Page 4 of Mated to the Enemy
“Come on,” she said, grabbing Zoe’s hand. “We need to go.Now!”
They dashed forward.
“What’s going on, Jess? Why was he chasing after you? What did you do?”
Jessica hissed. “Nothing but overhear him talking about wanting to—”
She was interrupted as Lorran came around the corner ahead of them, blocking the way.
“Jessica,” he said warningly, looking past her at the groaning mage. “This needs to stop.”
“I agree. Get out of our way,” she snapped.
“Get out of our way?” Lorran asked haughtily.
“Yes. We’re leaving,” she said, walking straight forward.
“You should stay,” he said warningly.
“Jess,” Zoe hissed. “What the hell is going on? I don’t want to go.”
“If I stay here,” Jessica said under her breath, “They’re going to kill me, and possibly you too, just for helping me.”
“Is that true?” Zoe asked, speaking louder. “Are you going to kill Jessica? Are you going to kill me too, Lorran?”
The shifter sighed. “I can keep you safe, my love. You know that. As long as you are with me, you will come to no harm. I…cannot promise anything with Jessica. She has to make that choice, and even then.” He shrugged. “I do not know.”
“Zoe,” Jessica said, glancing over her shoulder. The mage was getting to his knees. He was moving slowly, but in another minute or so he’d be back upright, she figured. Time was running out.
“Come on, Jess. Lorran will do his best to protect us. I don’t know what happened, but we can sort this out. Okay?” Zoe turned to look at her. “Trust me.”
Jessica was about to protest, to tell Zoe that she was insane, but something in her sister’s eye caught her attention. It wasn’t much, but it was enough.
“Okay,” she said heavily. “Fine. There’s no way I would escape anyway, I guess.”
“No, you wouldn’t,” Lorran said confidently.
Together, the two of them started forward. Jessica let her shoulders slump in defeat, head bowed, nearly dragging her feet with every step. When they were about ten feet away, Zoe hurried forward into the arms of her mate.
“Lorran, who is that man?” she asked, pointing at the nasty man in all black who was just now regaining his footing behind them.
“That is—”
“I’m sorry,” Zoe whispered, and drove her knee into Lorran’s groin as hard as she could. “Run!” she screamed.
Jessica reached out for her sister’s hand, but Zoe pulled back.
“What are you doing?” she shouted, gaping.
“If I go with you, they’ll kill me too. If I stay, he’ll protect me. You can survive, Jess. I know you can. I…I don’t have those skills.Go!Get out of here, now. Don’t make me waste this.”
Jessica looked at Zoe, hating herself for what she was about to do, but her younger sister was right. Lorran would be furious, but he would forgive her. The man, for all his faults, appeared to love her dearly.
The same could not be said about Jessica. Both Lorran and the other man would come after her. She couldn’t stick around. But Zoe was wrong. They could survive. Together!
“Just come with me,” she hissed. On the ground, Lorran was slowing his rolls, the wails of pain beginning to lessen. It wouldn’t be long now. “We can make it, the two of us!”
Zoe hesitated, then, with a jerky nod, agreed. “Okay, let’s go.”
