by Dale Mayer
“He’s still alive, and we have to give him a chance so don’t write him off just yet.”
She nodded but inside she knew the chance was beyond slim. “Kevin and Linda?”
“Kevin is fine, although likely traumatized if he saw you carried off again. We’re getting word to them…”
She winced. That would be hard on him. “The sooner the better.”
“Right. And it looks like you’re stuck with us,” Swede said cheerfully.
“And what does that mean?” She tilted her head back to stare up at him and swiped her eyes. “Are we done here? Are there more assholes or did we finally get them all?”
Cooper coming up behind them laughed and said, “There are always more assholes.”
“Any more around here?”
“Not likely. The man you took the picture of initially, have you seen him since?”
So much had happened she had to stop and think. Then frowned. “I’m not sure I did actually. He was here when we landed. That’s when I snapped his picture. Then…” She shrugged. “I haven’t seen him again.”
Shadow nodded. “That would be my guess.”
Leaning her head back against his chest, she thought about that man. “Are they going to come back after us again? After we get home?”
“You and your family? Not likely. Besides, they have pretty much decimated it already.”
“Great,” she said in sad tones. “I wasn’t going to come, you know. I only came to spend time with Kevin and show him the great things to do here. The cabin was my grandfathers. My dad always used it as a getaway, but we haven’t been here in years. I don’t know what prompted it. Nor do I know why now. But out of the blue they made plans. I wasn’t asked to join,” she admitted, feeling the injury even now. “He wanted to bring Kevin, I think. Before the relationships with him and Kevin soured further.”
“Was it bad?”
“Yes. I wonder if Father had been threatened before the trip.” She frowned. “Maybe he figured getting away would save us.”
“We’ll figure it out. I know his house and office are being turned upside down as we speak to find answers.”
Right. Of course they were. And her place most likely.
“Can we leave now? Or are we waiting for the plane to come back and pick us up?”
“No, on the plane,” Swede answered, “We have a truck back at camp. If you’re okay to travel with us, we can take you back.”
“Yes, please,” she said in a small voice. She didn’t have much choice but hoped it wouldn’t take long. Her leg was killing her.
Still, she’d be with them, and Shadow. She’d take an extra hour with him. She struggled to try and get to her feet, with Shadow helping her to stand. Waves of pain rolled through her. She focused on her breathing, trying hard to keep it together. She hadn’t even put her bad leg down.
When she could, she lowered her foot to the ground and gently put her weight on it. And whimpered. Swaying in place and still holding onto Shadow – or rather Shadow holding onto her, she lowered her head and sucked in deep breaths. She could do this. She had to do this. Why wasn’t she on that damn plane?
Just when she was ready to break down and ask for help, she was swung up into Shadow’s arms and told, “Now lie quiet.”
She wondered at the lie quiet comment. Was that because of the enemy or because he was tired. Or to stop her from fighting the help. Damn she didn’t know anymore. But he couldn’t carry her all the way back. That was too far. “I’m too heavy for you to carry for so long,” she protested.
He slanted a look her way and stayed quiet.
“Maybe you could take turns and that would ease the load for you,” she suggested.
The only response was to squeeze her tighter.
She subsided. Fine. Let him suffer. She planned to enjoy the experience. Or would have if it didn’t hurt so damn much. She closed her eyes and realized she’d tensed to the point of resisting him. And that she didn’t want. She needed to relax. But given her leg and her fear that he’d shuffle her and hurt her more… Then she understood how he’d lifted her into his arms. With her injured leg crossed over her healthy one. So as to not hurt it more. And he couldn’t grab it accidentally this way either.
As in he’d done everything he could to keep her safe and out of harm.
She sighed and relaxed against him yet again. “Thanks,” she muttered.
“You’re welcome.”
She smiled and closed her eyes.
Damn, he was fine.
*
Damn, she was fine.
And he was an idiot. But he kept remembering his panic when he’d seen her spirited away in the group of terrorists. They’d swooped down onto the beach sending out a hail of fire covering their movements and snatched her up. His heart had damn near stopped, but his feet were already on the move.
He’d raced into the trees following the beach to get her before they could take her out of the area and be lost forever. He’d seen too many people disappear in this life. And that wasn’t something he was willing to let happen to Arianna. She was his. No, she wasn’t his, but she was his. He rescued her once, or was it twice by now? Maybe three times. Who was counting?
He didn’t dare lose her to these assholes. Who knew what they’d do to her now they’d lost the rest of the family. He remembered the look on her face when she saw the plane taking off in the opposite direction. To know she’d been left behind. It would haunt him forever. Then screaming in pain, her body twisted in agony as her leg was gripped to keep her under control. Did she give in? Hell, no. She managed to get that gun and kill three men all on her own. It was at the end when she just kept shooting he’d felt his heart break. She’d been doing her damnedest to maintain some control and then lost it.
He was so proud of her.
Now she lay curled up lightly sleeping in his arms. Like hell he was going to hand her off to the others.
Swede walked up beside him. “Do you want me to carry her for a spell?”
Sensing the humor in his voice and seeing the grin on his friend’s face, Shadow shot him a look. “No. I’m fine,” he said calmly.
