Levi fought off the first few Pterons. They wriggled on the ground as he prepared to take on the next set. Then everything changed as another dozen Pterons jumped in. I watched with horror as Levi was hauled in the other direction. At least six men had to hold him back, but eventually he disappeared from my view. I let out a whimper, and I was rewarded with a hand across my mouth. If these men could take Levi, I was in serious trouble.

Struggling was no use. It was like fighting against chains. The more I squirmed, the tighter the arm held me. I eventually stopped fighting, but the arm didn’t loosen. I couldn’t see anything but large brown wings.

The sea of wings parted, and out of the shadows walked my nightmare, Mr. Blackwell. The wall of Pterons moved back into place behind him. “Hello again, Allison.” His voice was sharp and angry.

Suddenly, the empty space next to him was filled by Toby. My body relaxed a small amount knowing he was near. Despite everything, I trusted him. “You’re not touching her.”

Mr. Blackwell glared at his grandson. “Like hell I’m not. She’s coming with us now. You’re coming too.”

Toby glanced at me before looking back at his grandfather. “You can’t force her to choose me.”

“True, but I can make it impossible for her not too.” He cracked his knuckles.

“What do you mean?” Toby took a step closer to me. The Pteron holding me dropped his hand from my mouth, but I knew better than to yell. They weren’t going to give me a chance to call for help.

Mr. Blackwell turned his angry gaze on me. “It’s amazing what a few days, or weeks, in a dungeon can do to someone…”

“You can’t mean that! You can’t treat her that way!” Toby seethed. He had moved right next to me, and I could see his already black eyes getting even less human.

“Why not? She just needs to accept your ring and let you take her. It’s not too complicated, child.”

Toby growled. “That’s it? That’s all you view her as?”

Mr. Blackwell got that evil grin again. It was dark, but I could still see his white teeth. “Well, she also needs to give you an heir, and she’s the only girl you can be with so I suppose you’ll have to take her more than once.”

“No.” Toby stepped in front of me, blocking his grandfather from my view.

Screams and grunts filled the air. I hoped that Cade had gotten help. The thought of anyone hurting Levi made me break inside. He was strong, but he couldn’t take on that many Pterons alone.

“Don’t forget your place,” Mr. Blackwell snapped.

Toby brushed against me, and I knew it was his way of letting me know he would protect me. “I only wanted to be king so I could have Allie back. But not like this. She deserves better than this.”

“This has nothing to do with what you want or what she deserves. Although, I think it’s exactly what the girl deserves,” Mr. Blackwell spit.

That seemed to set Toby off more. “Over my dead body.”

“I wish I could do just that, but unfortunately only an heir can take power. I need you alive, for a while.” Only the most evil man could say that about his grandson. But then again, Mr. Blackwell wasn’t a man.

The distant noise got louder, and I knew the fight had found us. A wall of Pterons blocked the fighting from me, but I could imagine what it looked like. I hoped they were at least keeping humans away. They’d only become collateral damage.

“Take the girl, we’re leaving before this mess gets worse,” Mr. Blackwell directed the two men next to him. They appeared to be his body guards. Aside from the one holding me, they were the only ones watching us talk.

“I said no.” Toby lunged at his grandfather, easily pushing off the guards who tried to stop him. He was stronger than I imagined. Toby wrapped his hands around the older man’s throat, and I was released as my captor tried to pry Toby off. It was too late. I nearly vomited when I heard a cracking sound. Toby let go of his grandfather and the old man’s lifeless body fell to the ground.

Before I’d even processed what was happening, I was grabbed from behind again. I struggled and managed to land a groin shot before he pulled me back against him. “Bitch.”

“Release her!” Toby yelled, but it fell on deaf ears. Other brown-winged Pterons had figured out what happened and were surrounding Toby.

I screamed as another Pteron stepped toward me with what appeared to be a burlap sack.

Before the bag could be put over my head, the figures blocking the entrance to the alley fell back, and the Pteron I wanted more than anything stepped into view.

“Levi?”

He walked toward me with a whole line of Pterons behind him, including Jared and Owen. The rest of the Blackwell Pterons stepped back. Evidently, they were ready to surrender.

“I’m here.” Levi was sweaty, with a few cuts, but otherwise he looked unharmed. “Are you okay?”

I nodded.

“Stay here.” Levi moved me over to Jared, who pulled me into a near bone crunching hug. I waited as other Laurent Pterons, as well as others with blue and gray wings like Cade’s, grabbed the remaining Blackwells.

“You did that to save her, didn’t you?” Levi wasn’t talking to me.

I tugged on Jared so he’d walk with me over to where Levi and Toby stood leaning over Mr. Blackwell’s body.

Toby nodded solemnly. “He would have treated her like an animal.”

“You did that to save me…” I said in awe. I couldn’t believe it.

Toby wiped blood off his face. Someone had broken his nose. “I couldn’t…I couldn’t let him do that to you.”

I hugged him. I hugged the first boy I’d ever loved. I understood it now. What we’d shared had been love, it was just different from what I had with Levi.

Jared called to Levi. “Get Allie out of here. We’ll take care of the rest.”

Levi hugged me, and he didn’t let go for a full minute. “Thank god you’re okay.”

I knew I couldn’t go home. There was still so much that had to be discussed, but I felt safe in his arms. I never wanted him to let go.

***

“Allie, it’s time.” Cade stepped into my room at the hotel. I hadn’t moved from where Levi set me down on the couch next to him. I held onto his arm almost as intensely as I had on the street. This time, I was worried about someone else taking me away.

I forced myself to meet Cade’s gaze. “I will keep my promise.”