Stealing Mercury (Arena Dogs Book 1)

by Charlee Allden

  It was too much. So much that she feared the pleasure would overwhelm her.

  His voice roughened as he wrapped himself more tightly around her, sliding one hand between her legs to press two fingers firmly over her clit. “You’re mine.”

  “Yes,” she urged. “Yes.”

  His teeth nipped at her shoulder again, near the base of her neck, then clamped tightly around the narrow strip of muscle.

  Her mind quieted and her pussy clenched around his cock.

  A growl rumbled in his chest as he began to move in a steady rhythm that had her keening with pleasure until she thought her knees would no longer support her.

  Pleasure swelled and pulsed like a bubble made of a thousand glorious colors and destined to burst. Orgasm washed over her, drowning her in sensation. Lights danced behind her eyes. Mercury fucked her through the powerful waves of pleasure, drawing it out until he lost his rhythm. He bucked wildly. His hands slid to her hips, keeping her ass pulled tightly against his groin as he straightened, threw his head back, and howled, his cock pulsing deep inside her.

  This wasn’t the mournful howl she’d heard before. This time the sound rang with triumph. Another howl echoed nearby. Lo wasn’t far. At least close enough to have heard their moans.

  Knowing Lo might have been witness to their passion did nothing to diminish her bliss. Later she would worry over how easily her lust drenched mind accepted the possibility. Chest heaving, pleasure still pulsing through every molecule of her body, she couldn’t find the strength to be indignant.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  Arena Dogs Campsite, Planet G-45987

  Earth Alliance Beta Sector - Gollerra Border

  2210.158

  Samantha lay languid, satiation lingering like the sweet aftertaste of fresh picked red-berries. After collapsing to the ground, she’d rolled to her side. Mercury pressed along her back, his body curved around her, his heat holding off the cold bite of the evening air. One hand stroked over her hip.

  His breath brushed against her temple. “Are you well, Samantha?”

  She reached back and stroked her thumb across his lips. “I’m fine.”

  “The bands on your arms are bright gold and your skin is warm and golden across your abdomen.”

  “It’s normal for me.” She glanced down to where his fingers traced lazy circles over the tender stretch of skin below her belly button. Her abdominal muscles jumped and twitched beneath his touch. Until the flush of gold faded she’d be hypersensitive.

  He pressed a kiss in her hair. “Time for my Cerrillian biology lesson?”

  She laughed, but as the feeling faded 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 onto 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 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 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 one of the boulders, 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 ti
ny 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—”

  “I gave my promise, Samantha. I swore to my brother I’d protect the life of his mate. Me. Not this resistance that hasn’t even appeared. I can’t leave Hera there.”

  “Carn’s your brother?” Samantha twisted her hands as if she could ring away the emotions that swamped her. “He’s your family?”

  He shook his head. “Not as you mean. Carn and I don’t come from a common bitch and sire. We aren’t biological brothers.” He looked thoughtful. “It’s possible we share some genetic donors, but we can’t be sure. It doesn’t matter. We’re brothers in spirit. We were raised in the same kennel and have stood together against all comers for all of our lives.”

  “You don’t know who your family is?” Samantha freed a hand and lifted it to stroke away the tension that had crept into his neck. She squeezed, pressing her fingers into a thick ridge of muscle that crossed to his shoulder. “What did they do to you?”

  “We were created to serve the masters of the arena. We were carried and birthed by surrogates. Female slaves from a distant world. They looked nothing like us.”

  “You remember them?”

  “They stayed with us until we reached five years of age—until we were old enough to begin training for the arena. They weren’t unkind, nor did they consider us their children.”

  “What happened to them?” Another race had been enslaved to create them. That had to be illegal.

  Lo joined them by the fire, poking a stick into the flames. “We never saw them again after we were taken from the juvenile center to the kennel, but we were told they’d be used to birth more Dogs and after a span of years more Dogs were brought to the kennels.”

  It was probably the most words she’d heard Lo string together at once and all said without anger. That just seemed wrong. “You should stop calling yourselves dogs. Like you accept the way they treated you. You’re not dogs. You’re men.”

  Mercury smiled, showing his teeth. “We’re what they made us—Arena Dogs—but we’re also men and I’m glad you accept us as such, my courageous Samantha.” He pulled her into his arms and kissed her. His lips were warm and confident. He should have been a broken man or a thoughtless beast. She didn’t understand how he’d become the man that could kiss her as if touching his lips to hers was the most important thing in the world.

  It started tender and gentle but quickly turned into a firestorm of want and need. His tongue plunged between her lips and claimed the moist recess of her mouth. She stroked her hands across his body, still fascinated by the smooth texture over hard muscle. His flat nipples pebbled at her touch and a rumble started deep in his chest. The vibrations against her palm made her own breasts tingle with awareness. She wanted to press against him, skin to skin.

  Mercury pulled back, letting her catch her breath. Along with the air she pulled into her lungs came a rush of awareness. She’d forgotten they were standing in the middle of camp. Lo sat at the fire, watching them.

