Chapter 26
Despite the King’s murder and the83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAOezbQUoZw
man hunt taking over the city, the Orange Fox was still as popular as ever, if83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLwqLi5CPnv
not more so. With all that was going on in their lives, more and more people83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRpRyZ2tPqh
needed an outlet for their angst and despair. Some of the people Vander had83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvccmuT7Qsm
noticed, who had never been here before, were now here every night gambling or83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB3U6lidCNF
drinking their problems away. It made Ross happier than he had been in a long83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpxP5En2G7Y
time, which made him thirst for even more riches.
Vander and Shea stopped at the83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxuh5iHU6xe
door that led into the man’s suite. Left was nowhere to be found, probably back83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOMsQarXrQq
outside with Right. Everyone knew you didn’t mess with the proprietor of this83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkl6OEdnndy
establishment if you didn’t want your darkest secrets to come to light.83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKw0ysHrqUk
However, there would probably come a time when he would meet someone who had83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7fL4qRkzqZ
nothing left to lose and would come knocking so he hoped Ross knew how to83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmyP7hJAJRo
fight.
There were noises coming from83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZfUXMBQ2nI
behind the door. Based on the sweaty smell and the grunting sounds coming from83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMfudFThpOl
within, the two of them decided to wait until it was done before entering.
“I can feel you hovering!” Ross83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ99oiUpBgH4
called out. “Come on in, don’t worry, I’m decent.” Vander and Shea exchanged83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA5wuoure9v
glances, but they pushed the door open anyway to head inside.
True to Ross’s word, he was83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmMhlwQbzuL
decent. He was sitting behind his desk with his robe open showing off his83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAn4W1M189X
heavily muscled frame. In his hand was a glass of amber colored liquid that83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHjKBhtTGCL
smelled heavily like whiskey. However, the show was happening on the couch that83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEA7xCWZXL9
Vander would have to walk past to talk to his patron. Two people, a man and a83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6m6RQ4GzUU
woman, were in the middle of some passionate sex. He was inside her, while83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcXnkxhQrFB
playing with her breast, and thrusting like he would die tonight. Vander could83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUb2aBhAyoq
feel his lust start to creep out, but he closed his eyes to center himself.
“Interesting, isn’t it?” Ross’s83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAMbjK8wlAC
voice brought him out of his stupor. “How much you can learn by watching.”
“I wouldn’t know.” Vander took the83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsW7M4bSEj1
chair across from him making sure he could block the sight from his vision, but83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1UF78GE2Aq
he could still hear them going at it. “Why have you called me here? Certainly,83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9HlL9i1YnU
it wasn’t to watch two of your workers fuck each other.”
“No, that’s for me.” Ross83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHkHv3S0aqT
chuckled. “I called you here to see if you remember the terms of our83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh4IYgzpkBx
arrangement.” He wondered when the day would come Ross would ask about that. It83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpdzkpQ0MCm
meant that he had something in mind, something he wouldn’t enjoy.
“I do.” Vander nodded. Ross83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbCqlm05HK9
prompted him to continue. Sighing, he said: “In exchange for your protection83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIdQTHW4NgB
and anything I need, you wanted me to fight down in the cage for the guest’s83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyZhJlr4aNm
entertainment.”
“Correct.” Ross put down his83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhu1UgGPCor
glass. “I have given you three months, generous of me, I know.” Vander rolled83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDdFFynX9SQ
his eyes. “But I’m calling in debt tonight. I can’t treat you as a champion,83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMZFYIUt475
you must work your way up the ranks before fighting the bear.”
“I will not kill anyone.” Vander83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9x5xYKOycf
warned. “That was part of our deal, remember?”
“Of course,” Ross dismissed it83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYCRGecDFCE
with a wave of his hand. “It’s not often our duels end in deaths, just against83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOQTWslXNyd
the bear.” He got up from the desk while removing his robe. Vander averted his83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ62bIgQkz66
gaze as the naked man walked past him to join the two on the couch. “Your first83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPj5zwz220P
fight is tomorrow night. I have sent some things to your room to help you83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiLVMSY1I83
relax. Right will come get you when it’s time.” Vander waited for the83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡls1xPvfoRX
dismissal, but it never came. When he left Ross was biting the other man’s neck83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfKe4Rs2JMu
while stroking him.
