A/N: Hiii! Thanks for making it so far :D (and waiting for me to upload, haaaaaa) Again, warning for this chapter for explicit noncon & abuse, which will be marked with "*****"

Chapter 18

Laxus awoke to the sun shining on his face. He groaned as he forced himself up from the bed, holding onto the bed frame for balance. He felt nauseous. The world was spinning. The light coming from the window illuminated the room, and it made it difficult to adjust, but Laxus noticed something. The room wasn't the same little hotel room he was in last. Outside was quiet; he could hear the usual birds singing, the familiar sound of the river flowing. Laxus turned to look at his bed. The bedding wasn't the same plain white-instead, it was brown, with an accent throw blanket that had an animal-print pattern. His belongings were everywhere. He was not at the Spirit Park hotel.

He was at his house.

Laxus stumbled out of his room and down the stairs, to the shock of everyone sitting around the living room. He stared at them; Erza and Natsu were there. So were the Raijinshuu. So was the guild master, Makarov.

"L-Laxus!" Freed called out as he stood from his seat, "You're finally awake!"

"What's going on?" Laxus asked without missing a beat, eyes on Erza. She frowned, her head lowered.

"You've been out for three days," Erza answered, "Our magic was drained. I can barely feel mine still, and it took the most from you, it seems."

"The hell are you on about?"

"Laxus," Makarov spoke, "What was the last thing you remember before waking up just now?"

He pursed his lips. The last thing he remembered…"I was...I was in my hotel room. I was chasing something. That thing, at the park." He crossed his arms, not sure how to explain all of this to Makarov when he was still processing it all himself. Natsu nodded.

"There were these black monsters running around the park. Only the dragon slayers could see and hear them, and they were loud. Whenever they laughed or screamed it felt like my ears were gonna explode."

"When you were gone," Erza began, "We'd all met up underground to find the source, and hopefully find you. The sewers were somehow turned into catacombs. On our way down we'd gotten...we'd gotten separated from Gajeel. Natsu and Wendy had passed out somehow. There was a library multiple stories underground, under the sewer...and we could finally see the things you'd been seeing. The massive black creature, all the little ones. And then…"

"Then we woke up here," Natsu continued, "In magnolia. In our homes as if none of it ever happened."

Laxus held his head for a moment, trying to take in all this information. Bickslow crossed his legs on the coffee table and stretched his arms out. "None of this makes any sense," He exclaimed, "Everyone disappears all at once and there's a fucking underground maze and there's little spirits everywhere...sounds like the whole park's just a haunted house!"

"Sounds like the whole thing was a trap," Evergreen suggested.

"...That's because it was."

The group looked up at him. Laxus' hands fell back to his sides. He stared at the floor, memories flooding to him. He spoke quietly, mumbling. "The whole damn thing was a trap. Whatever the hell that place was, it lured us in. Wanted the dragon slayers...could manipulate them somehow. They fucking played with us, even went so far as to make Gajeel sick…"

That was what was so off, what was missing. Gajeel. The fact that he'd even forgotten made him cringe. Laxus uttered his name and heard the others grunt. He looked up, eyes squinting at Erza and Natsu who refused to look at him. It was strange. Erza seemed more distant and less up front and commanding...Natsu was relatively quiet, speaking with a much lower voice. Something happened. Gajeel wasn't here.

"Where's Gajeel?" He asked the two. Erza closed her eyes. "Where the hell is Gajeel?"

"He's…"

"Erza," His voice rose.

"Wait a minute, Laxus," Makarov raised a hand at him, recognizing his tone.

"I'm not waiting a fucking minute-where the HELL is Gajeel!?"

Erza sighed. Laxus was angry. He had the particular type of anger that made him quite dangerous, she knew. She could see the vein popping from his head, and she stood up.

"...Gajeel's gone."

It felt awful. The crushing weight hadn't left. He could barely lift his arms let alone walk around, though, that was impossible. He'd been strapped down for days now, wires attached to him everywhere. His magic was being absorbed. Where it was going, he had no idea. It hurt at first, and he screamed, so he was gagged. His screams were muffled until he couldn't make a sound anymore.

Gajeel hadn't seen that man since he'd left him there in the first place. He figured he'd left him there to die. There's been no voices, no other sound in the room for days, and it was agony. Finally, the sound of footsteps made him feel a little more sane. Of course the fear returned when he realized who those footsteps belonged to.

The straps holding his arms and legs against the little bed retracted suddenly, but Gajeel was unable to embrace the freedom to move. The man looked down at him with a grin plastered on his face. He laughed to himself quietly as he ran one of his less-clawed hands up Gajeel's stomach, up his chest and stopping at his chin. Dazed and starving, Gajeel struggled to look up at him. He removed the cloth gag from his mouth.

"Hello Gajeel."

"..."

"Well I'm sure you want something from me...what is it you humans need again, it's been so long…"

"..."

"Well you aren't going to get it if you just lay there staring at me," He said, crossing a set of his arms, "And I do believe I need to give you something specific. You need to tell me what it is, Gajeel."

