Chapter 4
Vander pushed open the door that173Please respect copyright.PENANAHfiUQPSxsq
led into a large, spacious office. The walls were blocked by large bookshelves173Please respect copyright.PENANAVwPqYCMCBN
filled to the brim with various books from Eluvia’s history, there were even173Please respect copyright.PENANAoUdVfLr3Td
some books from their neighboring countries. 173Please respect copyright.PENANA0jZRBxsyh6
When he was younger he had wanted to read them all, but it was a173Please respect copyright.PENANA57FdsxWO3o
daunting task that would take him many lifetimes. Each shelf was painstakingly173Please respect copyright.PENANAn4mlr6ifYn
ordered alphabetically and by subject so you could find anything you wanted173Please respect copyright.PENANAVaqGgLTZTR
quite easily.
There was a desk in front of the173Please respect copyright.PENANAevlEv2zwWb
left wall that was kept clean, only a letter or two adorned in. Inside the desk173Please respect copyright.PENANAcp0TxVCERZ
were reports from all the Blades scattered throughout the kingdom and a wax173Please respect copyright.PENANAcFKZLycf5I
seal the Commander used on the letters before sending them out on delivery. On173Please respect copyright.PENANAaFijVtPryD
the right side was a massive fireplace with two large chairs set up in front.173Please respect copyright.PENANAmhjGOA79mU
There was a table between them where his grandfather sat drinking after a long day’s173Please respect copyright.PENANALS341I269f
work before he retired for the night.
“Are you just going to stand there173Please respect copyright.PENANAZqkaCXCOdZ
looking around or are you coming inside?” Vander looked towards the window173Please respect copyright.PENANAyDFl6yYcKI
where his grandfather was standing.
Charles Pendrake was staring at173Please respect copyright.PENANAXVIrFhEog6
him over his shoulder with a hard look in his eyes. Despite being an adult,173Please respect copyright.PENANA8qKyYmhW0x
Vander found his grandfather to be quite intimidating. Despite being almost173Please respect copyright.PENANAetdH1fyxPe
sixty years old, at 6’6 he was still able to run over the younger Blades quite173Please respect copyright.PENANA1yvaD60DFy
easily. His mind was still sharp, and he commanded an air of respect that few173Please respect copyright.PENANAk8RaGrjpnb
could ignore. Despite being family, the two of them look nothing alike. He had173Please respect copyright.PENANA6xwcAW5KNK
brown hair with graying edges and brown eyes. While Vander was wiry, Charles173Please respect copyright.PENANA1Odu7IRBne
was pure muscle. Charles was respected while Vander was feared.
“Apologies173Please respect copyright.PENANAmwyUUBzAeQ
Commander.” Vander stepped inside then closed the door. “It’s just been a long173Please respect copyright.PENANAi5IDKwvYym
time since I’ve been in here.” Shea followed him in and went to sit by his173Please respect copyright.PENANAGjnYSA0zu6
grandfather’s desk chair.
“I’ve told you173Please respect copyright.PENANALU1s5HuWXb
when it’s the two of us you can call me grandpa.” Charles sighed.
“Sorry173Please respect copyright.PENANATJKkSB7b2p
Commander.” Vander bowed his head.
“Still just a173Please respect copyright.PENANAliBw5SWRCp
pain in the ass as always.” Charles stepped away from the window then sat down173Please respect copyright.PENANAN4xIB6su9B
behind his desk. “I thought spending the past six months up in the woods would173Please respect copyright.PENANAgGWB9633sU
have tempered the attitude of yours.” He rubbed the top of Shea’s head as she173Please respect copyright.PENANAjxJXUg0wic
placed her mouth on his leg.
“Don’t pretend173Please respect copyright.PENANA8Cv7O3AVe7
that’s why you sent me up there to train.” Vander took the seat opposite him.173Please respect copyright.PENANAQ5JNuNP5FA
“Though it was nice to get away from the city for a change.”
