Pirate's Gold - S.J. Sanders Page 0,69

a subtle shiver stealing over the pirate as they bypassed it.

She wasn’t the only one disturbed by the sight. The crew slowed, lagging behind, their reluctance to continue evident in every step they took. Even Egbor had eyed at it with concern before ordering his guard and a number of his crew to take point in defensive positions around him.

But he didn’t call a halt to the insanity.

The dread coiled within Terri sank deeper as they left the remains behind them. The Evandra was nothing less than death.

23

Veral was aware of every breath his mate took as the water steadily rose around them. Her eyes were flicking back and forth over the water, tension tightening the muscles of her limbs. There was nothing nearby; he would have sensed it cutting through the water as it approached, but he understood her instinctive need to remain alert. It was wise to be cautious.

The creature hunting within the water was not one to be underestimated. That it was confined to the water made it no less dangerous. Water was unpredictable at the best of times, but that the creature could hide within it and use the hazards of the flooded area against them was concerning.

For that reason, he did not relinquish his grip on his mate as he led the way through the water, following the route on the ship’s schematics that would take them to the private quarters of the prince who reigned over the Evandra, and the attached storage chamber that contained all of his personal wealth. Veral was confident that he would be able to force access to it. In all the revolutions he spent salvaging, he had never failed to gain access.

That was not what concerned him.

What concerned him was if he would be able to do it fast enough to ensure Terri’s safety should Experiment 226 return. Of slightly less concern was how Egbor might react if the treasure he anticipated and promised was not waiting for him. The odds were good that the prince and his wealth escaped the doomed starship before the slaughter reached him.

He compartmentalized these worries, however, devoting his focus to the situation at hand. He knew the moment Terri began to shiver, the armor ineffectual to the prolonged exposure to the cold water as it crept higher. It only just barely reached his chest, whereas the water sloshed above her breasts and occasionally splashed high enough to touch the sides of her neck. Even her hair secured at the back of her head was soaked.

By the time they reached the large door that marked their destination, her teeth were chattering and her lips pale with cold. Despite her low body temperature, she didn’t complain as she pushed through the water. Not even the youngling offered any complaint from where he was perched on Azan’s back. Silence descended over them like a shadow, the cause easy to identify. Veral was aware of every movement as the pirates looked around nervously with their advance, the sour scent of fear nearly as thick as the quiet.

He tensed as he felt Terri flinch, a startled sound of surprise escaping her, breaking the silence.

“Something touched my fucking leg. Oh, shit—what is that?” she yelped.

Veral’s eyes narrowed as he spotted something long moving in the water near her. He identified it just as a shaky laugh left her.

“An alien fish. Thank fuck. It was just a fish.”

“Ugly thing,” Azan commented, her eyes following it to where it had disappeared beneath fallen debris.

Though Veral refrained from commenting on the observation, he did not understand it. The fish had an enormous rounded head with eyes that took up most of its face with a long, skinny body and narrow tail and fins. It was made to adapt, to thrive in the carved-out riverbed in the ravine. It was perfect for its environment, and this was admirable.

He scanned the area once more for any sign of 226 before turning his attention to the door. Laying a hand on the door, he began to cycle through codes to override the locking mechanism.

“Is this it?” Egbor asked as he pushed closer.

Veral hissed at the male, his snapping vibrissae forcing the pirate to withdraw before he bent his attention once more to the locks. The captain’s hand had gone to his blaster, but Egbor settled back to observe without further attempts to speak.

Veral grunted in satisfaction. He could not afford to be distracted.

One glyph settled and locked in place, and then a second. The third