He didn't respond. He couldn't respond really; Gajeel felt completely numb. Breathing hurt, and he could feel his throat become more scratchy as time went on. The man looked at him, and he caressed the dragon slayer's face as he smiled at him.

"You're very funny, Redfox," he said, "I'll feed you, of course, I need you alive. I need your magic after all...but there is something else I want from you."

The man knelt down, and sighed, his warm breath falling on Gajeel's face. He couldn't wince. It hurt to move his face too much. The man chuckled, eyeing Gajeel and running a finger down his side. Two more hands were placed on the other's cheeks and the last held himself up over the old bed Gajeel was laying on. He tilted his head, squeezing Gajeel's cheeks, playing with him.

"I suppose I should introduce myself formally," He speaks softly, "You knew me as Mr. Vincent Aurli, you also knew me as Jacob Aurli, but I believe it's clear that I am neither of those people. I am the creation of dragon magic. I am Cadaver, great dragon of the dead...you may simply call me Cadaver."

"..." Gajeel closed his eyes and let his head go limp in Cadaver's hands, but as his head turned, the man held it up forcefully. He would not let him rest yet.

"And you should know," He continued whispering in a more sympathetic tone, "Your magic has worked wonders, Gajeel. I know me taking it has rendered you ill, a few times in fact, but I've learned to use it well now...and because of that I was able to give my finest creation the body she deserves. So, I suppose, this is what I can give to you as thanks."

What could he possibly be talking about? Gajeel thought for a moment and remembered the room full of spirits. The massive centipede looking one-it had so many different eyes. It was the one that took Laxus, and had to be the one that took everyone else. Cadaver called it a "she," and now, she was more than just a spirit. Shit.

Gajeel remembered the others. Cadaver wasn't just stealing his magic, but he'd stolen everyone else's. There was no doubt he was putting that to use as well. Shiiit. Who knew how strong they'd gotten in the past few days, or how strong Cadaver had gotten. Gajeel couldn't stay on that thought for long as his shirt was suddenly torn away and his pants were removed from him.

His heart was racing, and he could feel himself shivering, but Gajeel didn't know if it was because he was freezing or panicking. He was scared, terrified, of what Cadaver was about to do, but he couldn't move. Gajeel couldn't do anything to stop or slow down what was about to happen. As he was stripped down completely, Gajeel was exposed on the bed with Cadaver leaning over him, eyeing his body. Too exhausted to move or put up a fight, Gajeel looked up at the blurry ceiling, lights glaring down at him as Cadaver felt him up, caressing him from his thighs to his chest and back down to his waist. He gripped it tightly, shaking Gajeel slightly and earning a grunt.

"You're tensing up," Cadaver whispered, "And your toes are curling. Are you scared or is this something you actually want?"

His grin made Gajeel let out a snarl. Cadaver's other two arms were raised, fingers reaching out curiously, lowering onto Gajeel's body and lightly running up Gajeel's neck, making him shiver. Those hands cupped his face, much more gentle than the pair tightly gripped onto his waist. Cadaver looked at the marks and scars on Gajeel's body.

Plenty of battle scars, he noticed. The large ones wrapping around his right arm were mysterious, but he could recognize some punches and scrapes. Others were bruises, but they were much smaller and more recent. Some around his lower neck, on his chest, around his waist and his inner thighs. Cadaver chucked.

"The blonde really is your boyfriend, is he?" he said, "So obvious, the way he protects you. Or I suppose, he tried to." Cadaver's head tilted sympathetically, but it was disingenuous, as he started laughing, "Your little fairy friends are quite funny."

Fuck you, Gajeel wanted to thrash and spit at his face, fight Cadaver off somehow, but he didn't budge. Instead, Cadaver pulled him off the bed suddenly, dropping him against the old bed frame. It was cold, he thought, iron. But he knew all too well that it was iron made from his own stolen magic, just like the gate, just like the facility surrounding him.

He was held up against the frame with two of Cadaver's hands, the other two undoing his robe, and then his pants. Gajeel watched as the other's misty, nude form appeared before him. A finger parted Gajeel's lips slightly, but that finger quickly came to a sharp talon-like point.

"I'm not actually very fond of human clothes, but I do believe I have some human desires left in me," he said, "And I would very much like to get what I desire from you. You will give it to me, yes?"

Gajeel gulped, holding his breath as he looked up at Cadaver. His vision began to shake as Cadaver's many eyes appeared on his face, all looking down at him. The finger parting his lips had the same ring he'd seen before; the skull with the glowing jewel. It was glowing much more now, leaving him dizzy and somewhat nauseous. He nodded, unable to do anything else. The man smiled and his eyes disappeared.

"Good."

The light from the ring was practically blinding and Gajeel shut his eyes for a moment before they were forced open by Cadaver's now taloned hands. He stared at the ruby, feeling as though his eyes were burning. Gajeel could feel his heart rate slowing. He was becoming tranced by the light, staring at it for a minute before his eyelids could finally close as Cadaver released him. He slowly looked up at the demon to find his view of Cadaver had been blocked by a strange large shape.

