Eternal Flame (8 page)

“He’ll get to deny helping us escape. He’ll have the bruise to prove he was hit. He’ll be clear….” Zane hurried away from the table, pulling her with him. “And, in a few minutes, so will we.”

His fingers curled around the doorknob.

She grabbed his shoulder. “This place will be crawling with cops! We won’t be able to just walk out, we can’t—”

“Tony sent ‘em away.”

“Why would he—”

“Look, baby,
trust me
on this, okay? Tony knows the deal around here. When he found out Harris was missing, he knew what was going down. Hell, why do you think he came close enough for me to hit?”

The cop had wanted them to escape? Since when did a cop want someone to break out?

“Not like it’s the first time we played this game. …” Zane inched open the door and gave a nod. “All right, we’re gonna have to move quickly. Don’t fight me. Whatever I do, just go with it, okay?”

She would have gone with just about anything right then. She nodded her head in agreement and then realized he couldn’t see the move. “Let’s get out of here.”

“On three…”

He began to softly whisper the count, and when he got to three, they ran into the hall, darting fast in a series of twists and turns. The place looked deserted, but she could hear voices, phones. She kept her head down and followed Zane, moving as quickly as she could.

Five more feet, and they were at a door with a red exit sign.
Go, go
. Footsteps tapped behind them.

Zane shoved open the door and yanked her across the threshold. The door shut with a clang behind them.

Jana’s head was pressed against Zane’s chest. She could hear the fierce pounding of his heart, racing so fast.

“Stay behind me,” he murmured, and then he pulled back. They eased down two flights of stairs, going deeper into the bowels of the precinct.

Minutes later, they came out in the garage. Squad cars were scattered around, waiting.

Time to steal another ride?

“Don’t even think about it,” Zane said. “The second we vanish in one of those, every cop in the area will be after us.”

“Then what are we going to do?” Someone would be raising the alarm any minute, she knew it, she knew—

“See that door? It leads to the alley. Come on, move that sweet ass, baby.”

She hauled ass.

A hard push from Zane, and the door flew open. They stumbled outside. She looked to the left, to the right, and—

“Damn, hoss, it took you long enough,” a deep voice rumbled and Jana froze. “I was starting to think I’d have to come in and haul your sorry hide out.”

Zane grunted and headed for the big, blond guy-the guy from Night Watch. The shifter who’d gone into the fire with them. The guy stood next to a green pickup truck, his arms crossed over his chest.

“It’s not as easy to slip out of a police station as it is to slip into one,” Zane said and opened the passenger side door.

Jana jumped in as the blond hurried around the truck and opened the driver’s side door. She had to ask, “How did you know we—”

“Tony called. He said you needed a ride.” The shifter fired up the engine. “Lucky for you, I was in the neighborhood.”

It’s not the first time we’ve played this game
. Huh. The cop really had been helping them.

Zane crowded in on the other side and she was squeezed between the two big, masculine frames. The blond hit the gas and the truck sped forward. “Got orders from Pak to take you to a safe house. He wants you to stay there until we can get this shit straightened out.”

“How many dead, Jude?” Zane demanded.

Jana licked her lips.

“Five total,” the guy-Jude-said. “You got the rest out.”

Five people. Why had they died? To teach her a lesson? Her hands fisted and her nails bit into her palms. She’d make sure the bastards paid for this.

“They knew we were coming, Jude,” Zane said and his arm rubbed against hers. Hell, his whole body rubbed against hers. That strong thigh was pressed to her leg.

“They probably tapped the line,” Jana forced herself to say what she suspected.

Jude grunted. “Maybe. Pak’s doing a housecleaning. There’s no way that fire should have started, not with our security systems in place.”

A housecleaning?

Jude turned a hard left, and the truck drove down a long, narrow road. “Lady, if you’re such a badass, why’d you go running
into
the fire?”

She lifted the cuffs. “I didn’t exactly have much choice.”

Zane’s finger touched the edge of her mouth, and she realized that the right side of her lip had hitched up.

Lie
.

She swallowed.

Zane edged closer to her. His breath feathered over her ear when he said, “As soon as I get you alone, you’re telling me everything.
Everything.”

But he wouldn’t want to hear her secrets, and she didn’t want to tell them. Sometimes, she liked to forget who she was, and what she’d done.

“They made it personal,” he said, the words dark and deadly and a shiver slipped over her. “They came after my people, and they’re damn well going to pay.”

