I swung my head around to look up into his face. "What are you talking about?" Just then, I heard it. The sound that water makes right before a wave peaks. The deep rumbling of power.

Brendan's teeth sank into Graham's neck moments before the two of them were encircled by angry water. The globe trapped them both and sent them hurdling away from us and down the sand bar.

I think what happened next only lasted a few seconds, but it would forever change my life.

Brendan ripped out Graham's throat. The merman grabbed for the hole, but was unable to slow his death. It came quickly and horribly. I could barely see it through the water, but just as Brendan seemed to have won, he dropped to the ground and sucked in a large amount of liquid.

The aqueous barrier disappeared, and Kain couldn't stop me from running toward them. I reached Graham first, and although we'd shared a few intimate moments in our brief life together, I jumped over his corpse and dove to the ground next to Brendan.

His seal skin now rested over a human body as though he were taking a nap. Blood seeped out from several wounds, with the worst one being just above his heart.

"Brendan," I cried and threw off his skin. What I saw stopped me cold. Graham's knife had pierced through every opening between his ribs. Part of his internal organs were showing, and the blood pumping from his heart began to slow. "No, no, no."

Kain fell to the ground next to me and placed his hands over Brendan's heart, trying to stop the bleeding. I sat there and cried. We were not going to be able to save him, and only a few seconds later, Brendan left me forever.

My world stopped being. My heart seemed to stop beating and I stopped living. Brendan was dead. He died fighting for me and after all of the bad things that happened between us, I didn't think I could survive his death. It was one thing to know that he left me yet was still in this world, it was another to lose him completely.

My gut ached with longing. Brendan had been a part of me for so much of my life, I simply couldn't imagine him not existing anymore.

"Eviana?" Kain's heavy arm wrapped over my shoulders, but I really didn't feel anything. The weight of the world already pulled me down. "Eviana, we have to go."

I snapped my head in Kain's direction, annoyed that he wanted to leave so quickly after Brendan had just died. When he saw my look he tensed up, but then pointed in the other direction. Abhainn was floating above the surface, just past where the sand bar dropped off, waiting for us.

"I am very sorry, Mistress Dumahl," he said. "But we must get ye to sh.o.r.e. Now."

I couldn't speak, but somehow I moved. I don't remember exactly how I did it, but I reached down and gave Brendan's beautiful face one last kiss, then grabbed his skin. Kain gave me a look that I ignored. I wasn't ready to let go completely just yet, and they could keep their opinions to themselves for all that I cared.

I walked into the sea deep enough to change and dove head first under the surface hugging all that I had left of Brendan tightly against my chest.

Twenty Three Eviana The silence under the water should have calmed my senses, but instead it infuriated me. Was everyone dead? All of the ratchets that fought for our cause? All of Lucian's supporters? Was this war finally over?

I had my answer the moment we reached the sh.o.r.e. Bodies littered the beach, some moving and groaning, other still. The once romantic resort had been reduced to a battlefield reminiscent of years past. Several of the private villas looked like they'd weathered a hurricane, while the gazebo continued to burn. Even though the scene was disturbing in so many ways, my focus couldn't be deterred.

I walked from the ocean, transitioning as soon as my tail brushed the bottom. Dragging behind me like a symbol of my fury, Brendan's seal skin splashed in the waves. I don't know why I carried it really, I guess I couldn't let it go. I felt Kain and Abhainn hovering behind me, but I only had eyes for one merman.

Those left standing in the crowd had formed a semicircle around Lucian, who waited patiently for my arrival. His back was toward the flames, yet I could still see that his hair hung wildly around his shoulders, and his chest was covered in sc.r.a.pes and cuts. He leaned on a long sword shining against the background.

I marched up closer to him, ignoring Kain and Abhainn's warning to stay back. As I got within ten feet of my biological and psychotic father, I noticed the rest of the preparations he'd made.

On their knees in front of the brooding merman, were what was left of my friends and family. Marisol's black eye and swollen lips made her almost unrecognizable. She sobbed and shuttered like it was her last day on this planet. Daniel's face was hard and determined despite the fact that he cradled his arm I was sure would be broken. Troy and Palmer slumped against the ground, unconscious and possibly dead. To the side, Julian stood with Malcolm, but their focus was on Lucian. He had them under his control.

"I brought you a present, daughter." He waved his arms around in front of him. "I must say that I am quite impressed with the efforts here tonight, but you all need learn your place now." He looked around the crowd. "And I think I will start with her."

