Chapter 26
Despite the King’s murder and the15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCtwPD6bT6m
man hunt taking over the city, the Orange Fox was still as popular as ever, if15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ44pswkGeCQ
not more so. With all that was going on in their lives, more and more people15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGdrCGapiLD
needed an outlet for their angst and despair. Some of the people Vander had15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrNLAuefbJn
noticed, who had never been here before, were now here every night gambling or15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL2tEIWZBUG
drinking their problems away. It made Ross happier than he had been in a long15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6xImFrUPNJ
time, which made him thirst for even more riches.
Vander and Shea stopped at the15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmhyumWKOYF
door that led into the man’s suite. Left was nowhere to be found, probably back15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmmLQAeVvhf
outside with Right. Everyone knew you didn’t mess with the proprietor of this15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxU8s5ONdFx
establishment if you didn’t want your darkest secrets to come to light.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkkh0CIp04k
However, there would probably come a time when he would meet someone who had15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzfEEl030tr
nothing left to lose and would come knocking so he hoped Ross knew how to15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy6USu4Ws0V
fight.
There were noises coming from15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0hfBcIvJdL
behind the door. Based on the sweaty smell and the grunting sounds coming from15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX8S89mNgxf
within, the two of them decided to wait until it was done before entering.
“I can feel you hovering!” Ross15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡat26bNlJ76
called out. “Come on in, don’t worry, I’m decent.” Vander and Shea exchanged15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ02KpXZoaJz
glances, but they pushed the door open anyway to head inside.
True to Ross’s word, he was15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUbVgu24FN7
decent. He was sitting behind his desk with his robe open showing off his15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUntnZOyH1D
heavily muscled frame. In his hand was a glass of amber colored liquid that15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmNBtoPZh5F
smelled heavily like whiskey. However, the show was happening on the couch that15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzeimJcDMpO
Vander would have to walk past to talk to his patron. Two people, a man and a15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdOb0HKpIml
woman, were in the middle of some passionate sex. He was inside her, while15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWs4VCJ9W5g
playing with her breast, and thrusting like he would die tonight. Vander could15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuay2oQSzJT
feel his lust start to creep out, but he closed his eyes to center himself.
“Interesting, isn’t it?” Ross’s15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd2oGCBan5q
voice brought him out of his stupor. “How much you can learn by watching.”
“I wouldn’t know.” Vander took the15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqVC6mOIe27
chair across from him making sure he could block the sight from his vision, but15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVUV20FOWeW
he could still hear them going at it. “Why have you called me here? Certainly,15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWKS6X6H78v
it wasn’t to watch two of your workers fuck each other.”
“No, that’s for me.” Ross15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8klDa4QnvH
chuckled. “I called you here to see if you remember the terms of our15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbNAqwggmME
arrangement.” He wondered when the day would come Ross would ask about that. It15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcplmNvRrsO
meant that he had something in mind, something he wouldn’t enjoy.
“I do.” Vander nodded. Ross15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj3vzBTAlS4
prompted him to continue. Sighing, he said: “In exchange for your protection15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmiaFt5jrb7
and anything I need, you wanted me to fight down in the cage for the guest’s15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCvmmeULydo
entertainment.”
“Correct.” Ross put down his15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNzLdWCy6cz
glass. “I have given you three months, generous of me, I know.” Vander rolled15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQQdKu3XHie
his eyes. “But I’m calling in debt tonight. I can’t treat you as a champion,15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLEbvVqKggf
you must work your way up the ranks before fighting the bear.”
“I will not kill anyone.” Vander15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgce7Rpfn6B
warned. “That was part of our deal, remember?”
“Of course,” Ross dismissed it15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbj0RxbXXsC
with a wave of his hand. “It’s not often our duels end in deaths, just against15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKG0FapnvIe
the bear.” He got up from the desk while removing his robe. Vander averted his15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUAIXT1xmSv
gaze as the naked man walked past him to join the two on the couch. “Your first15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjWHHD6G4f1
fight is tomorrow night. I have sent some things to your room to help you15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTxWdvv4eVH
relax. Right will come get you when it’s time.” Vander waited for the15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZfmQsaJFq4
dismissal, but it never came. When he left Ross was biting the other man’s neck15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn0HkWnBDA6
while stroking him.