“I did it for173Please respect copyright.PENANAtVeD5BRtq5
your own good, you know it.” Charles sighed. “I don’t know how I wound up with173Please respect copyright.PENANAYU42vUlaON
such a head strong grandson.”
“And people say173Please respect copyright.PENANADqLExJkeVR
we’re nothing alike.” He snorted. “Anyway, I received your letter and came as173Please respect copyright.PENANAnzsFcI2nYX
soon as I could. What’s going?” Charles leaned back in his chair.
“Since you were173Please respect copyright.PENANAmNNaIKlswD
sent to the woods and Cuvera went to pick up his bride from Bricen, things have173Please respect copyright.PENANAHRx0VIhB1E
only gotten worse here.” He rubbed the back of his head. “What I am about to173Please respect copyright.PENANAxhAMoCUKha
tell you, you can tell no one else about. Not even Alex, am I understood?”
“Is that173Please respect copyright.PENANAJAE22XNAGt
serious I can’t tell another Captain?” Charles nodded grimly. Vander sighed173Please respect copyright.PENANAUt6gf18EBL
before agreeing. “A couple weeks ago, Malcolm had fallen mysteriously ill. We173Please respect copyright.PENANAGJR5hXDrHq
aren’t sure the cause of it, Topal is by his side every day and night, but none173Please respect copyright.PENANAiYAqSfvZHq
of his remedies are working.”
“Really?”173Please respect copyright.PENANAHATAkSF37Z
Vander frowned. “When I passed through the city earlier, nothing seemed amiss.173Please respect copyright.PENANAgoVtFZtFS8
There was no one sick and everyone seemed quite happy.”
“That’s because no one outside of173Please respect copyright.PENANA3P269tCmVq
the council knows.” Charles explained. “We wanted to keep it quiet to avoid a173Please respect copyright.PENANAvf0AXmH6CS
panic.”
“So why tell me?”
“Because I want you to take over173Please respect copyright.PENANAIdKFjqIU49
the investigation for me.” Charles explained. “I don’t think the cause of his173Please respect copyright.PENANAWIa8GGlqrc
sickness is natural causes, I think it was poison. Topal agrees with me, but173Please respect copyright.PENANAhIjLWeFA8m
the council doesn’t agree. While the King is fighting for his life, the council173Please respect copyright.PENANAixfRIzl6b1
is trying to undermine him by passing laws that bolster their own power while173Please respect copyright.PENANAOosJs6FjYA
restricting ours. So now I must fight them off and can’t concentrate on finding173Please respect copyright.PENANA92NvLieXkr
out who did this. So, will you do it?”
Vander folded his arms and thought173Please respect copyright.PENANAUbM2eWShzU
for a moment. It was a lot of information to absorb at once, but he knew his173Please respect copyright.PENANAlUnEOa5DJF
grandfather was pressed for time. Despite his anger towards the old man, he173Please respect copyright.PENANAAiGQPqbceB
didn’t really want to see him suffer anymore.
“I will help you.” Vander sighed.173Please respect copyright.PENANAgrWVjAYMz8
Charles broke out into a large grin.
“Thank you.” He reached into his173Please respect copyright.PENANAzIlMUuCFOw
desk and pulled something out. He placed the small item on the desk in front of173Please respect copyright.PENANAKXNPefHshe
Vander. It was a small blue medallion with the royal family’s crest on one side173Please respect copyright.PENANAXYWnqY2KPi
and the Blade symbol on the other. “This will open all doors for you inside the173Please respect copyright.PENANA3Uy87M25dS
city. Get whatever you need, but you can tell no one about your mission.”
Vander took the medal then slipped173Please respect copyright.PENANAFH4rZuBS8I
it into his pocket. “Is it alright if I see the King now?” He got up from the173Please respect copyright.PENANAVyYk90UJ6e
chair and headed towards the door.
