Chapter 4
Vander pushed open the door that131Please respect copyright.PENANAc97JSIQXcZ
led into a large, spacious office. The walls were blocked by large bookshelves131Please respect copyright.PENANAox3MaLF1A6
filled to the brim with various books from Eluvia’s history, there were even131Please respect copyright.PENANANUAJQr5pb4
some books from their neighboring countries. 131Please respect copyright.PENANA91lEyt2cZw
When he was younger he had wanted to read them all, but it was a131Please respect copyright.PENANADkURSp40fY
daunting task that would take him many lifetimes. Each shelf was painstakingly131Please respect copyright.PENANAgNsz81oqbY
ordered alphabetically and by subject so you could find anything you wanted131Please respect copyright.PENANALELH7L2WBz
quite easily.
There was a desk in front of the131Please respect copyright.PENANAqIVcRDKaNi
left wall that was kept clean, only a letter or two adorned in. Inside the desk131Please respect copyright.PENANAHavT5UlA60
were reports from all the Blades scattered throughout the kingdom and a wax131Please respect copyright.PENANAk6XIb3oUeH
seal the Commander used on the letters before sending them out on delivery. On131Please respect copyright.PENANAeux0T8Erze
the right side was a massive fireplace with two large chairs set up in front.131Please respect copyright.PENANAmQhpSYZPKb
There was a table between them where his grandfather sat drinking after a long day’s131Please respect copyright.PENANAbGg70TXRDC
work before he retired for the night.
“Are you just going to stand there131Please respect copyright.PENANAFpQGVo22KO
looking around or are you coming inside?” Vander looked towards the window131Please respect copyright.PENANAy4A5fU9pGt
where his grandfather was standing.
Charles Pendrake was staring at131Please respect copyright.PENANAMYxGYWZjdu
him over his shoulder with a hard look in his eyes. Despite being an adult,131Please respect copyright.PENANAX1TqwnBGvy
Vander found his grandfather to be quite intimidating. Despite being almost131Please respect copyright.PENANAMwKW5BCEoY
sixty years old, at 6’6 he was still able to run over the younger Blades quite131Please respect copyright.PENANAexTEfVlnAA
easily. His mind was still sharp, and he commanded an air of respect that few131Please respect copyright.PENANAuLmHrwnYS9
could ignore. Despite being family, the two of them look nothing alike. He had131Please respect copyright.PENANAVN6QDJF8xg
brown hair with graying edges and brown eyes. While Vander was wiry, Charles131Please respect copyright.PENANAblYylBmzBp
was pure muscle. Charles was respected while Vander was feared.
“Apologies131Please respect copyright.PENANAwxAnAEiOCj
Commander.” Vander stepped inside then closed the door. “It’s just been a long131Please respect copyright.PENANAg6Josu8h3w
time since I’ve been in here.” Shea followed him in and went to sit by his131Please respect copyright.PENANAPwRRnVbeT5
grandfather’s desk chair.
“I’ve told you131Please respect copyright.PENANAMHkxuw7o87
when it’s the two of us you can call me grandpa.” Charles sighed.
“Sorry131Please respect copyright.PENANA3EFB86XcIH
Commander.” Vander bowed his head.
“Still just a131Please respect copyright.PENANAoxZ3kX2d0P
pain in the ass as always.” Charles stepped away from the window then sat down131Please respect copyright.PENANAb1zOIJwfr0
behind his desk. “I thought spending the past six months up in the woods would131Please respect copyright.PENANAltqTvkdvoV
have tempered the attitude of yours.” He rubbed the top of Shea’s head as she131Please respect copyright.PENANA7XySb1V9v7
placed her mouth on his leg.
“Don’t pretend131Please respect copyright.PENANAdu0j9JwWpi
that’s why you sent me up there to train.” Vander took the seat opposite him.131Please respect copyright.PENANATuS50kQdxN
“Though it was nice to get away from the city for a change.”
