Page 67 of Oracles Always Win

Chapter Twenty-Three

JAKE

Nomore bombs were found.

Hourslater, a few firefighters were still poking around at the back of the inn, but most of the emergency crews had finally departed.Afterso long of nothing new happening, the well-meaning but snoopy residents ofWillowLakehad left too, thankfully, becauseIwas ready to drop.AllIwanted was to curl up in my bed and go to sleep.

Sincethe explosions, it felt like every conversation consisted of the same questions:Didyou have a vision about this?Areyou going to rebuild?Whatdid your insurance company say?And, occasionally, how canIhelp?

Itwas exhausting.

WhenI’dfirst agreed to spend the night withGage,I’dhad grand plans, but now that the adrenaline and shock had worn off, my eyes refused to stay open.It’dbe so easy to just drop down someplace and drift off.Ieyed a bit of grass beside the parking lot.Thatcould work.

“Comeon,”Gagesaid gently. “Let’sget you settled inside.”

Inodded and let him guide me toward the motorhome.

“Ihad big plans for tonight,”Imumbled.Isounded tipsy, even to my own ears.Hell,Ifelt tipsy too.

Gage’smouth twitched, like he was fighting a smile, but didn’t say anything.Didhe understand whatIwas saying?MaybeIneeded to explain.

“Youknow the kind…”Ileaned toward him asIwhispered. “Thingsthat involve a lot of bare skin and a boatload of lube.”Mycheeks heated as soon as the words were out.SinceIwas sober,Ishouldn’t be acting this drunk.ExceptIwas always a little loopy whenIwas tired.It’dmade for some interesting all-nighters at the studio whenIwas in art school.Iliked to believe my classmates had laughed with me, not at me, butIdoubted that was the case.

WhenGagelet out a soft laugh, though, unlike my fellow art students he sounded indulgent, not mocking. “Maybethat should wait.”

“Yeah.”Isighed dramatically.Mysigh quickly turned into a jaw-breaking yawn. “I’mglad your motorhome is here, and that we aren’t going somewhere else.EvenifIcan’t go inside the inn,Idon’t want to leave it.”

“Whateveryou need,” he said.Hishand, which had been a light, warm pressure on my lower back, moved in a soft, soothing caress.Ieven thought he meant what he said.

Ihadn’t been able to explain my reluctance to go too far away from the inn, butGageseemed to get it.Theinn was both the only thingIowned and the only tangible connectionIstill had to my family.Forso long, my mother had refused to talk about my father or where she’d come from or who her family was.Notknowing those things left me feeling unmoored, althoughIhadn’t recognized that until my grandfather came along and changed everything.Imay not have known him long but meeting him had given me a sense of belongingI’dnever felt before.Ididn’t want to lose that.Ididn’t want to lose the inn.Withoutit, what wasI?WouldIhave another gaping hole in my world again?

Theidea that someone—like thosewolves in the hillseveryone kept talking about—might try to raid the inn while it was empty and vulnerable also made me queasy.EspeciallysinceIwas beginning to understand more about the supernatural world.Ifmy grandfather had as many magical artifacts as everyone said, those things needed to be protected.IdoubtedIcould fight off a determined werewolf—oh, let’s face it, even a determined human would be too much for me to handle—butIcouldn’t just abandon the place either.

Gage’sfriends had followed our trek toward the motorhome, and now he turned to address them.

“Youdon’t have to stay.Jeremy,Adrian, go on back to your room.Yourcat probably needs to be fed.IsaacandNelsoncan go with you and grab a room there too.You’llbe safe at the minotaur’s place.”

Minotaur?Thathad to beLevi.Ishould be shocked to find outLeviwas a mythical creature, right?Butmy brain just didn’t have the energy.

“Ifinally corneredSimontoday.He’sa cat shifter who works as a security guard over there.Anyway,I’mworking on him…”

“Theguy is scared of you,”Adriansaid.

“Meh,”Jeremysaid with a shrug. “He’sscared of everyone, but he’ll come around.AsIwas saying—" he glared at his boyfriend, as if daring him to interrupt again, “—Isaw him here after the place went boom, and he’s agreed to feedClawieandEmmaif we aren’t back when he starts his nightshift,”Jeremysaid, crossing his arms in front of his chest. “Noway are we leaving you guys here by yourself.Youmight be an all-powerful demon,Mr.Dimples, but you aren’t getting rid of us.”

“We’reall staying,”Isaacagreed.

“We’retaking shifts.”Adriannodded. “JeremyandIare taking the first one.”

Withoutwaiting for any other discussion,Adrianopened a compartment under the motorhome and pulled out a couple of lawn chairs.Jeremyflopped into one and pulled out his ever-present notebook.Theothers joined us inside the motorhome.

“Isaac, you take the sofa,”Nelsonsaid once we were inside.

“Yousure, man?Iknow the table converts into a bed too, but it’s fucking uncomfortable.Afterthe way you sprinted through the forest today, you deserve a better sleep.Takethe couch.”

“You’rebuilt like a fucking giraffe.Thereis no way your legs will fit on that bed.”

So, yeah.Maybebeing too tired for sex was a good thing, becauseI’dnever instigate anything whileGage’sfriends were in the sameRVas us.Notfor our first time together.Ormy first time ever.Because, seriously, what if things went wrong again?Whatif my dick made a dick move and suddenly decided it wasn’t interested?It’dhappened before.Ifit happened again,Iwouldn’t be able to sleep in the same bed asGage, and where wouldIgo ifIsaacandNelsonwere in the main part of the motorhome?