Chapter Seven
“Just give in, Warrior. It’s such a powerful feeling. Don’t you deserve it?” Africus wrapped an arm around Dante’s shoulders, like an old friend. “Join me. Stop fighting and revel in your true nature.”
The Tempest Wind helped Dante to his feet. Parts of Dante were screaming at him to fight while others wanted to give in. He felt a battle going on inside him, like he was being torn apart.
A woman skidded to a stop a few feet from them. “Fight it, Dante. Fight him.”
Dante looked at her, blinking and pushing through the pain. “Samia?”
“Yes.” She stepped closer. “He’s evil. Fight him.”
“I…I can’t anymore.” Dante drew in a shuddering breath. He felt a bead of sweat slide down his temple. “I’m not strong enough.”
“Yes, you are.”
“Accept the wind and you’ll be stronger.” Africus shot her a disdainful look. “She is merely a woman. She has no power.”
Dante’s forehead furrowed. “I’m already powerful.”
“Yes, yes you are,” Africus said in a soothing tone. “But you can have more.”
“Don’t listen to him,” Samia bit out.
“Take what the wind offers you.” Africus held a hand out to Dante. “Let’s stand together and take what we want. She is nothing but a killer. She can’t make you stronger.”
“I’m not just a killer.” Samia tossed her head back. “The Hashshasin decided that for me. But now I’m making a choice to be something else.” Her gaze locked with Dante’s. “I choose you, Dante.”
Emotion welled up in Dante, pushing through the dark morass dragging him down.
Samia moved, lightning fast. She threw her arms out and several knives slammed into Africus. The Tempest Wind howled and staggered backward. A knife was lodged in his thigh and another in his shoulder.
She strode forward and cupped Dante’s face. She leaned into him, her slim body plastered against his.
“What are you doing?” His voice was strained.
“What I need to do. What I want to do. For you.”
“I’m too far gone, Samia.” He exhaled, his hand shaking. “I can’t keep the pride in check any longer. Not long enough to kill him.”
Her fingers tightened on his. “Let me help you.”
He shuddered. “I don’t want to hurt you.”
“You won’t.” She pressed her mouth to his.
The scent and taste of her hit him, breaking his fragile control. He wrapped his arms around her and yanked her off her feet.
Africus gave a frustrated screech. “She is a seductress. She thinks her body is worth more than power. She is beneath you, Warrior.”
Dante looked down into her face. “Samia. I need you.”
She twined her hand with his. “I need you, too.”
He trembled, focusing on the warmth in his chest, and not the ugly pride twisting in his gut. He stepped back, but kept his hand tightly wrapped around hers.
They would face Africus. Together.
The Tempest Wind laughed. “Pride will make you mine, Warrior.”
Dante felt the pride recede and where it had been was a bright, fresh warmth. What he felt for Samia was a miracle. The haze across his eyes cleared.
“Not today.” Dante released Samia and looked at her. “Ready?”
She pulled out another knife and smiled. “Oh, yeah.”
They charged together.
Dante saw Africus’ eyes widen in shock just before Samia slashed him across his chest. As the man screamed, Dante clamped a hand around Africus’ throat.
The blond man clutched at Dante’s wrist. He coughed, fighting for air. “You’re controlling the pride…that’s not possible. Only the—” His eyes widened even more and flicked toward Samia. His face twisted into a vile mask. “They were supposed to be dead. This was our chance to win and rule the world!”
Samia frowned. “Who’s supposed to be dead? What’s he talking about?”
Dante tightened his hold on Africus. “Have you heard of the Aurae?”
Her frown deepened. “Aurae? Why does that word sound familiar?”
“They were female warriors and keepers of the seasonal breezes,” he told her. “The Aurae can control the vices of the wind and aid the Warriors of the Wind.”
Her mouth opened, closed. “You’re saying I’m Aurae?”
Africus jerked. “You should be dead.”
“I think you have some Aurae blood.” God, she was so beautiful and deadly, his assassin. “They were also potential mates for the Warriors.”
“Mates?”
“Legend says the Warriors could each find their perfect match among the Aurae. A woman created just for them, who holds their heart and soul in her hands.”
Her eyes glowed. “Dante.”
Africus gave a frustrated yell. A heavy gust of wind slammed into them, knocking all three of them off their feet.
Dante struggled to hold onto the Tempest Wind and then heard Samia shout. He turned his head, and watched in horror as the wind picked her up, tumbling her over and over.
“Let her go.” He tightened his hold on Africus’ neck.
“Okay.” The man smiled.
Samia slammed into a wall and dropped to the ground, motionless.
“Samia!” Dante let Africus go and rushed to her. He turned her over, pulling her into his arms. Blood coated her hair.
“I will not fail this time.” Africus rose, his body fading into the wind. “I don’t care if you have an Aurae. You will join me or die, Warrior!”
Dante didn’t bother watching the wind escape. He kept his gaze on Samia, his heart was knocking hard in his chest. “Samia.”
She groaned. “Ouch.”
She was alive. He heaved out a breath and gently probed the wound at the back of her head.
“Ow! Who needs an evil wind when I have you jabbing at my injuries.” Her eyes fluttered open.
He held up his hand. “How many fingers?”
“Sixteen.”
“I think you’ll live.” He helped her sit up. Then he pressed a kiss to her lips. This one was slow and tender.
Dio, he was falling in love with her. He hadn’t known her long, but he knew he was tipping over the edge.
He’d never wanted love, thought it wasn’t possible for him. The duty of continuing the line of the Warriors of the Wind fell to the oldest. Luca would have the five sons to carry on the tradition. But Samia made Dante want things he’d never considered before.
