Hey guys! This is your second chunk of your fic update! 10 more chapters!

CHAPTER 11

The next morning found Gajeel snarling angrily as a beam of sunlight hit him square in the face. The discomfort of it was enough to make him spring from a dead sleep and race to Levy's window so he could snap the curtains shut.

Levy hardly stirred at the rough movements, mumbling to herself and scooting over to curl into the space Gajeel vacated.

"Bed hog," Gajeel rumbled in affection, pleased now that the evil sun was gone.

At least until he heard the sound of something clatter in Levy's kitchen.

Gajeel froze at once, recounting the number of people currently in Levy's home. She had no roommates and was currently fast asleep and drooling adorably on his pillow. Thus, no one should have been in her home.

Growling softly, Gajeel's instincts went on high alert as he yanked on his pants. He threw open the door to stalk out, intending on smashing in the faces of Levy's would be burglars.

Two men were standing in Levy's kitchen, one with orange hair and a look of irritation on his face, and another with a helmet and wild curly hair that looked like it was balled under his head.

"Thibault, knock it off. Why did you even follow me here, I told Levy I was going to come by this morning and pick up that spice, you don't need to go rifling through her stuff," the orange headed man whispered irately, "Besides you're going to wake her up."

"She's been acting real weird lately Jet, you don't wanna know why? You're her teammate after all, you ain't gonna question her and her whereabouts?" The one Gajeel could only assume was Thibault smirked.

"No, because it's none of my business," Jet said, looking like he was losing patience, "Get out of here. I'll meet you back at the guild. I need to drop off my copy of the key with Levy, she only gave it to me to get the spice for our potion in case she wasn't home or asleep when I came. So knock it off."

"I think you both should knock it off." Gajeel rumbled ominously from the door, and shifted into the light, enjoying the shocked expression on both men's faces, "Preferably before you wake Levy up."

"Wh-who are you?" The orange haired one stuttered incredulously, and Gajeel felt a small surge of sympathy at the signs of heartache starting to appear in the man's eyes. He knew vividly what that felt like, even if it wasn't in this context, and he sympathized.

A little.

"Name's Gajeel." He rumbled and eyed both men challengingly, "Who the hell're you?"

To his credit, the orange haired man straightened up and met his gaze firmly, "I'm Jet." He replied, "I'm Levy's friend and teammate."

Gajeel gave him points for having a spine, and nodded, "So I heard." He grunted, "Whaddya want this early?"

Jet glanced at the clock that read 8:30am and winced, "Look, I'm sorry to intrude." He replied with only a hint of hard edged anger that was probably mostly self-directed, "I didn't realize Levy was seeing anyone, and I came by to pick up a special spice Levy makes. Let me pick some up and leave the key and we'll be gone."

Gajeel eyed him for a long moment before nodding. The orange haired brat seemed genuine, and Gajeel wasn't inclined to pour salt into a fresh wound over Levy. It was the brat's own fault he chose to play the idiotic modern courting games instead of making himself clear to Levy sooner.

Or perhaps he had and Levy had turned him down?

He didn't know, and frankly didn't particularly care regardless of sympathies. Levy was his lover now unless she chose not to be anymore. As far as he was concerned that was that.

Jet nodded and wandered into the kitchen, keeping a wary eye on Gajeel the whole time.

"So how long you two been going out eh?" Thibault smirked, drawing Gajeel's attention, "I mean, our little Levy is quite a tasty little catch but she's never given anyone the time of day. How'd you manage it?"

"Thiabult…" Jet growled warningly, but was ignored.

Gajeel leaned against the doorway in a deceptively relaxed pose, "Right place at the right time." He drawled blandly, "It doesn't hurt I know how to hold a conversation about books either."

"Enough to keep Levy entertained?" Jet commented from the kitchen, a faint smile creeping onto his lips, "That takes skill. She loses me five sentences in."

