Free SEALs of Honor: Markus by Dale Mayer

body is going to let me down.”
    Immediately he shook his head. “No, your body hasn’t let you down. It has been hurt and needs to heal.”
    “So I let my body down?” she asked with a note of humor. She took a deep breath and went to stand up and her legs collapsed under her.
    Markus shifted Jake from his shoulder to his arms and dropped to his knees.
    “Climb on my shoulders,” he instructed.
    “No way,” she protested. “You can’t carry both of us… Leave me behind. Go and get Jake the help he needs then maybe someone can come find me. I’ll be ready to go again by then,” she said in a bracing tone. Surely rest was all she needed.
    “We don’t have time to argue. I’m not leaving either of you behind. Now get on.”
    She went to protest again, but his glare had her slowly closing her mouth. She didn’t weigh that much, but both together was a huge load. Markus wasn’t listening.
    So be it. Then he’d have to admit defeat too. He’d learn he couldn’t do this soon enough. Like she had. Liking the idea and realizing the chances of it happening were still small, she scrambled onto his back.
    “Now, go up to my shoulders.”
    “That’s going to hurt,” she warned, but awkwardly she made it to the top of his massive shoulders. “I feel like a two-year-old up here,” she muttered.
    He laughed, and damn if his shoulders didn’t shake with the motion. He shifted Jake so his arms wrapped around her legs, and in a movement and display of strength she envied, he stood up.
    “Jesus, I guess you eat spinach for breakfast, huh?”
    He chuckled again. “Maybe you should try it.”
    “Maybe I should.” Now if only she liked the taste. Still, if that was the secret behind his impressive strength, she’d eat it regardless. “Unbelievable.”
    But he didn’t answer this time, he was busy marching forward at a pace she hadn’t been able to keep up with when carrying only herself.
    She could feel the power under her legs, the sense of determination, but there wasn’t the sense of being overwhelmed like she’d expected. How could he do this? And for how long? Surely this was too much.
    But silent and determined, he strode through the forest carrying both of them.
    Then she realized he barely made a sound.
    How was that possible?
    *
    He was taking a chance making them a bigger target, but he’d not heard a sound for the last half hour. The woods were deserted. He needed to get Jake help and like hell he was leaving her behind. What kind of guy would do that? He was big and fit and never had he appreciated his inherent strength more than he did now.
    He kept up the grueling pace until his communication device went off.
    Bree had dislodged the earpiece and it hung on his shoulder now, but the voice was legible.
    Hawk.
    “ETA?”
    Markus kept moving as he assessed the time to the cabin. “Less than thirty.”
    “Do you need assistance?” Hawk’s calm voice was easily audible.
    “Not for myself. Jake is unconscious. Need a medic.”
    “Yes Markus needs assistance, don’t listen to him,” Bree exclaimed loud enough for Hawk to hear. “He’s carrying us both for heaven’s sake. Who are you people? Gods? He can’t be human.”
    Hawk’s voice, surprised but tinged with humor, said, “Markus?”
    “Yeah, she’s on my shoulders.”
    “I’m sorry,” Bree said instantly. “I couldn’t keep up. It’s really his fault, you know. He was walking too fast.”
    “Was he now?” Hawk murmured.
    “Yeah, although that might have had something to do with the shooter.”
    “Shooter? Explain.” Hawk lost the teasing note, his voice sharpening to a steely point.
    “We got shot at. Markus would probably say that was my fault too,” Bree answered before Markus could get a word in edgewise. “Of course I was okay with dying as I’ve been there before and made peace with it.”
    “Markus?”
    Markus knew what Hawk was asking for an explanation of, but there was no explanation for someone like