  Stars, she’d lost her mind. She’d been ready to have sex with him again. A man that planned to return to hell and risk his life to rescue another woman. Pain twisted like a knife in her gut. She couldn’t let him mean so much to her so fast.

  She lowered her voice, knowing Lo would hear anyway. Somehow, truth could often be spoken more easily in a whisper. “I can’t do this. And even if I could, I wouldn’t in front of Lo.”

  “I can tell him to leave.”

  “No,” she said. “Wait.” She put a hand out to stop Lo who’d already started to slink away. He snarled at her touch and she jerked back and wrapped her arms around herself, suddenly chilled and feeling defeated.

  Lo’s features softened. Slowly, he extended a hand and brushed his knuckles against her cheek. His lips parted as if he’d speak, but in the end no words emerged. He let his touch speak for him.

  Samantha unfolded her arms and took his hand. “We all need sleep.”

  Both men huffed at her as if they were equally incredulous. She laughed, despite the sadness that had seeped into her bones with the night air. “Sleep,” she insisted.

  Mercury sighed heavily. “Yes. Sleep.”

  She doubted any of them would rest well and it would have nothing to do with the cold.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  Arena Dogs Campsite, Planet G-45987

  Earth Alliance Beta Sector - Gollerra Border

  2210.159

  Samantha woke warm and comfortable despite the achy state of her body. Probably not as achy as she would’ve been if she hadn’t given in to Lo and Mercury’s badgering about those damn stretches before collapsing onto the pallet. Regardless, the warmth was good. With Mercury’s big body wrapped around her and several layers of thermo blankets over them, her muscles were looser than she had any right to expect.

  His heavy arm draped over her ribs and his fingertips had found the bare strip of skin between her tank and briefs. She tried to shift out from under his arm, but he growled softly and pulled her closer, her ass nestled against his groin.

  “Sleep while you can, courra. The sun will rise soon.”

  “Where are Lo and Carn?” They’d made one big pallet, so Lo had crawled in with them and slept curled up on the other side of Mercury but he was gone now. She’d expected Carn to return before nightfall but he’d never crawled into the shelter—at least not that she remembered.

  “They’re close.” He hesitated, rubbing his chin against the crown of her head. “If you can’t sleep, I can pleasure you instead.” He rocked his hips for emphasis and Samantha’s heart sped at the impossible to miss press of his hard cock against her ass. His hand drifted lower on her belly and she grabbed his wrist to try to stop him. His hand didn’t even slow. He stroked downward to slide across her briefs and cup her mound. She groaned and arched into his touch against her better judgment.

  “Mercury, no.”

  He froze. “Are you injured?”

  “No, I’m fine, but—” She struggled for words then huffed out her exasperation. “Where are my clothes?”

  With a sigh, he released her and twisted to reach for her things. The blanket stretched across his hips, but it was easy to see he was still sporting an erection.

  He followed her gaze as he pressed her clothes into her hand. He stroked one hand along her leg. “I want to pleasure you again.”

  Her stomach did a traitorous flip at his directness. She pulled her shirt on over her under-tank then flipped her hair free from her collar. Mercury relented, letting her move away. She scooted to the edge of the pallet and tugged on her pants and boots then twisted her hair into
a quick braid while he dug through one of the packs.

  Lo and Carn appeared out of the trees as she got to her feet.

  Fatigue had smudged dark half-moons below his eyes and his hands hung limp at his sides as if he no longer had the strength to resist gravity. He lumbered into the camp, exhaustion weighing down every step.

  “Stars,” she swore. She strode toward him but stopped short, remembering his distress at her last attempt to touch him. “You need to rest and get some food.” She pointed to the circle of crates where they’d eaten their evening meal. “Sit. I’ll get you a ration bar.”

  Carn sat with all the grace of a mining platform trying to dock with an orbital tug. “They show no signs of coming after us.”

  Lo frowned. “That’s not like the whip-master.”

  “You destroyed their weapons,” Samantha pointed out, “and you reinjured Resler.”

  Mercury turned thoughtful. “They might believe they’re better off waiting until help comes.”

  “True,” said Carn, propping his arms on his thighs and leaning forward to let his head hang low.

  Mercury brushed past her, the casual touch of skin like a secret caress that refocused her attention squarely on him. The whisper of touch reignited all of her nerve endings.

  She strained to focus. “It will probably be a couple of weeks before anyone makes it to this system and comes down to look for survivors.”

  Samantha dug through one of the crates and handed Carn his meal. He took it, but she thought his wince and the lines etched in his face were less an aversion for her and more… evidence of pain. “Are you okay?”

  He nodded unconvincingly then took a bite from the bar. Samantha sat down on the crate beside him, careful not to touch. “There’s a med kit in my pack. If you’re hurt, please let me help you.”

  He stared back at her, head titled to the side as if she were a strange bug who’d crawled into the middle of his dinner. The lines carved into his prominent forehead were deeper than she remembered. The ring of gold around his black eyes, wider than she’d seen. His ears, more rounded than Mercury’s or Lo’s, lay flat back against his head.