Eternal Flame

by Cynthia Eden

  Okay, he felt warm, and she sure needed some warmth right then. After a charge, all of the heat left her body too fast. And it was cold out there in the swamp. The cold cut of air knifed right to the bone.

  Not saying a word, Zane lifted his foot and kicked the door. The lock snapped, the door flew open, and—

  And he pushed her inside.

  Darkness. Dust. That musty, closed-in smell that a place got after being sealed up for too long.

  She exhaled and tried not let her nose twitch. “I need to take a look at your wounds.” Not that it would do much good. The drugs would be in his system now. “I need—”

  “You.” Guttural. That rough word was the only warning she had. His hands caught her arms and he spun her around, pressing her back against the wooden wall of the cabin. He crowded her in and locked his hard, hot body against hers.

  The demon was aroused. His cock pushed against the front of his jeans. No mistaking that thick swell. Especially not when his lower body was crushed to hers.

  Her hand pushed against him. “Zane, you’re hurt. You’ve got to—”

  He jerked her cuffed hand up with his, forcing it above her head. Then his left hand caught hers and lifted it high. He pinned her to the wall. Her eyes had adjusted a bit to the interior of the cabin, and she could see him better now. The stark planes and angles of his face. His eyes …

  So dark.

  One of the good guys. He came into a burning building to save me, he’s not-

  His mouth crashed onto hers. He caught her gasp, and his tongue drove into her mouth.

  The kiss was too rough. His lips were too hard. Too demanding. He didn’t ask, didn’t seduce, he just took.

  His hips thrust against hers, that thick cock sliding against her, letting Jana know exactly what her demon wanted. Me.

  Her heart slammed into her chest. Her nipples were tight, too sensitive.

  And damn but that demon could work his tongue.

  No! This shouldn’t be happening, she knew it. Drugged. Hell. The guy probably didn’t even know what he was doing. Or who I am.

  She tore her mouth away from his, panting. She needed to—

  His mouth went to her throat. Licking, sucking, honing in on the spot that always made her knees go weak. Oh, hell, right there.

  She choked back a moan. He was warming her with his lips and his lust. Warming her, just when she’d started to grow cold from the after-effects of the charge.

  Part of her wanted to hold him tight. Wanted to dig her nails into his back and hold on for the wild ride that she knew would come. But …

  But the man had taken two tranqs, and she knew what the drugs could do-demons could be so weak.

  Her eyes squeezed shut. “Zane … this isn’t you.” Yeah, they’d kissed before, but that had been different. A skilled play of tongue and lips. Seduction. A tease.

  This was desperate. Wild. Rough.

  And, dammit, she liked it. Because the charge from the fire had burned off. The need that it left behind-always left behind-had her gut tightening. Adrenaline had filled her blood as she used her power, and without that rush, she was lost, shaken, needing.

  He freed her left wrist. His hand snaked between them and found her breast. Zane fondled her through her bra, and her nipple pebbled even more for him. Her sex creamed, and she couldn’t help it-she arched her hips against him.

  He wrenched open the top of her shirt, sending buttons flying. Then his hand slipped inside. Hot flesh, callused fingertips touched her. He yanked her bra out of the way and strummed her nipple.

  Her teeth clenched. Not right. He was drugged. This wasn’t… Jeez, that felt good. But… “Zane!” The word burst from her.

  His hand was sliding down her stomach, heading for the snap of her jeans.

  Heat rolled off his body. Delicious, wonderful heat. But his eyes were blank. His touch too fierce, and—

  Jana twisted and managed to break away from him. She took two stumbling steps, then the handcuffs yanked her back.

  Fuck.

  His left hand rose and curled around her throat. Her pulse raced against his fingers. Demons and drugs … everyone knew that was one screwed-up combination. So what, the tranqs had been some kind of sexual stimulant for him? Just great.

  She turned her head and met his stare. “You’re drugged, Zane. You don’t know what the hell you’re doing.” But it sure felt good.

  He blinked. Once. Twice. Real slow, and he almost looked like a robot she’d seen on a sci-fi show once, trying to process information.