“Yes, but there is something I173Please respect copyright.PENANAfZwsEnq6Fd
should tell you-“ Vander opened the door while looking at his grandfather.173Please respect copyright.PENANAWta8rBG2GJ
Shea’s hackles raised as she started snarling. He turned to see who was173Please respect copyright.PENANAig1EpWasLl
standing there and upon recognizing him, his blood started to boil.
“What the hell are you doing173Please respect copyright.PENANAoMa3uKEK4b
here?” he snapped. He grabbed the man by his collar and pushed him up against173Please respect copyright.PENANAGTgQ9rHlyI
the hallway wall. “Give me a reason why I should gut you where you stand.”
“Because I’m still a Blade and a173Please respect copyright.PENANAJjq7BfBIhX
captain now.” Leon smirked. “You can’t do a damn thing to me.”
“What?” He spun around to see his173Please respect copyright.PENANAFoiWmMW9FR
grandfather standing in the doorway looking at him with a dejected look on his173Please respect copyright.PENANAjsAVOrqv5Y
face.
“I had no choice in the matter.”173Please respect copyright.PENANAUSKHpBBbJI
Charles looked pained. “That’s part of the reason I wanted to see you; will you173Please respect copyright.PENANAKb8HXKKrwb
sit down? Please?” Vander took one more look at Leon’s smug face before shoving173Please respect copyright.PENANAslbWqC3M93
him back against the wall and walking back to his seat. Shea, still growling,173Please respect copyright.PENANAyHur99Ia6k
kept her eyes locked on Leon perhaps daring him to make a move against her173Please respect copyright.PENANAk8CBVzRS3k
master. Vander sat down.
“The council is making moves to173Please respect copyright.PENANA2ORPXZzT9W
limit the power of the Blades, or to remove us completely.” Charles explained.173Please respect copyright.PENANAcRWTPOaGi3
“Since the wars ended, they decided there isn’t a need for us to carry on how173Please respect copyright.PENANASjHWsq1TuW
we are. With the poisoning of the King, it further reinforced their views. They173Please respect copyright.PENANAuAEQz1VL8p
appointed Leon as Captain to oversee us and to report back.”
“And what qualifications does he173Please respect copyright.PENANA3cpkByNttt
have to report on anything?” Vander glared at the other man who was leaning up173Please respect copyright.PENANAvXZ5e3o7D7
against the wall with a broad grin on his face.
“None whatsoever.” Charles173Please respect copyright.PENANAHz3wY15UDr
snorted. “His father just promoted him into our ranks to be a pain in the ass.”
“That’s not going to win you any173Please respect copyright.PENANA2TOxYZHVQR
points, Commander.” Leon sneered. “I have absolute authority to decide the fate173Please respect copyright.PENANACrZJ2dDvKy
of the Blades. It wouldn’t go well for you to get on my bad side.”
“Shea kindly escort him from the173Please respect copyright.PENANAk0mqHkkdrT
room.” Vander commanded. “I don’t need him overhearing actual Blade business.”
“With pleasure.” She173Please respect copyright.PENANAPUbB4jNMB6
snarled. She got up from off the ground and with teeth bared, she stalked173Please respect copyright.PENANAeAWP65WSty
towards Leon. Leon’s smug smirk disappeared instantly as he slowly started173Please respect copyright.PENANAk1QAdOlZBT
backing up towards the door.
“Call off your mutt, Vander.” His173Please respect copyright.PENANA4hbJ4xLwIE
face became pale as neither of them moved to help. “Vander.” He quickly ducked173Please respect copyright.PENANAeCteYag5Ai
through the door and slammed it shut as Shea lunged at him. She landed nimbly173Please respect copyright.PENANAzqdx46Syqm
in front of the door.
“Don’t come back.” Vander173Please respect copyright.PENANAO4C8Edz9E8
heard Leon’s panicked footsteps echoing down the hall. The thought of the man173Please respect copyright.PENANAU6Ar13h23a
pissing himself brought a small smile to his face.
