Page 11 of Magic Unrestrained

Savannah’s pulse raced as she fought, her power surging through her veins. She could feel the darkness pressing in on all sides, the weight of it threatening to suffocate her. But she wouldn’t back down. Not now. Not ever.

Suddenly, a surge of magic filled the air, and Savannah glanced over to see Zephyr scattering what looked like a handful of shimmering fairy dust into the air. The humans who had been screaming moments before now blinked in confusion, their memories of the demons erased by Zephyr’s magic.

"That should keep them from asking too many questions," Zephyr said, his voice laced with amusement.

Savannah rolled her eyes, but there was no time to respond. In the midst of the chaos, she caught a glimpse of something—or someone—fighting on the other side of the room.

Her heart skipped a beat as she saw Gage.

He moved with a brutal efficiency that took her breath away, his fists and legs striking out with inhuman strength as he fought off the demons. She had suspected there was more to him than he let on, but now she had confirmation. He wasn’t just a bartender. He was something more—something dangerous.

The realization sent a jolt through her. She should have been wary, should have kept her distance, but instead, she foundherself mesmerized by the raw power radiating from him. There was something about the way he moved, the darkness that clung to him, that called to her in a way she didn’t fully understand.

Before she could process her thoughts, one of the demons lunged at her from behind, its claws raking across her arm. Savannah hissed in pain, spinning around and driving her dagger into the demon’s throat. It gurgled and collapsed at her feet, dissolving into ash.

The fight spilled out onto the streets as the remaining demons tried to flee, their screeches echoing through the night. Savannah and Gage moved in sync, cutting them down one by one until the last of the demons lay in ashes on the pavement.

Just as they caught their breath, the sound of sirens filled the air, and Savannah cursed under her breath. A group of police officers arrived on the scene; their guns drawn as they took in the carnage.

"This is going to be a problem," Gage muttered, glancing at the approaching officers. “We’ll go to my place.”

Without a word, he grabbed Savannah’s arm and pulled her down a side alley, away from the flashing lights and shouting voices. She didn’t resist, too caught up in the adrenaline of the fight and the strange pull she felt toward him.

They moved quickly through the dark streets, ducking into shadows and avoiding the police. Before Savannah knew it, they were standing outside Gage’s loft. He unlocked the door and ushered her inside, shutting it behind them.

Quickly, she texted Broussard to let him know what had gone down and to enlist his help in seeing if, like so many other things, the demon raid on the rave could just quietly disappear.

The loft wasn’t at all like she’d imagined it might be. Gage had mentioned he was a musician and songwriter, evidenced by the old, antique upright grand, the guitar, the cello and other instruments scattered around. It was open, airy, and moonlightstreamed through the enormous windows. The space was filled with the warmth of polished wood and the cool edge of concrete. But at the moment, all she could feel was the tension that charged the air between them. The same tension that had been building all night.

Gage spun her around to face him and she glared at him through slitted eyes. “What the hell, Gage?”

He glared at her, his eyes dark and intense. "You want to tell me what the hell is going on, Savannah?"

Savannah swallowed hard, her heart still racing from the fight, her arm stinging where the demon had scratched her. "I told you; I’m investigating Falwell and Vesper. I’m trying to figure out what they’re planning."

"Why didn’t you tell me that from the start?" Gage demanded; his voice sharp. "Why sneak around? Why get involved in this in the first place?"

Savannah hesitated. She couldn’t tell him everything—she barely knew him, and trust wasn’t something she gave easily. But she also couldn’t ignore the fact that it felt like they were in this together now, whether she liked it or not.

"I didn’t know if I could trust you," she admitted, her voice quieter than she intended. "And I still don’t know what you are. But I couldn’t just walk away from what I’ve seen. People are dying, disappearing. I had to do something. If you know anything about my family, you know that taking down the demons in this city is kind of our thing."

Gage’s expression softened, but only slightly. "I’m not your enemy, Savannah."

She met his gaze, the weight of his words sinking in. "Then what are you?"

“Rougarou.”

“Rougarou? Seriously? I thought they were just some kind of legendary wolf-shifters that lived in the swamps.”

“No. My kind can live anywhere—cities, swamps, deserts, forests, doesn’t matter. He shook his head and laughed bitterly. “I think most wolf-shifters made up those stories as they don’t like to admit the truth. We’re half demon, half wolf-shifter. Generally, those matings aren’t consensual.”

She traced the line of his jaw. “How you came into this world… what your parents did or didn’t do… that’s nothing on you. You are who you decide to be. And what I see is a brave, honorable man who, despite a demonic nature, has chosen the way of the light.”

For a long moment, they just stared at each other, the air between them thick with tension. Gage’s jaw tightened, but before he could answer, Savannah made a decision.

Before Gage could move away, she closed the gap between them, pressing her lips to his in a kiss that was as much a distraction as it was a confession of the desire that had been building between them all night. The kiss was electric, searing through her like a wildfire, and for a moment, she forgot everything else—the demons, the danger, the secrets.

There was only Gage, and the storm brewing between them.

---