Page 21 of Magic Unrestrained

“Don’t be a fool,” Thornheart said, his voice growing sharp. “The Council will not wait forever. Come back to where you belong, or we will no longer stand by and allow you and your sisters to continue to thwart our authority. Your city is not worth the lives of your bloodline.”

Savannah gritted her teeth, fury building in her chest. “I’m not leaving New Orleans, Thornheart. I’ll die for this city if I have to. And if you or the Council want to try to force me back, you’re welcome to come and try.”

Before he could respond, she shoved him aside and entered Gage’s building. She knew Thornheart wasn’t bluffing. The fae didn’t make idle threats, and they might need their help, but it wasn’t something they could count on. If the fae completely turned their backs on them now, New Orleans would have one less ally in the fight against Vesper and Falwell’s demonic forces.

But even as the weight of that decision pressed down on her, Savannah couldn’t shake the feeling that something was terriblywrong. Gage. His name echoed in her mind over and over again, pulling her, guiding her toward him like a beacon.

By the time she reached his loft, her chest was tight, her pulse racing. She didn’t even knock, her hand shaking as she fumbled with the door handle before bursting inside.

“Gage?”

The air in the loft was thick, heavy with the scent of something primal and dangerous. Her heart thudded in her chest as she moved deeper into the room, her eyes scanning the dimly lit space. The soft glow of moonlight filtered through the large windows, casting long shadows across the polished concrete floor. Everything was eerily quiet.

Too quiet.

And then she saw him.

Gage was leaning against the kitchen island, his breathing labored, his body trembling with barely contained rage. His eyes—those same eyes she had grown to love—glowed with an unnatural red light, a feral gleam that sent a chill down her spine. His skin rippled with the transformation, his muscles straining under the weight of the beast inside him.

He was a twisted version of the Rougarou she had seen described in the Grimm files, but this time... he looked different. Darker. More dangerous. His demon side had taken hold, and it was threatening to consume him.

“Gage?” Savannah whispered, her heart breaking as she saw the pain etched across his face.

He lifted his head, his glowing eyes locking onto hers. For a moment, there was recognition—flickering, faint—but then the beast inside him surged forward, twisting his features into something monstrous.

“Savannah,” he rasped, his voice thick with strain. “You... you have to kill me.”

Her breath caught in her throat. “The hell I do. I’m not going to kill you.”

“You have to!” he snarled, his voice a guttural growl. “I can’t... control it. I can’t stop it. If you don’t?—”

“No!” Savannah’s voice was firm as she stepped closer. Her hands might be trembling, but her heart and soul were strong and ready for this. “I’m not losing you, Gage.”

He let out a ragged breath, his body shaking violently as he fought to keep the beast at bay. “You have to stop me. Before I hurt you. Before I hurt anyone else.”

Savannah moved closer, her eyes never leaving his. “You’re not going to hurt me,” she said softly, her voice steady despite the chaos swirling inside her. “You won’t. I won’t let you.”

Before Gage could protest, Savannah did the only thing she could think of. She closed the gap between them, grabbed his face in her hands, and kissed him.

The moment their lips met, Savannah felt a surge of energy pass between them, a connection that went beyond words. She poured everything she had into that kiss—her strength, her love, her fae nature—offering herself to him, grounding him in the storm of his own darkness.

In his light and airy loft, where the moonlight streamed through enormous windows, casting a warm glow on their passionate struggle, Savannah approached Gage with determination. She could see the conflict raging in his eyes, the battle between the man she loved and the beast he feared. Gage's dark hair was tousled, and his close-cropped beard accentuated his rugged features. He was a captivating sight, but beneath the surface, a storm brewed.

At first, Gage resisted, his body stiffening under her touch, but then something shifted. The tension began to ebb, the beast inside him fighting against her energy, wrapping around him like a protective shield.

"Gage, listen to me," Savannah said, her voice gentle yet commanding. She knew he was on the edge, teetering between his human and wolf-shifter selves and the demon he tried so hard to contain. "I know you're afraid, but I'm not. Well, that’s not true; I am, but not of you. I need you, and I need you to trust me."

Gage's jaw clenched, his muscles tensing as he fought the transformation. "I can't let the demon take over, Savannah. You don’t know what it's capable of. If I lose control, I could hurt you." His voice was hoarse, a reflection of the internal war he was fighting.

Savannah's pale blue, spiky hair shimmered in the moonlight as she stepped closer, her curvaceous body moving with a confident stride. She was well aware of Gage's dominant nature and his need to be in control; she had to give that to him. She had to show him a different kind of strength. "I'm not some delicate flower, Gage. I can handle myself. And I'm not afraid of your demon. I just want you, all of you."

Gage's eyes widened at her bold statement, and for a moment, the demon within seemed to retreat, giving way to a glimmer of hope. He reached out, his rough fingers brushing her soft cheek, and pulled her close, his body trembling with restrained desire. "You don't understand. It's not safe. I might hurt you, or worse, I might lose myself completely."

Savannah's heart pounded in her chest, but she refused to back down. This was her mate—she knew that now--and she knew there was a way to save him. She took his misshapen face, distorted by the demon's influence, in her hands and gazed into his dark eyes with unwavering determination. "Safe isn't what I need right now, Gage. I love you. I need you, all of you. I want to feel every part of you, even the darkness."

As she spoke, her words seemed to cast a spell on him, and his body began to shift. The demon's hold on him weakened,and the transformation reversed. Gage's eyes softened, and his face returned to its handsome, rugged self. He pulled her closer, his strong arms wrapping around her, and kissed her deeply, pouring all his pent-up passion into the embrace.

Their lips fused together in a fiery dance, tongues entwining as if they were claiming each other in the most primal way. Savannah moaned into his mouth, her hands running through his hair, urging him on. Gage's hands roamed over her body, cupping her full breasts, thumbs grazing her sensitive nipples through the fabric of her shirt. She arched into his touch, craving more.

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