Tempting the West Wind (The WindKeepers) Read online

  “It feels like a miracle,” she whispered.

  “I know you lost a child before—”

  She hugged him. “Yes. And I’ll always remember. But it’s time to move on, plan for the future. Us. Our child.” She pressed her face to his chest.

  A child. Their child. Made not in lust, but in something that would only grow deeper in time.

  She took a step backward and tugged him toward the bed. “I need you to love me. This time with no lust, no vices, no Corus. Just you and me.”

  Already Antonio felt his body tightening. It seemed he’d always want her. He followed her down on the bed, pushing away the sheet that covered her. “I like you only in silk sheets.”

  She laughed. “They’d never featured in my wardrobe before I met you.”

  This time he wanted to be careful with her. To show her the other side of lovemaking. He slid down beside her, shifting her until her spine rested against his chest. He pressed his mouth to her ear. “You are the most exquisite female I’ve ever known.”

  “Hmm, nice.” She pushed her bottom back against him. “Now say it in Italian.”

  Laughter rumbled out of his chest and for a second it startled him. Until now, sex had always been fast, intense, a rough, wild ride. This was something else.

  He ran his hands over her, whispering in Italian all the things he wanted to do to her. He shaped her breasts, slid a hand over her belly, then dipped his fingers between her legs. He found her wet and wanting. He loved her the way she wiggled against him, her breathy little noises.

  When he found the little nub at the juncture of her thighs, he pressed the pad of his thumb against it and worked her mercilessly.

  “Antonio, I want you inside me—”

  “Not yet, cara. Come for me first.”

  One more flick and she arched her back, her cries throaty as she thrashed about on the bed.

  He couldn’t hold back any longer. He ran one hand over the curve of her hip, nudged her forward a little and then sank his cock inside her warmth.

  They both froze. She was hot and tight around him and he wanted it to last forever. But then she pushed back, forcing the last inch of him inside her. He felt her rippling around him and his control shredded.

  He surged in and out of her, watching her lovely profile, and he knew if he could wake every morning seeing her face, make love to her, feel this shining seed of love between them growing, he’d be the luckiest man alive.

  Moments later he felt everything inside him tighten and knew he wasn’t going to last.

  He heard her come again and when her body clamped down on him, his own release tore through him like a hurricane. He cried out, his fingers digging into her hip.

  He curled around her, sliding his arm over her until his fingers rested at her waist. Their skin was slick, their breathing fast. He pressed a kiss to her shoulder and was rewarded with a tiny moan.

  “I want you to move in here,” he said.

  “Okay.”

  “Just like that?”

  She rolled over until they faced each other. Dio, he loved the way her cheeks were flushed from their loving.

  “Just like that. I’m going to get fat and I expect you to cook for me and give me foot rubs. You know, spoil me rotten.” She ran a finger down his nose. “And I expect you to fall one hundred percent in love with me.”

  The image of her round with his child was enough to make his limbs weak. “It’ll be my pleasure. I’m already falling hard and fast.”

  She pressed her lips to his. “I know. And we’re in this together. Always.”

  Antonio held Sophia—his temptation, his heart, his soul. With her by his side, he’d never be alone, never be a victim to his inner demons again.

  And he vowed that their child would never know the touch of the vices—only love.

  <<<<>>>>

  Coming Soon

  I hope you enjoyed reading Tempting the West Wind.

  Don’t miss out! To ensure you don’t miss the release of the next book in the WindKeepers series, Defying the North Wind sign up for my new release email at:

  www.annahackettbooks.com/newsletter/

  Share with a friend. This book is lendable through Amazon’s lending program, so please share.

  Check out the rest of the WindKeepers series:

  Book 1: Wind Kissed, Fire Bound

  Book 2: Taken by the South Wind

  Book 3: Tempting the West Wind

  Book 4: Defying the North Wind (out May 2014)

  Book 5: Claiming the East Wind (out May 2014)

  Exclusive excerpt: Turn the page for an excerpt from Defying the North Wind – Luca’s story.

  Excerpt from Defying the North Wind

  The WindKeepers: Book Four ~ by Anna Hackett

  “Everyone out.” Luca Aquilon Venti thrust his hand toward the door. “Now.”