She turned and met his stare. Black, not green. The demon was out to play. “I tell you, and then you let me go?”

He’d broken her out of jail. That had to mean something, didn’t it?

He held her stare. His expression never changed. “Of course.”

And this time, she was the one who knew:
lie
.

“
Where the hell are they?”

Antonio cracked open one eye at the screeching voice. He was flat on the floor, and his jaw ached like a bitch.

He’d also spent the last five minutes pretending to be out cold.
Like Zane could really take me with one punch
. The guy thought he had a fist of steel-not so much. Especially not since Zane had a tendency to pull his punches with friends.

Antonio let a moan break from his lips, and he made a show of pushing himself off the floor. “Wh-what…” He shook his head. “What happened?” Did he sound weak enough? Maybe.

He squinted and allowed his gaze to drift around the room. He saw the shoes first. Two-inch black heels. Long legs. His gaze rose. A woman stood in the doorway of the interrogation room. Her dark blond hair was pulled back at her nape. Her green eyes glittered-oh, yeah, a lot of rage there.

A man was behind her, tall, balding, and peering over her shoulder.

“Who are you?” Antonio asked as he rose to his feet. He shifted his jaw. Zane hadn’t pulled the punch
that
much. “What the-where the hell are the prisoners?”

The woman shook her head. “You expect me to believe this bull?”

He stumbled and his legs rammed into the thick table.

A badge was slapped onto the table. “FBI Special Agent Kelly Thomas.” Her red nails tapped the badge. “I’m here to pick up your prisoner, Jana Carter.” She paused a beat. “And you’d better tell me that Ms. Carter is just down the hall, getting fingerprinted.”

“I … don’t remember…. Something hit me….”

She swore and spun around, colliding with the guy. “They’re gone! Christ, we’ve got to call headquarters.”

The guy jerked out his phone and began punching numbers.

She tossed a hard glare back at Antonio. “Captain Young, you’ve made a serious mistake.” “Mistake? Lady, I was assaulted!”

Her lips curled in disgust. “You think I don’t know about you? You chose the wrong side.”

His shoulders straightened. “And what side would that be?”

She snatched back her badge. “The side with the freaks. You want to screw with them, that’s your mistake.” Screw with them?

“It’s a mistake that I’ll make sure you regret,” she promised.

He waited until the lady and her partner stormed out, then he took out his phone. Two seconds later, he’d connected to the most powerful man in Baton Rouge. “Hey, Pak. I got a name for you. Kelly Thomas.” He listened a moment and then said, “You were right, she came for the Ignitor.”

The FBI agent would realize soon enough … he never did a damn thing that he regretted. Could she say the same thing?

They were dropped off in the swamp and left at a cabin that lurked on the edge of darkness.
Another cabin
. Only this one looked much better than their last shelter.

“Your
place?” Zane asked Jude when he climbed out of the truck. “Does Erin know about this?” Jana followed him around the front of the truck. Who was Erin? Another hunter?

“Uh …” Jude blinked slowly. “Are you asking if the
assistant district attorney
knows that I just aided and abetted an escape from the Baton Rouge Police Department?”

“Yeah.”

Jude tossed him a set of keys. “Sure she does. The woman knows everything I do.”

Zane’s fingers curled around the keys. “Thanks, man.”

A wide smile, one that flashed with lots of sharp, white teeth, stretched Jude’s mouth. “Now we’re even, demon.”

Until next time.

“A motorcycle is around back,
with
helmets. If you two need to make a quick exit … well, just watch your asses.” “Will do.”

“Lay low, Zane. At least until we figure out who we’re up against.”

Jana felt Zane’s stare shift to her. “Don’t worry. We’ll be figuring out this game very soon.”

He thought she’d tell him. He wanted all the dirty little secrets, and he deserved to know.

She just … didn’t want him to know the truth. But, really, what was a little death between two friends? Not that they were actually friends….

The other hunter drove away. Dusk was coming, falling fast, and bringing a chill to the air. They went inside and, though the place was small, Jana was happy to see a
clean
bed. And food. Sweet, blessed food.

And … a bathroom. With a shower. Oh, heaven.

“I want to know about Project Perseus.”

Of course he did.

“Tell me who the big players are. Tell me what the hell they want.”

She didn’t want to talk then. It had truly been a pisser of a day. Jana began to strip.

