Read Online The Witch's Desire by Elle James - Free Book Online Page A

dust.
    The elevator doors slid open. Demi stepped in. Blaise grabbed Katya’s hand and dragged her into the car as the doors closed.
    â€œWhat happened?” Demi asked.
    â€œThe vampires set off an explosion, breaching the door,” Blaise said.
    Katya, her face flushed and her breathing labored, brushed vampire dust from her clothes. “There were four. We only got three of them.”
    â€œWhile we were handling them, Ursula slipped out.” Blaise glanced at the display that indicated which floor they were on. “The fourth vamp followed Ursula into the stairwell. I hope Cal caught up to them.”
    â€œIt’s a big hotel. She could have gone to another floor and taken the elevator to the lobby.”
    â€œFor her sake, Cal better have caught up. Those vampires have to be Alexei’s doing and they’re out to kill.”
    Every time the elevator stopped on a floor, Katya flashed her badge. “Police business. Catch the next one.”
    It stopped at five floors on the way down.
    By the time they reached the lobby, Demi had ground the enamel off her back teeth. When the elevator opened, the three burst out into a lobby filled with emergency personnel dressed in fire-retardant clothing. A paramedic swooped in on Katya whose neat ponytail now flopped at an angle, hair slipping from the elastic. Her clothing was torn and there was a cut on her cheek from her rumble with the vampires.
    Before he could say a word, Katya raised her hand to halt him. “I’m fine. Damage is on the twenty-seventh floor. No fire yet. Move on.” She stood on her toes, searching the sea of faces in the lobby.
    A foot taller than Katya, Demi had no more luck locating Ursula or Cal.
    Blaise led the way through the crowd of rescue workers and reporters, pushing toward the exit.
    Outside the hotel wasn’t much better. The streets were filled with people in taxis and buses, carrying what they could, making a last-ditch effort to evacuate under pouring rain and flooding gutters. Tempers flared and the big fire truck pushing down the middle of the street wasn’t making anyone any happier.
    â€œCan you see them?” Demi yelled over the cacophony of honking horns, shouting people and pummeling rain.
    â€œNo.” Blaise shielded his eyes from the downpour and peered over the crowd.
    A hand on Demi’s shoulder made her jump and spin around, dropping into a ready stance.
    â€œHey, it’s me.” Cal held up his hands. “I couldn’t catch her. She got away.”
    Demi threw her arms around him. “At least you’re safe.”
    He gathered her close and held her, both of them being soaked to the skin.
    â€œWhat about the vampire following her?” Katya joined Demi and Cal.
    Cal’s mouth turned upward in a tight smile. “The demon had a splinter stake, I suppose she collected on her way out of the suite. I was a couple flights above them when the vampire struck. She was ready and dusted him without batting an eye.”
    â€œIf we didn’t need her to testify in the morning, I’d say let her fight her own battles,” Blaise commented. “Unfortunately, the council is split on sentencing Alexei. Some are afraid of what he might do to them if they vote to have him terminated if the majority votes to let him live. They need solid evidence to convict and destroy him or no one will be safe.”
    Cal set Demi away from him and took her hand. “Then we have to find Ursula.” Water poured down his face, dripping off the end of his nose and chin. “Where would she have gone in this weather?”
    â€œI don’t know but let’s step back inside while we plan.” Demi ducked back into the lobby of the hotel, followed by Blaise, Katya and Cal.
    Katya stepped aside to call her boss and report their missing witness.
    While she was busy with her cell phone, Demi asked, “Is Ursula’s boyfriend or significant other in