“I did it for131Please respect copyright.PENANAYhvDVOz5KD
your own good, you know it.” Charles sighed. “I don’t know how I wound up with131Please respect copyright.PENANAOUIKKFZUTa
such a head strong grandson.”
“And people say131Please respect copyright.PENANAE5ilmDVBuJ
we’re nothing alike.” He snorted. “Anyway, I received your letter and came as131Please respect copyright.PENANAk2Q9vEwUPU
soon as I could. What’s going?” Charles leaned back in his chair.
“Since you were131Please respect copyright.PENANA11sGbsE1Q5
sent to the woods and Cuvera went to pick up his bride from Bricen, things have131Please respect copyright.PENANAvTtldVDgb7
only gotten worse here.” He rubbed the back of his head. “What I am about to131Please respect copyright.PENANAwee4XoHBZR
tell you, you can tell no one else about. Not even Alex, am I understood?”
“Is that131Please respect copyright.PENANAevdjxR19sG
serious I can’t tell another Captain?” Charles nodded grimly. Vander sighed131Please respect copyright.PENANAN2TprJLlq7
before agreeing. “A couple weeks ago, Malcolm had fallen mysteriously ill. We131Please respect copyright.PENANAUHGeg98Fdr
aren’t sure the cause of it, Topal is by his side every day and night, but none131Please respect copyright.PENANAhJhzjyScTw
of his remedies are working.”
“Really?”131Please respect copyright.PENANAYHq0yt1jNt
Vander frowned. “When I passed through the city earlier, nothing seemed amiss.131Please respect copyright.PENANAMm47kMWwtb
There was no one sick and everyone seemed quite happy.”
“That’s because no one outside of131Please respect copyright.PENANAwms7PdLbir
the council knows.” Charles explained. “We wanted to keep it quiet to avoid a131Please respect copyright.PENANA9yV2BCcJ66
panic.”
“So why tell me?”
“Because I want you to take over131Please respect copyright.PENANAabHjbyhtcn
the investigation for me.” Charles explained. “I don’t think the cause of his131Please respect copyright.PENANAuUoCV4nIE3
sickness is natural causes, I think it was poison. Topal agrees with me, but131Please respect copyright.PENANAqzmDbhke7K
the council doesn’t agree. While the King is fighting for his life, the council131Please respect copyright.PENANAaXgkMC3Lrf
is trying to undermine him by passing laws that bolster their own power while131Please respect copyright.PENANAuQl7IqCMsx
restricting ours. So now I must fight them off and can’t concentrate on finding131Please respect copyright.PENANA65mPsUK9JP
out who did this. So, will you do it?”
Vander folded his arms and thought131Please respect copyright.PENANAiwia99MSYf
for a moment. It was a lot of information to absorb at once, but he knew his131Please respect copyright.PENANADkm243uvTU
grandfather was pressed for time. Despite his anger towards the old man, he131Please respect copyright.PENANAHOAeawUNML
didn’t really want to see him suffer anymore.
“I will help you.” Vander sighed.131Please respect copyright.PENANAazVTW7JSNd
Charles broke out into a large grin.
“Thank you.” He reached into his131Please respect copyright.PENANA33YxlYpJty
desk and pulled something out. He placed the small item on the desk in front of131Please respect copyright.PENANAUcBFkaESMN
Vander. It was a small blue medallion with the royal family’s crest on one side131Please respect copyright.PENANA1Xjx169fMO
and the Blade symbol on the other. “This will open all doors for you inside the131Please respect copyright.PENANATwB4MIzC4T
city. Get whatever you need, but you can tell no one about your mission.”
Vander took the medal then slipped131Please respect copyright.PENANAgLM4w2Q9nX
it into his pocket. “Is it alright if I see the King now?” He got up from the131Please respect copyright.PENANABoX5J3kXKH
chair and headed towards the door.
