“At this pace we should make it in more than twice the time it took us to reach you. If we’re able to find it again.” Carn pressed another ration bar in her hand. “You must keep your energy up, Sam.”
She smiled her thanks and offered the water to him.
His nose wrinkled. “You keep it,” he said.
She chuckled. “That’s the purification tablet. It will keep you from getting sick from the water here.”
“Our physiology is resilient. I will risk drinking from the stream without your smelly chemicals.”
She laughed and took another sip from the pouch. The slight bitterness of the purification tablet coated her tongue, but she’d had worse. “I guess your sense of smell and taste are more developed than mine.” She shrugged and took another swallow. “Are we making camp here then?”
“No.” Mercury drank cold stream-water from his cupped hands. “I wish to be farther from Drake and Resler before we stop.”
Samantha tried not to be distracted by the ripple and flex of corded muscle as he scooped the water. “You tied them up. Do you think they could be following us already?”
“It’s safer not to underestimate the whip-master.”
She suppressed a shudder at the title. “You’re worried because I’m slowing you down?”
Carn shook his head. “If they come, we can deal with them.”
Mercury stood and held out a hand to help her up.
“So how did you guys get to the escape-pod so fast?”
“We ran,” Lo spoke softly behind her and Samantha flinched but held her ground.
She’d lost track of him at some point. On the ship, he’d been impossible to ignore but now he seemed to melt away, a silent shadow hidden among the boisterous night creatures awakening around them.
“You must have incredible speed and stamina.” Her voice sounded nervous and jittery to her own ears.
Carn nodded.
A sigh of regret escaped across her lips. They’d be better off without her. “Okay. I guess we better get moving.”
Mercury shook his head. “You’re still tired.”
She couldn’t argue. “And getting chilled. Moving will probably help that part.” She attempted a grin, but knew they’d see through it. “Look, if I stay still too long, my muscles will probably revolt when we start moving again.”
A tug on her braid startled her and she twisted to see Lo’s fingers slip away. Her eyes widened at the seemingly playful gesture from the always-intense Lo. He stared back through eyes that had gone almost completely black in the low light. There was no growl, no fire, only the tip of his tongue peeking out to spread glistening moisture across his lips.
He reached for the pack she’d been carrying without a smile or any acknowledgement of that tug. “Allow Mercury to carry you and we’ll make it to the cargo-drop much sooner.”
Samantha turned to Mercury for confirmation and he nodded.
Carn added his own nod of encouragement and took Mercury’s pack, then slung it over his shoulder.
“Are you ready,
courra
?” Mercury whispered the words as if he wanted to help her disguise her discomfort, though she knew they could all hear him.
She took a deep breath and put a hand on his muscled shoulder. “Okay.”
Mercury turned to give her his back and bent his legs.
Samantha hesitated. “Are you sure about this?”
He growled in that odd way he sometimes did. “Now.”
“Okay, okay.” She wrapped her arms around his shoulders.
As he straightened to lift her onto his back, she pulled her legs up to let him position them where he wanted. Big hands gripped under her thighs and he seemed to sigh as she leaned into him. A quick nod to the others and they were off again, the heat of his body easing her chill—something she was increasingly grateful for as the temperature dropped.
They followed the path of the stream into the night. They moved more slowly after the sun went down, but they didn’t stop until the moon also slipped out of sight. When Mercury finally set her on the ground, she couldn’t see a foot in front of her. She heard Lo and Carn moving around, then Mercury was pulling her down to the ground. Instead of cold earth, her hands brushed against one of the thin thermal blankets from the emergency supplies. Mercury pulled her onto his lap and she went without hesitation, eager to press herself back into his body heat.
“N-no f-fire?” Her chattering teeth made it hard to speak.
“Not tonight.” Mercury pulled her closer, tucking her face against his chest. “We’ll keep you warm.” Mercury nuzzled into her hair as he answered. “Rest.”
She was surprised when he didn’t lie down, but she was too exhausted to question. Another blanket settled around them and she heard the rustle of the synthetic fabric as the others lowered beside them. Somehow it seemed easier to let them get close in the dark. Still, she jumped when one of them tugged on one of her boots.
