Cobra wrinkled his nose as Vander pressed the woman against the bar, he hadn't kissed her, hadn't let her really touch him much, was being an outstanding distraction while Cobra went through all the various unlabeled bottles of booze under the bar, at first, using Vander as a distraction had been something he was completely against.
They were on a job, outside Pelerno, and he and Presca were trying to sniff out these damned stollen magical items and a male guard had come along and was about to find them, with the glasses he had strapped to his head, if he even blinked funny he'd trigger alarms and they'd be fucked, instead...Vander had shadow stepped behind the man and thrown on a lab coat and stepped out of a lab behind the guy, pretending to drop his clipboard in surprise on seeing him.
"You're all supposed to be upstairs...what the hell are you doing downhere?" The guard snapped at him. Vander blinked, looking horrified at the folder he'd dropped and the guard glared, narrowing his eyes and snatching the folder from the floor before Vander could grab it.
"This is Dr. Eisleys research...and you are definitely NOT HER…." He'd smirked at Vanders terrified expression. "You're better looking….nice pants...you always wear so much leather?" He demanded, eyes roving Vander lithe body appreciatively.
"I...it's biological, organic material, holds up better in the research I do...I...I really don't want her to know I was reading her files…" He said nervously.
The guard smirked "Yeah? Well...sexy...I'm sure we could work something out…." hook, line...sinker...Vander had the guy, and Cobra and Presca were able to rifle through the labs until they found the things they were looking for, Presca put them in his requip storage and they had come out, Cobra narrowing his eyes finding Vander had been hefted onto a table and the guard was gleefullysucking on his mates neck, hands cupping Vanders ass.
"I'm gonna fuck you so damn hard…" The guard vowed
"That's my line motherfucker." Cobra snarled and the guard gasped as poison soaked claws dug into his back his head fell back as his back arched unnaturally bending him back so Cobra could smirk in his face and watch him fall over writhing in agony as the poison raced through him.
"My mate...that's the last ass you'll ever touch." He'd growled and grabbed Vander, yanking him off the table and kissing him hard before stepping on the guards face, grinding his boot so the glasses shattered right into the mans eyes and looked at Presca with a "What?" and a shrug.
Presca rolled his eyes and Cobra looked back at Vander who was looking down at the dying guard.
His wine colored eyes came up and locked with Cobras "You're sexy as hell when you're jealous." He smiled. Cobra narrowed his eyes.
"Not jealous, just ready to leave, so lets go already."
"You know I was only distracting him, not even hard, feel for yourself, guy didn't do shit for me." He said taking Cobras hand and pressing it right over his crotch.
"I dunno...you're a little hard babe, just twitched…" Cobra growled.
"Yeah because I just watched my sexy as fuck mate inflict pain and death on a guy for sucking my neck and squeezing my ass...serious turn on...I'm tellin you...I want you…" Vander growled and Presca heaved a sigh as the guards glasses fell apart and the alarms went off.
"Alarms mean more guards, more guards mean danger but what are we doing instead of escaping in the voids? I'm standing here watching you two play tonsil hockey and grope each other…"
"Nnngh...you could...AH! Teeth! Gods I love your fangs...you could join us Presca...I keep...fuuuuck….offering…" Vander groaned as Cobra was fondling him.
"Yeah, Cobra doesn't share asshole, and I don't wanna fuck you anyway, maybe Cobra, but not you. I really have no idea what Cobra sees in you…" Presca sighed.
"Fucking amazing eyes, long dick...great hands and he sucks cock like none other…" Cobra growled, Vander wagging his eyebrows at Presca in victory.
"Yeah...that's great...um...guards...alarms...client waiting...anything getting through there?" He asked tapping his foot impatiently.
"Mmmm, ok, fine, killjoy…" and Vander had yanked them into the voids.
After a few times, Cobra realized it was kinda thrilling, seeing his mate toy with people, Vander was good at it, and, like he'd said that first time, they never got to him, he was all Cobras, at the end of the day, it was Erik who watched that black leather turn to shadows and drift away from that chiseled body, his bed Vander was in, his arms Vander went to. Cobra got to where he enjoyed the part where he got to come up and claim his mate from whoever he was toying with.