A protector pushed his way forward, towing a woman behind with little care for her well being. He tossed Adele Lyonetta to the ground in front of Lucian. I knew I should have felt something, but my emotions were so numbed by Brendan's death that I failed to harness the energy.

"This woman is no longer your leader. She has committed treason by directly attacking me this evening and for that she will pay." He raised his sword and prepared to swing. Adele's eyes met mine just before she smiled. If I hadn't been looking for it, I never would have noticed her slight nod. At first I thought she was accepting her impending death, but then I saw her mouth something to Kain.

He grabbed my hand and squeezed so hard, I snapped back into action. Lucian's sword swung in slow motion while I commanded him to stop. Even when practicing the last couple of days, I'd only been able to get partial control over Lucian. He was too strong.

But this time, I had Kain. His strength flowed through me like a warm blanket and an electrical pulse of power. In one hand, I held on to a symbol of my past that fueled the hatred I had toward Lucian. And in the other, I held my future.

With the a.s.sistance of Kain's energy, I felt like I could compel the world. Everything around me disappeared aside from Lucian and his swinging sword. I threw out all of my focus on his actions and commanded him to stop. It was like I could almost see the compulsion explode from my body, cross the sandy beach, and dissolve into Lucian's head. The time for sticky hands and glowing minds was over. My power now resembled a lightning strike; deadly accurate and powerfully destructive.

In slow motion, Lucian lifted his eyes to meet my fierce gaze. I could see the disbelief cross his features at the same time he dropped the sword, inches away from Adele's neck. No one interfered, and no one spoke. Or if they did, their words were dead to me. I screamed in frustration when I felt Brendan's seal skin brush against my leg. With that, came another push of my compulsion, and almost every merfolk, selkie, and sprite on the beach dropped to their knees.

I vaguely remember looking over at Kain and wondering why he was still standing, but the errant thought floated away when I refocused on Lucian.

"You do not win!" I yelled at him. "You will no longer torment us, threaten us, or rule over us! You are finished!"

My throat hurt, my heart hurt, but the anger inside of me dulled all of the pain. I was seeing red. Images of my parents, my uncle, the Shannons, Jeremiah, and Brendan swarmed my vision, almost causing me to lose my balance. Too many had died at the hands of this man.

Lucian Sutherland, the manipulating mastermind who single-handedly destroyed my family and so many others, knelt before me like an obedient dog. In a haze, I moved toward him, feet sinking into the sand, my wedding gown dripping with seawater and whipping in the wind. With Brendan's skin wrapped tightly in my left hand, I broke contact with Kain. The power surging through me didn't cease. So I embraced it.

Lucian's sword lay just out of reach of fallen merman, but he never made a move. I had total control over his mind and body and for the first time, I relished in that feeling. Bending forward, I picked up the sword. It was heavier than I imagined. The steel blade reflected the reds and oranges of the fire behind us, and the dark pits of shadows encircling us all. I lifted the sword up high and stared at it. Could I do it? Could I kill him?

"Eviana?" Kain asked. He hadn't moved, but he was still immune to my compulsion. I c.o.c.ked my head to the side trying to put together a cohesive thought. Brendan's skin tingled in my hand so I held it up next to my chest. I think I shed tears, but I still couldn't feel everything. There was pain in there, deep inside the pit of my stomach, and I couldn't let it out just yet.

The only semblance of emotion I could fathom was revenge. Lucian had to die tonight.

I placed the sword in his hand and commanded him to rise. He complied and awaited his next order. Lucian had to die tonight, but I didn't have to be the one to do it. With a quick force of words in his head, I set us all free from his torturous reign. He plunged the sword into his chest, piercing his heart, and ending his life for good.

"Eviana!" Kain shouted and ran toward me.

"Gather the rest of them and do what you will to end this," I said to Adele and anyone else who would listen. My head throbbed and my legs gave out. I was so tired.

The moment I broke my hold on my audience, Elizabetta screamed and attacked the closet mermaid to her which was a costly mistake. Adele took one look at Elizabetta and forced the water in her cells, tissues, and organs, to suffocate her faster than I would have thought possible. The beautiful creature fell to the ground, face twisted into a panicked look that would stay there forever. No one else attacked after that.

I felt a pair of warm, strong arms wrap around me and hold tight. "Eviana, I'm here," Kain whispered in my ear. "I'm here."

