The Promise (Book 1, The Coven Series)

Chapter Twenty-Seven

I stumbled. Strong hands pulled me up and we barreled through the inky blackness. It was like trying to walk through a wall of jello-wet and thick. It had some kind of spell. I just didn't know how long it would last. My sides started to burn and my lungs struggled to take in air when we broke free of the mire. It seemed like we'd been running forever, but it was only about ten minutes or so. I recognized where we were. Just north of the clearing. They had to be right behind us.

"Dammit!" Jeff growled. "It was supposed to last longer than that. We have to leave, CJ, now."

"Give me...a second. I need to...catch...my breath."

He growled and glared at my shoes. "Take those heels off. You'll run faster."

"Not a chance. I run faster in heels than you can in your track shoes."

"Fine, but let's go!"

I stared at him. He'd saved me. I thought he'd lied to me, betrayed me. "Thank you," I whispered.

He glanced behind us, the worry plain on his face. "I told you I'd do what it took to keep you safe, CJ, even if that meant pretending to go along with the rest of them."

He grabbed my hand and pulled me back into a dead run.

"I thought..." I gasped, trying to catch my breath.

"I know what you thought," he cut in. "It killed me to see your face when I said what I did. I swear to the Fates, I didn't mean it. I love you, CJ. I have since that first day of kindergarten when I stole your toy and Kay kicked the shit out of me."

He really loved me. Why had I never seen that before?

"CJ, move!" he yelled when I slowed down. "They can use their tracking spells now. We don't have much time. My jeep is just up ahead at the end of the trail. Hurry!"

I hadn't thought about tracking spells. "Won't they be able to find us anyway?"

"It'll be harder once we're in the air."

"In the air?"

He growled. I knew it was hard to talk while running, but I needed the distraction so I could focus on anything except the building panic.

"I purchased two tickets for us. The plane leaves in about an hour. It'll take us almost that long to get to Charlotte. It's going to be okay, CJ, I promise."

"I wouldn't make promises I couldn't keep, Jeffrey," Ethan's voice lashed at the already raw wounds on my soul. "She's mine."

He stood there leaning against the Jeep. He really did look like some dark angel.

"No, she's not." Jeff pushed me behind him. "You want to kill her."

"You have no idea what I want, Jeff." He held out his hand to me. "Cassie, come here."

I wanted so much to take that hand. I wanted to believe him.

"Trust me," he whispered. "Please."

But how could I trust him? He'd lied to me about everything. He'd brought me here. I wanted so badly to believe him. I loved him.

I looked up into Jeff's eyes. They glowed with anger and a fierce protectiveness. He was the one person who'd stood beside me, the one person who'd stood up to them and helped me. I took Jeff's hand instead.

"No, Ethan."

His eyes flashed with hurt. I faltered. Then I saw the hunting party behind him.

"You found them." Mr. Martin stopped beside of him.

"Why?" I whispered. "Why, Ethan?"

"He has more reason than the rest of us to see this through." Mr. Martin told me. "Didn't your book tell you who he is?"