Beside her, Zane stiffened. “Ah … what are you doing?”

He was a bright demon. Surely he could figure this out. She kicked off her shoes. Shoved off her socks. Then her fingers went to the buckle on her jeans.

“Jana!”

The jeans hit the floor. She kept her panties on, for now. Jana slanted him a fast look. “In case you haven’t noticed”—but she was sure he had—“I’m covered in ash, grime, blood, and who the hell knows what else. I’m showering.” She took a nice, slow breath. “And since you’re stuck to me, you’re coming in, too.” Zane. Hot water. Naked flesh.

Things were about to get wild.

Just what she wanted. What she needed.

No past. No secrets. Just them.

“Do me a favor?” she whispered and raised her brows. The cuffs would be a problem for her, but there was a way around them. All he had to do was … “Rip my shirt off?”

“W
hat?” The word broke from Zane, more a growl than anything else.

“Can’t really shower with it. Can’t get it off over the cuffs.” She shrugged and gave him a smile that sent all of his blood rushing down south. “Rip it for me?”

He swallowed and his gaze dropped to her panties. Black panties that were little more than a scrap of silk. “We don’t … have to do that.” The fingers of his right hand uncurled. Jude, bless him, curse him, had slipped him a key. “I’ve got your ticket to freedom, baby.”

Her eyes widened and a pleased smile blossomed on her lips. Damn. She was gorgeous when she smiled.

He lifted the cuffs. He shoved the key in, and the lock
snicked
as the cuffs sprang open.

Then they were free. The cuffs fell to the floor.

Jana stared up at him. Her legs were curvy, smooth, and he wanted to touch them. No, he wanted to spread them and drive fierce and hard inside.

He’d been chained to the woman for over twenty-four hours, and he’d been hard for her most of that time.

Focus
. There were questions that needed to be asked. Answers he had to get.

But Jana was lifting the edge of her shirt, revealing her midriff, and he wasn’t about to look away. He’d never pretended to be a saint, and he was horny as hell right then.

She tossed the shirt to the floor. Her bra matched the panties and the upper curves of her breasts thrust against the black material. The woman had
great
breasts. Round and firm. What color were her nipples? What would they taste like?

“You’re dirty, Zane.” He blinked. Ah …

“You might as well shower with me.” Then she turned away, her hips rolling in a tempting sway as she headed for the bathroom. As she walked, her hands lifted and she unhooked the bra. It fell in her wake. She glanced back at him. “No drugs are controlling you this time. You know what you’re doing now. So do I.”

At the bathroom door, she ditched her panties.

His breath hissed out, and his hands fisted.

A moment later, the water roared on. His eyes squeezed shut. She’d be sliding under that water soon, the liquid dripping down her body. Covering every inch of her pale flesh.

If he went in that bathroom, he’d take her. He’d drive into her until they both came, until the need that had been riding him finally eased.

Sex wasn’t part of the plan. Sex wasn’t—

Fuck it. His eyes flew open, and he bounded across the room in two seconds. He yanked off his shirt. Kicked off his shoes and socks. Lost his jeans …

He wrenched back the shower curtain and saw her. Wet hair. Water glistening on her face. On her body.

Pink nipples
. Like ripe cherries. He’d always liked cherries.

“What took you so long?” Jana whispered as she reached for him.

Her fingers were wet and warm. Her flesh so soft. He took her mouth, driving his tongue past her lips even as the water pounded down on him.

He’d wanted to fuck her from the first moment he saw her. They’d been surrounded by fire-and he’d
wanted her
.

Zane wasn’t used to denying himself pleasures. He’d tried to hold back with her, but it just wasn’t his way. Taking, that was him.

His fingers curved around her hips. She had a fantastic ass. An ass that had driven him crazy. But…

His tongue thrust against hers. Zane caught her gasp and he lifted her, easing her back against the tiled wall.

Her thighs parted. Smooth, pale thighs. Thighs that had hugged his hips on that motorcycle. They’d clung so well, and he’d wanted them wrapped around his waist as he thrust deep into her.

Not a safe woman to want. He
knew
that. But then, he wasn’t a safe guy.

His fingers slipped between her legs, and he found the hot core of her body. He eased one finger inside her.
Tight
. Sweet hell. She’d feel so damn good around his cock. He pushed another finger inside her, and she tensed.

His lips broke from hers. “Easy.”

