Eternal Flame

Chapter 4

Need ate at his gut. A white-hot, burning need that fired Zane’s body from the inside out. He could smell her. Jana. Her scent was all around him, the rich scent of her sex tormenting him.

Take.

His vision had narrowed to her. He could barely hear what she was saying because his heart drummed too loudly in his ears, the blood flowing too fast and hard.

Take.

She trembled in his grasp. Trembled. Small and weak. Ready for him. Her mouth … red and swollen. He’d kiss her. He’d touch her. He’d fuck her. He’d do anything he wanted.

“I don’t want to hurt you,” she said, her eyes big and wide. “I know you said … but I don’t want to.”

Hurt him? Nothing could hurt him. No one.

“I don’t want to, but I will. And you’ll probably even thank me for this tomorrow.” Her chin tilted back. “Take your hand off me or—”

He laughed at her. Laughed, picked her up, and tossed her onto the old bed in the corner. Dust billowed in the air.

“I warned you,” she said, then bit her lip as fire crackled in the air. A hot, thick circle of orange flame.

He waved his hand and the fire vanished.

“Wh—” She shook her head, sending that black mane flying over her shoulders. Her eyes narrowed, and the fire flared again.

With barely a thought, he put out the fire. The power of the demon burned wild and free in him, pulsing, just beneath the skin.

His knees hit the mattress, and then he covered her body. “That the best you got?” Wouldn’t be good enough. Nothing would.

A thick, choking darkness pressed against him, and she was the only damn light he could see. Her … and her flames. Already flickering again.

His face hovered over hers. “You can’t hurt me.” His temples throbbed. And her smell… fucking driving me crazy. There was nothing like the scent of a woman’s arousal. And Jana was aroused. He smelled her cream, and he had felt the tight buds of her nipples. “Nothing can hurt me.”

“Really? Sorry to do this but …” Then her knee drove into his groin. A vicious, fast drive that sent pain radiating through his body. “But our first time together isn’t going to be while you’re flying on tranqs.”

Fuck. His hand locked around her hip. The light around her face began to fade, even as the flames flew higher, burned brighter. His fingers clamped onto her flesh.

Burn, let the fucking fire burn, can’t touch me, can’t hurt me.

“Zane?” A breath of sound, a gasp, lost. Her gaze caught his. There was fear in her eyes. Fear lurking in that river of blue. Afraid… of me. Monster.

He had her on the bed. His body shoved hard against hers. What the hell was he doing?

His back teeth clenched, and he fought through the waves of lust, through the darkness tangling his mind and the need that stole his breath.

“Something’s wrong with you … your eyes. …”

He squeezed his eyes shut and fought to pull back the beast. But he was slipping off the leash. Slipping. Her breath whispered over his face.

“It’s okay,” he lied, and he forced his hand off her hip. Her scent. “I’m in control now.” His fingers gripped the old, dirty covers. Ripped them. His lashes lifted, slowly. Her eyes were on him and she instantly trapped his gaze.

Bed. Jana. Sweet flesh. Hot fire.

“It’s okay,” he said again, growling the words and hoping like hell that he could stay in control. Focus.

What was happening to him? His body was so tight. Ready to explode. And he wanted her more than he wanted breath. Wanted her, open and ready, with the heat blazing around them. No, from them.

His head was going to explode. A hard, fierce pounding thundered at both temples, and a flicker of light danced in the air.

“Jana, it’s going to be all … right.” Her breath sighed out.

He could hold on to his control. He could keep the devil inside. He could—

Jana shouted his name, and Zane blacked out.

“Zane? Zane!”

He’d crashed on top of her. His eyes had flickered in those last few moments, shooting back and forth from green to black, and she’d thought, really thought for a moment there, that he was coming back. Him, Zane, not the demon inside him.

Then his eyes had flashed pitch black.

And he’d slammed into her. No, onto her.

She tried to suck in a deep breath. Tried and failed. Oh, the guy weighed a ton. Of course. And he had her smashed into the lumpy mattress. “Uh, Zane?” She tried tapping his shoulder.

