The Witch's Desire by Elle James Page A

caught by a broken tree branch, the jagged end piercing the vampire’s heart.
    Demi threw herself to the ground where Cal lay. “By the goddess, he got you.”
    â€œMove!” Cal pushed her aside and jammed his splintered stake into yet another vampire about to land on Demi’s back.
    Close by, Ursula screamed. The man beside her fell to his knees, the tree branch protruding from his chest.
    Demi ran to her and tried to get her to move. She wouldn’t budge, refusing to leave her dying boyfriend.
    Four vampires broke free of Blaise and turned toward Demi and the witness.
    Cal staggered to his feet and ran toward the women, leaping in front of the vampires, blood streaming down his neck. “You’re vampires, right? You like blood, don’t you?” He ran his hands through the blood mixed with rain dripping down his neck and slung it at them. “Take mine.”
    Their eyes flared, glowing red in the darkness. All the remaining vampires focused on Cal.
    â€œCal, don’t!” Demi left Ursula to join him.
    â€œGet Ursula out of here!” he yelled.
    Demi hesitated, then grabbed the witness’s hand, yanking her to her feet. She struggled until Demi slapped her face and screamed at her. “Others are dying because of you! Come with me now or I’ll kill you myself, damn it.”
    Cal would have laughed if he thought he’d live to see Demi again. The first vampire hit him hard, knocking him onto his back. He struggled to get the stake between him and the vampire before he could sink his teeth into his bleeding throat.
    The other attackers helped him out by wrenching the first one off him and diving in for themselves. It was a free-for-all, like vultures fighting over the carcass. Only Cal was the carcass, and he wasn’t dead yet.
    Blaise grabbed one vampire from behind, ripped his head off and reached for another.
    It helped, but there were too many. One was sure to get to him before Blaise killed them all.
    A huge crack sounded behind Cal.
    As one, all the vampires glanced up in time to see an ancient tree split down the middle by lightning. One of the halves crashed down on them.
    With his last ounce of strength, Cal rolled to the side, avoiding being smashed by the gigantic tree trunk. One large limb landed over him, trapping him beneath, smaller limbs slashing his face, arms, legs and torso. When the ground stopped shaking, he stared at the monstrous branch crossing his chest, pressing him into the softened soil. It was heavy on him, but not like it held all the weight of the tree. He could breathe, but he was still losing blood and he couldn’t see any of the others from the canopy of leaves around him flailing in the wind.
    Had Demi gotten away? Was she trapped beneath the tree as well? What about Blaise and Katya?
    Rain dripped off the leaves into his eyes as he struggled to see what was going on.
    For a long while, he lay helpless, the roar of the wind and leaves beating around him drowning out all other sounds. Flashes of lightning pushed through his darkness, but not enough so he could see out of his prison. Then the branches parted and the heavy one barely resting on his chest moved, rising up enough so that he could push his way free.
    â€œCal!” Demi called out over the thrashing of the storm.
    â€œCal!” Blaise and Katya joined her cries.
    â€œI’m here!” he yelled back, shoving his way through, over and around the branches, following their voices in the darkness, until he found his way out of the tree and collapsed on the ground in front of them.
    A flash of lightning illuminated Ursula, hunched between Katya and Blaise, her face pale, her eyes red-rimmed.
    â€œVampires?” Cal asked, trying to stand.
    Blaise hurried forward and draped Cal’s arm over his shoulder. “Done. The tree took care of the rest of them, thanks to the lightning and a little help from Demi.”
    â€œGood.” Cal smiled at Demi,