Author: YAY NEW CHAPTER! I'm going to bed now, I've had a crappy day, hope you guys enjoy it!
Ai felt heat flood throughout her entire body as Ace pressed his lips possessively against hers. Her head began to spin as her whole body tensed nervously. Her vision began to blur as black creeped further and further into her consciousness.
Ace felt the girl in his arms go limp suddenly as he pulled back. Smirking down at the blunette he lifted her unconscious body into his arms, cradling her close.
" O-Oh dear…" Rouge said nervously. " …Ace, baby, what have you done?"
" What you wanted, Mother." Ace said calmly.
" Oh man, of all the girls to pick, Ace!" Sabo said running a palm over his face. " It had to be her?"
" What?" Luffy asked hurriedly. " All he did was kiss her! It's not like he hasn't kissed a girl before."
" Ace, dear…are you sure?" Rouge said hurriedly.
" The human is mine now." Ace said possessively. Rouge noticed a predator like aura descend over her son. Flashbacks to when she and Roger first met. He had had that same look come over him more than a few times.
" What's going on?" Luffy asked nervously.
" Ace just claimed that human girl as his Bride." Sabo said nervously.
" His what?"
" His Bride, the vampire equivalent to a Mate." Sabo said watching the light bulb go off above his brother's head.
" Oh, so what's the problem."
" The problem is-"
CLICK!
SCHLING!
" That's the problem…"
Luffy looked up to see several guns, daggers and swords pointed at them. " Hey, this is my idea of a party!" He said excitedly, cracking his knuckles.
" What is the meaning of this, Lady Rouge." Thatch said, tightening his grip of the machetes he wielded.
" It isn't what it looks like, Thatch!" Rouge said hurriedly.
" What it looks like is that son of yours did something to Ai."
" Okay…may it is what it looks like." Luffy said grinning. " But come on, there's probably going to be a wedding! And those are happy occasions!"
" Luffy…shut up." Sabo said.
" But-"
" Not the best time right now."
" What's going on here?" A deep booming voice asked angrily. Everyone turned to see a giant of a man, muscular with long white hair and a distinctive white mustache walking towards them, a massive bisento grasped tightly in one large fist.
" Edward!" Rouge said hurriedly, stepping in-front of her son protectively.
" What has happened to my daughter, Rouge?" Whitebeard asked angrily, stopping firmly in-front of her, his black eyes locked coldly on her.
" It would appear she is my son's Bride." Rouge said hurriedly.
" His what?" Whitebeard growled low, his gaze intensifying on Ace. Rouge saw Ace tighten his hold on the girl in his arms, matching Whitebeard's gaze unflinchingly. She loved her son, but if he didn't watch himself he'd get everyone there killed.
" His Bride." Rouge said. " And you know what that means!"
" I kill the boy?"
" No, no you don't!" Rouge said, jaw setting firm as she glared up at him. " If you so much as touch my son I'll climb up there and fight you to the death!"
Edward Newgate raised a eyebrow as he stared down at the small woman in-front of him. He remembered her in her youth, just as stubborn and strong willed as she was now. He took that back, she was even more stubborn and determined now that she had a brat of her own to protect.
" Hand over my daughter and we will leave without any problems." Whitebeard said calmly.
" I don't think that is an option, Edward." Rouge said. " You know a newly found Bride and Groom cannot be separated for at least Three Moons or death will befall them both."
" Death?" Luffy asked worriedly. " Ace isn't dying!"
" That's correct, Edward! I'm won't allow my son to die! They stay together!" Rouge snapped.
" Then the boy comes with me."
" No I'm not." Ace said determinedly. " I'm not going anywhere with you."
" We're not leaving Ai here alone with you all!" Vista snapped pointing his sword at Ace. " Either you come freely or we drag you with us, boy!"
" You won't be taking my brother anywhere." Sabo said twirling a large pipe easily in his hands. " He's staying here, which means so will the girl."
" The boy comes with us." Whitebeard said angrily. Ace tighten his hold on his Bride as he saw Whitebeard's men begin to close in around them. He saw his brothers stand in-front of him.
" This doesn't have to be this way, Edward!" Rouge said hurriedly.
" Then have the boy come with us and there won't be an issue."
" You know Roger would never allow it!"
" Then we take him by force." Whitebeard said nodding to Thatch. Rouge saw the brown haired man walk towards Ace, machete raised. She felt the breath catch in her chest the closer he walked to her son.
CRASH!
Dust and debre filled the room suddenly as Ace saw several figures appear between him and Whitebeard's men. " I'd back away from the boy if I were you, Thatch." A deep male voice said.
" SHANKS!" Luffy said eagerly as he recognized a red figure in-front of them. Several men seemed to appear from no where as the dust began to settle. The most recognizable was one of Gol Roger's commanders, Red Haired Shanks. A tall, well muscled man with wavy slicked back red hair and black eyes. Across his left eye were three identical scars. He wore a white shirt that was only half way buttoned, exposing part of his muscular chest, black pants and boots. Over his shoulders was drapped a black cloak.
Beside him were a few other commanders of Roger's army; one dressed as a clown with long dark blue hair, a man wearing a large blue shirt with long black hair and round black sun glasses and beside him was a incredibly large and grizzled canine mink.
" Stand aside, Brat." Whitebeard said angrily. " I'm taking what's mine."
" You know I can't allow that, my lord." Shanks said calmly. " Allowing you to take my king's son and his Bride would mean my head. Which I like my head and so does a certain bar wench."
