by Cree Storm
"Holy shit! How did I not know this?" Illan gasped.
Shrugging, Rhys replied, "From what I'm told, your father didn't exactly prepare you to be the leader of your people."
Destrain cleared his throat, asking, "What do we need to do?"
"The clutch must get him into a fire circle and then shift. It's their dragon fire placed directly onto Salem. It will cast out his powers," Rhys explained.
"Wait, what happens to them from there? We don't even know all he can do," Illan quickly stated.
"It doesn't matter. When you use dragon fire to take his powers, where they go is not up to you," Rhys said.
Day watched as his mate bit his lip and started looking around nervously. "Baby, what is it? Is there something you're not telling us?"
Rhys darted his eyes to Day, then Ethan. He began wringing his hands and bouncing from one foot to another. Illan sighed, "Rhys if there's something you aren't telling us, you need to. Otherwise, someone could get hurt or killed."
Rhys shook his head again, softly saying, "It isn't that, Illan. It's another thing I read in the books."
Dain went to his son, whispering, "Just tell us, son."
Rhys sighed, "Once Salem has had his powers stripped, the pixies can come together and take his dragon. We can choose to give it to someone else, or save it for another day."
Day watched Avery walk to the window, and say, "Well, I think that talk needs to be for another day, because we have a problem."
Illan walked towards his mate with everyone close behind. "What is it, sweetheart?"
Avery looked at them and Day could see his fear. "Salem is standing outside Rhys' home."
CHAPTER 12
Three days later
“Hey, Rhys, are you in here?” Jett called out as he stepped into the dimly lit club. Getting no response, Jett moved farther inside, letting the door close behind him. He crossed the room, stepping around piles of tarps and paint cans. Once he reached the bar he called out again, “Hey, Rhys! You here buddy? I came as fast as I could!”
Still no answer. “Great. I rushed all the way here doing over ninety through the mountain pass, almost taking out a family of deer in the process, because Rhys called, crying, begging for help, and now the guy isn’t even here,” Jett mumbled to himself, then turned to leave, but then stopped. “No. There is no way Rhys would do that. Hell, I don’t know anyone who would do that. And with Zev’s psycho father roaming free…Rhys!”
Jett spun back around and headed toward the far end of the club as he continued to call out Rhys’ name. Jett was beginning to panic as he quickened his pace and turned toward the hall leading back to the offices.
Suddenly Rhys appeared, strolling out of the hall like nothing was wrong, while reading from a folder in his hands. He stopped short and looked up in surprise when Jett snarled, “What the fuck, dude? You scared the shit out of me.”
“Yeah, well, I can say the same thing to you,” Rhys bitched as he placed a hand on his chest and started breathing heavily. “What the fuck are you doing here and why are you yelling? I’m not deaf you know.”
Jett’s eyes went wide for a moment as annoyed shock crossed his face. “Why am I here? Oh gee, I don’t know. Getting a frantic phone call at midnight from a crying pixie who is being chased by a Mac truck carrying fruit loops and a shit ton of crazy might answer that,” Jett huffed.
“What the hell are you taking about? You got a call from Twix? But he’s not here,” Rhys stated as he walked toward the bar.
Jett took a deep calming breath and ran his fingers through his hair. Slowly letting the air out, he turned to follow Rhys. “No, not Twix, you.”
Rhys stopped at the long-polished bar and placed the folder down, then turned to face Jett. “Me? I didn’t call you.”
“Yes, you did, about half hour ago. I just got off duty and was heading home when you called. You were panicking and crying, begging for help. Something about Salem being outside the club pounding to get in, and he was breaking the door down.”
“Jett, although I appreciate you rushing here to help me, I have no idea what you’re talking about. I did not call you. A half hour ago, I was in a meeting with the new guy I hired to manage the club. He just left ten minutes ago.”
“You hold meetings at midnight?”
“In this business, you hold meetings, and even job interviews, whenever you can. The guy is managing another club a town over and this was the only time he had before he headed into work there.”
