Natsu bit his lip. He was really sticking his neck out on this hunch he was having, but he had no other choice. If his hunch was correct, then he'd be closer to getting Lucy back; if not, well, he probably wouldn't be walking out of that building alive. He wasn't one to deny his gut feelings, but this time he was seriously thinking and rethinking his decision.

He hadn't been able to let go of the thought of the vampire king since Brandy introduced them the previous night. At first he didn't believe it, but then he wondered if that was the vampire Lucy witnessed before she disappeared...and then he made the connection between that vampire and Lucy's disappearance.

Again, though, it was just a hunch, which brought him to this quaint flower shop. He took a deep breath, ran a mental checklist of all the protection items he had on his person - if this south, then he'd at least go down fighting - and walked through the door. There was a soft clinging from the bell above the door signaling his entrance, though he doubted anyone in that store really needed a bell to be alerted to someone coming in.

The moment he walked in, hit was hit with a wall of floral scents. He was pretty sure they used extra fragrances that the flowers weren't strong enough to emit. He had a stronger sense of smell than the normal human, but he was no vampire, and the willpower of the creatures that called this place home absolutely baffled him. Even a person who loved flowers would get sick in a place like this.

After taking a quick survey of the front room - rows and rows of flowers, but nothing else - he cautiously made his way to the front counter. Just because he couldn't see anyone didn't mean that they weren't there - he was too trained in the art of hunting vampires to know that they never weren't there. He felt eyes on the moment he walked in the door, the only thing he couldn't tell was how many eyes.

There was a little bell on the counter, and, after taking a deep breath, he clinged it. Almost immediately the creature he had come to see had appeared from behind a door, her expression one of contempt, and just a little bit of curiosity.

"I didn't peg you for a flower sort of man, Salamander," Brandish purred.

"I could say the same to you, Brandy," he choked out. "How the hell can you stand to be in this place for longer than thirty seconds is beyond me."

She shrugged, the gesture holding more meaning than that she was just used to it. Vampires used places like this for more conservative means of keeping their volunteers, whereas the more young ones stayed in clubs. The more reserved, older vampires prefered flower shops, tea houses, bathhouses, any place of business that held strong smells to mask the scent of blood.

"Two encounters with you in as many days is quite the annoyance, Salamander, especially since I have done nothing wrong. To what do I owe this pleasurable visit?"

Natsu bit his lip again, trying to convince himself that this was a good idea, that he could be led closer to Lucy than any other plan he'd been able to come up with so far. Granted, if Brandy didn't cooperate, he could be attacked on the spot. He was putting more faith into his enemy than he was comfortable with, and he hoped it wasn't for naught.

"I was wondering if I could speak you privately," he grumbled. He didn't anyone listening in on what he was there to confess, but he knew there would always be someone else listening in. Sure, this vampire was one of the elite, but he was also an elite, and no one would trust anyone alone in a room with him.

"Curiouser and curiouser," she cooed, crossing her arms under her generous chest and tilting her head to the side. Her body signaled she was interested, but her face remained expressionless, almost bored.

"I'd really like to avoid a fight, Brandish. What I have to discuss with you isn't something you'd want your lackeys to know about."

She put a finger against her lips in mock thought. "If we were to tussle, it'd hardly be a fight. You're outnumbered, and you'd be dead before you even thought about grabbing that gun in your pants."

Natsu bit his cheek, knowing she was right. She leaned on her elbows on the counter, placing a fake smile on her lips. She was showing too much expression than he'd seen in all the years he's known her. Either she was on some sort of drug, or there was something else going on.

"Or are you just happy to see me?"

It took all his willpower to not glance down at the cleavage she was showing off. She replaced the bikini top she normally wore for a low cut shirt - her breasts were still threatening to fall from the article of clothing, but it was the most dressed he's ever seen her. Yep, something was wrong; he didn't know what was causing her to act the way she was, but he could almost gather that she was trying to warn him. From what, he didn't know, and he'd never admit aloud that he was a little grateful that she was thinking of him enough to warn him in her little twisted way.