Nothing.

His head was nestled in the crook of her neck. He breathed softly now, the light puffs of air sending a shiver over her each time they touched her sensitive flesh.

Alive, just passed out.

She shifted a bit as she tried to maneuver from underneath him, but the guy was pure muscle. Thick muscle.

Her breath rasped out, and she stared up at the ceiling. “Great. Just great.”

Trapped beneath a demon. Talk about one hell of an ending to her already screwed-up night.

Antonio stared at the fax he’d just received. The woman in the grainy photo didn’t look particularly dangerous. Delicate features, wide eyes. Sexy mouth.

But if he’d learned anything in this business … well, it was that the surface lied.

“Put out an APB for Jana Carter,” he told Officer Penton. The fresh-faced kid stood next to him, watching with narrowed eyes and nervous hands. “This woman is wanted in connection with a series of arsons in New Orleans,” and probably a few in Baton Rouge. “We’ve got intel to suggest that she’s in the area.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Tell the cops out there to be careful. This one is extremely dangerous.”

“She’s armed?”

Didn’t have to be armed to be dangerous. “Yes,” he lied. He seemed to spend most of his days lying. “She’s not to be approached. If she’s spotted, I want to be contacted ASAP.” He held Penton’s stare, driving the point home. “No one is to approach or try to apprehend her without me.” Because if the cops went up against someone like her—

He’d be cleaning up the ashes.

Penton nodded quickly and hurried off to spread the news. Antonio looked down at his watch. Almost noon. It had sure taken Pak a long time to play ball and send that fax. The guy must have been holding out, hoping for word from Zane. Word that hadn’t come.

Where was the demon? Was he alive? No bodies had been found in the Corvette, but that didn’t mean Zane was still breathing. Not with an Ignitor out there. If she’d been letting her fire free, the poor bastard could be surrounded by the flames.

Zane awoke to find himself surrounded. Soft, silken flesh cradled him. A sweet, feminine scent flooded his nostrils. When he opened his eyes, he found himself staring at Jana’s sleeping face.

What the hell?

Her eyes were closed, and her lashes cast dark shadows on her cheeks. Her skin looked even paler today, and he noticed a small, dark mole near the corner of her left eye. Her hair spread on the old pillow behind her, a tangled darkness.

Carefully, slowly, he eased up. Her body was wrapped around his, not under it. One of her arms was around him, while one of his held her waist. Her leg was between his, and her head tilted close to his.

And her shirt was open, revealing black lace and the upper curves of her round breasts. A line of red scratches marred her smooth flesh.

He sucked in a sharp breath and wondered what was going on. Had he done that? Had he hurt—

“Are you with me?” she asked, her voice a husky whisper.

Hell, yeah. He cleared his throat. How had they gotten in bed? Just what had they done? Her jeans were still on, so were his, so … no sex.

That was a good thing, right? His temples ached like a bitch, and he swallowed, tasting copper on his tongue.

Jana’s lashes lifted, nice and slow, revealing those sexy eyes. Sleepy and dark blue. “Do you even know who I am?”

He licked dry lips. “Trust me, baby, you’re pretty unforgettable.”

Her gaze searched his. “Then what’s my name?”

He let his brows rise as he studied her. “You mean the name you seem to be using again this time? It’s Jana. Jana

Carter.”

She exhaled.

“Now, Jana, why don’t you tell me just what happened.” And why we’re in bed together. Sure, he’d thought about fucking her, but then he’d found out about her little tendency to burn on contact.

“What do you remember?”

“A big rig slamming into us.” My car. Someone would pay. “Some assholes shooting….” He frowned, struggling to recall and shove past the thick fog in his mind. “I got hit.”

“You were hit twice.” She eased her arm away from him and tried to slide her leg from between his thighs.

A bright, hard, painful memory flashed through his mind.

“Ah, remember that, do you?” She stilled, and her lips quirked just a bit. Not enough to make her dimple flash.

Images flew through his mind. Jana-her mouth red and open. Pinned against the wall. Her arms over her head. Her breath panting out.