Jett stared at Rhys in confusion for a few minutes, then turned his head, looking around the deserted club. “Well, if it wasn’t you I talked to, then who was it?” Jett turned back around to face Rhys. “So?” he asked with a raised brow.
“It worked like a charm,” Marco said as he pulled the wig from his head and gave Jett a smile.
“You know, you really do look like Rhys with that wig on. Okay, maybe not identical like Finn and I, but pretty damn close,” Jett said.
“I guess you’re right because it was enough to fool Salem,” Marco added.
“So, let’s get going,” Jett said and held out his hand. Marco grabbed it and the two disappeared.
* * * *
One minute he was standing in the deserted bar with a two by four in his hand ready to strike, listening to Rhys and Jett go on about his faked phone call, and the next minute he was standing in an open field at the top of a mountain. Salem felt a hand on his shoulder and spun around to face who was there. Just as his gaze fell on the small man before him, the man pulled his hand back, gave him a smile, then shifted into an owl and flew away.
“Why have you come back, Salem?” Illan’s deep, deadly voice boomed across the land.
Salem turned to his right and spotted Illan Sutherlan, King of the Dragons, standing a hundred yards from him. Salem met the man’s heated gaze and the side of his lip lifted in a smirk as his eyes filled with mischief. He was happy to be standing here facing the man who had stolen his son from him. He hated Illan and had spent many years trying to figure out a way to destroy him.
“I hear you’re in Crystal now, Sutherlan. Which means you have no right to question why I am here. This isn’t your town,” Salem replied, taunting.
“You’re right, it’s not,” Illan said and flashed Salem a wicked smile of his own. The look on Illan’s face making Salem’s dragon take notice and the two of them became suspicious.
“But it is mine,” a very deep, dark voice came from behind Illan. Salem watched as a large, dark figure moved from behind Illan and stepped up next to him. The man was about the same size as the dragon king, but more muscular and foreboding.
“Who the hell are you?” Salem asked wearily.
“The man who will make you leave this town and never return,” he answered.
Salem laughed loudly. “You and what army, fledgling?” he taunted as he lowered his arm, the two by four dropping to the ground.
“Me,” another voice came from his right.
Salem turned and saw a smaller man walking out of the darkness. His hair incredibly long and pure white, but it was his lavender eyes that gave Salem pause. This man may be smaller than his own six foot six, but he was built like a warrior, and exuded great power.
“And me,” another voice came, followed by a cacophony of voices chiming in as one by one other men stepped out of the darkness, circling him. Some of the faces he was familiar with, but hadn’t seen in over ten years. The large black man he knew was the dragon, Morgan, then there was Illan’s own son, Daytona, and the one that looked like Jett, his twin brother, Finn. But he didn’t know the others and they smelled of a few different breeds.
“Am I supposed to be scared of all of you?” Salem asked with a laugh. He didn’t know what they thought they could do to him, but he had a little surprise for all of them. He would syphon all their powers, then destroy them all one by one. Then he would hunt down his pathetic son and make him watch as he tortured his mate.
“Only if you were smar
t, but we all know you’re not,” the large dragon who appeared next to Illan first said.
“And who might you be, whelp? I like to know the names of the men I kill before I watch the life bleed from their eyes.”
The man gave him a mischievous smile and took a step forward. “You may have heard of me, whelp. The name is Wyndingo. Second oldest living dragon, new Battalion chief, and the man who will rid this town of scum like you.”
Salem paused for a moment, feeling the massive amount of power radiating off this dragon even from the distance between them. Yes, he had heard of Wyndingo, and knew he was a fierce warrior. He was not as powerful as Illan, but he was close. This man actually may be a formidable foe, but he was no match for Salem’s powers. He returned the man’s smile, letting him see that Salem wasn’t impressed. “So, my son hides behind all of you like the pussy I have always known him to be. You thought you could take my son from me and make a man out of him, Illan? I see you have failed miserably.”
