Chapter 26
Despite the King’s murder and the16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq67E6Egxek
man hunt taking over the city, the Orange Fox was still as popular as ever, if16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZFIS3bGwru
not more so. With all that was going on in their lives, more and more people16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvjthTcOPCc
needed an outlet for their angst and despair. Some of the people Vander had16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXeY1UdIpcG
noticed, who had never been here before, were now here every night gambling or16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz7eid0AzW3
drinking their problems away. It made Ross happier than he had been in a long16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGbwilDuQ7g
time, which made him thirst for even more riches.
Vander and Shea stopped at the16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYeaXwgKNMF
door that led into the man’s suite. Left was nowhere to be found, probably back16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiX57W63iiI
outside with Right. Everyone knew you didn’t mess with the proprietor of this16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlfuL1JqCjP
establishment if you didn’t want your darkest secrets to come to light.16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4I23lvHxwu
However, there would probably come a time when he would meet someone who had16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGQGFNVU9te
nothing left to lose and would come knocking so he hoped Ross knew how to16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4nNsHPkqiU
fight.
There were noises coming from16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXDH9GWV9us
behind the door. Based on the sweaty smell and the grunting sounds coming from16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzZbfcWTlQ4
within, the two of them decided to wait until it was done before entering.
“I can feel you hovering!” Ross16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxIi0pWxaGA
called out. “Come on in, don’t worry, I’m decent.” Vander and Shea exchanged16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7F5K7yVgAk
glances, but they pushed the door open anyway to head inside.
True to Ross’s word, he was16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg7WBPhNrbJ
decent. He was sitting behind his desk with his robe open showing off his16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2oGXvssDPr
heavily muscled frame. In his hand was a glass of amber colored liquid that16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtX9g3ry9Yi
smelled heavily like whiskey. However, the show was happening on the couch that16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ46iXkKAAVy
Vander would have to walk past to talk to his patron. Two people, a man and a16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6lCy0xtuUD
woman, were in the middle of some passionate sex. He was inside her, while16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtYEKtRDiuC
playing with her breast, and thrusting like he would die tonight. Vander could16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXyYyFe9QPg
feel his lust start to creep out, but he closed his eyes to center himself.
“Interesting, isn’t it?” Ross’s16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLoIQ27mlyU
voice brought him out of his stupor. “How much you can learn by watching.”
“I wouldn’t know.” Vander took the16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp4zoyY6He2
chair across from him making sure he could block the sight from his vision, but16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8wXwDsukxB
he could still hear them going at it. “Why have you called me here? Certainly,16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBY3ueC8ixN
it wasn’t to watch two of your workers fuck each other.”
“No, that’s for me.” Ross16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3BBExAR5Mt
chuckled. “I called you here to see if you remember the terms of our16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOACstQCmCB
arrangement.” He wondered when the day would come Ross would ask about that. It16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSwZw1qF3pa
meant that he had something in mind, something he wouldn’t enjoy.
“I do.” Vander nodded. Ross16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqRLOztWtxQ
prompted him to continue. Sighing, he said: “In exchange for your protection16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyKPu6sdP0U
and anything I need, you wanted me to fight down in the cage for the guest’s16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1JKelHMnzH
entertainment.”
“Correct.” Ross put down his16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCv8dOP5AxT
glass. “I have given you three months, generous of me, I know.” Vander rolled16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDbDrKQFpsW
his eyes. “But I’m calling in debt tonight. I can’t treat you as a champion,16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5y32PMszIS
you must work your way up the ranks before fighting the bear.”
“I will not kill anyone.” Vander16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8XMn7VQJsN
warned. “That was part of our deal, remember?”
“Of course,” Ross dismissed it16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9RkhQOPyU9
with a wave of his hand. “It’s not often our duels end in deaths, just against16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPLtbrDlwaU
the bear.” He got up from the desk while removing his robe. Vander averted his16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIACoUzYWAn
gaze as the naked man walked past him to join the two on the couch. “Your first16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSliGfY15kr
fight is tomorrow night. I have sent some things to your room to help you16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡefrwfWZNGw
relax. Right will come get you when it’s time.” Vander waited for the16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡduyaXrkkp6
dismissal, but it never came. When he left Ross was biting the other man’s neck16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyWZDXBq8oD
while stroking him.
