Chapter 26
Despite the King’s murder and the105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBdUN0p4U9H
man hunt taking over the city, the Orange Fox was still as popular as ever, if105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwGCUeyRo0G
not more so. With all that was going on in their lives, more and more people105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxTrfhmh626
needed an outlet for their angst and despair. Some of the people Vander had105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSxMvZZ1bfn
noticed, who had never been here before, were now here every night gambling or105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2lcBVanc7M
drinking their problems away. It made Ross happier than he had been in a long105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6gaf7n3qGT
time, which made him thirst for even more riches.
Vander and Shea stopped at the105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn6W5Iv1crm
door that led into the man’s suite. Left was nowhere to be found, probably back105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡweDglnstTd
outside with Right. Everyone knew you didn’t mess with the proprietor of this105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6diV41sq66
establishment if you didn’t want your darkest secrets to come to light.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo9cLm6EuLV
However, there would probably come a time when he would meet someone who had105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXR5DFKwZPV
nothing left to lose and would come knocking so he hoped Ross knew how to105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrvPP7pvWEg
fight.
There were noises coming from105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWJgoqfV8xf
behind the door. Based on the sweaty smell and the grunting sounds coming from105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcokOjkE7fS
within, the two of them decided to wait until it was done before entering.
“I can feel you hovering!” Ross105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUzZD0xHvZl
called out. “Come on in, don’t worry, I’m decent.” Vander and Shea exchanged105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeYB1OgM2qk
glances, but they pushed the door open anyway to head inside.
True to Ross’s word, he was105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡngqWMxiel3
decent. He was sitting behind his desk with his robe open showing off his105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVEPjVzfb8T
heavily muscled frame. In his hand was a glass of amber colored liquid that105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfXXh1K4lcq
smelled heavily like whiskey. However, the show was happening on the couch that105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjuSHSU3P9t
Vander would have to walk past to talk to his patron. Two people, a man and a105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm0wdhz5rFQ
woman, were in the middle of some passionate sex. He was inside her, while105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJyuqwBo09s
playing with her breast, and thrusting like he would die tonight. Vander could105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgg9dedKl8Z
feel his lust start to creep out, but he closed his eyes to center himself.
“Interesting, isn’t it?” Ross’s105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpe170Izts4
voice brought him out of his stupor. “How much you can learn by watching.”
“I wouldn’t know.” Vander took the105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVOnX6SfmVs
chair across from him making sure he could block the sight from his vision, but105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvVBw9ZRza1
he could still hear them going at it. “Why have you called me here? Certainly,105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgDEcsPhqem
it wasn’t to watch two of your workers fuck each other.”
“No, that’s for me.” Ross105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmk5WmZY179
chuckled. “I called you here to see if you remember the terms of our105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv9IdBeEtgD
arrangement.” He wondered when the day would come Ross would ask about that. It105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6zLfNTinh7
meant that he had something in mind, something he wouldn’t enjoy.
“I do.” Vander nodded. Ross105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUsM6h8kaC3
prompted him to continue. Sighing, he said: “In exchange for your protection105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBpEt7ebbzd
and anything I need, you wanted me to fight down in the cage for the guest’s105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRycbtbAtxN
entertainment.”
“Correct.” Ross put down his105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzpEVQzHeYr
glass. “I have given you three months, generous of me, I know.” Vander rolled105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo0b4moDN3j
his eyes. “But I’m calling in debt tonight. I can’t treat you as a champion,105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhe7gmt4HxM
you must work your way up the ranks before fighting the bear.”
“I will not kill anyone.” Vander105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡenhfxUmS6j
warned. “That was part of our deal, remember?”
“Of course,” Ross dismissed it105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm6Sx32jTVM
with a wave of his hand. “It’s not often our duels end in deaths, just against105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhSF5FFqC9I
the bear.” He got up from the desk while removing his robe. Vander averted his105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOV2jDinIPi
gaze as the naked man walked past him to join the two on the couch. “Your first105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQu9uEeW9ZX
fight is tomorrow night. I have sent some things to your room to help you105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuGdSWERrqb
relax. Right will come get you when it’s time.” Vander waited for the105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtDlDDQZSnP
dismissal, but it never came. When he left Ross was biting the other man’s neck105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFB2qBIxNEu
while stroking him.
