The Wolves of London Book 2: The House of Striker

(Chapter song ‘Up In Flames' by Ruelle)

ZEN

“I’m sorry. Repeat that please?” I scrunch my brow as I snatch a paper from Jolen’s hand. I look it over, then raise my eyes.

“It’s just as the report says." He motions to the paper. “Bryja Mountain has been vaporized. Like it wasn’t even there.”

“Adrian Fredericks ran lab 47 out of that Mountain.” Avery informs.

“Yeah. We know.” I look at the details. “So every square kilometer is gone.”

“Not even a pebble. They wiped it all out right down to the lowest level. All that’s there is the hole.” Jolen supplies.

“Well, what about the lake?” I ask.

“I don’t know. Phoenix is sending teams but that’s not what worries me.” He places his hands on his hips and looks at us. “How many labs are under fully functional towns. I’m not sure these Zetas are going to spare the people.”

I purse my lips and look at Avery. “You have to call Falcon. Red Rock sits right above one. 2000 people will die. Including his sisters family.”

Jolen takes the paper. “We've already notified Falcon. We’ll, they contacted us. All manner of tracking is failing. We don’t know what to do at this point.” He looks to us for answers

I let out a frustrated sigh. “If they’re using teleportation, vamp speed, or cloaking. I don’t know how to pin them down. We only stopped Zayden because he stopped.”

“We have a list. In Athens. I’ll make a call and you put every town near over those labs on watch. Be ready to strike if they show up.” Avery instructs.

“Will do.” Jolen agrees.

“And put a call into the Sorcerers High Council. Tell then what’s going on and see they can’t implement a trap or barrier of some kind. Tell them the Zetas are using the stone from Poseidon’s trident. Something tells me they would know a thing or two about that.” I add.

“Sure thing.” He leaves and goes back to to his desk in the Sentinel.

I walk up to the global map on the front wall and watch as dots of known labs appear all over the globe.

“We won’t be able to save everyone.” Avery whispers over my shoulder.

“I know.” My brows stitch up and I heave a breath.

“Maybe we should call this off…” I turn to him and he holds up a hand. “For now.”

“No.” My eyes widen and I spin to face him. “No, Avery. I’m not going another minute not married to you. Tomorrow isn’t guaranteed and I won’t. I can agree to delaying the honeymoon, of course, but I don’t want to put off our wedding.”

He rest his hands on my shoulders. “I mean. We don’t have to do it today. We can do it after the moon or whatever. Just… solve this Zeta thing first.”

I glance at the map. “That could take forever. We don’t know the first thing about what Miranda has done to them. We have no weapons against them. Nothing. That takes time to learn.” I stare into his eyes.

He sucks in his top lip and nods. “I get it. Ok. I’d rather be married to you before the moon comes anyway. I think if I’m already married, even if my wolf does say something about it, it won’t affect me.”

I hold myself “You think so.”

He rubs my arms. “I do.” He grins. “I think my happiness will overpower the urge to mark if he pushes through.” He wraps his arm around me and heads to the door.

“Besides. It’s only 4 hours. We can get back at it right after.” I suggest.

He nods. “Ok. I can agree to that.” He hugs my neck and we walk out.

****

“No, mom. I’m not changing the place… “Will you stop!... “You’re no going to become a Vampire's love meal. I don’t even know what that is!… “No. They don’t like wives of hunters…”

I stand in front of three floor length mirrors and fix my dress as I balance my phone between my shoulder and my ear. I grab my phone and turn. “What?... No, I don’t think you’re old!... “Of course, a vampire would be attracted to you. They’re all old, too!… “Ugh! That’s not what I meant!...”

I walk to the four poster, gothic style bed that sits at the end of the dark stone castle room. I look out the shady black framed windows to the light snow covered landscape.

I take a deep cleansing breath in, and snatch my veil off the black blanket. “Mom… Is Avery downstairs?... OK. Call me back when you check on him… Ok. Bye… What? I don’t know. Just… don't make eye contact, then! Bye!” I hang up and throw my phone on the bed. “Mothers.” I groan and walk to the mirrors.

I push my mother to the back of mind, raise the veil and place it on my curled up do. I fluff it out around my head and arms and smile as I stare at my reflection in the dress that still fits after 5 years.

I grab my bouquet of lilies, and lock with my eyes. “I… Esmerelda Striker. Take you, Avery Kirkland. To be my lawfully wedded husband. To have and to hold. In darkness and in light. For richer. For poorer. In sickness and in health. Through good times and bad. Til death do us part.” I pause for a moment and reflect on the last vow. Although, I will hold that vow in my heart to the fullest, I’m glad it won't end the way this all started. We actually have a future and I couldn’t be more grateful.

My heart skips a beat as I realize this is really happening this time. “It better happen.” I say to my reflection with a smirk.

A knock come on the thick dark wood door and I turn. “Come in.”

“Zen, I needed to inform you… Oh… My goodness…” Quaid steps in and is lost in thought. “You… You are absolutely…”

“It was the best I could do on short notice. I’m lucky in had this dress in my closet.” I look down and smooth the wrinkles. “My other one was destroyed by Kirin when she wrecked the storage room.”

He steps in and looks like he’s caught in a dream or something. “No. It’s wonderful. You look beautiful.”

“Thank you.” I slightly bow my head. “You wanted to tell me something.”

“Yes.” He straightens up and clears his throat. “There’s been a change in officiants.”

“OK. What happened?” I arch a brow.

“Well, it seems the minister has… bowed out. Something about a den of sin…”

My jaw drops and my brows stitch up. “What?! You have to get him back!”