Mercury made soothing noises as the heavy weight slid off. She jumped again when strong hands tucked her cold feet against a warm torso.
“Be calm,” Mercury whispered. “Lo only wants to keep you warm.”
Lo. The man who’d seemed so dangerous was warming her feet on those washboard abs of his. And in the morning she expected to see the white rabbit her father had often warned her wandered around alien landscapes leading young girls into trouble.
She took a deep breath and relaxed, resting her head on Mercury’s chest. None of them had hurt her. Lo hadn’t even snarled at her since they left the clearing. She smiled in the dark. Maybe getting out of the cage had improved his disposition. She wouldn’t count on it lasting.
“Sleep.” Mercury’s voiced rumbled softly near her ear. “We’ll keep you safe.”
It would be the first time she’d slept planet-side since her father’s death. Samantha allowed herself a moment to think about the
Dove
, orbiting somewhere above them. This job had gone all wrong. It was supposed to put her back in control of her future. Instead it had taken away any hope of the dream she’d been working toward her whole life.
There’d be time enough to worry over that after they were found. Snuggling into Mercury’s warmth, she let his heat relax her muscles and let her worries slip away. For now she would live in the moment.
This wasn’t the time to worry about the white rabbit. Not when she’d already gone down the rabbit hole.
Arena Dogs Campsite, Planet G-45987
Earth Alliance Beta Sector - Gollerra Border
2210.158
“I can’t wait to actually wash with real water.” Stepping around a small crate of supplies, Samantha chuckled, happy with the thought.
With the added speed of carrying her, they’d made it to the cargo-drop only a few hours after sunrise. The creek that trailed alongside their path had lead to a river, ensuring they’d have water nearby. In under an hour, they’d hauled the most critical supplies up a small rise where they’d set up a makeshift camp. Shielded by a convenient arrangement of boulders, their campsite was completely hidden to anyone looking up from below but they had a clear view of the river and the cargo-drop landing site.
Carn straightened from where he’d been searching through the stores for more thermal blankets. “The river is wider and better for bathing a short distance upstream.”
The muscles of Mercury’s chest and arms flexed as he tugged on the waterproof tarp she was helping him lash over the shelter frame he’d built. “I’ll take you there later.”
“Sounds great.” She tied off a knot on her side then traced her fingers restlessly over the rough seam at the edge of the tarp.
His gaze drifted from her face to her hand. The heat in his eyes made her want to snatch her hand out of sight. Ridiculous, as she wasn’t doing anything to provoke that look.
Mercury growled and the sound was oddly suggestive. “Yes,
courra
. I want your hands on me and I can think of little else now that there are no bars between us.”
Startled by his boldness, she stepped back and looked for the others.
Carn had been watching them, but he looked away as their gazes met. Before he did, she caught a trace of sadness in his eyes and remembered Resler saying something about Carn grieving for his mate. Carn’s mate, not their mate. She hated that his grief—his and his alone—reassured her. The way Mercury talked to her, touched her, she couldn’t deny she wanted to believe he felt something for her. Something more than gratitude or kindness. Something he wouldn’t be feeling if the mate Carn was grieving was also his.
Despite her feelings, she wanted somehow to soothe his pain. Going on instinct, she went to him. She reached out and laid her hand on his chest. “Carn, I—”
He stepped back as if her touch burned him. His attention locked on Mercury ignoring her standing right in front of him. “I’ll double back to check on the whip-master.”
Mercury joined them and clamped a hand on his shoulder. “Observe only and return quickly, my brother.”
One quick dip of his chin and Carn was gone, running back toward the Roma campsite.
Samantha squeezed her hand tight, cringing at the guilt that squeezed her heart. “I didn’t mean to upset him.”
Mercury pulled her hands to his face, rubbing them against his cheek. “You’re not the source of his pain.”
“He’s mated,” said Lo.
Samantha shifted her stance to look for him. She hadn’t even known he’d come into the camp. Some kind of small animal, already skinned, hung in his hand. She didn’t want to think of how he’d caught it. As far as she knew, they’d destroyed all of the weapons. However he’d done it, he’d been quick and he’d gotten back in time to see her exchange with Carn.
