The Wolves of London Book 2: The House of Striker

(Chapter song ‘Dancing With Flames' by Secession Studio)

ZEN

Every move Krestin makes sends pieces of Demetri’s castle crumbling under his feet.

“ZEN!”

Avery slams into me and looks me over. “Oh my God. You’re gorgeous!”

“Not now.” I grit, grab my dress, and stomp to the dragon. “Krestin! You stop this now! It’s my wedding day!” I stomp my foot and flop my arms into my skirts as I stand on the verge of tears.

Avery yanks me back as he roars again and lowers his head to Demetri. He takes a step back as the dragon’s head fills the lobby.

Demetri stands and challenges Krestin with fist balled and his eyes burning with rage. “DRAGON, DON’T YOU DARE!! KRESTIN!!”

Krestin’s head rears back as his fires climbs up to his mouth.

“Crap.. RUN!” Dorian grabs Demetri and people stampede like frightened cattle to the front doors.

We all pour out of the castle as Krestin unleashes his flames. The hot fire hits the stone walls of the castle and the rocks crack and shatter. The entire front lobby is blown out into the large courtyard.

Avery holds my hand and pulls me as we run out of the way of rocks and burning wood that land that all around us and skid across the grass and pavement. The courtyard fills with a giant fireball as guest run for the driveway.

When we’re at a safe distance, I turn around and watch the castle cave in and start to burn. “NO!” I slam my hands in my eyes and fight tears as Avery holds me.

Krestin rises from the flames and roars to the sky.

Cora, Quaid, Dorian, and Giovanni along with several Vampires, Lycans and Bears approach the house.

“MATE! SIMMER DOWN AND TALK THIS OUT! WE DON’T WANT TO HURT YOU!” Dorian yells.

Krestin swings his head and takes out another chunk of floor and wall and another section of the castle falls. He climbs the rubble and shakes the dust off his wings.

“Right. He’s not listening.” Dorian presses his lips together. “Suggestions?”

“Only one.” Giovanni growls. He explodes out of his suit and his lycan grows. He announces himself with a demonic growl which is joined by more as his entourage all shift.

“Good.” Dorian taps Giovanni's arm. “Go on.” He motions to the house.

Giovanni slowly turns his glowing gold eyes to Dorian.

“Go.” Dorian waves his hands to shoo him away.

Giovanni shakes his head and breaks into a run for the house.

“We shall help.” Darius says. He tears through his ceremonial suit and his large brown bear shakes out his fur. His party all shift and the bears waste no time. With vampires among them the bears run to the house and jump on the wall behind the Lycans. Vampires and bears scale the walls to the upper floors and enter the destruction. Krestin growls and roars in protest. He bites and swipes his hands. The attackers are shoved off the building and land in he grass.

“Would you like the honors?” Quaid motions to Cora.

“Please. I insist.” She bows.

“Right.” Quaid struts to the edge of the debris on the grass, pulls up his sleeves and, presses his palms together. He spread his hands apart and a large red magic ball forms. He eyes the dragon and his movements.

“I’m sorry, friend.” He says before pulling the ball back and throwing it at Krestin's head. It glows through the air and hits Krestin’s cheek. His head is pushed to the side as it explodes, but he was completely unaffected.

Quaid blinks. “Oh, bother.”

Krestin rears back and roars at Quaid. He pushes through the castle walls and vampires are tossed aside as he starts for the ground toward us.

Quaid raises a hand. “Krestin! Take your lumps, lad!” He throws out a succession of magic and Krestin is pushed back as they hit his chest.

“I got him.” Nathaniel takes to the air and flies over him. His hands fill with angel magic and he throws the balls into Krestin’s neck. His head is forced down with each impact.

Vampires jump on his sides and he rips them off. He tosses them off the property into the dark sky.

“This ends.” Demetri hisses and runs at Krestin. He leaps into the air and comes down with fist onto Krestin's muzzles. The impact drives Krestin’s chin into the dirt and he cries out. Demetri lands and bares his fangs at the dragon with green glowing eyes and loud hisses. Krestin goes to bite him and Demetri lands another strike to his nose. He rears back and brings his open jaws down on the Vampire, but Demetri stops his teeth by holding his mouth open.

“Oh.. Okay. This is getting serious now.” Dorian says as he pulls his gun and fires at the dragon. Bullets ricochet off Krestin’s thick skin and he shakes as he tries to free himself from Demetri.

“DO SOMETHING!” Demetri yells.

“Fine.” I reach down tear off three quarters of my front skirt off and kick off my shoes.

Avery rips off his jacket, tie and vest. “You got a plan?”

“Don’t die.” I grab his arm and we both run for the house.

We climb through the dark castle to the room opposite the ballroom. I run to the hunter bags and throw them on my shoulder. I stand and watch Avery’s eyes glow gold. I see him touching the ring on his finger.

“Power up?” I ask.

“Yeah.” He grins. “This is amazing.”

“Remember. Don’t get used to it.” I tap his chest and we run out of the room.

Several hunters join us. “Zen…” Jolen drops as I drop the bags. We all grab weapons.

“Go for the underbelly. Do not kill him. He’s irrationally angry right now and most likely his dragon has taken over. We want to subdue.” I instruct.