The woman on the bar he was fingering, making her writhe and moan, and Cobra didn't care, that's what soap and water was for, but Vander caught the other two women who had been upstairs but suddenly came down, and now he had one riding his hand, one kissing him, the other trying to find out how to remove the tight black leather he wore.
Cobra found what he was after, a metal box under the bar that contained about 25 bottles, he directed Presca to it and the energy mage shifted it to his storage.
Smiling, Cobra stood up abruptly the women all looking at him, well, two did, the one riding his mates hand was too busy.
"Looks like fun...can I join?" Cobra purred and the women smiled.
"Not sure how you got in here, but...you're as cute as this one...come on over here…" The one that had been trying to remove Vanders clothes said.
Cobra smirked and slid around the bar, he was just flowing poison into his claws and filling his fangs when all three women sagged and passed out, Presca walking past him.
"No time for your usual play brats, Vander, wash your hands, we need to get back." Presca snapped, there were times when he really felt like a babysitter…
"I was soooo enjoying the show though!" A feminine voice whined and they all looked over as Cana sauntered over, dragging the male waiter she'd cornered, followed by her narrow eyed Fiance, who had put the man to sleepwith a lovely flower still stuck to the guys face from Rowan practically ramming it up his nose...the man was lucky he still had his arms in their sockets with how Cana had dragged him too….
"I was good wasn't I? Ugh, woman wears too much body spray...Gods, spray...not soak…" Vander made a face and held his own hand out and went behind the bar to wash it before returning.
"Got what we need?" Cana asked, smirking as Rowan kicked the waiter aside...a good bit harder than he needed to for them to walk to the others.
"Yep, time to go and play with our new chemistry set." Vander grinned and with a quick double check for any surveillance devices he may have missed when he first swept the place and disabled everything, they all left as quickly as they had come.
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"This is so...weird…" Lucy breathed, she started to reach to touch the odd carvings in the wall of the cave but Kaleb caught her hand and pulled it to his lips, giving her a warning smile and she blushed.
"Never touch the unknown Sunrise, you could activate something, and I agree, it's strange...this area is set up like...some sort of play room?" He turned slowly looking, there were bright colored cushions, toys, carved beautiful toys, and they had found an eating area too, no food anywhere, but there were dishes, table and chairs, even a place for a fire to cook on.
Lucy held up her com, taking pictures of the runes and writing in a language she didn't understand, maybe Grandpa Crux or Freed would be able to help her with identifying…
"Draconic, the language is draconic, I learned it with Cristoff from Nurem, the parts written in Draconic talk about hatchlings, children to protect from the dragon of death…" Kaleb looked closer at some of the writing and glanced at Lucy.
"Acnalogia...does it say his name?" She asked.
Kaleb nodded, pointing to some writing. "Right there, "may this sanctuary allow the children to grow free from being hunted by the Black Death Acnalogia, he who is a bane to Dragon Kind." He read and Lucy pressed her lips together looking around in amazement.
"So...this was some sort of hiding place for Dragon Hatchlings?" She asked.
"Still...is...sweet Gods, come over here you two…" Cristoff called standing by a narrow opening on the far side from where Lucy and Kaleb were.
He nodded through it and Lucy and Kaleb ducked in and froze as soon as Cristoffs glowing ball came in and illuminated the room.
Two beds, toys, beautiful gauzy silk curtains, and on each bed...lay a child.
"They're children...not dragons!" Lucy said. Starting toward the closest one.
Kaleb caught her "Easy Sunrise...if those writings are right, these children have been here for a very long time, possibly for centuries...they're dormant, their minds are...asleep without dreams and...heartbeats...Gods…" He paused, time seeming to slow as he waited, holding up a hand. Minutes went by then he hummed "3 and a half minutes between each heartbeat, same between shallow breaths." He moved to the bedside of the child Lucy had been heading toward and carefully pushed the curtain aside.
"Little boys, two boys...he looks maybe 7 or 8 years old…Cris" He said firmly. He reached, testing his link to see if it passed through the field and smiled when he felt Prescas mind, of the other party Presca was most likely not to be in a distracted state...
Presca...we found dormant children in here, Might be a bit, get to where our horses are and wait. Kaleb called
Yep, you got it Kaleb, soon as I can get these four to stop fucking around. Presca responded
Lucy stood watching Cristoff move close to the first child.
