Chapter 31

Minerva's POV

I tossed and turned trying to sleep but retelling my dream had reignited my frustrations. I sat up and pulled my knees up to rest my head on them. I'm only in my new position for a few moments when I feel a paw resting over mine. I look down at Frosch and see a worried frown. "What is it Frosch?"

"Will Rogue be alright?" my heart aches as tears gather in her eyes.

I pull her to me, "I will do everything in my power to make sure he comes back to you."

She pulls back to look me in eye again searching for something, and she must have found it because she nodded, "Frosch wants you to come home too."

I nod, "in the words of your partner: what Frosch wants Frosch gets." We share a smile and settle in to get some much needed sleep. I felt something brushing my hair back from my face and knew immediately Rogue was here. He's crouched next to the side of the bed smiling softly at the two of us.I could have thought this was like any other time he came home to find us like this but there was a glint to his eye that made me see he wasn't his usual self.

"Minerva, you've watched my struggle with my shadow and I have seen you at your worst. You tried so hard to be everything your father wanted you to be. You changed yourself into a demon bent on revenge," I raise my eyebrow at his speech but wait to see where it goes.

"But you fought back, you hit the bottom and crawled your way back out. You were abused, mentally and physically, from a very young age. Then lived in a glory at your father's side until you lost. Next you buried yourself in the shadows losing yourself and almost loosing every inch of your humanity." He grasps my hands and looks deep into my eyes searching for something.

He nods as if he found what he was looking for, "but here you sit; human, strong, and beautiful. I have been by your side for this journey and my soul has felt the pain of every stumble, and the joy of every success. Minerva will you walk down this path of light and darkness with me? Will you be my mate?"

My heart aches at his words but I only smirk and nudge him with my shoulder, "someone has to show you the dark side. Can't have you being so sweet and good all the time."

He chuckles at my statement and we lean in to kiss. I almost purred at the delicious sensation running across my body. It was like chewing mint and taking a deep breath in winter. I had felt Rogue's shadows before but this, this was seeping into my very bones. As quickly as it had come it began to recede, I opened my eyes to see if I could actually see what was happening to me. My eyebrows rose as I watched my body reappearing and reshaping from pure darkness. I could see the shade disappearing from my lower extremities and my upper half. Slowly working it's way back to my stomach and then leaving what felt like an icy hand on my lower back.

His lips harden against mine drew my attention back to him and our kiss. I look into his eyes turn completely black once again. I reach out like I'm going to pull him closer only to grab Frosch and use my spatial magic to pop outside my window. Frosch grabbed my shoulders as we ready for phase two.

Mira POV

I watch as the Dragon Slayers all climb to their mates windows but turn back to take in Laxus. I sigh enjoying this form just a little too much. Black scales scatter down the side of his face and cluster together down his back, arms, and chest. Golden scales highlight the ridges of muscle and sinew making my hands ache to touch them. Black horns with golden tips curve and dip along his head. His eyes are golden but seem to flash as move quickly to analyse anything in his path.

"Why did they look more like their normal selves while you are still transformed?" I tilt my head waiting for his answer.

He gives me a bored expression, "you said no tricks and this form is meant to lure in perspective mates. You made the deal I see no point in wasting my energy to change back at this point. Besides you seem to enjoy this," he smirks.

"You know I won't deny it, it may gives me a few new ideas." I practically purr, "now are you going to ask me or will you just let the barrier kick you out?"

He rolls his eyes at my theatrics and growls, "Mirajane." He pauses, takes a deep breath, and grasps my hands, "I'm only going to say this once."

I raise my brows and my lips twitch but I don't interrupt him. "You and I have never needed words, we communicated through our looks and actions. Neither of us are what we would consider innocent; we've both done things that we feel have stained us in some way or another. You look at a person and always see their potential for good. You are the mother of this guild, our family. You take care of everyone who walks through those doors. You worry and fret over every member whether they are on a job or how they are each doing mentally, physically, and emotionally."

"I enjoy watching you scheme and plan on ways to get our guild mates to realize their feelings for each other. I also enjoy when the plan goes up in flames 90% of the time." I puff my cheeks in anger but deflate at his chuckle.

"I could thank you for a thousand things an it still wouldn't cover everything you've done for not just our family but for me. But one thing I will never forget to thank you for everyday is for looking after Gramps when I didn't. Mira, you always seem to know what I need before I do so I know you already know just how much I need you. Will you allow me to try an attempt to look after you? Will you be my mate?"

My eyes mist with tears, my heart aches in my chest, and I smile softly at him. "You've come a long way Laxus and I would be happy to walk this journey with you. I love you, and yes I'll be your mate."

He opens his arms for me and I giggle at the slightly chagrin look on his face. I melt into his embrace, reaching up to wrap my arms around his neck. He leans down to meet my lips and I gasp into his mouth. Being around Laxus long enough gives one the knowledge of how being struck by lightning feels but this... this was something so completely different. His arms tighten along my back, only making the sensation increase. I shiver as the intensity of the shock makes my nerve endings dance. As his lightning jolts through my body in pulsing waves, his tongue plunges into my mouth coaxing my tongue to play.

I try to focus on his mouth and but I'm so stimulated my body is moving on its own while my mind is trying to process everything. Slowly the jolts become more and more powerful and my body just quakes. His mouth swallows my gasps and mewls but growls as my hands reach to tug his hair. My mind focuses on one thing and it drives me through this: He is MINE. The jolts start to taper off with less and less power becoming less and less frequent.

I realize my body is finally my own again. Without hesitation I respond by sucking on his tongue and scratch my nails along the base of his skull. He groans and pulls me flush against his body and I smile feeling just how much he's affected by this. He ends the kiss and looks at me with a hooded gaze, "I could claim you here and now Mira but I know you already have a plan for that. So go ahead do what you need to but don't for a second think I won't do my damnedest to catch you the next chance I get."

I smile sweetly at him, "of course I do now that I know Natsu was never going to follow our little agreement.