Gajeel eyed Jet and mentally revised his classification of the man from idiotic game player to genuine friend. Maybe the brat was a little in love with Levy, but Gajeel would bet his fangs that he valued the friendship more.

"Music and reading are hobbies of mine." He shrugged, "I can't keep up with 'er either when she gets into language, but the rest works well enough."

Jet nodded as he finished pouring out what was needed and neatly put the enhanced spice back up, "Alright that's what we came for." He walked over to Gajeel, "I doubt this means much to you... but if you hurt Levy at all..."

Gajeel grinned and decided he kind of liked the brat. It took a certain amount of spine to accept a loss with any kind of poise, much less what he was showing here.

"I hurt 'er and I won't even fight back." He promised.

A smile quirked at the corner of Jet's mouth and he nodded, tucking the jar neatly away into his satchel, "It was nice to meet you. Gajeel, right?"

"Likewise," Gajeel grunted and gave Jet another lingering look.

Thiabult wasn't moving though, frowning a bit as he considered Gajeel while Jet dropped the key on the counter and headed to the door.

"Gajeel huh, where have I heard that name before?" Thiabult asked, and Gajeel noticed a tightening around Jets eyes that told him the orange haired man had perhaps pegged him for what he was sooner than his friend had.

Gajeel shrugged but didn't let his gaze linger away from Thiabult, whose eyes were narrowing.

"Come on Thiabult, let's go. Don't be an ass," Jet spoke stiffly, grabbing his guildmates arm to tug him towards the door.

"No, no wait. Jet are you serious man, this complete stranger is in Levy's house and you're not even a little bit worried?" Thiabult sneered, yanking his arm from Jet.

"Yeah, her boyfriend," Jet rolled his eyes, "get over it and let's go or I won't share any of the spice with you."

This seemed to work, and Gajeel watched Thiabult consider it for a moment before he shrugged and headed back to the door with Jet. He orange haired man looked relieved for a split second, and Gajeel was a little impressed the man had realized he was a vampire.

He shouldn't have been too surprised. Levy had picked up on who he was immediately upon getting his name, and any teammate of hers would have to be able to recognize the names of Elders and Saints to be able to keep up with his sharp-minded lover.

And Gajeel realized that Jet wasn't covering for him — but he was covering for Levy.

Jet opened the door, letting only the barest amount of sunlight in as he slid out which Gajeel was grateful for.

Thiabult however had different ideas.

He flung the door open wide, and Gajeel couldn't stop the hiss of surprised pain when the sunlight smacked him right dead center with his sensitive eyes. He squinted against it and his lip curled up over his fangs in annoyance.

"A vampire! I knew it!" Thiabult crowed in shock, his hand thrusting out to summon a large, spiked looking mallet.

"Inside our Levy's house and in the middle of daylight too," Thiabult smirked, "you're an Elder ain'tcha or at least a strong leech?"

"Thiabult! Knock it off!" Jet shouted as he surged back forward. But Thiabult was already running at Gajeel and swinging his mace into the vampires face.

Gajeel lifted his hand up, catching the mace before it touched his nose, shooting the mortal an unimpressed glare. He could feel Thiabult straining to make contact, but Gajeel pushed his mace down like it weighed a feather.

"Jet! What're you standing there for, it's a vampire and who knows what it's already done to Levy?" He shouted back at Jet, "help me!"

Jet grabbed the back of Thiabult's shirt and yanked him back away from Gajeel.

It was somewhere in this confusion where A drowsy and irritated looking Levy came around the corner, wearing Gajeel's shirt from the previous night and looking extremely cross.

"What the hell is going on out here?" Levy growled.

All three men froze to look at her with varying degrees of sheepishness or indignation.

"Sorry Lev." Gajeel grunted, looking a cross between apologetic and annoyed, "Your teammate an' guild buddy came by for some spice."

"That shouldn't be cause for a fight!" Levy snapped, "What's the big idea anyway?" She glared at her guildmates, "I know Gajeel didn't pick a fight with you, so why are you two fighting in my house?"

