SEALs of Honor: Mason Read online

  KILL OR BE KILLED

  Part of an elite SEAL team, Mason takes on the dangerous jobs no one else wants to do – or can do. When he’s on a mission, he’s focused and dedicated. When he’s not, he plays as hard as he fights.

  Until he meets a woman he can’t have but can’t forget.

  Software developer, Tesla lost her brother in combat and has no intention of getting close to someone else in the military. Determined to save other US soldiers from a similar fate, she’s created a program that could save lives. But other countries know about the program, and they won’t stop until they get it – and get her.

  Time is running out… For her… For him… For them…

  Books in This Series:

  Mason: SEALs of Honor, Book 1

  Hawk: SEALs of Honor, Book 2

  Dane: SEALs of Honor, Book 3

  Swede: SEALs of Honor, Book 4

  Shadow: SEALs of Honor, Book 5

  Cooper: SEALs of Honor, Book 6

  MASON

  SEALs of Honor, Book 1

  Dale Mayer

  MASON: SEALS OF HONOR, BOOK 1

  Dale Mayer

  Valley Publishing

  Copyright © 2016

  All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  ISBN-13: 978-1-928122-75-3

  Kindle Edition

  License Notes

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return it and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  Praise for Dale Mayer

  I love to read Dale Mayer’s books… keeps me guessing…. I am getting good though trying to figure out who did it…. I am on my fourth book….

  …Review left on Vampire in Deceit, book 4 of Family Blood Ties

  Dale Mayer’s work is always outstanding and Haunted by Death is no exception.

  …Review from Haunted by Death, book 2 of the By Death Series

  This is a GREAT series that you don’t want to miss out on!

  …Review from Broken Protocols Series

  This is my favorite author I enjoy all her books and I can’t wait for more… her books are easy to get into and I love the storyline

  …Review from Dangerous Designs, book 1 of the Design Series

  Dale Mayer is a gifted writer who now has me hooked as a new fan. She characters are complex and she shares her knowledge of energy work clearly and simply. Makes for fascinating reading…

  …Review from Rare Find, book 6 of Psychic Visions Series

  Don’t underestimated Dale Mayer. Combination of JD Robb and Heather Graham. Paranormal suspense………

  …Review left on Maddy’s Floor, book 3 of the Psychic Visions Series

  Wow! I read a lot, and I can honestly say that there a few books that I have read that I will remember for years. This is one of those books. Thank you Dale for giving me the gift of this magnificent story. It was both heartbreaking and hopeful at the same time.

  …Review left on Skin, book 1 of Broken and yet…Healing Series

  Touched by Death is an outstanding novel by Dale Mayer. Unlike her usual novels that contain paranormal activity, this novel is sheer malevolent actions from ordinary humans.

  …Review left on Touched by Death, book 1 of By Death Series

  Dale’s books are spellbinding in more ways than one. She has a unique way with words. Her characters are fun and funny and loving. I love the way the story flows. Her characters all have personality. She takes you from suspense to love, then fear love and eternal love.

  …Review left on Second Chances, book 1 of Second Chances… at Love Series

  Table of Contents

  About the Book

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Praise for Dale Mayer

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Author’s Note

  About the Author

  Also by Dale Mayer

  Chapter 1

  IT WAS A shitty day to die. And sure as hell wasn’t on his damn list of things to do when he got up this morning.

  But with a gun pointed right at him by an old asshole he’d been tracking, shit happened in its own time. Including in the jungles of Mexico.

  Lieutenant Mason Callister slowly straightened, his hard gaze unwavering on his foe’s face. “Daniel Hardesty. Nice to see you again.”

  The grin on Daniel’s face was enough to make most men cringe. But Mason wasn’t most men. And he cringed for no one.

  Least of all this guy. Daniel had washed out during BUD/S training. Hell week had kicked his butt and had kept on washing his sorry ass all the way back home. The two men had been friends once. But not making it through the worst week of his life had left a bitter taste on Daniel’s lips. He’d finished his time and walked away from the military first chance he had.

  It happened that way for some people. Not everyone could handle failure. For some defeat ate a bitter corner into their psyche where it festered.

  He’d never have thought that would be Daniel’s path, but Hell week changed a man. For better or for worse. For Mason, it was that tilt of the hat that said he could handle anything. He’d already known it but having that added to his life achievements, well there’d been no feeling like it before or since.

  Apparently, failing had an effect on Daniel for the same reason. He’d quit and gone to the other side – a mercenary for anyone with enough money to pay for his services.

  “It’s nice to see you too, Mason,” Daniel said affably. “Especially as you’re looking down the end of my gun.”