Both had the caramel complexions of this part of the world, beautiful faces, one had red hair, the other a chestnut brown. There was dust on their faces, their eyelashes, all in their hair...they hadn't moved a muscle in Gods knew how long….
She itched to reach out to them, to brush the dust away, to hug the closest one, with his fiery colored hair to her, who were they? Why were they here? Why would they be put to sleep like this and left...for Gods knew how long, the writing said protection from Acnalogia but when? They had once lived and played in the rooms of this cave, who had been raising them? Where had they gone? Why would they leave them like this?!
Her heart ached for them both, they were beautiful children, both of them.
"They have magic...strong magic too, both of them, it's dormant, but it's there." Cris said watching Lucy hovering, chewing her lip impatiently, he smiled faintly as he brushed the dust from the redheads hair.
"No fields, no links, nothing I can sense, should be...safe to work with them." Kaleb said.
Cristoff drew a breath. "So...guess I'll check them out then." He said holding a glowing hand over the redhead.
"Aside from some dehydration, he's just...asleep...7 years old physically, healthy...this is like...stasis magic…" Cristoff said quietly.
"Stasis...like Nunen uses, but she can't keep it going for years...can you bring them out of it?" Kaleb asked and Cristoff nodded.
"Likely, but I'll need your help, wish Bix was here too, no clue on the whole soul angle...maybe Cobra?" Cristoff offered.
"He can't work with souls he can only hear them, it's part of his sound magic, like your brother and Father use." Lucy said, Erik had explained it to her before, there was a distinct difference between he and Bickslows magic.
"Wake them…" Kaleb said quietly but firmly and Cristoff nodded, hands flaring with his silver healing magic.
As he worked on the red haired boy he smiled "Dragonslayer...this child is a Dragonslayer...I feel it." He said and Kaleb narrowed his eyes, pushing into the sleepy mind, finding it stirring, and with it...just like Cristoff said...the distinct presence of a Dragons consciousness, like he felt and heard in all of the Dragon Slayers, having grown up with Cristoff and Emzadi, he knew it too well to miss it.
The child was coming up from his deep sleep, confused but anxious and excited, right until bright green eyes snapped open and turned on Cristoff, widening in surprise and alarm he growled, baring sharp fangs and trying to scramble from the bed away from Cristoff but the swirling dust he stirred sent him into a sneezing fit.
Who are they? Where is Mezas? Where is Adro? The boys frantic thoughts came and Kaleb sorted them as Cristoff rumbled a soothing growl that had the boys wide eyes calming, turning from fear and confusion to curiosity.
When he spoke, it was in Draconian, but both Cristoff and Kaleb spoke it, knew it well.
"Who are you? Where's our teacher? Our brother?" He demanded.
"I'm Cristoff, the son of Nurem the Lunar Dragon, That is Lucy, Celestial Mage, Kaleb, Archangel mage, you've been asleep a long time young one." He said and the boy narrowed his eyes.
"Is this the age of Tatsu Baristrasza the Storm Queen?" the boy asked and Cristoffs eyes widened this time.
"N...no...sweet god...you've been asleep since the dragon wars...do you know the name Acnalogia?" He asked.
"The black death, he was in the class before ours...when he gained his dragon form, he started killing off the tatsus but Queen Baristrasza is one of the founding Queens, he could never have killed her." The boy said and there were tears lighting his brilliant emerald eyes when he said it. "Baristrasza is my mother! I am Hasu of the Stars that is my brother Raiu the Lightning Storm! We are growing to become great Dragon Slayers to protect our Tatsu and…." he was looking around, seeing the dust, the way his brother was covered in it like he was and he shook his head, his long red hair falling over his face.
"No...I don't feel her….no….what year is it? What Tatsu commands the skies?" He asked, tears rolling down his face.
"X791, I'm guessing you two are from the X400s.." Kaleb said softly and the boy looked hard at him but his eyes softened when he met Kalebs lavender gaze.
"You...you're a leader…" The boy said and Kaleb smiled faintly, nodding "I am." He replied and the boy nodded standing up taller and bowing.