"Levy..." Jet said tensely as Thiabult jerked away from him again.

"What's our idea?" He scoffed, "How about the fact you let a vampire in your house?"

Levy rubbed her eyes sleepily and yawned, "Yeah?" She replied unconcernedly as she shuffled over to the coffee pot, "So? He's my boyfriend. Put that stupid mace away."

"You know what he is?" Thiabult demanded incredulously, "What the hell Levy! Have you lost your mind?"

Levy's expression darkened, "No, but I might help relieve you of yours if you don't change that tone." She growled back, "Gajeel may be a vampire, but he's also been a perfect gentleman the entire time we've been dating."

"He's just using you so he can turn you!" Thiabult insisted, and Levy slammed her hand on the counter.

"Do I look like I've been turned to you?" She demanded harshly, dragging the neckline of Gajeel's shirt away so they could see her unmarked neck, "Has it never occurred to you that the so called 'dark' creatures aren't universally that? That maybe they're ordinary people who have been dealt a crappy hand?"

She glared up at him, "What if it happened to you?" She asked, "What if you were suddenly turned into a vampire huh? Do you honestly think that would automatically make you evil? Gajeel is a good man for all that he's sometimes crabby. He got dealt a shitty hand a long time ago but hasn't let it change who he is. Now both of you get out. I want some coffee, and waffles, and some snuggle time with my boyfriend before he has to go back home."

Jet reached out and grimly grabbed hold of a spluttering Thiabult, "Sorry about this Levy." He apologized, "Take as much time as you need. Droy and I will see you at the guild."

Unspoken was the promise that Jet would explain the situation to Droy before she arrived. And that he was still in her corner.

"Thank you," Levy sighed, giving Jet a small smile as he dragged Thiabult from her home. Once they were gone and Gajeel was locking the front door, Levy sagged against the counter and let out a breath of relief.

"I thought World War III was about to break out in my kitchen," Levy grumbled, leaning into Gajeel when he came up behind her to wrap his arms around her.

He dipped his nose into her throat, breathing in her scent and feeling her pulse flutter harsh in her throat. She had been scared, he noted with mild anger.

"Hey it's okay," Gajeel closed his hands over hers, feeling her fingers tremble in his gentle hold. She melted against him and turned around to press a kiss under his jaw.

"I know, I was worried Thiabult would cause trouble. I'm sorry Gajeel, I forgot I told Jet he could just come in the morning to pick up some stuff I promised," Levy reached up once he listened his hold on her hands to curl her fingers through the hair framing his face.

"Don't worry about me Lev, I can take care of myself," Gajeel said pointedly, "Your buddy Jet didn't seem too bad, but that other guy stinks of ambition." He scowled.

"He'd shoot a friend to crawl over their body," Gajeel said warningly, "take care around that one."

"I will," Levy promised, but backed away enough to hop up onto the counter so she could better meet his eyes.

"Do we have enough time for breakfast?" She asked hopefully.

Gajeel grinned at her, bending towards her and capturing her smiling lips into a lazy kiss.

"Yeah, I'm starving," Gajeel smirked, caging the giggling Levy in his arms as he descended on her.

—::—

Gajeel was worried.

He watched Levy sitting on the couch with Lucy tucked between her legs as she brushed her hair. His girlfriend was laughing about something with Lucy, the blond little girl giggling over a sly joke Levy told her. Natsu was sprawled over the couch behind Levy, his legs all over Gajeel's lap.

Levy had been coming over to his place more often, and it was extremely rare that he went to hers now. It was just a short train ride away to her place, so it wasn't a matter of inconvenience.

He knew Levy had been getting bad job assignments with her guild. She was being pushed from the better jobs and Gajeel suspected it was because of him.

Her guild was putting pressure on her. He knew it.

But Levy wasn't saying anything, and whenever he broached the topic with her she quickly changed it.

