Chapter 26
Despite the King’s murder and the32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvMwIvhGHYL
man hunt taking over the city, the Orange Fox was still as popular as ever, if32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAe8XHrIvE0
not more so. With all that was going on in their lives, more and more people32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsBrKGFk9RQ
needed an outlet for their angst and despair. Some of the people Vander had32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPmP7TP585M
noticed, who had never been here before, were now here every night gambling or32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL42rfGeNYa
drinking their problems away. It made Ross happier than he had been in a long32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGZGMfxFhtp
time, which made him thirst for even more riches.
Vander and Shea stopped at the32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1zqtu6tVft
door that led into the man’s suite. Left was nowhere to be found, probably back32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzWu5tzGm84
outside with Right. Everyone knew you didn’t mess with the proprietor of this32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqC3SmdJXgm
establishment if you didn’t want your darkest secrets to come to light.32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbBTCYnmjlA
However, there would probably come a time when he would meet someone who had32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXiQrWrDKf3
nothing left to lose and would come knocking so he hoped Ross knew how to32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTjvxq814bt
fight.
There were noises coming from32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAkaBXtleBB
behind the door. Based on the sweaty smell and the grunting sounds coming from32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWAEjqRU70J
within, the two of them decided to wait until it was done before entering.
“I can feel you hovering!” Ross32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMfVAyYSZh5
called out. “Come on in, don’t worry, I’m decent.” Vander and Shea exchanged32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIpWvx3JZ5w
glances, but they pushed the door open anyway to head inside.
True to Ross’s word, he was32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmX7MvXsNq2
decent. He was sitting behind his desk with his robe open showing off his32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDblBalAZ8j
heavily muscled frame. In his hand was a glass of amber colored liquid that32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQMIwkiuh8v
smelled heavily like whiskey. However, the show was happening on the couch that32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL7LdIXvJjB
Vander would have to walk past to talk to his patron. Two people, a man and a32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡisj7O2N6BE
woman, were in the middle of some passionate sex. He was inside her, while32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg0AwxMyQWo
playing with her breast, and thrusting like he would die tonight. Vander could32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsiapNSyceq
feel his lust start to creep out, but he closed his eyes to center himself.
“Interesting, isn’t it?” Ross’s32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlH00MKSbkL
voice brought him out of his stupor. “How much you can learn by watching.”
“I wouldn’t know.” Vander took the32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7mmqDNZfwr
chair across from him making sure he could block the sight from his vision, but32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0VcuDjL7em
he could still hear them going at it. “Why have you called me here? Certainly,32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8PgBfmczuE
it wasn’t to watch two of your workers fuck each other.”
“No, that’s for me.” Ross32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6w6ExJuvou
chuckled. “I called you here to see if you remember the terms of our32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPmz8xZ8GRm
arrangement.” He wondered when the day would come Ross would ask about that. It32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHKzE0g5Qfa
meant that he had something in mind, something he wouldn’t enjoy.
“I do.” Vander nodded. Ross32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRER6OnQ4nx
prompted him to continue. Sighing, he said: “In exchange for your protection32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ99XXla7Bul
and anything I need, you wanted me to fight down in the cage for the guest’s32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR1MUB5wSLB
entertainment.”
“Correct.” Ross put down his32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxVPdJLiYbN
glass. “I have given you three months, generous of me, I know.” Vander rolled32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiPuzgLeDYP
his eyes. “But I’m calling in debt tonight. I can’t treat you as a champion,32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNOYJO2au8j
you must work your way up the ranks before fighting the bear.”
“I will not kill anyone.” Vander32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡexJxqNOFle
warned. “That was part of our deal, remember?”
“Of course,” Ross dismissed it32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBEl5Ffbdb9
with a wave of his hand. “It’s not often our duels end in deaths, just against32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv5tYlLmba3
the bear.” He got up from the desk while removing his robe. Vander averted his32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt7kg9w6Wfm
gaze as the naked man walked past him to join the two on the couch. “Your first32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPzqe2ukhKM
fight is tomorrow night. I have sent some things to your room to help you32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwC5LdFAXdq
relax. Right will come get you when it’s time.” Vander waited for the32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVMWeq3VQUD
dismissal, but it never came. When he left Ross was biting the other man’s neck32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFCY2fQSdG9
while stroking him.
