Eternal Flame

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.”

“We have to get out,” Jana said. Didn’t he see what was happening? Another Ignitor … or a damn powerful demon … had set the fire at Night Watch. It was only a matter of time until they came for her.

A setup. The team after her must have bugged the phone lines at Night Watch. They’d known she was coming. They’d started that fire for her.

Why? So that the cops would haul her to the station? Of course, the cops on scene would pick her as suspect number one. With her history, there was no way they wouldn’t have hauled her in for questioning.

Those bastards knew that.

Zane’s fingers tapped on the tabletop. “I need to be on the streets, Tony.”

“You can be. She can’t.” He exhaled. “This case is shit. We both know the woman gets off on the fire, are you sure—”

“You don’t know what gets her off.” Zane’s voice. Cold and hard.

“You know better than to let the case get personal.” Tony stalked around the table and grabbed Zane’s arm. He hauled Zane to his feet, grabbing for the cuffs. “Let’s find a way out of these damned things and you can get on the streets. You can find Harris for me—”

He never finished his sentence. Zane’s fist plowed into Tony’s jaw, and the cop went down. Hard.

Jana jumped to her feet. ”What are you doing?” She’d thought the cop was his friend.

Zane pulled her forward as he rolled Tony onto his back. “I’m making sure we get out before the bastards after you get to us.”

He’d attacked a cop. Not a very “good” guy thing to do.

Zane glanced back at her. “They herded you to the station. They’re going to be sending someone for you. Maybe Feds, maybe someone pretending to be Feds, but they’ll have paperwork, all nice and neat, saying they can take you into custody.” He paused. “They’ll take you, and no one will see you again.”

No, he was wrong. They’d take her … and they’d use her. The price for her life would be death for others.

“Come on, we need to get the hell out of here.” He frowned down at the cop. “Sorry, Tony.”

Sorry? Sorry? “What’s going to happen to him?”

“He’ll get to deny helping us escape. He’ll have the bruise to prove he was hit. He’ll be clear….” Zane hurried away from the table, pulling her with him. “And, in a few minutes, so will we.”

His fingers curled around the doorknob.

She grabbed his shoulder. “This place will be crawling with cops! We won’t be able to just walk out, we can’t—”

“Tony sent ‘em away.”

“Why would he—”

“Look, baby, trust me on this, okay? Tony knows the deal around here. When he found out Harris was missing, he knew what was going down. Hell, why do you think he came close enough for me to hit?”

The cop had wanted them to escape? Since when did a cop want someone to break out?

“Not like it’s the first time we played this game. …” Zane inched open the door and gave a nod. “All right, we’re gonna have to move quickly. Don’t fight me. Whatever I do, just go with it, okay?”

She would have gone with just about anything right then. She nodded her head in agreement and then realized he couldn’t see the move. “Let’s get out of here.”

“On three…”

He began to softly whisper the count, and when he got to three, they ran into the hall, darting fast in a series of twists and turns. The place looked deserted, but she could hear voices, phones. She kept her head down and followed Zane, moving as quickly as she could.

Five more feet, and they were at a door with a red exit sign. Go, go. Footsteps tapped behind them.

Zane shoved open the door and yanked her across the threshold. The door shut with a clang behind them.

Jana’s head was pressed against Zane’s chest. She could hear the fierce pounding of his heart, racing so fast.

“Stay behind me,” he murmured, and then he pulled back. They eased down two flights of stairs, going deeper into the bowels of the precinct.

Minutes later, they came out in the garage. Squad cars were scattered around, waiting.

Time to steal another ride?

“Don’t even think about it,” Zane said. “The second we vanish in one of those, every cop in the area will be after us.”

“Then what are we going to do?” Someone would be raising the alarm any minute, she knew it, she knew—

“See that door? It leads to the alley. Come on, move that sweet ass, baby.”

She hauled ass.

A hard push from Zane, and the door flew open. They stumbled outside. She looked to the left, to the right, and—

“Damn, hoss, it took you long enough,” a deep voice rumbled and Jana froze. “I was starting to think I’d have to come in and haul your sorry hide out.”

Zane grunted and headed for the big, blond guy-the guy from Night Watch. The shifter who’d gone into the fire with them. The guy stood next to a green pickup truck, his arms crossed over his chest.

“It’s not as easy to slip out of a police station as it is to slip into one,” Zane said and opened the passenger side door.

Jana jumped in as the blond hurried around the truck and opened the driver’s side door. She had to ask, “How did you know we—”

“Tony called. He said you needed a ride.” The shifter fired up the engine. “Lucky for you, I was in the neighborhood.”

It’s not the first time we’ve played this game. Huh. The cop really had been helping them.

Zane crowded in on the other side and she was squeezed between the two big, masculine frames. The blond hit the gas and the truck sped forward. “Got orders from Pak to take you to a safe house. He wants you to stay there until we can get this shit straightened out.”

“How many dead, Jude?” Zane demanded.

Jana licked her lips.

“Five total,” the guy-Jude-said. “You got the rest out.”

Five people. Why had they died? To teach her a lesson? Her hands fisted and her nails bit into her palms. She’d make sure the bastards paid for this.

“They knew we were coming, Jude,” Zane said and his arm rubbed against hers. Hell, his whole body rubbed against hers. That strong thigh was pressed to her leg.

“They probably tapped the line,” Jana forced herself to say what she suspected.

Jude grunted. “Maybe. Pak’s doing a housecleaning. There’s no way that fire should have started, not with our security systems in place.”

A housecleaning?

Jude turned a hard left, and the truck drove down a long, narrow road. “Lady, if you’re such a badass, why’d you go running into the fire?”

