SEALs of Honor: Shadow by Dale Mayer

Arianna, one eyebrow raised. She shrugged then nodded.
    Damn. He hadn’t really considered that. This kidnapping had a political overtone, but she was a beautiful young woman and rape was often meted out as a punishment and to control the victims. He was glad she’d made it out first.
    “I’m fine, Kevin. Sorry for whining.”
    Whining? That wasn’t close to being a whine but as long as she had Kevin to keep bolstered she’d do her best. And he respected that.
    Down below nothing stirred. Off to the side he heard a long drawn out hawk’s cry. He quickly cupped his hand and gave a corresponding cry. He looped the rope back over his arm and studied the pair. “I’m going to carry Kevin down on my back. Then I’m going to come back up for you, Arianna, okay?”
    “No, I don’t want to leave her,” Kevin cried.
    “Hush, Kevin,” she said, her voice soothing. “This will be fine. I’m safe here.”
    Swede came out from the bushes and held up his arms. Shadow tied the rope around Kevin’s waist and dropped him down into Swede’s waiting arms. Then with Arianna clinging to his back, he carefully climbed down the tree. When on solid ground, he helped her stand on her own feet. The color drained out of her face, she barely held back the cry of pain when she tried to put weight on her injured leg.
    Before she could collapse, he swung her up into his arms and carried her back to the camp where they’d held the rebels with Swede at his side carrying Kevin. She looped her arms around his neck and snuggled in damn near breaking his heart. She shouldn’t be so trusting. The world was full of assholes.
    Cooper, now out from under the truck, raced after them. “I think I’ve got it dismantled. I need help though.”
    “I’m here.” Hawk slid out from behind a tree. Evan shifted to guard the direction he came from then disappeared from sight. “Dane is at the camp and Mason is on his way. Evan is heading back. What do you need?”
    “I think I can get the senator out from the back of the truck now. But I don’t want the rebels to know that we have them.”
    Arianna tilted her head upwards and whispered, “Go help. I’m fine.”
    “You’re not fine,” he said shortly but his attention followed the others. “They should have someone to watch out for them.”
    She gave him a push on the shoulder. “Put me down,” she said. “Swede, leave Kevin here with me.”
    “No, ma’am.”
    “Yes. Those are our parents and we don’t even know if they survived that beating. Save them,” she ordered. “Kevin is fine with me. You’ll only be gone a few minutes anyway.” And she gave him a sharp nod as if to underscore the right actions for him to follow.
    Swede grinned, glanced at Shadow, and said, “I think we’ve been told.”
    “She doesn’t understand,” Shadow said. “We have to get her and her brother to safety.”
    “And you have, several times, in fact, so far this night. Now get our parents and maybe we can all get the hell out of here.”
    She tilted her chin at him and narrowed her gaze.
    He glared.
    Swede laughed. “It’s all good. Let’s go.”
    He grabbed Shadow’s arm and tugged. Markus, his gaze knowing, led the way. Damn.

Chapter 7

    A rianna watched them leave. With Kevin’s arms once again wrapped around her, she leaned against the closest tree for support and took the weight off her leg. She could have kept going, but she was damn glad she didn’t have to. And that just made her a softie. Her father would roar at her to buck up and take it.
    Like he had.
    But she didn’t even know if he was still alive. Right now she wanted to be back home safe and sound and preferably in her own bed where her leg could heal and she could forget this nightmare. She was so far from being in that position tears of exhaustion came to her eyes. It had to be the injury making her so weak. She wasn’t normally like this.
    “How bad is it, Ari?”
    She managed to smile down at him. “Hurts like the