Starving for Love Read Online Free PDF Page B

despite Kristian's desire to go out bravely. He closed his eyes and concentrated on counting, but once he reached one hundred, his eyes flew open, and he read the gauge. Only one hundred pounds left.
    In a way, he was happy to go out here. He was always the happiest when in the water.
    Not because of the water, though. Because of her.
    Thinking of Sirena reenergized him. Although he knew it was futile, he brushed the long leaves of the plant away from him and at last freed himself. All the while, he kept thinking about how much he wanted to see her one last time, that she be the last sight he see.
    Kristian allowed the still strong current to guide his body, too tired and sore to fight it or attempt to reach the surface.
    Fifty pounds.
    All kinds of fish, in many different colors and sizes, swam around him. The current lessened some here, and he swam by some plankton. A swirl of blue surrounded him. A majestic sight, but not the one he longed to see.
    Forty pounds.
    His body started to feel heavy. Whether this was because of his body reacting to the pressure of being this far beneath the surface or whether it was mental, he didn't know for certain. A large fish swam toward him, and he almost wished it was a hungry shark, so he could be put out of his misery.
    Thirty pounds.
    The current relinquished its hold on him. In the far distance, he could see large shapes. Fish? Sharks? After staring at them for a moment, he realized they were too still to be living creatures. Buildings, perhaps? They were much too far away for him to explore.
    Wherever Sirena was, it wasn't here at the ocean's bottom. Maybe she was in one of the buildings. No, he didn't think that probable. Mayhap she was looking for him. He accepted his death, knew there was no saving him, but if he could somehow find her before he died… If he could just see her again…
    His strong arms pulled him up, his legs kicking, propelling him upward. It was possible they had missed each other. If he was going to die, he would die trying to see her.
    Twenty pounds.
    It would not be much longer now until he breathed his last.

Chapter Seven
    Sirena swam with the speed of a starving marine predator. She asked every fish she passed if they had seen him, but none had. Her panic worked against her, making her fin tremble, hindering her ability to swim fast.
    Something foreign caught her eye. She bent down and picked it up. The object was surprisingly heavy. Could it be the weight belt Blaise had mentioned? Sirena hoped so for it meant Kristian was near.
    She spied a cave and hesitated. Would he have had a reason to go inside? No. Sirena jolted beyond it then halted. For what reason had he come down here in the first place?
    To find her. There could be no other reason.
    Did that mean he knew she was a mermaid?
    A slow-moving fish swam up toward her.
    No, not a fish.
    Kristian!
    She darted forward and was by his side a few moments later. "Kristian. Kristian! Can you hear me?"
    He sluggishly shifted his head to face her and nodded.
    Something was wrong. Normally, he was so full of life, so energetic.
    "I'm going to save you. I promise you. Do you understand?"
    He nodded a few times before his head drooped and stayed down.
    She wrapped his arms around her and tore toward the surface, longing to return Kristian to his world as soon as possible.
    His grasp slackened.
    "Hold on, Kristian, we're almost there." She risked a glance down and saw his face — swollen, ashen gray, his lips blue, purple-red dots around his eyes.
    His glassy lifeless eyes.
    He wasn't breathing.
    Sirena choked back a sob. In her heart, she knew it was too late.
    She'd broken her promise.
    Weeping as if her heart had broken, which it had, she removed his facial mask and ran her fingers down his face. His hair felt softer than she had expected. She leaned closer and gave him a tender kiss, hoping for some reason that this would bring him back.
    Of course it didn't.
    This was the closest they had ever