Page 107 of Mated By Twilight

A wave of calm swept over Leah, dulling the pain, making everything seem like it was happening in slow motion.

Because she’d done this before. She knew what to do. Maybe the situation was different, but the desire to escape, to live, remained.

And this time, it burned even hotter. It wasn’t just the memory of joy and fulfillment that filled her with a strange, alien determination she didn’t understand. She knew happiness now. She knew love. She knew what she wanted to live for.

Her family couldn’t shackle her and force an end to her life.

She certainly wasn’t going to let this crazy female do so.

Biella approached, pulling back the knife.

Leah drew up her legs. Biella, in her insane wisdom, hadn’t seen a reason to tie her feet together since she was already unconscious.

Biella shrieked, falling on her.

Leah kicked up both legs, catching her in the torso. Not really kicking her off but catching her in the air, holding her up in a twisted game of airplane as she slashed the knife across where Leah’s chest would be if she was just a bit lower. Leah heard it cutting the air, but it missed hitting her directly.

Biella let out a wordless cry of rage, slashing again and again, trying to force her way down. Leah’s legs were shaking with the effort it took to hold her up.

They struggled against each other for just a second. Biella scratched Leah’s legs with her claws, trying to force them out of her way. Unlike the guys, she didn't keep her claws neatlyblunted. But Leah didn't feel the cuts. She just saw the darkness of her blood welling up and trickling down.

With a grunt, Leah kicked, tossing Biella to the side. Rolling over herself. A hard clunk told her that Biella had hit her head against the hard frame of the bed. Leah continued rolling, getting up on her knees, to her feet.

She staggered a bit, trying to find her balance, as she ran to the door. It didn't open automatically, and Leah kicked it once in frustration before turning. She just barely managed to jump out of the way in time. Biella, who had come charging after her, hit the wall with a hard crunch of the knife cutting through the paint.

Turning with a growl, a trickle of blood coming down from her forehead, she snarled. Leah glared right back, lifting her arm and tilting her head so she could get her hands to the gag in her mouth. She ripped the piece of cloth out and jerked the cord down, letting it fall around her neck as she spat out the cotton-like fabric, wetting her lips.

“Just die already!” Biella yelled, charging for her again.

Leah ran to the side, now using her teeth to rip at the cords around her arms. They were tight, but not actually tied that well. Biella wasn’t right in the head, and it showed in the sloppiness of this kidnapping and murder attempt.

Oh.

Leah was somehow stunned as she avoided another wild attack, sending Biella running into the desk this time.

Leah was getting murdered right now. Attempted murder, at least. It was kind of a wild realization. And if Biella hadn’t beeninsane, if she had been capable of thinking this through better, she might have already succeeded.

Strangely, the knowledge that she was actively being murdered wasn’t depressing or shocking. It was more motivating. Like it had unlocked some kind of deep, primal survival instinct. Leah wasn’t scared or in pain anymore. She was focused. She was determined.

She glared at Biella as the avanava female picked herself up and turned.

“I’ll kill you,” she hissed, hand shaking around the knife. “I’ll kill you and-”

“And what?” Leah snapped back. “And takemymates?”

Biella shrieked at her for daring to claim her own males. Leah didn't even have to worry about screaming for help. Biella was doing plenty of that on her own. She might have locked the door, and Leah didn't have the time to figure out how to unlock it, but she was making enough noise that, if they could be heard, someone would be coming sooner or later.

She just had to survive that long.

Her mates would come for her.

They would. She knew it for certain. They loved her deeper than anyone ever had before. They treasured her as something important and valuable. She wasn’t a possession to be owned to them. Not just a little woman to obey and serve and give them children.

She was their mate, and she was worth their love!

And that was a future she was willing to fight for!

“They don’t want you!” She yelled at Biella, circling around to the side of the bed.

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