Chapter 26
Despite the King’s murder and the106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcIv2lQENxg
man hunt taking over the city, the Orange Fox was still as popular as ever, if106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwpZBgAQJrg
not more so. With all that was going on in their lives, more and more people106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgsVYRPmVtg
needed an outlet for their angst and despair. Some of the people Vander had106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw7qAwKeaqB
noticed, who had never been here before, were now here every night gambling or106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu9CAGg2i2l
drinking their problems away. It made Ross happier than he had been in a long106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn9RBs4n1SI
time, which made him thirst for even more riches.
Vander and Shea stopped at the106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSVvSdv2Wrg
door that led into the man’s suite. Left was nowhere to be found, probably back106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0EWtfSTkqh
outside with Right. Everyone knew you didn’t mess with the proprietor of this106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ1AXi7vGvX
establishment if you didn’t want your darkest secrets to come to light.106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTOPnQAORKm
However, there would probably come a time when he would meet someone who had106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmuvQa65kbI
nothing left to lose and would come knocking so he hoped Ross knew how to106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeH8E9O6BV8
fight.
There were noises coming from106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAqLzixOhf0
behind the door. Based on the sweaty smell and the grunting sounds coming from106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL9FeVQgU1f
within, the two of them decided to wait until it was done before entering.
“I can feel you hovering!” Ross106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1OjqAUINSE
called out. “Come on in, don’t worry, I’m decent.” Vander and Shea exchanged106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs1RwNxu4Ti
glances, but they pushed the door open anyway to head inside.
True to Ross’s word, he was106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGxsHJrAuUu
decent. He was sitting behind his desk with his robe open showing off his106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSHcGKZIR5b
heavily muscled frame. In his hand was a glass of amber colored liquid that106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBIZoib5klK
smelled heavily like whiskey. However, the show was happening on the couch that106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHqgwBdAHBy
Vander would have to walk past to talk to his patron. Two people, a man and a106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT7F80oHqeJ
woman, were in the middle of some passionate sex. He was inside her, while106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoeBdVXLVum
playing with her breast, and thrusting like he would die tonight. Vander could106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiJfufpxnxV
feel his lust start to creep out, but he closed his eyes to center himself.
“Interesting, isn’t it?” Ross’s106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvqnrXZUp9F
voice brought him out of his stupor. “How much you can learn by watching.”
“I wouldn’t know.” Vander took the106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHDFqQeyCyQ
chair across from him making sure he could block the sight from his vision, but106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzLEzBsFZbi
he could still hear them going at it. “Why have you called me here? Certainly,106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPvfiCQ507P
it wasn’t to watch two of your workers fuck each other.”
“No, that’s for me.” Ross106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKuZpEBC0Kb
chuckled. “I called you here to see if you remember the terms of our106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjIIakxyV6L
arrangement.” He wondered when the day would come Ross would ask about that. It106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkhZEObi3HF
meant that he had something in mind, something he wouldn’t enjoy.
“I do.” Vander nodded. Ross106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4uXI42XFZt
prompted him to continue. Sighing, he said: “In exchange for your protection106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ1pjR8bQqo
and anything I need, you wanted me to fight down in the cage for the guest’s106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE5aPtpaT6h
entertainment.”
“Correct.” Ross put down his106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsQrSmwzHbi
glass. “I have given you three months, generous of me, I know.” Vander rolled106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFO3kutVD7m
his eyes. “But I’m calling in debt tonight. I can’t treat you as a champion,106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjGL2bnzL9s
you must work your way up the ranks before fighting the bear.”
“I will not kill anyone.” Vander106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK1x73cBjQd
warned. “That was part of our deal, remember?”
“Of course,” Ross dismissed it106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6MCyUMLnnP
with a wave of his hand. “It’s not often our duels end in deaths, just against106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiBr76EApOF
the bear.” He got up from the desk while removing his robe. Vander averted his106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmsuEJUop6c
gaze as the naked man walked past him to join the two on the couch. “Your first106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG59uwkN02A
fight is tomorrow night. I have sent some things to your room to help you106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy3PrG1rDVm
relax. Right will come get you when it’s time.” Vander waited for the106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkbxEWfMH7n
dismissal, but it never came. When he left Ross was biting the other man’s neck106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAW8J5ukH2C
while stroking him.
Shea asked him what the meeting106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5hEd8HqCzF
was about, so Vander explained it to her. She voiced her anger the entire walk106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvLdn2DwRDy
back to their bedroom. She wasn’t happy with the deal they had made with Ross106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmNW0Ojb7St
in the first place, but she didn’t think he would force Vander to fight like he106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwFuroJBZ5c
said he would. He was just glad Ross gave him as much time as he did to get106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP0AhZ7ahvA
over what had happened.
