Zane knew how to take down Ignitors. He didn’t let their humanity stop him. He killed them, end of story.
Or, that had been the end, until Jana Carter came along.
Back in New Orleans, she’d seen the way Zane’s face hardened when he talked about her. Seen the slight widening of his nostrils, the lock of his fists. He’d been worried about the woman. Worried about a cold-blooded killer.
Men always let their dicks confuse them. Give ‘em a good ride, and they’d forget every moral they’d ever had.
Looked like the hunter had fallen for his prey. Pity. Would he wise up in time? Would he realize she was just using him? Probably not. Most men were too stupid to see what was right in front of them.
Brent hadn’t been like that. He’d been a nice guy, sweet, always ready to lend a hand, and always happy to make room for a stepsister who hadn’t felt like she ever really belonged anywhere.
He’d been there for her, the first person in her whole life who cared, and now, she’d be there for him in death. She wasn’t letting his killer walk away. No way did she buy that bullshit story about Beth Parker being an Ignitor. The FBI had a file on Parker. The woman was a psychic, one who’d worked with Perseus for too many years, but she wasn’t an Ignitor.
Hell, she’d even gotten that info backed up by a demon who’d escaped the fires at Perseus. The guy had found Kelly at her cheap hotel room. He’d been trembling, scared, and he’d told her that she needed to keep watching Jana.
Jana. That woman was the killer. Jana was the one who would pay for her crime. And Jana was the one she would catch.
Her eyes never left that darkened house. Zane was the key. He wasn’t just going to let Jana walk away; she’d seen that in his eyes, too. He wouldn’t stop until he’d found his little firestarter.
No sense racing against him and trying to find Jana first. No sense in that at all.
She just needed to step back and watch him. Sooner or later-and Kelly was betting on the sooner part-Zane would lead her right to Jana.
Her gun was a solid weight in her holster. When she found the Ignitor, she wouldn’t shoot tranquilizers at her anymore. Time for this hunt to end.
Time for Brent’s justice.
Jana’s heartbeat shook her chest. Her body still trembled with aftershocks of pleasure and Zane-he was all over her. Covering her, still in her.
She never wanted him to move.
Biting her lip, Jana let her hands curl over his shoulders. She’d been afraid to come to his place. Not sure if he’d want to see her, but also sure that she couldn’t just walk away from him. She’d walked away from everything and everyone else in her life, but she hadn’t been able to turn away from him.
Zane’s dark head lifted and she wished that she could see him as well in the dark as he seemed to see her.
“You’re crying,” he told her and, shocked, she realized he was right.
His fingers smoothed over her cheeks and he brushed the tear drops away.
She swallowed. “I don’t want to …” Run anymore. Spend my days looking over my shoulder, always wondering when the cops will come. “I know I’m on the extermination list, and I shouldn’t be here—”
“I’m getting your name off the list.”
A shocked laugh broke from her lips. “Sure you are.” His fingers were warm and a little rough on her skin. But then, her demon was a little rough. “Even you don’t have that kind of power, Zane.” That meant she wouldn’t have much time with him, but she’d take what she could get.
“Is that why you left me in that swamp? You were afraid of being taken in?”
She smiled and knew that it would be twisted with sadness. “I’m a wanted woman.” A woman who’d finally found something she wanted. “Me and the cops don’t mix so well.” Never had.
He stared down at her, saying nothing. Then, he pulled away from her. His flesh slid slowly out of her body, and she ached at the loss.
He rose and disappeared into the bathroom. A few moments later, he came back. He stood next to the bed, staring down at her. Jana gazed back at him, seeing a dark, looming shadow and feeling … vulnerable with her jeans gone, just clad in the bra. She reached for the covers and yanked them over her body.
“Why did you come to me?” he demanded in a voice gravel rough.
Ah, the million-dollar question. Because I wanted you. Because I knew you’d keep me safe. Because you’re the most dangerous badass demon I know and I need you. Because…
No, no, she wouldn’t even go there in her own thoughts. She sat up and tugged the covers with her. “You and I had an agreement.”
He waited, a dark shadow.
“Something … something happened to me in that swamp.” Said in a rush.
His fingers brushed her cheek and, slowly, his hand slipped down to her neck, to the skin that still ached. In the light, she had a lovely yellow-and-black bruise. She wasn’t sure how strong his vision was, and she hoped he couldn’t see it, or the tremble that slipped over her at his touch.
“I should have staked that bastard.”
She swallowed and remembered the raw flash of fear that had pierced her when the vamp had locked his teeth on her. She hadn’t been helpless in so long, but in that moment …
“I didn’t expect him to attack.” That had been her mistake. Any vamp was a dangerous vamp-she knew that. But in the flames and the fury and her fear for Zane, she’d forgotten.
“Catalina.“
Jana blinked.
“The witch told me to save him … and that shifter.”
Jana stiffened a bit. “She’s the friend you had inside Perseus.” That made her worried. Very, very worried.
“She wasn’t there by choice. They were binding her.”
Her breath left in a rush. She’d heard of witches being bound before. Their powers were slowly stolen from them. Three binding marks … then a witch was helpless. Almost … human.
Join the club.
“You seemed close.” Okay, crap, she couldn’t keep the jealousy out of her voice. “We were.”
Were was nice and past tense, but it also sure implied that a whole lot could have gone on between him and the witch. “You went back in to save her.” That point had stuck with her. He’d braved the fire for the witch.
“Catalina almost burned once before.”
Something clicked then. “The other Ignitor …” The one he’d killed. “Did she…?”
“She started the fire that went after Cat, yeah.”
He’d killed to protect the witch. Then he’d been willing to fight the flames for her again in that swamp. Jealousy tasted like acid on her tongue.
“I went back for her.” He paused. “And you came back for me.”
Jana licked her lips, and her fingers curled tighter around the covers. “I-I had to make certain you were okay.” Sure, the big bad demon could probably handle anything, but she hadn’t planned to walk away and leave him in the fire.
“Why didn’t you tell me that Beth was an Ignitor?”
Her heart slammed into her ribs. “She wasn’t—”
“The cops are pinning the other arsons on her.” His words cut through her soft whisper. “Beth was spotted at the scenes of the other fires. She’s the one who’s going down for them, not you.”
She shook her head and tried real hard to suck in air. “But she wasn’t—”
“Pak has some Other friends in Louisiana. When Catalina and I told them that Beth was an Ignitor-we saw her eyes and that fire-they put the pieces together. You’re clear, Jana. You don’t have to run from the cops anymore.”