“Yes, but there is something I131Please respect copyright.PENANATdiNA1tAC1
should tell you-“ Vander opened the door while looking at his grandfather.131Please respect copyright.PENANAEtBzd5MBA6
Shea’s hackles raised as she started snarling. He turned to see who was131Please respect copyright.PENANAb4bttQwebF
standing there and upon recognizing him, his blood started to boil.
“What the hell are you doing131Please respect copyright.PENANA1A46QGcjOT
here?” he snapped. He grabbed the man by his collar and pushed him up against131Please respect copyright.PENANAMT7eJrJ9T1
the hallway wall. “Give me a reason why I should gut you where you stand.”
“Because I’m still a Blade and a131Please respect copyright.PENANAj3RhfrGxWn
captain now.” Leon smirked. “You can’t do a damn thing to me.”
“What?” He spun around to see his131Please respect copyright.PENANAMA5BMs1RYu
grandfather standing in the doorway looking at him with a dejected look on his131Please respect copyright.PENANAff0arGaaVh
face.
“I had no choice in the matter.”131Please respect copyright.PENANA1LCGU3XI6j
Charles looked pained. “That’s part of the reason I wanted to see you; will you131Please respect copyright.PENANAADFQBNSNss
sit down? Please?” Vander took one more look at Leon’s smug face before shoving131Please respect copyright.PENANAzhM2NUQqiH
him back against the wall and walking back to his seat. Shea, still growling,131Please respect copyright.PENANAHrubmtkHIf
kept her eyes locked on Leon perhaps daring him to make a move against her131Please respect copyright.PENANAk1WjEwNfDW
master. Vander sat down.
“The council is making moves to131Please respect copyright.PENANAgfIH9R2Pt0
limit the power of the Blades, or to remove us completely.” Charles explained.131Please respect copyright.PENANA0yXANwhH6O
“Since the wars ended, they decided there isn’t a need for us to carry on how131Please respect copyright.PENANAXLdC3mwMlg
we are. With the poisoning of the King, it further reinforced their views. They131Please respect copyright.PENANAELCIOH02sB
appointed Leon as Captain to oversee us and to report back.”
“And what qualifications does he131Please respect copyright.PENANAHo9mPiR6iT
have to report on anything?” Vander glared at the other man who was leaning up131Please respect copyright.PENANAafB1j0TPbI
against the wall with a broad grin on his face.
“None whatsoever.” Charles131Please respect copyright.PENANAILy98soJ2V
snorted. “His father just promoted him into our ranks to be a pain in the ass.”
“That’s not going to win you any131Please respect copyright.PENANAF0aSqsZpdZ
points, Commander.” Leon sneered. “I have absolute authority to decide the fate131Please respect copyright.PENANAmDe6ot25ym
of the Blades. It wouldn’t go well for you to get on my bad side.”
“Shea kindly escort him from the131Please respect copyright.PENANADebv2diOcg
room.” Vander commanded. “I don’t need him overhearing actual Blade business.”
“With pleasure.” She131Please respect copyright.PENANAzMA2YfDE4H
snarled. She got up from off the ground and with teeth bared, she stalked131Please respect copyright.PENANAPBuqCD7bCe
towards Leon. Leon’s smug smirk disappeared instantly as he slowly started131Please respect copyright.PENANARIWukjVxaj
backing up towards the door.
“Call off your mutt, Vander.” His131Please respect copyright.PENANAlCg7bWSX1l
face became pale as neither of them moved to help. “Vander.” He quickly ducked131Please respect copyright.PENANAc8WRlqt4Kq
through the door and slammed it shut as Shea lunged at him. She landed nimbly131Please respect copyright.PENANALblEltwcRi
in front of the door.
“Don’t come back.” Vander131Please respect copyright.PENANAAUQuImaTrM
heard Leon’s panicked footsteps echoing down the hall. The thought of the man131Please respect copyright.PENANA49FhsWfNV6
pissing himself brought a small smile to his face.