Realizing it was over, I began to sob. Brendan's skin fell limply over my lap, causing me to cry louder and faster. Another set of arms joined us, followed by several more. Marisol nestled up against me and Daniel hugged my back. I think Palmer and Abhainn even joined in. The feeling of comfort and peace overwhelmed me. After everything that happened, we were going to make it out okay. Or at least some of us were.

The last thing I remembered was the body of Lucian, on his knees and tilted forward, resting on the hilt of his sword. We'd ended this war, and I could finally rest.

I closed my eyes and let the blackness surround me.

Three days later, we gathered on the beach in front of my house to say goodbye to Brendan. Malcolm and Julian had been seriously injured in the fight, but with Julian's master selkie status, they managed to make their way here. Troy was one of the few protectors to survive. He'd saved Palmer from that fate as well, and I would forever be grateful.

I'd remained unconscious until late in the night, and after Adele managed to take control of the situation. Most of the merfolk still siding with Lucian decided to step down and accepted Adele's offer to rejoin their communities in return for complete support. The other choice had been death. Still, half of the merfolk leaders who had attended Lucian's little celebration lost their lives. Isabel reported that a dozen ratchets were killed, and one selkie died. My selkie.

I'd functioned in a haze since we left the islands and returned home. Life continued on. Even this new life post Lucian and the brutal merfolk war that needed to hidden from humans. The bodies on the beach were removed and dumped at sea. The resort received a hefty donation for repairs for the unfortunate "lightning strike" and subsequent storm damage. With the loss of so many merfolk leaders, a new regime was evolving. I knew I would have to play my part in it all, but today was reserved for Brendan.

"Does anybody have anything else they'd like to say?" Daniel asked. His eyes were puffy and his nose red. He'd loved Brendan too, even after all that had happened.

We stood in a small circle an hour before sunset, looking down at a picture of Brendan. It had been taken on this very beach a year ago. His green eyes shown in the sunlight and his smile brightened the entire day. It was one of the only photos I had. His body stayed behind in the Bahamas, taken far enough out into the deep waters that it would never be seen again. Julian promised me that it was the way of the selkies and I had to accept that he would have wanted to finish his life underwater.

I still held his skin in my arms, refusing to let it go just yet. "Thank you all for this," I whispered. Kain smiled at me across the circle, and Marisol squeezed my hand. "I'm going to go now."

After a round of hugs and silent goodbyes to Brendan's picture, I turned and walked to the surf. The late afternoon sun warmed my face as the gulls overhead called to me.

"Are you sure you don't want me to come with you?" Kain's quiet approach startled me.

"No, I'm okay." I leaned into his chest. "I need to do this alone." He kissed the top of my head and lingered there for several long moments. I knew that he was worried about me, but I would heal eventually. Today would be the first step.

Kain left my side but I waited until he disappeared behind the dunes before moving again. For a brief second, I dropped Brendan's skin, giving me just enough time to step out of my dress. Scooping up the only piece of him I had left into my arms, I walked underneath the surf.

Many days and nights, I would swim these waters to meet Brendan at our sanctuary. The rocky island became ours shortly after he moved to California to be near me. Now, I was returning there to say my final goodbyes.

I almost thought that the ocean knew I was grieving today. The kelp seemed to stand still, the otters swam leisurely around my flanks. No one wanted to play. As I approached the rocky sh.o.r.e, my heart climbed into my throat. An overwhelming wave of grief tugged at my stomach, threatening to pull it free.

I swallowed the lump and fought back the tears, as I demanded my legs to form and support the weight of the day. With his skin in hand, I walked to the far edge of the rock formation, where the sheer face plummeted straight down. The sun always reflected a thousand colors off of the shards, but today seemed to be only shades of red.

Choosing a final resting spot for his skin, I laid it down next to the wall and on top of a large boulder. Not knowing what to say, I stood still until the sun was just about to set. Too much had pa.s.sed between us to sum up in words. I'd loved Brendan for so long and so deeply that I guessed there would always be a hole in my heart.

Only time would heal the gaping wounds left in our world. Loved ones were lost, a new leadership was developing. Policies, Council members, our relationship with humans...it was all about to change. Each day would bring a new beginning and each day we would get a little bit closer to being whole.

