Chapter Nine
Lorenzo pushed everything he had into his wind. He had to stop the tempest. He had to save all those innocent people.
“Lorenzo, stop!”
Fingers digging into his arm. A familiar female voice.
He blinked. Riley.
“Forget the Tempest Winds,” Luca shouted at his brothers. “We all have to work together to stop the tempest heading for the village.”
Lorenzo’s brothers surrounded him, and Riley pressed close to his side. He and his brothers lifted their arms.
Their combined power swirled together and hit the tornado. The wild column wobbled and then was swept off its path and down to the beach. It hit the water, churning and wild. A huge wave rose up and crashed back to the shore spraying them all with water.
Suddenly, there was quiet. Looking up, Lorenzo saw the black clouds dissipating and a streak of sunshine peeking through.
Riley swung around to face him, her soaked hair was plastered to her head. “Are you okay?”
He nodded and checked her over. “You?” It would be a long time before he stopped seeing her lying motionless on the grass, not breathing.
Then she stiffened and looked over her shoulder. “They’re gone.”
He followed her gaze. The Tempest Winds were gone. He looked to the sky. “There.” He pointed to the north.
A stream of darkness marred the sky, like a cloud of dark insects.
“We’ll go after them,” Luca said. “We’ll hunt them down.”
Lorenzo closed his eyes. He’d failed. He’d let them escape.
Luca clamped a hand on his shoulder. “They were too strong, mio fratello. Stromboli gave them too much power.”
He nodded but he knew the situation was grim. “Something’s different this time, Luca. They’re more cunning, they’re thinking, planning.”
“They will split up,” Luca said. “They always do. They’ll be less powerful alone and easier for us to catch.”
“They mentioned the Aurae,” Lorenzo said. Their mother had been Aurae, but she’d gotten sick when they were all young and died. Their father had still grieved for her before his own death.
Luca nodded, his jaw tightening. “I have had people searching…we’ve had no contact with any Aurae for almost thirty years.”
Dread trickled into Lorenzo. Since their mother had died.
“So they’ve died out?” Dante asked.
“I don’t know,” Luca said. “But it doesn’t matter, we will stop the Tempest Winds.”
“Luca,” Soren said. “The vices the winds carry will start to affect us. It was only the Aurae that enabled past Warriors to win against the Tempest Winds.”
“We will stop them.” Luca’s tone was unyielding. His blue gaze settled on Lorenzo. “In the meantime, rebuild your island, Lorenzo, and be ready to trap them again.”
Lorenzo nodded. “I will. But first, there is something more important I have to take care of.”
Luca raised a brow. “Oh?”
Lorenzo turned and swept Riley into his arms. She gasped, her hands gripping his shoulders. He took her mouth with his.
The taste of her flooded him and he deepened the kiss. She made a hungry sound, winding her arms around him, and kissing him back.
When he finally raised his head, her face was flushed and she looked a little dazed. He heard his brothers chuckling and Antonio whistled. Even Luca had a small smile on his face.
“I have an announcement,” Lorenzo said.
“You’ve decided being a grouchy loner isn’t the best path in life?” Antonio asked.
Lorenzo shot his brother a mock-scowl. “I’m falling in love with Riley.”
His brothers all smiled and Riley stared at him. “Really?”
He lowered his forehead to hers. “I am. Ti amo, Riley. You’ve filled me with a warmth that was missing from my life.”
She pressed a hand to his cheek. “I love you, Lorenzo. Every grumpy inch of you.”
“Be mine? Show me what our life could be.”
“I’m already yours. And we’ll work out this love thing together.”
Luca cleared his throat and gave Lorenzo a rare smile. “Congratulations. Both of you.”
Lorenzo pulled his woman closer, staring into her smiling face. “Sorry, Luca, you’re going to have to find a new trainer for the American arm of Island of the Wind Estates. This one’s mine.”
***
Riley led the young, feisty colt across the yard, the Mediterranean sun was warm on her skin.
Work was going on all around Isola del Vento to repair the damage the Tempest Winds had left behind. Shiny new fences were up and people crawled all over the largest stable building, hammering and sawing as they replaced the roof.
She took the colt into one of the newly re-built stables and when she headed out, she heard more hammering from nearby. She rounded the building and spied Lorenzo ahead.