Shea asked him what the meeting105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhEvl81KkBK
was about, so Vander explained it to her. She voiced her anger the entire walk105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpnEBfNSUuV
back to their bedroom. She wasn’t happy with the deal they had made with Ross105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkIztwVULWZ
in the first place, but she didn’t think he would force Vander to fight like he105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqhxEgoLsrw
said he would. He was just glad Ross gave him as much time as he did to get105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfp5mYDl4tK
over what had happened.
When two of them arrived back at105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIz46mjXVR5
the room, both were on instant alert. They could hear giggling of two women105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1H65qUzRFg
behind the door, so they relaxed. He knew the scent of one of them as the105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3u3BRvfFtz
bartender he had met the last time he was here. The second woman was new. He105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbAmzQrlMnd
heard that Ross had hired a new server just this morning, so it might have been105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡujWGxgbG8V
her. He wouldn’t know until he opened the door.
“I’m going to stay out here and105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI4lvBOeJR0
guard the door.” He could feel Shea’s judgement through their bond. It105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeukzaMGqqQ
embarrassed him, but both knew that he wouldn’t be able to relax until the105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9kJGsorL1T
demon was satisfied in all ways. It was the animalistic urge that filled him.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqsrONTcS26
This was one of the few ways to sate that thirst. Ross knew what he was doing105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOBYtj6kCFc
when he invited Vander to witness the display in his office. It had made him105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡusgUc72SSx
hungry.
He stepped into the room to see105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAgTcFd4a7X
two beautiful women sitting on his bed. The blonde bartender waved at him105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIjcaJMGn1u
before giving him a coy wink. The second he didn’t recognize, however she105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLEExpdbLbg
seemed familiar. He must have seen her around the warehouse the past couple of105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdRQJ6eaAm3
days but didn’t think much of it. The two women got up from the bed, pulling105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡamZI0gdPUh
him over to them. The blonde placed her mouth on his while the brunet started105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrZpojJeRBv
pulling off his shirt. For once he and the demon were of mind. They didn’t want105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKDmqAt9yKZ
to leave here until it was time for the fight.
…
Vander snoozed in his bed105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxn0tkNbqSA
completely drained. Despite what he wanted, he was only able to for an hour or105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxTfegzrkd5
so before the events from the night before caught up to him. Hopefully he left105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtee3rI5ozH
the two women feeling satisfied, but he knew it had more to do with what they105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiGiRjbRDsM
did for each other than he did, but it was still fun, so he had no complaints.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0dbuSfDL8S
Shea refused to sleep on the bed until it was cleaned and the stench from his105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAZdCbXxL5f
two visitors was completely wiped away. So, she slept on the floor by his side105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG5O1SOrqjS
of the bed as he rested.
Ever since the night of Malcolm’s105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡluikpodYCn
murder, the gods had been quiet. He no longer received strange dreams from105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL8RLlz5xwK
either Veyar or Unna, which concerned him greatly. He couldn’t remember the105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNaztQAp4E4
last time he hadn’t had a visit, but he knew that he should enjoy it while it105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgy6dDk6ush
lasted.
He rested until about midmorning105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXclfnuOZmm
when the sun was up, and he could hear the cleaners tidying up after the events105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoPquv3uoci
from last night. He walked over to the bathroom to take a quick shower. He made105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsD070t4HZ7
sure that his hair dye hadn’t slipped while it was wet before getting dressed.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZyqkierJ2q
He chose a pair of brown trousers, a white shirt, and his boots. As far as105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAuWpXVTraq
disguises went, it wasn’t much, but that was exactly the point. He would be105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ89iFiPwddW
able to blend in with the crowds.
“Where are you going?” Shea105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLC09T5PuU8
asked. He could tell that she was tired because her eyes were drooping.