His member rose to Gajeel's lips. With two of his talons, he parted Gajeel's mouth further, just enough to not leave a harsh scratch, and placed the tip of his hard cock between his lips, resting over his tongue.

"And don't worry about your dear beloved," Cadaver added, "I'm sure he'll understand."

He pushed himself inside Gajeel's mouth, down his throat. Gajeel's eyes widened with the sudden feeling of Cadaver fully inside his mouth and he gagged, pushing himself back but unable to free himself from between the bedframe and the monster using him. He struggled to breathe as Cadaver slowly began thrusting in his mouth. Gajeel reached out to find support-attempting to grab at the man's legs-but his bout of energy had gone out and his arms went limp again, allowing Cadaver to move with less restraint.

"Your tongue is moving around, Gajeel," he commented, "Do you actually enjoy being used that much?"

That wasn't true, he hated this. He hated being used the way he was, Gajeel was sure. But Cadaver was right in that his tongue had slipped out of his mouth, permitting him to go deeper. He felt like his body was on fire. The feeling of Cadaver's cock now roughly fucking his throat...Gajeel wanted Cadaver to stop, he wanted to beg him to stop, but at the same time the feeling was irresistible. He was rough and it hurt like hell, but Gajeel couldn't shake the feeling that he actually liked what Cadaver was doing to him.

His vision was going fuzzy again and he knew Cadaver was doing something to him. As he finally released the dragon slayer to breathe, Gajeel tried desperately to shake off whatever effects he'd been left with. He panted, falling on his side to the floor. Writhing. He gasped, shaking below Cadaver as his ring's enchantment started working. His pained grunts switched to moans, every part of Gajeel's body becoming sensitive. Tears fell from his eyes as the pain finally ceased and his vision became more clear.

Albeit clear, it was all red. Everything was a vibrant red tint, similar to the ruby. Still, Gajeel was calm as Cadaver pulled him off the floor and threw him back onto the bed. Lying on his stomach and completely limp, Gajeel felt his thoughts becoming less legible and fading from him. Cadaver knelt over him, whispering in his ear.

"You enjoy being treated roughy, no? I'm only giving you what you want, and you will give me what I want in return...that's the deal we came to. Am I correct? And when I am done with you, you will be mine, once and for all. That is what I want, and that is what you will give me."

"...yes," Gajeel answered.

"Fantastic," Cadaver groaned slowly, laying on top of the other and wrapping a set of arms around Gajeel, trapping him underneath. He used his free hands to cover Gajeel's mouth, holding his head up as he entered him. Gajeel moaned as Cadaver's cock was fully inside of him, thrusting in and out of him, hitting his nerves roughly as the bed shook below them.

He was slipping, he knew. Gajeel tried to think, for a moment, of something that could keep him grounded as pleasure began to overtake him. Naturally, he thought of Laxus. He remembered when they started dating. Laxus was unusually tender and patient. When he touched Gajeel, he did so very gently as though he were a piece of pottery nearly broken. Their first date was awkward as they tried to be as closeted as possible. They went to a restaurant, but he couldn't remember the name. It was expensive, and the meal was amazing, but he couldn't remember what he'd eaten. He couldn't remember what face Laxus was making. He could only imagine a look of disgust.

Then he couldn't remember any of what he was thinking about.

Gajeel thought back to the guild, his mind beginning to panic and grasp at anything that could distract from Cadaver's doing. The guild was fuzzy, and it's members unfamiliar. He knew there was a girl with blue hair. Someone he'd known for a long time. He knew there was a spot in this place that was quieter than the rest. He knew there was someone with nice clothes, almost always in dress-pants and short blonde hair. Gajeel couldn't put a face on them. He couldn't put a face on anyone. Time felt nonexistent, and his panic began to simmer down as his memories left him.

It feels so good, he couldn't resist pressing back against Cadaver, and the other man grinned, moving faster. His voice was muffled by Cadaver's large hands but his "yes" and "please" were both clear.

His eyelids were heavy and his moans were loud. Cadaver had his arms tightly wrapped around Gajeel's head, coming to completion soon. The dragon slayer could barely breathe, however instead of struggling to break free from his tight grasp, he arched his back, trying to feel the man deeper inside of him, begging through muffled and choked moans. Gajeel's legs tensed before going limp again, body accepting its place as he was used so ruthlessly. He could see very little through Cadaver's arms, and when he opened his eyes to peek between the large, veiny muscle through the small gap they left, he saw another small, dark and misty creature watching them. It had four eyes, uneven on its face and its small stature made Gajeel think it was harmless, but it wasn't alone.

Gajeel could feel eyes staring at him, burning into his flesh. He could only see one but there were hundreds surrounding them. "Thank you," they whispered as Cadaver's last few thrusts slammed into him. Finished, the demon unwrapped his arms from Gajeel, staring again at his limp body. He tilted his head and licked his lips as he gently moved Gajeel's locks from his neck. He kissed his nape lovingly and finally pulled out of him.

"You're mine, Gajeel," Cadaver stated, speaking deeply into the dragon slayer's ear, "And I'm more than happy to welcome you as part of our family."