How could he convince her to stay? She’d been used by the brotherhood her entire life and deserved to spread her wings. She deserved to discover what she liked, what she wanted, who she wanted.
“You okay?” Her hand curved around his jaw, worry in her bronze eyes. “How do you feel?”
He pushed his thoughts away. That was for later. “Calm, in control. Thanks to you.” His hands framed her face. “You are the bravest, most generous woman I’ve ever met.”
Heat crept into her cheeks. “You don’t know me that well.”
“I know the important things. You’re tough, intelligent, courageous. You grieved and felt guilt for the death of a boy you thought was innocent. And just now, you fought for a man you don’t know that well.”
She gave him a small smile. “I know the important things about you. You’re a man who’s suffered to control his power so he can protect everyone else. A man willing to sacrifice his life for others.”
Her words sobered him. “Africus is still free.” If Dante didn’t stop him, he and Samia had no future. Hell, the world had no future. “I have to stop him.”
Her nose wrinkled. “Are you going to give me the macho speech about having to do this alone?”
“No.” He stood and helped her up. “I’m going to say, ‘Samia, I would be honored to have you fight by my side. Let’s finish this.’”
She grinned. “I like that much better.”
***
“He hasn’t gone far.” Samia stared down the street.
“I know. I sense his taint.” Dante lifted his head and looked at her. “Do you trust me?”
She closer to him, returning his gaze steadily. “Yes.”
He tugged her to his chest and she felt the warm rush of his power on her skin. The South Wind swirled around them.
His body disintegrated, becoming the air. Samia’s did the same.
Oh, God. She gasped. It was the strangest sensation. Soon they were flying through the air, tracking Africus. She looked down at the lights of Rome spread out beneath them.
Being one with the wind, there was no sense of time or distance. They flowed and dipped on the air, hunting the Tempest Wind through the hidden places of the city. Past the ruined temples of old, past the modern buildings of the present.
Dante rematerialized them in the Campo de’ Fiori. The usually busy piazza was eerily silent. A dark wind swirled past the statue of the monk ahead.
“God.” Samia took a second to adjust to being solid again. Dante steadied her with one strong arm and she smiled at him. “That was exhilarating. We’re doing that again.”
He smiled back. “I’ve forgotten the wonder of riding the wind for the first time. It’s nice to relive it with you.”
She turned her face up to the statue. “Where’s Africus?”
“Right here, assassin.” Africus stalked out of the shadows.
Dante straightened. “It ends now.”
Dante lunged fast, but Africus dodged, avoiding the blow.
“You can still join me,” the Tempest Wind said. “Let the pride make you strong.”
“The pride’s gone, asshole.” Dante charged in. “You’re finished.”
Samia circled the men, watching Dante’s hard, brutal fighting style. The men’s winds battled as well in hard, vicious gusts.
Africus jabbed his knuckles into Dante’s side. As Dante doubled over, the Tempest Wind landed a hard chop to the back of his neck. Dante dropped down with a groan.
Samia jumped in, landing on Africus’ back. She pressed her knife to his throat. Before she could cut him, he spun, slamming her into the base of the statue. Pain reverberated through her, but she tightened her hold, gripping him tight.
He batted at her hand and her knife flew out, clattering on the ground.
“I’ll kill you, Aurae. Make him watch the life bleed out of your eyes.”
“You don’t scare me.” She got a fistful of his long hair and yanked his head back.
Then Dante reared up in front of them. He punched Africus in the gut. As the Tempest Wind doubled over, Samia pushed with her weight. He slammed face first into the ground.
Dante planted a knee in the man’s back beside hers, holding his struggling body down.
Golden-brown eyes met hers and he held a hand out. “I’d appreciate your help to end this.”
With a nod, she pressed her palm to his. His power rose up around them.
Dante looked down at Africus. “My brothers will prevail. Soon the Tempest Winds will be defeated and back in their prison.”
“I won’t go back!” Africus shook his head wildly. “I will not go back to the Keeper of the Winds.”
Dante’s wind twirled around them. Samia felt a tug inside her, like a part of her was feeding Dante’s wind, magnifying the power.
A great whirlwind built. It circled around them.
“No!” Africus screamed.
Dante sprang off Africus, pulling Samia with him. He jerked his arm and the vortex raced toward Africus.
The Tempest Wind’s scream echoed across the square as the wind swallowed him. His body disintegrated.
Dante’s wind rose into the air and then it streamed away, leaving the square in silence.
“It’s over,” Samia murmured.
“No.” Dante gripped her shoulders and pulled her to him. “It’s not over yet. My brothers still need to hunt the other Tempest Winds.” His face hardened. “They have to fight their own vices and beat their enemies.”
“They’ll be okay,” she said. “We’ll help them however we can.”
Such a generous soul inside her assassin’s body. He brushed some dark strands of hair off her face. “And it’s certainly not over for us. For us, my sweet assassin, it’s just beginning.”
She glanced down at his chest. “I don’t have much to offer. I only know how to kill.”
Dante shook his head, his finger sliding under her chin to force her gaze up. “You have a chance now to explore life. Don’t go back to the brotherhood, Samia. Experience life and all it has to offer.”
“Where would I go?” she murmured.
He tugged her closer. “Stay here. With me. I have no right to clip your wings, but I can show you wonderful things. I’ll show you my shipyards in Naples. I’ll take you out on my yacht on the weekends. We’ll learn to scuba dive.”
She laughed. It sounded wonderful. A life in the sun.
“I’d like to cook for you every day. Make love to you every day.” He pressed his forehead to hers. “Let me take care of you?”
Her lips trembled. “No one’s ever taken care of me before.”
“Let me love you.”
Love? She hissed in a breath. “No one’s loved me before either.”
“I will. If you’ll have me.”