Chapter 4
Vander pushed open the door that170Please respect copyright.PENANAiCGYH5vzdC
led into a large, spacious office. The walls were blocked by large bookshelves170Please respect copyright.PENANA57ydwpl4nM
filled to the brim with various books from Eluvia’s history, there were even170Please respect copyright.PENANAbfBItTZuRB
some books from their neighboring countries. 170Please respect copyright.PENANAdap381lsTM
When he was younger he had wanted to read them all, but it was a170Please respect copyright.PENANA6rHldyiFvO
daunting task that would take him many lifetimes. Each shelf was painstakingly170Please respect copyright.PENANAl0PXDpsVpM
ordered alphabetically and by subject so you could find anything you wanted170Please respect copyright.PENANA1Yvd1llqvv
quite easily.
There was a desk in front of the170Please respect copyright.PENANApdCgZwUOxs
left wall that was kept clean, only a letter or two adorned in. Inside the desk170Please respect copyright.PENANATAb1wTDmCH
were reports from all the Blades scattered throughout the kingdom and a wax170Please respect copyright.PENANA8P04GAzU9b
seal the Commander used on the letters before sending them out on delivery. On170Please respect copyright.PENANACbhGBVpJiJ
the right side was a massive fireplace with two large chairs set up in front.170Please respect copyright.PENANAUCX2qzMYol
There was a table between them where his grandfather sat drinking after a long day’s170Please respect copyright.PENANAjeGmQ0TLDq
work before he retired for the night.
“Are you just going to stand there170Please respect copyright.PENANAuKu3SXNApY
looking around or are you coming inside?” Vander looked towards the window170Please respect copyright.PENANA3wyvxnUTzP
where his grandfather was standing.
Charles Pendrake was staring at170Please respect copyright.PENANAmENQljFqJh
him over his shoulder with a hard look in his eyes. Despite being an adult,170Please respect copyright.PENANAThJ0ryXpye
Vander found his grandfather to be quite intimidating. Despite being almost170Please respect copyright.PENANAxFBWPCz6NN
sixty years old, at 6’6 he was still able to run over the younger Blades quite170Please respect copyright.PENANABjewji4Ceb
easily. His mind was still sharp, and he commanded an air of respect that few170Please respect copyright.PENANACNa743rKo0
could ignore. Despite being family, the two of them look nothing alike. He had170Please respect copyright.PENANAc1Db89VGYC
brown hair with graying edges and brown eyes. While Vander was wiry, Charles170Please respect copyright.PENANAxyFvWOa1ip
was pure muscle. Charles was respected while Vander was feared.
“Apologies170Please respect copyright.PENANAerh8mNHIPP
Commander.” Vander stepped inside then closed the door. “It’s just been a long170Please respect copyright.PENANAoFwc94xmi4
time since I’ve been in here.” Shea followed him in and went to sit by his170Please respect copyright.PENANAwVx9tNr8dE
grandfather’s desk chair.
“I’ve told you170Please respect copyright.PENANAtLx1qoTyEY
when it’s the two of us you can call me grandpa.” Charles sighed.
“Sorry170Please respect copyright.PENANAYZ0pzGq6kG
Commander.” Vander bowed his head.
“Still just a170Please respect copyright.PENANAIsIbSDDxGB
pain in the ass as always.” Charles stepped away from the window then sat down170Please respect copyright.PENANAC6UoNvpLME
behind his desk. “I thought spending the past six months up in the woods would170Please respect copyright.PENANAS75l1fZ9Q2
have tempered the attitude of yours.” He rubbed the top of Shea’s head as she170Please respect copyright.PENANAM11r1mV5bP
placed her mouth on his leg.
“Don’t pretend170Please respect copyright.PENANAS73omk9YFZ
that’s why you sent me up there to train.” Vander took the seat opposite him.170Please respect copyright.PENANA0xVTvqLMlR
“Though it was nice to get away from the city for a change.”