“That was unwise, yet very173Please respect copyright.PENANAVXeMzFlV8w
satisfying.” Charles chuckled. “Viggo won’t be happy.”
“I don’t give a shit what makes173Please respect copyright.PENANAc5CWsPw4Dd
him happy.” Vander sighed. “He just wants to control us for his own personal173Please respect copyright.PENANAFtkY7AVRPW
gain. Man’s a snake and should be removed.”
“We are just protectors Vander,173Please respect copyright.PENANAPZ8OhBUgiA
not politicians. Leave the removal to those with the mind to do it.”
“Yes sir.” Vander sighed. “When do173Please respect copyright.PENANArXhgP4O0xw
you want me to go and see the King?”“The investigation can wait until you are173Please respect copyright.PENANA96oFdpY4ZB
fresh faced and rested.” Charles said. “Everything is how it was; the King has173Please respect copyright.PENANAOwACEKIlJC
just been moved to a secret location while he recovers. This is our last chance173Please respect copyright.PENANAFyA8MfX5c4
to prove our worth to the council.”
“We shouldn’t have to prove a damn173Please respect copyright.PENANArLuLSTvtPe
thing, but I’m with you.” Vander got up to stretch, stifling a yawn. “I will do173Please respect copyright.PENANApoE07EQ36n
what I can to find out who hurt the King and bring them to justice.”
“Thank you.” Charles smiled. “How173Please respect copyright.PENANALltM8zUFCe
are the recruits coming along? I wanted to give a demonstration to the council,173Please respect copyright.PENANAlHT6rvLYcW
but only if you think they are ready.”
“Their teamwork could use some173Please respect copyright.PENANAzDdWG5CwyW
help and if they stopped letting their hormones get the better of them they173Please respect copyright.PENANAB5emHueGED
would be solid fighters.” Vander explained. “We are meeting at my place for173Please respect copyright.PENANAUTloA9Zq7W
celebratory drinks and food. They deserve it.”
“I don’t know why you still stay173Please respect copyright.PENANAlBLyugYXKn
in that shit hole.” Charles said. “We have plenty of rooms for you in the173Please respect copyright.PENANANzetOScFqA
compound, you should stay there.”
“You know my feelings on its173Please respect copyright.PENANA8nkxW5BPA0
gramps.” He said. “I don’t like how the others look at me. At least in the city173Please respect copyright.PENANAJtpmRyELJJ
I can be a little anonymous and keep to myself.”
“I know, I know.” He sighed. “I173Please respect copyright.PENANAj6QhAjSwoV
will see you tomorrow. The price will be arriving in the next couple of days173Please respect copyright.PENANAijzHZunyBT
with his new bride, I would like the investigation to be wrapped up by then,173Please respect copyright.PENANAjUOzDXqCkn
then we will have the recruits tested. Will that be alright with you?”
“Yes.” He stared down at his173Please respect copyright.PENANAzxLK641YZo
grandfather. “And just because I’m being civil with you, doesn’t mean I’m not173Please respect copyright.PENANAFA3ogMEt11
angry with you. We will have our talk once this is all over.”
“I understand.” Charles looked173Please respect copyright.PENANAKd6fLdW0rf
down at his desk and began rifling through his papers. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”173Please respect copyright.PENANAhbqTVDb6KJ
Realizing that was his cue, Vander opened the door for Shea and the two of them173Please respect copyright.PENANAd7ns8sKynN
slipped out quietly closing it behind them.
