Free Their Runaway Mate by Lori Whyte Page A

subsided, Xander stroked his chin. Tension rippled off Kylan.
    "We had heard that you were holding the human woman here," Xander said. "That is against the parameters of your bereavement isolation. You have violated—"
    "We didn't arrange this." Jasmine ducked around Kylan. She put her hands on her hips and eyed the councillor. "You sound as though you are suggesting Kylan has done something wrong. He found me in the woods. That is all. I ran out of gas. There was nothing sordid or pre-planned or—"
    Xander silenced her with a lift of one of his elegant eyebrows. Then he looked at Kylan. "She has much to learn."
    Jasmine folded her arms over her chest and tapped her foot. Xander ignored her.
    "Until we can investigate these accusations further, the best place for the human is with you and your clan. Your isolation is temporarily postponed until this is sorted. Your new task is to guard her." He snapped his fingers and Kylan's bereavement band dropped to the floor.
    "Is that better?" Xander's eyes were full of amusement when he looked back to Jasmine.
    "Yes." She nodded. "Thank you."
    Then the councillor exited the cabin. Dillon shut the door and turned to Kylan and Jasmine.
    "It looks like we are going home."
    Home? As in the place where a bunch more dragons lived? Oh, God.
    ***
    Kylan eyed Jasmine with apprehension as she retreated from them. Shit. They'd just lost their best opportunity to persuade her to consider mating with them, but he agreed with Xander. She would be safer with the clan.
    He clenched his hands. He could still feel the soft weight of her breasts against his fingers. Now there was a chance that was as much as he'd ever feel of her body.
    Her gaze darted around the room. He could tell she was plotting her escape, but that wasn't possible. If Xander and Kolz could figure out she was in this area so quickly, it wouldn't be long before the others did too. He should have asked how they'd concluded she was here. Had they bugged his and Dillon's phones or was it as simple as Dillon stopping to get baking supplies from Deford's?
    Either way, others would follow.
    Jasmine knew so little about dragon abilities, even the basic stuff. She would be vulnerable and not even realize how at risk she was.
    "I know what you are thinking," Kylan said as he followed her across the room. "But we can't let you run again."
    "I don't know what you are talking about."
    Dillon rolled his eyes toward the sky. "Even I know you are planning to skip out on us."
    She frowned. "All I need is a bit of gas. I—"
    "No." The finality in Kylan's one word made her jump.
    "You can't tell me what to do." She glared at him. "Is this what you meant about giving me my every want and desire? Well, I guess it's good to know how easily you lie."
    He never angered. It was what made him an excellent leader. But this woman… "We would give our lives for you, but we don't expect you to throw your life away so foolishly."
    "You don't understand. Why aren't you listening to me?" Jasmine stepped toward him with her hands tight in little fists, but before she reached Kylan, Dillon stepped between them with his arms raised to both of them.
    "Okay," he said softly. "Things haven't worked out the way we'd anticipated, but that doesn't mean we can't find a solution that will work for everyone."
    They stared at Dillon.
    "Jasmine," he started, "with Xander looking into the situation, we can at least be guaranteed an unbiased investigation of what's happened. He is our best chance at getting this resolved and you back to you regular life." Dillon grimaced slightly at that declaration, but Kylan wasn't sure if Jasmine caught it. "In the meantime, there are several dragons who still think you are fair game. We are natural hunters. It is only a matter of time before they come looking for you."
    "But we were safe here," Jasmine said.
    Dillon shot a glance to Kylan, who took a deep breath and nodded.
    "Kylan and I are prepared to fight for you, but your safety is our