Eternal Flame

by Lauren DeStefano

Page 14

 

  Zane rolled his shoulders.

  “So in return for her bit of community service, what did you do?” Jude asked. “I cuffed her. ”

  The bark of laughter came fast and hard from the shifter. Zane didn’t glance his way. His eyes were on the club. “She shouldn’t be in there alone. ” “Relax. Nothing’s happened yet. ”

  His back teeth clenched. “How the hell do you know that from out here?”

  “Because I don’t smell any smoke. Your lady hasn’t started having her fun. ”

  Jana stood in the middle of the den, her gaze darting to the dark corners and closed doors. The demons were so strung out here. Her nose ached from all the bitter scents. Demons and drugs … sometimes, there wasn’t any other way for them to shut out the darkness.

  She knew a lot about darkness.

  There wasn’t a bar in the place. No band, either. Why pretend? The people there wanted only one thing.

  Pleasure. The sweet release the drugs would give them.

  Her gaze tracked to the right. She needed to find a familiar face … ah.

  Demon number one on her list. The demon with the scar sliding down his right cheek, one of the demons who’d come charging at her and Zane. Also one of the demons who’d been so quick to flee when he realized Zane wasn’t going down.

  She stalked toward him. The guy blinked at her, and narrowed his eyes. “I … I know you. ”

  Jana took a breath and let the fire heat her blood. She knew her eyes would redden. “Yes, you do. ”

  His jaw dropped, and he tried to scramble back. A low-level demon, he wouldn’t be any match for her flames. Her power would easily subdue his.

  “Not so fast. ” She gave him a slow smile. “I just want to talk. ” She reached for him, and he swore at the heat in her touch.

  “I-I didn’t… I didn’t know they were tryin’ to kill you!” The words burst from him and spittle flew from his mouth. “I heard-heard there was money if an Ig-Ignitor was spotted…. Just wa-wanted some cash!”

  Now, really, that had been sickeningly easy. “What’s your name?”

  He shook his head.

  “Asshole, what’s your name?” She knew he’d see the flames in her eyes.

  “M-Morns …”

  “Who’d you call, Morris?”

  He stared up at her, his black eyes bulging. “They’ll … kill me. ” Whispered.

  She laughed. “And what? You think I won’t?” She leaned in close. His back was slammed against the wall. No place for him to go. “I can burn this whole place down before you can blink. ”

  Morris started to shake. “H-had a cell number …”

  “What is it?”

  Another owlish stare.

  She sighed. Great. “Do you still have your cell phone?” A few jerky nods.

  “Then get the damn phone out and call the bastards again. ” The number would still be on his phone. She jabbed her index finger into his chest. “Tell ‘em that you found their Ignitor, that she’s pissed, and that she’s burning a den. ”

  “B-burning?”

  “You and your boys made a few mistakes the other night. You ratted me out, and I really don’t like it when folks betray me. ”

  “Y-you said you wouldn’t t-take the j-job. ”

  Ah, so he’d heard that part somewhere, too. Wasn’t he the informed demon flunky?

  “The second mistake”-she waited a beat and let the charge grow—“You came after my demon. ”

  His bushy brows bobbed. “Your—”

  “Make your call. ” Jana felt the heat begin to rise. “Then you’d better get the hell out of here. ”

  Because it looked like the only way to stop those assholes on her tail was to show them that they did not want her. They needed to see that they couldn’t control her, and if they came too close, she’d exterminate them.

  Demons began to run out of the den. “Oh, hell,” Jude muttered. Zane’s eyes narrowed. “What’s—”

  “Smoke,” Jude said, and an instant later, Zane caught the scent.

  Fire. Zane shoved open the door and rushed out of the truck.

  “Wait! Zane, dammit, wait!”

  But he wasn’t waiting. Jana was in there, the fire was raging, and he wasn’t just going to sit outside and watch everything burn.

  A demon slammed into him. A guy with pale cheeks and a long, twisting scar on the right side of his face. When his gaze met Zane’s, the demon began to scream.

  A hard hand grabbed Zane’s shoulder and spun him around. The demon ran away, still screaming.