  At his sharp command, the employees sitting around the large boardroom table either froze or shifted uneasily. Luca scowled. His people at the head office of Venti Enterprises Rome were used to his fierce temper and abrupt orders, but the employees at Venti Enterprises Venice were not.

  “Out.” He watched as looks of shock were quickly smothered. Folders were closers, papers shuffled, then they filed out.

  All except one.

  Steady, cool green eyes watched him. Her stylus was poised over her tablet. “Is there anything else you require today, Signor Venti?”

  Even his new personal assistant’s voice was cool with the faintest tinge of an English accent. His fingers curled. Damn, Pietro for falling ill. Luca didn’t want to break in a new personal assistant. Especially one who inflamed his already stretched temper. He had enough problems without also wanting to mess up her sleek swing of chin-length red hair. Or to get some sort of reaction out of her. Any reaction.

  He’d yelled at her plenty this week and she’d barely blinked.

  Si, something about Rayne Santini rubbed him the wrong way. Although during the last six weeks everything had rubbed him the wrong way.

  Rayne crossed her long legs, the movement catching Luca’s attention. Her gray suit was stylish but hardly provocative. Still, it fired something in his blood. Something he knew he didn’t have time for right now. He shoved his chair back and stood. He grabbed his jacket and shrugged into the tailored garment. “No. I’m going for a walk.”

  “As you wish.”

  Dio, that frosty tone grated. What would it take to see a bit of fire in this woman? He huffed out a breath. Not something he should be worrying about.

  He had bigger problems. Like tracking down the evil Keeper of the Northeast Wind. Damn it to hell, it had been over a month since the Venti Tempesta had escaped. Two of his brothers had succeeded in hunting and defeating their Tempest Winds.

  But Luca’s prey, Caecius, was cunning. He’d been lying very, very low like the snake he was.

  Luca realized his hands were clenched so tight his knuckles were hurting. He forced them to relax. “Get the Rossi report to me in the morning.” He stalked to the door, flexing his shoulders. He needed to feel the wind around him.

  He had to get out of the confines of the office and do something physical. Anything to shake off the nasty vice of anger that was eating him alive from the inside. Caecius reveled in the anger, and Luca battled every day not to become the violent, furious man he knew lived inside him.

  I will find you, Caecius. The Tempest Wind was here in Venice. Somewhere. He might be hidden but he was still stirring up anger in the locals. He was pushing tempers to breaking point, causing fights, brawls and domestic violence. Luca sensed the fury on the wind, scented it.

  His jaw clenched. Air. He needed some air.

  “Signor Venti?”

  He frowned. “I’ve told you to call me Luca.”

  She fell into step beside him, that green gaze on his face. “I asked if you wanted me to make the reservation at Da Fiore for the weekend…Signor Venti.”

  His eyes narrowed. If he didn’t know better
, he’d swear she was testing him…testing his patience.

  She raised a brow. “For you and Signorina Barzini.”

  Dio, he’d forgotten about the leggy model who’d refused to leave him alone at the last charity event he’d attended. “Call her and cancel. Send her flowers.”

  “Si.” That icy-cool tone again.

  For a second, Luca wanted to reach out and wrap a hand around her slim throat. Would he feel the tick of her pulse, hot and fast? Or would it be slow and even, unaffected by him?

  Air hissed through his teeth. It was his vice biting at him. He needed to focus on finding Caecius, not thinking about tangling with his new assistant. “I’ll be at my suite at the Hotel Venti San Marco, if you need me.”

  She gave him a brisk nod and turned.

  Instead of immediately leaving and heading into the street to search for the scent of his prey, he stayed there and watched the sway of Rayne’s hips as she walked away.

  Fuck. He forced himself to walk into the elevator. Moments later, he strode out of the building and onto the streets of Venice.

  He followed the well-worn paths, ducked through alleys, walked alongside the canals. He loved the never-ending whirl of Rome but he also liked Venice. She was like a capricious lady who kept you guessing. You could get lost in her twists and turns and always discover something new.

  He crossed the Ponte di Rialto, the oldest bridge spanning the Grand Canal. He wondered what it’s long-ago critics would think of it now—still standing after hundreds of years despite their predictions of ruin. He liked the idea that it had prevailed despite the odds.

