Read Online Pushing Up Daisies by Melanie Thompson - Free Book Online Page A

policed the area and rolled up the mat. When they were ready to go, he took Sarah aside. “This is going to be a hard march. We have to move fast, no stops, no resting. When the sun comes up, we’ll need to find shelter or we’ll fry. We have a limited amount of water; reaching the road is critical.”
    Sarah’s blue eyes were huge in her face. House couldn’t stop staring into them. Her face was heart-shaped, her nose perfect and her mouth a luscious, plump rosebud. No wonder Daisy jumped her. The sudden memory of the sounds coming from the cave when Daisy had been making love to Sarah froze him with desire. He coughed and looked away…hard again. What a stupid place to become aroused. He was losing it.
    Out in the night, the stars over their heads sparkled. There was no moon which was good for hiding from the enemy but bad for a pickup. Sarah couldn’t see as well as him and Daisy. She slipped and stumbled going down the path to flat ground. House caught her by the arm and her flesh burned his hand. He almost dropped her.
    He made sure he stayed in the front of their small column as they moved across the open plain. Daisy was in the rear, both on heightened alert. This was the most dangerous thing they could do, just walk across the desert. Anyone could find them.
    They’d gone about three miles. Sarah lagged behind and Daisy had to help her over some rough ground. They weren’t making very good time. House glanced at his watch. It had taken an hour to travel about three miles. They would never make the road at this speed. House was contemplating shifting and running for help when they heard the bird approaching. He knew the sound. It was a Company helicopter.
    Daisy pulled Sarah to a rock pile and put her behind it. House and Daisy hadn’t survived this long by trusting. House waved to the bird and it began its descent. Relief filled him. The Company had used their chips to track them. They were saved and he could return to the pirate’s headquarters to retrieve his fallen comrades.
    The bird slowly settled on the desert floor. The door was open and two men gestured to them. House gathered Daisy and Sarah and started for the safety of the helicopter. They were only ten feet away when it exploded. Daisy and House fell on top of Sarah as a screaming band of Bedouins riding horses and camels poured from behind the nearby hills. An ancient Land Rover cleared the hills and skidded to a stop beside House. An older Bedouin wearing white robes and a white turban climbed out of the Rover carrying a bazooka from World War Two. A thin stream of smoke still drifted from the barrel.
    House leaped to his feet and lunged at the Bedouin. He’d just destroyed one of the Company’s helicopters and killed the pilot and the team inside. Two more Bedouins leaped off their horses and grabbed House under the arms. House growled and lunged for the older man. The two holding him struggled. Three more men had to join them to subdue him. House stopped fighting and checked for Daisy and Sarah hoping against hope they’d escaped.
    He saw Daisy with her arms around Sarah trying to protect her. They were separated. Daisy was tossed on the back of a camel and Sarah was tossed on a horse behind a Bedouin fighter. House was dragged to the Land Rover and shoved into the back seat, as the entire band closed ranks around the old vehicle and headed west.
    The band of nomads tied House’s hands behind his back but didn’t cover his eyes or bag his head. He twisted in his seat to check on Daisy and saw she too was bound. The Bedouins knew her for a warrior. Sarah was not tied up. She clung to the man in front of her, easily riding behind him on the horse’s rump as though she’d been doing it all her life.
    * * * *
    Sarah knew how to ride. After the shock of their capture wore off, she began enjoying the feel of a horse under her again. Her father had sent her to riding academy in England