Carn, who longed for his mate. She understood the pain of longing. She’d seen a similar pain it in her mother’s eyes every time she said goodbye to Samantha’s father. Her mother had loved him more than he deserved and every parting had broken her heart a little more.
No matter how painful, she didn’t see how it explained Carn’s reaction to her touch, but maybe for them it did.
“Let’s go to the river now.” Mercury’s rough voice pulled her out of her thoughts. “Lo will have the food prepared when we return.”
His catch in hand, Lo stalked toward the neatly laid fire she’d started earlier. “You should wash before the light is gone and the cold returns.”
He’d apparently already taken advantage of the river. His hair glistened wetly and hugged his head. Beads of water still traced down his shoulders to follow the leanly defined curve of his pectorals.
Samantha ducked under the tarp. “Uh, a bath now sounds good. Let me get a change of clothes.” Luckily, the escape-pod supplies had included a couple of one-size fits all tops and bottoms. They’d be big on her but she’d manage. Unfortunately,
all
didn’t include genetically engineered gladiators. Mercury, Lo, and especially Carn were too broad and muscular, so they were out of luck.
The walk to the water didn’t take long despite the lush vegetation. The pungent mix of foliage and the gentle swish and splash of the briskly flowing river tumbled together to create an exotic oasis like nothing she’d seen before. For some species it would be a paradise and her vow to live in the moment let her bask in its beauty.
Mercury led her to where the river widened and reeds and willowy trees gave way to a grassy verge that led to a shoal, the perfect place to walk out into the current.
Samantha dropped down to the soft grass to pull off her boots and jacket. Mercury didn’t even bother to take off his flex boots before wading out to the center. He only had the clothes he was wearing and they probably needed a bath as much as he did, but she’d been hoping to get down to her skin.
She eyed Mercury as he dipped below the surface then popped back up, shaking his head. Even with only his head and shoulders above water, his presence couldn’t be ignored. She’d spent the day wrapped around him and a little turned on by the countless small touches he’d used to ensure her mind was focused on him as they hiked the alien wilderness. The way his hand would slip along her thigh or a finger would stroke along the sensitive bend behind her knee.
Samantha shook away the thoughts, but the lingering heat low across her belly wasn’t so easy to dismiss. Stars, what was wrong with her? She’d never been sex-obsessed nor had she been prudish or shy. She huffed out a breath. Tired of over-thinking it, she pushed back to her feet and stripped down to her under-tank and briefs. Decent enough. She stepped into the cool water and waded out a few feet then moved down stream. She dunked her dirty clothes into the clear water and rubbed them briskly, wishing she’d brought cleanser.
“You’re not bathing.” Mercury had worked his way closer until he stood blocking the setting sun.
She looked up, but his face was shadowed, his body silhouetted against the brighter sky. “In a minute. Wanted to get these clean first so I could put them by the fire tonight to dry. We could be here a while and I only have one set of real clothes. The emergency gear is going to be like trying to wear a tent.”
He reached down to her upturned face, still a shadow looming over her, and threaded his fingers through the lock of hair that had been falling into her eyes. He twisted it and smoothed it back from her forehead. “How long do you think it will be before someone comes to look for us?”
“I’m not sure.” His question reminded her that she still had no plan for that eventuality. “I’m more worried about who they’ll be.”
“We’ll deal with it when the time comes.”
She nodded and returned her attention to her washing, glad he wasn’t one to panic or fret. She chuckled under her breath at the thought of a fretting Mercury.
“What makes you laugh,
courra
?”
She looked up again and her retort caught in her throat. While she’d been lost in her thoughts he’d moved, letting the sunlight pour over him, and he’d stripped out of his pants. Her mouth went dry as desert sand. She’d gotten used to the men being bare-chested or at least learned not to stare too hard or too long no matter how enjoyable the sight, but Mercury in all his naked glory made her temperature spike. Knowing the bands along her arms would be shimmering with spreading flecks of gold did nothing to ease her discomfort.