“That was unwise, yet very131Please respect copyright.PENANAjdIdPm9N7Q
satisfying.” Charles chuckled. “Viggo won’t be happy.”
“I don’t give a shit what makes131Please respect copyright.PENANAXu7aW04NsM
him happy.” Vander sighed. “He just wants to control us for his own personal131Please respect copyright.PENANAau9EFXtvv4
gain. Man’s a snake and should be removed.”
“We are just protectors Vander,131Please respect copyright.PENANAEMg1zH51K3
not politicians. Leave the removal to those with the mind to do it.”
“Yes sir.” Vander sighed. “When do131Please respect copyright.PENANAI8zVKFTGw7
you want me to go and see the King?”“The investigation can wait until you are131Please respect copyright.PENANAi6R7UKM6IA
fresh faced and rested.” Charles said. “Everything is how it was; the King has131Please respect copyright.PENANABu1wuADkJL
just been moved to a secret location while he recovers. This is our last chance131Please respect copyright.PENANAmVkCKZXfOt
to prove our worth to the council.”
“We shouldn’t have to prove a damn131Please respect copyright.PENANAAatlugzzDE
thing, but I’m with you.” Vander got up to stretch, stifling a yawn. “I will do131Please respect copyright.PENANAhm7dHwNUS0
what I can to find out who hurt the King and bring them to justice.”
“Thank you.” Charles smiled. “How131Please respect copyright.PENANAipzC84n4MJ
are the recruits coming along? I wanted to give a demonstration to the council,131Please respect copyright.PENANAGjFijb3NCi
but only if you think they are ready.”
“Their teamwork could use some131Please respect copyright.PENANA2Ywtto82Je
help and if they stopped letting their hormones get the better of them they131Please respect copyright.PENANAFo2yLSzy6z
would be solid fighters.” Vander explained. “We are meeting at my place for131Please respect copyright.PENANAH21864Kurg
celebratory drinks and food. They deserve it.”
“I don’t know why you still stay131Please respect copyright.PENANA6lmbOxPVTf
in that shit hole.” Charles said. “We have plenty of rooms for you in the131Please respect copyright.PENANAq90dQyAttD
compound, you should stay there.”
“You know my feelings on its131Please respect copyright.PENANAFXcHHKLHFY
gramps.” He said. “I don’t like how the others look at me. At least in the city131Please respect copyright.PENANAr44HKlZDXt
I can be a little anonymous and keep to myself.”
“I know, I know.” He sighed. “I131Please respect copyright.PENANACOtSWkcMe3
will see you tomorrow. The price will be arriving in the next couple of days131Please respect copyright.PENANALPW7UhEpUu
with his new bride, I would like the investigation to be wrapped up by then,131Please respect copyright.PENANAwqlOn40itE
then we will have the recruits tested. Will that be alright with you?”
“Yes.” He stared down at his131Please respect copyright.PENANAb2r4g0J8eW
grandfather. “And just because I’m being civil with you, doesn’t mean I’m not131Please respect copyright.PENANAmMHs3CR3nU
angry with you. We will have our talk once this is all over.”
“I understand.” Charles looked131Please respect copyright.PENANApLFBa1r6AW
down at his desk and began rifling through his papers. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”131Please respect copyright.PENANABd1nM0Qhk5
Realizing that was his cue, Vander opened the door for Shea and the two of them131Please respect copyright.PENANAc295RlRnTT
slipped out quietly closing it behind them.
