Page 2 of Magic Unleashed

And the one she tracked tonight? This one was too bold.

She paused at the edge of an alleyway, her sharp eyes scanning the shadows. The demonic presence was stronger now, thickening the air with a malevolent pulse. Her breath slowed as she centered herself, muscles tensing, ready to strike. A faint flicker of movement at the far end of the alley confirmed her suspicions.

A low growl escaped her lips. "All right, ugly," she called out. "Let's dance."

A shape detached itself from the shadows. Eight feet tall, with too many limbs and eyes that glowed like embers. It opened a maw filled with needle-sharp teeth and roared.

Phoenix grinned; her own teeth suddenly sharpened in the dim light. "That's right," she purred. "Come to mama."

As the demon charged, Phoenix answered the challenge. This was just another night for Phoenix, one of those who secretly protected New Orleans. Without hesitation, Phoenix moved, her body a blur of motion as she darted into the alley. Her knives slid from their sheaths with practiced ease, the cool metal flashing in the dim light. The demon stood waiting, a hulking, grotesque figure with leathery wings and eyes that glowed with the red fire of hell itself.

It snarled as she approached, its sharp teeth gleaming. “Faery.”

"That's right," Phoenix said, her voice steady. "And tonight’s your last night in my city."

The demon lunged at her, its massive claws swiping through the air with deadly intent. Phoenix dodged with a graceful twist of her body, her knives cutting through the space where the creature’s head had been moments before. She struck fast, slashing one of its wings. Black blood sprayed into the air, sizzling as it hit the ground.

The demon roared, spinning with surprising speed for something so large. Phoenix barely had time to block the strike as its claws raked toward her again. Her arms burned with the effort of holding the creature off, but she used the momentum to pivot, ducking low and slicing at the demon’s legs.

It howled in pain, staggering back.

“Not so tough now, are you?” Phoenix taunted, flipping her knives with deadly precision.

The creature bared its teeth and lunged again, but this time she was ready. She rolled beneath its attack, coming up behind it, and plunged both blades deep into its back. The demon screeched, writhing as its body began to disintegrate into a pile of ash.

Panting, Phoenix wiped the back of her hand across her forehead. That had been too close. But she wasn’t done yet. Something about the encounter gnawed at her; the demon’s behavior more reckless than usual. Almost like it had been driven by something—or someone.

As the last of the ash settled, her gaze caught a glimmer on the ground. A faint, glowing symbol etched into the dirt. Her blood ran cold as she recognized the intricate lines of a summoning circle. But this one wasn’t demonic. It was human made. Carefully crafted, likely by someone who knew exactly what they were doing.

“Shit,” Phoenix muttered under her breath, crouching down to examine it more closely. The symbols were precise; the incantations were hidden within the design, which were too familiar for comfort. Whoever had summoned this demon wasn’t some amateur dabbling in dark magic. This was planned. Calculated.

Dangerous.

She stood, her mind racing as she replayed the encounter in her head. This wasn’t just a random demon attack. Something bigger was happening in New Orleans, and she needed answers. Fast.

The best place to find those answers was The Thorny Rose; fortunately, it wasn’t far from where she was standing. If anyone had their ear to the ground when it came to the city’s supernatural happenings, it was Finn O’Riley. The fae had his fingers in just about every piece of shady business in town, and while his tavern catered to the city’s magical elite, it wasn’t uncommon to find humans there as well. It was also a place for information.

Phoenix sheathed her knives and took off in the direction of the bar, her thoughts swirling like the thick fog rolling in from the Mississippi.

When she pushed open the heavy wooden door to The Thorny Rose, the familiar scent of smoke, whiskey, and magic filled her senses. The bar was dimly lit, its patrons a mix of fae, shifters, and humans who had no idea they were rubbing elbows with creatures out of their nightmares.

Finn was behind the bar, wiping a glass with a rag, his tall frame hunched over as he listened to a shifter complain about something. His sharp green eyes flicked up as Phoenix entered, a smirk already forming on his lips.

“Well, if it isn’t our city’s very own demon-slaying faery,” he drawled, setting the glass down and crossing his arms. For themost part, humans who patronized The Thorny Rose found Finn to be highly amusing and thought he was just being ‘colorful.’ ‘Colorful’ characters were a staple of New Orleans’ society. “To what do I owe the pleasure, Phoenix?”

She made her way over, ignoring the curious glances from the patrons. “I need information,” she said, leaning against the bar. “Something’s going on. Demons are being summoned—and not by other demons.”

Finn raised an eyebrow. “Human summoners? That’s a bold claim.”

Phoenix nodded, her fingers tapping against the bar’s surface. “I found a summoning circle. Human-made. It’s precise, Finn. Someone knows what they’re doing.”

He exhaled slowly, running a hand through his dark hair. “That’s... troubling. But I haven’t heard anything specific about human involvement. At least, not yet.”

Phoenix frowned. Finn’s network of contacts was vast. If there was a hint of unusual activity in the city, he usually knew about it before anyone else. “Are you sure?”

He gave her a slow, measured look. “I’ll dig deeper. See if anyone’s heard whispers about new players in town. But Phoenix...” His voice lowered, concern flickering in his eyes. “Be careful. If humans are getting involved in demon summoning, it’s going to get messy. Real fast.”

She nodded, pushing down the uneasy feeling curling in her chest. “I know. Just... find out what you can.”

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