The Wolves of London Book 2: The House of Striker

(Chapter song ‘Heart of Darkness' by Secession Studios)

ZEN

“WOLVES OF MAXIMUS! UNITS 10 TO 15! YOUR SHADOW IS THAT WAY! 1 THROUGH 14, AWAIT IN QUADRANT FOUR!”

The roar of dragons fill the sky as they flock, circle, and land in grassy fields outside of a town called Gatehead. All manner of breed land, tuck their wings, and await further orders.

I watch Riley gather what adult children she has left and pair them with the dragons. Her numbers have at least quadrupled since we last crossed paths. There’s 50 Nightflyers with her. Much more than that night.

She instructs them and Krestin listens intently. There’s not many other flying creatures that he can relate to, so he's taken an interest in what they are and how Riley controls them.

A horn blows and a smile crosses my face as a small army of very impressively large men enter the field. They’re all shirtless, rather hairy men. Most are tall and bearded. They’re dark skin makes them look quite scary in the dimming daylight. Swords hang at their sides and their loose cotton pants blow in the wind like their flags. Darius walks in front to join Zander and Zayden. The Bear shifters. The Persian army is definitely something to look at and the bears they turn to will be our tanks for the most part. They may be cumbersome, but they can bowl through an enemy with ease.

Demetri informed us that the Vampires will hit Romania during dusk light and the Lycan army was just marching across the field. They split into two groups and joined the rank. I watch the large hairy, wolfman walk by in black helmets, chest plates and shields. The metal clangs as they stomp their way through the battle camp. Seeing Giovanni in armor is not something I’m used to.

Quaid was in the camp helping Cora with the last of the runes as he prepared himself to back up with magic. The Sorcerers have been warned and will keep the borders of Moldova closed until this is over.

Unfortunately, we humans don’t have an official army, so the 100 hunters I do have will have to do. It’s pretty much the minute man army William had. Even Miranda doesn’t really have one. She uses creatures to back her up. She also moves with surprise attacks to stop anything in its tracks. You never know what she has or knows. That’s about the only thing about her that I’ll be impressed with.

Orders are barked, formations are made, and I turn around as I slam my batons in my holsters. “You guys ready?”

I look over Jolen and the rest as they stand with rifles and crossbows in a very unorganized fashion. I can’t blame them. We don’t function well in armies.

“Ready as we'll ever be.” Jolen nods.

Gaven slams his rifle across his shoulders and hangs his hands off either side. “I don’t think I’ve ever bagged a necromancer. This is going to be fun.” He smirks.

“Yeah, well. Don’t get too excited. They aren’t easy.” I strap a belt of cross bow clips to my thigh. “And keep an eye on the vamps and lycans. We don’t need these guys switching sides to beat us down.”

“Don’t worry. We got those guys on notice.” Trevor, Jolen’s partner, states as he straps an iron collar around his neck.

“Good. We move in five.” I do up my own collar as I walk away to the supply boxes. I lift a lid on a crate and grab two hang guns, then some already full clips.

Avery joins my side and grabs guns for himself. “This isn’t the engagement party I wanted.”

“What do you mean? There’s going to be music, fireworks, games…” I smirk as I turn to him. I hold a gun up and slam a clip in the bottom. “Who doesn’t want to play pop the evil Necro?”

He chuckles, holsters his gun and grabs my arms. He leans to me. “You stay alive out there. You stay in my sight. Remember, I’m your shield. I don’t care what it looks like. No heroics. I need to know your safe.”

“Relax. I know what I’m doing. Besides, with all this muscle, it’s going to be a short fight.” I smile and kiss his lips.

“Okay. I got to get my marks put on. I’ll meet up with you before we leave.” He kisses my forehead as I nod.

I watch him walk away and join up with Dorian. The two walk to Cora to get their marks on. I should be thinking of war, but all I can think of is a pretty alter, beautiful day and vows.

I also briefly think about after. Ive been trying to keep it out of my mind, but it sneaks in. I wish things were different, but thinking about how much he’s suffering with having his wolf inside him. I can’t blame him. All I can do is prepare myself.

****

AVERY

I glance back at Zen with a smile as Dorian joins my side. I want to pull this off for her sake. If I do this right, she’ll have the fairytale wedding and ending she deserves.

“You thought about my offer.” He holds himself rigid as we walk to Cora.

“Yeah. I have, but I have questions.” I roll an eye to him just before we reach the group waiting. “I researched your little plan and it violates like a dozen animal rights laws made by the council. You’re ok with this?” I look around to make sure we're not heard.

“Not my issue, mate. You have a problem with death. I have a solution. The laws are neither here nor there, with that in mind.” He shrugs.

“And this is permanent. It won’t backfire and bite my ass later?” I whisper.

“As long as you hold the trinket close, you won’t have any problems.” He grins.

I stop him, cross my arms, and tilt my head. “Who’s the sorcerer you're using to seal it? I know your magic is only temporary.”

He mirrors my posture. “That's not your concern. Just know it will be sealed. The only thing you need to remember is to come to me in a years time to maintain the hold. If you don’t, he may break out.”

I scratch my head and glance back. Zen is walking around her hunters giving instructions and I turn back to the immortal.

I bite my top lip and reach into my pocket. I’m not sure if this is the best way, but if I can pull off the ‘miracle’ of getting rid of my wolf and surviving with my years intact, then I won’t have to say goodbye. After seeing Zen's face when I told her, it crushed me. I realized then that I couldn’t do it. So now, I’m going with plan B.

I pull out something I have been carrying for 5 years. I never lost it and I never will. It means too much to me. In my fingertips, I hold out my gold wedding band. The small ring glistens in the light. “Do not lose this.” I warn as he holds his hand out and I drop it in his palm.

