Синтия Иден - Eternal Flame

So easier said than done . She climbed inside the car. The gearshift rammed into her knees, her ass shot into the air, but she-finally!-made it to the passenger seat.

He jumped in behind her and shut the door. The engine purred, and they shot away from the curb.

“You can’t do this,” she said and that was not fear tightening her gut. She wasn’t afraid. Nothing scared her, not anymore. She hadn’t been afraid since the day she’d learned how to fight her own monsters. “I didn’t do anything to you. You can’t—”

“You’ve got a bounty on your head, baby. A bounty I’m collecting.”

The guy didn’t even look at her as he threw that out.

Her eyes slit. “I’m betting the bounty on you was worth a hell of a lot more.” And she hadn’t taken it. Because she was the crazy one, obviously.

“Oh, and just what am I going for these days?” Not worry in that deep voice. Not even a hint of concern.

Jana sucked in a deep breath. Then another. Then she tried counting to ten. No, that didn’t work. She was still pissed. “Let me go,” she told him quietly. “If you don’t, it will be the worst mistake you ever make.” Probably the last, too.

Now he did glance at her, and his smile was icy. “No, trust me, it won’t be—”

Then a semi plowed into the side of his flashy little car. The world spun, glass crunched, and Jana screamed.

“Just cut off his damn hand.”

The words drifted through Zane’s mind, easing past the fog, just as he felt something sharp press against his wrist. Cut off his damn hand .

Oh, the hell, no . His eyelids flew up, and his eyes locked on the dumb punk who had a knife in his fist, a knife that was pressed against Zane’s flesh. “Don’t even think about it,” Zane growled.

The guy flinched, and his head flew up, revealing wide, bloodshot eyes.

“Do it, Ron!” The scream of someone who was gonna pay-the other idiot, the one who was holding Zane down on the hard pavement. No, the one who thought he was holding him down. Zane lunged up and sent the guy flying.

The man with the knife, Ron, scrambled back. “No, shit, we just want her.”

Her. Jana. Zane’s gaze cut to the left. She was beside him on the pavement. Since they were still bound by the cuffs, his move had jerked her up. But her eyes hadn’t opened, and she swayed, looking like a broken doll. She was pale, so pale. Her hair concealed half of her face, and her head tipped forward.

“Take off the cuffs, man,” their would-be knifer said. “Just take ‘em off and walk away.”

Zane blinked. “She’s my bounty.” Was this prick really trying to steal her from him?

A soft snick reached his ears. The other idiot was back. Only this time, he had a gun. One that was cocked and ready. His red hair stuck out from his head in thick patches, and his eyes, small and dark, were locked on Zane. “What she is,” the guy said, “is a nightmare you don’t want.”

A soft moan spilled past the nightmare’s lips.

“Aw, shit, man, she’s waking up,” Ron muttered.

“Hit her.” A fast order from the gunman.

Ron pulled his fist back and got ready to take that punch. The fuck no .

Zane let the beast out. One thought, just one … and he had the asshole with the knife flying back through the air and thudding into the redhead with the gun.

The gun fired, the bullet went wide, and Zane scooped up Jana. He held her cradled against his chest, barely feeling her weight.

They were still in the road. A deserted road at three a.m., and his car was a wreck near the broken light post. A trap . Two in one night?

But, no, this trap hadn’t been for him this time. For her.

“Jesus, he’s one of them!” the redhead yelled and that gun came up again. Zane pulled his power close, got ready to—

A line of fire flew at the gunman. He swore and stumbled back, dropping the gun.

“Run,” Jana whispered in his ear, and he realized the woman was awake-had been awake that whole time. So good at playing weak . Had she just been planning to lie there and let the jerks cut off his hand? Probably. That would have made it easier for her to get away.

“Run,” she said again, her voice stronger, her breath blowing lightly against his ear. “They’ll have backup soon…. Too many of them. They’ll take us….”

“I’d like to see them fucking try.” He tightened his hold on her as he stared at the wreckage of his car. His baby. Aw, hell. They would pay .

“They … have drugs.”

What?

“Not bullets in those guns. Run.”

Zane heard the snick of the gun’s trigger too late. He lunged to the side. A steel fist slammed into his upper arm, and Zane’s hold on Jana weakened.

“Dammit!” His head whipped back.

That bastard still held the gun—and he was getting ready to fire again.

Zane gathered his power and prepared to blast the asshole once again—but his knees gave way.

“No!” Jana hit the ground first, thudding hard against the pavement. He sagged behind her. But the woman moved fast. She jumped to her feet, wrenching him with the cuffs, and her flames raced for the two men.

An engine roared in the distance. Tires squealed.

“They’re coming.” No fear in her voice … but her voice- it sure sounded far away. Weird, when she was standing so close.

A thick heat began to spread through his blood even as a wave of nausea had Zane sucking in a deep breath.

“Get. Up.” She was yanking at him. Trying to pull him to his feet. “If you don’t move, they’ll get us both.” Her eyes were glinting in the night. “Get up.”

He looked at his left arm. Blood trickled from the hole in his shirt. Not bullets in those guns .

Drugs.

The beast inside began to claw and scream.

“Come on!” Her nails bit into his chest. “Don’t just stand there and let them take us!”

And he was standing. He’d made it back to his feet. The fire around them rose higher. Higher.

“Run with me,” she whispered.

With his body already feeling leaden, but his heart beating too fast, he did. Zane knew there wasn’t much time, not long at all depending on the drug they’d given him.

He could feel the darkness calling to him. The slide had already begun.

“Got to slow the other cars down …”

He saw her eyes narrow for an instant. Then an explosion rocked the night. A roar echoed and rolled down the street.

Zane managed to turn his head and, oh, hell … his car was in pieces, burning pieces, and the big rig was covered in flames, too.

But the flames were blocking the road, and two black SUVs were trapped behind the fire.

“Move that ass, Wynter!”

Her voice cut through the drone in his head, and he moved. One foot in front of the other. Move. Move .

Voices shouted behind them. Doors slammed. Hold it together. Get out of there. Hold it-

“Get on!” she yelled, pulling at the cuff.

He blinked. Jana was straddling a motorcycle. A motorcycle that she already had throttling. He climbed on behind her.

“You’re gonna have to stretch your arm,” she told him. “Stretch your right arm and wrap the left one around me so I can hold the handlebars.”

He stretched. His thighs pressed tight to her as he sealed his body to hers. His left arm throbbed, but he held her as close as he could.

A hot tension began to slip through his blood. A dull ache blossomed behind his eyes. And that darkness beckoned. So tempting .

“Hold on.” She gunned the bike. They bolted forward, streaking fast as another steel fist hit his back.