Chapter 5
Chapter
Five
GENEVA
S itting in her office at the city morgue, Geneva stared blankly at the report in front of her. The hum of the overhead fluorescent lights and the steady ticking of the clock filled the room, but her mind was miles away.
Ash. Even after she had left him, the heat of their earlier encounter still simmered beneath her skin. Every time she thought she’d regained control of herself, memories of his teasing words and the intensity in his eyes crept back in, leaving her feeling unsettled—and far more vulnerable than she liked.
"Focus, Geneva," she muttered under her breath, running a hand through her long hair. She had work to do. Bodies didn’t stop piling up just because her personal life—and her secret life—was spiraling out of control.
The day had started like any other: her usual routine of post-mortem examinations, filling out reports, and making sure the city’s latest homicide victims got the answers they deserved. But now, with Ash dragging her into the investigation of the demon trafficking ring, everything had taken on a new layer of complication. And as if balancing her job as an assistant medical examiner with her fae duties wasn’t enough, now she had to play the delicate game of trying to work alongside Ash without letting herself get too close.
Geneva glanced at the stack of files on her desk, her chest tightening. She was juggling too much. Between the long hours at the morgue and the increasingly dangerous missions at night, it felt like a matter of time before someone here figured out that she was more than just another overworked civil servant.
The door to her office creaked open, and her colleague, Dr. Harris, poked his head inside. "Hey, Geneva, you all right? You’ve been staring at that report for the last ten minutes."
Geneva blinked, pulling herself from her thoughts and plastering on a smile. "Yeah, sorry. Just a lot on my mind."
Harris raised an eyebrow but didn’t press further. "Well, when you get a chance, we’ve got another one coming in. Found in a warehouse near the river, nasty stuff. Looks like a possible overdose, but it’s strange. I thought you might want to take a look."
"Of course," Geneva replied, her mind already racing. Overdoses were common in the city, but lately, there had been too many of them with strange circumstances. Fae magic had a way of revealing things that forensic science couldn't. She would have to be extra careful while examining the body, keeping her fae senses on high alert without drawing suspicion from her colleagues who were human.
As Harris left, Geneva let out a long breath, leaning back in her chair. Her life felt like a series of tightrope walks, trying to keep her human colleagues from suspecting anything supernatural while balancing the dangers of her otherworldly obligations. She was always on the edge, and the pressure was getting harder to ignore.
And now, there was Ash. The half-demon was like a storm she couldn't avoid—fierce, unpredictable, and drawing her in with an intensity she wasn’t prepared for. They had agreed to work together, but each encounter left her feeling more off-balance. The tension between them was undeniable, and no matter how much she tried to distance herself, there was a magnetic pull she couldn’t explain.
Shaking her head, Geneva pushed the thoughts aside and stood from her desk. She had another job to do. The body Harris mentioned was already waiting on a table in the examination room. A young man, mid-twenties, his face pale and lips tinged with blue. She slipped on her gloves and leaned over the body, focusing on the task at hand.
But as soon as she touched the body, a ripple of magic pulsed beneath her fingertips.
Her fae instincts kicked in immediately, and her magic flared, just briefly, allowing her to sense what others could not. There was something off here—something dark and unnatural lurking beneath the surface. This wasn’t just an overdose. She could feel the remnants of demonic energy, faint but present.
Damn. The trafficking ring had reached further than she thought. And now it was spilling into her day-to-day life, even here in the morgue.
Her heart pounded as she quickly masked her reaction, making sure her movements appeared methodical to anyone watching through the observation window. She couldn’t let Harris or the other staff suspect that she was using anything other than standard forensic procedures.
After a thorough examination, she stepped away from the body, her mind racing. She needed more information, and fast. The problem was, her usual fae contacts had been reluctant to talk lately. Ever since rumors of the trafficking ring started circulating, the fae community had gone silent, afraid of attracting the wrong kind of attention. But Geneva wasn’t going to let that stop her. She had to find a way to extract what she needed.
Once the autopsy was finished and the report filed, she made her way to a secluded part of the city, where the fae often met in secret. The wrought-iron gates of the hidden park swung open as she whispered a spell under her breath, her magic unlocking the barrier that kept humans away. The park was overgrown and shadowed, a place where the air felt heavier with magic and history.
Waiting at the center of the park was an old fae acquaintance of hers, Talia, a faery who dealt in secrets and information. Talia was already perched on a bench, her silvery wings catching the moonlight as she watched Geneva approach.
