Eternal Flame

  There wasn’t much left of Davey. Zane stood in the alley and stared at the flickering flames. No matter how much power the demon had stolen, he hadn’t been able to heal from an Ignitor’s blast, not delivered at point-blank range with a full charge.

  That fire had burned so high. So wild. Cops were coming. Firefighters, too. The EMTs would be there, but there wasn’t anything they could do to help Davey. “Where is she?” Jude asked him, his voice gruff. Zane glanced back. Jude had on a pair of jeans, nothing else. At least he was back in human form. “Gone,” he said, and the word felt hollow.

  Jude’s eyes widened. “Aw, shit, man, the fire—” He laughed at that. “No, no, that fire didn’t touch her.” She’d been safely away from the flames. He’d run forward, and pushed her back even more as he tried to make sure the bastard was gone.

  No coming back from that. Davey had been strong, but not strong enough.

  He’d turned back to face Jana just as he’d heard the shout of approaching cops, but she’d been gone.

  “What do we tell the cops?” Jude asked him softly. His gaze raked the night. He could still smell Jana. Her blood. Her scent. Rising over the smoke and ash. “We tell them that a killer confessed to us, then he torched himself.”

  “There’ll be questions.” “There always are.”

  Cops hurried toward them. “Hands up!” one shouted.

  He put his hands up, and then he looked past the uniforms and into the shadows. Her scent lingered so strongly in the air.

  Don’t leave me. The psychic order left him before he could stop it, because, hell, yeah, he was desperate.

  “We’re hunters,” Jude said. “With Night Watch. We were tracking a killer.” He kept his hands up as he talked fast.

  The cop who’d barked the order, an older, balding man, sniffed hard, and his face tightened. “What the hell is that smell? What’s burning?”

  “That’d be our killer,” Zane said, keeping his own hands up as his gaze swept from the cops to that darkened alley. “Or what’s left of him.”

  The cops began to gag.

  Softly, so softly, he heard the sound of retreating footsteps. Jana.

  He stepped forward, but the older cop had his gun ready and Zane knew he wasn’t supposed to hurt humans. He couldn’t chase after her.

  Not yet.

  Run then, baby. He hit their mental link easily. Touched her mind and felt her fear and her worry. I’ll find you.

  Because he’d meant what he’d told her before-and he wasn’t about to just let her disappear into the night forever.

  Coward. Jana put a hand to her throat and felt the wet warmth of her blood. Damn that demon, he’d slashed her good and deep.

  The cops were there now, demanding to know what was going on. Wanting to know what had happened to the killer.

  She sucked in a deep breath and could still taste the flames. He felt the fire.

  Her fire, and Zane’s.

  She stumbled away. She’d have to get to a hospital. She’d need stitches and explaining the wounds would be a bitch. She needed the hospital and she needed- Don’t leave me.

  Zane’s voice seemed to echo in her mind. She froze. For an instant, she could feel him. His strong arms around her, his breath on her face. Zane.

  A tear leaked down her cheek. She forced herself to keep going. One step. Another. So many damn cops. She’d have to watch herself.

  Run then, baby. Again, his voice seemed to drift right through her. I’ll find you.

  Such a dark promise. But what would happen when he found her? They weren’t going to get a happily ever after. That wasn’t what waited for her. The fire was back. Whatever Laura had done to her, it hadn’t been a permanent deal. Thank God.

  She was back.

  She slunk deeper into the shadows, aware that her blood was dripping onto the ground. She’d spent so much time hiding in the shadows. Hiding and running. And now she was running away from the one man who’d actually looked at her and said …

  I love you.

  “What the hell am I doing?” she whispered. Fear. She tried to pretend that she was never afraid, but at the first sign of those boys in blue, she’d turned tail and left Zane.

  No, they might not have a happy ending, but maybe it was time she started facing up to her past. And to her choices.

  She broke from the shadows and immediately saw a female cop with a curly mass of brown hair. The cop’s eyes widened when she got a good look at Jana.

  “Miss! Miss, are you okay?”