Her eyes were wide, the pupils big, and red stained her cheeks. But she shook her head. “I don’t want easy.” Husky, sensual, like whispered sex.

She widened her stance, giving him better,
deeper
access. “Just because I’m human”-a light laugh—“I won’t break.”

Good to know.

Jana licked his neck, and then he felt the press of her teeth on his flesh.
Yes
. His cock jerked, and his fingers thrust harder into her sex.

Her breath panted out, and she arched against him. “More.”

He’d give her as much as she could handle.

“Zane!”

He shifted before her, curling over her, and he took one tight nipple into his mouth.
She tasted incredible
. Better than cherries. Much better. He sucked her, tonguing the nipple, and her sex squeezed his fingers.

Oh, yeah, this was going to be good.

Jana’s nails dug into his shoulders as he enjoyed her nipples. Sucking, licking, letting her feel the edge of
his
teeth.

Vampires weren’t the only ones who liked to bite.

There were no tender touches, no soft looks between them. The heat was too intense, and this-this was no sweet, romantic union.

Sex. Need. Lust.

He lifted her high against the wall. She wrapped her silky legs around him, and his cock pushed against the eager entrance of her sex.

Fuck-condom
.

Almost snarling, he jerked back.

“Zane?”

He picked her up in his arms and strode out of the bathroom. The woman didn’t weigh a damn thing. He lowered her onto the bed, admired the view of the pink flesh between her legs, and he yanked open the nightstand drawer.

Come on, Jude. Don’t let me-ah
. A box of condoms waited inside the drawer. Zane was back to owing the guy.

He snatched one out, ripped open the package and rolled the condom over his cock. Jana watched him with those wide eyes, her lips full and red.

Want them on me
.

Next time, he’d make sure he got her to use that sexy mouth on him.

But for now … His fingers curled around her thighs, and he spread her wider. With one hand, he guided his cock to her entrance. He stared down at her, saw the need and the driving lust in her eyes.

A match for me
.

He thrust into her, a long, hard plunge. Her moan filled his ears, and her legs locked tightly around him. Harder, deeper, he drove into her. Again and again. The mattress dipped beneath them, her nails raked his back, and the hunger spiraled higher, hotter.

His hand eased between their bodies. He found her clit and stroked that tight bud. Her head tipped back, those breasts begging for his mouth, and he leaned over her and licked her nipple even as he plunged into her.

Deep
.

Her sex squeezed him, so fucking tight. In. Out. In.

“Zane …” The whisper of his name. Her sex grew slicker around him as her body tensed. Her climax was close.

He wanted to feel her come.
Would
feel her.

His thumb pressed against her clit even as he thrust into her once more. She came, a hard ripple of pleasure around him, and her face went blank with pleasure.

Yes
. Her inner muscles squeezed his cock.

And his control broke. He shoved into her, as deep as he could go. Again and again. Her scent surrounded him. Her body was crushed beneath his, and her sex-so warm and wet and-he was fucking going out of his mind.

Good
.

Hell.
Better than good
.

His balls tightened. He slammed into her once more. Then he climaxed, shouting her name. Pleasure pounded through him, a release so intense his whole body shuddered.
Pretty damn perfect
. The heat seared him to the core.

She pretended to sleep. Jana lay in Zane’s arms, her eyes closed, her breath slow and easy, and she forced her body to stay relaxed.

He’d left her only long enough to shed the condom. He’d fed her. Brought her sandwiches from the kitchen. And now he held her.

She didn’t want to talk to him. Didn’t want to answer all the questions she knew he had.

What was the point of talking? Lies would do them no good.

Her body still ached, a good, delicious ache. Her sex shivered every few moments with little aftershocks of pleasure that hummed through her system.

The demon was good in bed. Not really surprising.

What was surprising … she wanted him again.
Now
.

It was dangerous to want something-or someone-too much. She knew that. Wanting could make you weak.

She’d wanted the sex. Wanted the blast of pleasure and the rush of release that would let her forget, even for a few moments, the life that was hers.

And she’d wanted
him
. Not some nameless stranger from a bar. A man who didn’t know how dangerous his lover was.
Zane
.

Because he knew what lurked inside of her.

But with the passion sated, he’d be back to business again. She wouldn’t tell him the truth. Couldn’t.

Her left arm was thrown out over the pillow. No more handcuffs.

Jana breathed slowly. Zane hadn’t moved in the last five minutes. His breathing was light, steady.
Just like mine
.