  With a slight nod of his head, Mason gave him the point. Not that anyone was keeping score. “And the woman? Where is she?”

  Daniel’s grin widened. “Not your problem.”

  “Maybe not, but she is going to be your problem.”

  “I see you know her.” Daniel slapped a hand over his cheek and slowly rubbed the long red scratches visible between his fingers. “That damn woman is a pain in the ass. She deserves everything coming to her.”

  Mason’s insides iced over. There were a lot of reasons for a woman to fight so hard she’d scarred Daniel – and none of them were good. “Being sold to the highest bidder? Really? She deserves to be kidnapped? Beaten?” There would be worse treatment for her too, both men had seen too much of it. Neither needed to bring it out in the open.

  “She’s developing new military tracking software. And she won’t share it.” Daniel shrugged. “So what does she expect?”

  She expected her country to protect her. And Mason had no intention of failing. “So, she’s alive?”

  “So far. If she doesn’t give over…well, you know how it is.” Daniel tilted his head as if listening for something.

  Mason did indeed. “Waiting for someone?” he asked casually.

  “Not you. You’re a dead man and she’s going to be picked up in about…thirty minutes.” He glanced down at the watch on his wrist.

  That was just about enough time. Mason hoped.

  A hawk cried, the large bird presumably circling overhead. Mason made as if to look up but kept an eye on Daniel. Sure enough Daniel looked up to search for the bird. He’d gotten slack. Cocky.

  That was all the time Mason needed. He dove forward, grabbed Daniel’s leg. The gun went off, but he’d lost his aim as he went down. Mason didn’t waste any time, he took Daniel out in seconds. The unconscious man lolled beside him as Mason quickly gave a responding hawk call in return. Hawk, one of the men on his team, had taught them all how to imitate the powerful birdcall. Now they used it to signal between the six team members.

  His men separated from the trees around them. Daniel never had a chance but he hadn’t known it. Typical.

  “We need to find her. We’ve got thirty minutes before she’s to be picked up.”

  As silently as they moved out of the trees, they slid back into the forest. They knew Tesla Landers was here somewhere close by. And her time was running out.

  Mason secured Daniel, resisting the urge to kill the bastard for hurting the woman, but he was too valuable to kill. They needed the intel he had.

  Someone would swing by and pick him up in a few minutes.

  Now for Tesla. She came first.

  Chapter 2

  TESLA LANDERS – HER friends had loved it when the car company started up, saying the two of them were well matched, both with innovative ideas, drive and a sleek look – glared at the dark plank wall in front of her. Tears threatened but she refused to let them drop. She had to stay strong. She had to believe she’d be rescued. That she had value to both sides in this war and not just the wrong one.

  She had to trust.

  Or else she was lost.

  And staying strong wasn’t an option – it was everything. Everyone had a breaking point. She refused to consider this was hers.

  She would survive.

  She closed her eyes and for the hundredth time in the last hour she let the litany of bolstering sayings ripple through her mind.

  She could do this.

  She would do this.

  Every disaster had a silver lining.

  The military looked after their own.

  She was a valuable member of the team. Or would be if she could close the damn deal.

  She couldn’t help but worry that even for all those things, they might not find her in time. The SEALs were good, but they weren’t perfect. She clenched her jaw, willing the cry to stay hidden within. Her arms had been yanked and secured behind her, the pain so bad she’d bitten the inside of her cheek to hold back her sobs. She’d be damned if she’d let the assholes know they were hurting her. They looked like the kind of guys to get an extra jolly out of that.

  Now, every breath she took, her ribs expanded and pulled on her shoulders. She knew she would move past the pain into a numb state eventually, but she wasn’t there yet. She closed her eyes, wondering how the hell she’d gotten to this place in life. Right – because she wanted to save lives. Or rather, she didn’t want more unnecessary lives lost like her brother’s. He’d been stationed in Iraq when the truck he was riding in had driven over a land mine. No one had survived.

  A techie since diapers, she’d been determined to find a way to track the weapons used against her countrymen and save more of the brave soldiers like Harry. To find the land mines before they were triggered. And that technology was what the enemy wanted. Why had she never really considered that if her software could save her people then other countries would want it to save theirs?

  And how the hell had they known what she was working on? That bugged her. She’d been working as quietly as possible. The only answer was someone had sold her out. And damn it, that hurt. She knew her team. Loved them all. To think of someone doing such a thing broke her heart. Maybe they were desperate for money, but it could have been they were desperate to save someone instead. It was obvious the enemy wasn’t planning on holding back and didn’t care who they killed to get what they wanted. The only reason she was alive still was they wanted more from her. The software hadn’t been completed. There were bugs still. A few things to pull together. But it was so damn close. They’d kill her once it was operational.

