Eternal Flame (Night Watch 3)

“Dee!” a man bellowed. But that call came too late. “Dee” had already gotten to the two fighters. She punched the tiger in the side. Hard.

He roared and turned toward her.

“Don’t even think of biting me,” she yelled at him, snapping her teeth together. Her incredibly sharp teeth. “I’ll bite back.” Vampire.

So was the dark, dangerous man who ran after her. Jana caught sight of his fangs glinting in the dark.

No, not more vampires.

Jana’s hand rose to her neck, and her fingers pressed lightly against the still tender skin. A shiver skated over her body. Her heart already raced too fast, and the desperate beat began to shake her chest.

Vampires. Near Zane. Closing in …

Her hands clenched into fists.

“Take care of him!” Dee ordered her vamp friend. The male grabbed Zane’s arms and held them behind the demon’s back.

Zane immediately head-butted the guy. Blood poured from the vamp’s nose.

“Shit! It’s me, Zane, it’s—”

“Would you shift back already?” Dee shouted at Jude as Jana stared at them, rage and fear twisting inside her.

Can’t just stand here. Can’t let them hurt Zane.

“She’s charging up.” What? Another freaking voice?

Jana turned her head, just a bit, and saw the witch walk into the back lot. Catalina.

“She’s charging up,” Catalina said again, “and she’s going to attack.”

Can’t charge up. That wasn’t fire spiking her blood. It was plain old fury. But the vamps didn’t know that. “Get away from Zane!” She wanted her fire back!

At her words, Zane twisted and drove his fist into the male vamp’s bloody face. The vamp flew back ten feet.

“Uh, oh.” Dee shook her head and turned her back on the shifter. “Guessing this is why you’re still in tiger form.”

Because Zane was amped up, almost wild? Unstoppable. The blonde’s gaze returned to Jana. Black irises-a vampire in hunting mode. Jana’s vision began to narrow.

Dee held up her hands. “I’m here to help him, not hurt him.”

Right. Like any vamp was there to help. She’d tried to help that other vamp in the swamp, and he’d literally bitten the hand that reached to help.

Zane launched at the tiger. They fell to the ground, rolling. Oh, damn. The tiger’s teeth were so close to Zane’s throat. Then Zane twisted and threw the tiger against a car.

“Help me.“ The vampire-Dee-her voice was so deep and compelling. It seemed to slip right under Jana’s skin. To slip inside …

No. Jana’s body tensed. “He just wants to get inside, to make sure no one else is—”

“No one else is in the building. Jude would’ve smelled ‘em. That death trap was for you and Zane.” Dee marched closer to her. “Call him off.”

She blinked. “What? I can’t—”

“I think she can,” came from Catalina and the witch began to close in on her, too.

“Call. Him. Off,” Dee repeated. “Because I don’t want to have to hurt him.”

Jana’s eyes narrowed. “You think you can?” Right then, she didn’t think anyone could stop him. The tiger’s claws didn’t even come close to his flesh now. He moved too fast, and he seemed far too strong.

But the male vamp was on his feet and heading forward with his hands up.

“No, Zane!”

Zane spun toward her, and Dee grabbed her. For a small chick, she was damn strong. Too strong.

“Come away from the building, Zane.” Dee’s soft order.

More sirens. The cops and firefighters would be there any minute.

“We have to get the hell out of here, and I need you to focus, got me, demon?” The woman’s claws were at her throat. That rage and fear spiked again in Jana’s blood.

“Dee …” Catalina’s shaking voice. “You, um, need to be very care—”

The vampire screamed and dropped her hold. Jana spun around and saw that Dee was clutching her hand. A hand that was smoking. Yes, oh, yes. The fire’s back! She was back!

Jana’s lips began to curve. Then the male vamp tackled her. Jana’s head thudded into the ground and the world disappeared in a curtain of black.

Jana was on the ground. Not moving. A man had her in his arms. He said, “Oh, f**k—” just as Zane launched at him.

“No!” The blond female was there again. Glaring up at him with her vampire eyes. “Zane, she’s okay, but we have to get out of here! Do you hear me?”

He grabbed her arms. Everything was too loud. Too dark. The fire seemed to call him, and Jana-Jana was the only constant in his world.

Eyes closed. Unmoving. Vamp holding her.

This had happened before. He wasn’t going to let her be hurt again.

He shoved the blonde aside.

“Shit, Zane!” And she was back, grabbing him. Shaking him. Strong for someone so small. ”It’s me.”

Her voice seemed distorted, echoing almost. He frowned and studied that face. He … knew her.

“Dee. It’s Dee.” Her head turned to the left. “Dammit, shift already, Jude! Don’t you hear those sirens? We’ve got like five seconds to scram.”

He blinked. Dee. The name clicked in his mind. She was …

“Tell me you remember me.” She stared up at him. “I’ve only been working with you at Night Watch forever. It’s me.”

Dee. Sandra Dee.

Vampire.

He broke free of her hold. The male vamp lifted his hands, but didn’t attack. Jana’s head lay cradled in his lap. “She hit her head. I didn’t mean—” The vamp broke off, swallowing.

“I just didn’t want her to hurt Dee.”

The fury was easing inside Zane. No, not easing. He felt like he was about to crash. His heartbeat slowed, and his breathing roughened. He took Jana, hoisted her into his arms, and held tight.

Get away. They had to leave because of the—

Sirens. For some reason, a reason he couldn’t remember right then, Jana didn’t like sirens. She didn’t want to be around cops.

He held her tighter. Zane inhaled her scent and started running away. No, not running. Barely walking. His legs didn’t want to move. Holding Jana seemed so hard.

“It’s going to be okay.” He looked up when he heard the woman’s soft voice. An angel stood before him, her long, blond hair feathering around her pale face. “You’re safe,