A/N Shout out to all the reviewers who take the time to leave their opinions and observations, I appreciate them a lot and getting them brings me to the computer to work more. All the PMs from those who don't want to leave public comments due to language barriers or other reasons. To Nightmare Senshi, MsPuppetx, Darlingnikki, thank you for being there to help me review chapters and face the collossal task this rewrite has been. Let's get to the good stuff...M rated for a reason folks.
DESNA
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Lucy drew a slow breath, Arman had gone to get the boys, they and Bickslow would sit with Kaleb while she returned to the control deck and resumed her duties directing her mages through the final stages of the take over of Joyas capital.
She ran her fingers through Kaleb's hair, frowning slightly, his hair was a mess, he had always kept it so well she was used to getting her fingers into it and it feeling like silk. The Aisipal was a flagship, a flying city, equipped to keep up to 1600 people comfortable for long missions, there were communal baths on every level of sleep quarters. When he woke she would stop whatever she was doing and help him bathe. That thought brought a faint smile to her face.
She wanted to hold him, to be held, to feel those powerful arms tighten around her, to look into lavender grey eyes and see them full of life. When she had called him with magic his eyes had glowed but only with magic...Kaleb himself had not been there, though his skills and power certainly were. It had shown her how mages centuries ago were able to suicide their Archangels so easily. When Loke had talked about it she couldn't imagine someone being able to make a powerful mage kill themselves in battle, but she'd witnessed the level of control she could have with Kaleb and….she didn't like it.
She meant to have a long talk with the Spirit King when this was over, changes had to be made to this magic because when she and Kaleb did have children, they would be born with it and she didn't like the idea of her children being born to essentially be slaves to their magic.
Leaning down she pressed a soft kiss to his lips, while disappointed there was no response, at least the lips beneath hers were warm, the breathing regular, the hard muscle under her hands warm. Xally had made sure he was hydrated, and agreed with Cristoff that now it was just a matter of Kaleb recovering from magic deprivation and depletion, something that made Lucy cry once she was alone with him, when she had made the plan to have Draco wreck the parts of the palace where they were not she'd known keeping him out in his full sized dragon form would be a drain but she hadn't meant for Kaleb to share that with her. She'd been utterly unable to control where she took the magic she needed from and her body hadn't allowed her to deplete herself to exhaustion, instead, pulling hard from Kaleb the entire time. She'd called Cancer, Gemini, Loke and Virgo, at times having up to three spirits out in addition to Draco and had been so consumed with the fighting she hadn't thought to wonder where all the magic was coming from, why she wasn't getting light headed.
She cried quietly, pressing her face into his shoulder, turning and kissing his neck, whimpering when her lips met the spot where large needles had been that, while healed, still felt harder than it should and would until the magic had time to finish its work.
Just like Aquarius...she couldn't get the thought out of her head, she had nearly sacrificed Kaleb, her husband, her mate, the man she loved more than anything while trying to save everyone. She kept her tears quiet, not wanting to draw anyone's attention, but she cried, clutching the blankets over Kaleb's sleeping body and pressing sloppy kisses against his skin between sobs.
"I'm so sorry...I love you so much and I….I almost killed you...took almost every bit of your magic out of you and I….I didn't even think...I don't know what's wrong with me? Why do I that?!" She whimpered into his neck. She couldn't even count how many times she'd done it either, just...blasted through her magic with reckless determination, left herself so weak she could scarcely move or flat out unconscious and Natsu, Erza, Gray...someone...had had to save her, fill in the gap...or she'd had to sacrifice...on the order of breaking a key.
It was pride, she knew it was, she was too proud to back off, wanted to hit big and hard, explosions and flare and shock and awe like Natsu, like Erza...like Gray.
"You are not a fucking...whatever you're trying to be! Stop using such huge attacks! Stop pulling out so many spirits! THINK! Celestial mages work because we THINK, and often we work so well nobody even sees what we fucking do! If you wanted a magic that put on a damned show you sure were born with the wrong kind!" Hestor had snapped at her during a spar one day.
She shook her head, kissing Kalebs jaw.
She had him back , safe, and mostly unharmed, he'd endured a lot, but because of his mild behavior brought on by his determined work to reach out and get help for them all, his suffering had been more that he couldn't fight being molested because he had to focus all he had on reaching help.
Of all of them, Zen, Vander and Beck had suffered the most physically with Cida right up there too.
She was tracing small kisses over Kalebs cheek when the door opened and the boys came in with Arman. Both were wide eyed, looks of fear and worry on their sweet faces and Lucy pressed her lips together, reaching her arms out to them and they both hurried into her arms.
Hasu pulled free first, moving beside his father, reaching out to run a hand over Kalebs brow. "He's gonna be ok right?" He asked quietly.
"He's recovering, just sleeping now, he can't quite wake up yet, his magic is recovering too and that's keeping him asleep." Lucy replied and Raiu wriggled from her arms crawling across his father's body to sit on the other side of him from Hasu.
"Can we stay here with him?" Raiu asked hopefully.
"Maybe us being here will help him wake up faster." Hasu added with the same hopeful tone in his voice.
Lucy pushed Hasus ruby colored bangs out of the way to kiss his forehead. "You can stay and watch over him while I go finish this." She said quietly, looking up as Bickslow came into the cabin. "I got this Cosplayer, you and Dad are needed on the command deck." He said quietly.