"I ask for your protection for myself and my brother...we...have no family...we...are alone…." His voice wavered and that was it for Lucy, she couldn't stand it anymore, she felt it, the pain, the grief, the fear, coming in waves of the boy and she rushed past Kaleb, throwing her arms around the boy and hugging him "Of course we'll protect you! You're going to be ok, we'll protect you and your brother, give you a home and a new family I promise!" She said tears running down her own face set in motion by the boys sorrow.
Kaleb stiffened, closing his eyes, feeling, even if Lucy did not, what her promise had just done as it resonated through her magic and so, through him and his as well.
Cristoff smirked, he was a Lunar Dragon Slayer, he knew very well what a promise made by a celestial magic user did, his own held the same weight just for different reasons.
"Lucy...my Sunrise…" He said softly and she pulled her face from the boys shoulder to look at him, her eyes reflecting the childs sadness but also her own fierce determination to help him. Kaleb smiled.
"Since we through you have now adopted the boys...Cristoff, would you wake Raiu please? I want to get them out of here and back to the hotel so we can….sort out, what we're going to do next." Kaleb said calmly, though he wasn't totally feeling the calm he was projecting. His beautiful mate...who he adored...had just unwittingly made them into parents. He had always wanted to be a father, and adoption had always been something he wanted to look into along with having his own children one day, and he knew he and Lucy would have children, they both wanted them, but it had only been just recently they had agreed to wait on that and now….now she was jumping with both feet into, via a magically binding promise...adopting two Dragonslayer children they found in a cave…
Gods he loved her…really...maybe her erratic impulsive behavior was somewhat unsettling at times...but he loved her...and he would love her right through this...his father would have to step in...sweet gods what a mess…..
How did one adopt children over 300 years old? His father would know….hopefully….
Cristoff rose and went to the other boy while Hasu snuggled into Lucys arms, her spirit, her soul, was soothing, sincere, he'd felt the promise had weight, that she meant it, and looking between her and the tall leader, whose presence just radiated calm control and power he sensed a bond.
"Are you his mate?" The boy asked and Lucy, getting everything the child said translated through Kaleb, smiled at the boy.
"I am." She replied and the boy nodded, watching as the Lunar Slayer brought his brother out of hibernation, the leader...Kaleb, wasn't wrong, he and his brother, when they had laid down and their older brother had told them to sleep, it had been X408...now it was X791...where was his family? What had happened that they were left to sleep here for so long?
He was scared, his family had...left them? Their Tatsu was so strong….Baristrasza was one of the founding Queens, how could she not be here? It made no sense at all to him. His brother woke much more quietly than he did, peering up at the Lunar Dragonslayer with sleepy golden eyes. A soft rumble left the large slayer and Raiu smiled instinctively growling back.
"Little whelp, how do you feel?" Cristoff asked softly, brushing dust from the childs chestnut hair.
"Strange...who are you? Hasu? Who's that?" The boy asked, eyeing the pretty blonde holding his brother.
Hasu drew a breath…"Lucy, the Lunar Dragonslayer who woke you is Cristoff, the leader there is Kaleb...he has the most magic…" Hasu added and his brother sat up with Cristoffs help.
"I'm hungry." Raiu declared rubbing sleep from his eyes and sneezing at all the dust he was stirring.
"And why are we all dusty?" He whined.
"You slept for a long time Raiu." Kaleb told him and he eyed his brother who frowned, his face full of sadness that made Raiu frown.
"Where's mother? And Greston?" Raiu whimpered, eyes widening as he noticed how...aged the room looked.
"Gone...but these people, they speak draconic and common, and the Lunar Slayer is good...the son of Nurem who mother always liked and never fought with. It's...X791 Raiu...we slept a really long time…" Hasu said softly, his voice shaking. Raiu stared at him for a few minutes and then burst into tears, flinging himself into Cristoffs arms and the Lunar slayer met Kalebs eyes, wrapping his arms around the boy and hugging him, letting him cry.
It will be ok, you're safe, Hasu asked us to protect you and my mate Lucy has vowed that we will give you a home and a new family Raiu….Celestial Mages always keep their promises, and since she is my mate, I am bound by her promise as well. Kalebs voice in their heads made both boys gasp and stop crying, looking at him wide eyed.
"You...in my head…" Raiu breathed hiccupping.