“Better than fine from the way I see it,” Cooper said cheerfully. “Look at that. The one man I didn’t think would ever fall – has not only fallen but done an all-out tumble in front of us.”
Shadow refused to answer.
Arianna shifted uneasily in his arms as if disturbed by the men’s voices. Shadow glared at his friends for waking her.
Swede smirked and stepped in front to lead the way. Cooper, a huge grin covering his face fell in behind to bring up the rear. Their radio whispered in his ear. Mason and Dane were still at the camp looking for an update. Only half listening Shadow keep watch on the surrounding woods as Swede reported that the plane had left with the senator, wife and son. That Arianna was injured and had been taken again. That she was back with them and four more of the enemy were dead.
There was going to be a hell of a cleanup done here. The bodies all had to be collected and dealt with. He hoped the Canadians would handle that part. Mop up was a bitch. He needed IDs of the dead men, but that was the only thing he wanted from these men now.
They had just under a mile to go. Without breaking stride and on guard they trekked through the woods toward the rest of their team. As they came to a half mile out, Hawk joined them, his sharp look going from one face to the other then dropping to Arianna’s wan features in Shadow’s arm. “How badly is she hurt?”
“Gunshot through the thigh.”
Hawk asked, “Not bleeding out?”
“No. It’s stopped or had stopped until the bastards grabbed her.”
Hawk didn’t waste any time. He led the way into camp, letting the others know they were approaching. At the edge, Shadow stopped and stared, using the time to study what was going on ahead of him. He had no intention of entering if she wasn’t safe here.
Mason walked over. Shadow clarified, “Gunshot to the thigh, misse
d the bone.”
“Good. She’s asleep?”
“Yeah, the last attack finished her.”
“Tell me?”
Still standing, Shadow quickly explained what happened. Hawk and Dane joined them.
Hawk stared down at the woman in Shadow’s arms. “She killed them?” he asked incredulously. “All of them?”
Shadow nodded.
Dane whistled. “She’s a keeper.”
Shadow glared at him. Hawk slapped him on the shoulder. “Let’s lie her down on the back of the truck. We need to check out that leg. See if the bastards made it any worse.”
That made sense, but it was damn hard trying to let her go. It took three tries with his friends watching before he could finally lower her down to the back of the truck and step back.
Finally he managed it.
Swede, a hand on his shoulder said, “It’s tough, isn’t it?”
“What is?” he asked, frowning down at the woman who had somehow gotten under his skin.
“Finding what you want and knowing it’s yours but also knowing you don’t have the right to keep her.”
He lifted his head to stare at his friend and finally understood what he meant.
Damn.
Swede was right.
It sucked.
Chapter 10
Waking to pain sucked. Waking to horrific pain, sobbing, and with tears rolling down her eyes, yeah that topped her list of shitty mornings. Arianna tried to roll over to get away from the fire in her leg and couldn’t. Not only couldn’t she get away from the pain it seemed she couldn’t move at all. And someone was blubbering over and over again. She couldn’t think for the noise. She shuddered at the onslaught mental, auditory, and physical.
“Arianna, take it easy. We’re working on your leg. You’ve just woken up. You’re okay.”
It was that last sentence that got her.
“I’m not okay,” she snapped, bolting upright only to get instantly forced back down by Swede and Shadow. As she stared up at them, her breathing raw, she slowly realized where she was and why.
And that she was the one blubbering.
How humiliating. By this time she wanted to really bawl. Rail at the unfair world that saw her still in the wilderness being treated to field kit type medical treatment. Like really, wasn’t she supposed to wake up in a hospital somewhere with nice white sheets and shitty food? Not staring at these two bad-asses who were holding her down.
Tears filled her eyes. Then someone lit her injury on fire and she screamed. Then whimpered as the waves of darkness pushed her back under. She could see oblivion. Escape was there – just out of her reach.
She reached for it – and fell under its spell again.
When she woke the second time it was to the cold. Shivers slid up and down her long frame like fingers on guitar strings. How had it become so chilly outside? It was summer, right?
And the sun shone overhead, didn’t it? As she lay there shivering she couldn’t help but think her world had completely spun out of control. She was so tired. And there were men all around her. She could hear the strange voices outside and could see some of them. Did they know she was here? She studied the face of the man closest to her, but she didn’t recognize him. Her glance slid over to the two men talking together beside him, and she didn’t know them either. Her panicked mind didn’t know if that was a good thing or bad. Shaking so badly she could barely move, she huddled back against the side of the truck.
A man’s voice reached her. “She’s waking up. Where’s Shadow? Swede? Even Cooper.”
The man who’d been sitting closest to her reached out and gently grabbed her hand.
She snatched it back. She knew this man was dressed the same as the good guys, but her mind couldn’t make heads or tails of any of this. Inside she couldn’t seem to think or do anything rational. All she wanted to do was get up and run, but everything below her waist hurt like shit.
“Arianna, take it easy.” In the background she heard someone say, “Get one of the other SEALs.”
She partially recognized the voice, but she didn’t know the man. She’d heard that voice last night, right? But then she’d been snatched up by a lot of men last night too. And been hurt by them.