Shea asked him what the meeting32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzB6V5PE7yV
was about, so Vander explained it to her. She voiced her anger the entire walk32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsvCiuJurLh
back to their bedroom. She wasn’t happy with the deal they had made with Ross32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ84Fo8CQb8F
in the first place, but she didn’t think he would force Vander to fight like he32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF9aDhNNbyL
said he would. He was just glad Ross gave him as much time as he did to get32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiYYQqEYiBp
over what had happened.
When two of them arrived back at32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqzhwRrSkfR
the room, both were on instant alert. They could hear giggling of two women32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8JjifLV88H
behind the door, so they relaxed. He knew the scent of one of them as the32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhhoPWMQ1ea
bartender he had met the last time he was here. The second woman was new. He32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc6dUBY5nM9
heard that Ross had hired a new server just this morning, so it might have been32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEHXvYFtyeq
her. He wouldn’t know until he opened the door.
“I’m going to stay out here and32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnqiC7WgsIH
guard the door.” He could feel Shea’s judgement through their bond. It32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqg5JwWUCVp
embarrassed him, but both knew that he wouldn’t be able to relax until the32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG7m9YptZBh
demon was satisfied in all ways. It was the animalistic urge that filled him.32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBKkaI7lpzu
This was one of the few ways to sate that thirst. Ross knew what he was doing32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsqL8yVvyxo
when he invited Vander to witness the display in his office. It had made him32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9wkx99OuyX
hungry.
He stepped into the room to see32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW7LczL74E5
two beautiful women sitting on his bed. The blonde bartender waved at him32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJiKKgRW20x
before giving him a coy wink. The second he didn’t recognize, however she32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4ATWKlyabv
seemed familiar. He must have seen her around the warehouse the past couple of32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6f4zh7phPX
days but didn’t think much of it. The two women got up from the bed, pulling32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS0hQdOgdCA
him over to them. The blonde placed her mouth on his while the brunet started32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHyFXBhFPqi
pulling off his shirt. For once he and the demon were of mind. They didn’t want32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVdclNQLgmt
to leave here until it was time for the fight.
…
Vander snoozed in his bed32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi8Li7HmzrG
completely drained. Despite what he wanted, he was only able to for an hour or32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoZRcXjNfbg
so before the events from the night before caught up to him. Hopefully he left32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLkjcwGcipN
the two women feeling satisfied, but he knew it had more to do with what they32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsWh3I489Nf
did for each other than he did, but it was still fun, so he had no complaints.32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡamlzgsDVHi
Shea refused to sleep on the bed until it was cleaned and the stench from his32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6a3uYovmGK
two visitors was completely wiped away. So, she slept on the floor by his side32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDBEYGd0zif
of the bed as he rested.
Ever since the night of Malcolm’s32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡszZFGjB6zw
murder, the gods had been quiet. He no longer received strange dreams from32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaku1xrmvp6
either Veyar or Unna, which concerned him greatly. He couldn’t remember the32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqPr2a4yutQ
last time he hadn’t had a visit, but he knew that he should enjoy it while it32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnGVQGfI62S
lasted.
He rested until about midmorning32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU8HFtLrjoc
when the sun was up, and he could hear the cleaners tidying up after the events32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjVMc45nwei
from last night. He walked over to the bathroom to take a quick shower. He made32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDduVZU8wfc
sure that his hair dye hadn’t slipped while it was wet before getting dressed.32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsIeRgmvOc2
He chose a pair of brown trousers, a white shirt, and his boots. As far as32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMZE0F0dIEe
disguises went, it wasn’t much, but that was exactly the point. He would be32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB5n45GTjdW
able to blend in with the crowds.
“Where are you going?” Shea32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUsmRB7dEs6
asked. He could tell that she was tired because her eyes were drooping.