“N-N-Now, don’t worry!” He puts his hand up as I start to hyperventilate. “I will be performing to ceremony to a tee the way you requested. I am still perfectly legal in all sense of the administration. You have nothing to worry about.”

“You’re sure?! I don’t want to find out my marriage is fake, Quaid!” I scowl. “This isn’t the same as in the field!”

“No…No… I can show…” He searches his pockets and pulls outs a whole bunch of things that really don’t look like things he should have. Baggies of weird herbs. Miniature toys and colored handkerchiefs. Several decks of cards. He looks up. “In case I need to entertain children.” He smiles as he holds up a deck.

“I see.” I mutter as he fills the floor with more useless junk. I look at him like he’s impossibly crazy as the pile buries his feet.

“Ah. Here we are.” He pulls a card out of the teeth of a mouth with legs. He drops the toy and it chatters as it walks away.

“What’s this?” I take the card and read it.

“My license that says I’m your man.” He lifts his chin as I raise my eye to him.

His cheeks grow red as he waves his hand in between us. “Well… not your… man… Just the man… that will marry you… to… ahem… your man… as it were.”

I can’t help but giggle. “Thank you. You better clean up the mess…”

He lifts his chin. “Already done.”

I look to the floor and all around me. His messed is completely gone. I look up at him and he ticks his head with a smirk.

“I love you.” I laugh.

He hugs me. “I love you, too. Congratulations.”

“Thank you.”

We're interrupted by chattering teeth and turn to his toy walking under the beside table. “Yes… um… I’ll pick him up later. You finish getting ready. Chop, chop!” He claps his hands and walks to the door.

I turn to the mirror, give myself a once over, and smile. “Well, here's to round two.” I grin and walk to the door just as the teeth walk across the floor.

“Wish me luck.” I smile at it and it chatters back. I shut the door and walk downstairs to begin my future with the best man on the planet.

****

I peek out the door to the lobby and across the way is Dememtris grand ballroom. He really came through for me. I’m impressed and a little confused. I don’t think Demetri has ever been this nice.

I eye the vampires dressed in old looking black suits. They all look regal and dignified. They talk with everyone carrying glasses of blood. I don’t sense any issues out there. I just hope it stays that way.

I pull myself back in and spray myself down with iron spray. “Ok. How do I look?” I hold out my hands and smile nervously.

“Like you’re going to be sick.” Cora laughs. She lifts the skirt to her black silk dress and walks over to me. “Relax.”

“That obvious, huh?” I hold my hands to my bodice as I face the door. “I just can’t believe in a few minutes I’m going to be married.”

“Trust me. The nerves disappear once you realize you’re there for each other not everyone else.” She says to my back.

I spin around and narrow my eyes. “What aren’t you telling me?”

Her lips drop. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

I step to her and point to her chest. “I’ve seen the weirdness between you and Nathaniel. I’ve seen the whispers and the uncomfortable moments. Somethings going on between you twom"

“Nothings going on. I don’t…”

I reach out and grab her shawl. I rip it off and my eyes widen. I point to her cheat. “That’s a mark!”

“No it's not! Don’t be ridiculous.” She scowls and takes her shawl back. “it’s a scar.”

“Thars not a scar, Cora. I have plenty. That’s a pair of angel wings on your chest! Tell me!” I demand with my hands on my hips.

“Ok.” She flops her hands down on her sides. “But you can’t tell…”

The door opens and Nathaniel pokes his head in. “Show time, ladies.”

I glance at him and back at Cora. “We're talking about this later.”

I walk past Nathanial and eye him. He joins Cora behind me. “Whats that about?”

“Nothing.”

I smile because I knew something was going on but not I have one burning question. How did they mark without the moon? I can’t wait to find that out.

“Zen. You look lovely.” Giovannai kisses my cheeks.

“Thanks.” I grin.

“White suits you. I’m surprised.” Demetri says smugly

I chuckle and shake my head. “Thank you demetri.”

“Ok. Let’s have a wedding.” I stand and wait for the entrance mouisc as people walk in and take their seats.

I see Avery talking to Nathaniel and Darius at the alter and my heart hit my throat. My eyes being to heat and I feel like this is a dream.

“GUYS!... Guys, guys…” Dorian slams himself into Demetri and holds up his phone to the huddle. “Someone just attacked Krestin’s office bulling.” He swallows. “They destroyed his bank.”

And just like that my dream turned to a nightmare. “What?” I lift my dress and join the huddle.

On Dorian’s phone a video plays. We watch as a helicopter records the emergency crews trying to douse flames and the street is completely destroyed. Half the building has fallen and there’s money literally everywhere. Police are desperately trying to keep people out of the area as they fight for cash.

“Damn!”

“Awe, shit.”

“Who would be stupid enough to do that?” Just as Quaid finishes, the ceiling above the second floor balcony explodes. We all cringe down and look up and the ceiling comes down. In the rubble that falls, a large black body falls with it.

People scream and run for cover as stone and wood crash on the second floor and down into the lobby.

“LOOK OUT!” Dorian shoves us all back as chunks hit the black marbles floors, bounce and break apart.

Statues and furniture crash to the floor and debris floats through the air as Krestin lands on the balcony and wraps his clawed fingers around the top of the stone railing. His neck bends and he lowers his head to the center of the lobby. His lips curl, his head tilts, and his eyes burn as they single Demetri out. Drywall, stone, and debris hit his back and slide down his scales.

He juts his head back and lets out a powerful, intimidating roar that fills the vampire’s castle as Demetri loses his mind.

I instantly get the picture and freak out. Avery and the rest of the guests crowd the door. “Zen!”

“My wedding! Demetri!!” I whine as I throw a hand to the giant black reptile.

“I DIDN’T DO IT!” Demetri yells as Krestin’s neck glows red.