Bandits by L M Preston Read Free Book Online

has over 500 EBRA he’s in charge of. Gabe and I always got along well, like the same things, and worked the same EBRA jobs. Not to mention, we like the ladies,” Daniel admitted with a sheepish laugh.
    Faulk turned away from Nickel and Jade, turning his gaze to the dark sea. “They fell asleep. How much longer?”
    “We’re almost there, but I gotta take it slow over here. This is Merpin territory and we sure as hell don’t want to wake them. They’ve got a thing for flesh. Our scents carry on the wind the more we move. When they smell it, they attack. B e sides, there are too many jagged rocks. If I go too fast, we’ll sink, and become breakfast.” Daniel squinted and watched out for the fish like Merpins.
    Faulk expelled a deep breath. “Just great. What is a Me r pin anyway? You ever see one?”
    “I only had one run in with Merpins. I was out with my friend Tomas at the time, and his father died saving me from being eaten alive.”
    “Hell!” Faulk ran a shaky hand through his short black hair.
    “ Scared? You’re the one who ran from your safe, soft world to come here.” Daniel chuckled at Faulk’s wary expre s sion.
    The water cruiser moved easily through the murky w a ters, and Daniel and Faulk stood quietly, looking out to the foggy, dark waters. The Minoites’ feeding frenzy was over, and the dawn came in quietly.
    “What was that?” Faulk called out when the water crui s er was jarred, followed by a thump on the bottom.
    Daniel growled. “Merpins ! Wake them up. I’m go n na try to out run them. We’re almost to Willows Oasis.” 
    Faulk went over to the others and yelled out. “Wake up! Jade! Nickel! Get a weapon… anything. Oh God…one is clim b ing up the side!” He shot at the Merpin that was clawing its way up the side of the boat. Its black, stringy hair, white skin, long curved teeth, and predatory sea-blue eyes looked haunted with starvation. “Damn, I missed!”
    Daniel spied another Merpin clawing its webbed hand into the cruiser as its webbed feet hung over the railing of the cruiser. “There’s another one!” His stomach filled with dread, because he knew there were others to follow. Aggravated , he reminded hi m self not to speed too fast through this rough sea of rocks, and hidden reefs or they would all perish and become the starving creatures’ meal. A shriek sounded behind him. He saw Faulk and the cre a ture in the midst of a stand off.
    Faulk looked stunned, mesmerized by the hungry, grow l ing creature’s slanted eyes.
    Daniel yelled out to Faulk. “Kill him! Aim for the head. Do it NOW Faulk!”   He steered the water cruiser around the protru d ing rocks where the Merpins sometimes slept.
    Faulk snapped out of his daze as the Merpin lunged at him. He shot it, and the Merpin fell back into the water with his sharp green teeth exposed.
    This isn’t over yet. Daniel swallowed hard.
    Jade ran to the back of the boat. “There are two more in the back, but - I got them.”  
    Daniel heard one scream out from her shot, it’s piercing yell surrounding them. Daniel knew the death-cry of the cre a ture would draw many others. He put in the command for the cruiser to release the knives on its underside, hoping that would deter more of the Merpins from climbing onto the boat for their brea k fast. He was rewarded with numerous screams from the Merpins that were already attached to the bottom of the water cruiser.
    “Grab something! I’m out of rock territory. I’m gonna to pick up the speed. If you go over the side you’ll be breakfast,” Daniel warned before the cruiser speed increased.
    The ship jerked with the pull of the engines. He nav i gated quickly through the rocks, careful to not hit any. The cruiser dragged a distance before the bodies of the dead Me r pins attached to the knives on the bottom fell and floated out to sea.
    Jade backed up toward Daniel. He glanced at her and saw her eyes filled with horror.
    “Crap! Get them. There are two of them