  “The woman controls fire. She can handle this,” Jude snapped at him, not releasing his hold. “It’s not like she’s some delicate flower. She’s—”

  “Bait?” he bit out as the smoke drifted from the open door of the den. “She’s just bait so it doesn’t matter what happens to her?” “She’s not—”

  “You don’t know what the fuck she is. ” And, friend or not, he let his fist swing out. Jude stumbled back, probably more in surprise than anything else because it was hard to knock a shifter on his ass. Zane whirled and ran for the den.

  He shoved demons out of his way. Knocked them to the side and shouted Jana’s name.

  The crackle of fire answered him.

  Inside, he didn’t see anyone. Human or demon. Just an empty den. Had she gone out the back? Had she—

  “You shouldn’t be here. ” She appeared in the thick smoke and came toward him with eyes flashing red.

  He grabbed her arm and pulled her close. “And you damn well know better than to start a fire around you. ” His hold was as strong as the cuffs had been, and he hauled her toward the door. She shouldn’t be around the smoke for too long, she knew that. Did the woman have a death wish?

  They burst outside, into the night. The other demons had fled the scene, desperate to escape from the flames.

  “You shouldn’t be here,” Jana said again, shaking her head.

  “Oh, really?” His fury broke free. “Where should I be? Still at the cabin where you left my ass? Still sleeping off the sex while you get to burn this place to ash? I don’t think so, baby. ”

  She blinked. For an instant, she almost looked … hurt. But then, “I was cleaning up your mess, demon. These assholes attacked you, remember? Were you just going to let them go?”

  “No. ” Now that was just insulting. “I handle my own business, my way. ”

  “Oh, really?” Her hands were on her hips. The building burned behind her. “Your way wasn’t working. ”

  “And burning the building down around them was gonna work? That’s execution, that’s—”

  “I gave them a chance to run!”

  What?

  She shook her head. “You really shouldn’t be here. ” Her shoulders slumped a bit.

  “News flash. ” He stepped closer to her, making her tilt her head back to hold his stare. “Wherever you are, I’m gonna be there. ” His breath rasped out. “Did you really think I’d just let you walk away? From the moment you slipped out of bed, I knew every move you made. ”

  She swallowed. “You … this is a setup?”

  His gut clenched. All or nothing. “You’re the bait, baby. The juicy, tempting bait to bring out the bastards who torched

  Night Watch. ”

  Jana’s lips parted. Then she smiled, a sad twist of her lips. Her dimple didn’t appear. “Is that all I am?”

  A police cruiser raced to the scene with its sirens wailing. An unmarked SUV flew up behind it.

  A woman jumped out of the SUV, her hair flying. At the sight of the gun in her hand, Zane tensed. Hell, here we go again.

  Tony scrambled from the back of the SUV, running up to the woman’s side. Good, at least one guy with sense was with the cops.

  “Look,” Zane said, raising his voice so they could all hear him clearly, “we can—”

  The woman fired h
er weapon and shot Jana in the chest.

  Chapter 8

  Jana fell back, and Zane lunged for her, catching her just before she hit the ground. Her eyes were open, stunned, and the red was already bleeding out from her gaze.

  She shuddered in his arms, and her eyelids began to close. The heat began to lessen behind him as the flames died.

  “Fuck!” The world seemed to explode around him. Or maybe he exploded. The beast he’d tried to keep in check roared-a loud, enraged cry of fury that burst from Zane’s lips. A cry that was her name.

  The scene shifted around him as the colors faded away until everything was gray. No black and white. No good or evil. Just pain and fury.

  “Zane … don’t-don’t let her …” The barest whisper of Jana’s voice. So soft. “Take … m-me. ”

  “She’s not dead, demon,” the woman’s voice rang out as she stepped closer. “Just drugged. ”

  His hold on Jana tightened. He rose, cradling her in his arms. Her head fell back against his shoulder.

  The blonde gave him a steely smile. “If you don’t want the same shot, put her down and step away. ” Her gun aimed at him.

