Rayne loved this. Flying through the air, being the wind itself, was exhilarating. Or maybe it had something to do with the sensation of being one with the Keeper of the North Wind. Something told her that she wouldn’t enjoy flying quite as much if she wasn’t with Luca.

She sensed Soren close by. His wind was hotter and laden with moisture, like it wanted to carry everything it could. It rippled over her senses—edgy, needy. He was close to succumbing to the greed.

Then she smelled something else.

Smoke.

Ahead, flames rose into the night sky.

They materialized on top of a building on the Campo San Polo. The second largest square in the city was filled with a volatile crowd. Some people fought hand-to-hand, others were throwing bottles, many were shouting. Several bodies littered the ground. At one end of the campo, polizia in riot gear engaged the crowd, lobbing tear gas.

Rayne’s heart gave a solid thump and she pressed a hand to the base of her throat. She’d seen violence up close, saw the horror of it reflected in Skye’s pale eyes every day. But Rayne had never seen anything like this.

“We have to help,” she choked out.

“We will.” Luca’s face was set like stone.

She knew he’d do everything he could to stop the chaos. If she’d learned nothing else about the man, it was that he’d die fighting Caecius if he had to.

When she’d first come to Venice, she’d believed Luca to be nothing more than the vice that simmered inside him. But he was so much more—a loving brother, a dedicated Warrior of the Wind, a passionate lover.

“I can’t stay, Luca.” Soren’s gray eyes were solemn, his veins stark under his skin. “I can hear Apeliotus’ ugly whispers. Promising me things.” Soren pressed a palm to the side of his head. “Things I want so much.”

Luca clasped his brother’s 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, then closed. His gray gaze moved to Rayne. “Take care of him.”

She nodded. “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, somewhere. 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 himself to focus on finding Caecius. He ran into a mob of men who were beating each other bloody. He chopped a hand to the back of one, sending him to his knees. He grabbed another and tossed him aside. A man charged at him with a wild cry, but Luca grabbed him, spun and threw him away. The final fighters turned and stumbled back into the crowd.

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, sweat, fear and anger.

He spied one man on the ground, sobbing into his hands. His face was covered in blood. 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. A part of him was worried about Rayne but he clenched his teeth and continued on.

But with every step, the aggression filling the square pushed in on him like a putrid cloud. His wind soaked with the rage and it 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 his elbow into the man’s gut and followed with a hard punch. 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. No. Fight it. Chest heaving, he 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, Warrior.”

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, and vicious punches.

Their winds rose up, swirling around them, like spectators egging on a fight. Luca didn’t hold anything back. He had to protect Rayne, Venice and her people, his brothers. It was his duty to use all his strength to end the Tempest Wind.

A brutal side kick sent Caecius stumbling back. Luca’s face was grim. You have him. Drive him down.

“I won’t stop until Venice is a bloodbath.” Caecius’ smile was nasty. “I love the color red.”

Luca advanced, power singing through him. He slammed a blow into Caecius’ face, causing the Tempest Wind to curl in on himself. Yes. Luca’s anger was alive, a writhing beast that wanted prey. He was stronger. He would win.

Caecius laughed, his teeth covered in blood. “I won’t kill your lovely Aurae though. I have special plans for her.”

The words enraged Luca. He kept punching Caecius and it felt so good.

The North Wind, charged with power, swirled into a funnel, creating a large tornado above them.

Caecius’ laughter rang out. “That’s it, Warrior. More, give me more.”

Luca let out a roar and lifted his fist, his knuckles torn and bloody. He was the Warrior of the North Wind. He was power. The wind tore at his hair, tossing it around his face.

He would end this, whatever the cost.

He slammed another blow into Caecius’ smiling face.

* * *

Rayne saw the slowly spinning funnel of wind rising high above the campo. Beautiful, deadly, and out-of-control.

Luca. She sprinted toward it. He was losing control. She leaped over fallen bodies and slammed through fighters. As she neared, she saw Luca and Caecius locked in a fierce fight. Luca had knocked the Tempest Wind down and was pummeling him.

Rayne didn’t pause. She continued her headlong rush and rammed into Luca’s back.

They sailed over Caecius and hit the ground. The impact forced the air out of her lungs. Luca flipped, baring his teeth like a wild animal, and raised his fist.

