The Witch's Desire. Elle James
Demons, darkness and desire…
The only time Demi Chattox, a witch, gets to see her lover, special agent Cal Black, is when they’re chasing down demons. When they’re tasked with escorting a VIP—a Very Important Paranormal—to a summit meeting in New York, it seems like the perfect assignment. A few days away from the job…in a Manhattan hotel…just the two of them…
But there’s a storm ravaging New York, and a vampire who doesn’t want this particular VIP to make it to the summit. As Demi and Cal race to complete their assignment, they’re driven by their sense of duty—and by their desperate need to find some time alone.
The Witch’s Desire
Elle James
This book is dedicated to the brave firemen, police and rescue workers who put their lives on the line to save others. Thank you!
Dear Reader,
If you’ve never been to New York City, you’re missing out. It’s called the city that never sleeps for a reason. I’ve stayed in hotels near Times Square where the lights always shine, the taxi horns honk throughout the night and you can count on hearing a siren every hour. The police, firemen and rescue workers who protect the citizens of the city have the toughest jobs. Whether it’s climbing towers, pushing through the crowded streets or rescuing people from fates worse than death, they’re the heroes you can count on, working in impossible situations.
Imagine if the people they were protecting were a mix of humans and paranormal creatures. How much more hazardous would their jobs be? I hope you enjoy this story about the paranormal investigation team that keeps the city streets safe for all inhabitants.
Happy reading!
Elle James
Table of Contents
Chapter One
“Fire on the rooftop, two o’clock!” Demi Chattox called into the radio headset.
“Got it,” her sister Gina answered. A puff of a rain cloud appeared over the roof, dousing the flame that had just sprung up. “The little bastards are heading your way.”
“Whatever you do, gang, don’t let them see you,” Cal Black said, his rich tone crackling over the radio into Demi’s ears, sending ripples of hunger throughout her body. How did he do that? No matter where he was, what he was doing, she wanted him. And, lately, she wasn’t getting enough of him.
Work, work, work. Did he ever stop?
“We can’t let them get away from us this time.” Demi spoke quietly, glancing across at her sister Selena as she held the other end of the fire-retardant netting. The tiny dragon flies had wreaked havoc on Chicago for the past two days, starting fires all over the city. The firemen were worn out and people were complaining the police force wasn’t doing enough to stop the arson rampage terrorizing the city. What they didn’t understand was that they were creatures, not people, starting all the fires. “Everyone in place?”
“Building up some heat as we speak,” her sister Brigid responded from her position several yards in front of them.
With the chief of the Chicago Police Special Investigations Division’s permission, Demi, a special agent on the team, had called in the assistance of her sisters to help corral the pests and put an end to the fear of having another great Chicago fire like that of 1871.
As witches, the five sisters each possessed a magical power they only used in dire circumstances, like rescuing one of their own from an evil chimera or protecting innocents from the machinations of a mind-freezing Medusa. The only two witches employed on the team, Demi and her sister Brigid, worked for the police department as consultants, cleaning up renegade paranorms in order to keep the city streets safe for humans and paranorms alike.
Sometimes Demi called on her sisters when they needed the full power of all five points of their pentagram to stop evil.
“I sense someone else,” Selena whispered.
“Where?”
“Nearby.” Holding her end of the net, she closed her eyes. “In the shadows on a corner. He’s pushing the dragon flies.”
“Pushing them?” Demi asked. “You mean they’re not working on their own?”
Selena opened her eyes and smiled. “They aren’t smart enough to target anything. I think it’s a demon manipulating them.”
“Why?”
“I sense anger over something that happened in his past.”
“Cal and I noticed a pattern. All the residences he’s targeted belonged to executives of Chicago Bank and Trust. And the bank suffered a fire in their mailroom last week.”
“Dissatisfied customer?” Selena offered.
Demi tapped the talk button on her headset. “Cal, check out the street corners as Gina and Aurai work the dragon flies our way.”
“What am I looking for?” he responded.
“A demon.”
“Just one?”
Demi smiled. Cal was one confident, cocky human, unafraid of the paranormal creatures who could kick his ass in a heartbeat.
“Yes,” Selena answered.
“Any idea what one looks like?” Cal asked.
“Like a regular person,” Brigid said, her tone flat. “Unless, of course, he’s a shifter.”
“Thanks.” Cal’s voice dripped with sarcasm. “That narrows it down.”
“I see the dragon flies,” Brigid called out excitedly.
“Passing the open fire hydrant now,” Gina said. “Wall of water is up!” Gina’s talent as a witch included manipulating water. She could create a rain cloud on a sunny day and a tidal wave using the gushing water from an open hydrant. She made a wave tall enough to discourage the dragon flies from retreating in the opposite direction and make them a little nervous. The threat of a deluge of water would help her herd them toward the alley where Demi and Selena waited with the nets to capture them.
“They’re moving fast,” Aurai huffed as if she was running.
“Give them a nudge with the wind,” Demi said.
“Nudging.” Aurai was supposed to stay within sight of the dragon flies. Her skills with wind would help direct the tiny creatures.
A strong breeze pushed through the walls of the alley where Demi and Selena waited, net ready.
“They’re turning into the alley!” Aurai exclaimed.
“Raising the water wall to discourage a retreat,” Gina said. “I’m right on their tails. You should see the wall…now.”
“Now, Brigid!” Demi called out as soon as she saw the wall of water.
“Fire in the hole.” Fire