Eternal Flame (Night Watch #3)(77)
Author: Cynthia Eden

Those all-powerful, unbreakable cuffs fell to the floor. He pushed against her, his c**k still thick and swollen, and the move seemed almost helpless. More, please.

But then he pulled away, sliding out of her, and jumping to his feet. “Leave…” Still that gravel-rough voice. ”While you … can.” He yanked up his jeans.

Jana licked her lips. Tasted him. She swallowed and wondered what the hell she should do. What did a woman have to say to make a man understand she wasn’t the kind to wilt when things got tough?

Slowly, she rose to her feet. She took a few fast moments to dress, to adjust her clothes, and felt the aches and tingles in her body as she moved. Then she faced him with her legs braced apart and her chin up. “You’re not going to hurt me.”

But he shook his head. “Will…”

“No.” She was certain. “You’re stronger than whatever that agent pumped into you. You’re the strongest man I’ve ever met.” True.

“Not …man…”

He was right. So much more than just a man. “You’re not like your father.”

His teeth snapped together and the floor seemed to roll. Good thing she’d locked her knees. She’d figured that was coming. “You’re not your father, and I’m not your mother.”

“Weak … human.”

Yeah, he just had to throw that in her face, right?

“Zane, trust me. We can do this, together.”

He hesitated, his powerful body shaking, and in that instant, she really thought that she might be getting through to him. Breaking past the darkness and getting to the man.

Then she smelled the smoke.

Her eyes widened. “Zane …”

She saw his nostrils flare as he caught the scent and then he was running for the door. Just as he reached out to grab it, the door swung open. Jude was there, filling the doorway. His claws were out.

“No!” Don’t attack, don’t!

Zane’s fingers wrapped around the shifter’s throat. Jude’s claws pressed against Zane’s stomach. “Demon,” Jude growled, “you in control?”

Zane gave the barest of nods.

The claws dropped. “Good. Cause we need to get the f**k out of here.”

Zane didn’t free the shifter. Jana saw his fingers whiten as he tightened his hold. She sprang forward and caught Zane’s shoulder. “Let him go.”

Zane’s fingers fell away. Her breath heaved out. “What’s happening? What’s—”

“Fire.” Jude bit out the word even as he whirled away. “Coming fast. We need to get up a level and get out.”

She gave a quick nod, but he didn’t see it. The shifter was already racing away. No, he was shifting. Out in the hallway. She heard the crackle and hiss of the flames, but she also heard a roar. Like … a tiger’s roar.

She ran to the doorway. Jude was on all fours, with his head down. As she watched, fur exploded along his body. Bones snapped, popped. Elongated and reshaped. The man disappeared and a tiger-holy hell, one big white tiger-appeared in his place.

Another roar seemed to shake the building, then the tiger launched forward as its giant body soared through the air.

Jana sucked in a deep breath. Then one more. White tiger. She’d never seen a shift like that before. Sure, she’d heard about them, but she hadn’t actually seen someone transform. Oh, damn. Oh, shit.

“Fire’s… stronger….” Zane’s voice muttered in her ear. “Go…”

She didn’t need to be told twice. Jana ran after the tiger, with Zane at her side. They thundered up the stairs. Smoke billowed in the air, choking her, and stinging her eyes.

The stairwell exit door was broken and hung drunkenly open. Thanks, no doubt, to the tiger. They went through the doorway and seemed to step into hell. Fire-everywhere. Burning so bright and hot.

There was no way to get out. The flames were too strong. The exits were blocked. The windows covered by the flames. How? How had the blaze gotten so strong? Not a normal fire. No way. This one was definitely—

Zane shoved his hands forward, as if he were pushing against something. The flames rolled back, rolled, then sputtered, dying low before the windows. The tiger crouched, then leapt forward, easily breaking through the glass.

Jana ran after him, only to be pulled back by Zane. “Wait, what are you—”

He picked her up, tucked her head against his chest, and flew through the window. The glass had to cut him, but the guy didn’t even grunt, and he landed on his feet—on his feet. His knees barely buckled as they touched down outside. Then he was running away from the burning building with her held tight in his arms.

Her hands dug into him. “Zane … is … is anyone else inside?”

He froze.

Humans worked there. Sure, it was nearing three a.m., but someone should have been inside. Guards. Attendants. Someone.

And that fire was burning so hot now.

He put her on her feet. Spun back around. The tiger was pacing, growling.

“Where’s Tony?” she asked, coughing a bit to clear her lungs as she looked to the left, then the right. The lot was deserted. “And the agent, where is she?”

Were they in the building?

Zane sprinted forward. The tiger attacked. Its paws slammed into Zane’s chest, and he knocked Zane back.

Snarling, Zane leapt, his eyes on the building. Once more, that tiger came at him, swiping this time with his claws. A long, hard swipe that drew blood across Zane’s chest.

A hot wind blew against her face. The bees …

“ No!” She grabbed Zane. “He’s a shifter. He’d smell people if they were inside.” But Jude was doing everything he could to keep Zane out of that building. Because no one was inside? Because if Zane went back in, he wouldn’t be coming out?

Zane shook her off and lunged forward once more. He caught the tiger’s front paws, holding them tight, and didn’t even flinch under the cat’s great weight.

“What the hell?” A woman’s startled cry. “Zane, Jude, get away from there!”

Because they had gotten too close to the flames. The flames that had shot even higher, even brighter.

In the distance, a siren began to wail. Hell.

The woman rushed toward Zane and Jude. Wait, was she crazy? Was she really going to try and get between a demon and a tiger? The lady was small. Freaking tiny, with really bad hair. Blond, but cut oh-so-badly. And she was cursing. Swearing constantly under her breath.