I kissed my hand and gently rested it against Brendan's skin. Goodbye, I thought, and turned to walk back to the water. Breathing in deep, I closed my eyes and prepared to move on. It wasn't going to be easy, but I knew that I had friends and family who would be there for me, and we would survive this together.

As the final glimmer of orange retreated beneath the horizon, I vanished under the sea to begin my new life.

Epilogue.

One Year Later "Hurry up!" Marisol squeaked. I watched her stumble over a shoe and curse when she stubbed her toe against the ground.

"I told you that dress was too long," Daniel teased, and then quickly dodged a flying object. I think it was my hairbrush.

"You two aren't helping me." I couldn't get the back of my dressed hooked, and they were too busy picking fights with each other to realize this. "I guess we'll just have to cancel."

"No!" they both shouted together. I laughed.

"You are not getting out of this one, Eviana." Daniel immediately began working on the final few clasps and I tried not to breathe so they would pull together. "You are going to have this wedding today, no matter what. I don't care if there is a nuclear attack, this is happening."

"Besides, you're all dressed up now, it would be a shame to waste the day," Marisol said while she fastened my necklace and fluffed my hair.

I had a feeling she was more concerned with people not seeing her new gown, but then again she had grown up quite a bit in the past year. She was completely obsessed with Quinlan, and I knew she was counting the days until she could have her wedding. But she had also stepped up into a leadership role with me. I'd put her in charge of organizing the youth programs for our clan, and she was doing a wonderful job. My parents would have been so proud of her. I was proud of her.

"Thank you," I said and quickly kissed her cheek. She pulled back in mock disgust, but I saw the hint of a smile on her face as she moved to the door.

"There, you're finished." Daniel patted my back and turned me so I could look in the mirror. For all of the times I'd almost been married off in the last year and a half, today was the day it would really happen. Today I was marrying Kain.

My dress was simple, elegant, and perfect for the small beach ceremony we planned. I'd decided on a long veil that hung freely from my head and disappeared into the lace of the skirt. The sleeveless flowing dress had been hemmed so that I wouldn't have to wear shoes. Small accents of blues, blacks, and golds in my jewelry represented both of our clans. My leadership pin rested on my waist, and hummed with power and approval.

I looked at my reflection, amazed at the woman staring back at me. Sure, I was only nineteen, but since ending the war with Lucian, I'd accepted my clan leadership with pride and have worked closely with the Council and other leaders to build a new world for us all. I may have been young, but I held my own with the elders and I'd earned the respect of my kind.

Kain and I still managed our clans as one. After today, the merger would be official. Adele had offered me a seat on the Council, but after many late night discussions with Kain, I decided to postpone that invitation for a few years. I needed time to secure my leadership. Merfolk were still deciding what role the Councils would have. And Kain and I needed time with each other.

A flurry of b.u.t.terflies danced in my stomach as I thought about my growing relationship with Kain. We'd been inseparable this past year. When I grieved over the loss of Brendan, he held me close and let me cry. When we needed to make tough decisions as leaders, we talked them through together and presented a unified front. It was so easy with him.

There was a part of me that was still upset for not realizing how amazing he was a long time ago. I would forever be sorry for causing him so much pain in the past, even though he promised that it didn't matter now. We only had our future to look forward to and that future would begin today.

"Earth to Eviana. Come on, they're waiting," Daniel nudged me in the side to make sure I was paying attention.

"Okay, okay." I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I'm ready."

Following the two of them down the stairs, we made our way through the house and out to the back deck overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Kain and I would share our time between this house and his family's estates in Boston and Los Angeles. I had been thrilled to hear him say that he didn't want to give this place up, as it was special to him too.

Palmer waited for me outside. His wide smile and excitement were contagious. "Look at you, cuz. The most beautiful bride in the world." He kissed my check and held out his arm. As the closest living male relative I had, Palmer would give me away today.

Daniel and Marisol made up our wedding party. We didn't want to make it a big ordeal, especially considering all of the losses merfolk had recently endured. Despite protests from Adele and presentations from Daniel showing that he could put a spectacular wedding together, we made them promise that the affair would be small and intimate.

"Here, let's go," Marisol commanded after shoving a bouquet of flowers into my hands. The mix included roses, irises, orchids, and baby's breath. A perfect blend for a perfect summer day. Palmer and I laughed as we began our descent to the beach.

