Page 50 of Forbid Me

I shrugged, savoring the feel of his lips against my fingers. "You're in charge of the destination. All I care about is that I'm with you."

There was a look I had never seen on a man's face before. Oz brushed the hair out of my face, then cupped my cheek. "I'm going to spend the rest of my life deserving you, Stella."

"I'm going to spend the rest of my life trying to make you smile."

Miracle of miracles, a small smile landed on his face. It was big and wide and beautiful. I was instantly addicted to it. I was going to do whatever it took to get myself a hit of his smile every day.

I gasped dramatically. "There it is. I'm winning already."

He chuckled. It was the first time he'd laughed. It was a wonderful sound. And I would get to hear it for the rest of our lives. I was a lucky girl. So, of course, that's when the Pegasus jerked sharply.

Oz was flung to the side. I remained exactly where I was, held in my seat by the belt. Oz quickly righted himself and grabbed for thecontrols. His features went from concern to frantic. I could feel why. The horse was now flying in a different direction.

As Oz struggled to regain control of the Pegasus, the flying machine's behavior became increasingly erratic. There was a flicker and a pop emanating from the defunct television screen. Perseus appeared in a flurry of static.

"Stella, Oz," Perseus's voice crackled through the speakers, his expression grim. "I'm sorry, I really am. There's a bounty out for the two of you. The Crimson Roses will be waiting for you just outside of Chicago."

The words hit like a physical blow. The mix of betrayal and shock was a gut punch. I'd thought we were safe. What good were my visions if they led me directly into danger?

Oz's hands tightened on the controls, his jaw clenched in anger. "I knew I didn't like you."

"Well, I like you," said Perseus. "So I put in a failsafe. There's a manual override. It's under the main control panel. It'll let you land the Pegasus a few miles away from where I told them you'd be dropped off. It's the best I can do."

CHAPTER 34

Oz

The ground rushed toward us at a terrifying speed. I worked the manual override, trying to steady the Pegasus for a less catastrophic landing. The whir of gears and the roar of wind were deafening. Through it all, Stella never cried out. She never whimpered.

The seatbelt held her tight. Her gaze never left mine. I felt more than saw the trust in her eyes. She didn't doubt me. My heart pounded against my ribcage, each beat a thunderous echo of the adrenaline surging through my veins.

I made a split-second decision. As the ground loomed closer, I shifted into my panther form. My body contorted and expanded. Fur bristled along my spine. Wrapping my body around Stella, I shielded her with every ounce of my being. We braced for impact.

The ground met us with a bone-jarring thud that reverberated through my entire body. The world became a blur of motion andnoise as we tumbled. The Pegasus crashed around us, breaking metal and shattering glass.

Everything was still, save for the pounding in my head and the labored breaths escaping my lungs. Stella was nestled against me, her body unharmed against my fur. Relief washed over me, followed swiftly by a surge of protective urgency.

But there was no time to savor our survival. The sound of boots impacting the ground cut through the haze of my disorientation. The vampires were moving in fast. Ken and his men were coming for us.

With a growl rumbling deep in my throat, I shook off the impact. My senses were heightened, each sound and smell acutely clear in the aftermath of the crash. The scent of damp earth and crushed foliage mixed with the more ominous odors of sweat and the iron of blood—the unmistakable signs of our pursuers.

Stella stirred beneath me. Gone was the trust in her eyes. Now there was fear.

"They're coming."

We were exposed, vulnerable in the wreckage of the Pegasus. The ground beneath my paws was soft. The metallic tang of the gun held by one of Ken's men cut through the natural smells of the forest.

Seriously? Someone brought a gun to a supernatural fight? Now I was pissed.

Ken's voice broke through the tense silence. "Set it to stun," he commanded. "We can bleed him and make a fortune off his blood."

My growl made the ground tremble. They were stupider than I figured if they thought they could stun a panther with a human weapon. I was stronger than a natural born animal. There was magic in the blood they planned to make a fortune from.

Stella's presence behind me was a constant reminder of what was at stake. Like hell they were going to take me. They would have to kill me before I'd leave her unprotected. Pity for them that I wasn't easy to kill.

I crouched, ready to spring. My muscles coiled like tightly woundsprings. Every fiber of my being was focused on the man with the gun. But my canines ached to take a bite out of Ken.

The gunman aimed the weapon at me. His finger tightened on the trigger. I didn't hesitate. I pounced.

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