  Vaporetto waterbuses and gondolas crossed under the bridge while wide-eyed tourists and tired-looking Venetians walked over the top. Luca paused at the peak and stared down at the busy waterway beneath. Night was falling, shrouding the city in a murky, mysterious haze.

  A cool natural breeze brushed over his face, ruffling his dark hair. Surreptitiously, he moved his hand, stirring the air.

  The North Wind responded.

  It was cold, carrying the chill of the northern countries with it. It brushed over him, cooling the anger that simmered under his skin like some warlock’s evil potion.

  But Luca knew very well that it could also drive him into an icy rage—one that could not be stopped.

  The taint of something fetid teased his senses.

  Caecius.

  Turning, Luca descended from the bridge and melted into the shadows of a back alley. He commanded his wind to seek out his foe. Show me his hiding place.

  The stench grew. Following the trail, Luca crossed a tiny bridge with wrought-iron railings. Now night held Venice in her silky grip and ornate lampposts lit his way. Here in the back alleys there were no tourists, no crowds.

  He turned a corner. Heard the thud of flesh on flesh.

  When he stepped into the small square, he saw two men pummeling each other without mercy. As Luca moved closer, he noticed three more men watching, cheering them on.

  A wall of aggression slammed into Luca and he staggered under the weight of it.

  His jaw tightened. This was not natural.

  “Stop it!” He stepped into the circle of light from a lamppost. “You don’t want to do this.”

  The two men fighting stopped. One’s white shirt was covered in a spray of blood from his broken nose. The other had a rapidly swelling eye.

  The spectators moved and as Luca watched, all five men circled him.

  Maldeizone. He flexed his hands. He was honest enough to admit that a part of him welcomed the fight. The other part of him knew it was dangerous for him to let his anger loose.

  It was like a beast, hungry to slip its leash.

  “We do want to do this,” one man said. He looked at his friends. “Don’t we, boys?”

  As they grumbled their responses, Luca slipped out of his jacket and tossed it over a nearby bench.

  The men charged.

  Luca thrust a fist into the face of the first man, then spun and caught the next in the stomach.

  Knuckles slammed into Luca’s kidneys and he grunted. He ducked under one man’s arm, dragging the man in front of him like a shield. One of his friend’s blows hit the man in the chest.

  Luca pushed him away and kicked out at the next attacker. But then a weight hit him from behind.

  He went down hard but he was already rolling, shoving his attacker off him. But two more were there, grabbing his arms, pinning him to the ground. A fist smashed into Luca’s face. Once. Twice. He tasted blood.

  The fire in his system ignited. Fight. Fight. Kill.

  He reared up and grabbed one man holding him. Using his superhuman strength, he tossed the man aside. The man crashed into a wall and slid to the ground.

  Another attacker hit at Luca. He slammed the 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. S
he 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.”

  Also by Anna Hackett

  The Anomaly Trilogy

  Time Thief

  Mind Raider

  Soul Stealer

  Salvation

  Anomaly Trilogy Boxed Set

  The Phoenix Adventures

  At Star’s End

  In the Devil’s Nebula (Coming Soon)

  Perma Series

  Winter Fusion

  The WindKeepers Series

  Wind Kissed, Fire Bound

  Taken by the South Wind

  Tempting the West Wind

  Defying the North Wind (Coming Soon)

  Claiming the East Wind (Coming Soon)

  Standalone Titles

  Savage Dragon

  Hunter’s Surrender

  One Night with the Wolf

  Anthologies

  A Galactic Holiday

  Moonlight (UK only)

  Vampire Hunter (UK only)

  For more information visit annahackettbooks.com

  About Anna

  I’m Anna Hackett and I write action romance stories to thrill you, excite you and leave you inspired. I write about people overcoming unbeatable odds and achieving seemingly impossible goals to inspire you with the truth that the possibility exists for all of us to do the same.

  I blame my parents for my insatiable need to mix action and romance. When I was young, I raided my mother’s romances and as soon as I could reach the shelf, my father’s action adventure thrillers. I love being exhilarated and left just a little breathless. I love car chases, explosions and spaceships…and of course when the boy wins the girl. Oh, and I’m a sucker for that moment when the team is walking in slow motion, shoulder-to-shoulder heading off into battle. After reading, watching or writing an awesome action romance story, I’m left energized and feeling like anything is possible. I aim to give the same to my readers.