  What the hell? Did it look like she was okay? “Get me … to a hospital.” Okay, so she was a selfish bitch. She needed treatment, but she did manage to say, “And by the way …”

  Surprisingly strong arms closed around her.

  Jana licked her lips. “I … killed a man tonight.”

  The cop’s eyes flashed demon black. “No, honey, what you did was put down a rabid dog.” Those black eyes burned down at her.

  They were the last sight Jana saw.

  He’d answered a million damn questions, and he was done. “Handle it,” Zane ordered Jude and turned away. The scent of Jana’s blood was driving him crazy. She shouldn’t have left when she was hurt. She should have let him take care of her.

  He rushed down the alley, following that scent. The farther he went, the more blood he smelled. A fist squeezed his gut. How badly had she been hurt? Jana?

  No answer. He couldn’t feel her at all anymore.

  Fear whispered through him.

  “She’s gone.”

  His head turned to the right when he heard the soft voice. A cop stepped forward, her hair tumbling over her shoulders.

  “Where is she?” Obviously, they were talking about the same she.

  “Hospital. She passed out, and I loaded her into an ambulance.” The cop’s brows rose. “'Course, that was after she confessed to killing a man.”

  Hell. He didn’t blink. He knew the cop. Had known Paula Channing for years. After all, he’d made a point of knowing all the demons on the force. But was Paula a demon first and a cop second? Or was she …?

  He cleared his throat. “Obviously, she was confused. I just told Officer Hill that the suspect poured gasoline on himself and ignited—”

  “I’m guessing a container with trace amounts of gasoline will magically appear in the evidence room later, huh?”

  He shrugged.

  “Good. That will make things easier.” She gave him a smile. A smile that died too fast. “I saw what happened to Tony. That bastard needed to be put down.” He had been.

  “Your girl’s at Mercy General, with Tony.” Paula turned away and headed back into the shadows. “And don’t worry,” she tossed over her shoulder, “I’ve already forgotten what Jana said to me.”

  When Jana opened her eyes, her throat hurt. Her jaw ached. And a man with midnight-black hair, a too fancy suit, and dark eyes stared down at her.

  “Hello, Ms. Carter.” His voice was Southern, rolling slightly and soft. “My name is Jason Pak. I’m one of the … managers … of Night Watch.”

  She lifted her hand and touched her neck. No, not her neck, bandages.

  “You needed some stitches. Nothing too major,” he murmured, easing a bit away from the bed. A hospital bed. “But the doctors didn’t want to take any chances.”

  Great. She looked down and found herself in one of those really annoying paper hospital gowns. Jana tugged the IV out of her arm and shoved up to a sitting position. Then she swung her legs over the side of the bed. Lucky for her, when her feet touched the floor, her knees didn’t buckle.

  But, she was pretty sure Pak got a glimpse of her ass.

  “You don’t need to run,” he told her. “The cops aren’t looking for you.”

  Oh, right. She glanced over her shoulder at him. “Since I confessed to killing Davey, they probably are.”

  He smiled. “Self-defense.”

  True. She had the claw marks to prove it.

  “But they aren’t after yo
u for Davey’s death … or for any of the other arsons that were linked to you. Ah, or to your aliases.”

  She blinked at him. “Want to run that by me again?” “Actually, I have a job I’d like to offer you, Ms. Carter.” He crossed his arms over his chest and gave her what really looked like an alligator’s grin. “So why don’t you get back in bed? I think you might like what I have to say.”

  She didn’t move. “I’m not going to be your assassin.” Been there, done that.

  “Is that what you think Zane is? My assassin?”

  Jana swallowed. She wasn’t touching that, and right then, thinking about Zane hurt. I love you. She blinked, real fast. “Look, I’ve heard this sales pitch before.”

  “Night Watch isn’t like Perseus.”

  No.

  “We won’t destroy your life.” He paused. “But with us, you can finally have a life.” Tempting bastard.

  “And wouldn’t you like that? Wouldn’t you like a chance to put down some roots? To stop looking over your shoulder and just settle down?”