The walk back through the castle131Please respect copyright.PENANA9BkuIArXxf
was uneventful. Most of the servants were too busy to talk to him, as they were131Please respect copyright.PENANA9u0m4jMoBB
preparing for the prince’s return along with his new bride. Vander was hopeful131Please respect copyright.PENANA5aa1Xw1izS
with their union because finally the long war that killed thousands of people131Please respect copyright.PENANAwjEKz8JhSQ
was finally at its end. Peyton’s words at the front door didn’t surprise Vander131Please respect copyright.PENANA3nVaC2QXTM
in the least. The two countries would finally be allowed to heal but some131Please respect copyright.PENANAhluYVThUie
people didn’t care about that. They just wanted the war to continue because it131Please respect copyright.PENANAHWU5aKc6KH
just made them richer. It was a disgrace, but greed ruled overall. Part of him131Please respect copyright.PENANAa0mGtjgtyM
had hoped that the would be told who was against the treaty and toss them in131Please respect copyright.PENANARUzi54H1vo
jail, but if the King, Charles, and Peyton wanted them to stick around, they131Please respect copyright.PENANAL4byB1xFA6
must have a good reason for doing so. It was above his paygrade at any rate.
He headed back towards the gate131Please respect copyright.PENANADxd19sFYB7
where Jeffery Jilena’s soldiers were guarding the passage through, and to his131Please respect copyright.PENANA9p7LOTnzZg
surprise, it seemed as though his advice worked. They were alert and not131Please respect copyright.PENANAVGLE1iKqOG
leaning up against the walls. Their weapons were at attention and even though131Please respect copyright.PENANAWrOqQ3jtxt
they gave him a dirty look as he passed, one snarl from Shea kept them from131Please respect copyright.PENANAHoVIZmCw6o
saying anything they would regret, and they allowed him to pass without any131Please respect copyright.PENANAwJUK4u4Rd8
issues.
By the time he made it out of the131Please respect copyright.PENANAZp9Ckug6OP
middle ring, the sun was beginning to set illuminating the sky with colors of131Please respect copyright.PENANAgmksuFznDi
bring pink and yellow. Most of the people he walked past were scurrying to get131Please respect copyright.PENANAxUEcumiaT7
home before nightfall or closing shops so they could calculate their profits131Please respect copyright.PENANA0VTY7wRjCs
before heading in for the night. Nighttime was always Vander’s favorite time of131Please respect copyright.PENANAIAorUXsLHU
day. The hustle and bustle of city life would disappear into almost nothing131Please respect copyright.PENANALiGT3b8EmC
giving him the peace and quiet he and Shea desperately enjoyed. Being back in131Please respect copyright.PENANA1CfjRtaLeb
the city would be a challenge and he knew it would only be a matter of time131Please respect copyright.PENANAkHPV9OsMXF
before they two of them wanted to go back to the woods where they both felt at131Please respect copyright.PENANARZaFKxfpQp
home. For now, they would just have to enjoy the place they lived in and make131Please respect copyright.PENANA4HHassTfUC
do with that.
One of the only places that would131Please respect copyright.PENANAKE8TWkrONr
have Vander and Shea was a little inn within the eastern district called the131Please respect copyright.PENANA19IGCZ3l38
Warm Hearth. They got hunters coming from the forest to try and sell skin,131Please respect copyright.PENANAYTwGp0AwcZ
meat, bones, and fur to anyone who wanted them. Often the hunters would bring131Please respect copyright.PENANATfmE0WD4Ww
their dogs with them as an insurance policy against thieves. They were unruly131Please respect copyright.PENANAbHKXRruPDJ
to the inn owners and would often feel up many of the servers. One time Vander131Please respect copyright.PENANApo8N6VQr8v
got into it with a couple of them who felt they were entitled to the servers131Please respect copyright.PENANAu6FbqkZ645
after hours. The sicced their dogs on him, but once Shea jumped in killing two131Please respect copyright.PENANAl9N8fSDCcv
of them, the hunters knew better than to fuck with them and, by extension, the131Please respect copyright.PENANAG6od0HUY0L
serving girls. From the day forward, he had a discounted room and a place to131Please respect copyright.PENANAKvBk7i3RKW
relax after work.