  His gaze dropped to her shirt front, to the gaping neckline and the black bra that was all too visible. “I know exactly what I’m doing.” His voice came out deeper, rougher than ever before. Rough, but no emotion. Too flat. Not his voice.

  “Wh-what?” If… hurt… you … The guy had been trying to warn her before. Such a damn good-guy thing to do.

  “I’m fucking you.”

  Chapter 4

  Need ate at his gut. A white-hot, burning need that fired Zane’s body from the inside out. He could smell her. Jana. Her scent was all around him, the rich scent of her sex tormenting him.

  Take.

  His vision had narrowed to her. He could barely hear what she was saying because his heart drummed too loudly in his ears, the blood flowing too fast and hard.

  Take.

  She trembled in his grasp. Trembled. Small and weak. Ready for him. Her mouth … red and swollen. He’d kiss her. He’d touch her. He’d fuck her. He’d do anything he wanted.

  “I don’t want to hurt you,” she said, her eyes big and wide. “I know you said … but I don’t want to.”

  Hurt him? Nothing could hurt him. No one.

  “I don’t want to, but I will. And you’ll probably even thank me for this tomorrow.” Her chin tilted back. “Take your hand off me or—”

  He laughed at her. Laughed, picked her up, and tossed her onto the old bed in the corner. Dust billowed in the air.

  “I warned you,” she said, then bit her lip as fire crackled in the air. A hot, thick circle of orange flame.

  He waved his hand and the fire vanished.

  “Wh—” She shook her head, sending that black mane flying over her shoulders. Her eyes narrowed, and the fire flared again.

  With barely a thought, he put out the fire. The power of the demon burned wild and free in him, pulsing, just beneath the skin.

  His knees hit the mattress, and then he covered her body. “That the best you got?” Wouldn’t be good enough. Nothing would.

  A thick, choking darkness pressed against him, and she was the only damn light he could see. Her … and her flames. Already flickering again.

  His face hovered over hers. “You can’t hurt me.” His temples throbbed. And her smell… fucking driving me crazy. There was nothing like the scent of a woman’s arousal. And Jana was aroused. He smelled her cream, and he had felt the tight buds of her nipples. “Nothing can hurt me.”

  “Really? Sorry to do this but …” Then her knee drove into his groin. A vicious, fast drive that sent pain radiating through his body. “But our first time together isn’t going to be while you’re flying on tranqs.”

  Fuck. His hand locked around her hip. The light around her face began to fade, even as the flames flew higher, burned brighter. His fingers clamped onto her flesh.

  Burn, let the fucking fire burn, can’t touch me, can’t hurt me.

  “Zane?” A breath of sound, a gasp, lost. Her gaze caught his. There was fear in her eyes. Fear lurking in that river of blue. Afraid… of me. Monster.

  He had her on the bed. His body shoved hard against hers. What the hell was he doing?

  His back teeth clenched, and he fought through the waves of lust, through the darkness tangling his mind and the need that stole his breath.

  “Something’s wrong with you … your eyes. …”

  He squeezed his eyes shut and fought to pull back the beast. But he was slipping off the leash. Slipping. Her breath whispered
over his face.

  “It’s okay,” he lied, and he forced his hand off her hip. Her scent. “I’m in control now.” His fingers gripped the old, dirty covers. Ripped them. His lashes lifted, slowly. Her eyes were on him and she instantly trapped his gaze.

  Bed. Jana. Sweet flesh. Hot fire.

  “It’s okay,” he said again, growling the words and hoping like hell that he could stay in control. Focus.

  What was happening to him? His body was so tight. Ready to explode. And he wanted her more than he wanted breath. Wanted her, open and ready, with the heat blazing around them. No, from them.

  His head was going to explode. A hard, fierce pounding thundered at both temples, and a flicker of light danced in the air.

  “Jana, it’s going to be all … right.” Her breath sighed out.

  He could hold on to his control. He could keep the devil inside. He could—

  Jana shouted his name, and Zane blacked out.

  “Zane? Zane!”

  He’d crashed on top of her. His eyes had flickered in those last few moments, shooting back and forth from green to black, and she’d thought, really thought for a moment there, that he was coming back. Him, Zane, not the demon inside him.

