Page 48 of Fallen Demon

“Levi, it’s me,” I said. “Ariella.”

He stopped, huffed, and snarled. “I don’t know you.” His voice was so deep, so guttural, it was hard to believe it was him.

“Yes, you do. I can feel you in here.” I pressed a hand to the center of my chest. “Can’t you feel me too?”

His hand started up, but he closed it into a fist and lowered it again. He growled. “You’re an angel. Just like her. You want to kill me too.”

“No, I don’t.” I took a step forward but forced myself to stop. I was scared of him, and I didn’t want him to think I was attacking him. “I want to help you. To bring you back. To take you away from here.”

“Away.” He looked up, to the dark sky.

“Would you like that?”

His eyes returned to me. “I want to kill the angel.” In a flash, his wings flapped fast, pushing him to me. His hand closed around my throat and he shoved me against a rock formation. He leaned in to me and snarled. “I can kill this angel too.”

“Levi, you don’t want to kill me.” I struggled against his hold, but he was too damn strong for me. “I’m your mate.”

“Lies!” he shouted. “The other angel lied to me. You lie to me. Trick me. Trap me.”

I stared at him. He wasn’t as far gone as Ylena if he could remember how we first got stuck together. “Right. I trapped you, but it worked out, right?”

He bared his teeth. “You trapped me? Now?”

Despite the situation and being slightly out of breath, I couldn’t help but stare at him and hear my heart breaking. He was a giant and a brute like this, but he was also dense. His cockiness, his brightness, everything that made Levi himself was gone.

“No—”

He squeezed my throat a little more. “I’m going to kill you.”

“Don’t make me hurt you,” I croaked, barely able to speak.

“As if you could.” He brought his other hand up, his claws poised to strike.

Damn it.

I didn’t have time to call my magic, so I summoned my sword instead. I turned it sideways and hit his waist with the flat side of the blade, but I hit hard, knowing he would barely feel anything.

But he let out a roar and loosened his grip.

I brought my leg up and half kicked, half pushed him back, and before he could come at me again, I twisted out of the way and ran. In five steps, I had my wings out and I soared into the air.

Of course, he came after me.

To catch me? To kill me?

I had no idea, and until we could draw the circle and trap him, I wasn't staying here to find out.

I flapped my wings fast. Three times, he almost caught me, but I was smaller, and more agile. I twisted out of the way and changed direction.

It didn’t take me long to realize I had no idea where I was going. I could be going deeper into the territory, away from my friends.

That wouldn’t do.

I reached deep inside me, got a firm hold on my magic, and pulled it to the surface. It was stubborn, but I had no choice here. I extended a hand up and threw sparks in all directions. They went far and exploded like fireworks.

A few seconds later, black sparks came from my left, going straight up to the sky.

There. That was Lacey.

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