A/N: Hi all, here's the next instalment to celebrate 100 reviews! I hope the wait wasn't too long. I've included a link to an image that inspired Lucy's newest Spirit, see the bottom of the page for the details after reading. I'll try to have another chapter up next week. I'm working on another GraLu story which I should have up soon too. It's only about 10 Chapters long, but I'm quite fond of the plot. Keep your eyes peeled!

Chapter 10: Secrets and Dark Desires

Lucy woke feeling dazed and disorientated, her surroundings appearing foreign. She felt something warm pressed along the length of her back, the heat seeping into her bare skin. Sleepily, she rolled over to investigate. Her eyes widened as she took in Gray's sleeping face. He grumbled in his sleep at her movement, but otherwise remained still.

She observed him for a long moment, having never had the chance to study him closely while he slept. He looked peaceful as he slumbered. Pale lips were turned up slightly, his expression that of a contented man. He exhaled deeply, causing his whole frame to fall before rising once more. His nose was sharp and thin, like the edge of a hunting knife. Dark, glossy lashes curved upwards, gently brushing against his pale cheeks. Beneath his glossy locks, the scar on his forehead was faintly visible, looking ghostly in the dim light.

Leaving the treasures of his face behind, Lucy's eyes roamed lower, to the strong arch of his neck. She gasped quietly, careful not to wake the sleeping ice-make mage. Hesitantly, she reached up to run her fingers along the outer edge of the wound that marred his pale skin.

Violent teeth marks flawed what had once been smooth flesh. Dried blood had caked around the wound, partially concealing the ugly, purple bruising that surrounded the bite. Another similar mark was visible on the other side of his neck, closer to the hollow of his throat.

How had he obtained such an injury?

Lucy felt her skin chill as she realised a moment later that she had caused his affliction. Memories from last night rose to the surface, foggy at first, but slowly improving in clarity as they progressed.

What she could remember of the night worried her. Vile words that were unlike her had left her lips as she had clawed at Gray's flesh and howled like a bitch in heat. She remembered the frantic, wild look in his eyes, the sharp, metallic sting of his teeth as he clamped down hard on the flesh of her shoulder, breaking the skin. He had been rough with her, offering no gentle kisses or words. Worse still, she had liked it. She had enjoyed the rough mistreatment; the all-consuming madness that had devoured them both.

What had happened to the gentle, tender Gray she had made love to back at Mount Hitachi? Had he merely put up an act to satisfy her?

No. Looking back on her foggy memories of the night before, she knew that neither one of them had behaved normally. Something else was at play here.

Foul play at that!

Slowly, Gray's eyes blinked open. He seemed momentarily startled to find Lucy's eyes boring into him. She hadn't even noticed, remaining preoccupied by her thoughts. She blinked, taking him back into focus.

"Morning Lucy, how…" he stopped abruptly, his eyes widening as he spotted something on her neck. "What happened to you?" He raised his fingers to gently touch spot on her neck, and she flinched as the contact brought a sting of pain. His movement alerted her to the other grievances of her aching body. She felt bruised all over, especially down between her thighs. She screwed up her face in pain as her lower stomach muscles clenched, fighting not to cry out.

Gray looked at her with concern, quickly withdrawing his hand. "Does it hurt that much? It looks like you were mauled by a dog."

"A little, only if you touch it though. I'm hurting worse elsewhere," she whimpered, trying to resist the urge to clench her muscles again.

He frowned, his dark, blue eyes filled with worry. "Who did this to you? I don't remember anything. Were you attacked last night?"

Lucy stared at him with disbelief. "You really don't remember?" He shook his head. "Gray, we're both naked, sleeping in the same bed," she hinted.

Realisation lit up his eyes like fireworks in the night sky. "I did this?" He looked horrified. He stared at the visible marks on her flesh with wide eyes, his lips drawn together in a tight line.

"I don't believe it." He pulled the sheets away, moving to examine her closer. Looking down, Lucy saw more bruises and love bites dotted along her body. Claw marks had been left behind along her stomach, as well as tiny, half-moon crescents along her hips where his fingernails had torn into her skin.

"Shit, Lucy . . ." He looked even paler than usual. All warmth had drained from his cheeks. "Do you remember anything?"

