Eternal Flame (Night Watch 3)

Zane.”

Those were the last words he heard before his knees buckled and he fell onto the ground, pulling Jana down with him.

“We’re being hunted.” The voice drifted through the fog that surrounded him.

Zane tensed at that voice. One so important to him. She’s okay. If Jana was talking, then that meant she was all right.

He tried to open his eyes. Couldn’t.

She was all right, but what the hell was wrong with him?

“Who’s after you?” Another feminine voice, but sharper, harder.

“Someone from Perseus.” A pause, then Jana said, “At least, that’s what the witch said. I-I’m worried … have we heard from the cop, from Tony?”

Silence.

“He was outside that building. He would have seen whoever set the fire.” Jude’s voice now. “I saw him, before … He came to find me inside. I told him to—”

“To send me after Catalina,” Dee said. Yes, Dee. That sharp voice was hers.

Jude’s snarl hung in the air. “Tony wouldn’t have just left us to burn.”

Zane tried to open his eyes again. Nothing. He tried to lift his hands, but couldn’t move. What the f**k? What had the drug done to him?

“Pak’s got a search on for him,” Dee said. “For him and Agent Thomas.”

A soft sigh drifted in the air. “Tony was there the night Perseus went up in flames.” Jana’s words came slowly as if she hated to say, “Catalina said we were all marked for death. What if he’s been taken by Perseus?”

No. His hand jerked, hard, and Zane felt something snap.

“Okay,” Jude drawled the word. A long whistle filled the air. “Our demon just broke a steel restraint. I’d say he’s coming back to us.”

Soft fingers wrapped around his. “Zane?” Jana whispered. “You coming back?”

Open damn eyes, open. Because he needed to see her.

Jana.

Light filled his vision. Too bright. Then she was there, leaning over him, that dark curtain of hair surrounding her face, a blue-and-black bruise high on her forehead.

The other restraint broke as he shoved upright.

“Yeah, he noticed the bruise,” Dee murmured. “See, told you it was a good idea to station Simon outside.”

Simon. Dee’s lover. The vamp he remembered tackling Jana. His teeth snapped together.

“Are you really back this time?” she asked softly as her brows pulled together.

This time? Just what the hell had been going on?

He reached for her and skimmed the back of his hand down her cheek. “I’m back.” His voice grated, but she didn’t wince. Didn’t so much as look away from him.

“Good.” Her lips tried to curl, that dimple peeking at him, and she blinked quickly. For an instant, Zane could have sworn that he saw the glint of tears in Jana’s eyes.

She’d stayed with him. He remembered that. The blood-lust had burned inside, and she’d stayed. She’d let him—

Zane sucked in a sharp breath. “Baby …”

She leaned forward and kissed him. A soft, fast press of her lips. “You didn’t hurt me.”

“Hell, no,” Dee grumbled. “You didn’t hurt her. You weren’t even close to hurting her. It was anyone dumb enough to get between the two of you that you decided to hurt.”

That was damn good news. No, it was f**king fabulous news.

Jana tried to ease away. He caught the back of her head and pulled her close, and he kissed her the way he needed to. Deep and long, tasting and taking, and promising so much more to come.

“Aw, hell.” The frustrated sigh was pure Dee. “Can’t you get a room once we’re done figuring out who is trying to destroy you? You know, we’ve got the little matter of someone setting a fire to kill you, and your girlfriend.”

Slowly, Zane lifted his head. He could taste Jana on his lips now. Just what he wanted. “No one was trying to kill us with the fire.” He turned his head and saw Dee’s face tense.

“Then why—”

“Someone trapped us so Tony would be easy prey.” The knowledge pissed him off. “This guy is doing up-close and personal kills. Slicing throats, not burning prey.”

“Well, maybe he changed his M.O.” Jude crossed his arms over his chest. “Because that fire was damn wild. If you hadn’t calmed it down …”

He’d always had a way with the fire. Jana twined her fingers with his.

“We have to find Tony,” Dee said, voice fierce. “The guy’s pretty much freaking helpless. He’s just—”

“Human?” Jana finished quietly. Then she shook her head. “Just because we’re human, it doesn’t mean we’re helpless.”

“Oh, don’t worry, I wasn’t making that mistake about you.” Dee’s blond brows rose. “Not making that mistake at all.”

Zane frowned, struggling to shove the last of the fog from his mind. His temples throbbed as he demanded, “How much time has passed?”

Jude exhaled. “Too damn much.”

Fuck.

“You were out an hour. I tried to pick up Tony’s scent from the scene, but—” His shoulders lifted, then fell in a hard shrug. “It was like the guy had never been there.”

Someone strong was jerking them around. “The claw marks were like a wolf’s.” He spoke quietly as he pushed his way through all the evidence.

“But Marcus didn’t kill anyone!” Jana was adamant.

“No.” He kept his gaze on her. “And Beth wasn’t an Ignitor, not until the girl touched you.”

Her eyes widened, and he knew she understood where he was going.

“The person killing, he’s from Perseus,” Zane said.

“Or she is,” Dee added. Dee knew very well that women could be as dangerous-or more dangerous-than men.

“If Beth was using a psychic to transfer power from one person to another, hell, it stands to reason she would have done this switch more than once.” He pushed up from the table, and for an instant, darkness swirled around him. The echoes of fear and fury pumped in his blood.

Not. Again.

Jana’s hair brushed against his cheek as she steadied him. “It’s okay,” she whispered.

With her there, it was. Because she hadn’t turned from him. She’d stayed with him through hell.

She’d held the demon and loved him. His teeth clenched. He hoped the woman understood, she wasn’t getting away from him now. Not unless she really wanted to break him.