Something he would have to pin her down about as soon as he got a chance. Though he let it go for now. The fledglings didn't need to know about whatever drama Levy might or might not be having right now. Once they'd gotten over their initial shock and suspicion, they'd gotten attached.

Lucy especially liked having the older woman around, and Gajeel was pleased to see the sister bond forming between them. Lucy needed another woman around to help her with things he wasn't qualified to handle. Especially as Lucy grew older and her magic began to manifest more strongly.

"So how are your studies going?" Levy asked as she finished tying off the end of Lucy's new braid, "Last time I was here you said you were stuck on a passage from your great-grandmother's grimoire?"

Lucy frowned and nodded, "I still am." She sighed in frustration, "She made a memory journal like everyone else, but it still doesn't help understanding what she wrote down."

"What are you stuck on?" Levy asked curiously, ignoring Gajeel's weighted stare for now, "Maybe I can help translate?"

Lucy's expression lit up, "That would be great if you can!" She exclaimed and leapt up, "Hang on and I'll go get it! C'mon Natsu!"

"Why do I have to come?" Natsu complained even as he reluctantly pulled away from his comfortable position and climbed to his feet, "You're just going into the workroom."

"Because I said so." Came the pert reply and Natsu growled in offence.

"That's not a valid reason!"

"It is if I say it is!"

"That's not how it works!"

Levy giggled lightly as the pair bickered their way down the hall, "Those two are a handful." She smiled over at her boyfriend, "Is Natsu still being forced to go back sometimes?"

Gajeel nodded with a scowl, "Yeah. It's getting longer between trips, but they haven't developed Anna's knack for keeping him here all the time yet." He frowned a bit as he moved closer to her, "Levy, you know that ain't what I wanna talk about."

Levy sighed, and looked away, "I know."

"Tell me what's goin' on Levy." He pleaded, "I can't help if you don't."

She shook her head, "What could you do?" She asked reasonably and looked at him, "I'm being punished for falling in love with a vampire and not backing down when confronted about it. That's all there is to it."

"That can't be all there is to it." Gajeel insisted, "You wouldn't be so upset if it was."

Levy shook her head again, "It's not, but tell me, what good would the knowledge do you?" She met his eyes, "Really? You already worry about me. If you knew the details what would that do except make you mad? Something you absolutely cannot afford to be. For Lucy and Natsu's sakes if nothing else."

Gajeel grit his fangs, bristling under the cold hard facts Levy was laying out for him. They were like little barbs of truth designed to dig at his vulnerabilities. He closed his eyes before he collected himself and took her hands.

She was right. Damn her, she was. Lucy and Natsu were counting on him, and he couldn't afford to lose his temper and wage a one-man war against her guild and bring the weight of the council on them.

He had to keep Lucy out of their attention. At all costs.

But he didn't want that price to be Levy.

His heart ached painfully, his fangs baring into a furious snarl, "the very idea that you think I'd loose my temper makes me think things are worse than you're telling me they are."

Levy sighed and shook her head, arms wrapping around his shoulders and squeezing him into a tight hug.

"Stop it Gajeel, don't read into it," she whispered to him, "I'm okay. I just have to weather through this. The Master will back down after he sees I'm not going to give up."

"You hope," Gajeel pointed out roughly.

"I do," Levy admitted, "but what else can I do? They're my guild."

Gajeel bit his tongue, wanting to tell her to leave that terrible guild that was waging a war against their own guild member. But he knew he couldn't say anything at all.

They were her family. He knew that it would kill her to lose or leave them. It would be like telling her to leave her family for him.

The best she could do was stand her ground and hope things turned out for the best.

"Levy you need to promise me if you feel like things are getting bad in any way..." Gajeel growled to her, his arms hugging tight around her. His precious little mortal who had wiggled her way so thoroughly into his heart.

He couldn't bare the thought of anything happening to her.

"You call me right away and I don't care what I have to do, I'll get you here. Safe," he vowed.