“I’m more of a man than you will ever be, Salem,” Zev’s angry voice came out of the darkness. Salem turned his head and watched as Zev stepped out of the tree line, his hand clasped with his mate’s.
Salem let his eyes roam over his son’s form. Yes, he had grown some since Salem had last seen him and was now very large and looked mean as hell, but Salem knew the truth. He knew what a weakling his son was. And Salem also knew Zev’s biggest weakness. His mate.
“Well, if it isn’t my worthless son. Walking out of the woods with such false bravado, thinking you can shake me. But you forget, I know you, boy. I know what a weak, pathetic, excuse you are for a man. Walking out here, holding the hand of that creature only proves how weak you are. You can’t even face me alone. I should have culled you from birth and saved myself the embarrassment of having a useless son like you,” Salem sneered.
Zev released Jett’s hand and took a step away from him, closer to Salem. “I’m not the defenseless child you once tormented, Salem. Or the terrified man who thought you would hurt his mate. I am no longer afraid of you, old man. You hold no power over me,” Zev replied between clenched teeth.
Salem chuckled evilly. “That is where you are wrong, boy. I hold all the power.”
Zev smiled at him, the motion giving Salem a sinking feeling, but he refused to show his concern, keeping his face stoic.
“Are you sure about that?” Zev asked calmly.
Salem flinched slightly, a new wave of unease hitting him. He raised his hand toward Zev and closed his eyes. Taking a deep breath, he tried to push his power out into the night to grasp a hold of all the other power around him, but he couldn’t feel his own. He shook his head and tried again, but there was nothing. He couldn’t connect with his power.
“Something wrong, whelp?” Wyndingo asked mischievously.
The tone of his voice made Salem’s eyes snap open and he focused on the large dragon. This man knew something. Could he be a siphon too and had taken Salem’s power from him while he was distracted?
“Missing something, father?” Zev taunted, saying the last word as if it were a curse.
Salem tried again to connect with his power, but it wasn’t there. He met Zev’s victorious gaze. “So, have you turned out like me after all, boy? Is that it? Have you been gifted with the same power from the gods that I have?” Salem asked, seething.
How could he let his guard down and allow the distraction so that Zev could syphon his powers? He needed to find a way to get them back from him.
“I will never be anything like you, father. You deserve to rot in hell for the crimes you have committed,” Zev replied through clenched teeth.
“All I ever tried to do for you was to make you a man, but you couldn’t even do that right. Now you hide behind all these people and take my power away so that the fight won’t be fair,” Salem argued.
“Like you would ever fight fair,” Jett seethed.
Salem turned his attention to the twin. His anger boiling inside him for this man who was the catalyst to him losing his son. Salem’s jaw clenched so tight he could feel them grinding and creaking as if they would break under the pressure. He wanted to lash out and grab the dragon, make him suffer as he flayed the skin from his bones. “You are still alive because I chose to keep you that way. So keep your mouth shut,” Salem ground out harshly.
“Talk to my mate like that again and I will take more than just your power from you, Salem,” Zev threatened.
Salem looked back to Zev, meeting his rage-filled gaze. “And what are you going to do about it, whelp? We all know you are no match for me. You are not even a real man. How many times have you bent over and taken it up the ass from that thing? No real man submits to anyone, much less another man.” He needed to get Zev angry enough to attack so that he could touch him and regain his power, also strip Zev of his own, then finally kill the worthless child.
“And what were you planning on doing to Rhys, his nails? Or were you planning to rape him? Wanting sex with other men makes you as gay as I am, Salem.”
“You being gay was never the issue, Zev. Being a weak pussy was. Taking it up the ass is what makes you so weak and pathetic. No real man allows another to fuck them. Submitting to them. Real men do the fucking. Real men are the dominant ones. The takers of what they want. And you just standing here trying to talk this out only proves to me that you are still a pussy,” Salem taunted, an evil smile spread across his face as he watched the rage engulf Zev.