“I did it for170Please respect copyright.PENANAoxPf06clhn
your own good, you know it.” Charles sighed. “I don’t know how I wound up with170Please respect copyright.PENANAvMhVuCPfya
such a head strong grandson.”
“And people say170Please respect copyright.PENANAUn6fH3uaSa
we’re nothing alike.” He snorted. “Anyway, I received your letter and came as170Please respect copyright.PENANAVu784u32H3
soon as I could. What’s going?” Charles leaned back in his chair.
“Since you were170Please respect copyright.PENANAPSzg7jm8DU
sent to the woods and Cuvera went to pick up his bride from Bricen, things have170Please respect copyright.PENANAnLc54OBpl3
only gotten worse here.” He rubbed the back of his head. “What I am about to170Please respect copyright.PENANAszbaaJvHRi
tell you, you can tell no one else about. Not even Alex, am I understood?”
“Is that170Please respect copyright.PENANAFjFFDPHv6i
serious I can’t tell another Captain?” Charles nodded grimly. Vander sighed170Please respect copyright.PENANAqxdnqDaMgg
before agreeing. “A couple weeks ago, Malcolm had fallen mysteriously ill. We170Please respect copyright.PENANAxZ35jvvkm7
aren’t sure the cause of it, Topal is by his side every day and night, but none170Please respect copyright.PENANAoyv9ag2yw1
of his remedies are working.”
“Really?”170Please respect copyright.PENANAC1s7p7lMrD
Vander frowned. “When I passed through the city earlier, nothing seemed amiss.170Please respect copyright.PENANA8WkBMLsami
There was no one sick and everyone seemed quite happy.”
“That’s because no one outside of170Please respect copyright.PENANAdzF01SLhiF
the council knows.” Charles explained. “We wanted to keep it quiet to avoid a170Please respect copyright.PENANAeDptIK7wHd
panic.”
“So why tell me?”
“Because I want you to take over170Please respect copyright.PENANABxXGxsccrO
the investigation for me.” Charles explained. “I don’t think the cause of his170Please respect copyright.PENANAxmRbNdzDnh
sickness is natural causes, I think it was poison. Topal agrees with me, but170Please respect copyright.PENANAyfejD6GycW
the council doesn’t agree. While the King is fighting for his life, the council170Please respect copyright.PENANAb6049dQcrF
is trying to undermine him by passing laws that bolster their own power while170Please respect copyright.PENANACeNtLi0eaq
restricting ours. So now I must fight them off and can’t concentrate on finding170Please respect copyright.PENANAcXV2V27Psq
out who did this. So, will you do it?”
Vander folded his arms and thought170Please respect copyright.PENANArrBkEnzYt0
for a moment. It was a lot of information to absorb at once, but he knew his170Please respect copyright.PENANAVDgCnoWQgv
grandfather was pressed for time. Despite his anger towards the old man, he170Please respect copyright.PENANAHcefB6SWIG
didn’t really want to see him suffer anymore.
“I will help you.” Vander sighed.170Please respect copyright.PENANAKRU1NU6kJ2
Charles broke out into a large grin.
“Thank you.” He reached into his170Please respect copyright.PENANA8c23mLzswk
desk and pulled something out. He placed the small item on the desk in front of170Please respect copyright.PENANAKXTUl8O8gI
Vander. It was a small blue medallion with the royal family’s crest on one side170Please respect copyright.PENANAMO09duU5DI
and the Blade symbol on the other. “This will open all doors for you inside the170Please respect copyright.PENANAhzEVyloZE4
city. Get whatever you need, but you can tell no one about your mission.”
Vander took the medal then slipped170Please respect copyright.PENANAUxcxl0Pzx3
it into his pocket. “Is it alright if I see the King now?” He got up from the170Please respect copyright.PENANAb4EG8PzvI6
chair and headed towards the door.