When two of them arrived back at106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0mv3Ci4XDp
the room, both were on instant alert. They could hear giggling of two women106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhsoC98PIYw
behind the door, so they relaxed. He knew the scent of one of them as the106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiSe1YBzzo2
bartender he had met the last time he was here. The second woman was new. He106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6xMAVSI7Nn
heard that Ross had hired a new server just this morning, so it might have been106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyFbym6u1ty
her. He wouldn’t know until he opened the door.
“I’m going to stay out here and106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkeIKFGxj4Z
guard the door.” He could feel Shea’s judgement through their bond. It106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUaDINSnCH0
embarrassed him, but both knew that he wouldn’t be able to relax until the106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSSA4wOnjva
demon was satisfied in all ways. It was the animalistic urge that filled him.106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXhtUVNuan3
This was one of the few ways to sate that thirst. Ross knew what he was doing106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9YOuPf1voq
when he invited Vander to witness the display in his office. It had made him106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7SAIOmRFGS
hungry.
He stepped into the room to see106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXimyhT0aZC
two beautiful women sitting on his bed. The blonde bartender waved at him106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSFhGARpSKG
before giving him a coy wink. The second he didn’t recognize, however she106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLS5Efk5twW
seemed familiar. He must have seen her around the warehouse the past couple of106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMswJ30fHkg
days but didn’t think much of it. The two women got up from the bed, pulling106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpdvqY32RgY
him over to them. The blonde placed her mouth on his while the brunet started106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmm7YJt0KEH
pulling off his shirt. For once he and the demon were of mind. They didn’t want106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtVCexzOHnm
to leave here until it was time for the fight.
…
Vander snoozed in his bed106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2J6dlJoE2j
completely drained. Despite what he wanted, he was only able to for an hour or106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs7etV1lrjT
so before the events from the night before caught up to him. Hopefully he left106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡROQQAqgxjJ
the two women feeling satisfied, but he knew it had more to do with what they106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKdvnXspIym
did for each other than he did, but it was still fun, so he had no complaints.106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKypxU3AYz4
Shea refused to sleep on the bed until it was cleaned and the stench from his106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuKmmK2ySlA
two visitors was completely wiped away. So, she slept on the floor by his side106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmShSHPZWmG
of the bed as he rested.
Ever since the night of Malcolm’s106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgduJfNaHTz
murder, the gods had been quiet. He no longer received strange dreams from106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu55sitT2ai
either Veyar or Unna, which concerned him greatly. He couldn’t remember the106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0ziTQ6LP8B
last time he hadn’t had a visit, but he knew that he should enjoy it while it106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKTvbXMgf6R
lasted.
He rested until about midmorning106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiCeLLTGwjP
when the sun was up, and he could hear the cleaners tidying up after the events106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡibqBGfnmxV
from last night. He walked over to the bathroom to take a quick shower. He made106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3UpqpQItwK
sure that his hair dye hadn’t slipped while it was wet before getting dressed.106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKhAWpbd4Ie
He chose a pair of brown trousers, a white shirt, and his boots. As far as106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhq6JsQn29V
disguises went, it wasn’t much, but that was exactly the point. He would be106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLcsvUAjXVs
able to blend in with the crowds.
“Where are you going?” Shea106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgCvy7TDFzQ
asked. He could tell that she was tired because her eyes were drooping.
“I want to go to the safe house106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMoqcK9Felp
and see if anything happened while I was here.” Vander explained. He strapped a106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFWaAz9Pv0u
sword, a different sword than his Blade weapon, to his back before throwing a106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu18GaCHOc4
messenger bag strap over his shoulder. “If the guards were paying attention106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMrXNyNOmqS
they would notice the carnage. I want to see who else shows up.”
“Are you sure that’s wise?” Shea106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡverBs1Udgg
asked. “What if someone recognizes you?”
“In the unlikely event of that106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBNKMqNFuPV
happening, I can lose them.” Vander promised. She wasn’t entirely convinced it106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNfbQgVHqD7
was safe, especially if she couldn’t go with him. However, they both knew that106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3IOjbDm83h
was the only choice they could make. If they wanted to get back to their home,106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUN5roEP0aR
they would have to take risks. Vander kissed her on the top of her head106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbRTZahWEsh
promising to return soon before slipping out the door.
He greeted all the workers as he106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXtYywqsnIR
left, blowing a quick kiss to the blonde as she cleaned up the bar. Right and106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡleS4YTEVoK
Left rolled their eyes but let him leave without stopping him. If he wanted to106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW8UFm3zC2f
get caught that was his problem, not the bouncers.