Upon arrival, he could hear dozens131Please respect copyright.PENANAHLvCIOYCp8
of patrons talking and demanding foo and drinks. It wasn’t a bad place, a131Please respect copyright.PENANAESvpSFnDGc
little run down, but kempt. The front door was missing a hinge causing it to131Please respect copyright.PENANADRZgOo2LT6
lean slightly. Once you opened it, you had to lift it a little bit to make sure131Please respect copyright.PENANAOuqSpMe8UI
it didn’t catch on the stairs. Unknown to all but Vander, the servers and the131Please respect copyright.PENANA1mGArIxckp
owner, the stools were slightly off center. It was a way to make sure people131Please respect copyright.PENANAfVDCZLtnlw
weren’t drinking too much. If they fall to the floor, they get cut off and131Please respect copyright.PENANATPY4kWo14h
taken somewhere to sleep it off before going home to their families.
Vander pulled open the door,131Please respect copyright.PENANA4ahBE5q3Jo
making sure to lift it, and was greeted with even more noise than he was131Please respect copyright.PENANA7jwQL6E09m
expecting. There were thirty people jammed inside all shouting to be heard over131Please respect copyright.PENANAtkCjUL0su3
the music playing in the corner. A couple of people, men, and women were131Please respect copyright.PENANAsQneV6UKUD
dancing on the floor in front of the band twirling their dresses and spinning131Please respect copyright.PENANA7i6o5QFJQ8
on their feet to the beat. Shea, hating all the noise slunk off behind the131Please respect copyright.PENANAfJeIjZHtZN
counter and quickly made her way over to the rear corner to scamper her way up131Please respect copyright.PENANAmqROXDTyBG
the stairs and out of sight. She knew where she was going, they had installed a131Please respect copyright.PENANATLCcQSKti0
little door for her to come and go as she pleased so she would have no issues131Please respect copyright.PENANA50oD9EDQN7
getting into his room. He just hoped no one was squatting there or they would131Please respect copyright.PENANAqxTGLTx4ox
be in for a real rude awakening.
“Vander!” Someone shouted at him.131Please respect copyright.PENANADDTh3ziO8s
The voice came from the Inn Keeper, a young woman named Julianne, who had131Please respect copyright.PENANAb8jFGMP9gQ
received the bar from her father after his untimely death. She had long black131Please respect copyright.PENANAuUiztBcarn
hair, brown eyes, and a figure that drew the eye of every man in the room. She131Please respect copyright.PENANAT38YlXD3tk
flirted harmlessly with the guests, made sure to top of their drinks whenever131Please respect copyright.PENANAzSknKcPynL
she could, but was still responsible in making sure people didn’t drink more131Please respect copyright.PENANAbpl8bkv5f7
than they could handle.
“Julianna,” he waved to her. She131Please respect copyright.PENANAYJIIM2U6lw
sashayed her way through the crowd to embrace him in a quick hug followed by a131Please respect copyright.PENANA934WTl19tw
quick peck on the cheek. Today she was wearing a low-cut navy-blue dress and131Please respect copyright.PENANA9qcwrWGxGe
blue boots. Her long hair was pulled back in a ponytail to keep any loose131Please respect copyright.PENANAOqxeADF9IH
strands from falling into anyone’s food or drinks.
“I had a feeling you might be here131Please respect copyright.PENANAk86RjGsyp2
today.” She beamed causing dimples to form in her cheeks. “I had your room131Please respect copyright.PENANAI3kSwtIkXP
dusted then the linen and your clothing cleaned. My maid, Kyra, just finished131Please respect copyright.PENANA00hLZWvSol
an hour or so ago.”
“You have a knack for knowing when131Please respect copyright.PENANAUu5iEuGum1
I get here.” He laughed, hugging her back. “Are you sure you aren’t a seer?”
“Nonsense,” She slapped him131Please respect copyright.PENANAklOvJWFBgI
lightly on the arm. “Get upstairs and get changed, you smell like stale sweat131Please respect copyright.PENANAyTHdRQ03LU
and feet.” Vander lifted his arms then grimaced. She was being polite about it.
