Devils Roses 04 - Witch

him. She couldn’t understand how they all made her feel gooey inside.
    She tore her eyes away from him to watch Giselle walk out in to the yard and cross the magic guards that Ophelia felt at all times. She shivered as she watched her. The vampires fell silent as a tall dark haired man rounded off against Giselle. The others formed a huge circle. The Roses never moved from the front porch, but every one of them seemed ready to leap into action any second.
    “Why can’t we help her?” Aimee asked softy.
    Lorri never moved her eyes from Giselle, “She will look weak. She should be able to take them all on as queen. It’s their way. Not to mention they need to believe I don’t run her.”
    Ophelia could feel the apprehension and fear pouring off of everyone. She didn’t know what to do or say, but their nerves were building up inside of her. She couldn’t recognize the emotions or who they belonged to.
    The wolf looked at her and held her gaze. She backed away from it realizing it looked similar to one that had attacked her.
    “It’s Lucas Ophelia Jesus Christ.” Lorri turned and snapped at her. Ophelia flinched and took another step back.
    “Are you all mind readers?” She asked feeling frightened, earning a bitter laugh from everyone.
    Dorian smiled at her, “God bless you Ophelia. I needed that.”
    Lorri laughed and took several steps forward, “The rules are the same as always. No one fights her except him. Anyone who interferes meets Dorian and Aimee. Now I know you’ve heard about Aimee and how she likes to eat. Let’s not provoke her.”
    The crowd eyed Aimee cautiously and gave Giselle and the tall man space.
    Ophelia looked around and shook her head, “This is bizarre and barbaric. They’re going to fight to the death. It’s 2012 not 1812. Even then I don’t believe fighting to the death was ever done. Maybe in the wild west.”
    Sam smiled at her, “These guys have mostly been around for hundreds of years. They haven’t changed much unfortunately.”
    She forgot what she was talking about. The smell of him was intoxicating. She took a step toward him. She heard the commotion and watched as they began to cheer, but all she saw was him.

Chapter Sixteen
    Sam

    He could feel her eyes upon him, but he tried to block her out as he focused his eyes on Giselle. He had pushed his pheromones out to intoxicate the vampires and accidentally ensnared a witch.
    He tried to focus on the fight. The tall man had sliced Giselle's face open savagely. She stood in shock. Her beautiful lips coughed as bright red blood dripped from them. She had recently eaten obviously. Her dark eyes looked around at the crowd cheering, as his hand came down again at her. Sam felt his blood boil watching beautiful and sweet Giselle dying. She moved faster than he did. Trying to escape him but the circle held tight. The others snarled at her.
    He turned to the girl staring at him like he was her next snack. He grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her.
    “I need your help.”
    She blinked, “Whatever you want.”
    He pushed his attraction for Hanna as hard as he could. He could see the girls pupils dilate as she leaned into him. He bent in to her face, “See the girl dying?” He turned her to face Giselle who was on her knees.
    She nodded.
    “I want you to help her. Every strike against her is a strike against me. They are trying to hurt me.”
    Her eyes became slits, “They want to hurt you?”
    She turned and looked at the man with the dark hair. His hand came up in the air to strike Giselle again.
    Sam watched as the girl blew as hard as she could. A great wind blew across the yard toward the fight.
    Sam whispered into the wind, “Giselle fight back. Close your eyes and feel the heat. It’s there waiting.” He pushed his scent into the wind. The vampires looked distractedly around the circle for the source.
    Aimee looked back at him, tears rolled down her cheeks but Sam knew she was unable to move her feet.
    Sam nodded at her, “She’ll be okay. She just needs to unleash it. We all have it.”
    Aimee turned and screamed, “Giselle I’m with you. I’m holding your hand. Close your eyes and trust me to help you.”
    Giselle’s skin healed faster than anything Sam had ever seen before. She darted around the circle in between jabs and lunges. The hands of the Euro Trash moved swiftly tearing at her.
    Lightning crashed down in the middle of the circle of vampires sending everyone back.
    Sam realized