Shea asked him what the meeting15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO0aCFe0ubB
was about, so Vander explained it to her. She voiced her anger the entire walk15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkgso6LUkr9
back to their bedroom. She wasn’t happy with the deal they had made with Ross15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPEwTMaKxPG
in the first place, but she didn’t think he would force Vander to fight like he15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYyazrRXU49
said he would. He was just glad Ross gave him as much time as he did to get15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV8VFeho6Sn
over what had happened.
When two of them arrived back at15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh7Ff6QDFEl
the room, both were on instant alert. They could hear giggling of two women15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA58yZWjxUN
behind the door, so they relaxed. He knew the scent of one of them as the15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbw46BMznaQ
bartender he had met the last time he was here. The second woman was new. He15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhesY5ebzeM
heard that Ross had hired a new server just this morning, so it might have been15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXdujFmvOsU
her. He wouldn’t know until he opened the door.
“I’m going to stay out here and15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjMCLE98dlU
guard the door.” He could feel Shea’s judgement through their bond. It15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgYKS97wz17
embarrassed him, but both knew that he wouldn’t be able to relax until the15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtIJr8YMEYR
demon was satisfied in all ways. It was the animalistic urge that filled him.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR2LWFaIUec
This was one of the few ways to sate that thirst. Ross knew what he was doing15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCjJkZrrrii
when he invited Vander to witness the display in his office. It had made him15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡENZAqHXJx1
hungry.
He stepped into the room to see15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡim0PLeR2yE
two beautiful women sitting on his bed. The blonde bartender waved at him15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSS8OEkCXJ3
before giving him a coy wink. The second he didn’t recognize, however she15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9ERwouewNt
seemed familiar. He must have seen her around the warehouse the past couple of15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0buKMo7Jtf
days but didn’t think much of it. The two women got up from the bed, pulling15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡucWLmWtjbs
him over to them. The blonde placed her mouth on his while the brunet started15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4eG6OaOx0z
pulling off his shirt. For once he and the demon were of mind. They didn’t want15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJdgn1ZPC4X
to leave here until it was time for the fight.
…
Vander snoozed in his bed15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVTDK3Vybdg
completely drained. Despite what he wanted, he was only able to for an hour or15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Q3gN8GycB
so before the events from the night before caught up to him. Hopefully he left15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrdgVWMMZdf
the two women feeling satisfied, but he knew it had more to do with what they15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwjrbOIgbeR
did for each other than he did, but it was still fun, so he had no complaints.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtvSxTEkTjX
Shea refused to sleep on the bed until it was cleaned and the stench from his15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKmL6krgVDy
two visitors was completely wiped away. So, she slept on the floor by his side15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEQMpB2njJ8
of the bed as he rested.
Ever since the night of Malcolm’s15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA7bQigYSUK
murder, the gods had been quiet. He no longer received strange dreams from15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoFv1I5jHc7
either Veyar or Unna, which concerned him greatly. He couldn’t remember the15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiSnviNn4s2
last time he hadn’t had a visit, but he knew that he should enjoy it while it15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsBL2e9dGjk
lasted.
He rested until about midmorning15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJpULVxQU9b
when the sun was up, and he could hear the cleaners tidying up after the events15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZVTv1k1Mbk
from last night. He walked over to the bathroom to take a quick shower. He made15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsfNmfkYOXv
sure that his hair dye hadn’t slipped while it was wet before getting dressed.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0WLmSl34GL
He chose a pair of brown trousers, a white shirt, and his boots. As far as15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlrzZsbC1Ap
disguises went, it wasn’t much, but that was exactly the point. He would be15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxtE4AOwXAR
able to blend in with the crowds.
“Where are you going?” Shea15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPm84ZcVzIz
asked. He could tell that she was tired because her eyes were drooping.