"Part of my magic, can you both walk ok?" Kaleb asked and the boys both nodded but he waved to them. "Ok, lets get going, you both need to clean up and eat." He said firmly and both boys hesitantly climbed from the arms holding them. Lucy and Cristoff both hovered as the boys walked to him, just like he knew they would, and it was a good thing, all that time not in use had left their bodys weak. Raiu though was scooped up by the attentive Lunar slayer and Hasu, who made it farther, was caught by Kaleb and scooped up into his arms.
"Alright, that's where you stand, it's fine, normal, you'll get stronger." Cristoff soothed when both boys looked alarmed.
"We'll make sure you get better quickly. And I'll have these toys and your things gathered and brought before we dispel the field." Kaleb said as they walked through the playroom.
Lucy walked beside him, alternating between walking alongside Kaleb and giving Hasu reassuring smiles and walking beside Cristoff and doing the same for Raiu.
Two basically 7 year old boys, brothers though they didn't look like they had come from the same parents, both were beautiful children, Dragonslayer children, Lucy reminded herself...like Natsu, Gajeel, Cristoff…. And they, like the others, had lost their dragon parents.
She caught Kalebs eye I wasn't thinking...I wanted to reassure him, he's so scared right now… she thought to him.
I know Sunrise, I'm not upset with you, I think it's sort of funny, not long ago we decided not to start a family yet and in the blink of an eye, you create one for us. This won't be easy, these boys are frightened, and magically powerful, we have the other slayers to help, Cristoff I know will, but...our carefree days of sex all over the suite are over. He chuckled mentally and Lucy nibbled her lip but let herself smile finally.
He wasn't mad, she'd felt that promise lock into place and was sure he had too, a pair of Celestial magic users, a mated pair, one a spirit mage one an Archangel mage...her promise bound them both completely to these two boys. Come what may, she and Kaleb...were parents now.
They were thin, weak, had been asleep for centuries and not aged a day...Gods, Lucy Heartfillia...what were you thinking.
You weren't, you reacted, I love that about you, you follow that bright heart of yours. We'll figure it all out, my father will be able to help, he adopted Bickslow out of a dungeon, me off a slave ship, vander he saved from the authorities too, and Emi, in Xallys case he took on her distant relatives to keep her, he'll know how to help us… Kaleb said.
Your Dad just became a Grandfather…. Lucy pointed out and Kaleb grinned.
Oh he is going to LOVE that, already old enough to appreciate being spoiled too...Gods help us…. He responded.
Back and forth they silently spoke, Lucy intermittently talking to the boys as they made their way out, Cristoff took Lucy, Kaleb and the boys back to the hotel, teleporting them to the balcony of their hotel suite while Presca collected the horses and took them back to the stable.
"Still early enough in the day, Cris, call the client and tell him we'll have the field cleared in a couple of days, to keep his people well clear of the area until we're done." Kaleb said and Cristoff nodded, carrying Raiu into the bathroom of the suite.
"I don't like baths…" The boy said sullenly.
"Then don't get dirty again, this time it's not your fault so I'll feel bad for you, but next time expect no sympathy." Kaleb replied.
Raiu frowned at him but Hasu laughed. "I like baths, we used to soak in hot springs sometimes, it was always nice." He said but his smile fell at the memory when he thought about not seeing the people he'd shared that with...ever again…
"Well...Kaleb?" Lucy looked at her mate apologetically, at 7 the boys were already old enough it probably wasn't proper for her to be bathing them?
Kaleb scoffed "You're in Bosco, a Boscan citizen Lucy, Gods above, being naked is nothing, right boys?" He asked and the boys looked at him like he was crazy, Hasu already sitting on the edge of the tub grinning watching the water fill the enormous tub, mostly stripped out of his dusty clothes and Raiu was working on getting his shirt off while sneezing.
Kaleb gave Lucy an "I told you so." Look and yanked his own shirt off, helping kids bathe was always messy business, he'd helped out with the children in guild housing enough to know that well.
"I'll order up some room service then come help." Lucy sighed pulling out her com as Cristoff left the bathroom and headed to go make his own call to their employer.
