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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 as best she could. Jana tied her torn shirt together 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!” Jana cried. 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. Because we need to get the fuck 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?”
“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 and 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 rough 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.