“Yes, but there is something I170Please respect copyright.PENANAaR4DAK9sAX
should tell you-“ Vander opened the door while looking at his grandfather.170Please respect copyright.PENANAarx49KWAHt
Shea’s hackles raised as she started snarling. He turned to see who was170Please respect copyright.PENANA87xYLff2rS
standing there and upon recognizing him, his blood started to boil.
“What the hell are you doing170Please respect copyright.PENANA9YGXi7uYCu
here?” he snapped. He grabbed the man by his collar and pushed him up against170Please respect copyright.PENANAYxyK2QGTsa
the hallway wall. “Give me a reason why I should gut you where you stand.”
“Because I’m still a Blade and a170Please respect copyright.PENANAAICmNnOnRn
captain now.” Leon smirked. “You can’t do a damn thing to me.”
“What?” He spun around to see his170Please respect copyright.PENANA4plcl3GqRD
grandfather standing in the doorway looking at him with a dejected look on his170Please respect copyright.PENANAdQbChU6XW2
face.
“I had no choice in the matter.”170Please respect copyright.PENANApSsM5RHA2B
Charles looked pained. “That’s part of the reason I wanted to see you; will you170Please respect copyright.PENANAqNRw0JovI5
sit down? Please?” Vander took one more look at Leon’s smug face before shoving170Please respect copyright.PENANAsxIffsvVvD
him back against the wall and walking back to his seat. Shea, still growling,170Please respect copyright.PENANANMnsqJNvih
kept her eyes locked on Leon perhaps daring him to make a move against her170Please respect copyright.PENANABoWbdQhye4
master. Vander sat down.
“The council is making moves to170Please respect copyright.PENANASvTwLLCPKv
limit the power of the Blades, or to remove us completely.” Charles explained.170Please respect copyright.PENANAvGjCJmB5O3
“Since the wars ended, they decided there isn’t a need for us to carry on how170Please respect copyright.PENANAqoW1c3kgLz
we are. With the poisoning of the King, it further reinforced their views. They170Please respect copyright.PENANACaMp26N5wP
appointed Leon as Captain to oversee us and to report back.”
“And what qualifications does he170Please respect copyright.PENANAyu69guIaS1
have to report on anything?” Vander glared at the other man who was leaning up170Please respect copyright.PENANA9y2E0elHpu
against the wall with a broad grin on his face.
“None whatsoever.” Charles170Please respect copyright.PENANAgZPgA7pQSf
snorted. “His father just promoted him into our ranks to be a pain in the ass.”
“That’s not going to win you any170Please respect copyright.PENANAJW5ZTshMj0
points, Commander.” Leon sneered. “I have absolute authority to decide the fate170Please respect copyright.PENANAouOQAUmJSO
of the Blades. It wouldn’t go well for you to get on my bad side.”
“Shea kindly escort him from the170Please respect copyright.PENANAvdc3L8GIo2
room.” Vander commanded. “I don’t need him overhearing actual Blade business.”
“With pleasure.” She170Please respect copyright.PENANAFl6vJ8Gh1i
snarled. She got up from off the ground and with teeth bared, she stalked170Please respect copyright.PENANANe3NrvntL4
towards Leon. Leon’s smug smirk disappeared instantly as he slowly started170Please respect copyright.PENANADqcj5FRIPw
backing up towards the door.
“Call off your mutt, Vander.” His170Please respect copyright.PENANAPZSjwN7mF9
face became pale as neither of them moved to help. “Vander.” He quickly ducked170Please respect copyright.PENANA4V0jCRWCHA
through the door and slammed it shut as Shea lunged at him. She landed nimbly170Please respect copyright.PENANAVGP1M2yoGM
in front of the door.
“Don’t come back.” Vander170Please respect copyright.PENANAIV3kGPiDxd
heard Leon’s panicked footsteps echoing down the hall. The thought of the man170Please respect copyright.PENANAeYsGwzJNaB
pissing himself brought a small smile to his face.