“You are the weak, pathetic piece of shit here, Salem. You talk a good talk, but I can see that all you are doing is stalling as you try to figure out a way to get your power back so that you can beat me. Because you and I both know it is the only way you can defeat me now.”
“I have never needed powers to kick your ass, whelp, and I never will,” Salem sneered.
“Prove it. Fight me now. Man to man.”
Salem’s lip raised in a smirk. Now he had Zev right where he wanted him.
CHAPTER 13
The smirk of triumph on Salem’s face proved their plan had worked so far. Now Zev just needed to kick his father’s ass. Day moved closer to Morgan as Finn did the same on the other side. They were not to interfere, only observe, unless there was no other choice. It was one of the hardest things any of them would ever do, to just sit by and watch as one of their brothers fought alone against an evil, deadly foe.
Salem ripped open his shirt and threw the tattered material to the side. His massive chest rising and falling as his gaze focused on Zev. His eyes narrowed as his lips thinned and his jaw clenched. At the same time, Zev moved closer, his focus solely on Salem. Day watched as Zev relaxed his body and placed his feet shoulder width apart, and bent his knees slightly.
Salem smirked again as he casually walked toward Zev, then stopped two feet before him. “Well, at least you’re not running scared like you usually do. I guess that’s a small improvement. But how will you react when the punches start flying? Let’s find out, shall we?”
Before Salem uttered the last words, he balled up his right fist and swung hard, aiming for Zev’s temple. Without moving his feet, Zev leaned back, avoiding the hit, and at the same time reached out with lightning speed and grasped Salem’s wrist, going with the momentum of the punch he thrust Salem forward and the man lurched, losing his balance.
Before he could right himself, Zev spun, raising his left leg, placing his foot against Salem’s ass and pushing forward with all his strength. Salem flew forward, connecting with the ground. The shock was apparent on his face, but he quickly schooled his features. Salem pushed up off the ground and spun to face Zev, but Zev was ready and landed a perfect roundhouse kick to the side of Salem’s face, snapping his head around as his body followed and he spun.
This time Salem caught himself as he tucked his chin to his chest, ducking his head, and pulling his shoulder in right before hitting the ground, and rolled, then sprang back up to his feet, facing Zev. His eyes were wild with fury as his face turned red with rage.<
br />
“So, the kitten learned a little about fighting, did he? I guess I shouldn’t have assumed you’re still the disappointing weakling you always were. I won’t make that mistake again.”
“Are we going to stand here all day and talk, or are we going to do this?” Zev asked coolly.
Salem smiled, then went for the attack. He bent down, turning his shoulder into it and hit Zev hard in the midsection as he wrapped his arms around Zev, taking him to the ground. Salem sat above him raining punches down on Zev’s face and ribs.
Day knew that the only reason Salem was able to touch Zev, was because he had allowed him to. Zev let Salem get a few good punches in, then he began to fight back. He raised his legs up to either side of Salem, thrusting them over Salem’s shoulders and around his neck, clamping them together and caging Salem in between his thick thighs.
Salem stopped hitting him and reached up, trying to pull Zev’s legs from around his throat as his eyes bulged out and his lips began to turn blue. Zev began punching Salem’s gut and ribs so hard that bones could be heard breaking. Salem tried to cry out, but was unable to get enough air into his lungs.
Zev reached up and grabbed Salem’s arms as he rolled them, the move placing Salem below Zev. Salem brought up a knee and thrust it against Zev’s back over and over again until Zev released him and jumped away. Zev moved a few feet back and stared at Salem as he tried to control his breathing.
Salem rolled onto all fours as he coughed and panted, trying to catch his breath. His head shot up and his eyes glowed with his dragon as he focused on Zev. Within a mere two seconds, Salem had shifted into his midnight-black dragon and now stood facing Zev. He opened his mouth and Day could see the orange glow in his throat and knew Salem was about to blast Zev with his fire.
“Morgan!” Day yelled, hoping Morgan understood and would use his concussion blast against Salem.