Her man was stripped to the waist, working on repairing a fence.
Her heart skipped a beat. It had been two weeks since they’d started their tumble into love with each other, in the middle of a tempest.
She hated that the Tempest Winds were free, and she knew that weighed on him, but the rest of the time, life was pretty darn awesome. They were both gorging on each other, on living and loving, and moving on from the pain and violence of their pasts.
Riley watched him bend down and reach for some nails, enjoying the flex of muscles covered in smooth bronze skin. She smiled. She was pretty sure her Ma would approve.
She headed over to him. “Nothing like a shirtless hunk of Italian sexiness to brighten a girl’s day.”
He turned and smiled. He was doing that more often. Oh, he was still her Signor Orso sometimes—the man had grumpy brooding down to a fine art when it suited him. But she didn’t want to change him. No, she loved him just as he was.
Lorenzo wrapped an arm around her. She pressed her palms to his slick chest. “Hey, you’re all sweaty.”
“Part of the Italian hunk package.” His mouth took hers, hard and sure.
She moaned, sliding her tongue against his. It didn’t matter how many times they kissed, or made love, her desire for him was as hot as a flame.
He pulled back, rubbing his nose against hers. But then she saw his gaze go over her shoulder, looking north toward the mainland and his face turned serious.
Riley knew he worried about his brothers and their dangerous hunt. She’d woken quite a few nights to find him awake and staring out the window.
“They’ll be okay,” she murmured.
“Still no news. Luca and the others are running themselves into the ground hunting.” His tone was dark.
“They’ll find them. I know your brothers, Luca best of all, and my money is on them.”
“The Tempest Winds are stronger this time, Riley.” His dark eyes were troubled. “And they’re starting to spread the vices and affect people.”
She’d seen the news. There were reports of increased riots, assaults and thefts all across Italy.
“It’ll start with Italy and then it will spread.” He shook his head. “It’s affecting my brothers, too. I can hear it in their voices. Luca’s temper is worse than ever, and even easy-going Dante is feeling the taint of pride.”
She tightened her arms around him, offering what comfort she could. “We’ll be here for them, Lorenzo. No matter what.”
He buried his face in her hair and held on.
“Is the Keeper of the Winds not affected by the vices?” she asked.
“I was affected. You heard the whispers.”
She studied him. “But you fought off the effects quite easily.”
He stilled, his gaze on her face. “You’re right.” Hope leaped in his eyes. “I think I have you to thank for that.”
“Me?”
“Maybe it has something to do with your powers,” he said. “Or it’s possible you have some Aurae blood.”
Her eyebrows rose. “Not that I know of.”
“It could be diluted. But maybe that’s enough.” His face turned considering. “I need to do some research, and see if I can find a way to help my brothers.” He pulled her closer. “Whatever the reason, if you weren’t a confident, stubborn, pushy woman, I would have kept ignoring you.”
She snorted. “I would not have allowed that, Signor Orso.”
He mock-growled, kissing her neck and making her squirm. His hands slid down and cupped her ass, pulling her closer. She felt the hard ridge of his erection against her belly and she jumped up, wrapping her legs around his hips.
Lorenzo walked into the nearest empty stable. He shouldered into an empty stall covered in fresh hay and laid her down.
As she breathed in the familiar scent of hay, he lowered his big body to cover hers. She felt his hands tugging at her jeans.
“Mine,” he said against her skin, his hands shoving her jeans down. “My other half, my perfect match, my mate.”
She gripped his bare shoulders. “Mine.”
Whatever the future brought, they’d face it together. But right now, Riley was ready to make her own tempest with the Keeper of the Winds who’d captured her heart and soul.
---
I hope you enjoyed Lorenzo and Riley’s story!
The stories of the Warriors of the Wind were some of the first stories I ever wrote and published. I wanted to mix action, mythology, and romance into sexy, short reads. I am so excited to have the chance to give them a little polish and release them again.
Warriors of the Wind continues with STORM & SEDUCTION, which contains two novellas, one starring Dante Venti, Warrior of the South Wind, and the other starring Antonio Venti, Warrior of the West Wind. Read on for a preview of the first scenes of both stories in Storm & Seduction.
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