“You’ve been busy,” Talia remarked, her voice like the wind rustling through leaves. “I hear you’re tangled up with a certain half-demon these days.”
Geneva narrowed her eyes. "I’m not here for gossip, Talia. I need answers. There’s a demon trafficking ring operating in the city, and it’s connected to the bodies coming into the morgue."
Talia tilted her head, her violet eyes gleaming with curiosity. “And you think the fae are involved?”
“I think the fae know more than they’re letting on,” Geneva replied, her voice firm. “There’s something dark going on, and I need to know who’s behind it.”
Talia let out a soft laugh, though it held no real warmth. “Oh, darling. We all know something, but getting fae to talk about demons? That’s a different story. You should know better.”
Geneva clenched her fists at her sides, trying to keep her frustration in check. “Talia, please. I’m not asking for much, just a lead. There’s something bigger at play here, and I don’t have time to play these games.”
Talia regarded her for a long moment before her expression softened, just slightly. “I’ll give you this—there are whispers that a new player has entered the city. Someone powerful, with deep connections to the demon world. Whoever they are, they’re dangerous. Even the fae are afraid.”
“Who is it?” Geneva pressed.
“I don’t know. But I’ve heard they’re working out of the docks—trafficking souls like they’re nothing more than currency.”
Geneva’s stomach tightened. The docks. Of course. It was the perfect place for something as sinister as this to hide in plain sight. "Thank you," she said, her voice tight with urgency.
“Be careful, Geneva,” Talia warned, her voice low. “The more you dig, the more dangerous this becomes. And if you’re aligning yourself with a half-demon? Well… let’s just say you’re dancing awfully close to the fire.”
Geneva gave a curt nod and turned to leave. She didn’t need Talia’s warnings. She already knew how dangerous the path ahead was. But as she made her way back to the city, her thoughts drifted once again to Ash.
Working with him was already complicating her life more than she ever expected. But now, with the trafficking ring’s reach extending deeper into her world, she didn’t have a choice. She needed his help. And more than that, she needed to keep him—and herself—alive long enough to stop it.
G eneva returned to the morgue and was reviewing the latest autopsy reports, her eyes scanning the pages but her mind far from the clinical details in front of her. The image of Ash, leaning against the wall of the morgue, teasing her with that knowing smile, kept creeping back into her thoughts. It had been hours since he left, but his presence still lingered, making her heart beat faster than it should. She tried to push the distraction aside—there was too much at stake right now to let her thoughts wander—but it was impossible to fully shake the tension that lingered between them.
A sudden knock on her office door jolted her from her reverie. She frowned, glancing at the clock. It was late, and most of the staff had already gone home for the night.
"Come in," she called out, hoping her voice didn’t betray the unease she suddenly felt.
The door swung open, revealing a tall, broad-shouldered detective whose frame filled the doorway. He looked every bit the seasoned detective, his gray eyes sharp and assessing as they flicked over her before settling on the stack of files on her desk.
“Detective,” Geneva said, her voice cool and professional. “What brings you here this late?”
The detective, a veteran cop named Lewis, stepped into the room, shutting the door behind him as he took a seat across from her. He didn’t waste time with pleasantries. “I’ve been looking into some missing persons cases,” he said, leaning forward slightly. “And I’ve noticed a disturbing pattern. Several unidentified bodies from the morgue match the descriptions of people who’ve recently disappeared. You wouldn’t happen to know anything about that, would you?”
Geneva’s stomach tightened, but she kept her expression neutral. She had anticipated this conversation sooner or later, but now that it was happening, the implications were far worse than she’d feared. The human world was starting to notice what she had been dealing with in secret. The supernatural activities—demons, fae, and the trafficking ring—were beginning to bleed into the mundane reality of New Orleans, and that was a dangerous thing.
“I’m aware of the missing persons cases,” she said carefully, her fingers tightening around the edge of the desk. “But I haven’t found any direct links between the bodies we’ve received and those cases. It could just be a coincidence.”
Lewis’s eyes narrowed. “You and I both know this city better than most. Coincidences like that don’t just happen.” He paused, studying her closely, as if trying to gauge whether she was hiding something. “If there’s something going on—something that connects these deaths to the missing persons—you need to tell me. Lives are at stake.”
Geneva felt her pulse quicken, but she maintained her composure. She couldn’t let Lewis know the truth. The last thing she needed was the authorities getting involved in something far beyond their understanding. If he started digging into the trafficking ring, he would only put himself in more danger.
“I’ll keep an eye out,” she said, her voice steady. “But I’m telling you, there’s nothing definitive here. I’d be happy to share any additional information if something turns up.”