Levy gave him a warm look, pecking a soft kiss to his scowling mouth.

"I promise," she whispered as the two kids stumbled back into the room shoving at one another.

"Give it back Natsu!" Lucy cried out.

"No! You'll drop it with those little stick arms of yours!" He cackled, But pouted when she managed to pluck it out of his hands. At the moment, Lucy was taller than Natsu, and she was bragging about it at every possible moment.

Something Gajeel knew would not last long. Natsu was going to catch up to her and very quickly.

So he let Lucy have her fun while she could still use Natsu as an elbow rest.

"So let's see this passage." Levy smiled as she pulled back from Gajeel, smiling at the way the kids looked somewhere between vaguely nauseous and blushing.

Lucy beamed and settled down next to Levy before cracking it open. She frowned down at it and Levy had to resist the urge to pluck it out of Lucy's hands and read it herself.

It was a tremendous sign of trust that Lucy even let her see her family's magic. Let alone read it.

"It's this spot here." Lucy said finally, pointing to a passage with a complex summoning diagram on the page next to it, "I can tell it's a summon of some kind, but it's not a familiar summon, and I can't understand what an ascended spirit is."

"Let me see..." Levy hummed as she poured over the entry curiously, "Ascended spirits sounds familiar..."

"Anna used to contract with them." Gajeel spoke up, "Outside of her familiar, they were her favorite contracts."

"Really?" Lucy asked eagerly, "What were they? I can't find a reference anywhere on them!"

"You ain't gonna outside of myths and legends." Gajeel chuckled, "Ascended spirits are just that. Spirits that have ascended beyond death. Most are the souls of mortals who were deemed worthy and offered the chance to aid and protect mankind from the heavens. The first twelve though, those are the zodiac. Legend has it they were created by the gods themselves to protect humans against the forces that would hurt them."

"Why would the contract with a necromancer?" Levy asked in fascination, "If necromancy is about balancing life and death..."

Gajeel shrugged, "The Zodiac make their own minds up about things. If I had to guess, I'd say light-sided necromancy falls very much in line with their mission. After all, a necromancer ain't gonna care about light or dark. Just who's doing the hurting and who's being hurt." He smirked, "It doesn't hurt necromancers have an easier time communicating with them. They can't be coerced though. Trying is just asking for trouble from 'em. And you gotta be powerful enough to do it."

He looked at Lucy, who practically had stars in her eyes, "You're strong enough blondie. Or you will be. Adding their contracts to your collection won't be easy, but if you can earn their respect you'll have real powerful allies." His lips twitched, "If Natsu'll get me that memory ball I'll show you Leo. Him an' Igneel were thick as thieves."

—::—

At Blue Pegasus, a face from Lucy's past was investigating the very topic of her current obsession. Karen Lilica was studying through an ancient tome that spoke of the Ascended Spirits.

They were the closest thing known to angels that they were aware of, said to be the truest neutral in picking their allies. Karen couldn't say she understood how that worked, especially since their swords always fell on the side of good.

It didn't really matter she decided, her heart racing with excitement as she cast her elementals out to respond with various tasks to ensure she would have everything she needed.

It was time to advance her own skills, and contracting with an Ascended Spirit would be a boon none would be able to compare her to.

"Quickly now," she ordered a fire elemental that was scorching intricate patterns on the wooden floor, "this is perfect. Thank you, good job."

She placed herself in the center of the summoning circle, her hands raising up as her magic warmed around her and pulsed in a wave.

This was it, it was time.

And she was going for the biggest out of all of the spirits short of the Celestial King himself. Their leader.

"Oh Regulus shining light, come forth from the heavens and grant me conference. I summon you to this plane, contract with me and grant me your holy strength," Karen chanted, her power bubbling over until her fingers clenched around it.

She slammed her palms down into the circle, her magic glowing bright over the burned lines as a light began to fill the circle.

Karen watched with awe as the magic turned gold, a gate opening before her eyes while a man's figure coalesced into being before her.