Lucy nodded, standing, noting Hasu took her spot sitting against Kaleb's side and Arman took her hand to steady her, seeing her unable to tear her eyes from Kaleb and the children. He wasn't sure how many times in his life he'd been in situations similar to hers, where he was forced to take on the fights that would protect his family and leave them to help each other through the healing but he knew it was never easy.
Kaleb, he knew, would be unhappy that Lucy had been forced into the role she was in today, but Arman knew his son, Kaleb would make it up to her, and to his boys and would diligently work to make sure something like this never happened again. Of course, Sydelle was gone, according to reports from the Stellans, the Warqueen who had sought Kaleb since he was a child was gone, so that threat would never rise again.
It made his heart warm in his chest, seeing a young woman as strong and good as Lucy was, so in love with his son, so determined to take care of her family, to step up into all of these responsibilities when Kaleb needed her to, and when she had, she had done so intelligently, not letting the pressure get to her, she had led White Sea to Joya, made wise decisions about the mages brought, and below them, Joya was reeling under the assault, their capital city rapidly coming under Boscos control.
The giant birds of Joya were still a threat to the airships, but not a serious one, ship guns made quick work of the birds and already there were far too few of them to do any real damage to the fleet. Mages aboard the ships along with the guns and small two man fighters had been the right choices, and all of those decisions had been Lucys doing.
Arman walked with the determined blonde into the command center and nodded to Minda who gave him a warm smile. Minda had been his friend since before he had met his wife, and he'd known as he'd fallen for Ganier that Minda was already in love with him, but he'd been unable to help his feelings, Ganier had been such a force of joy and beauty, a Celestial mage of great strength, he had been amused seeing his son fall in love with Lucy, thrilled by it, he knew how the light of a Celestial Mage shined in all that they were so when he'd met Lucy he wasn't surprised one of his sons had fallen for her, just that it was his most serious and responsible son that had done it.
Minda...the beautiful General had been by his side for more than half his life, had helped him with his large family too many times to count, and still...was in love with him, had never married because of that, had never even had a child of her own and that did sadden him. Maybe...when this was over, when their lives settled back down, maybe he'd ask her out, try again...they had started once before, years ago, but then the Seith guild had attacked the capital and Bickslow's magic had been outlawed and Arman had been thrown into the monumental task of smuggling his 15 year old son out of the country without anyone knowing he'd done it.
That year had turned into a living hell for him, worrying about Bickslow, tortured by guilt over having to send his son, his beloved son, to another country, have near strangers smuggle him away while Arman maintained the appearances of having himself and his family contained in Pelerno. Laxus had been a blessing above blessings, stepping in when the men Arman had been forced to hire had decided the bounty on the boy in their care was worth more than Armans jewel and gratitude. Bickslow had been fighting the men, trying to escape them when they had come across Laxus. The 16 year old Laxus had been more than enough to turn the tide of that fight, stepping up to help Bickslow even though he didn't know him, and that had been the start of the friendship that had seen his son settled safely in Fiore.
Through that, and other challenges he'd faced raising 8 gifted mages Minda and he had just never had the opportunity to connect. He really needed to reconsider it all. With his children finding love, starting to move toward settling down, maybe he would be able to take a second look at the woman that had been right under his nose for most of his life.
"Master Lucy, your mages have taken the Palace and our soldiers are securing it and the capital, we're completing final bombing runs on the outlying areas still offering resistance." Minda reported.
Lucy nodded, accepting the tablet from Thane and looking it over. "Have they managed to gather the highest ranked Warqueens yet? Did they find that necklace I asked about?" She asked Thane.
"They have 7 Warqueens, two of which are high ranked, one actually a known possible successor to Sydelle, holding enough land and forces to take over Sydelle's position. They have them in the throne room of the palace. As for the necklace...I am sorry Master Lucy, Dracos fire...the room was thoroughly searched once that side of it had cooled enough to allow people to step upon the stones, the necklace was destroyed by the dragon's fire. They did find….the bodies of Yukino and Sorrano…both very dead." Thane said quietly and Lucy pressed her lips together, grief washing over her. Not far away, aboard the Saberfox...she knew Sting was doing like she was, directing the mages of Sabertooth that had come to aid in this fight in the hopes of recovering Yukino.
She had been innocent in most of this...Yukino had, and she had not deserved the death she'd been given. Sorrano Lucy felt no pity for, but Yukino...Yukino was a painful loss. It had been a small hope, if they had been able to recover the lacrima that Bickslow could pull her soul from it and restore her.
"She's been out of her body too long Cosplayer...a few hours and sure but we're talking weeks here, the body lives as long as the soul still remains and the body is kept fed and watered and undamaged, but its a shell by now...I...I really doubt I could put it back and even if I did, it might immediately leave, pass on, because it's been disembodied for too long and held in that lacrima." Bickslow had said sadly, shaking his head.
"That other Seith...she didn't ever intend to return that soul to the body, I don't know what the fuck she told Sorrano, but shit like that...the body and soul can't be separated for that long." He said bitterly.
Lucy had nodded but pressed anyway. "Would you try? Maybe with Cristoff and Kaleb helping...it could be done?" She asked and Bickslow had given her a weak smile.
"I'll try Cosplayer, recover the body undamaged and the lacrima undamaged and I'll try, but...I just want you to understand…" He trailed off and Lucy nodded.
"I know Bix, I promise I won't hold you responsible if it doesn't work, and I won't let anyone else either." She promised.