He puts it in his fingers and inspects it. “Nice choice, mate.” He smirks and puts it in his pocket. “When do you want to do this?”

“I’ll meet up with you after the fight. We'll do it then.” I instruct. “I don’t want to marry Zen with him in me. I don’t him to be any part of this when I say those vows.”

“You got yourself a plan.” He holds out his hand and I shake it. I look to Zen who’s passing out weapons.

“I hope it’s a good one.” I mutter.

“It is. Come on. We have a battle to survive, then you can run off into the sunset with your bride.” He slaps my back and we join the group.

I will keep this secret for the rest of Zen’s life. When she dies, I’ll release him and down Damica's venom. I’ll follow right behind her and we can love in heaven. That’s all I want. If Dorian can give me to Zen forever, I’d be a fool to say no.

****

ZEN

The sky turns orange, red and various shades of dark blue as I walk out of the shadows to the location where the satellites showed the highest concentration of monsters. A sleepy tiny town outside of Budapest.

As our forces gather and dragons chomp at the bit to burn shit down, one thing is perfectly clear when we arrive.

There’s no one here.

I join the council as we stand in front of hundreds of men and women who are just as confused as we are. On the other side of a field that’s cut by a road, the town looks completely dead.

“What’s going on?” I say low as we gaze ahead in a line.

“Maybe Intel was wrong?” Dorian mutters.

“No.” Cora steps forward. “They’re here. They’re hiding. Angel. Care to shed some light on the subject.” She looks to Nathaniel and points to the sky.

“Sure thing.” He smirks.

We stand back as he bends his knees, his wings unfurl and he pushes off the ground. We sheild ourselves from the dust and dirt raised by his downdraft.

I almost lose him as the sky gets dark. He stops above the town, hovers, and his hands glow white. He dive bombs the town, rights himself, and ups his power so much, he lights village to almost day.

Immediately, wails and screeches come from the destroyed shadows he lights up.

“OH, CRAP!” H spins around and takes to the sky with a pack of Nightflyers on his tail

“MOVE!!”

“SHIFT!!”

“DRAW THEM OUT!!”

Zander and Zayden bark orders as the fields come alive. The towns wakes with the rising shadows that come alive to attack. Icarus leads the charge as the monsters pour out of the village.

“GET THE HUMAN! FIND STRIKER!”

The defense wall slams shut when the shadows open up and waves of Necromancers pour out onto the road and fields around us. Zayden exploded into his tiger and joins Nala with Zanders wolf right behind them.

Nala leaps and shifts into an elephant and charges along with the kings to collide with the first wave of Nightflyers.

“BRING THEM DOWN! DON'T LET THEM OFF THE GROUND!”

Dragons take to the air and Krestin leads the charge to knock the Nightflyers out of the sky. He spews flames above the fight to the ground and Necromancers run for cover as he burns a line up the road to the village and breaks away.

Kirin lands and freezes the ground around her. The lava dragon leaves a moat of magma across the grass stopping fighters from colliding with us from the side.

Dorian, Avery and my hunters act like an artillery line. We fire at anything that moves and flies that comes from the town. While the ground shakes and wolves Rio tear and shred, we march and fire. Plowing our way through with offerings to the Supernaturals.

“AIM FOR THE WINGS!! ONYX BUKLETS FIRST! ONYX BULLETS FIRST!” I yell up and down the lines.

Cora figured out that if we use the demon bullets, it will stun the Nightflyers long enough for us to collect and drag them out before they get killed. Riley believes Icarus did something to them and we need to find out what. If we can save them for her, we can form a rather unique partnership with a new species.

As we push through, Necros call shadows and throw magic as wolves attack. Daggers fly into chests and cut throats. Quaid and Nathaniel throw their own magic and dodge the return fire as we give them cover them.

Some break the lines and the rest go in for the kill. Hunters fire crossbows and I throw out my batons. They extend to two feet and I run in with them in both hands. When I’m close, I make my first target, spin, and bring my batons in succession down on the head of a necromancer. He goes down and another tries to swipe his daggers at me. I block and drive my batons into his neck. He falls with shock as I yank my bloody weapons out.

Nathaniel lands and pulls out two short swords. Him and Cora practically dance as they slice and kill in a circle.

I twist the arm of a Necro, turn around him, and slam him on the ground. I straddle his back, pulls his head back, and snap his neck.

Without getting up, I pull out my gun and fire fours shots into four chests. The bodies are thrown back into the fight and shredded before they barely hit the ground.

Avery’s wolf tears out throats with fierce conviction. Blood and gore fly from the bodies of the Necros he drops.

I shoot off my cross bow one way and my gun another way. Then the sky darkens. Necros run and part the way.

“Striker.”

My head whips to a gap opening up in the battle. Icarus prowls toward me and I unload my weapons at his chest. He throws up his hand up and stops the projectiles before they could touch him.

He flicks his fingers out and they’re thrown back at me. I hit the dirt and they take out a bunch of Necros.

He steps just as Zayden flies over me and lands in front of Icarus. A dozen Necros leap in front of their God and in complete synchronization, drop to a knee. They slam their fingers of one hand into the ground and throw up handfuls of soil.

“DEFENDRE REGEM!!” They all yell at once.

“CORA! WHAT’S THAT MEAN?!” I scramble to my feet and run to her just as she pulls her dagger out of a heart.

“IT MEANS GET READY!”

“READY FOR WHAT?!”

The ground explodes and my eyes widen as gruesome, decaying hands land on the surface.

“Damn it. Not these guys again. AVERY!!!” I shoot my way through the fight as numerous zombies take to the surface and join the fight for Icarus.