Page 47 of Forbid Me

I looked down at the ring on my hand. I’d bought it at the local market years ago. It had been too small then. But just as my magic allowed me to tailor thread, I'd been able to manipulate the metal until the band fit me perfectly.

Raising my hand at the advancing metallic behemoth, I felt thepulsing energy of the machine course through me. Holding my fingers out and erect, I halted its advance, freezing it in its tracks. Then I brought all five of my fingers into a ball, unleashing a torrent of magic, twisting and contorting the metal until it crumpled and buckled under my command.

Slowly, Oz lowered his fist. He cocked his head to the side as he looked at the fallen enemy. Then he looked over at me. A small smile played at the corner of his mouth. It grew as he assessed me anew.

I'd never felt sexier in any outfit than I did as he looked at me. Not at what I wore, but what I'd done. Seeing pride in my man's eyes was hotter than seeing desire.

"Look at what you did!"

In an act of déjà vu, Oz once again swept me behind him. He placed me closer to the defunct metal jaguar and faced off against the darkness. What emerged from the dark was a lanky man. He was tall and wiry. A cap on his head gave him more height with the gizmos coming out of it; a monocle, a pair of tweezers — was that a laser gun?

The man's hands were stained with grease. His clothes were pristine, covered mostly by a dingy smock. The best word to describe him would've been dapper. He looked like he'd come out of an early nineteenth century sepia toned film.

"All that hard work now a heap on the floor." He glowered at us, censor on his face like he was scolding disobedient children. "Where am I going to get the metal to prepare him?"

"I'd be more worried about keeping my head on my shoulders if I were you." Oz's voice was low and menacing.

I wondered if the man had heard it. He held a controller of some kind in his hand. His fingers flicked and switched at the gears.

"I'm a human living in No Man's Land with no affiliation. That was my security system."

"It was about to attack my mate."

The man gave a huff and marched toward the defunct jaguarrobot. Oz snaked a hand out to grab him, but I caught his forearm. Just as I'd gotten the sense that the jaguar was harmless, I got the same sense about the man.

To prove me right, once the man reached his metal creation, he pried open its mouth to reveal a hollow cavity. "It was all for show. You were in no real harm."

We might not have been in harm, but this human was. The growl that came from Oz was low and out of patience. I wrapped my hand tighter around his biceps. All fear was gone from my person. I was too busy grinning that he'd just told another living soul that I was his mate.

This was the first time I'd been claimed so publicly. Ken preferred to spend our dates indoors. Preferably on my couch, eating my snacks, eyes glued to my entertainment center. We'd never gone out dancing, unless it was at the club—and very rarely at that.

"It's fine. He's fixable," said the human, brushing oil off his hand before extending it to Oz. "Name's Perseus."

Oz looked at that hand like he wanted to bite it off.

"I'm Stella, and this is Oz."

Oz rounded on me. His eyes were like cut glass as he glared at me. I knew without him saying that I shouldn't give strangers our real names. He was right, of course. But honestly, I was too thrilled that we were doing the silent communication thing that long-time lovers did.

"Stella, Latin word for star. Often associated with brightness and guidance, much like a constellation in the night sky."

In response, I giggled. Perseus was a charmer. A charmer who was about to have his head bitten off by a grumpy panther shifter.

"We're looking for a way to get to Chicago," I said before Oz could open his mouth.

Perseus responded with a crooked smile. He beckoned us toward the back of the shop. Oz stepped in front of me, his trust in the quirky human a faint line. Until he saw what was behind the curtain.

The Pegasus stood before us, a marvel of mechanical ingenuity and fantastical design. Its form was a maze of intricate gears, shimmering wings, and powerful engines, blending together in a mesmerizing display of craftsmanship. It was exactly as I’d seen it in my head.

CHAPTER 32

Oz

My fingers trailed along the frigid, metallic surface of the Pegasus flying contraption. I'd hoped the metal would ground me. It didn't. My panther remained close to the surface.

It didn't feel the need to stalk Stella at the moment. She stood chatting with the human inventor. I had to acknowledge that the man was smarter than he looked. First with the metallic panther security system then to the flying horse that would carry us away shortly. What clinched Perseus's intelligence for me was the distance he kept between himself and Stella. Though only human, apparently the man knew a shifter male in the throes of the mating dance when he saw it. Plus, I could still snap his neck with little effort, if necessary.

No, the panther was on edge because of the calm that had settled over me. Less than an hour ago, I'd been resigned to slaughter myking, my best friend, as I thought he prowled toward me and what was mine. Even after I'd seen it wasn't Dion, I still felt no remorse for my intended actions.

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