“That was unwise, yet very170Please respect copyright.PENANAhCmCNbe1cy
satisfying.” Charles chuckled. “Viggo won’t be happy.”
“I don’t give a shit what makes170Please respect copyright.PENANAzczh2HiwIp
him happy.” Vander sighed. “He just wants to control us for his own personal170Please respect copyright.PENANAF2PJuApyD7
gain. Man’s a snake and should be removed.”
“We are just protectors Vander,170Please respect copyright.PENANAmEWPCXdzvD
not politicians. Leave the removal to those with the mind to do it.”
“Yes sir.” Vander sighed. “When do170Please respect copyright.PENANApnEBurmgX7
you want me to go and see the King?”“The investigation can wait until you are170Please respect copyright.PENANAzvcRW4L48j
fresh faced and rested.” Charles said. “Everything is how it was; the King has170Please respect copyright.PENANAav2uSxgepj
just been moved to a secret location while he recovers. This is our last chance170Please respect copyright.PENANAWYfrR5wsQA
to prove our worth to the council.”
“We shouldn’t have to prove a damn170Please respect copyright.PENANAJpUm4PvzZS
thing, but I’m with you.” Vander got up to stretch, stifling a yawn. “I will do170Please respect copyright.PENANAFolDMpj87Y
what I can to find out who hurt the King and bring them to justice.”
“Thank you.” Charles smiled. “How170Please respect copyright.PENANAxVXtnvBs0d
are the recruits coming along? I wanted to give a demonstration to the council,170Please respect copyright.PENANAopTLdQUQug
but only if you think they are ready.”
“Their teamwork could use some170Please respect copyright.PENANAKHEE9SUre2
help and if they stopped letting their hormones get the better of them they170Please respect copyright.PENANAkNwrP0JoWY
would be solid fighters.” Vander explained. “We are meeting at my place for170Please respect copyright.PENANALkXWjP3U6t
celebratory drinks and food. They deserve it.”
“I don’t know why you still stay170Please respect copyright.PENANA42B4opcFqN
in that shit hole.” Charles said. “We have plenty of rooms for you in the170Please respect copyright.PENANAOitLFVezRZ
compound, you should stay there.”
“You know my feelings on its170Please respect copyright.PENANAfZiF1rHlRb
gramps.” He said. “I don’t like how the others look at me. At least in the city170Please respect copyright.PENANATc4El79Zm3
I can be a little anonymous and keep to myself.”
“I know, I know.” He sighed. “I170Please respect copyright.PENANAxVGSkb0n4L
will see you tomorrow. The price will be arriving in the next couple of days170Please respect copyright.PENANAFe6a0Tb7DH
with his new bride, I would like the investigation to be wrapped up by then,170Please respect copyright.PENANACV8Fd7Z7be
then we will have the recruits tested. Will that be alright with you?”
“Yes.” He stared down at his170Please respect copyright.PENANAkvu35Z7pR4
grandfather. “And just because I’m being civil with you, doesn’t mean I’m not170Please respect copyright.PENANA3PFrDi4PB6
angry with you. We will have our talk once this is all over.”
“I understand.” Charles looked170Please respect copyright.PENANA9Pu3CllS1f
down at his desk and began rifling through his papers. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”170Please respect copyright.PENANAcropzNsgeb
Realizing that was his cue, Vander opened the door for Shea and the two of them170Please respect copyright.PENANAH03LJBhDmw
slipped out quietly closing it behind them.
