Leah had never felt such horror as she did when Samantha stumbled on a hidden object. Due to their linked hands, when the redhead sprawled face first on the mossy floor, Leah found herself tumbling beside her. Briars scratched her cheeks as she broke through the flexible branches of a thorn bush before connecting with solid ground.

Samantha half panted/half moaned as she scrambled to her knees and Leah didn't waste a moment to do the same. Craning to look behind her, Leah's heart sank as Leroy's dark frame still staggered in pursuit as he thrashed noisily through the leaves and underbrush. She noted he was slower than before and hoped it was due to the snake bite. Samantha's frantic breathing reminded her that he wasn't the only one slowing down.

"Samantha, get up," Leah gasped as she climbed to her feet. Her lungs burned as they struggled to keep up with her body's demand for air. Still, adrenaline burst through her, pulsing through her limbs; It was enough to grip the girl's arm and help her stand, though she swayed from exhaustion.

We can't keep going like this! Leah frowned as she glanced back again. Under no circumstances could Samatha be caught! The same urge to protect her nemesis doubled and filled her anew, mingling with her adrenaline. Setting her jaw, she shoved Samantha away from her.

"Go. Run. Get help."

"Wh - What? We both -"

"Go now!" Leah hadn't intended her voice to sound harsh. Rather, the conflicting emotions of survival and love darkened her. "He'll kill you, but he needs me alive... I think. Now go! Tell Wren."

"Leah!" Her name ended on a sob and tears of defeat stung Leah's eyes. Leroy's shuffled steps were almost upon them.

Jesus, help me! Leah took a step further from the girl. "Go." Her one word, intended to be commanding, barely passed a whisper. It must have been enough, however, for the red-head staggered back several steps before turning to run once again. In a matter of seconds, darkness swallowed her slender frame leaving Leah to be swallowed in a man's arms.

The impact of Leroy's body slamming into her nearly knocked her back to the ground, but the assassin was as strong as he appeared for, despite his heavy breathing and pained leg, he held them both upright. He squeezed her hard to the point all breath left and for a horrifying moment, thought she would suffocate. Then, curses spewed once more from his mouth and his grip loosened, followed by a pressing under her ribcage. Leah stiffened, knowing what it was.

"I should end you right here!" He growled and she couldn't stop her whimper as he pressed the knife harder. His breath released into a shuddering whoosh of air that Leah assumed was to contain his anger. "But, I have a fate planned for you much worse than death." Then with that, he removed his knife, gripped her arm and half dragged her in the direction she had just fled.

Despite his obvious limp, Leah found it difficult to keep with his stride, mainly due to her ball gown, shredded much like Cinderella's had been after her sisters' tirade. Still, she dared not slow. His anger simmered to almost no control and now that Samantha was safe, her own desire for survival pushed her to match his speed.

Once again the forest seemed to have no end. Leah strained to hear any sounds of a pursuer but not once did she hear anything other than the noise she and her kidnapper made.

When she thought she could surely go no further, they burst through the edge of the forest to be greeted with a country road's black pavement and more forest on the road's opposite side. Leah scanned up and down, hoping to see headlights of an oncoming car. Rather, she spotted the outline of a van not far away, pulled close to the forest wall. Leroy must have located it at the same time, for he trudged to it, half dragging Leah behind him.

"Boss!" Leroy barked.

Dread filled Leah. Boss? Surely it couldn't be ..? Her eyes widened as a tall masculine figure stepped from behind the van. A soft breeze blew what Leah could clearly see to be long thick hair, but it was definitely a man's body. When he spoke, his low, cold tone confirmed his gender.

"What took you so long?" The Boss said, striding closer to them.

"I was bitten by a blasted snake and then this brat tried to run away!"

Leah shrieked as Leroy finished his explanation by flinging her hard into the van's side. Pain radiated as she slammed into it but she sank with almost gratefulness to the soft grass it was parked on.

"Was it poisonous?" The Boss growled and Leroy fell to the grass himself, giving Leah a glimpse of how tired he really was.

"Yes, but it's mild. My guess is a Copperhead. I can't fight Adam's like this, Boss."

Another growl escaped the Boss. Leah's fear came close to terror when he spun to her and dropped to his haunches. Her chin was gripped in such a strong vice, she was sure she would have bruises.