She risked lifting her lashes, just a crack. His eyes were closed. In sleep, his face was just as hard. Just as dangerous. No softening in slumber for him.

She couldn’t let herself forget what he was.
Demon
. One who’d come hunting for her. Sex wouldn’t change anything for him. When the time came, he’d still turn her over to Night Watch and he wouldn’t look back.

So she wouldn’t look back, either.

Slowly, carefully, she eased away from him and off the bed. He shifted a bit, his hand reaching out to follow her, and she froze.

His fingers curled around her pillow, and the frown that had appeared between his brows eased away. Jana started breathing again.

She scooped up her clothes, hopped over the handcuffs on the floor, and crept for the door. No need to waste time looking for the keys to the motorcycle. She’d hotwire the ride and be out of there in no time.

But at the door, she hesitated and glanced back at Zane. His tan body was surrounded by the stark white sheets. He looked sexy, rumpled.

She swallowed. Staying with him wasn’t an option. She knew that. Sex had been fun-okay a
lot
more than fun-but it couldn’t ever be more than a good time.

Bad things happened to people when they got too close to her. Most of ‘em couldn’t stand the heat.

Good-bye, Zane
. She couldn’t let him turn her in, and he would. Once he’d gotten the info he wanted about Project Perseus, he’d go back to collecting his bounty. And what would she do? Live the rest of her days in a cage?

No
.

Jana dressed and then slipped out of the cabin. No more looking back.

Zane waited until he heard the soft click of the door closing, then he let his eyes open. His hand smoothed over the sheets that were still warm from Jana’s body.

She hadn’t waited long to turn tail and run. Hot sex, slambam, then she’d been gone.

He’d expected her to run, but …

I’d hoped I was wrong
.

Innocent people didn’t run. He’d learned that lesson a long time ago.

Anger began to churn in his gut. The woman had thought he’d be blinded by the sex. That she’d just be able to slip right past him.

Think again
.

He rose from the bed and marched to the table. Jude had left a cell phone for him. He punched in the shifter’s number. Jude answered on the second ring, just as Zane heard the roar of a motorcycle’s engine flare to life outside.

At least she had a helmet this time.

“She’s on the move,” he said, running a hand down his face.

“We put a tag on the bike. We’ll be able to follow every move that she makes. Get dressed.”

Follow because the motorcycle had been a lure for Jana, and she’d taken the bait. No, she was the bait, and he hadn’t even realized what game Night Watch intended to play with her until he’d arrived at the cabin, and Jude had mentioned the motorcycle.

Why tell a bounty about an escape vehicle unless you
wanted
her to escape? And then, when Jude had tossed him the keys … one glance at the shifter’s blue stare and he’d known exactly what Pak wanted them to do.

Let her run
. Let her think she was safe. Then track her.

Because while Jana hadn’t started the fire at Night Watch, she
was
tied to those flames. The bastards who had set the fire were after her. If Jude and Zane watched her, if they followed her, they’d find the murdering assholes they wanted. Because those assholes would come after her again.

“Where are you?” he asked Jude, as he yanked open the door.

A green pickup shuddered to a stop right in front of the cabin. Zane lowered the phone. Of course, the shifter would have stayed close.

“Come on,” Jude yelled through his open window. “I’ve got the GPS linkup in the truck.”

Zane slammed the cabin’s door and hurried around the vehicle. He jumped inside, and seconds later, they were racing away from the swamp. He realized his knuckles ached because his hands were clenched so tightly.

“I didn’t expect her to run so fast,” Jude said as his gaze flickered to Zane.

“Neither did I.” And, yeah, stupidly, he’d actually hoped she wouldn’t run. He’d hoped Pak and Jude were wrong, that their plan wouldn’t work. He’d wanted to open his eyes and see Jana lying next to him, and he’d wanted her to tell him about Project Perseus. Wanted all her secrets.

Fucking delusional.

“You slept with her, didn’t you?”

His jaw clenched.

“Come on, hoss, you sleep with every attractive woman you meet.” Jude whistled as he turned the wheel to the left. “I just didn’t expect you to screw a killer.”

Zane’s eyes cut to Jude. ”
Watch it.”
His voice was lethal and the power within him built, shoving against the bonds of his control.

Jude’s gaze darted to him. “What? A friend can’t tell you that you’re fucking up? With her, you’re crossing the line.”