Her shirt open, gaping, his hands on her flesh. Tight nipples. Pebble hard. He’d want to taste her.

Fire. Surrounding him.

Jana … on the bed.

“I don’t want to hurt you.” The memory of her words filled his mind.

He jumped from the bed, moving fast, only to have her yell as she tumbled after him.

The cuffs.

He froze, staring at her wrist. Still bound. He took a breath and tasted her. “What did I do?”

She blinked and seemed to see him. “Ah. Guess you are back now.” Jana pushed herself up, stretching a bit, and the few remaining buttons on her top strained with the movement. He leaned forward, trying to give her more room to move. Where were the cuff keys? His left hand dove into his pockets. Nothing. Figured.

Jana just sat there, staring up at him, with no expression on her pretty face.

How was she so calm? “What did I do to you?” He remembered need. A white-hot lust that had thundered through his body and driven all sanity from his mind. Take. The hunger had been too much. He’d wanted her. Planned to have her, then-He swallowed. “Did I hurt you?” No, please, shit, he didn’t want to-

She laughed at that. A light, quick chuckle, and she swung her legs over the side of the bed. “I’m not easy to hurt.”

Lie. She was human. Human with some strong psychic powers, but human nonetheless. “I shouldn’t have-I don’t know why I—”

Jana rolled her eyes. “You were drugged, dude. You took two hits of the tranq. You got handsy, and then you collapsed, that’s all.”

All? His back teeth were clenched so hard his jaw ached. “I don’t … do particularly well with drugs.”

“What demon does?”

So she knew.

But she wouldn’t realize just how dangerous he could be when the drugs were in his system. She didn’t understand just how lucky she was to still be breathing.

He stiffened his shoulders. “I’m sorry.” The words were stark. “I shouldn’t have touched you.” He sucked in a quick breath and just caught more of her scent.

Her head cocked toward him.

“Whatever I did to you”-he held her stare, because the shame was his—“I’m sorry.”

Her face softened, just for a moment, and he heard her mutter something that sounded like, “Being a good guy again …", but then she rose and turned her back on him.

His lips pressed together.

“You stopped.” She glanced back over her shoulder. “Yeah, the drug had you wired for a bit, but you pulled back. You got your control.” A little shrug. “But then you passed out before you could get off the bed.”

The drumming of his heart echoed in his ears. “You’re telling the truth?”

Now she did smile. A big, wide grin that, oh, hell, flashed the dimple in her cheek. “Would I lie?”

Yes. “What about the marks on your chest?”

She glanced down at herself, and the smile faded. “These aren’t from you. They’re courtesy of the vampire who caught me in the alley.”

The one she’d torched. The bastard had attacked her.

“I’ve seen other demons on the drug.” Her voice pulled his eyes back to her face. A flicker of sadness appeared in her gaze. “Even with one dose, they don’t know what the hell is going on.” A considering pause as her stare measured him. “You must be pretty strong.”

He wasn’t going to touch that one.

But she, apparently, was. Jana faced him fully, one brow up. “What are you on the power scale? An eight? Maybe pushing nine?”

The demon power scale. A scale that ran from one to ten. One being the low end, the demons who barely had any power above a human’s latent psychic talents. And ten being the demons who could bring hell to earth.

“I’m strong enough,” was all he said.

“Hmmm.” She lifted her wrist, raising the cuffs and his hand. “Then get these things off, demon. Get them off, and we can just walk away from all this.”

If only. “A witch I know put an enchantment on ‘em.” Standard protocol for Night Watch containment gear and weaponry. A little bonus Pak had always insisted on throwing in. “I can’t break them.” She deserved the full truth. “And even if I could, I couldn’t let you walk away.”

Her lips parted. Soft lips. So soft.

“You’re damn well kidding me,” she snapped.

“No, baby, I’m not.” He straightened his shoulders. The hunt hadn’t gone down at all like he planned, but he was sticking to the rules. He’d been an ass, and he’d regret last night for years to come-drugs or no drugs, I shouldn’t have scared her. But he had a job to do. “There’s a bounty on you. You’ve got to pay for what you did.”