For the briefest second, dark memories of her stepfather filled her head. She tasted bile before she stomped those memories down. This was Luca, and she wasn’t a defenseless girl anymore. He needed her help.

She jammed her arm against his, then bucked up, knocking him off her. They rolled and Rayne ended up on top. She gripped his wrists and slammed them down. “Luca!”

His eyes were icy white, no hint of blue in them.

He shoved upward and she flew off him, landing in a sprawl on the ground. He stalked to her, fisted his hand in her shirt and dragged her to her feet. There was no recognition in his eyes.

“Luca, it’s Rayne. The rage is taking you over. Come back to me.”

“I am the Warrior of the North Wind.”

She leaned closer, her heart rapping hard against her ribs. “You’re also Luca. My Luca. Let me help you.”

She thought she saw a flicker of blue in his eyes, but then it was gone.

“I am a Warrior. I need no help.” He shoved her aside.

Oh, no, you don’t. She swung in front him and grabbed his face in her hands. She yanked him down and slammed her mouth against his.

He went still. His hands wrapped around her arms, his fingers flexing. She felt his lips move under hers.

Then she heard harsh laughter. “A powerful Warrior distracted by a simple woman. So sad to see power wasted.”

Luca ripped his mouth from hers. His cold gaze settled on the man watching them. Rayne turned her head and saw Caecius had a shit-eating grin on his face.

“The woman needs your protection, Warrior. She can hardly help you. Her power is minuscule compared to yours.”

Luca growled.

“You want to fight?” Caecius continued. “Then fight me. Don’t hide behind a woman.”

“Luca, don’t listen to him—”

Luca moved his arm and the North Wind whipped around them.

“Rayne.” The word sounded ripped from him.

“I’m here, Luca. Fight the anger.”

“You are anger, Warrior. If she stays near you, you’ll hurt her.” Ugly pleasure edged Caecius’ words.

“Shut the fuck up,” Rayne snapped.

“Almost…hurt you.”

She looked back at Luca, panic trickling into her veins. “I’m fine, we need—”

“I am the Warrior. I have to stop this.”

Her stomach clenched. “No, let me help—”

“I do not need your help.”

The wind arrowed right at Rayne, slamming into her with brutal force. She found herself skidding back across the square, like she was ice-skating. The wind stung her eyes and she swallowed a curse. She heard doors slam open and she tumbled into a building. It looked like some sort of office with a pretty lobby. The doors slammed closed, trapping her in the darkness.

Stupid man. She called Luca a few choice names for falling for the Tempest Wind’s taunts. She tried the heavy wooden doors, but they didn’t budge. The wind was holding them closed. She pummeled her fists against them.

Her eyes were dry but burning. No way she’d let the tears fall. He’d trapped her in here, sidelined her, just like her mother and the Aurae had all her life.

She tried the windows, but they had heavy shutters over them. There was no way out.

She’d bared her soul to Luca. He knew she needed to act, to fight, to help. And he’d fallen back on his arrogant, power-driven ways. Rayne dropped her forehead to the doors. Outside, she heard the shouts, screams, and fighting. And here she was, useless.

She’d believed she’d seen something in Luca Venti. Instead she’d been just as blind as when her stepfather had been hurting Skye. Just seeing what she wanted to see.

With a heavy heart, Rayne dropped to the floor. God, it felt like a lifetime since she’d exposed her true identity to him, and they’d embarked on this crazy mission. A lifetime since he’d made love to her.

She thought of the way he’d helped his injured staff at the hotel. The worry he felt for his brother. The horror in his face when he realized he’d bruised her. Her heart faltered.

His words in the bell tower echoed in her head.

“Dio, Rayne. I’ve never felt like this…so…”

“It’s okay, Luca. I know.”

“You said earlier that you didn’t want to be used by the Warriors. Didn’t want to be a warm body—”

“Luca—”

“Let me finish. You aren’t.”

He’d pushed her away to protect her. “You idiot, Venti!”

She rose and moved to the windows. She might not be able to open the doors, but her breeze was strong enough to get some damn shutters open. She called on her power and her skin started to glow. Her breeze rose up.

Luca Venti was getting her help whether he wanted it or not.