Finn grimaced at my words. "I called for us to come the day before, but my movement wasn't supported. I am so sorry, Kate. I would never want to disappoint you." His eyes searched mine as though he were looking for me to believe him, to tell him that I had faith in him and trusted in his abilities. 

But I didn't know him, and I couldn't trust him. I'd just met the man, and even if he was nice to look at, I couldn't just fall into the arms of a stranger because he was good-looking.

And there is Leighton...

I narrowed my eyes. "You don't know me! Stop talking to me like you do! Either help my sister or fuck off because I have people I love that I need to find before these bastards kill them! If you want me to trust you, then help her and prove to me you're as good of a man as you claim to be!" Tears started to spill from my eyes and I wiped them away along with loose strands of hair that had gotten stuck to my skin again.

I was covered in mud and sweat, my hair most likely looking like a bird's nest and a complete mess. Where is Leighton? Vulcan and Malaki? What if they're dead? They can't be. 

Finn stepped forward, his hand cupping my cheek. "It's going to be ok. I'm right here and I promise I won't ever leave you." His eyes gleamed a strange glow and I yanked backwards away from his burning touch. I didn't like the feelings, nausea even, of his hands on me. It was a strange sensation that I couldn't explain just as well as the blush on my cheeks. 

"Don't touch me." I snapped back, but he seem satisfied with the redness of my cheeks, which only made me dislike him even more.

"I apologize. Come with me and I'll get Matilda help." He started to walk, his stride consisting of long steps as his wings hung at his sides. I had to jog to follow, my muscles sore. I especially didn't like how he'd started using both our names so quickly. He'd been listening, and it made me wonder if I should have used different names. 

"Where are these medics?" I asked and he glanced at me, those gorgeous Caribbean blue eyes making me swallow. 

"Right here." He pulled something out of his pocket, gripping it with his fingers before shoving it back away. There was a flutter of wings and I jumped backward in surprise as two winged figures landed with a thud on the ground.

"This woman needs attention. Please see to it that she is given the best care."

The man and woman both with large, white wings gave an enthusiastic nod before taking Matilda in their arms together. "Of course, Sir." The woman smiled as she spread her wings. I squealed as they thrust off the ground with such power that I nearly fell to the ground. Finn grabbed my arm, pulling me against him to steady me. Matilda and the two were gone.

"I told you not to touch me." I protested and pushed away. His body was firm and most definitely muscular under the long sleeves he wore. He was without a doubt stronger than Leighton and it shocked me how I could tell by just touching him.

Finn bit his lip, letting out a heavy sigh. "I apologize. I thought you were going to fall and hurt yourself."

"I'm not delicate." I said through clenched teeth. "I can do some damage."

"Oh no, I believe you. My back will be black and blue tomorrow." His lips curled up on one side into a dorkish smile and I couldn't stop a corner of my mouth curving upward before plastering a menacing look on my face again. He didn't seem the least bit threatened.

"I'm going to find my friends. Thanks for the help, Finn."

I started to walk back towards the fire and sound of guns but there was a huge gust of wind behind me. I screamed as Finn landed on the ground in front of me, eyes piercing mine. "I'm not letting you walk back into that war zone, Kate. I'll find your friends."

I narrowed my eyes. " You helped me, which I greatly appreciate and also hope that you haven't just abducted my sister, but you have no authority over me to say where I can and cannot go! I just met you for crying out loud."

He scowled, blocking the alley way completely by stretching out his wings. I could tell they were strong too, just by their sheer size and the thickness of the muscles in them. Finn crossed his arms over his chest, standing up straight to tower over me. I swallowed, realizing that this Guardian could clearly take me in a fight. Hell, he could take anyone in a fight. 

"The city is on fire and the Guardians are at war with Emperor Tron's army. You need to evacuate to a safe house, and I can take you there. You said for yourself to prove myself as an honorable man, and I will do so by taking you somewhere away from this place where you can be with your sister. " He stepped forward, eyes softening as though he were trying to charm me as well as plead with me. "Let me take you there. Let me protect you and keep you safe."

A weird, sickening feeling flooded into my stomach at his words. Protect me? He wants to protect and take care of me? That sounds nice...

It's a trap. No one stays around to protect you, Kate. Remember?

I did remember and I closed my eyes, sighing deeply before giving him the most serious look that I could conjure. "Move. Don't force me to hit you with this again. I got you once already and I can do it again."

This only made him break into a soft chuckle, pure laughter that made his eyes glimmer. What was so funny that I couldn't be taken seriously? I let out a groan before hissing at him.

"Stop laughing at me! I am serious! My friends could be dead!" I swung my stick at him, but his hand shot out, twisting it out of my hold in the blink of an eye. He threw it behind him with ease before leaning down to my level. 

"Kate, I'm your friend, not your enemy. Please don't hit me again because I wouldn't survive your fury." Finn stepped closer to me again and I took two steps back.

