Page 84 of Oracles Always Win

“I’mTeague,” he said. “Letme help.”

“Youcan trust him,”Gagesaid. “He’sa mage.”

SoInodded andTeagueplaced his hand on my upper chest.Astrange pulse of something—magic,Isupposed—jumped from him into my body.Teaguehummed and the magical pulse intensified.Thenit faded as quickly as it had started.

Itwas like the last few minutes never happened.Mythroat felt normal.And, more importantly,Icould breathe again without coughing.

“Wow.Thankyou.”

Teague’shand dropped to his side while he brought the other up to the side of the motorhome to brace himself.Gagestopped him before he touched the wall, stepping closer to steadyTeague.

“Canyou grab him an apple?”Gageasked me.

AsIran inside and grabbed the first appleIsaw in the crisper of the small fridge,IheardGageaskingTeagueif he was having problems adjusting to being inWillowLake.

“It’sa lot,” the mage said, “but nothingIcan’t handle.Daviesays there are a lot of ghosts, like you thought there would be.Butit’s all been manageable so far.”Teaguesmiled at me whenIreturned and gave him the apple.

Assoon asTeaguebit into the fruit,Gageturned back to me. “Howare you feeling?”

Iswallowed, testing out my throat. “Ifeel fine.Whatdid he do?”

“Magic,”Teaguesaid between bites.

Thepeople who’d been standing outside formed a ring around us now.

“Nowthat the drama is over,” a woman said from the far side of the group, “tell me who the hell this is and what the hell has been going on.IknewIshouldn’t have left you all alone this long.”

Withher hands on her hips, she looked tiny but fierce.Ididn’t doubt she could take down any of the beefy guys standing close to her.IfI’dbeen into women at all,I’mpretty sure she’d be my type.BecauseapparentlyIhad a thing for confident, take-control types.

Shehad aKatharineHepburnthing going on with a short-sleeved blouse, and slacks with flowing pantlegs.Herplatinum blonde hair was styled in victory rolls at the front and shoulder-length curls in the back.Itreminded me a bit of a mullet, but a classy one.

“Davina,”Gagesaid behind me. “You’rehere.Good.Come, you haven’t metJakeyet.”

Thewoman marched over to us with her eyes narrowed.Assoon as she was close toGage, she ripped the collar of his shirt open.

“Whatis that?”Shestabbed her finger at the fading mark left onGage’sskin from when we’d had sex.Iwanted to knock her hand away.

Gageignored her question. “ThisisDavina.Sheis second in command of my team.She’smy failsafe.Sheis also a medium capable of talking with and banishing ghosts and other spirits.”

Mystomach twisted when he called her his failsafe.Iknew instantly what he meant, and it was nothing good.Shewas the one who’d decide if he needed to be killed.Withthe look she’d shot in my direction,Ididn’t doubt she’d be capable of murdering someone.

“Davina, this isJake.AndIbelieve he is my mate.”

“What?”Davinashrieked. “Youfound your mate?Isit fait accompli?Isthat what those marks are?”

“Notyet.”

“Still, why didn’t you tell me?”Shespun around to the others on their team. “Whydidn’t anyone text me?”

Nelsonstepped back into one of the long morning shadows cast by the trees lining the driveway leading to the inn.ThenIblinked and he disappeared.Isaacwas laughing in that weird horse-like way of his.Meanwhile,Teaguejust rolled his eyes atDavina, andIwas impressed by his calm in the face of her intense scrutiny.Thenagain, he wouldn’t have known either.

“Wedidn’t know,”Adriansaid, rubbing the back of his neck.

Davinafrowned and if looks had powers,Adrianand the others would have been on their knees.

“Oh…Ilike her.”Jeremywhispered, loud enough evenIcould hear.Headjusted the strap on the backpack he wore as something inside it shifted around.Thena little head popped out.Itwas the strangest looking thingI’dever seen.Itsbright green eyes bounced around the circle, as if assessing us.

Jeremydidn’t seem to notice either the animal orDavina’sscowl.Hepulled out a small notebook from his back pocket and started jotting down notes.