Now she would have to break the news to Sabertooth, to the people who loved Yukino, that she was truly gone, with no hope of recovering her. Sorrano had done this and while Lucy didn't know what the woman had been put through before she had died, but she hoped judgement would be harsh for a woman who would tear her own sister's soul out for her own ambitions.
Sting's face appeared on the screen before her smiling, he was not one to find a battle on this scale without fun, though Rogue, a little ways behind him looked plenty serious enough for both of them.
"Hey gorgeous, ready to leave the Boscan and come help me run Sabertooth?" He wagged his brows at her and Lucy sighed, her expression sobering the over-the-top mage some.
"Forgive him please Lucy, my partner has an overabundance of enthusiasm when there are large scale battles involved. Please...have you found Yukino?" Rogue asked and Lucy's eyes were apparently enough, Rogues hand flew over his mouth and Sting's eyes narrowed, all traces of humor gone.
"No...I...I need to see her myself...maybe your people are wrong…" Sting said and Lucy tapped the lacrima tablets screen, seeing Rogue turn his head to a screen by him as the coordinates came onto it.
"That's where they found her and her sisters...bodies...I...I'm so sorry…" Tears stung her eyes even as she tried to hold them back. She couldn't be weepy, she was leading more than a thousand mages right now, White Sea, this fleet, her family and Sabertooth they were all depending on her being strong…
Sting snarled, spinning from view and she saw Rogue look after him then back at her.
"I'll level this whole fucking CITY!" She heard Sting roar and Rogue drew a shaky breath, his red eyes bright with unshed tears.
"I've got him...we'll go down there...and I'll do my best to keep him from damaging anything he shouldn't…" Rogue said "Thank you Lucy…" the screen went blank and Lucy covered her mouth, biting her lip and handing the tablet to Thane before she dropped it.
Arman's arms closed around her and she turned into his chest "She was my friend…" She whimpered.
"Yes and she always will be." Arman said quietly.
Lucy stayed wrapped in her father-in-laws arms for a few minutes before she pulled back and smiled shakily up at him.
Wise jade eyes met hers "We've a nation to take on my dear." He said softly and she nodded, turning back to Thane.
"General, I need a good guard detail, Arman? Farron? Let's put Bosco's best Ambassadors to work shall we?"
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The negotiations had lasted all through the night. Thane brought Lucy, Arman, Farron and Freed back up to the ship just a couple of hours before dawn and Lucy could barely hold her eyes open.
"We got nothing done...no agreement…" She groaned as they walked toward the stairs to the lower decks.
"That's not anything to worry about my dear, most negotiations are fruitless at first, we may be here for some time getting this all sorted out. I am heartened though by Warqueen Amarla, her willingness to listen and talk with us even though we are men, was a good thing, though we would not have reached that point without you my dear." Arman said brightly.
She smiled at him thinly. She wasn't so sure how "heartened" she was with it all, the Joyans were all arrogant vulgar bitches who had spent the first couple of hours making lewd comments about how thoroughly they would all like to fuck Arman and Farron both and asking to see their bodies. "I give little respect to men who aren't at least decently hung with balls carrying ample seed, show me you're worthy of my attention before we talk at all." One had said leering at Farron and laughing with her fellows.
Lucy had almost lost her temper but Farron had smiled.
"Seeing as how you have only earned the right to speak with me because our forces destroyed those stronger than you, I see no reason I need to prove anything at all to you, now, sit down or I'll kill you and speak with the next in line, and the next, and the next, if we give leadership of Joya to a stable girl instead of one of you it will make no difference to us." Farron replied calmly.
From there it had only marginally improved and Lucy was exhausted. She'd always been just one of the fighters, not part of the leadership that handled everything through the fight as well as the clean up afterward.
"Go get some sleep, negotiations don't start again until lunch tomorrow and another wing of Boscan gunships is nearly here to assist us in holding the city, so go to Kaleb, curl up with your husband and get some well earned sleep." Arman said and Lucy smiled genuinely then, she'd almost forgotten, tonight she would be able to curl up against Kaleb again for the first time in two long miserable weeks. Granted, he was still out cold recovering, but just being with him, feeling his body against hers and knowing he was safe would be worlds better than what she had been dealing with.
She stopped at her door and pushed into the room, letting her eyes adjust to the dim light from a single golden lacrima she saw a note on the little night stand beside the bed in Bickslow scrawling writing.
"Took the kids to my room for the night, figured you'd want time alone with big bro."
She smiled, well, if Kaleb were awake...she froze, eyes skimming over the empty bed and immediately her senses slammed outward seeking the man missing from her bed.
Easy Sunrise, I'm in the bath, I just woke up maybe 10 minutes ago, saw Bixy's note and figured out where you were...still low on magic….. His silky voice was like a warm blanket around her raw being and she didn't hesitate, she rushed from the room down the hall and threw open the door to the bath area, not even bothering to undress she ran through the locker area and stopped in the door to the large bath, the steam and rich scent of the Grass Sea water rolling over her but her eyes snapped right to the tall man laying back in the water. Kaleb shifted, standing and Lucy ran, flying into the water and crashing through it mindless of her clothes, shoes everything on her getting soaked through, every part of her sang when those strong arms encircled her, pulled her in against the familiar hard muscled body and full lips sealed over hers.