Shea asked him what the meeting83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRUCjQ5DFk9
was about, so Vander explained it to her. She voiced her anger the entire walk83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmKtW1SasHe
back to their bedroom. She wasn’t happy with the deal they had made with Ross83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbtznRTsnPv
in the first place, but she didn’t think he would force Vander to fight like he83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwVPYkWAUbO
said he would. He was just glad Ross gave him as much time as he did to get83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ90Pckh1qVf
over what had happened.
When two of them arrived back at83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQwAA7ZGB6A
the room, both were on instant alert. They could hear giggling of two women83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoqUsx6ahUu
behind the door, so they relaxed. He knew the scent of one of them as the83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9ARnkfeEUw
bartender he had met the last time he was here. The second woman was new. He83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkr3elzdGGU
heard that Ross had hired a new server just this morning, so it might have been83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCz8Sk3icr7
her. He wouldn’t know until he opened the door.
“I’m going to stay out here and83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1GIjgSamtG
guard the door.” He could feel Shea’s judgement through their bond. It83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPVqcPplGLi
embarrassed him, but both knew that he wouldn’t be able to relax until the83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXbF4M3oMml
demon was satisfied in all ways. It was the animalistic urge that filled him.83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW1ZgXqdxnP
This was one of the few ways to sate that thirst. Ross knew what he was doing83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ86VgHYGzgc
when he invited Vander to witness the display in his office. It had made him83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmLyna9Tcd4
hungry.
He stepped into the room to see83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBNp0xMIa1Q
two beautiful women sitting on his bed. The blonde bartender waved at him83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLgPJ2Swipr
before giving him a coy wink. The second he didn’t recognize, however she83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUUlxUIBjlf
seemed familiar. He must have seen her around the warehouse the past couple of83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwUbl4Ut4WI
days but didn’t think much of it. The two women got up from the bed, pulling83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfaodzYZJuT
him over to them. The blonde placed her mouth on his while the brunet started83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyQLwi0lBpH
pulling off his shirt. For once he and the demon were of mind. They didn’t want83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhIfuPpC8DG
to leave here until it was time for the fight.
…
Vander snoozed in his bed83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9oXYLVbkNP
completely drained. Despite what he wanted, he was only able to for an hour or83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ47tfaZxIBj
so before the events from the night before caught up to him. Hopefully he left83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlIuunJjGnS
the two women feeling satisfied, but he knew it had more to do with what they83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdk8qVLBYxG
did for each other than he did, but it was still fun, so he had no complaints.83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhFjB7vTBXZ
Shea refused to sleep on the bed until it was cleaned and the stench from his83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF13NiXYuqW
two visitors was completely wiped away. So, she slept on the floor by his side83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFrSzNvucLb
of the bed as he rested.
Ever since the night of Malcolm’s83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKizug4s8ve
murder, the gods had been quiet. He no longer received strange dreams from83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS2IAkNCrGS
either Veyar or Unna, which concerned him greatly. He couldn’t remember the83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx4QHP1QFlC
last time he hadn’t had a visit, but he knew that he should enjoy it while it83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBkFMU5ItS2
lasted.
He rested until about midmorning83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ31KfcwoRsi
when the sun was up, and he could hear the cleaners tidying up after the events83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu3LNvxxlhs
from last night. He walked over to the bathroom to take a quick shower. He made83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡocNgsx4uyn
sure that his hair dye hadn’t slipped while it was wet before getting dressed.83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡopUvbjJvx8
He chose a pair of brown trousers, a white shirt, and his boots. As far as83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrnTowZnec8
disguises went, it wasn’t much, but that was exactly the point. He would be83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB2S95f0SKR
able to blend in with the crowds.
“Where are you going?” Shea83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUpWBqbRpV8
asked. He could tell that she was tired because her eyes were drooping.
