Eternal Flame

Chapter 7

“What?” The word broke from Zane, more a growl than anything else.

“Can’t really shower with it. Can’t get it off over the cuffs.” She shrugged and gave him a smile that sent all of his blood rushing down south. “Rip it for me?”

He swallowed and his gaze dropped to her panties. Black panties that were little more than a scrap of silk. “We don’t … have to do that.” The fingers of his right hand uncurled. Jude, bless him, curse him, had slipped him a key. “I’ve got your ticket to freedom, baby.”

Her eyes widened and a pleased smile blossomed on her lips. Damn. She was gorgeous when she smiled.

He lifted the cuffs. He shoved the key in, and the lock snicked as the cuffs sprang open.

Then they were free. The cuffs fell to the floor.

Jana stared up at him. Her legs were curvy, smooth, and he wanted to touch them. No, he wanted to spread them and drive fierce and hard inside.

He’d been chained to the woman for over twenty-four hours, and he’d been hard for her most of that time.

Focus. There were questions that needed to be asked. Answers he had to get.

But Jana was lifting the edge of her shirt, revealing her midriff, and he wasn’t about to look away. He’d never pretended to be a saint, and he was horny as hell right then.

She tossed the shirt to the floor. Her bra matched the panties and the upper curves of her breasts thrust against the black material. The woman had great breasts. Round and firm. What color were her nipples? What would they taste like?

“You’re dirty, Zane.” He blinked. Ah …

“You might as well shower with me.” Then she turned away, her hips rolling in a tempting sway as she headed for the bathroom. As she walked, her hands lifted and she unhooked the bra. It fell in her wake. She glanced back at him. “No drugs are controlling you this time. You know what you’re doing now. So do I.”

At the bathroom door, she ditched her panties.

His breath hissed out, and his hands fisted.

A moment later, the water roared on. His eyes squeezed shut. She’d be sliding under that water soon, the liquid dripping down her body. Covering every inch of her pale flesh.

If he went in that bathroom, he’d take her. He’d drive into her until they both came, until the need that had been riding him finally eased.

Sex wasn’t part of the plan. Sex wasn’t—

Fuck it. His eyes flew open, and he bounded across the room in two seconds. He yanked off his shirt. Kicked off his shoes and socks. Lost his jeans …

He wrenched back the shower curtain and saw her. Wet hair. Water glistening on her face. On her body.

Pink nipples. Like ripe cherries. He’d always liked cherries.

“What took you so long?” Jana whispered as she reached for him.

Her fingers were wet and warm. Her flesh so soft. He took her mouth, driving his tongue past her lips even as the water pounded down on him.

He’d wanted to fuck her from the first moment he saw her. They’d been surrounded by fire-and he’d wanted her.

Zane wasn’t used to denying himself pleasures. He’d tried to hold back with her, but it just wasn’t his way. Taking, that was him.

His fingers curved around her hips. She had a fantastic ass. An ass that had driven him crazy. But…

His tongue thrust against hers. Zane caught her gasp and he lifted her, easing her back against the tiled wall.

Her thighs parted. Smooth, pale thighs. Thighs that had hugged his hips on that motorcycle. They’d clung so well, and he’d wanted them wrapped around his waist as he thrust deep into her.

Not a safe woman to want. He knew that. But then, he wasn’t a safe guy.

His fingers slipped between her legs, and he found the hot core of her body. He eased one finger inside her. Tight. Sweet hell. She’d feel so damn good around his cock. He pushed another finger inside her, and she tensed.

His lips broke from hers. “Easy.”

Her eyes were wide, the pupils big, and red stained her cheeks. But she shook her head. “I don’t want easy.” Husky, sensual, like whispered sex.

She widened her stance, giving him better, deeper access. “Just because I’m human”-a light laugh—“I won’t break.”

Good to know.

Jana licked his neck, and then he felt the press of her teeth on his flesh. Yes. His cock jerked, and his fingers thrust harder into her sex.

Her breath panted out, and she arched against him. “More.”

He’d give her as much as she could handle.

“Zane!”

