Page 15 of Magic Unleashed

Phoenix shuddered; the memory of the collapsing room still fresh. She could still feel the residue of the dark magic clinging to her skin, like a sickness she couldn’t shake off. "Fontaine might’ve escaped, but he left us with one hell of a trap."

"Yeah," Griff said grimly. "We need to regroup. I can’t take any chances if Fontaine’s using magic that strong."

Phoenix nodded in agreement, still trying to shake off the lingering unease. She felt exposed out here on the streets, vulnerable in a way she hadn’t felt in a long time. "Where to?"

"My place," Griff said, his voice firm. "I don’t want them to be able to follow you back to the mansion, and yes, I’m sure it’s got all kinds of fae magic. But if they’re looking for you, it’ll be there.My place is safe enough for now, and we need to figure out our next move."

They crossed the river by ferry, the Mississippi cutting a dark swath through the city under the faint glow of moonlight. Algiers Point was quieter, calmer, a world away from the chaos they'd just escaped. Griff’s shotgun cottage sat in a quiet neighborhood, nestled behind tall oaks and crepe myrtles that lined the streets. The house was simple from the outside. An iron porch light illuminated the muted gray-blue exterior, with a small front porch and a pair of rocking chairs that seemed almost too quaint for someone like Griff.

After he’d parked the Harley and locked it away, he led her inside. Phoenix was surprised by how different it felt from the usual rugged exterior Griff wore like armor. The interior was warm, welcoming even, with dark hardwood floors and exposed beams running across the ceiling. The walls were painted a soft, moss green, and the furniture was a mix of leather and wood, clearly chosen for comfort rather than decoration. Shelves lined the walls, filled with books, artifacts, and trinkets—some old, some clearly supernatural in nature. The scent of cedar and something distinctly Griff hung in the air.

A long, worn leather couch sat in the middle of the living room, facing a low coffee table scattered with papers and notebooks. A fireplace, not in use but neatly stacked with wood, took up one wall. The kitchen, just visible from the doorway, was small but tidy, with white cabinets and dark countertops, everything organized with military precision.

"You renovated this place yourself?" Phoenix asked, glancing around as she pulled off her jacket.

"Yeah," Griff said, locking the door behind them. "Needed something to keep me busy when I first moved in. It’s nothing fancy, but it does the job."

Phoenix smiled faintly, taking in the understated charm of the place. It was simple, practical, but it had a sense of calm and understated, casual elegance that she hadn’t expected from Griff.

He headed to the kitchen and grabbed a couple of beers from the fridge, handing one to her as he sat down on the couch. "Make yourself at home," he said, his tone softening just slightly. "We’ll be safe here for a while. At least long enough to figure out what the hell Fontaine’s next move is."

Phoenix took the beer and wandered through the house, adding her own magical alarms to bolster the electronic ones he’d already installed. She sat beside him, her body still buzzing from the escape, her mind racing with thoughts of what came next. But for the first time in what felt like hours, she allowed herself to relax, if only just a little.

And as the silence settled around them, broken only by the distant hum of the city that lay on the other side of the Mississippi River, Phoenix found herself grateful for this small moment of peace—even if it was fleeting. For once, she felt safe as though nothing bad in the world could touch her. She realized that the man, the dragon, sitting next to her had a lot to do with not only the feeling of safety but the one of peace. Something that had been sorely lacking in her life from the time she’d been handed her copy of the Grimm File. Their bodies just seemed to gravitate toward each other, and Phoenix found herself wrapped in Griff’s arms as his mouth began to explore hers.

“Now isn’t the time for this,” Griff rasped against her lips.

She stared up into his eyes, caught in the fire within those deep depths. “I know, but I can’t seem to help myself, and for once, I don’t care,” she replied, pulling his head to hers. She’d been fighting this thing she had for Griff for far too long.

The intensity of their kiss grew, matching the passion that coursed through them like an electric current. Phoenix couldfeel the hardness of Griff’s body against hers, his strong arms wrapped around her, pulling her closer. It was as if they were the only two people left in the world, and nothing else existed but their desire for each other.

She could hear the soft hum of the air conditioning unit, but it was all drowned out by the rhythm of their heavy breathing and the low moans that escaped from their lips.

Griff’s hands roamed her body, caressing the sensitive skin of her neck, then moving down to the curve of her waist. Phoenix could feel the heat of his hands even through her shirt, and it sent shivers down her spine. He kissed his way down her neck, his lips leaving a trail of fire against her skin, and she let out a soft, shivering moan. Her hands found the buttons of his shirt, working frantically to undo them, eager to feel his skin against hers.

As Griff’s lips continued their descent, pausing to kiss the sensitive skin above her collarbone, she fumbled with the fastenings of her own shirt. Finally freeing herself, she pulled him closer, their bodies melding together in a desperate dance of need and arousal.

His hands found the clasp of her bra, and with a swift flick of his fingers, it was undone and removed. Eager to explore, he cupped her breasts, his fingers gently massaging the sensitive skin. Phoenix arched her back, pressing herself against him, needy and wanting.

She pulled him up, her lips finding his again in a searing kiss. Her hands slid down his stomach, finding and unfastening the buttons of his fly. With a deft flick, she opened it to get to the thick, hard length that she’d wanted and fantasized about for a long time.

Griff hissed in a breath as her hand closed around him, freeing his cock from his jeans. “Phoenix, you should stop.”

The words came out strangled, raspy, and she knew that was the furthest thing from the truth of what he wanted—what they both wanted. “This is exactly what we should be doing, Griff.”

Her hand stroked him gently but firmly, feeling him twitch in her grasp. His breath hitched, and she smiled, knowing she had him now. He was hers—maybe just for this one night—and she intended to make the most of it.

She moved closer, her lips brushing against his, their tongues dancing together in a passionate embrace. Her other hand reached around to cup his ass, pulling him even closer. She could feel him pulsing against her palm, and she knew she couldn’t hold back any longer.

Phoenix broke their kiss, her eyes locked onto his as she sank to her knees in front of him, her mouth parting as she wrapped her lips around him. He groaned, a low and needy sound that made her own desire rise even higher. Taking him in her mouth, she sucked and licked, her tongue swirling around every inch of him.

Griff’s hands threaded through her hair, guiding her, urging her to take more of him, to take him deeper. “Fuck, you’re so pretty when you suck my cock like that.”

She smiled around his thickness and hummed a sound of happiness at the compliment. She looked up at him in the dim glow of the room as he leaned back and felt her heart catch at the look in his eyes. He looked at her from beneath hooded lids with so much arousal, so much need, that it took her breath away.

The thrust of his hips reminded her of what she was doing, and Phoenix returned her attention to the task at hand. She tried to take as much of him as she could, feeling him tickle the velvety place at the back of her throat. She gagged slightly, but she didn’t pull away. She wanted to taste every inch of him, to memorize the feel of his skin against hers, even if it was just for one night, and it had to be just for one night—didn’t it? Could ademon-hunting fae and a dragon-shifter have any kind of future together?

Griff’s breath hitched, his hips thrusting into her face, his body shaking with the effort to hold back. But she could tell he was close, his breath ragged, his grunts becoming more urgent.

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