Her lips formed an outraged “O.”

“I’m taking you in.”

“Someone save me from good guys.” She punched her index finger into his chest. Hard. “I could have killed you while you slept.”

Why hadn’t she?

“Let me go,” she told him, dropping her voice, but keeping her eyes up. “Walk away from me. Trust me, it will be the best move you’ve ever made in your life.”

“You’re my bounty.” And there were dead bodies she had to answer for.

She shook her head. “You’re a fool. You’re gonna get caught in the crossfire. You’ll die. Or you’ll just wish for death.”

Like he hadn’t done that before. He’d died when he was sixteen, and the demon inside had taken over. He’d been fighting the devil ever since. “Promises, promises, baby.”

For just an instant, one instant, her eyes seemed to flare red.

Zane stiffened, but then the blue flooded back into her gaze.

She licked her lips, and her eyes darted around the cabin. Darted, then paused somewhere just over his shoulder. “This sucks.”

Yeah.

“Come on.” Then she started marching away from him, heading toward a shut door.

“What are you—”

“It’s been over nine hours, demon. I’ve got to use the bathroom.” She grabbed the door and slipped inside. “Now be a good Southern gentleman, and don’t even think about looking at me.”

Southern gentleman? Since when?

The cuffs were a damn inconvenience, but they’d be free soon, both of them. He’d take her to Night Watch, turn her in, and be rid of his Ignitor.

Case closed.

No more temptation. No more fire. No more Jana. “Damn demon,” she muttered.

“Jana, I’m—”

“Save it!”

Sorry. He bit the word back, but the guilt burned in him. He was sorry. For what he’d done to her last night … and for what he would be doing, soon.

The demon was really going to turn her in. Jana followed Zane outside the cabin. He stopped, and glanced around the area, obviously searching for the motorcycle.

Would he remember where they’d stashed it?

Nope. That glinting stare turned back on her, and he lifted one dark brow. What? Did the guy really expect her help? He was turning her in!

She smiled back at him and just waited.

“Jana…”

Her body hurt. Ached. That car crash hadn’t been an easy hit, and she was sure she sported a ton of bruises beneath her clothes. She needed a hot bath-for the aches and to wash away the blood. She needed some food. And she needed a bed that didn’t smell like crap.

Instead, she’d get-what? Jail? A fast trip to some human slammer? How long would she stay there?

“I hate being locked up,” she muttered. She’d already spent too many years being caged. Her gaze drifted around the swamp. Open. Free. This was what she wanted. Why couldn’t everyone just leave her alone and let her have it?

“Then maybe you shouldn’t kill people.”

His words had her stiffening. “You don’t know a damn thing about me.”

Faint lines bracketed his mouth. “Don’t I?”

“What? You typed my name in some computer at Night

Watch and all of a sudden you think you know about me? You think you know—”

“I know you started your first fire when you were thirteen. A fire that killed your father.”

“Stepfather.” There was a difference. An important one.

He crept closer. Not that those cuffs let him stray too far. “Why? Why the hell do you do it? You don’t have to hurt people. You don’t have to use the fire at all. You could’ve been normal—”

Was he crazy? “Demon, I’m as far from normal as you are.” Did he think she’d chosen to be like this? Did he know how many nights she’d cried and begged God to just let her be normal? Jana sucked in a long breath. “And I don’t know what you’ve heard about Ignitors….” Because it wasn’t like her kind were thick on the ground. “But when the flames start that first time, there’s no controlling the fire.” Not when the flames burn so fast, and you scream and beg for it to stop.

Only for the fire to flare hotter.

It had taken her years to learn control, and those lessons had been painful.

“You’ve killed people with your fire.” A muscle flexed in his jaw.

“Oh, and you’re Mr. Innocent?” Doubtful. She’d never met an innocent demon. “I bet you’ve just gone your whole life, and you haven’t ever hurt anyone, right? You’ve never—”

“The last person I killed was an Ignitor.”

