She slipped into the bathroom, closing the door behind her. Even after everything they had done, she still felt oddly shy about being fully naked around him when they weren’t actively having sex. The hot water helped wash away the sweat and cum from her body, and once again, he felt pretty well instead of aching between her legs.

Without saying goodbye, Sasha opened a shadow portal in the bathroom and stepped through, vanishing from the Airbnb.

She reappeared briefly in her private quarters back at the facility to grab a few extra items and adjust her appearance. Then, with a focused expression, she opened another portal and departed for the mission proper.

As she traveled through the shadows toward the distant meeting point in another country, a dark smile touched her lips. The thorough fucking Edward had given her left her feeling energized and powerful. Part of her almost hoped the contacts at the pickup site would try something foolish.

’It would feel good to let loose on someone right now.’ She thought to herself.

The mission was supposed to be simple. All she needed to do was retrieve a package discreetly, it had been paid for already. But after the emotional and physical whirlwind of the past day, and the sex she just had, Sasha welcomed the chance to release some tension.

Meanwhile, back at the Airbnb, Edward sat on the edge of the bed, still naked, staring at the spot where Sasha had disappeared. His mind was already turning over their fragile new alliance, the vault, Maya’s situation, and how quickly things were escalating.

’I really need to get more abilities to protect myself in future.’ He thought to himself.

...

Rather unfortunately for Sasha, the mission went smoother than expected.

Sasha emerged from the shadow portal into a dimly lit warehouse in a foreign country. The contacts were already waiting, nervous but very professional. They normally wouldn’t be so nervous, but it would appear that Sasha’s reputation went ahead of her.

They handed over the encrypted package without any negotiation or resistance. No ambushes, no surprises, and no excuses to fight.

The entire exchange took less than five minutes.

As she stepped back into the shadows and returned to the facility, Sasha felt a quiet wave of disappointment. Her body was still buzzing with leftover energy from her time with Edward. She had hoped for at least a little violence, something to let her cut loose and burn off the tension coiling inside her.

’When I get back, perhaps I’ll pay the arena a visit,’ she thought.

This was the same underground fighting ring where she had once earned money as a desperate street kid. It was still one of the few places where she would visit even after all those years to let off some steam whenever she felt like it.

She arrived back at the facility just after 12:10 a.m. Jerald was still awake, as he usually was, working in his office under the dim glow of multiple monitors. Violet was nowhere in sight this time, but that reality could not be accessed based off face value alone. After all, her ability allowed her complete camouflage even in broad daylight.

Sasha walked towards Jerald and placed the package on his desk. Jerald inspected it briefly, then set it aside in a secure drawer with a nod.

"Everything went well?" he asked, his tone casual but his eyes sharp.

"Without complications. These new ones should be the best so far." Sasha replied evenly.

Jerald studied her for a moment longer than usual before speaking. "Is everything alright with you lately?"

Hearing that, she was a little shaken. But Sasha kept her expression neutral, years of practice making the mask effortless. "I’m fine, of course. If there’s nothing else for me tonight, I’ll be off. I going to visit the arena. Any plans for me today?"

Jerald shook his head slowly. "There’s nothing urgent. Go ahead if you need to. I know how you get when you’re... restless."

He remembered she had gone to the arena just last month when she was feeling frustrated. But the interval this time was shorter than the last, just a month’s difference.

Sasha gave a small bow and left the office without another word.

As the door closed behind her, Jerald leaned back in his chair, staring thoughtfully at the spot where she had stood. ’She looked off before... now she seems fine. Almost happy? And she wants to go to the arena again.’ He narrowed his eyes for a moment thinking of that shift for a moment, then shrugged it off. ’Putting on an act so I don’t notice something’s bothering her. Always so childish.’

"Last time it was because of Violet, now its certainly Maya... Maybe I should prepare some kind of reward for her." He said to himself, returning to his work.

He had confidence in his control over Sasha. She was always loyal. If it was that, there was no need to worry.

...

Two days later.

Edward was lounging in the Airbnb living room late at night, scrolling through his phone. He had only seen Sasha once after that night, and of course, their meeting wasn’t without explosive sex. She was also becoming a bit free around him. He had thought it’d take longer, but it was happening faster than expected. Who said sex couldn’t solve a lot of problems?

Just then, he noticed a notification hanging above his screen, quite an unusual one too. Checking it, it appeared he had missed a call from Tiffany, and now a voicemail waited for him.

"Hey, stranger..." Tiffany’s voice came through, playful but with a hint of genuine complaint. "You’ve been avoiding me, huh? Not even a single text to check up on a girl after you ruined her for other men? That’s cold, babe~" She laughed softly. "Call me back when you’re free, okay? I miss that... you know what."

Edward listened to the message twice, a small smirk forming on his lips. Tiffany had been a goldmine — both financially and physically. But right now, with Sasha coming and going unpredictably, bringing another woman into the mix felt too risky. If Sasha showed up randomly and found him with Tiffany, he had no idea how she would react. He couldn’t shake off the feeling that this lady was freaky.

Just as he decided to maintain some distance for the time being, maybe call Tiffany and give a soft lie that he wasn’t around, a shadow portal opened in the living room and Sasha stepped through, still dressed in her tactical suit which seemed to be her usual clothing at all times. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

’Speak of the devil.’ He thought to himself.

After receiving her with a kiss he initiated, they exchanged brief pleasantries.

"I won’t be able to contact you for the next week," she said directly, her voice actually softer than it had always been. Still not so feminine and lovey, though. "Jerald is keeping me busy, and the timing around Maya’s procedure is critical. Just, stay low, and make sure I can always trust to meet you here. Also prepare yourself. When I return, we’ll probably have to make our move."

Edward nodded understanding everything. "Understood. Be careful." He said.

Sasha gave him one last lingering look— hint of lingering desire—before stepping back into the shadow portal and vanishing. She actually wanted to kiss him before leaving, and she longed to be held by him, but the thought of initiating it made her feel too shy and she left before it showed on her.

The room fell silent once more with Sasha leaving.

Edward sat back down, staring at the empty space. "One week, huh? Maybe I should actually contact Tiffany."