´That's for attacking me,` Pei said with a frosty voice.

´I saved you, idiot!` Ranloo retorted, somewhat relieved he wasn't hungry and able to hold himself back.

Pei snorted and pointed at him. ´You put everyone in danger! Why did you interfere?`

´I had to!` Ranloo shouted and stepped forward, not noticing how Sern stood in his way, holding him back. ´You would've let the boy die!`

Pei looked taken aback but didn't retreat. ´You could've killed us all! You were out of control!` His cheeks flushed red and his brown eyes blazed with anger.

Ranloo pushed Sern out of the way effortlessly and came face to face with Pei, his lips curled in fury, eyes burning. He could smell the anger and fear in Pei but still found him calmer than expected. He didn't back off or averted his eyes. ´I warned you,` Ranloo hissed. ´I saw the guard coming and I warned you. But you didn't listen! This was all your fault, not mine!`

Pei raised a hand to push the vampire back. Ranloo slapped his hand away with a swift movement and Pei's eyes widened in fear at the speed. ´You still attacked me! You almost attacked Listarl too. If your pet hadn't stopped you, either you or us would've died,` he shouted in Ranloo's face.

Ranloo grasped Pei around the throat and lifted him, faster than anyone could react. Stepping forward, he thrust the twin against the wall, powered by hot rage. Shouts erupted all around and hands grabbed at him. Snarling, his hand tightened around Pei's neck. Pei fought against the strong grip, unable to breathe.

´Stop it! Let 'im go!` Sern shouted and hit Ranloo on the shoulder with his fists. ´Stop! You're makin' it worse!`

Snorting, Ranloo let the man down. Pei doubled over as he landed on the floor, gasping for breath and coughing. Ranloo pushed the others away from him and they let go of his arms, stepping back.

´Calm down, everyone!` Felisei yelled as she helped Pei up from the floor.

Shaken and pale, he still glared at Ranloo as he stood back up, brushed himself off, and straightened his clothes. Aedil had his hand on his sword, ready to draw it if Ranloo was to attack again.

´This is what I mean,` Pei spat. ´You're out of control.`

Ranloo knew he was right, but was too angry to admit anything. Instead, he focused on the thing that had gone wrong.

´Why did you go out? I warned you!`

Sern and Felisei looked at Diquarl. ´We tried stoppin' 'im,` Sern mumbled. ´But 'twas already too late.`

Ranloo gave Sern a blank look. Then he remembered and turned on the chemist in a fury. Diquarl blanched and felt the wall with his trembling hands in a desperate attempt to find a way out.

´I'm sorry! I'm sorry, I'm sorry...` he squealed as Ranloo closed in on him. ´I didn't mean to!` He ducked and covered behind a chair by the table, holding it in front of him.

Ranloo stopped and frowned at the small man, his fists clenched, nails digging into his palms. He grabbed the chair, tore it from Diquarl's hands and lifted it over his head. He heard gasps and a shout behind him.

Diquarl whimpered. Ranloo swung the chair and smashed it into the wall, splintering pieces over the small man's head. Diquarl covered his head with his arms and begged forgiveness over and over again under his breath.

´I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I didn't mean to...` His faint whispers were interrupted by panicked breathing.

´Why didn't you listen?` Ranloo asked slowly, trying to keep himself in check and dropping the broken back of the chair to the floor. It clattered loudly in the now silent room.

´I didn't know,` Diquarl whined, carefully glancing up at the vampire.

´Didn't know what?` Ranloo growled.

´The signal. I'm sorry. I didn't listen. It was my fault.`

Ranloo scowled. Anger and pity for the man cowering by the wall like a small frightened animal conflicting in his mind.

´Are you quite finished?` Listarl said then, behind him. ´All of you. We won't get anywhere if we fight. We need to talk.`

Ranloo turned to regard the huge man standing before the others. The twins stood beside each other with carefully composed expressions. Felisei and Sern looked fearful and worried. Only Listarl seemed calm and strangely unaffected by it all. Ranloo looked around and brushed some wooden splinters off his clothes.

´Alright. I'm listening,` he said and crossed his arms.

Listarl stroked his beard thoughtfully. Then he walked up to Diquarl, pulled him to his feet and sat him down on a chair. Diquarl was beyond pale, and it was probably a good idea that he sat down.

Sern sidled up beside Ranloo and lay a hand on his arm. Felisei and the twins stepped a bit closer to be able to talk without raising their voices.

´Let's start by saying the mission was a success in terms of getting the information we needed,` Listarl began, looking around at the disheveled team. ´We didn't find any prisoners in the house and assume there weren't any. We got the documents we had to find.` He nodded to Sern. ´You found the room and you proved yourself to be good at taking the right decisions.`

Sern blushed at the praise and smiled proudly at him.

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´Diquarl,` the big man continued. The chemist almost jumped off the chair in fright. ´You proved useful as well. You kept the man drugged and you threw off a potential chase with your... thing,` he said.

Ranloo snorted and almost protested.

Listarl held up a hand to keep him quiet. ´But, you also jeopardized the mission by not paying attention to the plan and it could have gotten us all killed.`

Ranloo nodded, happy that Listarl had acknowledged the chemist's mistake and not only blamed him for everything that had gone wrong.

´Felisei. You did a good job. But maybe next time, instead of running away at the sight of danger... Help us out.` He eyed her sternly.

She looked down at the floor, embarrassed, letting her hair fall in front of her face. ´I'm sorry,` she mumbled. ´But I'm not a good fighter, and I didn't know what to do.`

´Do like the vampire,` one of the twins said. ´Throw rocks at them or something.`

Ranloo eyed him in surprise. It must be Aedil, he thought with a slight smile tugging at his mouth. He should apologize for being annoying later.

