Page 99 of Moody as a Minotaur

“I am, but what the fuck? Teague, you should have warned us. If I’d known…”

When Teague didn’t answer, Levi abruptly released me and spun toward the death mage. My eyes had adjusted to the dark in the last few minutes, so I could see Teague sprawled across the forest floor. He was motionless. It didn’t look like he’d moved since he’d fallen. The runes that had covered his skin during the ritual were gone now, as if they’d never existed.

“Teague? Jesus. Teague?” I dropped to my knees beside him. I felt for a pulse. “I can’t…”

“He’s breathing. Look at his chest. I need to call Gage. They’re friends. He’ll know what to do,” Levi said as he fished his phone from his pocket. He tapped on it quickly and held it to his ear. After a moment, he said, “Thank fuck. Gage? I need you. Teague collapsed.” There was a pause. “Yeah. We’re in the forest behind the inn. I don’t know…” He glanced around. “We’re in a clearing.”

A second later, a large fiery circle blazed to life right beside us.

“What the…?” I shouted in surprise and scrambled back. I should have brought my gun… Except who brought a gun to their own wedding? And what the hell would I do with it against a massive fiery circle?

Gage and his mate Jake emerged from the circle—er, theportal, I guess—and ran to Teague’s side.

Gage muttered under his breath as he searched Teague’s pockets. “And he didn’t bring any apples.”

“I can go back and get some,” Jake said, wringing his hands together.

Gage nodded. “Just find some. I’ll bring him back to the inn and we’ll get him to eat some there.”

Jake’s gaze lingered on Teague for a moment, then he hurried back through the portal.

“What happened? Is he okay?” I asked.

“He’ll be fine,” Gage said. Then he eyed Levi and me. “Congratulations on your mating.”

“How did you…? Did it work?” I stammered.

“If Teague performed the ritual, it worked. Besides, I can see the matching blue streaks in your hair.” Then the demon closed his eyes for a moment, like he was listening to something only he could hear. A little smile twitched at his lips as he opened his eyes again. “The Eternal Magic is pleased about your union.”

Levi sucked in a breath. “She… is pleased?”

“Of course,” Gage said, like it was obvious. “I get the sense that she feels she’s righted a wrong. Perhaps because of what happened to Christos?”

Levi’s eyebrows shot up. “You remember?”

“Of course,” Gage said. “And I’m happy you’ve found happiness again.”

He picked Teague up in his arms and moved toward the portal. “You coming with us or are you walking back?”

“We’ll walk back,” I said. “He’s going to be okay, right? We never would have done this if we’d known he’d be injured.”

“He’ll be fine, after a while.”

“Do you know what happened?”

Gage stared at me. “He didn’t tell you anything, did he?”

“Not really…”

“Because you don’t have magic, the ritual takes some from him to complete the bond.” Gage looked down at his friend in his arms.

“It takes it from him?” I swallowed hard. “Like forever?”

“No. Not permanently.” Gage shook his head. “Once he eats some apples, he’ll start feeling better. They’ll help replenish some of what he’s lost. It’ll be a long while before everything is balanced again, but he’ll get there. If he wasn’t immortal, this type of exhaustion would be dangerous.”

“Shit,” Levi muttered. “Why wouldn’t he have told us?”

“Would you have gone through with it if he had?”