I wasn't nervous at all. For as much as I dreaded being a teenage bride not too long ago, I knew without a doubt, that this is what I wanted. Not only was it important for our clans, but I loved Kain with every cell in my body, and I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him. I felt like I could never get enough of his smile, his touch, or his voice. I'd realized how important he was to me a year ago, and I knew that I would never forget that again.

As we made our way toward to the group, I couldn't help but smile. Troy and his much older girlfriend were the first ones I saw. I admit I enjoyed Troy's relentless pursuit of mature women, although at least this one was a mermaid. He gave me a slight nod as we walked past, so I returned the gesture. Troy had been busy recruiting protectors to fill the ranks of both of our clans since we'd lost so many in the war. He'd become a valuable advisor and friend, and I was thankful for his consistent support.

Carissa stood next to them, grinning widely and looking like the supermodel she was. She and Palmer began dating a few months ago, and I couldn't be happier for the both of them. I thought it might be awkward between us, but not once did she give me a hard time about Kain and I being together and in fact, we'd become close friends.

Aleksey and Quinlan were next, and both of them snuck in a kiss for Daniel and Marisol as they walked past. I was surprised when Julian moved his permanent home nearby and even more amazed that he took in the two young selkies whose hearts were captured by a pair of mermaids. Their relationships wouldn't survive forever, Julian and I knew that all too well, but for now he thought it was more important to know and feel what love really was before their instincts told them otherwise.

Julian, the silent leader of the selkies, and Malcolm, who insisted on being here today, were both now a permanent part of our defense team. Our relationship with the selkies made other clan leaders uneasy, but no one protested. Especially after they saw their work in the Bahamas. Both men greeted me with a big smile and bright green eyes that would forever pierce my soul. I'd loved the selkies for such a long time, it made me whole knowing that I could keep them in my life.

And speaking of uncomfortable relationships, Isabel and Abhainn managed to come to the ceremony. The ratchets, sprites, and other creatures like the nereid's came out of hiding after the merfolk a.s.sured them we'd keep their locations a secret. They weren't without caution, and demanded several promises that included a vow that water control would never be used against them and in return, they would a.s.sist with the merfolk affairs which required their specialized skills. Mostly that meant death and destruction, but Kain and I continued to meet with Abhainn to work on our water abilities and just have a conversation with a friend. He was blissfully happy with Isabel, and it was my understanding that she'd secured her role as queen. They had a home on some secluded island in the tropics, which I understood was protected by an army of sprites.

When we reached the end of the small crowd, my heart fluttered. Kain looked amazing, and the way the sun highlighted his blond hair and tall frame, sent shivers through my body. Like I said, I couldn't get enough.

"You look beautiful," he murmured and I melted. Grabbing his hand, we let the ceremony begin. I remembered saying words and hearing him recite them back, but I couldn't seem to feel anything else except for our kiss. The moment Kain's mother p.r.o.nounced us husband and wife, I jumped into his arms.

Kain laughed while we kissed, yet his lips were just as eager as mine. In the past year, we'd shared many kisses and stolen moments. He moved into my house permanently six months ago, and we spent almost every waking moment together when not called away by the responsibility of our leadership. I'd learned that he doesn't like to fold clothes, and he knew that I hated doing the dishes. He teased Marisol constantly, much to her amus.e.m.e.nt, and I was able to fall asleep in his arms every night.

The kiss lasted long enough for our friends and family to start making rude noises. We laughed but I knew this wouldn't be the last of it. A couple of weeks ago, we'd taken that final step in our relationship, creating the intimacy we'd both wanted from each other for so long. He was mine in every sense of the word and I was his. Forever.

"Are you ready?" Kain breathed in my ear, sending chills down through my toes. I nodded just before he scooped me up into his arms and ran toward the surf.

Everyone cheered as we crashed through the waves until Kain stood waist deep in the water. I couldn't stop smiling when he turned me around so that I could toss the bouquet of flowers to beach. It was even more amusing when Troy's girlfriend caught it and threw her arms around her man. The terrified look on his face was priceless.

I waved while Kain walked deeper into the sea so that we could change. My legs transitioned into a tail before I was submerged.

"Show off," he teased and then tossed me into the water. I quickly swam back to him to in time to see his pants float away toward the sh.o.r.e and his jacket fly through the air. He wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me close. "I love you," he said before covering my mouth in his.

I love you, too, I thought as I let the warmth of his lips and the comfort of the sea embrace me.

Other t.i.tles Now Available Promises - Book One of The Syrenka Series "Couldn't put it down."