“I want to go to the safe house105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqVjXrn9te1
and see if anything happened while I was here.” Vander explained. He strapped a105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzRJMhCtBLy
sword, a different sword than his Blade weapon, to his back before throwing a105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTNp7C110Tp
messenger bag strap over his shoulder. “If the guards were paying attention105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc8TeqGibvE
they would notice the carnage. I want to see who else shows up.”
“Are you sure that’s wise?” Shea105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpQwI8BbdJz
asked. “What if someone recognizes you?”
“In the unlikely event of that105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNVwhKXRx0o
happening, I can lose them.” Vander promised. She wasn’t entirely convinced it105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtXJdNbGU1m
was safe, especially if she couldn’t go with him. However, they both knew that105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLFuHO2BU4t
was the only choice they could make. If they wanted to get back to their home,105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLslRwaIYHA
they would have to take risks. Vander kissed her on the top of her head105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQCGuCyW4xi
promising to return soon before slipping out the door.
He greeted all the workers as he105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDlp3GdDGoR
left, blowing a quick kiss to the blonde as she cleaned up the bar. Right and105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLHHBiEOF3H
Left rolled their eyes but let him leave without stopping him. If he wanted to105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEztYVbtq7O
get caught that was his problem, not the bouncers.
The southern district looked a lot105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3coIJkzkOY
different in the light of day than the dark of night. The homeless scrounged105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoQUB5IHxsX
around for food that was left behind during the night or robbing the drunks who105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2ZYUggHhnA
hadn’t been able to make it home before passing out in the alleys. Vander kept105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkiMjDax0Ur
his nose to the ground unwilling to look any of them in the eye. Sometimes they105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5xlWsPWuvy
saw it as a challenge and on multiple occasions he had been attacked. It was105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQgPfI05CfV
over quickly, but it drew too much attention so he did what he could to not105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzmSUiUaIKr
appear threatening.
Once he got to the gate separating105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBGVXko37tG
the districts, the two guards on duty stopped him. They told him about a house105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3w4ZKq73IE
that had been broken into and the occupants had all been killed. They were105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡecH8SoTaTf
given orders to question everybody coming in or out of the district. They asked105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR158sthW6a
for his name, of which he gave a fake one, then asked why he was coming into105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDje6S3IqYU
the eastern district that day. He explained that he was on his way to picking105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxglAcHC9M6
up some packages from the market then delivering them to several different105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUTxFReZFkO
people. Runners were quite common in the city, so the guards didn’t seem phased105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYIMQLlrTVj
by his explanation. When questioned about the sword, Vander laughed. He told105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT1u4JKEcoW
them that they would also have a weapon on them if they knew where he was105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBFKwkBHE2P
going. Once they patted him down, they sent him on his way.
Vander expected some manner of105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc5oFj3qbRF
traffic due to what he did the previous night, but he didn’t expect so many105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyMWdhFeEPb
guards. He even caught a couple of teal uniforms talking to some of them. So,105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMxrtZJz46y
the Blades were aware of what was going on, but the fact that the guards didn’t105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg73hrrcDbv
know meant that they were keeping the identities of the dead a secret. That105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJhPsOQkxYZ
didn’t bode too well for him, he had to make sure that his disguise was perfect105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpPZr4UcJje
to avoid suspicion.
He kept to the edge of the crowd,105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5R0tTkCpiB
carefully making sure not to bump the people in front of him. However, the105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwQOVb3Bswz
crowd was so thick that he couldn’t see over anyone. Annoyed with himself, he105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWcQGDGcgx3
did the only thing he could do. He snuck off to a dark alley, positioned some105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR2giC9Wo0U
stuff in front of him so he couldn’t be seen, then bent down.
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He reached deep inside of him,105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeIEhnXYMgr
touching the shard that was embedded into his body. It buckled in fought him,105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfI7dWAFgz9
but he twisted the powers to suit his own needs. He could feel many different105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4tFnxYICQX
creatures around him, but the one he homed in on was the raven on the roof top105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1qdehE72N7
above him. He pushed his consciousness inside and when he opened his eyes once again,105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNrE2cj6TH4
he could see above the crowd and his own unconscious form down below. With a105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡODrJ2syDZB
loud cry he beat his wings and flew.