Didn’t expect that. Jana swallowed and studied him, letting her eyes sweep over his face. The curl of his lip seemed cruel. His eyes too sharp and hard.

He stared at her and said, “I broke her neck. She never even knew I was coming for her, not until it was too late.”

Well, damn. Goose bumps rose on her arms. Not from the cold. Not this time. “Why?”

“Because she was working with a band of vampires. She was torturing my friends, and I wasn’t going to stand by and watch them die.”

So she’d died instead.

His hand lifted. Dammit, Jana flinched. But he was just brushing back her hair. His knuckles grazed her cheek. “Now it’s your turn.”

Her breath caught.

“Why do you do it? Make me understand. Give me something here. Why’d you start the fires?”

Screams that wouldn’t stop. “Because I could.” That’s all she’d say. Was that a fair exchange of information? No. But then, she hadn’t forced him to answer her question.

And she wouldn’t answer his.

Jana spun away and marched for the thick line of brush, dragging him with her. “The motorcycle’s over here.”

Because even the idea of being turned over to the folks at Night Watch didn’t seem so bad right then. But ripping her soul open and baring her past to the demon? Yeah, rain check, please.

She didn’t bare her soul for anyone. Her secrets were hers, and she planned to take them to the grave.

They stopped for gas at some rundown station. The bike vibrated beneath her legs and exhaust drifted around them until Zane killed the engine.

He was driving this time. The big, bad demon in control.

Jana heard a gasp when she got off the motorcycle, and she turned her head to see an older lady with stone-gray hair and narrowed eyes staring at her. No, not at her exactly, but rather at the cuffs.

Fabulous. Between the cuffs and her gaping shirt, Jana knew she was the image of wholesomeness. Oh, well. She flashed the lady a smile. “He’s a little kinky.” So am I.

Zane swore.

The lady’s jaw dropped. Then she slammed her door and drove away with a squeal of tires.

Her smile spread a bit. A growl reached her ears. She glanced at Zane and found him frowning at her. “What?”

He jerked the gas nozzle out of the tank and shoved it back into place on the pump.

“Come on.” She sidled closer and ignored the stench of gasoline. She always had to be careful at places like this. One wrong thought… boom! “Are you trying to say that you don’t have a kinky side? Because I’m not buying that.” She put her hand on his chest. Let her fingers rest just over his heart. A nice, fast beat. “I saw you last night, remember? I know just how wild and rough you are inside. You wanted sex, fast and hot.”

His nostrils flared and his heartbeat kicked up even more. Interesting.

She tipped her head back. “Have you had a few fantasies? While we were on the road, and I was wrapped around you, while we’re chained together, have you thought about—”

“What kind of game are you playing?” he demanded and she heard the arousal in his voice. She could see it in the taut lines of his face. If she looked down-she’d peeked when they’d hopped off the bike-she knew he’d still be hard for her.

What kind of game was she playing? The only kind she liked. The dangerous kind. But she was running out of options.

“Get on the bike, Jana.”

She didn’t move. “You know”-she let her lashes lower, veiling her eyes, and she dropped her hand—“I could burn this whole place in about two seconds.”

He wrapped an arm around her waist and lifted her up. No strain there. Such a strong demon. Zane had already healed from the injuries he’d gotten in the wreck and from the tranq shots.

He eased her onto the motorcycle and kept his left hand around her a bit too long. “You could, but you won’t.”

She blinked. “And how do you know that?”

“Because you scoped the place when we pulled up. You saw the two kids pumping up the tires on their bikes, and the old man behind the register inside.” He paused. “You saw them, and I saw your face.”

Dammit. He’d seen too much.

“You’re not blowing anything up here.” He eased in front of her and started the cycle quickly. He knew how to hotwire, too. Figured.

The cycle roared. “Hold tight,” he ordered, like she had much of a choice. “Just another twenty minutes and we’ll be back in the city.”

Yeah, they’d had to drive for a while because she’d hauled butt and gotten them as far away as she could last night. Only to be dragged back now.