The walk back through the castle170Please respect copyright.PENANA6e36bRPmpe
was uneventful. Most of the servants were too busy to talk to him, as they were170Please respect copyright.PENANAypWYRp9rHc
preparing for the prince’s return along with his new bride. Vander was hopeful170Please respect copyright.PENANA4SP3YTEJ2X
with their union because finally the long war that killed thousands of people170Please respect copyright.PENANAnTxqVOYnHb
was finally at its end. Peyton’s words at the front door didn’t surprise Vander170Please respect copyright.PENANAzvjn2c1rDe
in the least. The two countries would finally be allowed to heal but some170Please respect copyright.PENANAmMBuo9sfEs
people didn’t care about that. They just wanted the war to continue because it170Please respect copyright.PENANA9iSPqsix9h
just made them richer. It was a disgrace, but greed ruled overall. Part of him170Please respect copyright.PENANAPXsYV3ceLF
had hoped that the would be told who was against the treaty and toss them in170Please respect copyright.PENANAWyFU2pAlvd
jail, but if the King, Charles, and Peyton wanted them to stick around, they170Please respect copyright.PENANACs8lCgiJnZ
must have a good reason for doing so. It was above his paygrade at any rate.
He headed back towards the gate170Please respect copyright.PENANAefVko6QCcM
where Jeffery Jilena’s soldiers were guarding the passage through, and to his170Please respect copyright.PENANAjZbUI243Sx
surprise, it seemed as though his advice worked. They were alert and not170Please respect copyright.PENANA4h5fYEtjVo
leaning up against the walls. Their weapons were at attention and even though170Please respect copyright.PENANAWeHW8JWGfM
they gave him a dirty look as he passed, one snarl from Shea kept them from170Please respect copyright.PENANAKtOCr6gBmZ
saying anything they would regret, and they allowed him to pass without any170Please respect copyright.PENANAmzVF5MkUOM
issues.
By the time he made it out of the170Please respect copyright.PENANANemS8iPFJf
middle ring, the sun was beginning to set illuminating the sky with colors of170Please respect copyright.PENANAFuAoCXt3Cn
bring pink and yellow. Most of the people he walked past were scurrying to get170Please respect copyright.PENANA1sK8yFbz7o
home before nightfall or closing shops so they could calculate their profits170Please respect copyright.PENANAXUWMPiyf5z
before heading in for the night. Nighttime was always Vander’s favorite time of170Please respect copyright.PENANAyTmRSVw3rY
day. The hustle and bustle of city life would disappear into almost nothing170Please respect copyright.PENANAA7mUGduc49
giving him the peace and quiet he and Shea desperately enjoyed. Being back in170Please respect copyright.PENANAbDuIBarfyb
the city would be a challenge and he knew it would only be a matter of time170Please respect copyright.PENANA5ge7cmyOyJ
before they two of them wanted to go back to the woods where they both felt at170Please respect copyright.PENANA5AABuKUnpo
home. For now, they would just have to enjoy the place they lived in and make170Please respect copyright.PENANA77UG1TuLtF
do with that.
One of the only places that would170Please respect copyright.PENANAB56Ss0wW6m
have Vander and Shea was a little inn within the eastern district called the170Please respect copyright.PENANAK9rNZ08FtE
Warm Hearth. They got hunters coming from the forest to try and sell skin,170Please respect copyright.PENANAoNVG3pbNZt
meat, bones, and fur to anyone who wanted them. Often the hunters would bring170Please respect copyright.PENANABp5AFb5cdq
their dogs with them as an insurance policy against thieves. They were unruly170Please respect copyright.PENANAkGRC83ShlS
to the inn owners and would often feel up many of the servers. One time Vander170Please respect copyright.PENANAOMt8rrgHiw
got into it with a couple of them who felt they were entitled to the servers170Please respect copyright.PENANAIu110BL11F
after hours. The sicced their dogs on him, but once Shea jumped in killing two170Please respect copyright.PENANAzXJFidKro7
of them, the hunters knew better than to fuck with them and, by extension, the170Please respect copyright.PENANA4vfwf1vHYi
serving girls. From the day forward, he had a discounted room and a place to170Please respect copyright.PENANAy3IeXGV4sR
relax after work.