Lucy nodded slowly. "Bits and pieces. It's still a bit hazy, like a dream I can barely remember. The more I try to cling to it, the quicker it seems to fade away."

"I didn't . . . I didn't, you know…"

"Didn't what?"

"I didn't . . . force you did I? I swear, if I raped you, I'm giving myself over to Erza for punishment." He cringed a little at the thought.

Lucy laughed, she couldn't help herself. He looked so torn up and . . . guilty. He looked like a naughty, little boy that had been caught while up to no good.

He scowled. "It couldn't have been that bad if you're laughing about it."

"I can't help it," she choked out between giggles. "You look adorable."

"Lucy . . ." he warned, his tone dark.

"No, you didn't force me." She paused, thinking of a way to explain it to him. "I think . . . I'm the criminal this time."

"Hang on, do you mean to say you took advantage of me?"

Lucy blushed furiously as she found herself being scrutinised beneath his probing gaze. "I wouldn't say that. More like I took the initiative. I may have been a little more aggressive than usual." She looked away in embarrassment, trying not to let her eyes wander back to the numerous markings that further tainted Gray's already flawed skin.

Lucy heard him give a quick intake of breath, followed by a low whistle as he exhaled. She quickly looked back to Gray, watching as he continued to admire her handiwork. Lucy followed his gaze, sweeping over the deep scratches and darkening bruises. Bites similar to those on his neck were dotted along his torso and there was even one on his thigh. They all varied in intensity, from small love bites to open, bloody wounds.

"I'm not sure which one of us came out worse from all of this," he admitted, running his fingers along his stomach, flinching some as his fingers knocked one of the deeper scratches along his abdomen.

Lucy cringed, all too aware that she was responsible. "It's a shame Wendy isn't here to heal us."

"Probably better that she isn't. I think we're going to have a hard enough time explaining this to the others. There's no way I can keep my clothes on long enough to hide all of this."

He had a point there, especially with a fight lurking on the horizon.

"We better get up, the others are probably already waiting," Lucy started, rising from the bed. She avoided Gray's gaze as she moved away from him, unable to confront the issue at hand any longer. She moved stiffly, feeling her muscles cramp up as she stretched. A long soak in the tub was definitely on order when they returned to Magnolia.

She slipped on her clothes quickly, trying her best to cover as many of the marks as possible. Reaching for her belt, she noticed the moonstone case sitting idly on the end table. Picking it up, she removed the key from its case, swirling it in her fingers thoughtfully.

"You never did mention who that key belongs to," Gray murmured from behind, startling her. She wheeled around to face him, finding him closer than anticipated.

"Lupus, the wolf," she explained. "Although it's a silver key, it's difficult to come by. It's nowhere near as common as Plue or Lyra. As far as I know, only a few others still exist."

"I see," he muttered, sounding far away. He seemed absorbed by a strand of her hair, which he proceeded to brush behind her ear.

She huffed, turning away to reach for the rest of her keys, still trying to avoid Gray. She would need to form a contract with the wolf later in the day, preferably after wiping out the bandits they had been sent to take care of.

"Lucy?"

She merely hummed in response, moving away from him towards the bed.

"What happened last night?" His voice remained low and even, revealing nothing.

Slowly, she turned to him, only to discover that his expression was equally indecipherable. She sighed, knowing that her attempt to escape from the problem had been futile. How could she explain something she didn't understand herself?

"I really don't know Gray. I only remember little fragments of what happened. Do you want me to tell you simply, or shall I decorate the truth for you?"

"Keep it simple."

She was only too happy to comply. Their predicament was confusing enough without having to sugar coat it. "We fucked last night Gray." He flinched at her blunt language, but she didn't stop. "We didn't make love; romance didn't come into the equation at all. It was the complete opposite of our first time together. We acted like a couple of animals in heat! Even you can quite clearly see the evidence. Hell, I'm sure the whole of Magnolia will see by the time we get home!"

"Why though? What brought it on? We sure as hell weren't drinking. I don't think we even ate anything, not that I could remember a damned thing either way."

"I don't know, Gray! I don't know!" Lucy threw herself down on the bed, feeling defeated. She continued to twirl the new key between her fingers, fidgeting in her agitation. None of it made any sense to her. It seemed that Gray wasn't prepared to offer any suggestions either. He had lost his memory completely, after all.