He stood with a straight back and shoulders back, wearing a well tailored suit that fit him remarkable well. The man watched her through a pair of glasses, his orange, wind blown hair shifting to reveal a pair of orange ears perched on his head.

"An Elemental Summoner," he noted, his eyes falling over Karen critically, "you summoned me, what do you want?"

"A contract!" Karen replied at once, "you are Leo, the leader of the Zodiac and holder to the star of Regulus!"

"I want you to make a contract with me," Karen spoke with an excitement that Leo didn't seem to reflect.

In fact the spirit seemed to give her an annoyed look as he stepped towards her, only waiting a moment while she rose to her feet.

"No," he said simply.

"What?" She burst out, not having expected such a cool and flat response from the lion.

"Why would you refuse me?" Karen demanded of him, the spirit only cocking his head towards her with a disinterested sort of politeness. However there was a sparking of anger building behind his eyes that she was blind to.

"I'm a light mage that has dedicated her life to abolishing all evil! I'm a perfect choice for you!" Karen growled angrily.

"A noble pursuit to be certain," Leo drawled to placate her but didn't seem interested in stroking her ego, "too bad it is colored by your prejudices. You have potential to wield our power to be certain, but you have been touched too deeply by the darkness to be worthy."

"Touched by the darkness?" Karen repeated.

Her expression twisted into one of rage and she clenched her jaw, "you mean that little necromancer and that demon? She must have cast a spell on me, corrupted me somehow — I don't feel any different but this must be her doing."

Leo gave her an incredulous look and a muscle in his neck twitched.

"Perhaps if you are referring to how you tried to kill an innocent little girl and a scared boy, then maybe," Leo snapped at her, finally done with the pretense of being a higher being.

"Now release the circle," Leo snarled at her, his eyes glowing with an angry golden light, "perhaps when you banish your own evil you'll be ready."

"Banish my own..." Karen's expression darkened, "There's nothing evil about me!" She shouted, "It's hardly my fault that little blond brat got into dark magic! Her idiot father should've known better! Especially with her family history!"

Leo gave her an unimpressed look, "At the moment that 'brat' is far more worthy of a contract with me than you ever will be." His eyes narrowed, "Now, release me!"

Karen lifted her chin angrily, "No." She snapped, "Not until you agree to make a contract with me!"

Leo glared at her and pushed forward to step calmly outside her circle, "Don't think that makes you safe." He growled lowly at her, perversely enjoying her shocked expression, "The terms of the circle dictate that I remain in this realm until either a contract is made or the circle is released. It doesn't specify to whom I make the contract."

He smirked and straightened up, suddenly looking deceptively relaxed, "So I think I'll go have a drink at your guild, maybe talk to that master of yours, and enjoy myself."

He flashed her a jaunty wave and turned his back on Karen in a blatant insult that she did not miss.

"Don't you dare walk out that door!" She raged, "Get back here now! I want a contract! Leo!"

When he didn't stop she fed her fire elemental more power, "Stop him! This will not end this way!"

Leo paused and glared over his shoulder fiercely as he raised a single glowing fist, "Do not think you can force anything here human." He growled, "I am the leader of the Zodiac. We contract only with those we deem worthy and nothing you say or do can change that. Fight me on this and you'll find out there will be consequences you won't like. Death is a perfectly valid way to cancel a summoning circle."

He watched with grim satisfaction as Karen paled, seeming to at last understand the gravity of the situation. Satisfied that the message had, at least temporarily, been received he turned and resumed his trek.

He was very much looking forward to speaking with Bob directly about young Lucy Heartfilia's whereabouts. The Zodiac had kept half an eye on that family since Anna had proved herself worthy of all twelve of them, interested to see if any of her descendants had the same potential, but they'd lost track of Lucy after her father's death.

It would be good to find her again and have a chance to judge her up close.

A contract with Karen was out of the question, but perhaps his stay here wouldn't be entirely unfruitful.