She lifted the cuffs. “I didn’t exactly have much choice.”

Zane’s finger touched the edge of her mouth, and she realized that the right side of her lip had hitched up.

Lie.

She swallowed.

Zane edged closer to her. His breath feathered over her ear when he said, “As soon as I get you alone, you’re telling me everything. Everything.”

But he wouldn’t want to hear her secrets, and she didn’t want to tell them. Sometimes, she liked to forget who she was, and what she’d done.

“They made it personal,” he said, the words dark and deadly and a shiver slipped over her. “They came after my people, and they’re damn well going to pay.”

She turned and met his stare. Black, not green. The demon was out to play. “I tell you, and then you let me go?”

He’d broken her out of jail. That had to mean something, didn’t it?

He held her stare. His expression never changed. “Of course.”

And this time, she was the one who knew: lie.

“Where the hell are they?”

Antonio cracked open one eye at the screeching voice. He was flat on the floor, and his jaw ached like a bitch.

He’d also spent the last five minutes pretending to be out cold. Like Zane could really take me with one punch. The guy thought he had a fist of steel-not so much. Especially not since Zane had a tendency to pull his punches with friends.

Antonio let a moan break from his lips, and he made a show of pushing himself off the floor. “Wh-what…” He shook his head. “What happened?” Did he sound weak enough? Maybe.

He squinted and allowed his gaze to drift around the room. He saw the shoes first. Two-inch black heels. Long legs. His gaze rose. A woman stood in the doorway of the interrogation room. Her dark blond hair was pulled back at her nape. Her green eyes glittered-oh, yeah, a lot of rage there.

A man was behind her, tall, balding, and peering over her shoulder.

“Who are you?” Antonio asked as he rose to his feet. He shifted his jaw. Zane hadn’t pulled the punch that much. “What the-where the hell are the prisoners?”

The woman shook her head. “You expect me to believe this bull?”

He stumbled and his legs rammed into the thick table.

A badge was slapped onto the table. “FBI Special Agent Kelly Thomas.” Her red nails tapped the badge. “I’m here to pick up your prisoner, Jana Carter.” She paused a beat. “And you’d better tell me that Ms. Carter is just down the hall, getting fingerprinted.”

“I … don’t remember…. Something hit me….”

She swore and spun around, colliding with the guy. “They’re gone! Christ, we’ve got to call headquarters.”

The guy jerked out his phone and began punching numbers.

She tossed a hard glare back at Antonio. “Captain Young, you’ve made a serious mistake.” “Mistake? Lady, I was assaulted!”

Her lips curled in disgust. “You think I don’t know about you? You chose the wrong side.”

His shoulders straightened. “And what side would that be?”

She snatched back her badge. “The side with the freaks. You want to screw with them, that’s your mistake.” Screw with them?

“It’s a mistake that I’ll make sure you regret,” she promised.

He waited until the lady and her partner stormed out, then he took out his phone. Two seconds later, he’d connected to the most powerful man in Baton Rouge. “Hey, Pak. I got a name for you. Kelly Thomas.” He listened a moment and then said, “You were right, she came for the Ignitor.”

The FBI agent would realize soon enough … he never did a damn thing that he regretted. Could she say the same thing?

They were dropped off in the swamp and left at a cabin that lurked on the edge of darkness. Another cabin. Only this one looked much better than their last shelter.

“Your place?” Zane asked Jude when he climbed out of the truck. “Does Erin know about this?” Jana followed him around the front of the truck. Who was Erin? Another hunter?

“Uh …” Jude blinked slowly. “Are you asking if the assistant district attorney knows that I just aided and abetted an escape from the Baton Rouge Police Department?”

“Yeah.”

Jude tossed him a set of keys. “Sure she does. The woman knows everything I do.”

Zane’s fingers curled around the keys. “Thanks, man.”

A wide smile, one that flashed with lots of sharp, white teeth, stretched Jude’s mouth. “Now we’re even, demon.”

Until next time.

“A motorcycle is around back, with helmets. If you two need to make a quick exit … well, just watch your asses.” “Will do.”

“Lay low, Zane. At least until we figure out who we’re up against.”

Jana felt Zane’s stare shift to her. “Don’t worry. We’ll be figuring out this game very soon.”

He thought she’d tell him. He wanted all the dirty little secrets, and he deserved to know.

She just … didn’t want him to know the truth. But, really, what was a little death between two friends? Not that they were actually friends….

The other hunter drove away. Dusk was coming, falling fast, and bringing a chill to the air. They went inside and, though the place was small, Jana was happy to see a clean bed. And food. Sweet, blessed food.

And … a bathroom. With a shower. Oh, heaven.

“I want to know about Project Perseus.”

Of course he did.

“Tell me who the big players are. Tell me what the hell they want.”

She didn’t want to talk then. It had truly been a pisser of a day. Jana began to strip.

Beside her, Zane stiffened. “Ah … what are you doing?”

He was a bright demon. Surely he could figure this out. She kicked off her shoes. Shoved off her socks. Then her fingers went to the buckle on her jeans.

“Jana!”

The jeans hit the floor. She kept her panties on, for now. Jana slanted him a fast look. “In case you haven’t noticed”—but she was sure he had—“I’m covered in ash, grime, blood, and who the hell knows what else. I’m showering.” She took a nice, slow breath. “And since you’re stuck to me, you’re coming in, too.” Zane. Hot water. Naked flesh.

Things were about to get wild.

Just what she wanted. What she needed.

No past. No secrets. Just them.

“Do me a favor?” she whispered and raised her brows. The cuffs would be a problem for her, but there was a way around them. All he had to do was … “Rip my shirt off?”