Page 21 of Stealing Mercury
“I’m a respectable businessman,” he said. It wasn’t clear if he was talking to Samantha or reminding himself. “Just doing a job. I thought you’d respect that, Sam. We both know the value of hard work, you and me. I’m not the animal on this ship. Those Dogs are the animals and they’re my responsibility, not yours.”
He thought he knew her. He couldn’t be more wrong. She wasn’t like him—only out for himself. He’d read her file and thought that told him everything he needed to know. She might have come up hard, but her experiences had taught her first and foremost to value freedom and humanity. Humanity had nothing to do with being born human.
Keep your head down, Sammie. Don’t go looking for trouble.Her father’s words. But she wasn’t her father. Maybe she relied too much on her gut as he always had. Maybe she’d suddenly developed his habit of letting attraction cloud her thinking. Maybe she was impulsive and took too many risks, but she would never look the other way and profit from the suffering of others. She would never be as cold as Drake.
“You’re right. I do know about hard work, and I have work to do, Mr. Drake. You should go back to your cabin and get some rest.”
He scrubbed a hand across the back of his neck and gripped the edge of the hatch with the other as he paused on his way out. “Just do your job, Sam. Get us where we need to go and forget about the Dogs. They’re already dead, but you still have a chance to make something out of this mess. I know I acted like an ass earlier and I’m sorry. I don’t want us to be at odds. We could be a good team. Be smart. Stay out of things that don’t concern you and stay away from my Dogs.”
Chapter Six
TheDove
EarthAllianceBetaSector - Gollerra Border
2210.157
Two days.
Mercury paced in the confines of his cell. Sam hadn’t returned for two days.
“You should conserve your energy.” Lo watched him from the closest corner of his cage.
Mercury stopped, wrapping his hands around the bars as he glared back. “You mean since she isn’t bringing us food anymore?” His muscles burned with tension.
Lo dipped his head, not meeting his eyes, and made a low whine of apology in acknowledgement of Mercury’s dominance.
Carn’s voice rumbled up, sounding strained. “She’s their pilot. I’m thinking a pilot is not property. Not owned. They won’t kill her.”
Mercury resisted the urge to throw his head back and howl. “They can do much harm without killing.”
“Yes, but she’ll live.” Pain and sorrow muted the verve that once filled Carn’s voice.
Mercury knew Carn was thinking of Hera. Lo’s cage between them made it difficult for them to see each other clearly, but Mercury knew his friend would hear the regret in his voice. “I should have found a way to keep you together.”
“The masters are too cautious, too well armed, too devious. There was nothing to be done.”
Mercury choked back his shame. At least Carn was on his feet again. “I’d give my life to save any one of you.”
Lo snarled. “It’s not for you to defend us. We stand together. The female clouds your thinking.”
He growled back instinctively. “She’s also mine to protect.”
Lo shook his head. “She brought usallfood. You speak of her as if she’s your mate. As if she’syourresponsibility. You take on too much.”
Mercury feared Lo was right. That he was unworthy to claim a mate of his own. That he was unworthy to lead them. But he couldn’t simply stop trying for them, not now when they needed him most. And his worry for Sam wasn’t something he could easily let go. “You know what price she might pay for aiding us. They can do worse things to a woman than kill.”
Carn spoke over their growls. “She’s clever. She knows what she risks. That’s why she hasn’t been back.”
Lo snorted. “She’s not one of us, Merc. Don’t forget that. Their females can be more devious than their males.”
The urge to snarl and snap at Lo’s accusations crawled up Mercury’s throat, but he knew something of the unbearable experiences that had made his brother so mistrustful of human females. He couldn’t judge his brother when he knew the man’s rage was fueled by bone-deep pain.
Carn spoke up, clearing away the silence that had sprung up between them like a trap. “She’s different. Perhaps she isn’t human.”
Mercury pulled against the bars, fear and rage like acid in his veins. “Two days.” He couldn’t stop envisioning the things they could do to his female in two days.Hisfemale? No! Maybe Lo was right to remind him of his responsibilities. He couldn’t let himself think of her as his.
“I don’t know what she is,” Lo sounded calmer. “But I do know she’s not from the arena. Not a Dog.”
