Claiming the East Wind Read online

  Damn. If she’d gotten on a train, he’d lost her.

  Sure enough, the trail ended at one of the platforms. The light rail to Littleton had just left.

  He cursed, shoving the horologion in his jacket pocket. He yanked out his cellphone and barked orders to the men. A team would be waiting at the next stop, but he knew she wouldn’t be on the train.

  A fine job he was doing avenging his men. He ran a hand through his hair. It had lost its military precision, now more unkempt than anything. Just the way he felt most days.

  Something pinged along his senses.

  He stilled. His instincts had been forged in his intense SEAL training and honed in war. They’d saved his life too many times for him to ignore them.

  He turned slowly, careful to keep his shoulders slumped in failure.

  She stood beside a pillar on the adjacent platform. Straight. Still. Watching him. Somewhere during their chase, she’d ditched the wig and suit for well-worn jeans and a non-descript gray sweater.

  Sean really wished she looked evil. Like the thief who’d slaughtered his men. That thief had been a Taliban fighter, had looked like the enemy.

  This woman looked fragile. Medium height, compact frame, honey-blonde hair that was ruler straight. Eyes the color of the palest moss green.

  But she was tough. She’d evaded him for months.

  He strolled toward the entrance, hands in his pockets. He hated losing sight of her, but he couldn’t tip her off. The woman had sharper survival instincts than a wild animal.

  In the main part of the station, the large arched windows flooded the area with natural light. He sank onto one of the old wooden benches. And waited.

  It reminded him of all the missions where he’d hidden in shadows with his team. Lying in wait for their target.

  She was smart. She waited ten minutes before she walked off the platform, head down, drawing no attention. A hood was pulled over her hair.

  He bided his time until she was far enough ahead of him before he slipped into the flow of people.

  Stripping off his jacket, he tucked it under his arm. Now she’d only see a dark blue T-shirt if she looked back.

  He counted her steps, fighting the urge to spring at her.

  Wait. Wait. Wait. He couldn’t lose her again.

  She turned left on Wynkoop Street, headed deeper into the renovated warehouses of LoDo. At one of the brick buildings, she went in the front door.

  He grabbed the door before it clicked closed and eased inside. He paused in the entry, watching her.

  When she stopped to unlock a door farther down the hall, he moved fast.

  He grabbed her, yanking her back against him. He maneuvered them into the shadowed recess of the doorway, subduing her struggles.

  He pressed his lips to her ear. “Gotcha.”

  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

  Perma Series

  Winter Fusion

  The WindKeepers Series

  Wind Kissed, Fire Bound

  Taken by the South Wind

  Tempting the West Wind

  Defying the North Wind

  Claiming the East Wind

  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.

  Website and blog – www.annahackettbooks.com

  Twitter – @AnnaHackett

  Facebook – Facebook.com/AnnaHackettAuthor

  Goodreads – Goodreads.com/Anna_Hackett

  New Release Newsletter – annahackettbooks.com/newsletter/

  Go back to Contents

  Table of Contents

  What readers are saying about The WindKeepers

  Legend of the WindKeepers

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Coming Soon

  Excerpt from Time Thief

  Also by Anna Hackett

  About Anna