He licked his lips and leaned a little closer, hiding the disgust he felt on the inside with an amused smirk.

"It's always a real treat to see you," he said. "I don't know how I can deny such a beautiful woman like yourself, but I'm here on business I'm afraid."

She pouted, sticking her bottom lip out. "You're no fun, Salamander. It's always business with you."

"I'm a man dedicated to my work."

"Let me tidy up in the back and we can...talk." Without wasting another moment, she pushed off the counter and disappeared through the door she arrived from. Natsu hoped she was telling the truth, and he was still permitted to live for another few minutes. He may be safe now, but he didn't count his cards just yet.

Glancing around the room, he tried to make sense of what she was warning him against. He was already in danger by stepping foot in this building - his reputation with the vampires was less than satisfactory, and he was sure they would love to spill his blood in the most gruesome ways possible. Sighing, he turned back to the door the vampire disappeared behind, but jumped when he came face to face with another vampire.

It smiled widely - almost maniacally - at him, it's hair held back in a crazy mess with a plaid head band and a pair of glasses.

"Good evening, Salamander," it cackled, the corners of its eyes creasing in its amusement. Natsu inwardly shivered. If there was one vampire he wish he could kill with no justifiable cause, it was this one.

"Marin," he greeted.

"I heard about Ms. Lucy," the vampire hissed. "I'm very sorry that it happened. She was a pass."

Natsu wasn't quite sure what to make of that, so he settled with blinking at the deranged vampire.

"You, however, have not passed," it continued. "Unfortunately, it is against the law to do anything about it."

"As if I'd let you do anything about it," Natsu snapped.

"Such strong words coming from a brute who's under the same law as I."

"You want to bet?"

"I would love to see you - "

"Marin."

The two jumped and looked at the now irate Brandy, her arms folded under her chest. The vampire cooed and was immediately by the woman's side.

"Mistress! You look lovely this evening, as usual," Marin stated.

"Marin, make yourself useful and clean the windows or something, like a good pet."

Marin looked a little hurt by her dismissal, but nodded. "Anything for you, Lady Brandish," it said, but stalked off regardless.

Natsu tilted his head slightly. The relationship between those two had always baffled him, but it really wasn't his business what they did behind closed doors...so he didn't press it. He was here for information, not to study the odd interactions between two vampires.

The woman, in question, glanced at Natsu for a moment before turning around and walking through the door, leaving it open for him to follow. Natsu quickly made his way around the counter, keeping his guard up in case she had staged an ambush just beyond that entryway. It wasn't something she would do - ambushing seemed far beneath her capabilities and personality, but he couldn't rule out the possibility, and the moment he lowered his guard was the moment he was dead.

Thankfully, there was nothing waiting for him in the backroom except an empty office, and the distinct odor of alcohol and disinfectant. There was something questionable going on in that room just moments before, but he was at least thankful that she cleaned it before allowing him back there.

He closed the door behind him as she took a seat in the high leatherback chair behind the desk.

"You can talk freely in here," she said, dropping the act from before, going back to strictly business. Natsu was more comfortable talking with this version. "This is the most secure room in all my establishments. I promise we are completely alone, so to speak."

"I wanted to ask about your king," he jumped in, not wanting to waste anymore time. Even though he was thankful they were alone in that room, that was also a curse, and he wanted to get out of that building as soon as possible.

"There's no information about him that I'd be willing to give you," she snapped.

"He took her." Natsu didn't elaborate, but he didn't need to. Just the way she arched her eyebrow told him that he was correct.

"Why the sudden accusation? My king would never kill a human without probable cause. If she tried to kill him, then it's another story, and, frankly, I wouldn't put it passed her to try."

"Biased opinions aside," he forced out, his teeth clenched as he held in his anger at her blatant dislike for Lucy. "I didn't say he killed her, but took her."