Gods I missed you...so bad…I'm so sorry.. Lucy whimpered mentally and Kaleb groaned feeling the pain of it all wash through them both but he helped her push it away.
There's nothing for you to be sorry for my Sunrise…His voice purred in her head as his lips slanted over hers. You did what you had to to save us all...I'm proud of you
Yes he'd been the one with needles run into him and drugs pumped into his body, he'd been the one molested, but their bond was enough Lucy knew it all, had shared his suffering. They both knew now whatever happened to one was shared by the other good or bad. Their boys had suffered too and neither of them wanted to see that happen ever again.
Right now though, Lucy was ripping her own clothes away from her, needing to get her skin against Kaleb's, needing to feel him, he moved, setting her on the edge of the bath and finally helping her get free of her soaked clothes and shoes and he didn't take time with her,gripping her hips and thrusting himself between her thighs, both of them groaning in satisfaction as he plunged into her until their bodies met then Lucy leaned back, bracing herself on her hands as Kaleb took up a feverish pace.
This wasn't about exploring or play or anything but a frenzied need to reconnect on the most basic level and when Lucy cried out, Kaleb rasping out her name as he came with her they rode out their bodies shudders for a few moments before Kaleb pulled Lucy from the edge of the bath into the steaming waters with him, having to grip the edge to keep from drowning himself because his legs gave out.
His magic was still painfully low, his physical strength also lower than he'd ever felt it, muscles quivered, so far overtaxed he was close to passing back out and knew it. He hadn't the strength to really do what they'd just done, but Gods had they both needed it.
Lucy pulled him to her, bracing her legs in the water, feeling how close he was to blacking out and determined not to let it happen. She'd just so badly...so desperately needed to feel him, have him inside her, feel his strength, his body, that he was alive and hers in the most intimate way and now she braced into the side of the bath and held him, kissing his face, his lips and resting her forehead against his revelling in his rapid breathing, his breath fanning over her wet skin.
"Still...shaky.." He managed and she kissed him silent.
"My turn to be strong...just...let me hold you….I'll get you cleaned up and we'll climb into bed ok?" She was holding it together, even though she was worried about him, she knew he was going to recover, he'd be her rock, her strength again soon enough, for now, she was going to step up and be his. Somehow, she would make it all up to him, she had to...this whole thing had been far too close...she'd almost lost him, and not just because of what that evil woman had done, but because she'd been reckless, so bent on saving everyone she hadn't thought at all about how her magic use would effect Kaleb.
"Stop it...stop blaming yourself...Lucy...we'll work on this. We didn't know it was even possible for you to drain my magic down so low, now we know we can work on it, train better, find ways to help you get more aware, more careful with how you use magic." Kaleb said quietly, still trembling a little in her arms while she moved behind him and started washing out his hair.
She just nodded, she had to, the days of her using magic until she passed the fuck out were gone, she couldn't do that stupid shit anymore because if she ran out of magic….now it meant she'd all but already killed Kaleb.
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Cobra stirred slowly, groggy but the moment he realized his mate was missing from his arms his eyes flew open in alarm. Vander hadn't stirred once in three days. Three days they had been aboard the Aisipal hovering over the capital city of Joya while Arman, Farron and Lucy, and as of yesterday Kaleb too, had gone down and spent every day trying to reach resolutions with the remaining Warqueens of Joya.
If it were up to Cobra? He'd just poison the lot of them and hand the country over to the first one to show some fucking sense. But then he wasn't in the business of diplomacy. His whole world revolved around one thing. Vander.
He'd almost kissed Presca when Gajeel had told him the energy mage had already hunted down and killed the woman who had raped Vander so violently, and the ones who had captured him. The energy mage had taken it upon himself to hunt down and eliminate every single Joyan that had laid a hand on their brethren, giving each of them very unpleasant deaths. Not a damn one of them would be benefiting by giving birth to children if any had managed to get pregnant anyway, Presca got them all, including the dragon hunter that had gotten time with Beck, Laxus and Cristoff, her death was particularly brutal since Emzadi had gotten a hand in it.
Having your arms and legs burned off while you were alive couldn't have been a nice experience and Presca admitted, he'd gotten a little sickened while Emi had done it, though Gajeel had stood beside her and not looked away once.
It had taken a long time, Emi had gone finger by finger then moved up each arm separately, the woman took after Cobras own heart, had seen too much in her life to have any form of compassion for people like that Dragon Hunter. Besides, they had all seen what had been done to Vander, Cida and Beck.
He'd have loved to have been there, but he never left Vander's side except to use the bathroom, even carefully carrying his mate to the bath to bathe him each morning. So, waking and not feeling that warm body against off every alarm in him.
He sat up in a rush, eyes wide and finally taking in the sight of his mate sitting in a chair with a leg pulled up to his chest staring out the window of their cabin rocking a little. The feelings came crashing over Cobra taking his breath away. Guilt, disgust, his mate was...lost...in a sea of pain and Cobra wasn't sure what to do.
"Van…" He breathed and winced when Vander jerked fear flooding him followed instantly by self loathing….a terrible sense of unworthiness...of being worthless…
"I...I didn't see them...too fucking cocky, I was so certain of myself, I just did a quick check for obvious traps...I was so sure I was so fucking good nobody could ever get the drop on me...but they did…" He whispered, eyes on the floor then staring out the window for a moment before he rested his forehead on the knee he had drawn up.
