Eternal Flame nw-3

by Синтия Иден

  The fire had eaten too much of the walls. Groans echoed from above them, and Zane knew the roof wouldn’t last much longer.

  Jude was back, coughing and panting beside him.

  “Anyone else?” Zane had to shout the words.

  Jude’s head tilted to the right. That shifter hearing was far stronger than a demon’s.

  The shifter pointed. They raced for the door. Ripped it open.

  Penelope Evans, a new hunter, lay slumped on the floor. Her red hair stuck to her face. Jude grabbed her and hoisted her into his arms.

  “Anyone … else?”

  A hard shake of Jude’s head. “Not alive.”

  The ceiling groaned again, and plaster fell to the floor. Time to get out of hell. Zane waved his hands, shoving back the fire as Jude raced for the door.

  “Come on,” he told Jana, covering his mouth with his left hand, “let’s—”

  She slumped beside him. Fell into his arms.

  Too much smoke.

  Dammit, how dumb could he be! Ignitors could start the fires, they could shoot out those flames, but their bodies couldn’t handle the smoke. That’s why they worked better from a distance. Long-range assassins. See the target, send the flames, escape.

  He held her tight against his chest and ran for the door, dodging the lingering flames and the falling debris. Hold on, baby. Hold on.

  Zane burst through the broken remains of the front entrance just seconds after Jude. He rushed forward, nearly slamming into the firefighters who charged toward the building.

  EMTs were there. They tried to take Jana from him. Tried to pull her from his arms. “No, dammit!” He coughed and tasted ash. “We’re cuffed!” They weren’t taking her any place without him. He held her tighter and hurried to the ambulance. She’d need oxygen, fast. She needed to breathe clean air. Her mouth and nose were stained with ash. He put her on the stretcher. The EMT placed a mask over her face.

  “Get her a blanket!” Zane held her hand, probably too tightly but screw it. “She’s freezing.” Her body had begun to shake. “Jana?”

  She moaned into the mask.

  He was such a fucking idiot. She couldn’t handle the heat. He knew that. All the Other knew that about Ignitors. They could bring the heat, but the smoke-hell, it was fucking poison to them. They could control the flames, not the smoke.

  A heavy hand landed on his shoulder. He looked back and saw Pak staring at Jana.

  “It wasn’t her!” Zane fired. “Look, I know what you’re thinking,” what he’d thought, “but it wasn’t her. She helped me. We saved as many as we could!” But Zane had seen the dead, and he would remember them for the rest of his life.

  Hollings, the charmer who had a way with the ladies. Giles Lang, the hybrid demon who’d been trying to fit in. Stacey Keith … ah, hell, she’d been a year away from retirement.

  All gone.

  His thumb brushed over Jana’s knuckles. “She didn’t do it,” he said again.

  “Then who the hell did?” The fierce question didn’t come from Pak. Jude had stalked up to the ambulance, and he watched Jana with eyes that glowed too bright. “There was no accelerant. I didn’t catch so much as a whiff of scent—”

  Jana’s fingers tightened around Zane’s. His gaze snapped back to her face. Her eyes were opening, slowly, and the twinge of red still remained.

  “A fucking Ignitor.”

  She flinched at Jude’s snarl.

  Zane hunched over her. “Back off!” He took a breath. Her eyes were on him. “It’s okay.” His voice was still rough, but softer, for her. “You’re going to be all right.” She looked so vulnerable. So defenseless. Another one of her tricks? A quick deception?

  No. She’d fallen in that inferno. She’d sagged in his arms, and fear had iced his heart. “Just breathe, baby.”

  But she was shaking her head. She shoved off the mask and started coughing.

  “Jana!”

  Tears leaked from her eyes. “How … many dead?” His lips thinned. “At least three.” The fire had been too strong.

  As he watched Jana, the vulnerability slowly disappeared. She swiped away the tears from her cheeks. The fear and the horror disappeared from her face until … nothing remained.

  Now she’s pretending. The mask was back, and he didn’t like it one bit.

  She pushed up on the gurney and the blanket fell away. “We need to get out of here,” she whispered, her voice hoarse from the smoke. “This was an attack, it was—”

  “Wynter!”

