Eternal Flame (Night Watch 3)

The soft, sly tone in Pak’s voice immediately had Antonio stiffening.

“Seems that Special Agent Kelly Thomas has a personal grudge against Jana Carter.”

“Yeah, tell me something I don’t know.”

“Okay.” A brief pause. “She’s got that grudge because Jana killed her brother. Seems he was one of the scientists working at Perseus when Jana burned the lab in New Orleans.”

Oh, hell. “Was he undercover?” Because if Jana had killed an FBI agent, the woman was more screwed than he’d thought.

“That I don’t know.”

Of course. Things couldn’t be that easy.

“Dee’s checking that angle now. Once we know something, you’ll know.”

Dee? Dee Daniels was back working with Night Watch? If she was back in business, they could sure use her backup. Nothing like having an all-powerful vampire on your side when things got bad.

“I want this group taken down.” Intensity fueled Pak’s words. “We hunt the ones who are evil, who’ve crossed the line. We don’t destroy the innocent.”

Antonio exhaled. They just had to hurry and get to New Orleans. “Don’t worry, we’ll get them.”

“Just don’t let them get you.”

Zane held Jana during the van ride. He didn’t give the ass**le chameleon a choice. When he was close enough, Zane just grabbed her and held her tight.

The chameleon sneered at him, the right side of his face blistering even more.

Davey joined them in the back of the van. Three armed chameleons, the nurse, and Davey all sat in the back. What a fun group.

Jana’s breath rustled against Zane’s throat. She was alive. That was the only reason the chameleons were still living then.

His gaze tracked back to the burned chameleon. He stared at him, feeling the burn of his rage, and for the first time, Zane let his power surge straight into the mind of a human.

The chameleon’s face-except for that fiery cheek-went stark white. His eyes bulged even more and his breath wheezed out.

“Don’t.” The warning came from Davey. “Don’t even think about killing him.”

Because he could. It would be so easy. With a stray thought, he could kill the chameleon. He was strong enough. The idiots didn’t understand just who they had in their midst.

“Don’t want him to die,” Zane murmured. Not yet. “I just want him to suffer.” And he looked deeper into the man’s mind. Jeremy, that was his name.

A high-level demon could easily manage mind control over a human. Zane had never enjoyed the sport because he’d watched what his father had done with that particular power. Watched his mother be abused and tortured from the inside out.

He’d never thought he’d force his way inside a human’s mind, but …

But the bastard had been ready to pull that trigger. He’d wanted to pull it. Jeremy’s thoughts were right there for him to see and feel. Clear as day. The chameleon hated Jana. He’d wanted to put that bullet in her brain more than he’d wanted his next breath.

“You don’t like her because you’re afraid of the fire,” Zane whispered to the bastard. “But you don’t understand. That little kiss she gave you on the cheek is nothing compared to what I can do.” What I’m going to do. He blasted the last thought into Jeremy’s head.

Blood trickled from Jeremy’s nose.

“Get out of his head,” Davey ordered, grabbing Zane’s hand. “Get out or I’m taking her away from you.” Try.

The van braked. The door at the front squeaked open. Zane held his grip on Jeremy’s mind, just a little bit longer. “He doesn’t like you, kid,” he said to Davey. “He thinks demons are too high up on the food chain. At the first chance, he’ll stab you in the back or slit your throat.” It was true. Maybe Davey wasn’t strong enough to get inside the chameleon’s mind or maybe he’d just stayed out because they were both supposed to be on the same twisted side, but the chameleon planned to come gunning for Davey.

For every demon he could find.

“Bastards … killed my f-family….” More blood leaked from Jeremy’s nose. “D-deserve to …”

“Jeremy. “ Nancy jabbed a needle into his arm. Ah, Nancy and her needles. He’d have to watch out for her. Jeremy shuddered, then slumped to the side. The connection ended in an instant.

Davey shoved open the back doors of the van. “Let’s take the party inside.”

Moving carefully, keeping a tight hold on Jana, Zane climbed from the van. One glance and he knew they were outside the city. The swamp. The smell hit him even as the insects chirped, their calls filling the air. The thick, twisting trees of the swamp surrounded them. Two big, metal buildings stretched across the terrain, half hidden by trees and the fog.

“This way.” Davey turned and didn’t even glance back to see if Zane followed.

But with the goon squad behind him, all brandishing their weapons, it wasn’t like he had much of a choice. Well, he did, actually. He just wasn’t taking over this game until he saw all the players up close and real personal. Who waited in those buildings?

“We’ll send someone back for Jeremy.” Ah, so Nancy didn’t care about leaving her pit bull behind. Figured.

Zane tightened his hold on Jana and headed for the first building.

“You’re giving yourself away, you know.” Davey still wasn’t looking back, and his voice was whisper soft. Just for Zane’s ears. “When you show you care about something, someone, it can make you weak.”

“I’m not weak.”

Davey stopped in front of the building. Two guards were there, with guns holstered at their hips. Zane noticed the video cameras then. Set up for surveillance all around the perimeter.

“This used to be an army training area. For training Uncle Sam didn’t want the world to know about.” Davey tossed him a cold smile. “Perseus … inherited the facility when the U.S. government forgot about it.”

Bullshit.

They went inside the facility and headed down a long, winding hallway. More cameras. Motion sensors. Figured. Big Brother was definitely watching. After a while, they stopped in front of a shining black door.

“You’re gonna be given a chance in here.” Davey’s shoulders were tense as he stared at Zane. “I’d advise you not to blow it.” Then he knocked softly on the door.

A feminine voice told them to “Come in,” and Zane stepped into the spider’s web.