He shifted before her, curling over her, and he took one tight nipple into his mouth. She tasted incredible. Better than cherries. Much better. He sucked her, tonguing the nipple, and her sex squeezed his fingers.

Oh, yeah, this was going to be good.

Jana’s nails dug into his shoulders as he enjoyed her nipples. Sucking, licking, letting her feel the edge of his teeth.

Vampires weren’t the only ones who liked to bite.

There were no tender touches, no soft looks between them. The heat was too intense, and this-this was no sweet, romantic union.

Sex. Need. Lust.

He lifted her high against the wall. She wrapped her silky legs around him, and his cock pushed against the eager entrance of her sex.

Fuck-condom.

Almost snarling, he jerked back.

“Zane?”

He picked her up in his arms and strode out of the bathroom. The woman didn’t weigh a damn thing. He lowered her onto the bed, admired the view of the pink flesh between her legs, and he yanked open the nightstand drawer.

Come on, Jude. Don’t let me-ah. A box of condoms waited inside the drawer. Zane was back to owing the guy.

He snatched one out, ripped open the package and rolled the condom over his cock. Jana watched him with those wide eyes, her lips full and red.

Want them on me.

Next time, he’d make sure he got her to use that sexy mouth on him.

But for now … His fingers curled around her thighs, and he spread her wider. With one hand, he guided his cock to her entrance. He stared down at her, saw the need and the driving lust in her eyes.

A match for me.

He thrust into her, a long, hard plunge. Her moan filled his ears, and her legs locked tightly around him. Harder, deeper, he drove into her. Again and again. The mattress dipped beneath them, her nails raked his back, and the hunger spiraled higher, hotter.

His hand eased between their bodies. He found her clit and stroked that tight bud. Her head tipped back, those breasts begging for his mouth, and he leaned over her and licked her nipple even as he plunged into her.

Deep.

Her sex squeezed him, so fucking tight. In. Out. In.

“Zane …” The whisper of his name. Her sex grew slicker around him as her body tensed. Her climax was close.

He wanted to feel her come. Would feel her.

His thumb pressed against her clit even as he thrust into her once more. She came, a hard ripple of pleasure around him, and her face went blank with pleasure.

Yes. Her inner muscles squeezed his cock.

And his control broke. He shoved into her, as deep as he could go. Again and again. Her scent surrounded him. Her body was crushed beneath his, and her sex-so warm and wet and-he was fucking going out of his mind.

Good.

Hell. Better than good.

His balls tightened. He slammed into her once more. Then he climaxed, shouting her name. Pleasure pounded through him, a release so intense his whole body shuddered. Pretty damn perfect. The heat seared him to the core.

She pretended to sleep. Jana lay in Zane’s arms, her eyes closed, her breath slow and easy, and she forced her body to stay relaxed.

He’d left her only long enough to shed the condom. He’d fed her. Brought her sandwiches from the kitchen. And now he held her.

She didn’t want to talk to him. Didn’t want to answer all the questions she knew he had.

What was the point of talking? Lies would do them no good.

Her body still ached, a good, delicious ache. Her sex shivered every few moments with little aftershocks of pleasure that hummed through her system.

The demon was good in bed. Not really surprising.

What was surprising … she wanted him again. Now.

It was dangerous to want something-or someone-too much. She knew that. Wanting could make you weak.

She’d wanted the sex. Wanted the blast of pleasure and the rush of release that would let her forget, even for a few moments, the life that was hers.

And she’d wanted him. Not some nameless stranger from a bar. A man who didn’t know how dangerous his lover was. Zane.

Because he knew what lurked inside of her.

But with the passion sated, he’d be back to business again. She wouldn’t tell him the truth. Couldn’t.

Her left arm was thrown out over the pillow. No more handcuffs.

Jana breathed slowly. Zane hadn’t moved in the last five minutes. His breathing was light, steady. Just like mine.

She risked lifting her lashes, just a crack. His eyes were closed. In sleep, his face was just as hard. Just as dangerous. No softening in slumber for him.

She couldn’t let herself forget what he was. Demon. One who’d come hunting for her. Sex wouldn’t change anything for him. When the time came, he’d still turn her over to Night Watch and he wouldn’t look back.