The walk back through the castle173Please respect copyright.PENANAjsXNLLauhE
was uneventful. Most of the servants were too busy to talk to him, as they were173Please respect copyright.PENANAzMOSlwsEHt
preparing for the prince’s return along with his new bride. Vander was hopeful173Please respect copyright.PENANAQbZUCvC2Tn
with their union because finally the long war that killed thousands of people173Please respect copyright.PENANAICOWr1PXPB
was finally at its end. Peyton’s words at the front door didn’t surprise Vander173Please respect copyright.PENANAlcwgWSNSRY
in the least. The two countries would finally be allowed to heal but some173Please respect copyright.PENANAONylu3olqg
people didn’t care about that. They just wanted the war to continue because it173Please respect copyright.PENANA17sLPiXuRn
just made them richer. It was a disgrace, but greed ruled overall. Part of him173Please respect copyright.PENANACZFTjzfcFU
had hoped that the would be told who was against the treaty and toss them in173Please respect copyright.PENANAN3gUJCtYQd
jail, but if the King, Charles, and Peyton wanted them to stick around, they173Please respect copyright.PENANAbzTyUFpk46
must have a good reason for doing so. It was above his paygrade at any rate.
He headed back towards the gate173Please respect copyright.PENANA0vtocBveoy
where Jeffery Jilena’s soldiers were guarding the passage through, and to his173Please respect copyright.PENANAqoXinDq8a8
surprise, it seemed as though his advice worked. They were alert and not173Please respect copyright.PENANAVvgM6NLGxI
leaning up against the walls. Their weapons were at attention and even though173Please respect copyright.PENANA1pWSyW4k0c
they gave him a dirty look as he passed, one snarl from Shea kept them from173Please respect copyright.PENANAbbidc9uPyk
saying anything they would regret, and they allowed him to pass without any173Please respect copyright.PENANAzclz6cH2nP
issues.
By the time he made it out of the173Please respect copyright.PENANAZCDRhEsa6T
middle ring, the sun was beginning to set illuminating the sky with colors of173Please respect copyright.PENANANji0FibGYD
bring pink and yellow. Most of the people he walked past were scurrying to get173Please respect copyright.PENANA4afDMi7qQj
home before nightfall or closing shops so they could calculate their profits173Please respect copyright.PENANAPvMDDdlkSN
before heading in for the night. Nighttime was always Vander’s favorite time of173Please respect copyright.PENANANgisVtTIYN
day. The hustle and bustle of city life would disappear into almost nothing173Please respect copyright.PENANAUPuvR710je
giving him the peace and quiet he and Shea desperately enjoyed. Being back in173Please respect copyright.PENANAB1RZfNXSLT
the city would be a challenge and he knew it would only be a matter of time173Please respect copyright.PENANAwUzcOWWCQq
before they two of them wanted to go back to the woods where they both felt at173Please respect copyright.PENANA3rxufjlASp
home. For now, they would just have to enjoy the place they lived in and make173Please respect copyright.PENANABJdi0jLn4v
do with that.
One of the only places that would173Please respect copyright.PENANAAbYYkh4ThK
have Vander and Shea was a little inn within the eastern district called the173Please respect copyright.PENANA1JuIU5UdMz
Warm Hearth. They got hunters coming from the forest to try and sell skin,173Please respect copyright.PENANAhhNHVslyJw
meat, bones, and fur to anyone who wanted them. Often the hunters would bring173Please respect copyright.PENANAqOkn96JX7m
their dogs with them as an insurance policy against thieves. They were unruly173Please respect copyright.PENANAws6MhTDnoc
to the inn owners and would often feel up many of the servers. One time Vander173Please respect copyright.PENANAaFPVHZP54t
got into it with a couple of them who felt they were entitled to the servers173Please respect copyright.PENANAnNg1a4nXEH
after hours. The sicced their dogs on him, but once Shea jumped in killing two173Please respect copyright.PENANAAgtclm8udt
of them, the hunters knew better than to fuck with them and, by extension, the173Please respect copyright.PENANAjx0BsAT2xa
serving girls. From the day forward, he had a discounted room and a place to173Please respect copyright.PENANAOoBhfrZHpV
relax after work.