"Again, why the accusation?"

"Because the night before she was taken she talking about witnessing him rising from his sleep."

Brandy's eyes narrowed with the barest of movements, but he saw it. "There were no humans in attendance," she said. "That was a sacred event, and if she had been there someone would have noticed and taken care of it immediately."

"Obviously you guys were lacking in the security department, because she was there. But now she's gone. You don't have to tell me where she is, but at least let me know if she's alive."

"Why should I?" She smirked as he glared at her. "If she was there, like you claim, then she overstepped her boundaries, interfering in vampire business, and, therefore, it is within our rights to eliminate her. Maybe she realized this and sacrificed herself for the law, for which you humans passed, by the way. How can you be so sure she isn't rotting away in the council's prison?"

"Because she would never walk off to die without telling me. You know where she is, I can tell. Is she alive?"

The woman remained quiet for a few minutes, her expressionless face giving nothing away. He just hoped she would at least give him this much. If he could at least know that Lucy was alive and well, he'd probably be able to sleep at night.

"So what if she is?" she finally said. "Are you going to press for information on her whereabouts? Are you going to attack a safe haven, killing hundreds of vampires and civilians just to see her again?"

"Is. She. Alive." It was question, but her constant avoidance of the question was grating on his nerves. "It's all I want to know."

Sighing, the vampire before him rolled her neck, glaring at the ceiling. "Yes, she's alive and well."

The tension Natsu had felt for the last few days disappeared, and he fell to the floor. He had been so stressed about the state of his best friend that the moment her life was confirmed, he became so relieved that his body crumpled, almost forgetting what it was like to function without that worry over his head. She was alive, and well. He wanted to see her now more than ever, but he was content with knowing she wasn't dead. He placed his head in his hands, breathing heavily as he tried and failed to show his wide grin on his face. Normally, he wouldn't give any vampire the satisfaction of seeing any emotion other than anger from him, but he felt Brandy at least deserved to see how happy her admission had made him.

The vampire in question raised an eyebrow as she watched him crumple to the floor. For a brief moment she was worried that he had fainted, but she could hear his heartbeat pounding, his breath coming out in quick pants and she knew he was still awake and aware. No wonder he wanted to talk privately - had any of the vampires who had been watching seen this display, they'd converge on him in less than a second, instantly ending his life.

"Oh, God...Lucy…" he muttered. He had felt so guilty that he might have caused her death, that knowing she was alive had brought tears to his eyes. He leaned forward, placing his head on the cool linoleum floor, not bothered by the smell of bleach and alcohol. In fact, he was so relieved, his body finally acknowledged the exhaustion he had been feeling, no longer letting the guilt of wanting to sleep while she possibly suffered keep him awake.

The vampire eased her way around the desk, her whole body on high alert. Salamander had grown quiet all of a sudden - though she knew he was still alive - and she wondered if he was staging a surprise attack. Now that he knew of his friend's well being, and that Brandish had been keeping information from him, she wouldn't put it passed him to force a stake through her heart as payment.

Though the moment her eyes laid on his body, she was struck with the realization that he had actually fallen asleep. The Salamander had let himself enter a state of helplessness in front of her. Did he think she wouldn't take advantage of this?

She licked her lips and leaned down next to him. All she had to do was sink her teeth into that vein and let him bleed out. She sat on her knees and brought her mouth to the throbbing beat she could visibly see. It was so easy to end his life, free her kind from the constant threat of the Salamander, one of the deadliest Hunters of his time. It would be so easy…

Sighing, she sat back on her heels. It didn't seem right, killing him while he lay there defenseless. He deserved to be killed in battle, at least with a fighting chance. She gently rested her hand on his pink hair, and let a small smile show on her lips. They may be enemies, but they respected each other. She couldn't let him die here, and she wouldn't let anyone else take advantage of this either - because she was probably the only one stupid enough not to kill him right then.

Inwardly nodding her resolve, she grabbed his arms and hoisted him onto her back.