So she wouldn’t look back, either.

Slowly, carefully, she eased away from him and off the bed. He shifted a bit, his hand reaching out to follow her, and she froze.

His fingers curled around her pillow, and the frown that had appeared between his brows eased away. Jana started breathing again.

She scooped up her clothes, hopped over the handcuffs on the floor, and crept for the door. No need to waste time looking for the keys to the motorcycle. She’d hotwire the ride and be out of there in no time.

But at the door, she hesitated and glanced back at Zane. His tan body was surrounded by the stark white sheets. He looked sexy, rumpled.

She swallowed. Staying with him wasn’t an option. She knew that. Sex had been fun-okay a lot more than fun-but it couldn’t ever be more than a good time.

Bad things happened to people when they got too close to her. Most of ‘em couldn’t stand the heat.

Good-bye, Zane. She couldn’t let him turn her in, and he would. Once he’d gotten the info he wanted about Project Perseus, he’d go back to collecting his bounty. And what would she do? Live the rest of her days in a cage?

No.

Jana dressed and then slipped out of the cabin. No more looking back.

Zane waited until he heard the soft click of the door closing, then he let his eyes open. His hand smoothed over the sheets that were still warm from Jana’s body.

She hadn’t waited long to turn tail and run. Hot sex, slambam, then she’d been gone.

He’d expected her to run, but …

I’d hoped I was wrong.

Innocent people didn’t run. He’d learned that lesson a long time ago.

Anger began to churn in his gut. The woman had thought he’d be blinded by the sex. That she’d just be able to slip right past him.

Think again.

He rose from the bed and marched to the table. Jude had left a cell phone for him. He punched in the shifter’s number. Jude answered on the second ring, just as Zane heard the roar of a motorcycle’s engine flare to life outside.

At least she had a helmet this time.

“She’s on the move,” he said, running a hand down his face.

“We put a tag on the bike. We’ll be able to follow every move that she makes. Get dressed.”

Follow because the motorcycle had been a lure for Jana, and she’d taken the bait. No, she was the bait, and he hadn’t even realized what game Night Watch intended to play with her until he’d arrived at the cabin, and Jude had mentioned the motorcycle.

Why tell a bounty about an escape vehicle unless you wanted her to escape? And then, when Jude had tossed him the keys … one glance at the shifter’s blue stare and he’d known exactly what Pak wanted them to do.

Let her run. Let her think she was safe. Then track her.

Because while Jana hadn’t started the fire at Night Watch, she was tied to those flames. The bastards who had set the fire were after her. If Jude and Zane watched her, if they followed her, they’d find the murdering assholes they wanted. Because those assholes would come after her again.

“Where are you?” he asked Jude, as he yanked open the door.

A green pickup shuddered to a stop right in front of the cabin. Zane lowered the phone. Of course, the shifter would have stayed close.

“Come on,” Jude yelled through his open window. “I’ve got the GPS linkup in the truck.”

Zane slammed the cabin’s door and hurried around the vehicle. He jumped inside, and seconds later, they were racing away from the swamp. He realized his knuckles ached because his hands were clenched so tightly.

“I didn’t expect her to run so fast,” Jude said as his gaze flickered to Zane.

“Neither did I.” And, yeah, stupidly, he’d actually hoped she wouldn’t run. He’d hoped Pak and Jude were wrong, that their plan wouldn’t work. He’d wanted to open his eyes and see Jana lying next to him, and he’d wanted her to tell him about Project Perseus. Wanted all her secrets.

Fucking delusional.

“You slept with her, didn’t you?”

His jaw clenched.

“Come on, hoss, you sleep with every attractive woman you meet.” Jude whistled as he turned the wheel to the left. “I just didn’t expect you to screw a killer.”

Zane’s eyes cut to Jude. ”Watch it.” His voice was lethal and the power within him built, shoving against the bonds of his control.

Jude’s gaze darted to him. “What? A friend can’t tell you that you’re fucking up? With her, you’re crossing the line.”

He knew that, but walking away hadn’t been an option. Taking her had been the only choice.

Then she’d walked away. But he’d get her back.

