell from the lack of conversation and Dana’s sagging posture that she felt horrible. Maybe her merman-contact high had worn off.
Either way, Dana wasn’t arguing about leaving and they’d soon be on their way home.
One by one, the women quietly filed onto the small cruise ship, looking like they’d all been the victims of a spring break tequila-drinking contest.
Guess the penis-ogling party is over, girls. Despite glum appearances, Liv knew these
“I saw the way you looked at Roen while you were fighting. Are you saying that’s not real either?”
“Yes, it’s real. That’s because Roen and I have a special relationship that…” Ugh. This is stupid. “No. I’m sorry. You’re right; it’s not real, which is why I’m leaving with you tomorrow.”
Dana looked at her feet. “I don’t want to go, Liv.”
“Dana, you’re not thinking straight. Because if you were, you’d be begging to get the hell off this rock.”
“Then why do I feel so—”
“Mom and Dad love you, Dana. Krista loves you. And so do I. So if you can’t believe me about what you’re feeling, can you at least believe in that?” She would never understand why Dana felt more to her like a daughter than a younger sister. It might’ve had to do with the fact that when Dana was a baby, Liv spent hours rocking her and pretending she was hers. Of course, they were only five years apart and with their similar faces, long dark hair, and big brown eyes, they looked more like twins than anything else. Regardless, Liv felt fiercely protective of her baby sister.
Dana nodded. “I know you love me, but can’t I—”
“Good. Because I promise once we get far, far away from here, you’ll see things in another light.”
Liv also prayed that Dana went back to being that smart, sassy, independent sister she loved so much. This version was so damned annoying.
CHAPTER TEN
Early the next morning, a loud knock on the front door woke Liv. Her hair a tangled mess from tossing and turning all night, she slowly rolled from the king-size bed in the cozy bedroom, where Dana still slept, and went to answer, finding a handwritten note shoved under the front door. It informed them the boat would be leaving soon, and reminded everyone of the law prohibiting the women from speaking of their time on the island or of its inhabitants.
Should you break this law, the punishment will be swift and not limited to yourself.
The scary-as-hell part was that this threat wasn’t idle. The island had known when Liv broke the promise. And yes, the punishment had been swift and not limited to herself—she’d ended up having a seizure-like episode on the floor of her psychiatrist’s office and then, that same day, Dana experienced a similar episode, almost dying from asphyxiation right before her eyes in the ER. Miraculously—or more accurately put: suspiciously—Liv had a small vial of sacred water in her purse and used it to save Dana.
The thing was, Liv had no clue how the island had done it—getting to Dana—especially considering what Roen had said. The island’s reach was limited to things around her that she could react with or connect to.
Liv woke Dana, and they washed up. Neither had any belongings to pack since they’d been “invited” as “guests” Wild West style. After grabbing an apple and some bottled water from the small kitchen inside the cottage, Liv and Dana marched down the hill along the dirt path. The sun was just over the horizon, and the sky shimmered with electric blue.
Liv stared through the swaying treetops at the unnatural display. Love this place or hate it, the beauty was unlike anything on the rest of the planet.
“You see that?” Liv said to Dana while the two made their way toward the marina.
Dana said nothing. Liv could tell from the lack of conversation and Dana’s sagging posture that she felt horrible. Maybe her merman-contact high had worn off.
Either way, Dana wasn’t arguing about leaving and they’d soon be on their way home.
One by one, the women quietly filed onto the small cruise ship, looking like they’d all been the victims of a spring break tequila-drinking contest.
Guess the penis-ogling party is over, girls. Despite glum appearances, Liv knew these
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