Upon arrival, he could hear dozens173Please respect copyright.PENANAPz978hFdqB
of patrons talking and demanding foo and drinks. It wasn’t a bad place, a173Please respect copyright.PENANAwyMPPb9HcO
little run down, but kempt. The front door was missing a hinge causing it to173Please respect copyright.PENANAQNtBVH9PSM
lean slightly. Once you opened it, you had to lift it a little bit to make sure173Please respect copyright.PENANAXFreZ9XNkj
it didn’t catch on the stairs. Unknown to all but Vander, the servers and the173Please respect copyright.PENANAt95uxyQgAP
owner, the stools were slightly off center. It was a way to make sure people173Please respect copyright.PENANA7QQiC7AfiU
weren’t drinking too much. If they fall to the floor, they get cut off and173Please respect copyright.PENANALhriph498N
taken somewhere to sleep it off before going home to their families.
Vander pulled open the door,173Please respect copyright.PENANA3iNWSgyrCJ
making sure to lift it, and was greeted with even more noise than he was173Please respect copyright.PENANAcwlEtOkc4f
expecting. There were thirty people jammed inside all shouting to be heard over173Please respect copyright.PENANAgEFIKRujls
the music playing in the corner. A couple of people, men, and women were173Please respect copyright.PENANANRoVCd1tnS
dancing on the floor in front of the band twirling their dresses and spinning173Please respect copyright.PENANAjufYzbkGWx
on their feet to the beat. Shea, hating all the noise slunk off behind the173Please respect copyright.PENANAM75mNWl20e
counter and quickly made her way over to the rear corner to scamper her way up173Please respect copyright.PENANAz3zpCXptWg
the stairs and out of sight. She knew where she was going, they had installed a173Please respect copyright.PENANAONGHqDaf28
little door for her to come and go as she pleased so she would have no issues173Please respect copyright.PENANAdsMr3LihWt
getting into his room. He just hoped no one was squatting there or they would173Please respect copyright.PENANAD8ZLma7qiL
be in for a real rude awakening.
“Vander!” Someone shouted at him.173Please respect copyright.PENANAHkegHlPOuN
The voice came from the Inn Keeper, a young woman named Julianne, who had173Please respect copyright.PENANADum8rWPuhy
received the bar from her father after his untimely death. She had long black173Please respect copyright.PENANA42HSZeTGGj
hair, brown eyes, and a figure that drew the eye of every man in the room. She173Please respect copyright.PENANAsqNxlLm6Gy
flirted harmlessly with the guests, made sure to top of their drinks whenever173Please respect copyright.PENANA2H6ZQSZApz
she could, but was still responsible in making sure people didn’t drink more173Please respect copyright.PENANA4tcB5s7ugv
than they could handle.
“Julianna,” he waved to her. She173Please respect copyright.PENANAhaPTVjspoc
sashayed her way through the crowd to embrace him in a quick hug followed by a173Please respect copyright.PENANAUeePjkBzUt
quick peck on the cheek. Today she was wearing a low-cut navy-blue dress and173Please respect copyright.PENANAA51KDYtVIr
blue boots. Her long hair was pulled back in a ponytail to keep any loose173Please respect copyright.PENANAtVsBTbaG7r
strands from falling into anyone’s food or drinks.
“I had a feeling you might be here173Please respect copyright.PENANAziBQZiUX7M
today.” She beamed causing dimples to form in her cheeks. “I had your room173Please respect copyright.PENANAMocuCH2igF
dusted then the linen and your clothing cleaned. My maid, Kyra, just finished173Please respect copyright.PENANA77hn1Nn4sL
an hour or so ago.”
“You have a knack for knowing when173Please respect copyright.PENANA6KsxYGxpJ1
I get here.” He laughed, hugging her back. “Are you sure you aren’t a seer?”
“Nonsense,” She slapped him173Please respect copyright.PENANAS6lnleJW6A
lightly on the arm. “Get upstairs and get changed, you smell like stale sweat173Please respect copyright.PENANAPtg8fY2JQh
and feet.” Vander lifted his arms then grimaced. She was being polite about it.