"Think, what did we do last night?"

"I told you-"

"No, I mean before the wild sex that I inconveniently can't remember." He sounded exceptionally displeased. That piqued Lucy's curiosity. Maybe he did have wild fetishes she wasn't yet aware of. Was he disappointed that he had missed an opportunity to explore one of his kinks?

"We came to the hotel with the others, checked in, and came up here."

"I remember that much, what came after that?"

"We went-"

"To the trader?"

"Yes," she agreed, unsure of where he was going with this.

"And then? What did we do there?"

"You bought me this," she said, showing him the wolf's key. "Then when we went outside and I yelled at you for buying it. We started arguing, everything was resolved, we kissed and then . . . and then we went back here and . . ." she didn't have to say anymore, he had enough of an idea already.

"My memory disappears from about the time that we stop arguing. I can't remember much of anything beyond that. The memory is there, I know it is, but I can't access it, like I'm being blocked by something." He was pacing back and forth across the room, his recently clad shirt already back on the floor. Lucy suspected that his pants would soon follow unless she calmed him down. "There must be something we're missing. Unless someone was hiding in the bushes, casting a spell on us, the only variant I can think of is-" He looked at the key Lucy was twirling around in her fingers, his jaw set.

"You don't think . . ." Lucy's voice trailed off as the cogs began to turn. She studied the silver key, turning it over in her hand as she considered his explanation. There was only one way to know if his suspicions were correct.

She stood quickly, her expression set into a mask of determination. "Stand back, Gray," she warned him. Drawing on her magic power, she spoke the words that had become second nature to her. "I am linked to the path to the world of Celestial Spirits, now! O spirit, answer my call and pass through the gate! Open, gate of the wolf, Lupus!"

The room was illuminated in a brilliant flash of white and silver. Lucy blinked a few times as her eyes readjusted. The light quickly dimmed, leaving behind her newest spirit.

Gray looked gobsmacked. Clearly, he had expected a great, hulking beast with sharp canines and plenty of fur, as any ignorant mage would. Lucy knew to expect better, although her memory of Lupus' profile was still hazy in her mind's eye.

An otherworldly female smiled at them mischievously, her eyes hidden beneath the shadow cast by her fur lined hood. She was slender in build but bore lean muscles that suggested respectable strength. She wore the clothes of a hunter, with grey swede boots that covered up to her knees, a silvery dress that shimmered like the moon, and a grey, hooded cloak with a fur trim. A hunting bow was slung across her back, accompanied by a matching quiver, filled with arrows of a fine make.

"Do you seek to form a contract?" The wolf smiled slyly, watching them from beneath her hood.

"Yes. Before that though, I have questions that need to be answered," Lucy demanded.

The wolf folded her arms across her chest, an amused smile dancing upon her lips. "What do you wish to know?"

Lucy looked at Gray for encouragement. He met her eyes and nodded, his expression remaining stoic. Lucy wasn't sure where to begin. This was only a theory, after all.

"Last night, something . . . unusual happened to myself and Gray. Did you have any involvement?"

"I'm afraid you'll need to elaborate further." The wolf's mouth twitched.

Lucy huffed. "We weren't ourselves."

"In what way?"

"We . . . we, oh for heaven's sake! We had sex like a pair of wild animals. Clear enough?" Lucy felt herself flush. She didn't enjoy disclosing such information to a stranger, even if she was to become one of her spirits. Still, she was growing impatient. She didn't want to beat around the bush any more than necessary.

Lupus laughed quietly, shaking her head a little. "I trust you enjoyed yourselves? I can see the marks of claiming."

"I don't remember a damned thing," Gray scowled. "I suggest you answer her question. Were you responsible for this?"

"Patience, little cub. All will be explained." She shifted her attention back to Lucy. "A magical seal was placed on the remainder of my silver keys. After having so many of them destroyed or lost by weak minded owners, it was a necessary precaution to ensure my own wellbeing. Without my keys, I would be nothing."

"A seal?" Gray frowned, clearly displeased. "What does it entail?"