  Zane got ready to blast the bitch.

  Then Tony stepped to her side. “He’s not a threat. ” His eyes were on Zane, but the words were directed at the woman.

  “He’s Zane Wynter, the man known to have been keeping close company with Ms. Carter for the last few days. And he’s a person of interest in the Night Watch fire. ” She paused, her eyes narrowing. “He’s also the man who escaped from your custody, so excuse me if I don’t believe a damn word you say, Captain. ” Her gun was still pointed at Zane.

  “He’s a hunter with Night Watch! He’s not a criminal!” Tony argued.

  Screw this. Zane lunged down the steps with Jana tight in his arms. Hold on, baby. Where the hell was Jude? They needed to get out of there. There were more sirens, and that meant more cops would be coming any second.

  But would those cops be backup for Tony or for the blonde?

  “I told you to put her down!” the woman yelled and her gun jerked. “I said—”

  Tony snatched the gun from her hand. “You’re not shooting at him. ”

  “And you’re going to get your ass thrown off the police force!” She shoved past him. “Put her down!” She yanked a wallet out of her pocket and held it up in the air. “I’m with the FBI. I’m Special Agent Kelly Thomas. ”

  Big fucking deal.

  “I’ve got a sniper on you right now,” she continued, voice flat. “The same sniper that took down your shifter friend. ”

  Now that made him freeze. He turned his stare on her and met her pale, glittering green eyes.

  “Jana Carter is a killer,” she told him. “You don’t want to fight for her. ”

  More SUVs and cop cars swarmed the scene.

  “Lady,” Tony snapped, “you don’t know what you’re dealing with here. Let them go. ”

  “I know exactly what I’m dealing with. ” The wind tossed her hair. “I’m staring at a demon and an Ignitor. ”

  Zane dropped his glamour. “No, Special Agent …” Jana barely seemed to be breathing in his arms. “You’re staring at one very pissed demon. ” Where was the sniper? Was the claim about him bullshit?

  She marched closer. Tony followed her, keeping his hold on the gun he’d taken from her. Her smile was brittle. “Jana Carter’s on the extermination list. ”

  Zane stiffened. He’d heard about the list. Heard rumors for years that the FBI was monitoring the most dangerous of the paranormals and putting them on their extermination list. But … Jana?

  “Do you know how many people she’s killed?” the special agent asked.

  Jana didn’t look like a killer then. She looked weak and pale. Vulnerable.

  “Give her to me,” Kelly said. “And you can walk away. I’ll clear up the situation with Night Watch. Clear you with my supervisors, and you can go back to doing your job-a job that’s just like mine. ” She exhaled and her gaze dropped to Jana. Her stare hardened as she said, “Tracking and killing the monsters out there. ”

  Zane’s gaze drifted to Tony. Other cops were there now, standing back, but with their weapons up. If there was a sniper waiting, would he shoot to kill? Or was the plan to drug him, like they’d already drugged Jana?

  Kelly raised her hand and motioned with her fingers. Two men hurried forward. “Take her,” she told them. “Load her into the SUV and make sure she’s secured. ”

  Tony stared back at Zane. Waited.

  “Give her to us,” Kelly said, “and you’re clear. You know what she’s done. You hunted her because of it. Now you’ve done your job. You can get your bounty, get the cops off your back, and walk away. ”

  She made it all sound nice and easy. But … “You’ll kill her. ” He caught sight of Jude’s truck.

  Her lips thinned. “She’s on the list. ”

  “Fuck your list. ” He’d made his choice. “You’re not getting her. ” Zane let his power out. For the first time since he was sixteen years old, he willingly let the demon part of his nature take control.

  A blast of power launched, rolling like a wave, and every human around him hit the ground. They fell, bodies sagging, immediately unconscious as they slammed into the earth.

  He hurried past the bodies. He rushed to Jude’s truck. The shifter was there, but slumped over the steering wheel. Those bastards had shot him. Hell. Zane shoved Jude over and climbed inside, carefully placing Jana on the seat between him and Jude. His fingers brushed over her cheek, then his hand clenched into a fist.