Felisei glanced up in surprise too.

´Pei, you did excellent. You were a great help in the battle, but also in the search of the house.`

Pei nodded but otherwise barely seemed to care about the praise. He glowered at Ranloo with a stony face, rubbing his neck with a hand.

Listarl went on. ´Aedil, you too did a great job.` He turned his attention to Ranloo who shifted his weight nervously from one foot to the other, his fingers fiddling with the sword hilt.

´You did well, vampire,` he said to Ranloo's surprise. ´But you also put us all in danger. Don't get involved in fights unless you can handle it.` He gave Ranloo a steely glare. ´You attacked Pei, and we cannot have one of our own attacking us. That's not going to work out well.`

Ranloo felt ashamed and angry, both at himself and the thieves. They had no idea how hard it was. ´If Diquarl –`

´Yes, he did wrong. But you did too,` Listarl cut him off.

Ranloo closed his mouth and nodded, holding back his temper.

´You saved Sern's life, and you probably saved Aedil too. We appreciate that. But after that, you became a problem.`

Anger flared inside him again. ´I'm a problem? If he had listened,` he stated angrily and pointed to Diquarl, ´none of this would have happened. And I saved you!`

Diquarl shrank back on the chair, looking at the floor.

Listarl and Aedil nodded, the others said nothing. Sern looked intently at him with a thoughtful expression.

´What?` Ranloo whispered as he noticed the boy's attention.

Sern shook his head, but couldn't hold back a small smile.

Ranloo frowned, then shrugged it off as nothing important.

´How's your leg?` Pei asked.

Ranloo studied him, wondering why he asked before answering. ´It's fine. I'm not bleeding anymore.`

The twin looked at him with guarded interest. ´It's already healed?` he stated more than asked.

Ranloo shook his head. ´Not fully. Did you hold back?`

Pei nodded and took a deep breath. ´I held back, trying not to harm an ally,` he said with a slight sneer. ´But you made it hard.`

Feeling foolish, Ranloo smiled. ´I'm sorry. I didn't mean to attack you. But you were too close.` He paused. Pei could have killed him but had chosen not to. ´Thank you for holding back.`

´You helped my brother,` he said matter of fact. ´But I won't trust you in a fight again.`

Ranloo nodded. ´You shouldn't. I don't trust myself either,` he admitted. ´But I will help if I can.`

Sern patted his arm.

That reminded Ranloo of something, sparking a small flash of anger again. ´Don't call Sern my pet ever again,` he threatened in a low voice, pointing at Pei.

Pei lifted his hands in a warding gesture. ´I didn't mean it like that,` he explained. ´I was just angry.` Then he muttered something under his breath.

Ranloo stared at him for a while. ´Just don't do it again.` He wouldn't let anyone put his friend down, or allow him to get into danger. If something happened to Sern, he'd do anything to help him. And any insults thrown at the boy, he would take as his own. He glanced at Sern standing beside him, seemingly unconcerned and with a small smile still on his lips.

Listarl looked around at them all, his hands curled into fists, resting on his hips. ´I think that settles it. Let's rest and meet again tomorrow at midnight. I'll see if there are any more jobs or information for us. But I don't think we're in any shape to go out again too soon. Still, we need to be ready. And next time we'll make sure to be better prepared.` With that, he dismissed them and they dispersed.

Ranloo and Sern left the room together, walking towards the basement. Gesald scampered back from the door when they exited and Ranloo gave him a customary glare as they passed him by. He was tired, the approaching sunrise tugging at him, making him heavy and sluggish, and the aftermath of his rage left him empty. Gesald followed as they left. Ranloo wished he wouldn't do that. He'd talk to Jackal about it as soon as he could.

Sern followed him down to his room and looked around. ´Thanks for protecting your pet,` he laughed.

Ranloo smiled slightly. ´You're taking this way too easily,` he replied. ´Don't let them call you that.`

Sern shrugged and gave a carefree grin. ´I pretty much am though, right?`

Ranloo laughed and sat down on the bed, shaking his head. ´No, you're not. You're my friend. There's a difference you know.` He poked at the hole in his breeches and frowned. ´I need new ones again,` he sighed.

Sern laughed. ´You need new ones all the time. Stop breakin' things! An'...` Sern craned his neck to peer behind Ranloo, his mouth forming an o of amazement. ´You need a new cloak. Tis totally ripped.`

Ranloo stood back up and, remembering the jump over the fence, unclasped the cloak and hung it over a chair. He studied the long tears in the fabric and sighed even deeper.

´You really, really gotta stop breakin' everythin',` Sern pointed out.

Ranloo glared at him for a moment, but couldn't keep from smiling. ´I have a special talent for breaking things.`

´You probably gotta pay for the chair you smashed too,` Sern chuckled.

Ranloo huffed. ´It's not my fault it broke so easily,` he said with feigned grumpiness. ´They are so weak.`

Sern shook his head and waggled a finger under Ranloo's nose. ´No. You're too strong!`

An amused smile played on Ranloo's lips as he sat down again. ´Can you ask them about a bath tomorrow?` he asked. ´And new clothes?`

´Sure.` Sern walked to the door. It was almost sunrise and they were both tired. ´G'night!` He waved as he left, closing the door behind him.

Ranloo sighed and lay down on the bed. He was confused. He had been certain the others would dismiss him or drive him off after the failure. Pei probably would if he could, he figured. But they hadn't. Maybe because Listarl had forbidden them? He pondered that as his body grew heavier, his eyes closing almost of their own. He vaguely remembered that he hadn't locked the door, but it seemed unimportant now. He was too tired, too far away. Darkness engulfed him as the sun rose in a pale blue sky and the city awakened.