GOD OF CHAOS

CHAPTER ONE

JEREMY VOLKOV

Wind rushed past Jeremy, a cacophony of sound swirling into the dark night as he sped through the nearly deserted roads on his bike. Tonight, Nikolai wasn't with him. Typically, Jeremy's late night bike rides held a specific purpose, each journey a calculated step towards some goal or resolution. But on this particular night, an uncharacteristic sense of aimlessness gripped him, as if he was running from some intangible specter that lingered just beyond the reach of his thoughts.

That specter, embodied in the form of Landon King, had haunted Jeremy's mind for the past week. The image of the psychopathic genius sculptor pinned beneath him lingered like a persistent nightmare. It wasn't the first time Jeremy had entertained thoughts of confronting Landon King, but this instance was different. There was no blood on Landon's face this time; instead, it was his blown-out pupils, the blue of his eyes swallowed by darkness, his sharp features glistening with sweat, his Adam's apple bobbing under Jeremy's palm as they grappled.

Desperately, Jeremy attempted to focus on the road ahead, the world outside a blur of passing trees as he hurtled toward an uncertain destination. Suddenly, two bright headlights materialized less than twenty feet in front of him, a stationary beacon amidst the sea of darkness. His heart skipped a beat as panic seized him. With precious little time to react, he swerved sharply while simultaneously applying the brakes. The bike bucked beneath him, and he was violently thrown onto the hard gravelly surface of the road.

The bike, now a frenzied beast unleashed, dragged Jeremy across the asphalt, tearing through layers of protective gear with ruthless efficiency. With a sharp kick, Jeremy managed to extricate himself from the machine's grasp, curling into a protective ball as he skidded to a painful halt at the roadside. The bike careened off the road with a deafening crash, its collision with a nearby tree reverberating through the night air.

Gasping for breath, Jeremy lay sprawled on the ground, the full weight of his injuries crashing down upon him as adrenaline gave way to searing pain. His knees and elbows throbbed mercilessly, his left side ablaze with a fiery intensity as though the very flesh were being torn apart. With trembling hands, he fumbled to release the clasps of his helmet, allowing it to tumble aside with a dull thud. A grimace contorted his features as he surveyed the damage, already envisioning the kaleidoscope of bruises that would soon adorn his battered body.

The faint creak of a car door drew his attention, and Jeremy's gaze flickered towards the source of the sound. Through the veil of darkness, he discerned a shadow emerging from the car standing in the middle of the road. Squinting against the glare of headlights, he pushed himself upright, his fingers instinctively seeking the reassuring weight of the gun holstered at his ankle.

"Come on, Volkov. No guns needed," a familiar voice taunted, slicing through the stillness of the night like a knife. It was the voice of his rival, the voice that had clouded his thoughts and fueled his rage. Landon King stepped into view, the harsh glare of the headlights illuminating his chiseled features with an eerie intensity. Anger boiled within Jeremy, a seething inferno that threatened to consume him whole. With a surge of adrenaline, he rose to his feet, gun clenched tightly in his trembling grasp. Landon's smirk widened, his eyes ablaze with anticipation. "Look at you, ready to pounce like a wildcat."

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" Jeremy snapped, his voice laced with fury as he stormed towards Landon. The barrel of his gun met the underside of Landon's chin, but Jeremy's momentum halted abruptly as the cold, sharp edge of a metal knife pressed against his throat. Landon wielded it with a maniacal grin, as if relishing the opportunity to inflict harm.

"You broke into my house and threatened my brother so I am here returning the favour. Isn't that obvious?" Landon's voice dripped with amusement, his eyes dancing with mirth. It was clear he was trying to provoke Jeremy, to goad him into a reaction.

"If you think this little knife is gonna keep you safe, you're gravely mistaken, King," Jeremy retorted, his grip on the gun tightening as he stepped closer to Landon. But Landon remained unfazed, the glint of madness shimmering in his eyes.

A small nick against Jeremy's skin was a trivial matter to Landon. His eyes, like twin flames, fixated on Jeremy's neck, and a shiver of unease crawled down Jeremy's spine.

As Jeremy studied Landon's face, a palpable sense of madness seemed to settle over him. Their eyes locked in a silent battle, each refusing to yield. But then, a fleeting thought crossed Jeremy's mind—a sudden, inexplicable desire to lean forward and sink his teeth into Landon's lips until they bled. He shook off the disturbing notion, but the absence of Landon's usual smirk did not go unnoticed.

Landon's face appeared almost vacant, as if he were lost in some distant thought. The smugness that typically defined him was conspicuously absent. Acting on instinct, Jeremy's hand shot up, seizing the back of Landon's neck and pressing the gun harder against his skin. But instead of disarming him, Jeremy inexplicably pulled Landon closer, his own resolve faltering in the face of this enigmatic creature who happened to be his enemy.

Before Jeremy could rationalize his actions, a deafening explosion ripped through the night air, causing him to flinch and glance over Landon's shoulder. His bike had burst into flames. Landon chuckled, as if amused by the chaos he had wrought. "Right, almost forgot about that part."

Enraged, Jeremy gripped Landon's collar and slammed him onto the ground. Landon sputtered, the impact stealing his breath. Swiftly, Jeremy pinned both of Landon's wrists to the ground, the knife still clenched tightly in his grasp. "You have no idea what you've just started, Landon," Jeremy growled, straddling him and pressing the gun against his forehead.

But Landon's response was laughter. "You think this is going to scare me?"

"By the time I'm done with you, I'll make sure your own fucking shadow scares you," Jeremy spat, his voice laced with venom.

Landon's smile morphed into a challenging glare. "Still living in daydreams, Jeremy? I managed to make you crash and light your beloved bike on fire within fifteen minutes. And you couldn't do a damn thing about it."

"I gave you one chance to save yourself, and you've royally fucked it up, King," Jeremy declared, his tone laced with finality.