  Aw, hell. Not what he needed right then. His gaze flew to the left. Jude was already edging back, and Captain Antonio Young was shoving his way through the crowd to get to them. The guy’s badge gleamed on his hip, and the butt of his gun poked from the holster on his side.

  “Zane?” A thread of worry whispered in Jana’s voice. “A cop?”

  Their last encounter with a cop hadn’t gone so well. But this time would be different. He realized he still had a hard grip on her hand. Zane forced himself to let her go. “It’s okay, baby, he’s on our side.”

  Then Tony was there. His glittering eyes swept over the group and lingered on Jana. “Ms. Carter?”

  She nodded. The red still lingered in her gaze. Her eyes appeared bloodshot now.

  “Jana Carter, you’re under arrest.” Tony reached for her hand and hauled Jana to her feet.

  “No, man, wait!” The other cuff glinted between their outstretched hands.

  But Tony shook his head. “You know she’s going in.” He jerked his thumb back at the burning building. “Seriously, what the hell were you thinking?”

  Jana laughed. A hollow, mocking sound. “Guess he’s not on our side.” Her chin tilted up, just a bit. “Maybe he’s just on yours, hmm, demon? Use me, then throw me to the wolves.”

  No, that wasn’t—

  Tony started reading Jana her rights. Fuck.

  Chapter 6

  The door to interrogation room three closed with a soft click. Jana took a deep breath. Not like this was the first time she had found herself in one of these tiny rooms, sitting at an old, scarred table, and facing off against a cop who wanted to throw her butt in jail.

  “I’m Captain Antonio Young,” the cop said, as he took a step closer to her.

  “We know who the hell you are, Tony,” Zane muttered from her side. Because, yeah, they were still handcuffed. Still locked together. Covered in soot and ash, they’d been through fires hotter than those in hell, and they were still cuffed.

  The cop-Tony-raised one dark brow. “You know who I am, Ms. Carter?”

  Well, she did now, so Jana kept her face expressionless. Oh, she hurt. Every part of her body ached, and she just wanted to crawl into bed and sleep for a week.

  Preferably without being handcuffed to a demon.

  But at least the cops had sent some food in to her and Zane. Only because of Zane’s connections. Otherwise, Jana knew she never would have gotten those stale doughnuts and that coffee with the grounds floating at the top.

  Tony pulled out the chair across from them, and its legs scraped against the floor. “Which one of you wants to tell me what the hell is going on here?”

  “If I knew,” Zane said instantly, “I’d tell you.” Of course, he would. “Good” guys always liked to rat to cops.

  “Hmmm.” Tony’s dark eyes dropped to the handcuffs. The metal shined on the top of the table. “Guessing those are P.P.?”

  “P.P.?” Was that frog’s croak hers? Great. Her life was fandamn-tastic.

  “Paranormal protected,” he murmured.

  So he knew. Good for him. “What are you?” she asked, straining to make her voice stronger. Damn smoke.

  His gaze shifted to hers. “I told you already, I’m a police captain.”

  His eyes were so dark they almost looked black. The guy had a deep olive skin tone, a perfect face, and a voice like warm honey. “You an incubus?”

  He blinked and, wait, did his high cheeks redden?

  “
He’s no damn incubus,” Zane said and a thread of anger roughened the words. Sure, he’d gone through the smoke, but he sounded perfectly normal. Demon strength and healing powers had their benefits. “He’s human.”

  “We can’t all be demons,” the cop said quietly.

  A human who knew Zane’s secrets? Interesting.

  Tony leaned forward. “Why’d you attack my man, Zane?” The question was fired fast.

  His man? Oh, the other cop. “Because your man fired on us,” Jana answered immediately, not waiting for Zane to respond. She wouldn’t let Zane take the heat for this. Not when that cop had come out with his gun blazing.

  Tony’s lips tightened. “Bullshit. I gave an order—”

  “Oh, you gave it all right,” she shot back, her hands knotting into fists. “Deadly force was fine as long as it was directed at Zane, right? What’s a dead demon when—”

  But the cop wasn’t looking at her. He shook his head, slowly, and a deep furrow appeared between his eyes. “He fired on you?”

