Book Crazy: Book Blitz & Giveaway: Magic Unleashed [The Grimm Files 01] by Delta James!

Excerpt!

The air inside the cathedral was thick with magic—dark, suffocating, and alive. The ritual was nearing its climax, and Phoenix could feel the pull of the celestial event above them, the moon moving into its full eclipse. The ground beneath her feet trembled as if the earth itself was rejecting the power being summoned.

Her heart raced as she stood facing Councilman Fontaine, his face twisted with malicious glee as he presided over the summoning. Around them, cultists began chanting again in unison, their voices blending with the rising energy in the room. It felt as though the very walls were vibrating, barely able to contain the power brewing within.

Phoenix’s gaze darted toward the door where Ash was supposed to be getting Griff out—away from the danger, but he wasn’t moving. Griff’s body still glowed faintly from the demonic runes that had been etched into his skin.

Ash was holding him up, but Griff was convulsing, his muscles tensing as the dark magic began to take hold. She could feel it—Griff’s essence was slipping, being consumed by the demon lord that was trying to possess him.

“Griff, hold on,” Phoenix whispered under her breath, her voice filled with desperation. She felt the connection between them like a lifeline, but it was fragile, strained. The ritual was pulling him away from her, piece by piece.

Fontaine’s voice boomed over the chanting. “It’s too late, fae. The ritual is almost complete. Soon, the demon lord will rise, and your little pet will be nothing more than a hollow shell.”

Phoenix’s blood boiled at his words, her magic surging in response. “Not if I stop you first.”

Fontaine laughed, a dark, mocking sound. “You can’t stop what’s already in motion.”

Without hesitation, Phoenix hurled a blast of golden energy at him. Fontaine barely flinched, raising a hand to deflect it as if it were nothing. The magic sizzled in the air, absorbed by the dark barrier surrounding him.

“I’ve had enough of your interruptions,” Fontaine sneered, flicking his wrist. A pulse of dark energy shot from his hand, heading straight for Phoenix.

She leaped to the side, dodging it just in time, but the force of the blast sent her tumbling across the floor. She gritted her teeth, her heart pounding as she scrambled to her feet. Time was running out, and she knew that if she didn’t act soon, she would lose Griff forever.

Ash appeared beside her, bloodied but still standing. He had managed to get Griff sort of propped up against the wall, but something was wrong—terribly wrong.

“Ash, what—?” Phoenix started, but her words caught in her throat.

Struggling to hold on, Griff suddenly convulsed. With a growl of inhuman strength, Griff’s eyes snapped open, glowing with an eerie, dark light. His body jerked violently.

“Griff!” Phoenix shouted, fear that she had lost him—had lost everything—clawing at her chest as she rushed toward him.

But it wasn’t Griff anymore. Not fully. The demon’s presence had taken root, and Phoenix could see the battle raging behind Griff’s eyes. He was fighting, trying to hold onto himself, but the dark magic was overpowering him.

“Phoenix…” Griff’s voice was strained, barely his own. “I can’t… I can’t hold it.”

Mysterious deaths. Impossible magic. And the sexy dragon who might drive her to murder.

In the shadowy heart of modern-day New Orleans, where the supernatural simmers just beneath the surface, Phoenix Landry is a force to be reckoned with. As a formidable fairy enforcer, she stands as the city’s last line of defense against the demonic threats that prowl the night. She’s trained from childhood and is armed with lightning-fast reflexes, mastery over fire, and deadly weapons, Phoenix knows she’ll only come into her full power when she finds and bonds with her fated mate. But Phoenix has never been one to wait for fate—until it throws her into the path of Griff Cavill, a hard-nosed dragon shifter detective with secrets of his own.

Griff has been investigating a series of gruesome deaths that defy all logical explanation. As their paths intertwine, Phoenix is forced to confront the truth: Griff is her fated mate. Together, they form an uneasy alliance to combat a rising demonic cult. But as their chemistry ignites, so too does the danger surrounding them.

Griff becomes possessed by the very demon lord they’ve been hunting. Phoenix faces an impossible choice: uphold her duty as a fairy enforcer, or risk everything—including her life and the fragile balance between worlds—for the man she’s come to love.

As the battle for New Orleans intensifies, Phoenix must confront her deepest fears and make a heart-wrenching decision in a final showdown that will determine the fate of both worlds.

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Author bio:

Delta James is a USA Today Bestselling Author known for her captivating paranormal and contemporary romantic suspense novels. She crafts stories featuring complex, curvy heroines and the dominant alpha males who adore them, creating a romantic journey filled with challenges and thrills.

After embarking on a transformative second chapter in her life, Delta now calls Florida home. She enjoys relaxing on warm summer evenings with her lovable pack of basset hounds, watching birds, squirrels, and lizards. When she's not weaving fast-paced tales, she indulges in horseback riding, beach walks, and white-water rafting.

Discover more about Delta, including her complete list of books and audiobooks on her Delta James website.

Delta deeply values her readers and strives to respond personally to as many messages as possible. Connect with her on Instagram, Facebook, or join her private reader group: Delta's Wayward Pack