"They...experimented on me...put things in me that made me...cooperate...I...I betrayed you...I didn't fight hard enough…" Vanders voice was strained, so full of pain Cobra's own heart was twisting in agony in his chest.
"Van...Van...It's not your fault...it was...mine...I should have been with you, should have fucking found you faster, as it was I...I screamed so much...I distracted Kaleb and they got him….because of ME, they got you because I wasn't fast enough, wasn't smart enough...and they got Kaleb because I was so upset they had you, I couldn't do anything but scream….couldn't even come to...rescue you...stop them...I couldn't help anyone who needed me…" Cobra breathed.
Vander shoved a hand through his thick hair, grimacing at how it felt, how his whole body felt… he could feel Erik's pain, they were mirroring back and forth at each other and he knew it had to stop. He was just at a loss, he wasn't the soother of his family, that was Cristoff, Kaleb could help you sort your damn head out and maybe...if kaleb had his own shit together...maybe he needed to talk to his older brother…
Right now though...his mate was kneeling on the bed shaking, struggling not to give in to the overwhelming guilt and pain he was feeling at seeing Vander, bright smiling upbeat Vander….so pulled down.
"I...I ruin everything...always been like some sort of shit magnet...if something awful happens...it finds me or someone I...love…" Erik whispered and that was enough, Vander kicked aside his own pain, his whole life he'd been raised surrounded by love, by people willing to do anything to see him succeed, be happy...and damn all that had happened to the hell it had come from, because Erik mattered more...
Vander moved, leaving his chair and kneeling on the foot of the bed, his black leathers melting away from his body as Cobras hands slid up his thighs.
"Need to...feel you…" Cobra groaned, pulling Vander against him, trying not to be rough, unsure of just how well his mate was, but his dragon was about tearing him apart. Vander smelled of those women still and he needed to reclaim what had been taken from him…show Vander...he was wanted...so badly wanted.
"F….Fuck I love it when you're like this…" Vander breathed, pressing into Cobra's body as he came against him, hissing as sharp claws threatened to dig into the firm globes of his ass and tilting his head back as Cobra latched his mouth onto his neck.
Sliding his hands down Cobra's back he used his leverage to grind himself into his mate, their arousals rubbing against each other and he felt fangs tease his neck.
Cobra was almost trembling with need, he twisted, slamming Vander down onto the bed and yanking one of his legs up and pushing it out to the side, Vander shifted under him gripping Cobra's erection, using his thumb to catch the precum weeping from the head and spread it over the sensitive flesh, drawing a moan from his dragon.
Truth was he was ravenously hungry, had little energy and his whole body hurt, but all of that paled in comparison to how badly he needed to feel Erik and how much Erik needed him, needed to reclaim him, he felt it all through their bond and trusted his own body enough to let himself follow it's reaction to Erik...one of powerful need.
Gods his dreams, the torture he'd been through, all the times he'd thought Erik was touching him, fucking him and it had felt wrong, somewhere in him he'd known it wasn't his mate but his eyes and senses were all fucked up and his grip on reality just hadn't been there. All he'd known was the insatiable need for Erik was never sated, it only got worse and worse with each round of abuse and the pain, the agony of cuming, he'd never felt pain during an orgasm, always very much the opposite but the drug induced ones had been pure hell on him both mentally and physically because a part of him, the part that he'd gotten from Erik when their souls had bound to each other, howled in agony and rage with every one, fought it every time and it was ripped from him, forced from him painfully, the drugs getting so strong it was all he could taste or smell was the horrid stench of them, the bitter burning taste.
Now though, this was Erik, this was his mate, the one his whole being had been begging for every minute of his captivity, whatever the cost was he didn't care, he needed to feel what was right, what was good and whole and filled him mind body and soul, as only Erik ever rest could be dealt with later….after they did this, after they reminded each other how badly they wanted and needed each other.
Erik's lips slid over his, pushing and he eagerly opened his mouth for the slayer's tongue, sliding his against it as Erik gripped his hips and lifted him so he could thrust himself into Vanders body.
"Mmm...yes...fuck….nnngh!" Vander drove himself up into Eriks thrusts as the slayer pressed his face into his mates shoulder, tears escaping his eyes, Vander was gripping his body, meeting his lusty thrusts, alive, vibrant, his soul lifting its voice and wrapping around Cobra like nothing ever had before he'd met Vander. The music in his mate...the beautiful voice of his soul was even more incredible than the angel-like one he sang with. It had never failed to amaze Cobra how beautiful his mate was beneath the surface, the fact Vander felt that way about him? That through their bond he felt it, Vanders love and admiration, it staggered Cobra who had never believed he'd ever find something like he had in his arms now.
He was stunning, like people walked into things sometimes when Vander would catch their eye, not as many wrecks as Kaleb caused, but Vander did that, his smile could stop someone dead in their tracks, especially if it was tilted into that wicked edge with his wine colored eyes sparkling with decadent mischief. But his physical appearance was nothing compared to what Cobra knew was within. Yes, Vander could be a killer, one of the deadliest ones Cobra had ever met, but his soul shined bright, he was good on every level that mattered, compassionate, loving, loyal without limits and the man's capacity to love, he hid it so well behind his snarky sarcastic attitude but Vander loved deeply those who earned it from him.