  Then his eyes had flashed pitch black.

  And he’d slammed into her. No, onto her.

  She tried to suck in a deep breath. Tried and failed. Oh, the guy weighed a ton. Of course. And he had her smashed into the lumpy mattress. “Uh, Zane?” She tried tapping his shoulder.

  Nothing.

  His head was nestled in the crook of her neck. He breathed softly now, the light puffs of air sending a shiver over her each time they touched her sensitive flesh.

  Alive, just passed out.

  She shifted a bit as she tried to maneuver from underneath him, but the guy was pure muscle. Thick muscle.

  Her breath rasped out, and she stared up at the ceiling. “Great. Just great.”

  Trapped beneath a demon. Talk about one hell of an ending to her already screwed-up night.

  Antonio stared at the fax he’d just received. The woman in the grainy photo didn’t look particularly dangerous. Delicate features, wide eyes. Sexy mouth.

  But if he’d learned anything in this business … well, it was that the surface lied.

  “Put out an APB for Jana Carter,” he told Officer Penton. The fresh-faced kid stood next to him, watching with narrowed eyes and nervous hands. “This woman is wanted in connection with a series of arsons in New Orleans,” and probably a few in Baton Rouge. “We’ve got intel to suggest that she’s in the area.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Tell the cops out there to be careful. This one is extremely dangerous.”

  “She’s armed?”

  Didn’t have to be armed to be dangerous. “Yes,” he lied. He seemed to spend most of his days lying. “She’s not to be approached. If she’s spotted, I want to be contacted ASAP.” He held Penton’s stare, driving the point home. “No one is to approach or try to apprehend her without me.” Because if the cops went up against someone like her—

  He’d be cleaning up the ashes.

  Penton nodded quickly and hurried off to spread the news. Antonio looked down at his watch. Almost noon. It had sure taken Pak a long time to play ball and send that fax. The guy must have been holding out, hoping for word from Zane. Word that hadn’t come.

  Where was the demon? Was he alive? No bodies had been found in the Corvette, but that didn’t mean Zane was still breathing. Not with an Ignitor out there. If she’d been letting her fire free, the poor bastard could be surrounded by the flames.

  Zane awoke to find himself surrounded. Soft, silken flesh cradled him. A sweet, feminine scent flooded his nostrils. When he opened his eyes, he found himself staring at Jana’s sleeping face.

  What the hell?

  Her eyes were closed, and her lashes cast dark shadows on her cheeks. Her skin looked even paler today, and he noticed a small, dark mole near the corner of her left eye. Her hair spread on the old pillow behind her, a tangled darkness.

  Carefully, slowly, he eased up. Her body was wrapped around his, not under it. One of her arms was around him, while one of his held her waist. Her leg was between his, and her head tilted close to his.

  And her shirt was open, revealing black lace and the upper curves of her round breasts. A line of red scratches marred her smooth flesh.

  He sucked in a sharp breath and wondered what was going on. Had he done that? Had he hurt—

  “Are you with me?” she asked, her voice a husky whisper.

  Hell, yeah. He cleared his throat. How had they gotten in bed? Just what had they done? Her jeans were still on, so were his, so … no sex.

  That was a good thing, right? His temples ached like a bitch, and he swallowed, tasting copper on his tongue.

  Jana’s lashes lifted, nice and slow, revealing those sexy eyes. Sleepy and dark blue. “Do you even know who I am?”

  He licked dry lips. “Trust me, baby, you’re pretty unforgettable.”

  Her gaze searched his. “Then what’s my name?”

  He let his brows rise as he studied her. “You mean the name you seem to be using again this time? It’s Jana. Jana

  Carter.”

  She exhaled.

  “Now, Jana, why don’t you tell me just what happened.” And why we’re in bed together. Sure, he’d thought about fucking her, but then he’d found out about her little tendency to burn on contact.

  “What do you remember?”

  “A big rig slamming into us.” My car. Someone would pay. “Some assholes shooting….” He frowned, struggling to recall and shove past the thick fog in his mind. “I got hit.”