“Alexander and the recruits are173Please respect copyright.PENANAeqRyDw1PTG
coming tonight.” Vander said. “If they arrived before I come back down, will173Please respect copyright.PENANAa44bsyLmgY
you get them a table?”
“Of course.” She smiled. “After173Please respect copyright.PENANAJNgTb78vZj
they leave, I’d love to hear how your time away from this place was. We can173Please respect copyright.PENANAzjH48vpR68
drink and relax, how does that sound?”
“Sounds great.” He waved goodbye173Please respect copyright.PENANA1c3bqgWjRS
to her as he tried to make his way though. The servers smiled and waved at him173Please respect copyright.PENANAVpnza4khKf
while the patrons backed up several steps. He wasn’t sure if it was because173Please respect copyright.PENANAyNl4Z49zi5
they recognized him or because of the way he smelled, but he guessed it didn’t173Please respect copyright.PENANAgBssyaBphZ
really matter. He was glad to not have to talk to any of them.
His room was on the third floor173Please respect copyright.PENANAuFpiSyeG8q
all the way at the back. Julianne had offered a closer room on the lower floor,173Please respect copyright.PENANA5wTSnJ0a7i
but he liked his privacy as most of the people who stayed here were either173Please respect copyright.PENANAgVSOSkUwBi
travelers who wanted a cheaper room or patrons who were too drunk to walk and173Please respect copyright.PENANAGnFOCrULO7
couldn’t walk. She had her own room in the basement where it was warm and where173Please respect copyright.PENANAXhgKK1uoGA
she didn’t have to worry about anyone trying to get into her room. The basement173Please respect copyright.PENANABQx41zl6yv
was only open during business hours and was locked during the day. He had never173Please respect copyright.PENANA5Z5SsRdWjf
been down there, but he expected there was a second door that was always locked173Please respect copyright.PENANA31wOzgJYxd
to keep anyone from sneaking down there when she was busy.
His room wasn’t much to look at.173Please respect copyright.PENANA8czMya4Knt
It was big enough for a small bed, a desk, and a dresser. There was a closet173Please respect copyright.PENANAcDvDvsaAEh
along the left wall and a door that led into a bathroom complete with both a173Please respect copyright.PENANAwZWJ87Ln15
shower and a sink. True to her word, the room smelled freshly cleaned the smell173Please respect copyright.PENANA4XUrrUbrwS
of lemon still fragrant in the air. As they were getting closer to fall, his173Please respect copyright.PENANAA9QszBBI1L
lighter blankets had been swapped for a warmer one. Shea was in the process of173Please respect copyright.PENANAObf9pafqu6
rubbing her scent on everything when he walked in.
“I hate it when she cleans in173Please respect copyright.PENANAVJlQ2tDRji
here.” She complained.
“Not everyone likes the smell of173Please respect copyright.PENANAgWVF0z00Jn
wolf day in and day out.” Vander said. “Maybe we should give you a bath as173Please respect copyright.PENANAbGDNX0hzqu
well?”
“Try it and you’ll be minus a173Please respect copyright.PENANAU6lbcQIFJo
hand.” She growled. The two of them looked at each other, but eventually173Please respect copyright.PENANA8K8LcnQIHw
Vander shrugged his shoulders. “Suit yourself sinky.” She lunged at him, but he173Please respect copyright.PENANA2mP175HEzW
jumped nimbly away. He quickly removed his sword, placing it carefully on the173Please respect copyright.PENANA9CilQYciZ7
ground. Then he grabbed her, picked her up, then threw her on the bed. Before173Please respect copyright.PENANAcJ5XrzTrpe
she could right herself, her body slammed her then started rubbing her belly.173Please respect copyright.PENANA3pUhZ4Fu3A
She squirmed under him, but eventually she told him she gave up. Laughing, he173Please respect copyright.PENANAeRUIvjTdVq
shrugged off his jacket and tossed it on top of her.