Shea asked him what the meeting16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpoklNFBAFJ
was about, so Vander explained it to her. She voiced her anger the entire walk16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE9NcyWsCWF
back to their bedroom. She wasn’t happy with the deal they had made with Ross16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkW07phpaSZ
in the first place, but she didn’t think he would force Vander to fight like he16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP3BMX4c7W2
said he would. He was just glad Ross gave him as much time as he did to get16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJorOL3csGC
over what had happened.
When two of them arrived back at16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBu1jzDWQ0K
the room, both were on instant alert. They could hear giggling of two women16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEmtZc9vr7i
behind the door, so they relaxed. He knew the scent of one of them as the16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs27by6KkDU
bartender he had met the last time he was here. The second woman was new. He16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡopCufkIsXp
heard that Ross had hired a new server just this morning, so it might have been16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh3JHyuUzGa
her. He wouldn’t know until he opened the door.
“I’m going to stay out here and16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEgQq26RRvW
guard the door.” He could feel Shea’s judgement through their bond. It16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ68xCLQHDA5
embarrassed him, but both knew that he wouldn’t be able to relax until the16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLQXx9fINyK
demon was satisfied in all ways. It was the animalistic urge that filled him.16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwomomtFE3e
This was one of the few ways to sate that thirst. Ross knew what he was doing16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRKSR0uGrRm
when he invited Vander to witness the display in his office. It had made him16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCE2racB8qt
hungry.
He stepped into the room to see16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeqLbm2uWg6
two beautiful women sitting on his bed. The blonde bartender waved at him16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7tM8hoiS6G
before giving him a coy wink. The second he didn’t recognize, however she16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS55dHPQ0mk
seemed familiar. He must have seen her around the warehouse the past couple of16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzG3aGPYPrl
days but didn’t think much of it. The two women got up from the bed, pulling16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPXKR06jeac
him over to them. The blonde placed her mouth on his while the brunet started16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIYcwHGV9Ek
pulling off his shirt. For once he and the demon were of mind. They didn’t want16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡziBD0X7Rtk
to leave here until it was time for the fight.
…
Vander snoozed in his bed16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxOUtwFNlMM
completely drained. Despite what he wanted, he was only able to for an hour or16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpZ69uCyyO8
so before the events from the night before caught up to him. Hopefully he left16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡssgj7UsMmi
the two women feeling satisfied, but he knew it had more to do with what they16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVHhqwGXzPi
did for each other than he did, but it was still fun, so he had no complaints.16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWs1VSZQR4L
Shea refused to sleep on the bed until it was cleaned and the stench from his16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWijB9fbTRZ
two visitors was completely wiped away. So, she slept on the floor by his side16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS0ajbXP0D4
of the bed as he rested.
Ever since the night of Malcolm’s16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5Or5ohqMba
murder, the gods had been quiet. He no longer received strange dreams from16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxpc0kmodr1
either Veyar or Unna, which concerned him greatly. He couldn’t remember the16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa3uLa4eHG2
last time he hadn’t had a visit, but he knew that he should enjoy it while it16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLrLdVBIFUm
lasted.
He rested until about midmorning16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjA4pYL7wYb
when the sun was up, and he could hear the cleaners tidying up after the events16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9ESzD6yLa1
from last night. He walked over to the bathroom to take a quick shower. He made16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡApVFjOUgGC
sure that his hair dye hadn’t slipped while it was wet before getting dressed.16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyYXUVjtCrg
He chose a pair of brown trousers, a white shirt, and his boots. As far as16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpgAyBLym3b
disguises went, it wasn’t much, but that was exactly the point. He would be16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD81YgLwnGh
able to blend in with the crowds.
“Where are you going?” Shea16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7joCVD8GmC
asked. He could tell that she was tired because her eyes were drooping.