Upon arrival, he could hear dozens170Please respect copyright.PENANAV9xpcWK7mU
of patrons talking and demanding foo and drinks. It wasn’t a bad place, a170Please respect copyright.PENANAYo2pgYBYIO
little run down, but kempt. The front door was missing a hinge causing it to170Please respect copyright.PENANAbEWADXxFVJ
lean slightly. Once you opened it, you had to lift it a little bit to make sure170Please respect copyright.PENANA4qHwemGU3x
it didn’t catch on the stairs. Unknown to all but Vander, the servers and the170Please respect copyright.PENANAunJG3biozj
owner, the stools were slightly off center. It was a way to make sure people170Please respect copyright.PENANA3CyFBLhvrd
weren’t drinking too much. If they fall to the floor, they get cut off and170Please respect copyright.PENANAIBU61tXkUX
taken somewhere to sleep it off before going home to their families.
Vander pulled open the door,170Please respect copyright.PENANAeJdNo2OHym
making sure to lift it, and was greeted with even more noise than he was170Please respect copyright.PENANAJWxBWeY2w4
expecting. There were thirty people jammed inside all shouting to be heard over170Please respect copyright.PENANAQyZAlz1pgL
the music playing in the corner. A couple of people, men, and women were170Please respect copyright.PENANAZ1yPawRSFL
dancing on the floor in front of the band twirling their dresses and spinning170Please respect copyright.PENANASLhEYm0xBN
on their feet to the beat. Shea, hating all the noise slunk off behind the170Please respect copyright.PENANA8VwSkwXeJa
counter and quickly made her way over to the rear corner to scamper her way up170Please respect copyright.PENANAyMbF0MYLXc
the stairs and out of sight. She knew where she was going, they had installed a170Please respect copyright.PENANARVBqy7DkSI
little door for her to come and go as she pleased so she would have no issues170Please respect copyright.PENANAoC6O778GjL
getting into his room. He just hoped no one was squatting there or they would170Please respect copyright.PENANAaCsUnGxIfM
be in for a real rude awakening.
“Vander!” Someone shouted at him.170Please respect copyright.PENANAgB6bkvMGxF
The voice came from the Inn Keeper, a young woman named Julianne, who had170Please respect copyright.PENANAQLjwcMBalv
received the bar from her father after his untimely death. She had long black170Please respect copyright.PENANAMOiXFAtCpU
hair, brown eyes, and a figure that drew the eye of every man in the room. She170Please respect copyright.PENANAoMstsyx6BR
flirted harmlessly with the guests, made sure to top of their drinks whenever170Please respect copyright.PENANAcExm3ANLE3
she could, but was still responsible in making sure people didn’t drink more170Please respect copyright.PENANAtIbxOn0T4F
than they could handle.
“Julianna,” he waved to her. She170Please respect copyright.PENANAQ2KDqbyIiW
sashayed her way through the crowd to embrace him in a quick hug followed by a170Please respect copyright.PENANAu6EPGXVbzW
quick peck on the cheek. Today she was wearing a low-cut navy-blue dress and170Please respect copyright.PENANAThdglrO33p
blue boots. Her long hair was pulled back in a ponytail to keep any loose170Please respect copyright.PENANABRXakBrCdN
strands from falling into anyone’s food or drinks.
“I had a feeling you might be here170Please respect copyright.PENANAbpQPz4xzTw
today.” She beamed causing dimples to form in her cheeks. “I had your room170Please respect copyright.PENANADsbSE1iCRd
dusted then the linen and your clothing cleaned. My maid, Kyra, just finished170Please respect copyright.PENANALGXW3vVFLB
an hour or so ago.”
“You have a knack for knowing when170Please respect copyright.PENANAEgdrdafKtn
I get here.” He laughed, hugging her back. “Are you sure you aren’t a seer?”
“Nonsense,” She slapped him170Please respect copyright.PENANAvm0QxDDGhf
lightly on the arm. “Get upstairs and get changed, you smell like stale sweat170Please respect copyright.PENANAnxpW8tjLP4
and feet.” Vander lifted his arms then grimaced. She was being polite about it.