“You know, she could be working with them.” Jude’s voice was softer now. The truck shot past the pine trees, blurring their limbs. “Not once have they tried to actually hurt her. Even the cop tried to shoot you, not her.”

So Jude had already talked to Tony and gotten all those details, too. Figured. “She’s scared of them.” He’d seen the fear in her eyes.

“That woman? She’s scared of something? You sure about that? She didn’t seem like the fearful type to me.”

Zane realized he could still smell her. Her scent was all over his skin. Hell, no wonder Jude realized they’d slept together. No way a shifter nose could miss the scent of sex. “She’s afraid of someone.” Not something.

Afraid and angry.

“There’s a chance she could just turn tail and slip out of the city.” Jude’s fingers were tight around the wheel. “Pak said if she does, we stop her and bring her back.”

“She won’t leave Baton Rouge, and she’s not just going to sit there and wait for them to come after her.” Zane was certain of that. “She’ll fight.” I can still hear their screams.

They hit the highway. Jude glanced down at the GPS and turned right. “Yeah, that’s what I figured.” He paused. “But whoever we’re up against, these bastards were strong enough to level Night Watch, even with the protections we had on the place.”

It wasn’t like this was the first time Night Watch had come under attack. But it was the first time anyone had made it past the high-tech security and the paranormal charms that protected the place.

He licked his lips —tasted her. Damn her. She shouldn’t have left. She’d tried to distract him with sex. Yeah, that had worked. Then the moment she’d thought he was weak, she’d left him.

“She could be walking right into hell,” Zane said. Going in alone. “She said they had her before, but that she managed to get away….”

“Well, Pak couldn’t find any intel on Project Perseus. So either its cover is too good or—”

Or Jana was bullshitting him.

One way to find out. “Hurry the hell up, Jude. We don’t want to give our Ignitor too much of a head start.” I’m coming, baby. Are you ready?

When Jana got back to Baton Rouge, she didn’t stick to the shadows. She drove the motorcycle right down the main roads, revved her engine as loud as she could, and hoped the bastards would find her.

She was in the mood for some heat.

It was after midnight, but the city wasn’t sleeping. Far from it. Jana knew just where to go in order to find the trouble she sought.

Four turns later, a fast blast into the darker side of town, and she braked in front of Dusk. Demon Central. One thing about demons … the lower-level demons were such sellouts. Always willing to turn on a friend or, hell, anyone. It hadn’t just been coincidence that the big rig had hit them after they left Dusk.

Someone had made a phone call. Someone had fed the bastards her location, even given a description of the car she and Zane had been using.

That someone was about to feel her fire.

She jumped off the motorcycle. Once she’d gotten back to the city, she’d taken twenty minutes to run by her place and change clothes. No one had jumped out to confront her. Pity. She’d been ready for them.

Now she wore black. Tight shirt. Long jeans. And boots made for kicking ass.

She strolled up to the bouncer. He glanced her way, a quick gauge to see if she was using glamour. When he realized she wasn’t, he hesitated until she shoved a fifty into his hand.

Then he let her into the demons’ den.

“Damn.” Zane reached for door handle. Jude grabbed his arm. “Easy, man. Easy. She just walked inside. No way has she made contact with anyone yet.” “This is the place where those demons jumped me!” “Demons are always jumping you.”

Zane didn’t take his gaze off the door. “This was different. It was a trap. They’d been waiting for me. If I’d gone into that place …”

How many would have come at him?

“You would have ass-kicked your way out?” Jude asked dryly.

His lips thinned. “Yeah.” He would have. “So why didn’t you go in?”

“She stopped me.” You shouldn’t go in there. Yet she’d just strolled in, rolling those sexy hips. “She said that there was a hit on me, that the vamps and demons had been wanting her to take me out.” Only she hadn’t taken the hit on him. She’d never come at him with fire in her eyes. Not once. Not even when he’d cuffed her.

For a supposedly cold-blooded killer, that didn’t make a lick of sense.

“So there was a hit, she didn’t take it, and the woman tried to protect you?” Jude’s fingers drummed on the wheel. “Interesting.”

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 her weapon and shot Jana in the chest.