man to the ground and straddled him, slamming merciless fists into his face. The whisper of the wind dug into his brain. Embrace your anger .
Suddenly two other men yanked him off his victim. As they held him, the third man stepped into view, an evil grin on his face. He raised his hand and Luca saw the glint of brass on his knuckles.
The man thrust a fist into Luca’s stomach, the pain stealing his breath. More blows. His side. His ribs.
Pain roared through him, mixing with the anger.
The other two men stumbled into view. “We want a turn with the bastard.”
More brutal hits slammed into him. The arms holding him fell away and he dropped to the ground. His attackers started kicking.
He welcomed the pain. It fueled his anger but it also helped him control the rage.
The lamp nearby blinked off. The darkness left Luca blind for a second before his enhanced night vision kicked in. A movement to the left and suddenly one man flew through the air with a scream.
The others turned. One man moved into the darkness, fists raised. Then the sounds of fighting echoed through the square.
Ignoring the pain burning through his stomach and ribs, Luca pushed to his feet and punched the closest man. When he went down, Luca spun and dealt with the next one.
The last man backed away, then spun and ran.
Luca’s breath sawed in and out of his lungs. Pain was a fierce thing, a lot like the simmer of anger in his system.
He turned to the shadow standing in the darkness, just beyond his vision. “I guess I should thank you.”
His savior stepped forward.
Dark trousers slicked up long legs. A black tank showed off toned arms and dipped low enough to show a hint of high, firm breasts.
But when he looked at her face, all the churning emotion generated by the fight and his vice ignited to deadly rage. Like flame to oil.
“Rayne.”
***
The look in Luca’s eyes chilled Rayne’s blood.
The men had been dangerous but Luca Venti was far more deadly. Still, she wasn’t going to let an enraged WindKeeper intimidate her. She’d vowed a long time ago to never let violent men rule her life.
She strode forward. “What was your plan? Let them beat you to death?”
Luca moved so fast she didn’t see him. His hand gripped her arm, tugging her so close their noses bumped. She tried to pull back but he held her tight.
“Who the hell are you?”
“Rayne Santini. Your new assistant, remember?”
“Right. Because mixed martial arts is standard training at personal assistant school.” He pushed her backward until her back met brick. Then his big body pressed in close. “I want to know who you are. Did they send you to kill me?”
His mouth brushed her ear, his lips hot. She swallowed. She could smell him. Some expensive cologne and warm flesh.
An icy wind swept over them, sending goose bumps over her skin. She stared at his eyes. Usually a beautiful vivid blue, they’d paled. Like they were frosting over.
She wasn’t stupid enough to think he was cooling down.
Rayne gripped his wrist, and used all her strength to pry his hand off her arm. She called on her own power. It may not be what he wielded but she knew how to use it.
As the warm, flirty breeze twined with his wind, dancing around them, his eyes widened. “It’s not possible.” He stared at her. “You’re Aurae.”
Chapter Two
When Luca stepped back, Rayne finally let out the breath she’d been holding. Being that close to him was…disconcerting.
He ran a hand through his dark, curly hair. “Why didn’t you tell me? Why the deception?”
“I was sent to watch you.”
“Spy!” he spat out the word.
“To observe. The leader of the Aurae didn’t want us to get involved—”
Luca chopped a hand through the air. “Right. Much better to watch the world devolve into chaos as the Venti Tempesta spread pride, lust, anger and greed across the planet.”
“The last time the Aurae got involved with the Venti Tempesta , we were almost destroyed.”
Luca
Suddenly two other men yanked him off his victim. As they held him, the third man stepped into view, an evil grin on his face. He raised his hand and Luca saw the glint of brass on his knuckles.
The man thrust a fist into Luca’s stomach, the pain stealing his breath. More blows. His side. His ribs.
Pain roared through him, mixing with the anger.
The other two men stumbled into view. “We want a turn with the bastard.”
More brutal hits slammed into him. The arms holding him fell away and he dropped to the ground. His attackers started kicking.
He welcomed the pain. It fueled his anger but it also helped him control the rage.
The lamp nearby blinked off. The darkness left Luca blind for a second before his enhanced night vision kicked in. A movement to the left and suddenly one man flew through the air with a scream.
The others turned. One man moved into the darkness, fists raised. Then the sounds of fighting echoed through the square.
Ignoring the pain burning through his stomach and ribs, Luca pushed to his feet and punched the closest man. When he went down, Luca spun and dealt with the next one.
The last man backed away, then spun and ran.
Luca’s breath sawed in and out of his lungs. Pain was a fierce thing, a lot like the simmer of anger in his system.
He turned to the shadow standing in the darkness, just beyond his vision. “I guess I should thank you.”
His savior stepped forward.
Dark trousers slicked up long legs. A black tank showed off toned arms and dipped low enough to show a hint of high, firm breasts.
But when he looked at her face, all the churning emotion generated by the fight and his vice ignited to deadly rage. Like flame to oil.
“Rayne.”
***
The look in Luca’s eyes chilled Rayne’s blood.
The men had been dangerous but Luca Venti was far more deadly. Still, she wasn’t going to let an enraged WindKeeper intimidate her. She’d vowed a long time ago to never let violent men rule her life.
She strode forward. “What was your plan? Let them beat you to death?”
Luca moved so fast she didn’t see him. His hand gripped her arm, tugging her so close their noses bumped. She tried to pull back but he held her tight.
“Who the hell are you?”
“Rayne Santini. Your new assistant, remember?”
“Right. Because mixed martial arts is standard training at personal assistant school.” He pushed her backward until her back met brick. Then his big body pressed in close. “I want to know who you are. Did they send you to kill me?”
His mouth brushed her ear, his lips hot. She swallowed. She could smell him. Some expensive cologne and warm flesh.
An icy wind swept over them, sending goose bumps over her skin. She stared at his eyes. Usually a beautiful vivid blue, they’d paled. Like they were frosting over.
She wasn’t stupid enough to think he was cooling down.
Rayne gripped his wrist, and used all her strength to pry his hand off her arm. She called on her own power. It may not be what he wielded but she knew how to use it.
As the warm, flirty breeze twined with his wind, dancing around them, his eyes widened. “It’s not possible.” He stared at her. “You’re Aurae.”
Chapter Two
When Luca stepped back, Rayne finally let out the breath she’d been holding. Being that close to him was…disconcerting.
He ran a hand through his dark, curly hair. “Why didn’t you tell me? Why the deception?”
“I was sent to watch you.”
“Spy!” he spat out the word.
“To observe. The leader of the Aurae didn’t want us to get involved—”
Luca chopped a hand through the air. “Right. Much better to watch the world devolve into chaos as the Venti Tempesta spread pride, lust, anger and greed across the planet.”
“The last time the Aurae got involved with the Venti Tempesta , we were almost destroyed.”
Luca
Similar Books
