Defying the North Wind by Anna Hackett Read Free Book Online Page A

shoulder. “Go back to Lake Como, mio fratello . I’ll come as soon as I can. Thank you for your help.”
    Soren drew a shaky breath. “Don’t worry about me. Just fight your own battle.”
    Luca shook his head. “I’ve learned that I’m not alone.” His gaze stopped on Rayne. “Sometimes we need help.”
    Soren’s mouth opened. Closed.
    Rayne waited until the WindKeeper’s gray gaze moved to her. “I’ll talk with the other Aurae. Maybe someone can help you.”
    He gave her a tired nod. “Good hunting, Luca, Rayne.” He took one step and leaped off the building in a graceful dive. She watched as he dissolved into the wind.
    Luca was tense, staring after his brother. She wrapped her arms around him from behind and pressed her cheek to his back. “We’ll find a way to help him.”
    Luca put his hands over hers and nodded. “But first, we have to save Venice.”
    She stepped up beside him, focusing her gaze on the fighting crowd and the burning buildings.
    Luca pointed into the square. “Caecius is down there. Stirring up the violence.”
    “We should split up—”
    “Too dangerous.”
    “Luca.”
    His chin dropped to his chest and he released a long breath. “I know, I know, you can look after yourself.”
    She touched a hand to his strong jaw. “Trust me.”
    “I do.” He pressed a kiss to her lips. Then he scooped her into his arms.
    She slid an arm along his shoulders. Oh, yeah, she could get used to this.
    He leaped over the side of the building and landed below in a crouch.
    In the middle of an angry mob.
    ***
    Luca set Rayne on her feet and eyed the irate crowd.
    She pushed forward, thrusting two fighting men apart before ducking to avoid the punch of an enraged woman.
    The only thing on Rayne’s face was stubborn determination. No fear. No anxiety. She was doing a job, and as she’d told him, she could look after herself.
    Luca turned and forced his concentration to finding Caecius. Luca ran into a mob of men who were beating each other bloody and tossed several in different directions. The final ones turned and ran.
    Striding through the crowd, he searched for any sign of the Tempest Wind. With so many people in the campo, Luca couldn’t detect any individual scents. There was too much blood, too much sweat, fear and anger.
    He spied one man on the ground, sobbing into his hands. His face was covered in blood, his nose broken. In front of him lay the body of a woman, her eyes staring sightlessly skyward.
    Luca’s gut was heavy. This ended. Here and now.
    He called up the North Wind and sent it out over the crowd. He wanted it to watch over Rayne, but the downside was it left Luca susceptible to the aggression filling the square like a putrid cloud.
    His wind soaked it in and rage punched through his veins. Two men charged at him and this time, he welcomed the fight.
    He slammed one man into the crowd behind him. The other punched Luca, hitting him in the side of the head and snapping Luca’s head back.
    Gritting his teeth against the pain, Luca slammed a fist into the man’s gut. Once, twice, three times. Hurt him. Punish him. Let your anger free.
    Luca dragged the man high into the air. He wanted to keep hitting, keep punching, keep hurting.
    Chest heaving, Luca dropped the man.
    The crowd ahead parted and Caecius strode forward. “I thought I had you there for a second.”
    Luca dragged in some deep breaths and remained silent.
    Caecius cocked his head. “You’re more ruthless than your brothers. You’re stronger and don’t need help with your vice. You rule it, use it.”
    Luca felt the words slide in under his skin. He was strong. All his life he’d worked to control every aspect of his life.
    Caecius raised a brow. “Let’s see how much control you really have, WindKeeper.”
    As the Tempest Wind launched forward, Luca was already moving to meet him.
    They slammed together in a brutal collision. Luca reared back and kicked out. Caecius blocked him. They traded kicks, hits