“I want to go to the safe house15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0HrRmUaKoI
and see if anything happened while I was here.” Vander explained. He strapped a15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWGsf7T3Hz1
sword, a different sword than his Blade weapon, to his back before throwing a15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNkaRsYE4X6
messenger bag strap over his shoulder. “If the guards were paying attention15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAFi1pAnz4y
they would notice the carnage. I want to see who else shows up.”
“Are you sure that’s wise?” Shea15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1nePuWh6JM
asked. “What if someone recognizes you?”
“In the unlikely event of that15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNIsbbKemxy
happening, I can lose them.” Vander promised. She wasn’t entirely convinced it15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡULISCocpQ6
was safe, especially if she couldn’t go with him. However, they both knew that15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5aSnaQjQBp
was the only choice they could make. If they wanted to get back to their home,15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1ZAS36mMQ4
they would have to take risks. Vander kissed her on the top of her head15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6ATy7RraaQ
promising to return soon before slipping out the door.
He greeted all the workers as he15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡujl4sW6epa
left, blowing a quick kiss to the blonde as she cleaned up the bar. Right and15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQcBBAgIQ1V
Left rolled their eyes but let him leave without stopping him. If he wanted to15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcGZBFiRV8V
get caught that was his problem, not the bouncers.
The southern district looked a lot15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFt3fUopxv8
different in the light of day than the dark of night. The homeless scrounged15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSL8fDviFzd
around for food that was left behind during the night or robbing the drunks who15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHvzZi9TZuh
hadn’t been able to make it home before passing out in the alleys. Vander kept15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoLia8atkdL
his nose to the ground unwilling to look any of them in the eye. Sometimes they15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF6n6lDJLx5
saw it as a challenge and on multiple occasions he had been attacked. It was15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd17tB9bsRy
over quickly, but it drew too much attention so he did what he could to not15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4DDjiHhfzb
appear threatening.
Once he got to the gate separating15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWqvNGxBLkg
the districts, the two guards on duty stopped him. They told him about a house15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuwh0XiePLB
that had been broken into and the occupants had all been killed. They were15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1310rDwH8t
given orders to question everybody coming in or out of the district. They asked15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoTkDGZMEbC
for his name, of which he gave a fake one, then asked why he was coming into15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡngMXoAyPLm
the eastern district that day. He explained that he was on his way to picking15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr9JmuRN5lw
up some packages from the market then delivering them to several different15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqQtSYqitxc
people. Runners were quite common in the city, so the guards didn’t seem phased15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxezSDTqCYW
by his explanation. When questioned about the sword, Vander laughed. He told15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4dIgQjY8M2
them that they would also have a weapon on them if they knew where he was15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡixWP2JX0fI
going. Once they patted him down, they sent him on his way.
Vander expected some manner of15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9DRAyJDUHy
traffic due to what he did the previous night, but he didn’t expect so many15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiASlvHAKgd
guards. He even caught a couple of teal uniforms talking to some of them. So,15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk9PpfqbPWd
the Blades were aware of what was going on, but the fact that the guards didn’t15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAGKw1Lr07N
know meant that they were keeping the identities of the dead a secret. That15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkzMzim35yV
didn’t bode too well for him, he had to make sure that his disguise was perfect15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7CwvT9IjvF
to avoid suspicion.
He kept to the edge of the crowd,15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2AUA3kwAyY
carefully making sure not to bump the people in front of him. However, the15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzoXyXPezp5
crowd was so thick that he couldn’t see over anyone. Annoyed with himself, he15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ81iUbyjLtY
did the only thing he could do. He snuck off to a dark alley, positioned some15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR3ZXyPAlXr
stuff in front of him so he couldn’t be seen, then bent down.
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He reached deep inside of him,15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBopUTmQIR7
touching the shard that was embedded into his body. It buckled in fought him,15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1SZUXQ3atl
but he twisted the powers to suit his own needs. He could feel many different15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡklMgmIi4IZ
creatures around him, but the one he homed in on was the raven on the roof top15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPCSWLUwOUm
above him. He pushed his consciousness inside and when he opened his eyes once again,15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqcfWyGwmw6
he could see above the crowd and his own unconscious form down below. With a15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGBuQ7Wfjj1
loud cry he beat his wings and flew.
