Eternal Flame (Night Watch 3)

“My … services.” The right side of her mouth kicked up into a hard smile, and damn if a dimple didn’t wink at him. Deceptive package. “Who do you think the number-one target is in this town? Who do you think the demons want taken out? The vamps?” Shit.

“That’s right. You. The vamp in that alley wanted you taken out, and he sure wasn’t the only one to want a fried demon handed to him.” Her gaze darted behind him to Dusk. “The demons sure don’t like that you’ve been hunting your own kind.”

Fuck ‘em. “I don’t hunt them all.” What? Was he defending himself? To her? “Just the ones who cross the line.” His fingers were digging too hard into her arms.

He took a breath and let her slide back to the ground, let her feet touch down, but he didn’t free her. Wouldn’t. He had plans for Jana Carter.

“What line?” she asked him, shaking her head. “The one you made up? The one that says some folks are bad, some are good, and smart, all-powerful you gets to punish the ones you think screwed up?”

He glared at her. Like she could judge him.

“Maybe I should let them rip you apart.” Her tongue flashed out to lick her bottom lip.

He couldn’t help it. His stare dipped and followed that fast lick. His body tightened. Damn. He took a breath and swore he tasted her. “If you’d been smart, you would’ve left town. After you killed the vamp, you should have run.”

“Maybe.” A shrug. “But you came into the fire for me.”

Because he’d thought she needed him. Thought she was a human who’d needed rescuing. The truth was that the woman could have gotten out of that house without the flames even touching one inch of her perfect skin.

“No one’s ever tried to save me before,” she added. “I thought you were … sweet.”

He growled.

“So I wanted to even the score.” Another shrug that sent her dark hair settling over her shoulders. “I knew you’d come looking for me. I figured it was only fair to give you a warning.”

Fair? The woman who torched for a living wanted to talk fair? Zane could only shake his head. “Thanks, baby, but believe me, I don’t need your help.”

Her gaze slid away from his once more. Back to the club. He caught the whisper of fast-moving feet and the scent of booze and death. Battle-ready tension had his heart slamming into his chest.

“You sure about that?” she asked and that same half-smile lifted her lips, making her dimple flash. “Okay. Have it your way, then, stud. Take ‘em all.”

He spun around, his eyes zeroing in on the entrance to Dusk. Sure-damn-enough, the demons were snaking out the front door. At least ten of them so far, and their black eyes- filled with fury and hate-were all locked on him.

Jana’s hand pressed into his back, a warm, sold weight. “Have fun with the fan club,” she said and then her shoes thudded as she ran away.

Two seconds later, the demons closed in on him.

Chapter 3

Jana ran for fifteen seconds. Then ten more. Then, ah, hell, she spun back around.

She couldn’t see Zane anymore. Her big, bad demon was in the middle of a pile of bodies. She heard the thud of flesh, the snarls from the attack, and she knew he was probably on the bottom of that pile.

“Bet you’re wishing you’d taken my help now,” she whispered and clenched her hands into fists as her body began to charge. The air around her warmed. “Don’t worry, demon. I pay my debts.” He’d come for her, so she’d be there for him.

Then … even. No more debt. Free and clear.

A demon flew through the air and slammed into the concrete. He didn’t get back up.

A faint sheen of red fell over her vision, like a mist. Jana marched forward with slow, determined steps. Her breath seemed too loud, too raspy. Her heart felt too slow, and the heat covered her like a blanket.

“Get away from him!” she called out.

Another body flew from the mound. One guy, a demon with a long, twisting scar on his right cheek, just turned tail and ran.

These wouldn’t be the strong demons. Not attacking en masse like this. The weak ones hunted in packs. Especially when they were going after a big kill.

A knife glinted. “Get away from him!” she screamed the words again and, this time, her voice cut through their fury.

Three demons turned to look at her.

So did Zane. He wasn’t on the bottom of the pack. He was still standing. Swinging, knocking back demons and grinning like some kind of madman.

More demons were running out of Dusk. Like freaking sharks, they could smell blood in the air.

Soon enough, they’d be smelling fire.

A smile lifted her lips. The rush of heat had her whole body tensing, her nerves jumping. Nothing like it.

A line of fire sprang at her feet, then the flames raced for the demons. Their yells and curses filled the air as they faced the new threat.

The flames flickered, twisted. Ah … fighting power with power.

Whenever possible, she avoided the demons. After all, they knew how to play with the elements, and she didn’t like to waste energy pitting her power against theirs. But …

These guys were no match for her.

She fed the flames, and they burned hotter. Two more demons ran away. The door of Dusk slammed shut.

More yells. More grunts. Zane caught the wrist of the demon with the knife. Zane wrenched down hard, and Jana wondered if he’d broken the man’s wrist. Looked like he had.

The knife clattered to the ground. She let her flames close in tighter.

“Pull it back!” Zane’s bark.

The flames were dancing close to him.

The fire licked a demon. He screamed when the flames lit his clothes and he fell, rolling on the ground to battle the fire.

“Jana!”

The flames were at Zane’s feet. His gaze met hers over the fire. No fear was in that stare-and it was a completely black stare. With the flames all around him and the bloodlust fueling him, the glamour was finally gone. No more sexy green eyes. Just demon darkness.

She was looking right at the demon he tried to hide. Tried, failed. She’d seen the demon from the first moment.

She exhaled, and the flames began to flicker.

Zane ran through the fire.

What? “Zane!”

But the flames didn’t burn him. Didn’t even seem to have actually touched him. Then he was in front of her, grabbing her arm, hauling her close, and the heat of the fire pulsed beneath her skin. When his eyes widened, she knew he felt her heat. Warm to the touch, just like a sunburn, but one she’d gotten from the inside out.