Page 24 (1/2)

Bullshit

"You don’t coet you exist"

Baring her teeth, Jana said, "Don’t know if I can make that promise"

"Well…" Beth’s head inclined toward her "Perhaps you and I can make a deal"

Nohat the hell was that about?

"I doubt that, lady" Jana’s arms crossed over her chest

"Mr Wynter?" Beth uards "I really must insist you leave with my men now"

He let a suns really wreck this lie of a friendly conversation" But he walked forward He’d co until he’d finished his lance back at Jana You okay? He let the question drift on the psychic link they’d ave the briefest of nods

"Of course, she’s okay," Beth said "I think you’ll soon realize that Jana is a lot stronger than she looks" Well, shit, Beth was psychic

"I’ve already realized it," he said, striding for the door and guarding his thoughts now "I think you’re the one in for the surprise"

When Zane left, the door shut behind hi of sound Jana didn’t move She kept her eyes on the woman she really wanted to rip apart, the only woent who’d lured her in The agent who’d stood there and watched while she was tortured The agent who’d turned Jana into a wanted woa now?" Jana asked She knew Beth was psychic They both were-that had been part of Beth’s Perseus recruitment spiel Come … be with others who are just like you You don’t have to be alone anyame" Beth’s heels tapped on the tile as she crossed toward her "I’ to show Mr Wynter that Perseus isn’t as evil as you think"

Jana laughed at that "That’s right You’re worse than I think"

Beth shook her head "Things were going so well I was pleased with your progress" She sighed "Then that shifter screwed things up for you"

"You ot screhen you wanteddetails

Beth’s eyes narrowed "He wasn’t innocent He’d killed a huirlfriend and half a dozen other girls Call me crazy, but I think that’s justifiable"

"You don’t understand" Her jaw clenched and Beth gritted out, "Once the wolves start killing, they can’t stop He’d crossed a line He was psychotic He’d attack again and again--"

"Then why didn’t he kill the girl in the alley? Huh? Why didn’t he kill ain "If we don’t stop the paranormals out there, they will take over our world Humans will be daht, and we’ll have nothing"

She’d heard that spiel before, too At one time, she’d believed it "They’re not all bad, Beth"

"They’re sure as shit not all good, Jana"

"No one’s all good" Not me Not you

Beth inclined her head The red on her cheek looked even angrier in the hard light "I know" A touch of sadness coated the words, but then she lifted her chin "I’ve been authorized to offer you a deal"

"Bullshit" Were they really back to this? Jana uncrossed her arms and let her hands slip to her sides "You’ve been authorized to kill h this act? I knew theatBeth to pick up on her plans

But Beth’s brows rose "Killing you was never the plan for me You’re a huht not like killing huot in her way, and she didn’t hesitate "Oh, right, your preferred method of attack with humans is to wreck their lives Make ‘e you back hoain she spoke with that wistfulness that could have been sadness "I liked you, Jana In so h--" aze raked her "There are tays this can work"

Jana stared at her and pictured darkness A wall of perfect black in her h to take Perseus down You don’t even have a clue of just hoerful we are You can try" Beth shrugged "But you’ll fail"

"You knohat? This polite bullshit is wearing thin Zane’s not here, so you don’t have to pretend you’re anything other than a cold-blooded killer--"

"Option two is that I take that fire away froot your attention, don’t I? You knoe can’t just let you loose out there, Jana If you’re not on our side, you’re too dangerous … as you are" Beth exhaled heavily "But with a few modifications, you wouldn’t be a threat anyular hu that protection bull, but … "You can stop the fire?" She had to ask

A slow nod Beth’s blond hair brushed against her fire-stained cheek "You can be normal, Jana It will only take a few moments Just a few Then you can walk out of here and have the life you’ve alanted"

The te erous with the fire" Her jaw hardened, stretching those scars "Without it, you’re no threat"

"But if I keep my fire …?"

Beth didn’t speak But then, Jana already knew the answer Keep it and die Because she wasn’t just going to have the chance to walk aith her power

"Don’t you want to be normal?" Beth inched closer "Don’t you want to knohat it’s like to have a fa on the outside?" Beth’s hand lifted The hand marked with the raised and red flesh reached toward Jana "I can give it to you I can give your life back to you"

"And what do you get?" Because she wasn’t a fool No ould Perseus toss her this shiny, tasty apple without having one big woret you off our asses"

If only it were that simple

"It is that si, and walk away"

Davey waited for hiuards lead Zane out, his lips tightened "I got hiuards didn’t ot him"

They shuffled back