“I want to go to the safe house16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgIKO4sQ7lh
and see if anything happened while I was here.” Vander explained. He strapped a16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgMJA5Njhnb
sword, a different sword than his Blade weapon, to his back before throwing a16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIMzXym16UA
messenger bag strap over his shoulder. “If the guards were paying attention16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN4mPoyEvTG
they would notice the carnage. I want to see who else shows up.”
“Are you sure that’s wise?” Shea16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ8cjFwnlsV
asked. “What if someone recognizes you?”
“In the unlikely event of that16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIQN04GPJ0P
happening, I can lose them.” Vander promised. She wasn’t entirely convinced it16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ30OtIch844
was safe, especially if she couldn’t go with him. However, they both knew that16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwYDvB8vLKA
was the only choice they could make. If they wanted to get back to their home,16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCoUyI3EXat
they would have to take risks. Vander kissed her on the top of her head16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDVuZnupMdM
promising to return soon before slipping out the door.
He greeted all the workers as he16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPY5cwtO3bF
left, blowing a quick kiss to the blonde as she cleaned up the bar. Right and16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd3lWzW6cSk
Left rolled their eyes but let him leave without stopping him. If he wanted to16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJrkJtdYIlw
get caught that was his problem, not the bouncers.
The southern district looked a lot16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu6HixHsJfM
different in the light of day than the dark of night. The homeless scrounged16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsR2BfKw5Tz
around for food that was left behind during the night or robbing the drunks who16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCsqcpDiT1j
hadn’t been able to make it home before passing out in the alleys. Vander kept16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLKmym6JTwb
his nose to the ground unwilling to look any of them in the eye. Sometimes they16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhKE6nZ3uTB
saw it as a challenge and on multiple occasions he had been attacked. It was16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxHbChICcrl
over quickly, but it drew too much attention so he did what he could to not16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8KB5ByPcO9
appear threatening.
Once he got to the gate separating16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ76zAjFPo1e
the districts, the two guards on duty stopped him. They told him about a house16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvwrhteBHWN
that had been broken into and the occupants had all been killed. They were16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwt1EyDuiBW
given orders to question everybody coming in or out of the district. They asked16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtx8m6Ecz1V
for his name, of which he gave a fake one, then asked why he was coming into16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvDC2SZQ9BE
the eastern district that day. He explained that he was on his way to picking16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Vwci5v1j4
up some packages from the market then delivering them to several different16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWXHVB0iFU0
people. Runners were quite common in the city, so the guards didn’t seem phased16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3gZccWbNpO
by his explanation. When questioned about the sword, Vander laughed. He told16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4MOAqUqxuC
them that they would also have a weapon on them if they knew where he was16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvggfWtqr84
going. Once they patted him down, they sent him on his way.
Vander expected some manner of16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9aV4ydabbu
traffic due to what he did the previous night, but he didn’t expect so many16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoAr8QrqeFg
guards. He even caught a couple of teal uniforms talking to some of them. So,16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFPZyJYqh2q
the Blades were aware of what was going on, but the fact that the guards didn’t16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP9t2k9gfXP
know meant that they were keeping the identities of the dead a secret. That16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4eVwNuAkbJ
didn’t bode too well for him, he had to make sure that his disguise was perfect16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4c1sIt15R8
to avoid suspicion.
He kept to the edge of the crowd,16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8g7CvCY4ud
carefully making sure not to bump the people in front of him. However, the16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIfT1GgcIny
crowd was so thick that he couldn’t see over anyone. Annoyed with himself, he16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCx5Kw6Vcab
did the only thing he could do. He snuck off to a dark alley, positioned some16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP3JIbRSnpK
stuff in front of him so he couldn’t be seen, then bent down.
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He reached deep inside of him,16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNzjdyOmofX
touching the shard that was embedded into his body. It buckled in fought him,16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDZycwh0MEC
but he twisted the powers to suit his own needs. He could feel many different16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaHLCcgG6Tz
creatures around him, but the one he homed in on was the raven on the roof top16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ60wq2aengL
above him. He pushed his consciousness inside and when he opened his eyes once again,16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq5Yz1fBxsr
he could see above the crowd and his own unconscious form down below. With a16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZamY1hUyvW
loud cry he beat his wings and flew.
