Chapter 10

Chapter

Ten

SAVANNAH

S avannah paced the length of the alley, her phone pressed tightly against her ear as she coordinated with Zane, Griff, and her sisters. The late afternoon air was thick with tension, the distant hum of the city barely noticeable over the chaos that was quickly spreading. Water mains were beginning to leak, the ground rumbling beneath her as demonic energy seeped into the streets like a virus. The familiar sounds of New Orleans—music, laughter, the murmur of conversation—had been replaced by the wail of sirens and the panicked cries of civilians fleeing the sudden destruction.

“We need to get the civilians out of the French Quarter,” Savannah said sharply. “It’s not safe. We’ve got to evacuate everybody from the water-adjacent areas. They’re going to hit the supply soon. Griff, focus on the Bywater and the Garden District. It’s only a matter of time before the demons reach those parts of the city.”

Griff’s voice crackled over the line. “We’re on it. But, Savannah, be careful. Things are getting worse by the minute.”

“Yeah, I know,” she muttered, glancing down at her map as she marked off another location that needed attention.

“Savannah, where are you?” asked Geneva. “We’re more powerful together.”

“I know, but I need to find Gage. We can back each other up. The rest of you need to concentrate on getting people out of harm’s way.”

“I don’t like this,” said Catalina.

“None of us do,” said Phoenix, “But, baby sister is right. We need to get people to safety. If Savannah says she and Gage can handle the fight, they can, and we just have to believe it.”

“Has Maeve had any luck in contacting the fae for their help?” asked Savannah hopefully.

“None. They refused to even speak with her. They sat back and used her to help Cipher almost destroy the city, and it looks like they’re doing the same thing now,” answered Geneva.

“What about Ash?” asked Phoenix.

“He’s doing what he can, trying to find demons that will help, but that’s a tricky thing. Vesper and Falwell have a lot of them convinced this will put them in power,” answered Geneva.

“That’s it, then,” said Savannah. “We’re kind of on our own.”

“Savannah’s right,” said Zane. “We need to get to it.”

“Agreed,” said Griff. “We each know what we have to do. Savannah, if you can’t get to Tremblay, don’t try to take them on by yourself.”

They talked for a few minutes, ensuring each of them knew their part in the coming battle. As she hung up the phone, Savannah couldn’t shake the feeling that Gage was in more trouble than any of them knew.

After ending the call, Savannah ran a hand through her hair—frustration and anger weighing heavily as she tried to reach Gage again by phone. No answer. She reached out to find his location—the loft. She allowed her wings to unfurl and made short work of reaching his building.

Civilians needed protecting, her family was fighting on all fronts, and the city she loved so deeply was on the brink of being consumed by darkness. But despite the urgency of it all, her thoughts kept drifting back to one thing—one person.

Gage.

A knot of unease twisted in her chest, growing tighter with every passing minute. She couldn’t shake the feeling that something was horribly wrong, that Gage was in terrible danger. She’d felt it ever since he’d left to infiltrate Falwell’s meeting, and now that feeling was intensifying, pulling at her like an invisible thread.

What if something had happened to him?

She fought to focus on the task at hand, but every time she tried, her mind slipped back to Gage. She felt his presence like a distant echo in her chest, faint but constant, and now it was throbbing with warning. Something had gone terribly wrong.

Her body was in motion, but her mind kept drifting back to the memory of Gage—his grin, the way his eyes darkened when he looked at her, the heat of his touch. The connection between them had only deepened with every encounter, and now, with the city teetering on the edge of disaster, she realized just how much he meant to her.

And how much she stood to lose.

Before she could open the door to go inside, there was a glimmer, and before her stood the one person she really didn’t need to see. Thornheart.

Savannah’s body tightened with tension and was coiled, ready to strike. “What do you want?”

Thornheart’s voice oozed with malice, his tone as cold and condescending as ever. “You’re running out of time, Savannah. The Council has told me to make you an offer. You and the rest of your misbegotten family promise to return to the fae realm now, and we will ensure you have our support in this... little crisis of yours.”