Lewis didn’t look convinced, but he stood, giving her a long, measured look. “Do that,” he said finally. “And Dr. Duvall… be careful. Something feels off about all of this.”
As he left, closing the door behind him, Geneva let out a slow breath. Her mind raced. Lewis was getting too close. If he kept asking questions, it wouldn’t be long before he stumbled onto something dangerous. She had to move quickly to unravel the trafficking ring before it completely exposed the supernatural underworld.
T hat night, Geneva met Ash in an abandoned warehouse near the river. The place was dimly lit, shadows stretching across the concrete floors and the scent of damp air and decay filling the space. It was a perfect place to meet without drawing attention, but it still set Geneva on edge. She could feel the dark energy of the city pulsing around them.
Ash stood near the entrance, his dark silhouette outlined against the pale moonlight streaming through the cracked windows. He turned as she approached, his eyes locking onto hers with an intensity that sent a shiver down her spine. They had agreed to meet here to discuss their next steps, but Geneva couldn’t shake the feeling that something was about to go wrong.
“You look tense,” Ash said, his voice low and smooth as he stepped closer.
“I had a visit from a detective earlier,” Geneva replied, her voice sharp. “He’s asking questions about missing persons and unidentified bodies. The human authorities are starting to notice, Ash. We need to move faster.”
Ash’s expression darkened. “If they get too close, it’ll only make things worse. Humans have no idea what they’re dealing with.”
“That’s what worries me,” Geneva said, crossing her arms. “Maybe I can get Riker or Broussard to run interference. We need to shut this trafficking ring down before they get caught in the crossfire.”
Just as she finished speaking, a sudden movement caught her eye. Geneva’s fae senses flared to life, but before she could react, a group of figures emerged from the shadows, their eyes gleaming with malice.
Ash’s body tensed beside her, and in an instant, his blade was in his hand, glowing faintly with magic. “Looks like we’re not alone,” he muttered.
“Who do you think they are?” she asked in a whisper.
“No real way to know, but if I had to guess, I’d say traffickers.”
They moved quickly, their faces twisted with cruel intent. Geneva didn’t hesitate. With a flick of her wrist, her own fae magic crackled to life, a shimmering green light enveloping her hands. The first of those traffickers lunged at her, claws outstretched, but she sidestepped his attack and sent a pulse of magic crashing into his chest, sending him flying backward.
Ash was already in motion, his blade flashing through the air as he slashed at one of the demons that came at him. Their movements were synchronized, the fight turning into a blur of motion as they fought side by side for the first time. Ash’s strength was raw and fierce, every strike calculated with deadly precision, so much so that be barely seemed to notice when one of the demon’s blades slashed across his arm, opening up a nasty gash.. Geneva’s magic danced around them, weaving through the air as she deflected blows and countered with her own attacks.
The exhilaration of the battle surged through her veins, and for a brief moment, Geneva felt something she hadn’t expected—connection. Fighting alongside Ash was effortless, their movements in perfect harmony, like two pieces of a puzzle snapping into place. The rush of adrenaline, the heat of the fight, and the nearness of him made her heart race in a way that was both thrilling and terrifying.
Another trafficker came at her, and she spun, her magic flaring as she sent him crashing to the ground with a wave of energy. She could feel Ash beside her, his presence a steady, grounding force even as the chaos unfolded around them.
“You all right?” he called out, his voice rough with exertion as he cut down another attacker.
“I’m fine,” Geneva replied, her breath coming in short bursts. But it was more than just the fight. The connection between them was stronger than she’d realized, and it scared her how easily they worked together—how much she had wanted this, even without knowing it.
The last of the traffickers fell, crumbling to the ground in a heap. Ash and Geneva stood back-to-back, their chests heaving, the silence of the empty warehouse settling around them like a thick fog.
For a long moment, neither of them spoke. The tension between them was palpable, the air crackling with the aftermath of both the battle and something deeper.
“That was…” Geneva started, but the words caught in her throat. What had just happened? She had fought alongside others before, but this… this was different.
Ash turned to face her, his eyes dark with a mix of intensity and something else—something that mirrored the confusion and desire swirling inside her. “It’s not over yet,” he said, his voice low, his gaze never leaving hers. “But we make a good team.”
Geneva swallowed hard, forcing herself to look away. She couldn’t afford to get caught up in this. Not with everything at stake. But the truth was, standing there with Ash, the thrill of the fight still pulsing through her, she knew she was already in deeper than she had ever intended.
And it terrified her.