Free Erin's Awakening by Sasha Parker

this."
    "Yeah, one of us should be with you ," Aedan agreed.
    "Both of you aren't certified and I need to go down ," Erin reached out and put a hand on Myles's face. "I will be fine. I have done this many times."
    "We are going to rectify this and soon. I don't want you going down there by yourself every time," Myles growled at her.
    "You know I am in my own world there. It is what I can control, you know that," Erin said softly to them so the rest of the crew wouldn't hear them.
    "We know, kitten, it doesn't stop us from worrying ," Myles said.
    "I appreciate it. Don't worry, I will be fine," Erin told them.
    They were still concerned so she gave them each a kiss before she got her mask on and dove in.
    As Erin entered the water, it was like coming home.  It surrounded her and she felt an overwhelming feeling of love.  She swam for a bit, enjoying the feeling, then went to work getting samples of water at different depths.  Since they were anchored almost at the mouth of the River Life, a couple of European otters came to her.  They tumbled around her and bumped her in play.
    Erin had done a thesis on them when she was in college.  She loved them as they were unique to Europe.  Brown above and cream below, these long, slender creatures were well-equipped for their aquatic acrobats.  These otters differed from the others by its shorter neck, broader visage, the greater space between the ears, and its longer tail.  However, the European otter was the only otter in its range, so it couldn't be confused for any other animal.
    They continued to play around her as she continued to get samples of the plant life when her air shut off.  She grabbed her regulator and it registered half full.  She quickly glanced around, checking her depth gage and realized she was deep enough that if she ascended too fast, she could get decompression sickness.  She reached out to one of the otters and communicated that she was in trouble.  She asked him to get help.  He took off in the water , but the female stayed with her.
    Erin decided to slowly ascend and pray help got here soon or she was dead.  She was able to drop her primary cylinder and attach to a small emergency cylinder she kept at all times.  As Erin slowly ascended, the female stayed by her side.  She would brush up against Erin and encourage her to keep going.  Erin checked the air in the small tank and saw she wouldn't have enough to reach the top either way.
    Out of the ocean water , the male otter returned and with him, he had two dolphins.  He brushed up against Erin and told her the dolphins would help her ascend faster.  She communicated to the dolphins the speed she could safely go without getting decompression sickness.  The dolphins assured her they would get her to the surface and told her to grab on to their dorsal fins.  She did and they took off, flying through the water as quick as was possible.

Chapter Twelve
     
     
    Myles and Aedan waited topside on the boat and discussed the earlier attack on Erin.  "I checked all the doors and windows in the bungalow.  The front had been jimmied open.  I placed wards over the entire house so he won't be able to get back in again,” Myles told Aedan.
    "It angers me that he was there to begin with.  We have been neglectful in our duties, Myles ,” Aedan said.
    "I know that.  Don't you think I'm angry , too?  We must be more vigilant."
    Aedan nodded.  "I will feel better when we are all back at the castle.  It ’s getting more dangerous for the sisters to be away from there."
    "Hopefully the samples she gets today will help and we can head back soon ,” Myles said.
    They sat on the deck, scanning the water, waiting for Erin to return.  They had cautioned her not to  go too far from the boat and she had agreed.  After an hour or so, they saw an otter break the surface and call out.  They watched him swim on top of the water for a few minutes and then two dolphins broke the surface with Erin in between