The tavern doors burst open.
Every head inside turned.
Vampires.
Dozens of them.
Red eyes glowing in the dim lantern light.
And in the center of the room—
Jax hung upside down from the ceiling.
His arms were bound behind his back.
The room froze.
The Vixens did not.
Weapons appeared instantly.
Sanctaris erupted with radiant light.
World Breaker materialized in Bunny's hands with a thunderous crack.
Starpiercer appeared in Llandra's grip.
Lilith's Kiss slithered upward from Nyxian's hand like a living serpent.
Even Lexi and Pixelle summoned their wands.
Emberlyn drew her pistol so quickly that even several vampires jumped.
The atmosphere inside the tavern became lethal.
"LET MY BELOVED GO NOW!" Nyxian screamed.
Her voice shook the room.
"Or I swear by the Goddess, I will kill every single person in here!"
Several vampires immediately raised their hands.
Others stumbled backward.
One dropped his drink.
Another nearly fell out of his chair trying to get away from Jax.
The entire tavern suddenly looked terrified.
Not of Jax.
Of the Vixens.
Jax's eyes widened.
"Oh no."
With a fluid motion that would have made an acrobat jealous, he curled upward, slipped free from the bindings, rotated in midair, and landed lightly on his feet.
The room stared.
The Vixens stared.
Even the vampires stared.
Jax quickly raised both hands.
"It's not what it looks like."
"Then start talking," Nyxian demanded.
The whip still hissed in her hand.
Jax walked forward.
Slowly.
Carefully.
Like a man approaching a very dangerous beast.
Or seven dangerous beasts.
"We had a bet."
The silence that followed was deafening.
"A bet?" Bunny repeated.
"A drinking bet."
The Vixens blinked.
Jax pointed upward.
"In my homeland, there was something called a keg stand."
Nobody looked convinced.
"A what?"
"A keg stand."
Nobody looked less confused.
Jax sighed.
"You get held upside down and drink directly from a keg."
The room remained silent.
Then Lexi raised her hand.
"Why?"
Jax opened his mouth.
Paused.
Thought about it.
Then shrugged.
"Honestly? I don't know."
The Vixens looked horrified.
The vampires started laughing.
Even Selene covered her mouth.
Nyxian slowly lowered her whip.
"You were playing drinking games?"
"Yes."
"With vampires?"
"Yes."
"While hanging upside down?"
"Technically, I was winning."
"You are impossible."
"I hear that a lot."
Weapons slowly disappeared.
The tension vanished.
The tavern collectively exhaled.
A drunken vampire immediately shouted.
"He's the best!"
"BUT TECHNICALLY I LOST! DRINKS ON ME TONIGHT!"
Cheers erupted.
Jax groaned.
A familiar vampire named Darko stumbled forward and wrapped an arm around Jax's shoulders.
"We love this guy."
Darko pointed at the Vixens.
"Nobody wants to hurt him."
Jax nodded.
"See?"
Darko continued.
"He's bought three rounds already."
"Darko."
"And he's teaching us drinking games."
"Darko."
"And he beat Varg in arm wrestling."
"Darko."
"And—"
"Darko."
"Right. I'll stop."
Darko wandered away.
The Vixens looked at Jax.
Jax looked back.
Nobody said anything.
Finally Bunny shook her head.
"I was genuinely worried."
"I know."
"I thought you got kidnapped."
"I know."
"I was preparing to smash everyone."
"I know."
Bunny nodded.
"Okay."
Then she sat down and ordered a drink.
Just like that.
Crisis over.
The tavern slowly returned to life.
Laughter resumed.
Music started again.
Conversations picked back up.
The atmosphere became almost festive.
That was when Selene approached.
The vampire woman moved with effortless confidence.
She stopped in front of the Vixens.
"Good evening, ladies."
Her smile was flawless.
"I appreciate you not destroying my establishment."
Nyxian folded her arms.
"You tied up my husband."
"It was his idea."
Everyone immediately looked at Jax.
Jax suddenly found the ceiling very interesting.
"I was curious."
Selene laughed.
The sound was smooth and warm.
Then her eyes drifted across the group.
One by one.
Counting.
Llandra.
Bunny.
Zee.
Nyxian.
Lexi.
Pixelle.
Emberlyn.
Her eyebrow rose.
"Seven wives?"
"Six. And a girlfriend," Emberlyn corrected immediately.
Selene blinked.
She looked at Jax.
Then at the women.
Then back at Jax.
Then back at the women.
"You are all with him?"
"We are."
Selene looked genuinely impressed.
"I was married twice."
The room quieted slightly.
"Neither husband could satisfy one woman."
Her gaze returned to Jax.
"And somehow this idiot collected seven."
Jax nearly choked on his drink.
The Vixens laughed.
Even Selene laughed.
The evening continued from there.
Business was discussed.
Trade agreements were negotiated.
Pixie Mead became wildly popular.
Fairy Cider became even more interesting to Jax.
The vampires warmed to the newcomers.
The Vixens relaxed.
Eventually everyone was drinking.
Even Selene joined them.
By midnight the tavern felt less like a business meeting and more like a celebration.
By two in the morning everyone was laughing.
By three in the morning nobody could remember who started the singing contest.
By four in the morning nobody cared.
The night became a blur.
Stories.
Games.
Drinks.
Laughter.
And for the first time since arriving on the Dark Continent, everything felt easy.
Normal.
Safe.
Which was why the next morning felt wrong.
Jax woke slowly.
The System had already purged the alcohol from his body.
His head felt clear.
Too clear.
Around him were sleeping bodies.
Back in the carriage storage.
Vixens.
Fairies.
The remnants of the party were everywhere.
Jax smiled.
Then paused.
Something felt off.
His hand touched the mattress.
Wet.
Sticky.
His brow furrowed.
Slowly, he lifted his hand.
Red.
Blood.
Not a few drops.
A lot.
His eyes widened.
The smile vanished.
Because there was blood on the sheets.
Blood on the pillow.
Blood on his shirt.
And Jax had absolutely no memory of how it got there.