  “You were hit twice.” She eased her arm away from him and tried to slide her leg from between his thighs.

  A bright, hard, painful memory flashed through his mind.

  “Ah, remember that, do you?” She stilled, and her lips quirked just a bit. Not enough to make her dimple flash.

  Images flew through his mind. Jana-her mouth red and open. Pinned against the wall. Her arms over her head. Her breath panting out.

  Her shirt open, gaping, his hands on her flesh. Tight nipples. Pebble hard. He’d want to taste her.

  Fire. Surrounding him.

  Jana … on the bed.

  “I don’t want to hurt you.” The memory of her words filled his mind.

  He jumped from the bed, moving fast, only to have her yell as she tumbled after him.

  The cuffs.

  He froze, staring at her wrist. Still bound. He took a breath and tasted her. “What did I do?”

  She blinked and seemed to see him. “Ah. Guess you are back now.” Jana pushed herself up, stretching a bit, and the few remaining buttons on her top strained with the movement. He leaned forward, trying to give her more room to move. Where were the cuff keys? His left hand dove into his pockets. Nothing. Figured.

  Jana just sat there, staring up at him, with no expression on her pretty face.

  How was she so calm? “What did I do to you?” He remembered need. A white-hot lust that had thundered through his body and driven all sanity from his mind. Take. The hunger had been too much. He’d wanted her. Planned to have her, then-He swallowed. “Did I hurt you?” No, please, shit, he didn’t want to-

  She laughed at that. A light, quick chuckle, and she swung her legs over the side of the bed. “I’m not easy to hurt.”

  Lie. She was human. Human with some strong psychic powers, but human nonetheless. “I shouldn’t have-I don’t know why I—”

  Jana rolled her eyes. “You were drugged, dude. You took two hits of the tranq. You got handsy, and then you collapsed, that’s all.”

  All? His back teeth were clenched so hard his jaw ached. “I don’t … do particularly well with drugs.”

  “What demon does?”

  So she knew.

  But she wouldn’t realize just how dangerous he could be when the drugs were in his system. She didn’t understand jus
t how lucky she was to still be breathing.

  He stiffened his shoulders. “I’m sorry.” The words were stark. “I shouldn’t have touched you.” He sucked in a quick breath and just caught more of her scent.

  Her head cocked toward him.

  “Whatever I did to you”-he held her stare, because the shame was his—“I’m sorry.”

  Her face softened, just for a moment, and he heard her mutter something that sounded like, “Being a good guy again …", but then she rose and turned her back on him.

  His lips pressed together.

  “You stopped.” She glanced back over her shoulder. “Yeah, the drug had you wired for a bit, but you pulled back. You got your control.” A little shrug. “But then you passed out before you could get off the bed.”

  The drumming of his heart echoed in his ears. “You’re telling the truth?”

  Now she did smile. A big, wide grin that, oh, hell, flashed the dimple in her cheek. “Would I lie?”

  Yes. “What about the marks on your chest?”

  She glanced down at herself, and the smile faded. “These aren’t from you. They’re courtesy of the vampire who caught me in the alley.”

  The one she’d torched. The bastard had attacked her.

  “I’ve seen other demons on the drug.” Her voice pulled his eyes back to her face. A flicker of sadness appeared in her gaze. “Even with one dose, they don’t know what the hell is going on.” A considering pause as her stare measured him. “You must be pretty strong.”

  He wasn’t going to touch that one.

  But she, apparently, was. Jana faced him fully, one brow up. “What are you on the power scale? An eight? Maybe pushing nine?”

  The demon power scale. A scale that ran from one to ten. One being the low end, the demons who barely had any power above a human’s latent psychic talents. And ten being the demons who could bring hell to earth.

  “I’m strong enough,” was all he said.

  “Hmmm.” She lifted her wrist, raising the cuffs and his hand. “Then get these things off, demon. Get them off, and we can just walk away from all this.”

  If only. “A witch I know put an enchantment on ‘em.” Standard protocol for Night Watch containment gear and weaponry. A little bonus Pak had always insisted on throwing in. “I can’t break them.” She deserved the full truth. “And even if I could, I couldn’t let you walk away.”