“I’m going to bathe and change173Please respect copyright.PENANAH4dBaLqbo9
before I meet the others. I assume you want to stay here?” she nodded her head.173Please respect copyright.PENANAuIUNdECbJI
“Want anything from the kitchen?”
“Beef.” Was the response. She wiggled her way under173Please respect copyright.PENANAnK5Kfs9SWU
the blanket and moments later, he could hear her snoring gently from173Please respect copyright.PENANANa83o03kD9
underneath.
Vander shrugged off his clothing173Please respect copyright.PENANAbPassQJe2j
and dumped it in a pile by the door. Walking into the bathroom, he turned the173Please respect copyright.PENANAdntWNp96Kn
water faucet on. It took awhile for the water to become hot enough where he173Please respect copyright.PENANAArpPN66QpX
didn’t freeze. He stepped inside and felt his aches melt away with the hot173Please respect copyright.PENANAYhQvhpdRWi
water pounding into his body.
He always enjoyed this part of the173Please respect copyright.PENANAme2cQjTIBk
day. Even if it was day of just sitting in meetings, just washing away your173Please respect copyright.PENANAELCBerhZS2
worries for even a little bit was enough to make him happy. He didn’t get to173Please respect copyright.PENANAeAJy6EdHil
shower at all while he was in the woods. The closest he got was taking a dip in173Please respect copyright.PENANAtdCbtnhin4
the lake every other day, but that wasn’t the same. He got clean, but it was173Please respect copyright.PENANAfBe3mYj2Fb
never truly relaxing for him.
He lost track of how long he was173Please respect copyright.PENANA4zNEtfnWA9
under the water, but he turned it off once it became cold. He grabbed the towel173Please respect copyright.PENANAENoiPMptWr
hanging up next to the sink to dry off then wrapped it around his waist. When173Please respect copyright.PENANAUSv6hChdCW
we walked into the room, he noticed that Shea was on alert. Her ears were lying173Please respect copyright.PENANAUoSnplj4lG
flat against her head and her teeth were bared. Only one person would make her173Please respect copyright.PENANAgqtE9r3KQN
that upset in the inn, someone he had hoped would take a little bit longer to173Please respect copyright.PENANAP44fpNjMqZ
see him, but it wasn’t an unexpected visit. He could hear her voice coming up173Please respect copyright.PENANAfhShOESyRO
from downstairs, so he figured he still had some time.
Whistling to himself, he walked173Please respect copyright.PENANAEPaJ5go6C8
over to his closet and removed a brown shirt with strings which would allow him173Please respect copyright.PENANAb1urBQSan1
to pull it tight over his chest or leave it loose. He picked out a pair of173Please respect copyright.PENANAuTMbz0Z1Mn
casual black pants along with a pair of black boots. He removed two black173Please respect copyright.PENANAkP6PrXR20C
leather cuffs and carefully tied them to his wrists. He didn’t like wearing173Please respect copyright.PENANAHVOjJQRLyN
jewelry while on duty, however he wore a silver ring with an emerald embedded in173Please respect copyright.PENANAtFCpRAGY4t
it when he was off duty. It was the last thing he received from his mother173Please respect copyright.PENANAWWqh3Mbp3z
before her death.
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He heard the footsteps coming up173Please respect copyright.PENANAIr92mm3kAm
the stairs then stopped right in front of his door. “Behave Shea.” He said. She173Please respect copyright.PENANAaaSy1iyKfi
didn’t relax, but she did hide her teeth so as not scare his guest. His heart173Please respect copyright.PENANAsQETCfZcEX
pounded in his chest as he waited for the knock. As soon as he heard it, he got173Please respect copyright.PENANAIuZ7KYQzOM
up from his bed and opened the door. “Hello Bree.”