"Stop it!" I couldn't get away from him and he all he could do was laugh while Vulcan, Leighton, and Malaki could be dead. My eyes watered and in seconds I was practically sobbing, his amusement drying up like water during a drought.

"Kate, I didn't mean to hurt your feelings." He reached out to touch my face but I slapped his hand away.

"Don't touch me!" I screamed, tears streaming down my face. This winged man was going to force me into doing whatever he wanted, a horror rising inside me with every moment that passed.

There was a shadow of darkness as something leaped down from the brick wall above us, landing on top of Finn and tackling him to the ground. The impact was loud as Finn crumbled and so were the shouts and growls that followed along with punching fists. I fell backwards into the mud, my wet hair sticking to the back of my head as the figure leapt off Finn towards me. 

"Leighton!" I breathed as I recognized those green eyes, different from any pair that I'd ever seen before. He kneeled in front of me, holding my face between his hands. "I thought you were..."

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I got freaked out and left to get some air, then the fire..." I gazed into his eyes before he was ripped away from me. I screamed but was ignored as I scrambled to my feet. 

Leighton growled as he was lifted off the ground, Finn holding him up in the air with a dark, sickening look in his eyes as he pinned him against the wall. The same menace and power I'd seen before was back in control again, and the realization that he was the same man that I'd just been arguing with made me queazy. "You have ten seconds to explain yourself before I kill you."

"Stop! Don't hurt him!" I cried, grabbing a hold of Finn's arm in desperation. He flinched in surprise, looking down at me before back to Leighton. "He's my friend. He thought you were..."

"Boyfriend." Leighton spat, leaning his head closer to Finn's face with narrowed eyes and clenched fists. "I'm her boyfriend. Let me go, Butterfly. This thing's bothering you, Kate?" 

"Boyfriend?" Finn growled under his breath before dropping Leighton onto the ground. I scurried towards him but Finn's wing blocked my path. I glared at him. 

"Leighton, where's Vulcan and Malaki?"

"Haven't seen them." He coughed, bracing himself against the wall as he rubbed his neck. "Fuck, you had me in a death grip, Butterfly." 

"My name is Finn, and I suggest you stop calling me 'Butterfly' because I could break all the bones in your body." He warned, eyes flashing darkly as he glared at Leighton. 

"What exactly are you if you aren't a butterfly? Because the wings allow me to beg to differ."

"I'm a Guardian here to protect your city from Emperor Tron."

Leighton's lips curled as though he'd just had poison mixed with his tea. "Well you and your little flock came years too late. Thanks for the support during the fire even though we've been living in hell prior to it. Right, Kate?" Both set of eyes glanced towards me and I felt my face turn red as I looked at my feet. 

"I... Leighton?" I glanced up at him, pleading that he wouldn't make me talk.

"Come on, Kate? You of all people should be able to back me up here. Your parents? Andrew?" 

"Stop it!" I hissed, turning my back on him. I rubbed my eyes before leaning down to grab my pool stick again. Why wouldn't anyone just give me an actual weapon? Now, I had no empathy for either of the two. Boys suck. "I'm going to find Malaki and Vulcan, and neither of you can stop me." 

I started to walk down the alley again and heard two pairs of footsteps behind me. "Kate!" Leighton called, but I ducked under a wooden board that was still burning to cut through one of the houses. It fell right behind me, the entire wall catching on fire again. I guess they wouldn't be following me now.

The guns were still firing, except not as quickly as before, and I could hear the clang of swords as I peaked through the open window towards where the bridge used to loom. Guardians and soldiers were in mid skirmish, stabbing one another in a field covered in blood as the bodies of both laid in the grass. This was sickening.

Then I saw him. Malaki was fighting off one soldier with his bare hands, his bow and arrows by his feet.

Holding my pool stick, I ran forward, screaming as I banged it over the man's head. He crumbled to the ground, Malaki looking at me in shock with bloodied knuckles.

"Holy shit! Kate! You're alive!" He grabbed my arms as though to make sure I was real. "Have you seen Matilda? I'm about to lose it. I can't believe I..."

"She's ok. I found her. These winged people have medics that are taking care of her."

"They're here to help us?" He said in disbelief.

"Yes." I started but a man in armor jumped towards us. Malaki kneeled to try and to grab his bow and arrows but the man's boot kicked him square in the chest and he tumbled backwards.

"Hello lovely." The man grabbed my arms, lifting me into the air.

"Let go of me!" I screamed, swinging my stick into his back. He roared in pain, dropping me to the ground. The earth seemed to spin as I rolled down the side of bank and into the mud along the water. My sides hurt and I groaned in pain, my vision blurry.

My head spun and my stomach was in a knot as Malaki shot the man with an arrow. "Kate!" He stood, but then fell to ground as someone smacked him in the head, knocking him unconscious. Malaki's eyes shut and he went still in the dirt, his face a pale white.

A man in white landed on top of the hill by Malaki, sword glimmering as he cut down soldier after soldier. He slid down the hill towards me as my eyes fell shut.