Erik knew it all, because he was blessed with being able to hear his mates soul, and knew how it sang with others, reached out, comforted, harmonized and lifted others around him, joining their bodies brought them intimacy beyond the closest embrace and Gods Vander body, his control over it was enough to drive Erik out of his mind. Under normal circumstances they would go at it wildly for hours, but Erik sensed Vander wasn't up to that, maybe his spirit was but his body needed a lot more recovery before they could revisit their usual somewhat wild sexual activities.
For now, this was a lusty, fevered reconnection, and when Vander came, Erik did too, sinking his fangs into Vanders shoulder, revelling in the taste of my mate's venom laced blood as it washed over his tongue. He kissed the spot, then sealed his lips over Vanders again, Kissing him long and soft until he made a soft sound of approval and Erik pulled back, looking down into sated wine colored eyes.
"Fuck I needed that...better than the bacon I was about to order from the kitchen and I mean it." He breathed and Cobra smirked.
"Flattery that serious will get ya laid." He purred and Vander smirked.
"Will it get me pancakes? Because I'm fucking starving."
"Let me wash you down then we'll have breakfast huh?" Cobra offered, pushing the red streaked locks from Vanders face.
"No snappy come backs?" Vander asked, brows raised, Cobra leaned in kissing him again.
"Too fucking happy to see you being an ass...now move before I cry or some shit." Cobra snapped and Vander grinned, sliding out from under him and staggering a bit when he got to his feet, enough Erik was right there with an arm around him.
"You finally did it...fucked me till my legs wouldn't work right." Vander chuckled.
"Note I did that before you gave me a blowjob so good I passed out." Cobra observed.
"Hey! I was out of commision for 2 weeks drugged and shit, I demand a restart on the competition." Vander complained as Erik pushed him into the shower under steaming water.
"Denied, as the judge of said blowjobs and the one facing unconsciousness via orgasm I deny the request...you'll have to make it up to me some other way." Erik said firmly, grabbing the bottle of shampoo and starting in on Vanders thick black and red hair.
"How?" Vander asked, turning to face him, Cobra pressed in against him, catching his smiling lips in a burning kiss.
"Marry me when we get back to Pelerno." He breathed and Vander stilled, arms sliding around him playfulness gone from his bright eyes.
"Right away huh?" He asked and Erik nodded firmly. Suddenly binding them together in every way he could mattered more than it ever had.
Vander smiled, kissing him "Deal….but I have no fucking clue how I'll get a dress and shoes so fast." He smirked.
Erik rolled his eyes shoving his head under the water but lunged in after him to kiss the laughing to a stop.
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Laxus stretched, smirking almost immediately when his leg rubbed up against the firm warmth of Beck's. They were both groggy, weak, exhausted, but it hadn't stopped them. Shifting he propped himself up on an arm and smiled looking at the dragon formed in Becks skin curled around Laxus' name in draconic where Laxus had, fucking finally, placed his bite the night they were brought to the Aisipal.
Three days later they were still worn down, but both were happy, Beck would have scars, even Cristoff's immense skill hadn't been able to prevent that, and there were scars across Becks broad shoulders, his back,the backs of his thighs, scars Laxus had kissed from one end to the other, apologizing over and over as he had even when Beck growled at him to stop, he didn't blame him for any of it, and now, their souls bound, Laxus knew it was true. Beck was kind, gentle in spite of his size, deeply loving by nature and...he belonged to the Lightning Slayer now. Laxus had struggled with it, a lot.
His grandfather would be bitterly disappointed Laxus hadn't mated with a woman and started punching out babies right away. Arman told him he disagreed, that Makarov would be happy for him, but Laxus knew how badly his grandfather wanted great grandchildren, how much he'd prayed Laxus would settle down and the Dreyar name would be carried on by children born into love instead of how Laxus had come into the world.
Maybe they would get a surrogate, those were common in Bosco, Arman had already been talking about it for Cobra and Vander, there was no reason he and Beck couldn't consider one. Leaning down he kissed the lax lips of the Beastmaster, smiling when those stunning bi-colored eyes opened and locked with his.
He adored Beck's eyes, one blue one gold, they were stunning, fuck the whole man was really. Laxus had been at a loss over how to even act on the desires he felt, Beck though, being Boscan, had no issues at all and had proven to be a patient indulgent teacher, well, until Laxus had finally stopped fighting himself and really given himself over to being with his mate, then...well...maybe it was good they were both so run down from weeks of torture, he doubted the bed they had would have held up to what he really wanted to do, his own body was keeping him from taking his mate as thoroughly as he wanted, but he could wait, the gentle love making was enough...for now.
They had talked so much, Beck was going to speak with Kaleb, get fully assigned to Laxus' team since Lucy was going to have to leave the Raijinshuu now that she was married to Kaleb.
Laxus and Beck could run the Pelerno branch together, they already had been for a while now, but Laxus would make it all official, he and Beck had signed official Promise papers, making them legally a couple, marriage...well...he'd wait until he'd faced his grandfather before he took that he nor Beck were in a rush for it anyway, though Beck had agreed,he would take Laxus' name when they did. He'd have to thank Farron for taking care of that for him in the middle of everything else he and his father were doing.
He felt a little bad, he knew Lucy was working all day every day now with Arman and Farron trying to get Joya settled so revolution in Joya caused by the downfall of the High Warqueen and her entire regime, and that Kaleb, still weakened but really good at not fucking showing it, had gone down with them today to help in the negotiations so they could finally get an accurate picture of what the Warqueens were really thinking. He felt like there was something he should have been doing other than laying in bed with his mate or soaking in the hot baths but Lucy, Arman, Farron and Kaleb had all been firm. More people down there wouldn't help.
