Eternal Flame (Night Watch 3)

“B-black hair. Caucasian … early th-thirties.” Okay, that description only fit thousands of men in the area.

“Heard her call … his name.” The cop blinked, then met Antonio’s gaze. “Z-Zane … she said Zane.”

What the hell are you doing, man? “I gave strict orders that the woman wasn’t to be approached. I was to be notified before any apprehension effort.” Cold, clipped.

Harris licked his lips. “They were … on a motorcycle….”

“He’s got a concussion, Captain,” one of the EMTS said, breaking through Harris’s words. “We need to get him checked at the hospital.”

In a minute. Antonio didn’t move.

“I just stopped them … because they didn’t have on … helmets. I stopped … them.” A hard swallow. “And he attacked.”

But that didn’t make any sense.

“Sir…” The EMT’s face was flushed a dark red. “He needs to be in a hospital.”

Clenching his teeth, Antonio moved to the side.

“You never said”-Harris’s voice had grown weaker- “she had a … partner.”

Because he hadn’t known that Zane was working with the woman, and he sure hadn’t expected the hunter to attack a cop.

What are you doing, Zane? What the hell are you doing?

Antonio turned away and marched back to his car.

Threw me ten feet… but I-I swear I never saw him… move. Harris’s words echoed in his mind. The cop didn’t understand. Zane hadn’t actually moved. He was such a strong demon, he didn’t need to move. With just a stray thought, Zane could have thrown the cop. With a wave of his hand, he could have killed the guy.

But he hadn’t. Zane had let the cop live, and he’d protected the woman.

“Sir!” Another uniform hurried toward him. This time, the officer was female. The uniforms were swarming the scene like bees now. “Do you want to launch a search in the area for the woman?”

Antonio let his stare drift down the road. No sign of a motorcycle now.

“And what about the man?” she pressed. “Do we need to put out an APB for him—”

“Forget the man. Just concentrate on her.” Jana Carter.

“But a cop was assaulted, one of our own.” Her red brows snapped low. “We need to—”

“You need to do whatever the hell I say.” He sounded like a prick, but she’d have to deal with it. “I’ll take care of the man. You focus on her.”

Before he threw his friend to the wolves-or the cops-he needed to find out exactly what was happening with Zane. If he found out that the demon had crossed the line, well—

Then I’ll be the first one in line to take him down.

Zane eased the motorcycle to a stop near the curb. The Night Watch building waited, just a few blocks away. He could easily see the stark lines and the old bricks of the hunting office.

He braced the kickstand and killed the motor. This was it. Time to turn in his bounty.

Zane looked over his shoulder. Jana’s face was as smooth and blank as marble. No heat in those dark blue eyes. No fiery emotion on her face. Just… blank. Empty.

He didn’t like that. The woman was many things, but “blank” wasn’t one of ‘em.

“Come on,” he said, rising. “It’s time to get you inside.” But, dammit, something felt wrong.

I burned that pit to the ground and I didn’t care that they were inside. Hard words, but when she’d said them, Jana’s voice had trembled.

He stared down at her hand and frowned when he saw the dark skin around the handcuff. “Fuck.” He reached for her wrist, lifting it lightly. A circle of dark bruises had already formed on her flesh.

“Don’t worry about it,” she said, and her voice was as cold as her face. “I bruise easily. A human trait. We just aren’t built strong enough.”

His fingers feathered over her skin, and Zane heard the soft rasp of her breath. “I didn’t mean to hurt you.” He’d thought she would be deposited at Night Watch less than an hour after he’d cuffed her. He’d never planned on all … this.

Her gaze held his.

The woman was beautiful. No, sexy. He could still taste her, and he wanted more.

But… killer. If the file was right, he was staring at a cold, calculating killer. One who torched for money. An assassin.

Until now, she hadn’t struck him as cold. With her face locked in that icy mask, with her eyes so blank-yeah, frigid came to mind.

Before, though, she’d been a different woman. Wild. Passionate. Never cold. And when she’d talked about New Orleans …

His fingers curled around her right wrist. “Tell me about New Orleans. Tell me what really happened.”

Night Watch waited just over her shoulder. The place could keep waiting.

Her smile was sad. “Why? Are you going to save me, demon? Are you going to help me? Turn your back on everything you know and protect me?”

That last line caught him. “Just what do you need protecting from?” Not what, who.

She didn’t blink, but the right side of her mouth kicked up, just a bit. “No one. I’m the badass Ignitor, remember? The world needs to fear me.”

She was, but she was also right about something else: Humans were weak. So easily broken. Killed.

She tugged away from him, shifting her body to face the Night Watch building. “Let’s get this over with. If we stand around out here, we might as well paint bull’s-eyes on our backs.”

“I can help you. “ The words were torn from him. It didn’t have to be this way. She didn’t have to keep charging up, didn’t have to keep killing. There was more to her. He knew it.

Jana tossed him a quick look over her shoulder. “No, you can’t.” The cold glass had shattered in her eyes. He could see her pain and sadness now.

Then she looked away, and he felt like she’d slugged him. “Jana…”

The doors to Night Watch burst open. Three hunters ran out and headed for them. Jude led the other two men, his blond hair shining in the sun as he charged for Jana and Zane.

“Guess that’s the welcome party.” Her attention focused on the hunters. Her silky black hair dipped down her back. “We don’t want to keep them waiting.”

She stepped forward, tugging him with her. His eyes focused on Jude. This was what he wanted. What he had to do. Turn her in. They’d take her inside Night Watch and—