  Therefore, they might as well kill her now.

  Her team could finish the job for the Pentagon.

  Maybe.

  A tree branch rustled against the wall in front of her sending a heavy wave of pine scent into her nostrils. The shack was so old and rickety she figured a good shove and it would collapse. The sound came again.

  She froze. Please don’t let it be him again. The leader of this pack had terrified her. That he was as American as she was, made it all that much worse. She hated him. What he was doing. Why he was doing it. He’d been very voluble in what was happening and why. His explanations made her hurt that people like him existed. Poor humanity. It was doomed.

  According to him, she was to be collected in an hour and taken to her new owner. Just putting collected and owner together in the same sentence with her name made her cringe. And that hour was well gone. She had no idea where the men were, but as she had nowhere to go, and couldn’t move to begin with, she lay frozen on the bed. And waited for someone to help her.

  And hoped she hadn’t been forgotten or deemed not important.

  A tiny drilling sound started right in front of her face. A minuscule hole opened up. She tried to shift back so her face wasn’t in the firing line, but a tiny white light flashed in her eyes regardless. A startled exclamation sound followed with the light being immediately shut off.

  She had nowhere to go. No place to hide.

  The door opened quickly. She tried to sit up so she could see but could only lift her head and twist. The doorway was empty. Groaning, she flopped back down.

  “Damn wind.”

  “Yeah, wind, that’s me.” A deep husky whisper floated over her head then suddenly hot breath rippled against her neck. She closed her eyes, shaking, waiting. Friend or foe?

  A hand slapped over her mouth. Her eyes opened in shock, and she tried to pull back. Only the restraint holding her arms back released. Her mouth opened, a soundless cry escaped.

  “Shh. Not a sound.”

  Her body shuddered in agony as her arms flopped forward.

  “I’m here to rescue you,” he whispered in low tones. “Do you understand?”

  She shot him a fulminating look but gave a short clipped nod.

  He slowly removed his hand. “Good. I’m going to sit you up and straighten your shoulders, so they will ease up faster. Ready?”

  She nodded again. Like hell she was ready. Was anyone ever? But he gently helped her into a sitting position, her arms falling uselessly at her side.

  He grabbed her shoulders and forcibly moved them back and forth, rotating them one at a time. Then he grabbed one arm and gave it a shake. He squeezed her hand. “Squeeze back.”

  She tried but the effort showed how little life was in her muscles.

  “Harder,” he snapped.

  She glared at him. “I am.”

  “No talking.”

  Her gaze should have sharpened and should have been able to slice him to pieces, but then the pins and needles started, and it was all she could do to not scream. She tried to pull her arm back but he wouldn’t let go, instead h e gripped her hand stronger and roughly massaged her muscles. Like that was helping.

  But surprisingly enough, it seemed to. Next time she managed to squeeze his hand when he clenched them again.

  “Much better. Now the other one.”

  Knowing it was going to help, she willingly went through the process. As soon as she could feel and grip again, he stood up and tugged her to her feet. She swayed from the suddenness of the movement.

  His gaze narrowed and he opened his mouth.

  She shook her head and mouthed, “I’m fine.”

  He slipped to the doorway, peered outside. Then tugging her behind him, they raced to the cover of the trees. Once there, he slammed her against the trunk and covered her body with his back.

  Squished but happy to be out of her restraints and away from the cabin, she wanted to keep going. He was talking in low tones to someone. Then without saying a word to her, he grabbed her hand and ran deeper into the woods. She had no choice but to follow.

  Only he moved silently and she moved like an ox. Several times he turned and warned her to be quiet. Like she knew how to do that. The dry leaves crackled under foot, and there were bushes she had to constantly dodge.

  And damn it, she was tired. Her legs were killing her. And she wore flats. Perfect for what she’d been doing and sucked big time for a panicked flight over rough terrain. She had no idea where she was. She’d been en route to Coronado, California yesterday. At least she thought it was yesterday but given she’d been drugged and her arm still hurt at the injection site, she could have been out for days. All she knew was that the sun was setting overhead, and she didn’t recognize her surroundings. If they’d flown her somewhere she could be anywhere. That terrified her. What if she was across the world with no ID or passport?

  Her rescuer slowed down and without warning shoved her behind him up against a tree again. Her back slammed against the scratchy bark. Thank God for the respite. She gasped for air. Her breath loud and raspy. She couldn’t do anything about it, she had no fitness training for something like this. She did her gym time like everyone else, but running a couple of miles on a treadmill was a different story than running blindly through thick woods up a damn hill in panic for her life. And after a day of being tied up, her legs were actually trembling.