She closed her eyes, waiting for him to shoot the cycle forward.

Nothing happened.

Jana opened one eye and found Zane gazing at her over his shoulder. “What?”

His brows were low. “If you were really a cold-hearted killer, it wouldn’t matter about the kids.”

Just figuring that out? Give the man a cookie. “I’m saving all my fire for you, lover.”

He laughed. Flashed her those too-white teeth and laughed.

Then the motorcycle surged forward.

Jana held on tight. The guy’s muscles were like stone beneath her hands and her hair whipped behind her. No helmet. She might as well be begging for death.

Once he dumped her at Night Watch and those powers that be decided what to do with her, well, she just might actually beg.

No.

Begging didn’t do any good. She’d begged before. When she’d first been locked up. Begged to see her mom. Begged for help.

She’d gotten nothing.

Then when those bastards out there on her trail had learned about her power, she’d begged to be left alone.

What had Zane said? Normal. Yeah, she’d wanted to be normal. She’d begged for that, too.

Begging got a girl nowhere, fast. Fighting, shoving, letting the fire rage-that was the only way to make a difference.

When she got to Night Watch, she’d do whatever was necessary to stay alive. And if she had to let out the flames, then the place would burn.

And if innocent people were inside?

She pressed her face against Zane’s back and wondered just how far into the darkness she was willing to go.

The motorcycle took another curve, nice and slow. Zane hadn’t driven fast. He’d been careful the whole time. After one accident, maybe he was worried about a repeat. She sure was.

They eased from the curve, heading down the long road, and sirens screamed at them.

What? Jana’s head whipped around just in time to see a patrol car fly out of its nice, sneaky hiding place on the side of the road. Blue lights flashed, and the siren wailed louder.

Go. Faster. Faster.

She always had the same response to cop cars. Mostly because those cars were usually chasing her. Just like this one.

The motorcycle began to slow down. “No!” she shouted.

But Zane was stopping. He pulled the motorcycle over to the side of the road and shoved down the kickstand.

Her nails bit into his side. “What are you doing?”

He turned his head and met her gaze. “We aren’t wearing helmets. The guy’s got to stop us.”

She gulped. Right. Helmets. A normal stop. And such a Boy Scout thing for the demon to say.

Zane climbed off the bike. The handcuffs glinted in the light.

“And what are you going to tell him about these?” she asked. She wanted those things to be ash at her feet. Unfortunately, her fire didn’t work on them. She’d tried burning them last night. No luck.

“I’ve got my bounty I.D.” He shook his head. “The cops can check me out.”

“Can he get us keys—”

“Step away from the woman!” The barked order carried easily to them.

Here we go. Jana looked at the cop. A young guy, with light blond hair, a handsome, if soft face, and a perfectly pressed uniform.

The cop also had his gun up and aimed at Zane.

She straightened on the motorcycle.

“Easy.” Zane lifted both his hands, which, unfortunately, made her hand lift, too.

“The guy’s crazy!” No harm in trying a little maneuvering, right? Jana jumped off the bike and focused her desperate gaze on the cop. “Help me.” Her voice trembled. “He’s—”

“What the hell are you doing?” Zane snarled at her. Then, louder he said, “Officer, my name’s Zane Wynter. I’m a bounty hunter with the Night Watch Agency. This woman’s a wanted—”

“Undo the cuffs.” The cop had stalked closer. His clipped words cut right through the air. “Undo the cuffs and let her go.”

Jana blinked. Ah, yeah, that had been easy. She could look desperate and pitiful when she wanted but- Too easy.

Tension knotted her gut. That gun was aimed straight at Zane’s chest.

Zane started to lower his arms. “I’ve got my I.D. in my back pocket, just let me—”

“Take off the damn cuffs!” Spit flew from the cop’s mouth.

“Ease up,” Zane said, and his hands froze. “I don’t have the key on me.”

The gun barrel jerked a bit. No, it didn’t jerk. The guy was re-aiming. Setting up his shot so that when he fired—

Oh, hell. “Zane!”

The cop fired.