Was this the man who’d hurt her?
She swallowed hard and stared at him saucer-eyed.
“No one is going to hurt you. Your leg is injured. We had to clean and bind the wound.” He spoke slowly and carefully, his hand gently stroking her arm. “No one here is going to hurt you.”
She shuddered. “Where are the others?”
He smiled at her. “They are coming. You’ll see them in a few minutes. I’m Dane. You heard my name mentioned before, surely,” he said in a teasing voice. “I know you did.”
Another face slid into view behind Dane. She narrowed her gaze at him but didn’t recognize him either.
“No need to worry. I’m Mason. Hawk is here too. The three of us were keeping a watch on the far side of where you were and holding the prisoners back,” he said cheerfully. “Not a very glorious job this time but there was lots of communication. You’re looking for one of the other three goofs. They went back to make sure there were no injured men after the bombs went off.”
Prisoners? Communications? Bomb?
At the word bomb her eyes widened. “They blew up my grandfather’s cabin?”
“They did. And their own truck apparently. Not sure about the other rig. We could use it right now.”
Rig? Right, the terrorists had brought another vehicle.
Slowly the distorted memories filtered into her brain and arranged to a more or less recognizable pattern. She relaxed back slightly. She studied the truck bed she lay in. There was something beneath her, but it wasn’t soft or comfortable. And she was so damn cold. Just when she thought it was getting better, a wave washed over her making her teeth chatter.
“So cold,” she whispered.
“I can help with that,” Mason said before he disappeared from view.
Like that was a help. But he returned a few minutes later with a big heavy coat that he laid over the front of her. “Now just rest. We’ll be leaving here soon.”
“Leaving?”
“Yes, we’re driving you to a small town close by and will make arrangements to get you home from there.”
“Oh.” She didn’t even know what to say to that. Drive to a town didn’t sound great considering how she was feeling right now. A small town wasn’t going to have a doctor or even a medical clinic. And arrangements to get home, although home sounded lovely that whole arrangement thing sucked.
But home was the nirvana she was looking for right now.
She snuggled under the heavy coat, loving the familiar smell to it, and closed her eyes.
*
“How is she?”
Shadow walked into the camp and straight to the truck. He nodded to Evan who stood at the edge. Markus, who’d followed him back, veered off to talk to Evan. Always alert, always on guard.
Good thing. Too bad he didn’t have good news to report. They hadn’t been able to salvage either of the other two vehicles – or anything of what remained of the cabin. In fact, it was a hell of a mess. He hated to see it. The cabin had been prime in its day. Now it resembled charred toothpicks.
“She’s awake. Cold, hurting and worried.”
“Worried about what?” Shadow frowned at Dane.
“You, you weren’t there when she woke up.”
“And?” Shadow studied the men around him suspiciously. He was often the butt of the jokes in the group but no more than anyone else. Only when the others were grinning at him like he could see them doing now, well, that was guaranteed to set off his radar.
“She woke alone, she was scared,” Mason said in a calm low voice. “And she was worried. About where she was and more so about where you were.”
Shadow turned to look at his friend. “Worried about me?” He raised an eyebrow at the thought. In the physical
surroundings he was the last person here she needed to be worried about. “She’s just not feeling well.”
“Ah, it’s more than that,” Cooper said at his side. “She’s sweet on you.”
Shadow shook his head. “Hell no she isn’t. I rescued her, she’s grateful, that’s all.” And he sure didn’t want gratitude from her. Nor did he want her to mistake gratitude as being something more. It wasn’t.
“Go and see her,” Mason said. “Regardless of what’s going on, her mental state is going to have a huge impact on her healing. She needs to know you’re okay. So set her mind at ease.”
With the others grinning, Shadow walked to the big rig and pulled the heavy canvas back. “Ari,” he said, his voice soft, gentle. Damn men. Making him think in one direction as hope blossomed inside. But it wasn’t to be. He knew that. He just had to remember.
“Shadow?” she asked sleepily from under the heavy coat. He stared at the coat. It was his. Trust the guys yet again.
“Yeah, it’s me.”
She sat up, and he couldn’t help but stare. Tear stained cheeks, red puffy eyes, but their vision was clear, direct and warm. Hell. She opened her arms. When he didn’t reach for her, her lower lip trembled. Making him feel like an ass. Too damn bad if the men were watching. He opened his arms and with a small cry she fell into them.
“I was so scared when I woke up,” she confessed against his neck, snuggling close. “I didn’t recognize anyone.”
“We had to go back and check out the condition of the cabin.” And retrieve the bodies of the terrorists. They were stacked off to the side under tarps. There were only two vehicles here. Another was on its way. He moved so he could sit on the tailgate and hold her.
“Is it okay?” she sniffled.
“Well, it’s gone if that’s what you mean,” he said quietly. “I’m sorry for that.”
She smiled up at him. “Thanks. But I have the memories and that’s what is important.”
Pulling back slightly, she asked in a low voice, “Is there any update on my family? Is my father okay?”
He shook his head, hating to not be able to give her the news she needed to hear. “We don’t know anything yet. Communication up here is spotty at best.”