“I want to go to the safe house32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqzPtun1Y0G
and see if anything happened while I was here.” Vander explained. He strapped a32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEFhFTzglJd
sword, a different sword than his Blade weapon, to his back before throwing a32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuO0hCVLAbH
messenger bag strap over his shoulder. “If the guards were paying attention32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOyhJqcbPG9
they would notice the carnage. I want to see who else shows up.”
“Are you sure that’s wise?” Shea32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsZrOiiQ0b0
asked. “What if someone recognizes you?”
“In the unlikely event of that32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMUGNpKonO2
happening, I can lose them.” Vander promised. She wasn’t entirely convinced it32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3hVWXlq88d
was safe, especially if she couldn’t go with him. However, they both knew that32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcXHqrOLiPJ
was the only choice they could make. If they wanted to get back to their home,32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBJs8VP57am
they would have to take risks. Vander kissed her on the top of her head32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYPSNY47QAa
promising to return soon before slipping out the door.
He greeted all the workers as he32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj27BpaMD2h
left, blowing a quick kiss to the blonde as she cleaned up the bar. Right and32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwZdYaDNPIs
Left rolled their eyes but let him leave without stopping him. If he wanted to32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvxsifcjmUw
get caught that was his problem, not the bouncers.
The southern district looked a lot32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFbWsOLG6qk
different in the light of day than the dark of night. The homeless scrounged32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnwdfgAS01R
around for food that was left behind during the night or robbing the drunks who32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0O6ZFnYLSw
hadn’t been able to make it home before passing out in the alleys. Vander kept32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH6kQVU7aMq
his nose to the ground unwilling to look any of them in the eye. Sometimes they32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡErChDTZzbR
saw it as a challenge and on multiple occasions he had been attacked. It was32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC0GC4uVbns
over quickly, but it drew too much attention so he did what he could to not32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiQiW8Is6zO
appear threatening.
Once he got to the gate separating32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFgobqjQfdn
the districts, the two guards on duty stopped him. They told him about a house32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzUDdh8U6KZ
that had been broken into and the occupants had all been killed. They were32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiB90k3GA5X
given orders to question everybody coming in or out of the district. They asked32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoKctEAaDx6
for his name, of which he gave a fake one, then asked why he was coming into32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg2GciGLUXP
the eastern district that day. He explained that he was on his way to picking32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfdh18WoZCP
up some packages from the market then delivering them to several different32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMixOw0DTXZ
people. Runners were quite common in the city, so the guards didn’t seem phased32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVcLtMYRLLR
by his explanation. When questioned about the sword, Vander laughed. He told32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDAZ1Y3lLuA
them that they would also have a weapon on them if they knew where he was32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn12YsLjtMw
going. Once they patted him down, they sent him on his way.
Vander expected some manner of32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKVPqsLl8cp
traffic due to what he did the previous night, but he didn’t expect so many32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNIZgPdqBzP
guards. He even caught a couple of teal uniforms talking to some of them. So,32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8ymyr7ND3E
the Blades were aware of what was going on, but the fact that the guards didn’t32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxuhLW7Wek1
know meant that they were keeping the identities of the dead a secret. That32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYLvr2nnseq
didn’t bode too well for him, he had to make sure that his disguise was perfect32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7ZcQA1sKwv
to avoid suspicion.
He kept to the edge of the crowd,32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWsdYc69sgZ
carefully making sure not to bump the people in front of him. However, the32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTFkiywmnL8
crowd was so thick that he couldn’t see over anyone. Annoyed with himself, he32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjNMbQ5pvu3
did the only thing he could do. He snuck off to a dark alley, positioned some32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNPZ7OyEXBl
stuff in front of him so he couldn’t be seen, then bent down.
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He reached deep inside of him,32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6XFsVurF1W
touching the shard that was embedded into his body. It buckled in fought him,32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe6t4OzPT6q
but he twisted the powers to suit his own needs. He could feel many different32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLg4Gmam5PX
creatures around him, but the one he homed in on was the raven on the roof top32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI1jUzrEkIw
above him. He pushed his consciousness inside and when he opened his eyes once again,32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu0XVsffvMC
he could see above the crowd and his own unconscious form down below. With a32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv5SMEYlkaW
loud cry he beat his wings and flew.
