Page 22 of Magic Unleashed

When they broke apart, breathless, Phoenix’s mind was spinning. The kiss had been everything she’d tried to avoid, everything she couldn’t deny. But now, in the middle of the fight, it felt like both a mistake and the most natural thing in the world.

“Later,” Griff said, his voice rough as he turned back to the fight. “We’ll deal with that later.”

Phoenix nodded, swallowing hard as she refocused on the demon before them. But even as they fought, the weight of that kiss lingered between them, complicating and yet simplifying everything.

For now, they had a battle to win. But once the dust settled, Phoenix knew she’d have to confront the truth she’d been running from.

She was falling for Griff, and it was going to change everything.

Chapter

Nine

GRIFF

The warehouse was a storm of chaos, dark energy swirling as the hooded cultists chanted, their guttural voices rising in intensity. The demon loomed in the center of the room; its red eyes gleaming with malevolent hunger. Every blast of magic, every swing of a blade seemed to barely keep the creature at bay. Griff’s muscles burned with the effort of keeping the demon from breaking through, but it wasn’t enough.

Phoenix was beside him, her magic blazing in golden arcs, struggling to keep up. The cultists were relentless, their dark magic fueling the demon’s strength. The warehouse walls shook with each roar the creature let out, its massive claws scraping the ground as it tried to step out of the summoning circle.

"Phoenix, we’ve got to cut off their power!" Griff shouted over the noise, glancing at the glowing pentagram that pulsed beneath the demon’s feet. "It’s tied to the circle!"

She nodded, her eyes glowing with determination as she threw her hand out, sending a blast of her magic directly at the cultists. The force of her attack was enough to knock several of them back, breaking their chant for a moment. The demon faltered, its form flickering like a shadow caught in the wind.

"Now, Griff!" Phoenix yelled.

Griff surged forward, the sword he’d brought with him raised as he cut through the nearest cultist, the dark energy dispersing around the body. With each one they took down, the demon’s strength ebbed. Ash darted between them, his twin blades flashing in the dim light as he cut down one cultist after another. But even as they pushed back, the demon let out a deafening roar, its red eyes locking onto Griff.

For a moment, everything slowed.

The demon lunged, and Griff braced himself, but Phoenix was faster. She unleashed a wave of magic so powerful it sent the demon staggering back into the pentagram, its form beginning to break apart as it retreated into the dark void from which it had been summoned.

The air crackled with dark energy, the cultists scattering in all directions as their leader fell, the summoning failing. The warehouse was still vibrating with leftover magic, but the battle was won—the demon retreating into the black hole that had birthed it.

Griff exhaled sharply, his chest heaving from the exertion. He turned to Phoenix, who was panting beside him, sweat trickling down her brow. “You good?” he asked, his voice rough from the battle.

Phoenix nodded, wiping her face with the back of her hand. “Yeah. We did it.”

But before they could fully relax, Griff heard a grunt of pain behind him. He turned just in time to see Ash collapse to one knee, clutching his side. Blood seeped through his shirt; the result of a deep gash Griff hadn’t noticed in the heat of the fight.

"Shit, Ash!" Griff rushed to his side, kneeling next to him. "How bad is it?"

Ash winced, giving a half-hearted grin despite the pain. “Bad enough, but I’ll live. Just a scratch.”

Phoenix knelt beside him, concern etching her face. “That’s more than a scratch. We need to get you stitched up.” She pulled out her phone and quickly dialed Geneva. “Geneva, we need you to meet us at Griff’s place. Ash has been hurt.”

Griff could hear Geneva reply, though the words were muffled. Phoenix hung up and helped Ash to his feet. “She’ll be there. Let’s get him back.”

Back at Griff’s home, they practically had to drag Ash inside. He was bleeding heavily now, the adrenaline from the fight wearing off. Griff set him down on the couch, watching as Ash slumped back, wincing with every movement.

“Hell of a night, huh?” Ash muttered, though his voice was strained.

Griff poured a stiff drink and handed it to Ash, who downed it in one gulp. “This’ll help,” Griff said, then poured him another. “You’re going to need it.”

“Damn right I do,” Ash groaned, leaning back as the alcohol started to dull the pain. He knocked back two more whiskeys. “Hey, Phoenix, if I die, will you tell Geneva I always thought she was special and that we could have had something.”

“I tell you what, lover boy, how about you live and tell her yourself?”

“Do you think she’d believe me?”

---