The southern district looked a lot106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2YQxJwZfgM
different in the light of day than the dark of night. The homeless scrounged106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Xf8RNClkK
around for food that was left behind during the night or robbing the drunks who106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhwkpD0n5Jl
hadn’t been able to make it home before passing out in the alleys. Vander kept106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPqKQpfZaa4
his nose to the ground unwilling to look any of them in the eye. Sometimes they106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs80d4d90vh
saw it as a challenge and on multiple occasions he had been attacked. It was106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡydSepA3aa2
over quickly, but it drew too much attention so he did what he could to not106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjSrZAAMhBC
appear threatening.
Once he got to the gate separating106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLMNHGfcaL3
the districts, the two guards on duty stopped him. They told him about a house106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDMqGzYpd8T
that had been broken into and the occupants had all been killed. They were106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxyYbqDLZRF
given orders to question everybody coming in or out of the district. They asked106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc9tAKnGI1m
for his name, of which he gave a fake one, then asked why he was coming into106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGe1AE4Bx2K
the eastern district that day. He explained that he was on his way to picking106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ96ocdK0zq
up some packages from the market then delivering them to several different106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTJnKUtCN9B
people. Runners were quite common in the city, so the guards didn’t seem phased106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHYOlD1cAoT
by his explanation. When questioned about the sword, Vander laughed. He told106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWCQkshrMoC
them that they would also have a weapon on them if they knew where he was106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDj3Hv3gifH
going. Once they patted him down, they sent him on his way.
Vander expected some manner of106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQj9q032njO
traffic due to what he did the previous night, but he didn’t expect so many106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbxCXRGYTU2
guards. He even caught a couple of teal uniforms talking to some of them. So,106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL78E0Nv77P
the Blades were aware of what was going on, but the fact that the guards didn’t106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPtEF9CvGju
know meant that they were keeping the identities of the dead a secret. That106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNBypaMbXYL
didn’t bode too well for him, he had to make sure that his disguise was perfect106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq98fqrUCPv
to avoid suspicion.
He kept to the edge of the crowd,106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnpoUVqGMMo
carefully making sure not to bump the people in front of him. However, the106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU307Flj8ru
crowd was so thick that he couldn’t see over anyone. Annoyed with himself, he106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0zSk1NCi6f
did the only thing he could do. He snuck off to a dark alley, positioned some106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwtC9hb8FtT
stuff in front of him so he couldn’t be seen, then bent down.
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ98cGque6Tr
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4z9kSObcHV
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoAVMJfeYaJ
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFYnNDWIKSx
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWSnxfIOgWX
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7EAHp42glu
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRLvUQVEXPl
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcyFllTTDcR
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzgUAjCzbtv
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRatMKkaYJk
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6buFaBdS93
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPpdZ0Bpxp9
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbIdxzfrTmt
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8pneBilcON
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCRK3kRTpDe
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqUa5xixSGj
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9fUpjuZjQY
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGXScSSGQG7
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡszhvjtF31c
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy9Lz0zpCf5
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZe5i5AwCrv
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0syhNb4hmK
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc1R5cB6caH
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuhTKjmKStO
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6fnslKyjQ4
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOZpVzHKhz3
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLt0ai12uRZ
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBouGFVmAZr
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3PUiBRDwqh
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr4VyNn1VNg
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Igka4jv5P
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYxzBqeISyY
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmcCZsniudp
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡANhHfCS95D
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡioVhlCI7ko
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9OvgpZoL2e
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJaiXRQ4m1f
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTqcdyU9wqM
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPacekfy1h2
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxgNWxJpdgL
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoT8pTS2TvC
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlCUUziFSS8
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡitk4eQEzif
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQZIFiCoYaM
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM8NrYYuENI
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMl7Tl0XEFG
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbpOvJnxk9u
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzQDUpADPMs
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbSvRoRHu41
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8vZLYfeFfQ
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLmVKaTFM8D
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPqFVEmkUNY
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF3CcjI8CTK
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTtzRy7swdM
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb1O0njY40k
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvkbkhOGab5
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBnoOYySzY4
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFXZd3GpkAy
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZQdLLmzo6o
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9tY409hpps
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWqtN7Lou7u
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGW5Ol4hLjR
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYIKBeb9x2r
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFnxtMukcMH
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4IUby3u316
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn7qfIEJOWO
He reached deep inside of him,106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGngtGIoCPZ
touching the shard that was embedded into his body. It buckled in fought him,106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡytEmWWhqmJ
but he twisted the powers to suit his own needs. He could feel many different106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKnZBB0PzTt
creatures around him, but the one he homed in on was the raven on the roof top106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxWEb2edzFv
above him. He pushed his consciousness inside and when he opened his eyes once again,106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY54uo4168e
he could see above the crowd and his own unconscious form down below. With a106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIYwslopE1Q
loud cry he beat his wings and flew.