  Zane lifted his hand, raising the cuffs. “First he tried to … ah, break us apart with a bullet. When that didn’t work, well, he said I was the expendable one.”

  “Fuck.” Not disbelief. Shock. Wait, did he believe what they were saying?

  Jana glanced between them. “You ordered a hit on him, you—”

  “Ease up, princess,” Tony said. What? Her eyes narrowed on him.

  “I’ve got a rat in my unit.” Tony shook his head again, and his shoulders slumped a bit. “What the hell is happening?”

  The guy was playing innocent, that was happening. She’d never met an innocent cop. Plenty who were on the take. Plenty who knew how to look the other way, but innocent? No way.

  “How’d the fire start at Night Watch?” Tony asked, and that fast, the cop’s eyes were back on her.

  Jana shrugged. “You tell me, princess.”

  His eyes narrowed, just a fraction. “You’re a wanted woman. How about I just go and throw you in a cage until it’s time to haul you back to New Orleans?”

  “Tony,” Zane’s voice snarled, “you’re not—”

  She yanked on the cuffs. “You really going to throw us both in jail?”

  Tony put his hands on the table and leaned toward her. “I know what you are.”

  “Bored?”

  “Dammit, Jana!” Zane’s hand slapped on the table, making it shudder. “Just let him—”

  “You’re an Ignitor.” Tony pressed closer. “You like the fire, don’t you? You like to see those flames dance and destroy.”

  She didn’t speak. Beside her, Zane seemed to be all but vibrating with tension.

  “Zane was going to turn you in at Night Watch, wasn’t he?” The cop’s dark stare held hers. She could see the faintest flecks of gold around his pupils. “That’s why you’re cuffed. He was forcing you to come with him.”

  She stared back at Tony and didn’t speak. Her hands flattened on the table.

  “That made you angry, didn’t it? You couldn’t get him to let you go, and it pissed you off. And when Ignitors get pissed”-a brief pause—“things have a way of exploding.”

  “She didn’t do it,” Zane gritted out. “Trust me on this, okay?”

  “I would.” Tony’s gaze slanted to Zane. “But I can’t be sure if your brain’s talking, or your dick.” Her nails scraped over the tabletop.

  “You left with her last night.” Tony exhaled. “You stayed with her, all night. While you were cuffed, I’m sure the two of you were playing … nicely.”

  “I was fucking drugged! I was out of my head, I don’t know—” Zane broke off and rolled his shoulders, as if he were shaking off the memory.

  “Drugged?” Tony blinked. “You were—”

  “You found my car, right?” Zane’s lips tightened. “Some assholes hit us. Slammed into my ‘Vette. They fired at us and caught me twice with some kind of drug.”

  “Who were the ‘assholes'?”

  Jana shrugged. “Why don’t you go ask your cop? You know, the one who was so eager to shoot Zane and take me into custody?” She bared her teeth in a hard smile. “I’ll give you ten-to-one odds that he knows exactly who they are.”

  Tony glared back at her, but after a few moments, he eased away and turned on his heel, marching for the door.

  “Tony?” Zane called.

  “I’m going to find Harris,” he said and yanked open the door. “He’s the cop who pulled you over.” The one who’d tried to kill Zane.

  “Yeah, you go find that little bastard,” Zane said, and she heard the underlying threat in his voice. Find him and let me have him.

  Jana didn’t take a full breath until Tony left the room. When the door clicked closed behind him, the tension eased from her shoulders. Well, some of the tension eased.

  Her gaze darted to the mirrored wall on the left side. Was she still being watched?

  “Tony won’t let anyone view us. He won’t run the risk of them finding out what you are.”

  Jana glanced at him.

  Zane ran a tired hand down his face, streaking the ash. “What we are.”

  “You sure about that?” She didn’t have enhanced senses. She’d never know if someone was there.

  Zane tossed a glance at the mirror. “I’m sure.”

  Okay. That was something. “We’ve got to get out of here.” Her palms were slick with sweat.