“Alexander and the recruits are131Please respect copyright.PENANAxbDVcxH4KK
coming tonight.” Vander said. “If they arrived before I come back down, will131Please respect copyright.PENANAzqqJSDTRoR
you get them a table?”
“Of course.” She smiled. “After131Please respect copyright.PENANAeDC9fuKtUY
they leave, I’d love to hear how your time away from this place was. We can131Please respect copyright.PENANACk0OMRTC4v
drink and relax, how does that sound?”
“Sounds great.” He waved goodbye131Please respect copyright.PENANAgfPMmqzglI
to her as he tried to make his way though. The servers smiled and waved at him131Please respect copyright.PENANApoWi04sljy
while the patrons backed up several steps. He wasn’t sure if it was because131Please respect copyright.PENANAkvlDVEf4wa
they recognized him or because of the way he smelled, but he guessed it didn’t131Please respect copyright.PENANAwAf0a5YUkN
really matter. He was glad to not have to talk to any of them.
His room was on the third floor131Please respect copyright.PENANAeg2jjMipV0
all the way at the back. Julianne had offered a closer room on the lower floor,131Please respect copyright.PENANA870UA8RSOQ
but he liked his privacy as most of the people who stayed here were either131Please respect copyright.PENANAEMCdOPQTCd
travelers who wanted a cheaper room or patrons who were too drunk to walk and131Please respect copyright.PENANAF14ATMJKo6
couldn’t walk. She had her own room in the basement where it was warm and where131Please respect copyright.PENANA2Vr9zCTRG0
she didn’t have to worry about anyone trying to get into her room. The basement131Please respect copyright.PENANAPwhTOeqsdD
was only open during business hours and was locked during the day. He had never131Please respect copyright.PENANAOSisppJ7iL
been down there, but he expected there was a second door that was always locked131Please respect copyright.PENANAV60vYD8sNP
to keep anyone from sneaking down there when she was busy.
His room wasn’t much to look at.131Please respect copyright.PENANATXbPowvNT6
It was big enough for a small bed, a desk, and a dresser. There was a closet131Please respect copyright.PENANAmgUbZfHyip
along the left wall and a door that led into a bathroom complete with both a131Please respect copyright.PENANADmWfGKS9Ue
shower and a sink. True to her word, the room smelled freshly cleaned the smell131Please respect copyright.PENANA2pgXs6TgtY
of lemon still fragrant in the air. As they were getting closer to fall, his131Please respect copyright.PENANAVCsFIEnfmC
lighter blankets had been swapped for a warmer one. Shea was in the process of131Please respect copyright.PENANAHdTwBHfIqR
rubbing her scent on everything when he walked in.
“I hate it when she cleans in131Please respect copyright.PENANAAhjW98Bt6O
here.” She complained.
“Not everyone likes the smell of131Please respect copyright.PENANAFmOth15z4c
wolf day in and day out.” Vander said. “Maybe we should give you a bath as131Please respect copyright.PENANAI1rXskRhKv
well?”
“Try it and you’ll be minus a131Please respect copyright.PENANAY2RlxL15f2
hand.” She growled. The two of them looked at each other, but eventually131Please respect copyright.PENANAu1H1E4cNdk
Vander shrugged his shoulders. “Suit yourself sinky.” She lunged at him, but he131Please respect copyright.PENANADHlkYqjhR1
jumped nimbly away. He quickly removed his sword, placing it carefully on the131Please respect copyright.PENANA3NdPFgNzB6
ground. Then he grabbed her, picked her up, then threw her on the bed. Before131Please respect copyright.PENANAZbfHZRjTF4
she could right herself, her body slammed her then started rubbing her belly.131Please respect copyright.PENANAtvBHDZU2WR
She squirmed under him, but eventually she told him she gave up. Laughing, he131Please respect copyright.PENANAJ2uE9YoQ4c
shrugged off his jacket and tossed it on top of her.
