Page 102 of Stealing Mercury
“You’re a tough woman,” said Abel. “That whip-master needs a beating with his own whip. Why in hell did you go after Hera by yourself?”
Samantha bristled at the implied criticism. “I thought she was pregnant.”
Abel shook his head. “I heard they’d been putting out that rumor, but I can assure you she’s not.”
“I know that now.”
The female medic patted the back of Samantha’s hand. “Her lack of pregnancy is the reason they were so determined to get rid of her mate.”
Samantha thought of the conversation she’d had with Carn back onG-45987. “Carn thought the match had been rigged.”
“Finding a way to make more Arena Dogs is critical to Owens. If there’s a chance Mercury, Carn, or Lo is the father of your baby we have to get you out of here.”
“What?” Her baby? Shock left her dazed.
“Chelle!” Abel’s shout startled her.
“We can’t hand her over to Owens,” said Chelle. “Not if there’s even a chance. If Owens knew human women can carry their children, there’ll be no stopping him. We have to get her out of here. And we need to do it before Myers and Mallow come on shift.”
Chelle squeezed Samantha’s hand and looked down at her. “You should be feeling a bit better now.”
“Please,” said Samantha. “You’re not making any sense.”
“You didn’t know.” A sad smile ghosted across her face. “Hera isn’t pregnant, but you are.”
Chapter Thirty-Three
RomaRexArenaStagingArea,Roma
Earth Alliance Beta Sector
2210.185
A familiar pain radiated through Mercury’s shoulders. He couldn’t feel his hands. For once the chants of the crowds, dully pulsing somewhere overhead, were a welcome promise of relief. If he was expected to fight, whatever he was being punished for would be forgiven.
He forced his eyes open. Lo was by his side. The dull gray drapes that divided up the staging area blurred momentarily, and the shadow of another place fell across his field of visions. It twined around the pillars and slipped along the ceiling like a ghostly phantom, painting his world with memories of a dream. A dream so sweet he couldn’t fathom how it could have come from his imagination. He had no frame of reference for a human medic that would treat him with respect and a woman who would stand at his side with courage in the day, then hold him in her arms through the night.
“Samantha.”
“You say her name like it’s some fucking prayer.” Drake sneered then shoved him from behind to set his body swinging.
The pain spiked, but not enough to steal his consciousness and send him back into the blackness. Not enough to distract him from Drake’s words. Not enough to disperse the intense anguish that came with the return of reality.
Samantha was no dream. She was real and, because of him, she was in the hands of the worst of monsters. He’d brought her here. He was to blame.
Mercury snarled at the man who’d been his trainer and his tormentor. “Where is she?”
“Don’t worry,” said Drake. He circled them as if he were tethered to them as surely as they were tethered to the cold metal rings over their heads. “I’ll make sure she has a good view of your match.”
Lo’s snarl snapped Mercury’s attention to his brother and the whip-master taunting him from a safe distance.
He didn’t see Carn or Hera. He could only hope they’d managed to evade recapture. They’d be free. But at what cost?
“Will this match be as fated as the last?” He still remembered the horror of watching the Game Master’s thumb dip down.
“Oh, much worse,” said Drake. “The medic will be here with the drugs shortly.”
Lo shuddered. Normally, Drake would have jumped on the opportunity to torment him and draw out his fear, but he was focused inward and he continued speaking.