  The hospital door flew open. Zane stood in the doorway. His face was stained with soot, and his chest heaved.

  Zane.

  “I thought so,” Pak murmured and eased toward the door. “We’ll talk again soon, my dear. Very, very soon. Your talents would be such an asset to our organization.”

  “Beat it, Pak.” Zane stalked toward her.

  Pak smiled that gator grin and exited the room, closing the door softly behind himself.

  “You ran from me.” Zane seemed to bite off the words.

  She nodded. Scared. She was still scared right then. Nothing, no one, had ever mattered to her as much as he did. I love you.

  He couldn’t love her. Not really. “You shouldn’t,” she whispered, the words slipping out.

  Zane frowned at her. “Shouldn’t what?” Then his eyes fell to her throat. “Oh, fuck, baby…” His fingers reached for her.

  She stepped back, ramming into the bed. “When you touch me,” she told him starkly, truthfully, “I can’t think of anything but you.”

  His face softened. “That’s okay. No, that’s real good.”

  But it wasn’t. “I’m not …” She cleared her throat and tried again. Talking was so hard when his lips were close and she could all but taste him. “I’m not the kind of woman you should love.”

  He touched her. His fingers slid down her cheek. Feathered over the bandages on her throat. “You’re the only woman I should love.”

  He didn’t understand. “Zane, I like the fire.” That should be wrong. Liking the flames. The fury. The power. She’d used that fire, so many times. Would use it again. “I’m not some sweet, confused girl. I’ve attacked people. I’ve hurt them,

  I’ve—”

  “You ever hurt an innocent man or woman?” Jana shook her head.

  “I think you’re too hard on yourself, baby.”

  He wasn’t seeing who she was. “And I think you’re too easy on me. Inside, you’re good, so you think that everyone else is like that—”

  He laughed at her, then he leaned in, and let his lips press lightly over hers. “How many times,” he whispered against her mouth, “do I have to tell you I’m not good?”

  Her heart slammed into her ribs. “You saw what I did to Davey.”

  “No, I saw what we did.” His eyes were on hers, slowly fading to black. “Together, we’re pretty damn unstoppable.”

  Together. That word sounded so perfect.

  His hand curled around her chin. He held her so softly, and she knew he’d seen the bruises there. “I don’t like seeing you hurt.”

  A fast laugh escaped her. “I don’t exactly like being hurt.” “You’re so damn beautiful.” That dried up the laughter.

  “When you smile, your whole face just lights up.” His lips pressed against hers again, and she wanted to sigh into his mouth. Wanted to wrap her arms around him and hold on tight but …

  But I’ve got blood and death on my hands. I’ve spent my life running. What will I do when he looks at me and sees what I really am?

  “What the fuck?” His head lifted and his eyes were narrowed. Hard. “I know what you really are. You’re a woman. My woman. A woman who’s strong. A woman who isn’t afraid to fight for those she cares about and, yeah, baby, I know you care. You’re a woman who’s had a real shit-hand dealt to her, but you kept fighting. Kept living. You’re the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. The strongest woman I’ve ever met, and you’re mine.”

  Could he hear her heart racing? Her hands were clenched into fists, and her nails dug into her palms because she wanted to touch him so badly. “You shouldn’t … go into someone’s mind unless she lets you.”

  “You let me. You finally dropped the wall you had between us when Perseus burned to hell. You let me in.” He tilted her chin back. “Don’t shut me out now. Hell, baby, don’t you get it? You try to say that I’m good … but only you see that. To the rest of the world-to me-I’m a screwed-up demon asshole. You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”

  She didn’t know what to say. What to do.

  “I know I’ve fucked things up a few times with us. I should have trusted you sooner. When I found out about the deal Beth offered, hell, I just—it was your chance for a normal life. I thought you’d take it.”

  “Normal isn’t me.”

  One side of his mouth hitched up. “It’s not me, either.” His gaze searched hers. “I don’t want you to run from me. I want you to give us a chance.”