"The seal contains a curse; a powerful Berserk spell. It is designed to test my new owner's strength, in both mind and spirit. Although the effect of the spell varies with each mage, the outcome is usually similar. The potential owner is challenged by the spirit of the wolf, and will either learn to embrace and tame the wild spirit within, or be consumed by the madness. Judging by your present condition, I presume you were successful."

"If it's designed to test me, then why was Gray also affected?" Lucy pursed her lips.

Lupus cocked her head in thought. "I must say I haven't heard of such a thing before. My guess is that he also came into contact with the key." Lucy and Gray exchanged a quick glance. He had indeed picked it up after Lucy had dropped it. "Because of the close bond you share with him, along with the influence of the full moon, he became a part of your trial. You must have been challenged by the animalistic lust of the wolf, rather than the bloodlust of the hunt that most others must overcome."

"Why can't I remember anything?" Gray asked suddenly.

"The curse is designed to be a secret trial for the Celestial Spirit mage alone. That is why you have no memory of the event. It is forbidden for any outsider to witness the events of the trial."

"So that's it, I'll never be able to remember anything?" Gray couldn't hide the disappointment in his voice.

Lupus laughed, her eyes still eerily hidden from them. "I'm sure if your partner is feeling generous, she may allow a re-enactment to satisfy your curiosity."

Lucy's insides quivered at the thought. A wild, domineering Gray? It wasn't something she had considered before today, but it did sound very tempting.

"Well seems how I passed your trail, I suppose I'm fit enough to become your owner. I learnt about you quite some time ago, but I can't remember your abilities or purpose," Lucy admitted.

The wolf sighed, pulling back her hood to reveal the ashy tresses beneath. She studied Lucy closely; her now uncovered eyes a startling shade of copper.

"Yes, you are indeed permitted to form a contract with me now. I have heard about your powers from my fellow spirits, Lucy Heartfilia. I didn't doubt that my key would be safe within your possession. For your enlightenment, I'm a Saboteur. I weaken your foes with poisons and magic. Summon me at the beginning of your battle to hinder your opponent. Your other spirits will find it much easier to gain the upper hand once I have played my part."

"Can you use any kind of offensive magic? Or are you purely designed to manipulate?"

"I use magic arrows to deliver poisons and curses, but they can also be used to simply deliver damage, although it is not as powerful as the attacks of the twelve Zodiacs. Further training will allow you to gain further knowledge of my abilities, as I'm sure you are already aware."

Lucy nodded, pleased with her explanation.

"Now, are you ready to form a contract?" The wolf probed, glancing at Gray briefly, who still looked agitated.

Lucy nodded, throwing Gray an apologetic look. "This won't take long," she promised.

"I'll be outside," he muttered, scooping up the remainder of his clothes. Lucy watched the door close behind him before returning her attention to the she-wolf.

Team Natsu returned to the guild later that evening, a few thousand jewels richer. They had handled the bandits with ease, leaving the iron mine in the hands of its rightful owner. He had been more than happy to pay them the full amount, even though Natsu had accidentally caved in a small section of the mine. Lucy guessed that the man was too afraid of them to ask for compensation. It was clear that the Riverwood villagers were unaccustomed to mages, let alone those as destructive and scary as Natsu and Erza.

The guild was buzzing pleasantly when they arrived. Many of their friends greeted them with a friendly smile or wave. Lucy smiled, feeling at peace as she found herself surrounded by her strange but loving family.

The four mages found a vacant table, sitting together with a tankard of mead each. Happy flew off to see Charle, who had returned from a mission with Romeo and Wendy earlier that day. Lucy cringed as she saw the snowy cat reject the smelly fish her male counterpart offered, but Happy didn't seem fazed. He fussed over her, and it was clear that she was secretly enjoying the attention, even as she continued to turn her nose up at him.

"Hey Gray, your friend is back too," Natsu told him, nodding over towards the bar. Sure enough, Clairre had left her seat beside Cana to come join them.

She smiled warmly at the group, and Lucy felt happy to see her. The twinge of jealous unease she had previously felt towards the ice-make mage had all but vanished. How could she have any doubts after her wild night with Gray the previous evening? Even though he had no memory of the incident, he had accepted it in the end, supporting her through the ordeal as best as he could.