Savannah clenched her jaw, her grip on the phone tightening. “I’m not sure how to respond to such a charming offer,” she said sweetly. “Oh, wait. I have it—fuck off and die. We’re not leaving the city.”

Thornheart’s chuckle grated on her nerves. “How noble of you but misguided. You know as well as I do that you cannot stop what’s coming. The demons will overrun your precious city, and without the backing of the fae, you and your family will fall. You belong to us, Savannah. Come back, and I will make sure your family is spared.”

“Spared?” Savannah’s voice was barely a whisper, her heart thudding against her ribcage. “You have no right to make that promise.”

“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 terribly wrong. 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.

With a growl of desire, Gage lifted her, pressing her back against the island. The windows bathed them in a silver light, creating an ethereal backdrop to their passionate encounter. Savannah waved her hand, removing her clothes and offering him everything. Her breath quickened as she felt his fingers trace the outline of her wetness, teasing her.

"You're so fucking wet for me, Savannah," he whispered, his voice thick with desire. "I want to feel you around me, right now."

Before she could respond, Gage plunged his fingers deep inside her, claiming her with a rough urgency. Savannah gasped, her head falling back against the wall as he stimulated her sweet spot, his thumb rubbing her clit in rhythmic circles.

"Oh, fuck, Gage," she panted, her body trembling on the edge of release. "I need you. Now."

Gage's cock, hard as steel, pressed against her core, seeking entrance. With one swift thrust, he filled her, his length stretching her to the limit. Savannah cried out, her nails digging into his shoulders as she welcomed the invasion. Gage began to move, his hips snapping forward with powerful strokes, driving into her again and again.

The sound of their bodies slapping together filled the room, a primal rhythm that echoed their desperate need. Gage's beard-stubbled jaw brushed against her neck, sending shivers down her spine as he whispered dirty words in her ear. "You like it rough, don't you, baby? You want me to fuck you hard and make you come?"

Savannah could only nod, her words lost in the pleasure coursing through her. He pounded into her, his cock hitting her G-spot with each thrust, driving her closer to the edge. The sensations were overwhelming, a delicious torture that pushed her towards the brink of ecstasy.

"Come for me, Savannah," Gage growled, his voice hoarse with desire. "Let me feel your pussy clamp down on my dick. Give it to me."

His words were like a trigger, sending her over the edge. Savannah's body convulsed as a powerful orgasm ripped through her. She cried out, her pussy gripping his cock in rhythmic waves, milking him as her juices flowed freely. Gage's own release was imminent, and he thrust harder, burying himself deep within her as his cock pulsated, filling her with his hot cum.

They stayed entwined, breathless, and satisfied, their hearts pounding in unison. Gage's demon seemed to have retreated, leaving only the man she loved. Savannah smiled, knowing that she had helped him reclaim his humanity, at least for now.

When it was over, his breathing slowed, his muscles relaxed, and the glowing red in his eyes dimmed, replaced by the familiar warmth she knew so well.

When they finally pulled apart, Gage’s eyes were clear, his body no longer trembling with the monstrous energy of his demon half.

“Savannah,” he whispered, his voice filled with awe and disbelief.

She smiled, tears prickling her eyes. “I told you. I’m not losing you.”

He pulled her close, resting his forehead against hers, his breath warm against her skin. For a moment, they stood there in the quiet of the loft, the world outside forgotten.

But they didn’t have time to linger. With a wave of her hand, she clothed them both again, readying them to fight.

“We have to stop them,” Savannah said, her voice steady even as her heart raced. “Vesper is going to open the gateway soon. If we don’t stop her...”

Gage nodded, his eyes hardening with determination. “Then we stop her. Together.”

Just as they were about to leave, Gage spun her toward him, pinning her against the wall and kissing her deeply. “I love you, too, but when this is over, we’re going to have to talk about you rushing headlong into danger and kissing a demon.”

She smiled seductively at him. “How about we do that stretched out in bed while you have your evil, demonic way with me.”

Shaking his head, Gage grinned at her. They left the loft without another word, racing through the streets of the city toward the main water treatment facility. Savannah’s heart pounded with every step, not just from the urgency of the situation, but from the knowledge that she wasn’t alone.