Page 8 of Magic Unleashed

The Duvalls knew more about the supernatural underbelly of New Orleans than anyone. Their father had hailed from one of the oldest and most revered families in the city. The girls’ mother and aunt were practically royalty in the fae world. Geneva’s mother had been banished from the fae realm when she’d refused to give up her human lover. Her sister, Maeve, the girls’ aunt, had refused to condemn her and so had suffered the same fate. Maeve had raised the girls when their parents had died, training them to be the most formidable warriors the fae had ever seen.

Geneva grinned. “Something like that.”

Griff’s stomach churned. The idea of someoneor somethingwielding that kind of power in the middle of New Orleans was enough to make his dragon roar with frustration. He’d known this case was bad, but this was worse than he’d imagined.

“Can you tell what kind of spell it was?” he asked, his voice tight.

Geneva shook her head. “Not yet. But I’ll run some tests. It’s going to take time, though. This isn’t something I can rush.”

Griff nodded, his mind already spinning with possibilities. “Keep me updated.”

As Geneva continued her examination, Griff’s thoughts turned back to the night his father had been murdered. He’d been just a kid at the time, but he remembered the scene all too well. The strange markings, the way his father’s body had been twisted and mangled beyond recognition. And now, standing here, looking at Travis Mitchell’s body, Griff couldn’t shake the feeling that this case was somehow connected.

The parallels were too strong to ignore. The same dark magic, the same inexplicable injuries. It couldn’t be a coincidence. Someone—something—was stirring up old magic in the city, and Griff was determined to find out who.

Geneva looked up from the body, her eyes meeting his. “Griff, you need to be careful with this one. Whoever did this… they’re playing with dangerous forces. Phoenix had a run-in with something earlier tonight…”

“She handled it.” When Geneva arched her eyebrow at him, he continued, “I saw her from up high. She handled it.”

“Yeah, she’s going to bring some of the ash home. Like you, she thinks something bigger is going on, and whatever it is, isn’t going to stop.”

Griff nodded; his jaw clenched. “I know. But we need more info before we can figure out what it is and get it stopped. I can’t just let this go.”

Geneva sighed, removing her gloves and stepping back from the body. “I didn’t think you would. You’re almost as relentless as Phoenix. Do you think it’s connected to your dad?” When he shot her a look, she smiled. “The Duvalls aren’t the only ones whose roots run deep.”

He was headed back to the precinct when he picked up the prickling sensation of magic—a little bit off-kilter. He almost missed it as the similarities to tonight’s murder had brought the haunting memories of his father’s death back to the forefront of his mind. He hadn’t been able to save his father, hadn’t been able to solve the case. But this time, things were different. This time, he had Phoenix, Geneva, and the rest of the Duvalls on his side. Parking his Harley so it wouldn’t be easily spotted, he found the barest wisp of magic and began to follow it.

He followed the faint trail of magic and entered a room where some kind of ritual or at least a meeting was going on. This was the type of situation where having Phoenix along could help. She could shroud their presence within fae magic. He started to get closer when his phone vibrated. Pulling it from his pocket, he glanced at the text message. Speak of the devil, or at least of the fae—it was a message from Phoenix.

Need to talk. Something’s not right. Meet me at The Thorny Rose.

Griff’s heart raced as he read the message. He had a feeling she was about to drop another bombshell on him, and if tonight was any indication, it wasn’t going to be good.

He wasn’t sure when it had happened, but somewhere along the way, Phoenix had become more than just another supernatural in his world. On more than one occasion she’d been his unofficial partner, regardless of whether either wantedto admit it. And if anyone could help him figure out what was going on, it was the Duvalls.

He shoved his phone into his pocket—Phoenix and The Thorny Rose would have to wait. Whatever was happening in the city, whatever darkness was rising, he knew one thing for sure, he and the Duvalls—especially Phoenix—were in it for the long haul. Together, they were going to solve the puzzle that seemed to be threatening to unravel the Crescent City.

Chapter

Four

PHOENIX

The air was thick with the scent of incense and magic, swirling together in the cramped, hidden basement beneath one of the oldest buildings in New Orleans. Phoenix stood in the corner, her breath steady but shallow, her back pressed against the cold, damp stone wall. Disguised beneath layers of glamour and magic, she blended into the sea of dark robes that filled the room, the hood of her cloak pulled low over her face. Her heart raced, not out of fear, but with the exhilarating pulse of the hunt. The demon cult she had been tracking for weeks had finally gathered, and tonight, she was going to find out exactly what they were planning.

She hadn’t been sure what to expect when she first infiltrated the group. A few whispered words, a symbol drawn in blood, and a darkened meeting place—it all pointed to something big. But as she stood here amidst the cultists, the weight of the dark energy suffocating the room, she realized it was worse than she’d anticipated. Far worse.

The leader, a tall figure whose face was hidden beneath a bone-white mask, raised his hands, and the room fell into a tense silence. His voice, deep and resonant, echoed off the stone walls, drawing the attention of every robed figure in the room.Phoenix kept her head bowed, pretending to listen, but her mind was already working, cataloging the strange symbols etched into the stone floor and the glowing sigils that adorned the walls. Magic, dark and potent, pulsed through the space, making her skin crawl.

“The time is nearly upon us,” the leader intoned. “We have infiltrated every level of this city’s power structure, and soon, the final ritual will be complete.”

Phoenix’s ears perked up at that. Infiltrated the power structure? Her blood chilled at the thought. Her instincts had told her something was off about the city’s recent string of demon attacks, but she hadn’t expected this. This wasn’t just some rogue group of demon worshippers. This was organized. This was systemic.

As the leader continued, she heard the murmured name of a high-ranking city official. Her breath caught in her throat. Councilman Victor Fontaine. The man was a well-known philanthropist, a respected figure in New Orleans politics. If he was involved in this…

“Soon, we will no longer need to hide in the shadows,” the leader continued, his voice taking on a fervent edge. “The demons will walk among us, and the old gods will rise again. With the councilman’s help, no one will be able to stop us.”

Phoenix’s mind raced. This was bigger than anything she had anticipated. If Fontaine was involved, it was going to be far more complicated than just taking demons down. She was going to need someone on the inside—someone like Griff. She needed to get this information to him—he would know how to handle the political fallout—quickly she sent Griff a text. Now, she needed to get out of here. She had already overstayed her welcome.

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