  Oh, damn. She wanted that chance. Wanted it so badly her whole body shook. “I left …” She sounded like a croaking frog, so Jana tried again, saying, “I left you in the alley because the cops were there. My instincts with cops … hell, they tell me to run.”

  “But you stopped running.” Those black eyes saw everything. Saw into her so deeply. “You found a cop, and you confessed.”

  “Maybe the blood loss made me temporarily insane.” He waited.

  Hell. Okay, she could do this. “Or maybe I didn’t want to run. Maybe I wanted to stay here.” With you. No matter what the consequences were.

  “I already told you, baby, the cops aren’t after you anymore.”

  “Others will be.” He should have fair warning on that. “I’ve pissed off a lot of people in my time.” And she’d keep doing it in the years to come. It was just her way. Playing it safe really wasn’t her game.

  “I piss folks off every day.” He shrugged. “I’m not worried about what might come our way.”

  Our way. Oh, but that sounded good.

  “I meant what I said in that alley,” he told her. “I love you. And whether you’re here in Baton Rouge or tearing through the South, I want to be with you. I’ll stay by your side.” His gaze held hers. “You can count on me.”

  She knew that. She’d known it from the beginning. When a guy raced inside a burning building to save you … you knew that guy was something special.

  He wasn’t afraid of her fire. Wasn’t worried about her past. He just … wanted her.

  Jana threw her arms around his neck and pulled Zane close. He grunted, but then his arms were around her, holding her just as tight. Tighter.

  “I love you, demon,” she whispered in his ear, taking the biggest risk of her life. Loving someone else.

  A slight shudder shook his body and then his mouth was on hers. He kissed her hard, deep. With passion and fury.

  With love.

  He could take her fire. Take her fury.

  Their tongues met.

  He could take everything because she knew he’d give her everything he had in return.

  Her demon lover. The man who’d walked through the fire.

  His head lifted. His black eyes saw into her. Saw past the mask that fooled so many others.

  She smiled at him, and knew she’d met her match. Finally, the perfect man to light her fire.

  Catalina Delaney eased away from hospital room 309. Jana was fine. She was with
her demon. They were together, holding each other so tight. Just like in the vision Cat had seen so long ago. The vision that told her Zane hadn’t been the man for her.

  Her shoes squeaked a bit as she headed down the hallway. She slipped inside the elevator and rode up to the burn unit.

  Her fingers shook, and she clenched her hands into fists. When the elevator doors opened, she hurried outside. So many cops were standing and sitting in the waiting area, hoping to see Tony. They wouldn’t be getting in yet.

  They didn’t have her connections.

  Pak nodded to her and pointed to the door on the far right. She hurried inside and paced down another corridor.

  Then she saw him. Tony’s face was still just as perfect as always. But his hands … his legs … she swallowed and crept toward the bed.

  “You’ll be fine,” she whispered to him, and began to chant. Her binding marks were gone. Her power was finally back- fully back. Pak thought she could help heal Tony, and she’d prove the charmer right. She’d pay back her debt to him, and her debt to the cop.

  Did Tony even remember the debt she owed him? Probably not. It had been so long ago. He’d just been a rookie on his first beat. She’d been a lost kid.

  So long ago.

  His lashes stirred as she pushed the past from her mind and chanted. The air shifted around her as her power pulsed. Tony would be all right. Better than before, with time. “Cat …” His whisper, when he shouldn’t have known she was there.

  Unable to stop herself, she leaned forward and pressed her lips against his cheek.

  She’d had visions of him over the years, too, and she knew that someday … someday …

  Pak smiled as he pushed the hospital door closed. He turned around to face the crowd of cops, crossing his arms over his chest. He’d make sure Catalina wasn’t disturbed. No one needed to see the magic that his newest recruit was working.

  Catalina would make a fine addition to his team, and so would Zane’s Ignitor. So much power there, just waiting.

  Two more on the side of the hunters. The Daveys of the world had better gear up. Hell was coming for them. Because his team was always watching. Always waiting.

  He nodded to one of the demon cops.