So, he laid in bed, rolling to his belly at Becks prompting and groaning when his mate straddled his hips and started rubbing the tight spots out of his muscles. Beck was...intensely...skilled in massage and Gods above did Laxus love that.
"Gods I love your skin…" Beck growled and Laxus smirked, feeling his mate's touches getting more purposeful and the soft length resting on his ass firming.
"Careful…" He rumbled and Beck narrowed his eyes as they took on a soft glow.
"I'm always careful when I handle apex predators...they're so fierce...but…" his hands slid over Laxus' ass, fingers kneading into the insides of his thighs and Laxus hissed at the sensations it stirred.
"If you handle them just so...they'll give you anything...even….they're softest...side…" Beck was purring, his magic soothing the dragon inside Laxus, making first the beast...then the man...relax in his sure hands. Dragons were dominant by nature, but they were deeply passionate, and surrender was an intimacy with them, one Beck had been working on with his volatile mate.
Laxus was a force of nature, the Thunder God deserved his nickname and Beck was well beyond proud to be the mate of such a man, but he knew keeping up that hard hold, that firm command, was tiring, that sometimes, it did a dominant creature good to submit.
He himself wasn't a dominant personality, he knew how to command beasts, and could hold a dominant air well, but in the bedroom, he leaned toward submission, perfectly content to let Laxus be in control, but his mate was inexperienced in handling a male lover, it didn't lessen the enjoyment, Beck had no complaints, he just wanted to show Laxus what it felt like when things were done a certain way and sometimes the best way to learn how to give was to receive.
So, he'd been gently working his way toward trying to be on top of his lusty Dragon, and right now, early in the morning, while Laxus was still warm and a little groggy with sleep, once his body was relaxed from Becks attentions, he changed from giving relaxation, to giving pleasure.
Laxus rumbled a purr and Beck started rubbing himself along the valley between his mates hard muscled cheeks, smiling when instead of flipping over and tossing Beck to his hands and knees as he'd done before, Laxus instead gripped the sheets and pushed up into him in invitation.
Beck didn't wait for him to change his mind, snatching the small bottle from the nightstand he coated himself with the silky substance and gently sliding one of Laxus' legs up and out, slid himself down and pressed himself a little into his mate's body.
Laxus tensed, he knew what Beck was aiming for the moment those hands had wandered, but to say he felt he owed his mate some indulgence was an understatement. He'd just not been able to calm the dragon inside him enough to let the more experienced man take charge. But Beck had somehow handled that, and Laxus was so relaxed, felt so calm and yet...turned on at the same time, even the foreign feel of Beck pushing into him wasn't upsetting, in fact, after a few minutes, he growled, pushing back into Beck seeking more.
"Stop...being so...delicate…" He growled and Beck let a breath out, he wasn't entirely stopping for Laxus' sake, his mates untried channel was tight as hell and felt way too good, that coupled with the fact he'd just achieved a heck of a goal here had Beck a little too enthused, he needed a moment or it would all be over before they even got going.
Fortunately, he collected himself enough he could start moving and when he did Laxus' eyes rolled back in his head.
He'd never in his life had sex like this, he'd be lying if he said he hadn't fucked a guy before, during his stay in Bosco he'd gone through two of Cristoffs full moons, one in Vanders penthouse with about a dozen people Vander saw fit to let come up, one in the guild bath house, and both times, he'd been overcome by the lusts of the dragon pheromones and had fucked some men.
But he'd never been on the bottom before, just too bent on being in control, but he trusted Beck, knew his mate wasn't seeking dominance, just pleasure, and he wanted him to have it, every bit he wanted any way he wanted it.
The feel of Beck's hard length invading his body though took him by surprise, it stung, burned at first, then it just felt...incredible.
Beck was careful, gentle, but he built the pleasure quickly, knowing they both still lacked real stamina right now and Laxus was startled when he came first, unable to hold himself together when Beck lifted his hips and reached around to start stroking his cock in time with his thrusts. That did him in fast.
Groaning out his mate's name the Lightning slayer released and Beck came with him, the feel of his seed filling him making Laxus groan in delight.
They collapsed on their sides, Beck carefully easing out of Laxus' body and Laxus heaved a sigh once he was breathing normally again.
"Ok...now I have some ideas...once we've had a bath and some breakfast…" He smirked, looking over his shoulder into his mate's warm bi-colored eyes.
"Anything you want to try…" Beck chuckled.
Laxus grinned, sliding carefully from the bed. They gathered the now messy sheets and tossed them in the hamper, knowing the crewmen would come while they were in the bath, they came every morning at about the same time to clean the cabin and check on the pair, sometimes it was crew of the Aisipal, yesterday it had been Lucy's maid spirit Virgo, but every morning they were checked on. Xally or Cristoff would arrive some time after lunch to go over them both. For the most part though they were left to recover and rest.
"A hot bath and ample amounts of bacon…" He said, then grabbed his mate by the arm and pulled him in, pressing a surprisingly gentle kiss to his smiling lips.
"Then more of you…" He growled.
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Cana sat up as the door to the cabin opened, eyes moving quickly up and down the tall raven haired slayer then leaned against the door and sighed as it closed, tilting his head back against the door. She frowned, she'd been sitting with Cida in Cristoffs cabin, making sure the woman rested comfortably, and didn't like how spent her friend looked.