Even now, his arm rested casually behind her back as he leaned into her. Erza and Natsu had quickly confronted the pair that morning. He and Lucy had grudgingly confessed their relationship to their teammates, knowing that there was no point in trying to hide it any longer. With Happy's inability to keep a secret, it would only be a matter of time before the whole guild was made aware.

"Is this seat taken?" Clairre asked, making a move to sit beside Erza. She shook her head, allowing the raven haired woman to slide onto the bench.

"How was your first mission?" Gray asked her from across the table. Lucy felt his fingers graze across her lower back, making the skin tingle beneath the fabric. On a day as warm as today, she would have preferred to wear something that exposed her midriff. However, the claw marks and bruises from the previous night were still clearly visible, forcing her to wear something a little more modest. It was too hot for a scarf, so she opted to wear a light shawl to conceal the nasty bite above the hollow of her throat. Even so, the light fabric kept slipping, occasionally revealing the purpling wound.

Although risky, having Gray's marks on her skin gave Lucy a rush. It was oddly arousing, to think that she could be caught and their secret exposed. Gray would only have to lose his shirt to reveal their little secret to the whole of the guild, but thus far it had remained on. Only Natsu and Erza had caught a glimpse of Gray's markings during their fight against the bandits. The two marks on his neck had cleared up considerably; they now merely looked like ordinary love bites. Lucy could deal with that much at least.

"It was a lot more fun than what I had expected," Clairre admitted. "Cana really looked out for me; she makes an excellent fighting partner."

Lucy hummed in agreement, having worked alongside Cana herself during the S-class trials.

"What did the two of you do?" Erza questioned.

"We retrieved a stolen amulet for the wealthy owner of a winery. It didn't take as long as what we would have expected. The thief had been fucking our employer's daughter. It wasn't hard to track him down. He still had his head stuck between her legs when we found him."

Lucy closed her mouth. She was still unaccustomed to Clairre's blunt way of talking. She was clearly unafraid to bare all. She was after all, a stripping ice-make mage. Modesty obviously wasn't a strong word in her vocabulary.

Over at the bar, Makarov howled as he finished reading the letter that Mira had passed him.

"What's wrong Master?" Levy called over.

"I just received a letter from Cana and Clairre's employer. While he was pleased with their hard work, he didn't however, appreciate the pair of them drinking the cellar of his winery dry! He's demanding 100,000 jewels as compensation!" The old mage continued to bawl, moaning about how inconsiderate his brats were as streams of tears poured from his eyes in an outlandish fashion.

"Oops," Clairre muttered, looking away sheepishly.

"You drank a whole cellar?" Gray sounded as bewildered as Lucy felt. Just between the two of them?

"Cana gets most of the credit. I think I only had ten barrels. She drank at least double that."

The other occupants of their table looked at her dumbfounded. Gray shook his head in disbelief. "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. You always were competitive."

Clairre smiled. "Speaking of competition, Master Makarov mentioned something earlier about a competition. You should go ask him about it."

A competition? Lucy and Gray exchanged a look. She could tell his mind was on a similar wavelength to her own. The S-class trails were yet to take place. Perhaps Makarov had finally decided to hold them once more.

"Hey Gramps!" Natsu called, running over to where Makarov was still sniffling.

Lucy looked at Gray once more, who simply shrugged. They followed the pink haired Salamander over to the bar, while Erza and Clairre remained seated together at the table.

"What!? Have one of you brats destroyed a town or something too?"

"No, Natsu wasn't as destructive as he usually is," Lucy admitted.

"Clairre mentioned something about a competition involving the guild, what have we missed?" Gray furthered, beating Natsu to the punch.

Makarov huffed, setting aside the letter that was scrunched up in his hand. "I was going to make a proper announcement later tonight, but given you're all here now I may as well get it over with." Makarov stood, clearing his throat as he gained the guilds attention. "Listen up brats! The next Grand Magic Games are only a few months away. As you know, two teams will be picked to represent Fairy Tail, a decision usually made by myself."

He paused to catch his breath while low murmurs were exchanged between mages. "This year however, I have decided to allow everyone an equal opportunity." More whispers were exchanged. "The two teams will be decided by a series of challenges and battles, similar to what may be found during the S-Class Trials. The winners of this tournament will go through to represent us in the games. Once chosen, the two teams will continue to train together up until the beginning of the games. Are there any questions?"