“Alexander and the recruits are170Please respect copyright.PENANAazsq0rLoyG
coming tonight.” Vander said. “If they arrived before I come back down, will170Please respect copyright.PENANAusRct5tDZJ
you get them a table?”
“Of course.” She smiled. “After170Please respect copyright.PENANAKM57eLY3w6
they leave, I’d love to hear how your time away from this place was. We can170Please respect copyright.PENANArR49tgYREh
drink and relax, how does that sound?”
“Sounds great.” He waved goodbye170Please respect copyright.PENANAvO5LD4FVdF
to her as he tried to make his way though. The servers smiled and waved at him170Please respect copyright.PENANAGUcMI1uxIG
while the patrons backed up several steps. He wasn’t sure if it was because170Please respect copyright.PENANART3eHLLimG
they recognized him or because of the way he smelled, but he guessed it didn’t170Please respect copyright.PENANAjzNT7G8zbx
really matter. He was glad to not have to talk to any of them.
His room was on the third floor170Please respect copyright.PENANAJxBE8nvYBv
all the way at the back. Julianne had offered a closer room on the lower floor,170Please respect copyright.PENANAWc2dEAthYz
but he liked his privacy as most of the people who stayed here were either170Please respect copyright.PENANA9BXhdmI8HJ
travelers who wanted a cheaper room or patrons who were too drunk to walk and170Please respect copyright.PENANA9UB8lScf69
couldn’t walk. She had her own room in the basement where it was warm and where170Please respect copyright.PENANAxbaS8KNkjD
she didn’t have to worry about anyone trying to get into her room. The basement170Please respect copyright.PENANAAiHc9ubkj2
was only open during business hours and was locked during the day. He had never170Please respect copyright.PENANA9FfTLLjlVf
been down there, but he expected there was a second door that was always locked170Please respect copyright.PENANAEdg9X1xLUF
to keep anyone from sneaking down there when she was busy.
His room wasn’t much to look at.170Please respect copyright.PENANAuy2I2OJtZH
It was big enough for a small bed, a desk, and a dresser. There was a closet170Please respect copyright.PENANARf1XBeFwAs
along the left wall and a door that led into a bathroom complete with both a170Please respect copyright.PENANAhIW5h0zSRa
shower and a sink. True to her word, the room smelled freshly cleaned the smell170Please respect copyright.PENANA8jbJtc2gFS
of lemon still fragrant in the air. As they were getting closer to fall, his170Please respect copyright.PENANAuXf9ioeOVD
lighter blankets had been swapped for a warmer one. Shea was in the process of170Please respect copyright.PENANAJZHFOSoKXb
rubbing her scent on everything when he walked in.
“I hate it when she cleans in170Please respect copyright.PENANAhA0EJGcMXI
here.” She complained.
“Not everyone likes the smell of170Please respect copyright.PENANAbZJHMXvrUu
wolf day in and day out.” Vander said. “Maybe we should give you a bath as170Please respect copyright.PENANAy2NTUeCsUY
well?”
“Try it and you’ll be minus a170Please respect copyright.PENANAWeH8ocdXWr
hand.” She growled. The two of them looked at each other, but eventually170Please respect copyright.PENANAPJ0dj8U10o
Vander shrugged his shoulders. “Suit yourself sinky.” She lunged at him, but he170Please respect copyright.PENANACmPbej75Pn
jumped nimbly away. He quickly removed his sword, placing it carefully on the170Please respect copyright.PENANAPP2WOu5Aa1
ground. Then he grabbed her, picked her up, then threw her on the bed. Before170Please respect copyright.PENANAHPzRy2rTjO
she could right herself, her body slammed her then started rubbing her belly.170Please respect copyright.PENANAR5vnWQ8d7x
She squirmed under him, but eventually she told him she gave up. Laughing, he170Please respect copyright.PENANAKWrwF1kYWU
shrugged off his jacket and tossed it on top of her.