“Yes, Ma'am.” They all agree and bolt for outside.

We run out and Avery runs to join the bears and Lycans. We all circle Krestin as he fights with Demetri.

“HURRY UP! IF HE EATS ME I’M KILLING ALL OF YOU!” Demetri growls.

“YOU’RE NOT HELPING!” I yell back and aim my gun. We all open fire on Krestin as bears and vampires hang off his wings and sides.

Avery climbs his neck and down to his muzzle. He drops to a knee and lands a punch to just above his eyes. Krestin whines and shakes his head. “LET GO!!” he lands another punch and Krestin growls another whine.

“I NEED HIS NECK!!” I yell as I run around to where I can get a better shot.

“OVER HERE!” Avery climbs Kerstin’s head and waves to people on his back. They run up to meet him.

“PULL!!”

They grab Krestin’s spikes and use all their weight to pull his head to the side. Krestin fights and shakes, but the lycans and bears grab spikes and scales and add to the weight. I keep my gun trained until the small section of soft skin starts to become exposed.

A giant roar came from behind me as Zayden and Zander leap into view and grab Krestin.

As soon as his skin is exposed, I fire. My shot lands in his throat. He cries out and Demetri flies out of his mouth.

With a bleeding neck, Krestin turns and blows fire at the castle. He climbs the walls which crumbles even more under his weight.

The Cleaners all run for the house and we get into position. As Krestin climbs through the floors, we send out a barrage of bullets. Through smoke and flames we fire bullet after bullet. Krestin jolts and pushes in all directions as the bullets find him.

“HEY!”

Krestin looks and Cora throws a shadow ball made from Nathanial’s shadow in the fire filled castle. It hits the debris he’s standing on and it breaks apart under his feet. He falls and hits the roof of the ballroom and crashes through it.

We climb our way to the door and slide into the room that’s now destroyed with Keaton laying on his side. His long neck is outstretched. His head is laying on the floor and there’s a pool of black dragon blood growing under his head. We also hit him a few times in his stomach.

I wipe my forehead and walk to the giant lizard. I can hear his labored breath. “He’s alive.” I turn. “Zander. Make him shift.”

Zander walks over to Krestin and leans to his ears. He commands him to shift and his body melts to his unconscious human form on the floor. “Call the medics.” He grumbles as he leaves the room.

I stand and look Krestin over. I slowly turn to the broken chairs and alter. The entire room is destroyed.

I shake my head. “This isn’t going to happen, is it?” My eyes meet Avery’s.

He looks around. “It will. I promise.” He hugs me, then leads me out of the mess.

We watch the destruction burn the castle to the ground, and I can barely contain myself. Avery holds me as Krestin is dragged from the wreckage.

I watch my guests leave for a second time after they’ve been treated for injuries. “This is unbelievable. This contest is bullshit, Zander.”

Zander holds up his hand. “We don’t know of this is because of the contest.”

“Of course, it is! Demetri wrecks Krestin’s bank to put him out and Krestin tries to kill him! How could it not?” I protest.

“I did nothing of the sort!” Demetri scowls.

“Then who did, Demetri? Krestin didn’t come at you for nothing.” I cross my arms and scowl back.

Avery gets between us. “Baby, calm down. Just be glad everyone’s OK.” He kisses my forehead and I try to calm down.

“Emperor.”

One of Demetri’s guards runs up to him while he stands by his black carriage that pulled up behind him.

“Yes.” He answers solemnly.

I can tell he’s really struggling to hold in his emotions. He’s actually the only vampire I know that has this problem.

“This was pinned to the gate.” He hands Demetri a rolled up piece of paper tied with a black ribbon.

He slowly takes it as the man bows and runs back to the house. Demetri holds the scroll in his hands as he walks through us.

“Demetri?” Cora asks.

He stops with his back toward us. “It’s my mother.”

“What? How do you know?” I ask.

He turns on his heels. “This isn’t the first message.” He opens the scroll, reads it, and walks to the carriage. His footman opens the door, he crumples the paper, and throws it into the carriage as he boards. His driver shuts the door and he sits down.

We step to the open window as he settles himself.

“Please leave.” He grumbles without looking our way.

Zander steps forward. “Demetri. What did your mother say?”

The footman climbs the stage and prepares the four black stallions. Demetri sat in silence as we all stared.

“What did she say?” Zander asks again.

He side eyes us all and swallows. “Checkmate.” He answers as the driver cracks the whip and yells, “HAW!”

The harnesses metal clicks and jingles and the horses hooves thump the cobblestone road as his carriage pulls away through the darkened gate.

I furrow my brow and chew my cheek. “Checkmate?”

“Lenora has him. He’s lost.” Zander rubs his neck. “She set him up.”

“We need to tell Krestin when he wakes up. He won’t let this go.” Cora says.

“I healed him as best I could to help his dragon healing. He lost a lot of blood.” Nathaniel supplies. “He’s going to be out for a couple of days.”

“Good. Thank you.” I nod and he smiles.

“Son. This isn’t good.” Zayden starts. “I need to find her.”

“We will, but…” Zander looks to the gate. “If we don’t want the Norwegian borders exploding, we first need to keep Demetri alive.”