  One brow climbed. “Baby, we’re not going anywhere.” He caught the edge of her chair and hauled her closer. “Three hunters are dead. Dead. The Night Watch Agency was torched, torched right before-what a damn coincidence-you were scheduled to be turned in.”

  She swallowed. Time to gamble. “We know it wasn’t a coincidence.” She risked a quick glance at the mirror. If someone was there, she was slitting her own throat. ”We need to get out of here.” A heated whisper.

  Zane shook his head. “You tell me what’s happening. Tell me who targeted Night Watch, my people.”

  She’d already warned him to walk away. He should have listened but, apparently, the demon didn’t listen well. “If you know, you’re dead.” They wouldn’t let him live. Demons were expendable to them.

  “No, baby.” His fingers brushed over her cheek. “When I know, they’re dead.” Soft menace underscored the words.

  The wooden chair was so hard beneath her. “Get me out of here, and I’ll tell you everything.”

  “Tell me, and we’ll work on getting out.” His fingers curled under her chin and tilted her head back. “Was it those men in the semi?”

  Those men had been humans. They wouldn’t have been able to handle an explosion that big. “No … probably someone else in the unit.”

  “The unit?”

  Her smile felt sad on her lips. “You don’t really think you’re the only hunter out there, do you?” A hard, brittle laugh. “While you’re hunting your prey, who do you think is hunting you?”

  His brows climbed. “Those jerks were humans. Humans can’t—”

  “Some humans are very good at hunting.” Especially if they forced someone else to do the grunt work. “Some humans don’t think demons and vampires and shifters deserve to live in this world. They think monsters should be put down, by any means necessary.” She’d been that means before.

  “That right? And these … hunters … why do they want you?”

  She had to glance at the mirror. What if someone was watching? “Why do you think?”

  “Because you’re their weapon of choice?” Disgust. “All they have to do is aim and you fire?”

  She wouldn’t flinch. “I’ve been trying to get away from them for over a year. Why do you think I burned down that compound in New Orleans? They’d been holding me there.”

  So many days stuck in that damn cell. Trapped.

  Tony thought he’d lock her up again? Oh, hell, no. No one would lock her up.

  “Bullshit. You could have burned your way out any time—”

  “I have to see in order to burn.”
He knew that. “They kept me blindfolded or locked in a pitch-black cell.” Hell wasn’t always hot and bright. Sometimes it was dark … and so quiet. “The first time they slipped, the first time the blindfold came off …”

  She could still hear the screams. Jana licked her lips. “Their mistake. I got out.” She’d made sure she brought that building down behind her.

  “But now they want you back.”

  “Looks like it.” They were wasting time. One cop was already on their payroll. Where there was one, there were always half a dozen more. They’d be at the station soon. Maybe posing as cops. Maybe dressed like lawyers. But they’d be there to take her.

  And what would happen to Zane?

  “Give me a name.”

  Her lips parted. Footsteps thudded outside the door. Tony was coming back.

  Zane’s eyes stayed locked on her. “Tell me who’s after you. Tell me. “

  “They said-they said they were members of Project Perseus.” Perseus. The guy from Greek mythology who’d fought the monsters.

  But some monsters didn’t need to die.

  “Did you work with them? Did you kill for them?”

  Jana took a breath. The right side of your mouth kicks up when you lie. “Yes.”

  His eyes narrowed.

  “If I stay here, they will come for me, and they’ll kill anyone in their path.” No telling how many cops they already had on their payroll. “They’re framing me, forcing me against the wall.”

  “And what-you want me to bust you out of jail? Baby, that’s just—”

  “A jail won’t hold me.” Simple. “I can burn my way out, and I will.” Because she wouldn’t wait on them to come and get her.

  “No, you won’t.” He blew out a breath. “Not when there’s another way.”

  Hope began to stir in her chest. “You’ll help me?” His jaw clenched.

  “Zane?”

  The interrogation room door swung open. “We’ve got a problem.” Tony marched inside, shaking his head. “Officer Harris seems to be missing from the hospital. He’s not answering his cell, and no one knows where the hell he is.”