"You look exhausted...Cris...you haven't let yourself get any real rest since we got you out of that shit hole down there." She grumbled and dark blue eyes settled on her warm and caring, despite everything that had happened between them.
"I heal all on my own, I don't need help like the others do, Beck and Van were seriously fucked up, Zen...Gods...the dark magic was trying to...do something with him, turn him into something that...wasn't human. He's ok...healing, everything is back on track he just needs rest and Shimako's good to make sure he does get it..." Cristoff said.
Cana smiled at him, Cristoff amazed her, he'd not stopped, as soon as he could fucking move he'd been trying to help his family and friends. She pushed him down onto the bed and curled up into his side, "and what about you?" she glanced towards the still out cold Encan, fairly certain she was under a sleep spell, she'd been unclear what all had been done for Cida when she'd been asked to sit with her.
Cris followed her gaze, eyes softening on Cida "I'm fine, she and I need to talk but first...she needs a bit to unwind...I can't have her around the other slayers or even off this ship until she makes some choices...but...we'll talk when she's feeling better."
Cana nodded, moving off the bed and to the door, not wanting to say more, she'd rejected the man, nearly killed him, she had no business in this, his second chance at happiness, she would just hope Cida was open to it.
"Well, get some rest." She said and Cristoff scoffed, pulling Cida to him, letting out a breath and feeling the tension leaving him finally with having her close.
"We will." He said "Go find Rowan." he said waving a hand at her and Cana smiled, leaving the couple in the room and heading off to try and find Rowan.
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Zen was restless. His own weakness annoyed and frustrated him. He understood, he'd been magically poisoned, had dark magic forced into his body that had tried to crush the light that came naturally to his soul and his magic. Then of course there was the matter of him jumping up and fighting in that state.
He'd known though, with no doubt, that Shimako needed the help he gave her, he wasn't sure about the results of the duel but Stella didn't do anything short term, there had to be a reason.
He'd been about uncontrollable when he'd come to and found her not there, terrified something had happened, maybe Stella had called her back and panic had risen a bit. He was borderline irrational until his father had come to his cabin where Cristoff and Gajeel were trying to keep him from getting out of bed.
"Zen Ralkier Pradesh! You will stop fighting with your brothers this instant!" Arman snarled and his sound magic made his snarl hit hard, Zen stilling and releasing his hold on both Cristoff and Gajeel's hair that he'd been using to try and slam the two men into each other so they would get the hell out of his way. His body though defied him, refused to cooperate, and he'd only managed to pull their hair hard enough both men were yelping.
"Where is Shimako?" Zen asked, trying to meet his father's disapproving jade eyes but immediately looking down.
"NOT here! She and Hestor had to go to a meeting with The Mother Seer and will return as soon as they , unless you plan on getting a wooden spoon across your ass for not staying calm, I suggest you stop trying to tear open wounds and sit down," Arman snapped.
By the time he was done Zen was ashamed of himself and apologized, Gajeel and Cristoff shrugging it off and Cristoff had gone back to work on the archangel's wounds, muttering good naturedly about his stubborn ass brothers and how nobody else in the fucking world fought him about getting their damn injuries healed.
It had been three days since they had escaped, the injury in his chest still ached but was closed and he'd certainly have another scar to add to his collection. He had never minded waiting for Shimako before, but right now...he needed to see her, know she was alright...hold her….Gods...be with her, he'd give almost anything at this point.
He leaned on the railing of the ship, looking down over the capital city of Joya, the mountains all around it covered in beautiful pine trees and foliage, washed white with snow. It was still very cold in this part of the world, winter meant something here, almost everyone stayed below decks because of the bitter cold but Zen had celestial fire in his veins, immaculate light, pounding through him strongly again thanks to some work by Cristoff, Xally, Draco and Kaleb.
The dark symbols had been hard to remove from his skin, and Cristoff had been forced to take him to one of the mountain peaks, create a moonwell, and let Zen soak in it under moonlight while Lucy channelled magic into the water with Loke and Draco in addition to all Cristoff was putting into it. All of that purification had worked and Cristoff was able to remove the symbols and restore his skin to its natural rich tanned color.
The streaks of gold in his hair had come back, his eyes were normal again too and his wings worked perfectly, so did his magic, or at least he hadn't encountered any problems. He'd dressed in deerskin pants, boots and then a furlined top that Shimako had over their time knowing each other, embroidered, little symbols of not just Set in the thread, but stars and his favorite little tiny fruits and vegetables half hidden in the intricate patterning.
How often would he do this? Wait for her? He smiled faintly, looking up at the cloudy sky. He didn't care really, if he had to wait for her from time to time, then he'd wait, she was worth it, it wasn't a big price to pay.
He was resting his chin on his hands, smiling faintly taking in the beauty of the area, pointedly ignoring the ruined city below when his back warmed and small fingers curled around him, a light kiss planted between his shoulder blades.
"Almost healed." He said softly and she made a soft pained sound that flipped his smile downward and got him to turn to face her.
"Shouldn't have happened." She said, glaring at the ground and Zen tipped her chin up, greedily sealing his lips over hers for a long kiss, one he'd been thinking about and needing since he'd awakened without her there.
"It's past, done, over...and I need you now." He said against her lips and the little chef whimpered as she kissed him again, her small hands pushing into his hair as he picked her up and carried her inside.