Chapter 10

Sting helped Lucy out gracefully, which she found rather odd considering they were basically kidnapping her.

"Why exactly are you taking me?" Lucy asked, a small bit of panic escaping her voice. "If it's money I can give it to you straight up, you don't have to take me for ransom."

Sting laughed as he grabbed onto Lucy's wrist. "Well maybe soon but not yet. First we have to take you to Acnologia." Sting brought Lucy in closer. "From there he decides what we do with you." He gripped Lucy's wrist harder. Her arm filled with goosebumps.

Lucy about to protest from Sting and Rogue dragging her anywhere was startled by a car appeared from down the way at an alarming speed, and curving to stop by where Lucy's car had crashed.

Two men stepped out of the new vehicle and Sting and Rogue looked rather confused by the confrontation, as Sting pulled Lucy closer into himself as to not let her get away.

"Who are they, more bodyguards?" Sting took some steps back with Lucy, pulling her behind himself, hiding her as if his role had changed.

Lucy squinted her eyes; she couldn't tell who'd just pulled out either. In fact she'd never seen them before, or even the car. Of course as soon as she heard his voice there was no mistaking the man.

"Please, I'd prefer it if you didn't kidnap my fiancé, dragons."

Zeref stepped out of the car, wearing formal winter clothing and looking not the least bit nervous by the situation.

Sting pulled Lucy in closer.

Lucy frowned. Zeref? Why was he here?

"Who's he?" Rouge asked. Lucy wasn't sure who he was directing the question at, but she presumed it was Sting.

"I don't know, we were told this was the perfect time window, and no one besides the mermaid would be watching her."

Lucy seeing the confusion took the time to step on Sting's foot and get loose from his grasp in his surprise. Jabbing her elbow in his stomach Lucy made a break for it, running toward Zeref. His men made a break from their position, holstering guns from their jackets. Sting and Rogue, who clearly were not prepared for a fight, ducked for cover under Lucy's old car.

"Lucy, quickly get in the car," Zeref directed.

Lucy nodded and ran into the car. Zeref got in with her and didn't seem the least bit concerned about leaving his guards behind as he closed the door and motioned to the driver. "Drive please," Zeref said. The driver nodded.

The car did a u-turn and began heading in the opposite direction of the mansion. Lucy looked out the back window to see Sting and Rouge getting an upper hand on the bodyguards Zeref had brought. Lucy was still kind of confused by the whole turn of events; in fact she wasn't sure what had just happened.

"Thank you," Lucy said staggered. Unsure exactly what on earth was happening.

"I'm taking you to my apartment downtown, I don't want to risk their being an ambush on the gate going into your mansion," Zeref said, as he took off his scarf and put it to the side. "I was actually just leaving your home after a meeting with your father, but when I saw you in trouble I had to intervene."

Lucy nodded. "Yes, thank you. You kind of saved me I guess." Lucy was a little embarrassed by having to be saved by Zeref. She found her fiancé rather strange and weird with a mysterious attitude surrounding him. In fact she wasn't sure exactly what to say in this situation. Zeref may have been kind but Lucy felt she didn't know the full story yet.

"Did you know those men?" Zeref asked.

Lucy bit her lip. "I'd met them once at a friend's place, but they didn't know who I was." Lucy looked around the car. There were no cars following them, but she still felt a little nervous. "Honestly I'm not sure why they wanted to take me, it was probably for ransom." Lucy frowned, not knowing any other reason, but feeling she was missing an important piece of the puzzle. All of it coming back to Natsu.

"Yes well, you'll have to be careful, double your guard. After our engagement was announced in the newspapers you'll probably be getting more attention." Zeref held his chin. "Though it surprises me how fast someone wanted to go after you."

Lucy sucked in a breath through her nose. "How did the newspapers find out by the way?" Lucy asked, unsure if she'd ever even confirmed her engagement with Zeref.

Zeref shook his head. "It was never my plan to release all the information publicly, but I'm afraid that someone in my staff might have leaked it."

Lucy could tell by Zeref's expression that he was trying to be serious, but Lucy thought it looked more like Zeref was lying. As if he were the one to have released the report on them.

Lucy's stomach dropped. Why was everything so connected to one another?

The car came to a stop, and the driver came around to let Lucy out. He tipped his hat and leant a hand to her and Zeref.

They had pulled up in front of one of the more luxurious apartment buildings downtown.

Zeref and Lucy entered through glass doors and a doorman let them in through a security gate and pressed something for the elevator to open down below. The two entered the elevator and Lucy began to feel a bit uncomfortable being put alone with Zeref in such a small space.

"Are you sure I can't just go home?" Lucy asked. "I know they just tried to kidnap me, but I think my home is the safest place right now."

"I'm not so sure Lucy. You see I have a lot of enemies around and our engagement has given them another target. I don't like revealing to the media the people I have closest to me. For now you can stay with me." Lucy frowned, taking a small step to the side. Zeref seemed to notice the action. "Don't worry I won't do anything."

Lucy nodded unconvincingly, as the elevator stopped at the top floor, where Zeref had to enter a key number for the door to be opened. Lucy stepped out into the top floor penthouse; Zeref certainly wasn't the top company owner in the world for nothing.

Lucy took a few steps around, hearing the taps of her shoes as she stepped on the marble flooring and took in the view of the city.

"No one besides me lives here," Zeref said taking off his coat and hanging it on a rack. Lucy turned to listen to him. "Though on there is the off chance someone from my main staff might stop by, or on an even more off chance my brother, though that seems less likely." Zeref gave a sad smile, and for the first time in a while Lucy saw a real emotion in him.

"I didn't know you had a brother," Lucy said getting a feel for his apartment. It was rather large, with a view looking over most of the city. She couldn't help but admire the whole thing, it was almost magical even. The view looked out over the entire downtown area, and if weren't so cloudy Lucy bet she could see her mansion in the distance. She'd have to look in getting her father to invest in a high apartment suite somewhere. Though he probably had, it's just she was barely allowed to go anywhere so it didn't surprise her she hadn't see one.

"I have to head out now, but I'll send someone from my staff to come by and check on you," Zeref said grabbing a kettle off his stove. "If you need anything just call the staff down below. But I think it's best if you don't leave the apartment. I don't want to risk your safety."

Lucy felt a bit weirded out by the situation. How had she ended up at her fiancé's apartment when she barely knew the guy, and now he was leaving? It just seemed strange.

"Alright thanks." Lucy paused by some pictures in the living room. Looking at a particular one she spotted a familiar face. Lucy's jaw dropped.

"Wait Zeref, before you go… is this… is this, your brother." Lucy pointed at the picture of the flame headed boy.

"Why yes, that's my brother, Natsu."

Sooo Lucy finds out that Natsu is Zeref's brother, wonder how that will change the dynamic XD More chapters coming SOOON!