“I’m going to bathe and change131Please respect copyright.PENANAqFlXE0vcJx
before I meet the others. I assume you want to stay here?” she nodded her head.131Please respect copyright.PENANAY4ygidm0vU
“Want anything from the kitchen?”
“Beef.” Was the response. She wiggled her way under131Please respect copyright.PENANAdxvj0WbMJG
the blanket and moments later, he could hear her snoring gently from131Please respect copyright.PENANAtIxgzRQPNh
underneath.
Vander shrugged off his clothing131Please respect copyright.PENANAWZBlEacaIL
and dumped it in a pile by the door. Walking into the bathroom, he turned the131Please respect copyright.PENANAvmvVjCod1F
water faucet on. It took awhile for the water to become hot enough where he131Please respect copyright.PENANAuNpmMXCGCr
didn’t freeze. He stepped inside and felt his aches melt away with the hot131Please respect copyright.PENANA6vmIs18LrO
water pounding into his body.
He always enjoyed this part of the131Please respect copyright.PENANATvsfwoPtT6
day. Even if it was day of just sitting in meetings, just washing away your131Please respect copyright.PENANAwcopobx6UO
worries for even a little bit was enough to make him happy. He didn’t get to131Please respect copyright.PENANA6bzrh7GkfZ
shower at all while he was in the woods. The closest he got was taking a dip in131Please respect copyright.PENANAMofSPXjUuZ
the lake every other day, but that wasn’t the same. He got clean, but it was131Please respect copyright.PENANAoexYul8iie
never truly relaxing for him.
He lost track of how long he was131Please respect copyright.PENANA9wTuHbKupy
under the water, but he turned it off once it became cold. He grabbed the towel131Please respect copyright.PENANAcZ12qYou1V
hanging up next to the sink to dry off then wrapped it around his waist. When131Please respect copyright.PENANA5cIROKr7Bb
we walked into the room, he noticed that Shea was on alert. Her ears were lying131Please respect copyright.PENANA497IPtdhJk
flat against her head and her teeth were bared. Only one person would make her131Please respect copyright.PENANATFSyOCyWUs
that upset in the inn, someone he had hoped would take a little bit longer to131Please respect copyright.PENANAVsD9ShIxL8
see him, but it wasn’t an unexpected visit. He could hear her voice coming up131Please respect copyright.PENANAuSpfFq88jC
from downstairs, so he figured he still had some time.
Whistling to himself, he walked131Please respect copyright.PENANAYvxscIDEeG
over to his closet and removed a brown shirt with strings which would allow him131Please respect copyright.PENANAiQa8RPN2ZQ
to pull it tight over his chest or leave it loose. He picked out a pair of131Please respect copyright.PENANA5O152fBQZk
casual black pants along with a pair of black boots. He removed two black131Please respect copyright.PENANAYTtqCacDcG
leather cuffs and carefully tied them to his wrists. He didn’t like wearing131Please respect copyright.PENANAQjto5udHHt
jewelry while on duty, however he wore a silver ring with an emerald embedded in131Please respect copyright.PENANA1HpdmoDvSd
it when he was off duty. It was the last thing he received from his mother131Please respect copyright.PENANApUKAKu8vJX
before her death.
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He heard the footsteps coming up131Please respect copyright.PENANAkZbxWiflDi
the stairs then stopped right in front of his door. “Behave Shea.” He said. She131Please respect copyright.PENANAE2TIkpq2U4
didn’t relax, but she did hide her teeth so as not scare his guest. His heart131Please respect copyright.PENANA6CprGL6FMm
pounded in his chest as he waited for the knock. As soon as he heard it, he got131Please respect copyright.PENANA07p7r50x2J
up from his bed and opened the door. “Hello Bree.”