“I’m going to bathe and change170Please respect copyright.PENANAYEXtDcvcJZ
before I meet the others. I assume you want to stay here?” she nodded her head.170Please respect copyright.PENANADO0Va1wa95
“Want anything from the kitchen?”
“Beef.” Was the response. She wiggled her way under170Please respect copyright.PENANAQEKxbbnWFl
the blanket and moments later, he could hear her snoring gently from170Please respect copyright.PENANApUNFon13zG
underneath.
Vander shrugged off his clothing170Please respect copyright.PENANAbAVGNHD8c8
and dumped it in a pile by the door. Walking into the bathroom, he turned the170Please respect copyright.PENANAMysbT5khER
water faucet on. It took awhile for the water to become hot enough where he170Please respect copyright.PENANANaLfQJDMnI
didn’t freeze. He stepped inside and felt his aches melt away with the hot170Please respect copyright.PENANA3Bg2Nsg5kb
water pounding into his body.
He always enjoyed this part of the170Please respect copyright.PENANAKJpL0K4ALB
day. Even if it was day of just sitting in meetings, just washing away your170Please respect copyright.PENANA68vzNkj2HC
worries for even a little bit was enough to make him happy. He didn’t get to170Please respect copyright.PENANAgFfE1brsxE
shower at all while he was in the woods. The closest he got was taking a dip in170Please respect copyright.PENANAzOYyeGyn4f
the lake every other day, but that wasn’t the same. He got clean, but it was170Please respect copyright.PENANAl1EUzmDm78
never truly relaxing for him.
He lost track of how long he was170Please respect copyright.PENANAmcCkByp6Mq
under the water, but he turned it off once it became cold. He grabbed the towel170Please respect copyright.PENANAtpMOzemjFV
hanging up next to the sink to dry off then wrapped it around his waist. When170Please respect copyright.PENANAWdxYPd1Dfg
we walked into the room, he noticed that Shea was on alert. Her ears were lying170Please respect copyright.PENANA42e016qn8x
flat against her head and her teeth were bared. Only one person would make her170Please respect copyright.PENANAVq1YXGzGTB
that upset in the inn, someone he had hoped would take a little bit longer to170Please respect copyright.PENANAYvdMszs9XE
see him, but it wasn’t an unexpected visit. He could hear her voice coming up170Please respect copyright.PENANAoDvwQDtJdB
from downstairs, so he figured he still had some time.
Whistling to himself, he walked170Please respect copyright.PENANA4kHlKVft0P
over to his closet and removed a brown shirt with strings which would allow him170Please respect copyright.PENANADcgSz4FKwc
to pull it tight over his chest or leave it loose. He picked out a pair of170Please respect copyright.PENANAOcUy5EN0fn
casual black pants along with a pair of black boots. He removed two black170Please respect copyright.PENANAJQMkFGkvld
leather cuffs and carefully tied them to his wrists. He didn’t like wearing170Please respect copyright.PENANASEBBa8A6eZ
jewelry while on duty, however he wore a silver ring with an emerald embedded in170Please respect copyright.PENANAOe3nHUBrH7
it when he was off duty. It was the last thing he received from his mother170Please respect copyright.PENANAY1dba7C6AL
before her death.
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He heard the footsteps coming up170Please respect copyright.PENANAM2y3enfbLk
the stairs then stopped right in front of his door. “Behave Shea.” He said. She170Please respect copyright.PENANAsjcDD6w1fd
didn’t relax, but she did hide her teeth so as not scare his guest. His heart170Please respect copyright.PENANA5RSkzrvGnw
pounded in his chest as he waited for the knock. As soon as he heard it, he got170Please respect copyright.PENANAI0HzusezEA
up from his bed and opened the door. “Hello Bree.”