Page 39 of Stealing Mercury
She laughed, but as the feeling dissipated, she realized she wanted to tell him about her past, her heritage. It wasn’t something she shared with anyone outside her family and her father’s crew, but Mercury wasn’t just anyone. “My grandmother was Cerrillian.” She took a moment to let the familiar surge of pride and sadness settle. “They’re one of the humanoid species that populated this part of the galaxy before the Earth colonists arrived.”
“I’ve never heard of them,courra.” Mercury pulled her more tightly against his body and she knew he must have sensed the pain behind her words. “Where are your people now?”
“Gone or scattered.”
She’d never even known her grandmother, but she knew she died fighting. “Full blooded Cerrillians have slightly different coloring and a compound in their skin pigment that changes with the chemical surge that accompanies emotions. Other than that, biologically, Cerrillians and Earthers are a lot alike. I guess that’s why they targeted Cerrillia for colonization. The atmosphere and climate were perfect for Earthers.” The old grief threatened to choke her. “They were overrun by the settlers and very few escaped.”
“I’m sorry,courra.” His warm lips brushed against her temple. “This is why you hide your heritage?”
“If you have Cerrillian blood, you can’t be a citizen of the Earth Alliance. Non-citizens can’t hold licenses for anything. Everything from shop licenses to pilot’s certifications are prohibited.”
Mercury’s forehead furrowed as he frowned. “You wouldn’t be allowed to be a pilot?” His voice was a rumbly whisper, as if he were talking more to himself than to her. “You risked much for us.”
Samantha turned in his arms. He looked so worried—it made her heart swell with affection. She nipped at his jaw then held his gaze. “I’d do it again. No regrets.”
He nodded then pressed his lips to her forehead. They held each other tight, listening to the sound of birds give way to the hidden orchestra of insects. Samantha wanted to hold on to the moment. The closeness. But an inevitable chill rippled across her skin as the heat of their lovemaking seeped away.
“Come,” he said, helping her stand. “We must return to camp.”
She gloried in the easy way he helped her dress. His gaze appreciative, his hands guilty of a dozen seemingly accidental brushes against her skin as he helped her tug on the oversized top and pants from the emergency supplies. He rolled the hems of the too long pants and braided her hair, showing her a side of him that had been unavailable to her when he’d been trapped in a cage. It turned out his black, knee-length pants were made to dry quickly so he was able to put them back on without discomfort.
When they got back, Lo sat by the fire sinking his teeth into a golden-brown hunk of roasted meat. The smell of the meal set her stomach to rumbling. She hadn’t had real meat since—she couldn’t remember when. She and Mercury sat across from Lo in companionable silence, enjoying the meal he’d provided.
After she’d eaten her share, she tossed her bones into the fire then went to wash her hands using water they’d brought back from the river. Lo’s eyes tracked her every movement, stirring the familiar unease he generated in her so easily. But the more time she spent with the newly freed Arena Dogs, the more the nature of that unease changed. She was no longer afraid he’d hurt her, but her senses told her he was still a threat.
When a shadow fell across her, where she crouched by the water, she knew it was Lo even before he spoke.
“You should stretch before you sleep.” His rough voice always seemed to be on the verge of turning into a growl. “You’re not used to so much physical exercise, Samantha.”
Inwardly, she cringed at his use of her name. There wasn’t any hint of innuendo in his tone, but she searched her memory, trying to recall whether Mercury had called her by name after they’d returned to camp or if this was his way of letting her know he’d listened in while she and Mercury had been making love.
“You’re right,” she said. “I’m not used to hiking planet-side, but Mercury carried me most of the way.” Aside from the embarrassment she knew she should feel, she worried over how the new intimacy in her relationship with Mercury might affect Lo. She knew his anger hid some deep hurt, and she didn’t want to do anything to cause him pain. His expression revealed nothing of his feelings. “You guys haven’t been able to get much exercise the last few weeks either,” she added. “The hike will probably be more of a problem for the three of you.”
His head dipped in a nod. “I already spent time stretching, but you should let Mercury help you.”
“Sure. Why not?” She shrugged. She knew ships from top to bottom, but they probably knew a lot more about the body.
She was out of her element while they seemed right at home. Sure, she knew about living primitive. She’d cooked over a flame often enough in her youth, but she was more used to bargaining with an unscrupulous vendor at market than chasing after game in the woods. For Mercury and Lo, the chance to run free... Hell, this place had to be light years better than being a slave. Samantha stood and moved aside so Lo could wash.
As she returned to stand by the fire, she studied Mercury. He crouched atop a boulder, holding his palm up near his face. A glowbug had landed on the tip of his index finger. The glow of its body stood out like a spark against the night sky. They were the one creature that seemed to be on every planet in some form or variety. Mercury studied the tiny insect with as much intensity as she studied him. She wanted to climb up on the rock and wrap her arms around him, but she also wanted to soak in the sight of him there.
“We should probably talk about where you want to go after we leave here.”
Mercury shook his hand and let the bug fly away before jumping down and meeting her gaze—direct and open. “We must return to RomaRex, Samantha.”
“What?” Samantha’s legs threatened to buckle and a sudden urge to vomit almost doubled her over, but she kept her back straight. “I did all this to set you free. How can you even think of going back?” She knew her voice was rising, but she couldn’t stop it. “They were going to kill you!”
Mercury stalked toward her. “I can never convey how much I, we all, value your courage in helping us.”
His words snuck through the prickly thicket of worry and anger that had sprung up between them. Unfortunately, she couldn’t so easily dismiss either emotion. His revelation had doused her heart’s defenses in quick-grow.
He gathered up her fists and cradled them against his chest. “But we must go back.”
“Why?”
“Carn’s mate. I swore I’d keep her safe.” His voice had gone throaty and brittle. “We can’t leave her in that hellish world. Besides, hiding, running while others suffer. That’s not our way.”
“But you can’t storm the arena and free them all. Maybe if you explain to the resistance—”