“I want to go to the safe house83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFw0ISO0lSV
and see if anything happened while I was here.” Vander explained. He strapped a83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn9d60s2maW
sword, a different sword than his Blade weapon, to his back before throwing a83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXfdaBDlPfY
messenger bag strap over his shoulder. “If the guards were paying attention83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAcBrwhAtld
they would notice the carnage. I want to see who else shows up.”
“Are you sure that’s wise?” Shea83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡllBNdXOzVY
asked. “What if someone recognizes you?”
“In the unlikely event of that83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEobzV5K9fR
happening, I can lose them.” Vander promised. She wasn’t entirely convinced it83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi3qoiIwE3q
was safe, especially if she couldn’t go with him. However, they both knew that83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJqVUcIbvSA
was the only choice they could make. If they wanted to get back to their home,83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSHpKBV6BSK
they would have to take risks. Vander kissed her on the top of her head83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTUGEPrtSvk
promising to return soon before slipping out the door.
He greeted all the workers as he83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZm1SGMJQOH
left, blowing a quick kiss to the blonde as she cleaned up the bar. Right and83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvtyFzsOzD3
Left rolled their eyes but let him leave without stopping him. If he wanted to83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmTTmgfn12X
get caught that was his problem, not the bouncers.
The southern district looked a lot83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS9gu76NaUT
different in the light of day than the dark of night. The homeless scrounged83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJlbYJa9l9P
around for food that was left behind during the night or robbing the drunks who83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo0qrpCfj7p
hadn’t been able to make it home before passing out in the alleys. Vander kept83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7aYL0QY3QU
his nose to the ground unwilling to look any of them in the eye. Sometimes they83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGh5o03Z00c
saw it as a challenge and on multiple occasions he had been attacked. It was83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdhzLDMrDk9
over quickly, but it drew too much attention so he did what he could to not83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjg79Ss4qJM
appear threatening.
Once he got to the gate separating83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXchP4eId0T
the districts, the two guards on duty stopped him. They told him about a house83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQFrYCbp8zZ
that had been broken into and the occupants had all been killed. They were83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXSsitiRhMh
given orders to question everybody coming in or out of the district. They asked83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzZ7iRulH8p
for his name, of which he gave a fake one, then asked why he was coming into83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzHoTDH3orA
the eastern district that day. He explained that he was on his way to picking83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEHK0fy3CrW
up some packages from the market then delivering them to several different83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFGizSdkXB9
people. Runners were quite common in the city, so the guards didn’t seem phased83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb6kc7rFhNI
by his explanation. When questioned about the sword, Vander laughed. He told83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVVXEcz7UxS
them that they would also have a weapon on them if they knew where he was83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4ZxE1PRL3Q
going. Once they patted him down, they sent him on his way.
Vander expected some manner of83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ17hJ5a5y6F
traffic due to what he did the previous night, but he didn’t expect so many83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCUKdmukm3N
guards. He even caught a couple of teal uniforms talking to some of them. So,83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV2i2RyOSK0
the Blades were aware of what was going on, but the fact that the guards didn’t83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFI4HhijitZ
know meant that they were keeping the identities of the dead a secret. That83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjxdttyIllr
didn’t bode too well for him, he had to make sure that his disguise was perfect83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡphtQK9II74
to avoid suspicion.
He kept to the edge of the crowd,83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHB7KfiRZce
carefully making sure not to bump the people in front of him. However, the83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIyJ4kq0Vv4
crowd was so thick that he couldn’t see over anyone. Annoyed with himself, he83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwHYD4kJRVV
did the only thing he could do. He snuck off to a dark alley, positioned some83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6ZDMJWvw2U
stuff in front of him so he couldn’t be seen, then bent down.
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He reached deep inside of him,83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDcTqfhYuu8
touching the shard that was embedded into his body. It buckled in fought him,83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuwVnejs9G7
but he twisted the powers to suit his own needs. He could feel many different83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRzDhXAPZtA
creatures around him, but the one he homed in on was the raven on the roof top83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhtEHUuvDNK
above him. He pushed his consciousness inside and when he opened his eyes once again,83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNCoeoTX3jL
he could see above the crowd and his own unconscious form down below. With a83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVfygutxzPX
loud cry he beat his wings and flew.