"When do we start?" Laxus called from across the hall.

"The tournament will begin this weekend, and will be held on an uninhabited island off the coast. Transportation will be provided."

"Are there any restrictions on who can enter?" Romeo questioned, looking eager.

Makarov raised his white eyebrows. "No, it is open for all guild members to enter. It is not, however, compulsory for everyone to participate. If any of you would rather watch than take part, you are more than welcome to, although I do encourage all of our strongest members to consider competing."

"Sounds like my kind of vacation!" Natsu cheered, punching the air.

Lucy shook her head at him, already imagining the level of destruction the teen would cause. It was a wise move on Makarov's part to choose somewhere away from civilisation where no harm would come to any important buildings or innocent civilians.

"Who do you suppose will make it through this year?" Gray mused as he and Lucy returned to their seats.

"A similar group to last year I would presume. I'm not sure if Juvia will enter though. I think she's worried about faltering if made to compete against Lyon."

"Naturally. No one wants to have to choose between their guild and their partner," Clairre piped in. "I personally don't know how she puts up with him. He drove me nuts back in the day."

"He hasn't improved much since then either," Gray agreed and they both laughed.

"I'm looking forward to this tournament," Lucy sighed. "I think it'll be nice for the guild to come together again for something. I feel like I haven't had a chance to really see everyone for a while."

"I'm just looking forward to a good fight!" Natsu punched his fist into the palm of his other hand. "Erza, I'm going to fight you first! And then Laxus!"

"She'll clean the floor with you, Natsu," Gray said, shaking his head.

Erza remained silent, but a faint smile of amusement played on her lips.

"I completely agree with you, Gray," a new voice added.

"What are you doing here again so soon?" Erza asked quickly as Jellal sat beside her, clearly flustered by her lover's sudden appearance.

Jellal leant into her closer, clearly amused by her reaction. "Makarov asked me to help judge the competition this weekend, as a friend of the guild. He thought my input as one of the Ten Wizard Saints would be helpful. Naturally, he couldn't ask someone from one of the other guilds. We can't put you at a disadvantage by revealing such sensitive information to your opposition."

Gray tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Of course. Who else is judging?"

"Makarov, naturally. He also mentioned that an old member of the guild would be making an appearance. He wouldn't say much else though, only that they had protected the guild during its greatest time of need."

Lucy frowned. Who was this mysterious judge? A dozen names came to mind, but she couldn't be sure. She knew it would only be a matter of time before their identity was revealed.

Lucy felt a wave of nausea at the thought of the trials that lay ahead. Memories of her first and last experience at the Grand Magic Games left her reeling. She could still remember Minerva's pitiless stare as she had tormented Lucy beyond her breaking point, destroying her body as she slowly fought to crush her spirit. She shuddered, trying to subdue the horrific memory.

"What's bothering you?" Gray whispered next to her ear, warming her skin with his heated breath.

Lucy gazed up at him with wide eyes. "Just nervous about this weekend," she muttered, unable to admit what was truly troubling her.

He studied her with piercing eyes, his lips pressed together in a tight line of disapproval. Lucy looked away, unable to bare his scrutinising gaze any longer. Gray suspected she wasn't being wholly honest, that much was obvious.

"We'll discuss this later," he murmured, dropping the matter, although Lucy knew he was far from finished. She expected a full interrogation as soon as they were alone together. She knew she could trust Gray though, he understood her better than anyone.

As long as she had him for support, Lucy knew she could tackle the very darkest of her fears without hesitation.

End of Chapter 10

A/N: I hope there aren't too many errors; I rushed over the final draft as I got towards the end. I'm dog tired, but I was determined to get it up! Thanks for all the reviews and faves! Please do leave me more. ;)
Here's a link to the image that inspired Lupus, let me know if the link is too confusing. Obviously replace 'slash' and 'dot' with the said symbols and remove the spaces. Link:

25 =dot= media =dot= tumblr =dot= com =forwardslash= f9907005232c8022995e1c0de3e8d88b/tumblr_mkrgbzpgcC 1ruzac6o1_400 =dot= jpg