Eternal Flame (Night Watch 3)

Nancy’s gaze darted to Jana. “The question I have … are you a full-blood or a hybrid?” She blinked and seemed to realize they might not know what she meant. “Ah … a hybrid would be a mix, a—”

Zane backed away from her touch, and Jana saw the muscle flex in his jaw. “I know the damn term. Yeah, my mother was human but that bastard who fathered me wasn’t.”

Oh, nice touch. Perseus would be all over a hybrid. They’d want to recruit him, not kill him. They did love that human blood. And the powers that be over there would really get off on a demon killing other demons.

“Demons don’t always respond the way they’re supposed to when they are given human medications,” Nancy said, her voice quiet and calm.

“I’m not a demon.”

“Hybrid,” she murmured and her gaze darted to Jana. “And you…?”

“I’m human. I’m his half-sister.” Said fast because she knew Nancy would be able to rustle up a demon who could check her out. A demon could look right through the veil of glamour and see another of his kind. If one took a good look at her … no sense pushing that. “I see.”

Jana knew exactly what the nurse meant. Nancy wasn’t interested in her.

“I have some friends.” Nancy turned her attention back to Zane. “They work with people like you. They can help you.”

“Bullshit. No one can help me. I’ve been trying for years, fighting this thing inside—”

Nancy’s eyes narrowed. “Does it tempt you, this beast inside?”

He didn’t speak.

“Does it call to you … taunt you with the power that it has?”

Jana didn’t roll her eyes, but it was a near thing.

“I know I can do any damn thing I want,” Zane’s voice rumbled, so dark, and Jana’s gaze darted to him. “If I let my control go, there’s no stopping me.”

Now that sounded so real. Maybe too real. Her tongue snaked over her bottom lip.

“Have you ever let go?” Nancy’s eyes were fixed on him.

A grim nod. “Once.”

Nancy leaned forward. “What happened?” Eagerness glittered in her gaze. Hungry vulture.

Zane straightened his shoulders. “I killed the bastard who claimed to be my father. I sent the demon back to hell.”

Well, damn. The man really was one class-A actor, and a pretty good writer, too, because that was just the kind of story Perseus would eat up.

Demon killer… destroying even your father because of what he was.

Nancy smiled. “Good for you,” she said. “Sometimes, there are some folks that just need to be put down.”

Sometimes. But those folks weren’t always demons. Humans could be just as evil.

Nancy’s gaze darted to Jana.

Jana swiped her hand over her cheeks, wiping away the tear drops that she still let fall. “It’s been so hard,” she whispered.

Nancy gave her an understanding smile, one oozing fake sympathy. “I’m sure it has. But everything will be changing for you now.” She turned toward the door.

“Where are you going?” Zane asked, taking a step forward.

“I need to call a friend. He can come and get you. He’ll make sure you’re safe for the night.”

Safe and snug inside Perseus. Just what Zane wanted. Hmmm … maybe they would be opening those doors wide open … making them welcoming for him. The guy had just played Nancy perfectly.

“I’m afraid you won’t be coming with him,” Nancy said, that stare once more landing on Jana’s face. “You understand, don’t you? Your brother needs to be around others who understand him.”

Yeah, this wasn’t part of the plan. Jana blinked and lifted her chin. “I understand him just fine.”

What? Was that pity filling Nancy’s eyes? The last thing she wanted was for that witch to pity her. “Your brother is special,” Nancy said. “My friends can help him, but if you come-you’ll just be in the way. They don’t have a place for someone like you.”

Because Nancy thought she was simply another human, one without special skills. If she’d been a paranormal, Nancy would be getting ready to send her off-either to use her or to kill her. But a straight human got a pass out of there.

Only she didn’t want that pass this time. She wanted to stay by Zane’s side. The guy might need her. No, he would need her.

“I’m going—”

“Home,” Zane said, interrupting her. He turned his head and his eyes met hers. “Go home and wait for me. I want- I want to see what these people have to say. If they can help me …”

Now he was kicking her to the curb, too.

But, wait, wasn’t that supposed to be what she’d wanted? She’d been trying to get away from him since the beginning, but now … Now she didn’t want to let him out of her sight. She didn’t trust Nancy. Didn’t trust anyone in Perseus. What if Zane wasn’t strong enough to bring them down?

“I’m coming with you.” Her fingers caught his and held tight. “We’re a team, remember?” He’d been watching her back. She’d watch his.

He glanced down at their fingers. Then slowly, carefully, he pulled away from her. “Not this time.”

Shit. The demon was cutting her loose.

This had not been part of the plan. They really should have talked more before storming into the hospital. Maybe agreed to, oh, she didn’t know—not desert each other.

Nancy opened the door, and the woman had a near-smirk on her face. “Your brother will be fine. Trust me, he’s in good hands.”

The hell he was. But the demon was the one calling the shots and if he wanted to go solo, if he wanted to risk his sexy neck, then who was she to make the idiot see reason?

She rose onto her toes and brushed her lips against his cheek. “Watch yourself,” she whispered. Then she pulled away. Her steps were slow as she made her way to the door. “You’ll… take care of him?” she asked Nancy, casting one last look back at Zane.

“You have my word,” the nurse assured her. Right. The woman’s word? That wasn’t worth the breath it took to speak.

Jana slipped into the white-tiled hallway. Her shoes squeaked on the floor. She could see her image staring back up at her from that gleaming tile.

Run… make a break for it. The demon had told her to go. She could wash her hands of him and break free now. Maybe he’d succeed and take down Perseus. Then she’d just have the FBI jerks on her trail, but she could shake them, no problem. Especially now that she knew they had such a hard-on for her. She’d be hyper-aware of them, and they would not catch her again.