A few minutes later she came back to the bathroom and hovered in the door, Kaleb was on his knees, bent over the edge of the tub helping Raiu scrub the dust from his hair while Hasu, already clearly free of dust, was dunking some of Kalebs long pale hair in the water commenting on how he liked the color.
"It's like...starlight, all silvery white gold." Hasu decided, holding a wet lock of his own deep red hair beside Kalebs to compare them.
"Thank you, yours looks like a ruby." Kaleb observed and Hasu grinned. " Yeah, everyone always likes my hair, Raius is boring."
"IS NOT" Raiu protested.
"Is too, just like a muddy red brown, like you tried to be like me but failed." Hasu said airily.
"Nu uh! I wouldn't want to be like you!" Raiu took a swipe at his brother but Kaleb caught his wrist and promptly dunked him under the water to rinse his hair, Hasu wasn't spared though, even not needing a dunking he got one.
"You're both very handsome, and I like BOTH of your hair colors, Hasus does look like a ruby, Raius looks like a foxes coat and I love foxes." Lucy said brightly coming into the room fully.
Raiu stuck his tongue out at Hasu who rolled his eyes.
Lucy knelt beside Kaleb helping Hasu get his hair conditioned and once both boys were scrubbed down they were wrapped in fluffy towels, Lucy had already called Virgo, who had been delighted about the new addition to the family, to get some clothes for them and the Maid had already left two neat piles of clothes.
The boys fell on the food like starved...well..dragons, and ate until their eye lids got heavy, the activity, the stress, everything, getting to them.
"But we slept for hundreds of years…" Hasu yawned.
"Doesn't matter, you've had a busy day." Lucy said, sitting on the edge of the bed "Just a nap." She said smiling at Raius frowned.
"Then we wake up another hundred years from now and have to find new family again…" The boy growled.
"I'll read you a story, you don't have to sleep, but I want you both to lay down here and rest." That worked, both boys, scratching at their new clothes, climbed onto the bed only needing a little help.
Once settled Lucy started reading them one of her favorite books and like all the dragon slayers she knew, they were soon cuddling into her, struggling to keep their eyes open.
Kaleb had sat down by the foot of the bed and was working on his tablet, looking up and smiling at the scene...definately NOT what he'd planned for his afternoon, watching over two Dragon Slayer children while sending messages back and forth to his overly excited father.
That's it, I'm getting Thane to bring me there. His father sent and Kaleb bit back a sigh.
Dad, can you work out this custody from here? Wouldn't it be easier there? He sent back
You and Lucy are adopting them...that makes them my grandsons, Kaleb Suraday Pradesh, don't you dare argue with me, I can work out the legal side of this with my eyes closed I've done it six times and that was just for my own family, I've lost count of how many other children I've helped get to the families they needed. His father returned and even though it was only a text message, Kaleb still winced when his full name flashed over the screen.
Ok..when can I expect you? Lucy is trying to get them to rest, they can't really walk much right now Dad, they've been in a sort of stasis for hundreds of years...are you sure we can protect them well enough? He asked, suddenly worrying realizing as lovely a picture as he was looking at, his mate cuddled with two small boys that would, if all went according to plan, soon be their sons, wards of White Sea, and with Lucy and Kaleb as the Guild leadership, their children.
Two hours, I'll have the papers ready, I'm not joking Kaleb, adopt them fully, just being wards of the Guild won't be enough to protect them from the government. The magic councils are all but foaming at the mouth to get their mits on Dragon Slayer children. His father warned and Kaleb pressed his lips together.
What is it? Lucys gentle voice asked in his head.
Once he'd relayed everything she pressed her lips together and looked at him hopefully.
I didn't want them to be wards Kaleb… she admitted.
Kaleb drew a slow breath. You want them to really be ours? This is huge Lucy, two small boys with a lot of issues we'll be facing, as Wards I can put them in guild housing and have them in school and our lives won't be hugely changed...as our own...they'll live with us, be OUR children. He pointed out and Lucy narrowed her eyes on him.
I know what it means, Kaleb…
I'm not trying to be difficult Sunrise, there's no changing your mind later, we do this, they will be our sons forever. He said gently.
She looked down at the two sleeping boys then at him and Kaleb smiled, nodding and typing into his tablet.
Bring adoption papers Dad...and put on your Grandpa shoes...