"If you try to run, I will kill you myself. Do you hear me, girl?"

Leah blinked as a faint scent of cologne touched her nostrils and his minty breath fanned her face. For some reason, she had expected this man to be vulgur and dirty like Leroy, yet she sensed his attractivness. It was a strange thing to be distracted with but when he squeezed her tighter, she scrambled to remember his command. When, she nodded, he released her and walked to the back of the van.

She had expected him to return to Leroy's side after, but to her dismay, he came to her.

"Hold out your hands."

Leah did as told, and her dread doubled as her wrists were bound with rope, tied so tight, she knew they would be numb in a matter of minutes.

"Can't risk you running off, now can we?" The Boss chuckled as he finished with the knot securing the rope. "I would just give you a beating or break your leg, but a crippled girl never sells well."

"What?" Leah's shriek was ignored as she was hauled to her feet and drug to the forest edge. She met dirt again as he tossed her down. He finished with tieing her to the thick base of a tree. Then, with a pat on her cheek that felt more like a slap, he was moving back to Leroy.

Sell her? Tears fell unchecked as the raw reality of what was happening struck. They were planning on selling her into human trafficking! Her leaden mind carved out the memory of Wren's kind eyes and a new grief struck as she thought of his pain of learning her fate and her own pain at never seeing him again. This couldn't happen!

She struggled against her ropes, trying to angle her body to slide down and under them, but her efforts were no use. The rope bit into her shoulder, such was the tightness. A muffled grunt from Leroy caused her to look at the two shadowed figures still on the ground. Whatever was happening, she could hear the pain in the man's occasional moan.

As her head fell back to lean against the tree's trunk, she battled the defeat zapping her will to fight.

Is this my fate? Is this Your will? I beg of You! Let me escape this! Jesus! Please! Give me strength and courage and -

Leah's eyes flew open from their closed state as the ropes around her shoulder sagged and fell to her lap. She twisted her head slowly, trying not to move fast as a dark figure crept around the tree trunk. Her heart leaped.

Wren! She wanted to shout and throw herself at him, but as the figure crept closer, her shock was not small to see it was not her butler after all. Even in the darkness, it was obvious. Still, as her bonds were cut from her wrists, her heart sang. New hope pushed some of her dread away.

The figure leaned to her ear, his whisper so light she barely heard him. "Go and hide. I'll hold these guys off."

Leah wanted to argue, but knew every second was precious. She rose to trembling feet, and while keeping a close eye on the two distracted men working over Leroy's wound, slipped into the forest. She didn't go but a few steps before hesitating and removing her shoes. Then, stifling her urge to run, put all her energy into being silent. Each step was placed with care, tested for leaves and twigs.

Only when a loud curse split the forest, echoing behind her, did she run. She ran faster than she did before, her newfound knowledge of her fate giving her speed and energy she didn't know was possible. It was almost as if she could sense the hidden branches and thorns as she flew across the distance between her and home. Or maybe, it was her desire to escape stifled her feeling as her feet were cut and bruised.

She felt in a fog, a time capsule even, that left her numb to her gasping breathing and aching muscles. She just moved, sudden bursts of adrenaline giving her sudden bursts of speed. It was only when she slammed into a tree trunk did the impact jar her to her surroundings. But when it's branches reached to surround her, did she realize she had actually run into the arms of a man.

I would rather die! And with that thought, she raised a fist to strike blindly at her captor. She would fight until she had no power left. She slammed one fist down having no idea where it landed. She brought her other down in swift succession and had every intention of following the movement with her bare feet when the voice she wanted to hear froze her to a statue.

"Princess! It's me!" Her wrists were gripped and she blinked to stare up at her captor. Weakness rushed through her, her adrenaline vanishing as she indeed made out her butler's outline. There was no mistaking it this time!

Unable to say another word, she fell against him with a cry, feeling safe as his arm engulfed her.

"Thank God, I found you," Wren whispered.

Leah wanted to stay in his embrace, to shut out the terrifying world she suddenly found herself in. But instead, she pulled back. Her tone was grave as she forced the dreaded words she didn't want to admit.

"The Boss and Leroy are here." She felt him stiffen; his tension squealched her relief. His next words returned her former dread.