" I've no business with you, Brat. Get Roger out here now. He and I will settle this."
" You have my word that your daughter will come to no harm, Lord Newgate." Shanks said happily. " If she's to become young Ace's Bride, then she'll be treated with the upmost respect and dignity."
" Enough talk, I've asked nicely more times then I should." Whitebeard said lifting his weapon. " I'll take my daughter and the boy by force." He brought the blade down Rouge knew Shanks would never be able to dodge. And he didn't, he merely blocked the bisento with his sword. By blocking it caused a shock wave to come hurtling through the room, causing several large cracks in the floor, ceiling and walls; people were sent flying, screaming in fear.
" I'll say it again Whitebeard, back down." Shanks said calmly, his eyes revealing the anger that was surging through him.
" Please Edward," Rouge said worriedly. " Please calm down! We can talk this out peacefully."
" Please step back, Your Grace." The man in the blue shirt said, placing a gentle hand on her shoulders. " If any harm were to befall you-"
" I'm fine, Gaban!" Rouge said sternly, not removing her eyes from Whitebeard. " I'm not some delicate flower the requires constant shielding."
" That isn't what I meant, Your Grace." Gaban said hurriedly before the canine mink replied.
" Gaban means that we should move you and the princess to a more s-"
" No one's going anywhere." Marco snapped.
" Edward, you know I would never allow any harm to come to your daughter." Rouge said. " If she's to be my son's Bride then that means she'll be my daughter as well!" Whitebeard paused at the woman's words. " And I'd never allow someone to harm my nakama!"
" The girl'll merely be our master's ward until the flashy wedding day." The clown laughed cheekily.
" That's just a polite way of saying hostage." Vista growled angrily, causing the clown to laugh more.
" What a flashy deduction you've made, there. You're not as stupid as you look!"
" Shut up, Buggy!" Gaban snapped, slapping the clown upside the head.
" She's not a hostage!" Rouge said, glaring angrily at the clown. " We don't take children as hostages!"
" Then what would you call her, Your Grace?"
" She's my guest!" Rouge said, angrily crossing her arms. " And I expect her to be given the respect of one! No taunting or making crude jokes or comments to her! Or I'll know the reason why!"
" Oh course, Your Grace." Shanks said grinning calmly over at the small woman. " We'd never disrespect you in such a manner as to insult or mistreat a guest of yours."
" See Edward, she'll be perfectly safe here." Rouge said determinedly. " You have my word that no harm will befall her."
Whitebeard was silent for a while, taking in the seriousness of the situation. If it were true that Ai and the boy with Bride and Groom to each other then separating them could be deadly. He also knew that there would be know way he'd be able to take the boy with him without loss of life on both sides. He didn't want to risk his children's life but he knew they would be upset with him for not at least trying to retrieve Ai from the enemy.
Not that Roger himself or the rest of his family were his enemy, at the worst Roger was his rival. He also knew that Roger wouldn't allow any harm to come to Ai while she was under his protection. Roger didn't believe a child should be persecuted for the actions of their parents. It was a value that he himself shared.
He also knew that if Rouge said she'd keep his daughter safe then she'd keep her safe. He had never known her to break a promise once she's given her word. " You have three months." Whitebeard said coldly to Rouge. " After that I'll be taking my daughter home. Regardless of what you or your boy wish."
Rouge nodded in agreement. It was understandable that he'd be angry, she would be as well if she were in his place. To tell the truth she was a tad nervous with the whole situation herself. She had wanted Ace to find his Bride but she never would have imagined the girl would be Whitebeard's daughter. She was glad it wasn't one of the several vultures constantly circling around him, but she didn't even know anything about this girl.
" Alright Edward," Rouge said calmly. " You have my word that she'll be safe here."
Ace felt his hold on the small blunette lesson as he entered his bedroom. He hadn't realized what had come over him suddenly but when he caught the girl's scent it seemed to sex his blood afire. He had wanted to claim her as his right there. The only thing that had stopped him was the fact that he would terrify her and hate him for eternity…or until Whitebeard and his men killed him.
So he had stopped himself at the first step, knocking her out with his Haoshoku Haki. Yet he wanted another taste of her soft lips and more. He could hear the teasing sound of her blood pumping through her veins and he had to steady himself again.
Setting her down gently on his bed, he noticed her blue hair was a sharp contrast against the black sheets. Leaning over he removed her necklace and earring from her gently and placed them on his bedside nightstand. He reveled in the soft warmth of her skin. He had never really paid much attention to human women. Their lives were so fleeting that he had never thought them worth the effort, unless it meant getting a warm meal.
This one however he didn't want to take his eyes off her. She looked perfect as she lay there on his bed, hair muffled, lips slightly parted. Trailing his hands up her neck he pulled a long pin from her hair allowing it to fall quickly down past her shoulders. Placing the pin on the table beside her jewelry he caught another whiff of her scent. A low growl escaped him as had he forced himself to stop from claiming her lips again. He had to get a better sense of himself, he wasn't an animal after all.
KNOCK!
Walking to the door he opened it to see his mother standing there, looking slightly more pale then normal. " What is it?" He asked worriedly.
" Are you sure?" Rouge asked firmly, eyes locked on his. " Tell me you're sure about this."
" I am sure, Mother." Ace replied calmly. " What's wrong?"
" If you're not sure and you're using that girl then you-"
" Mother, I'm sure. What's wrong?"
" The only reason we are not all dead right now with you in chains is that Edward Newgate loves his children and wouldn't do anything to harm them." Rouge said. " He knew starting a fight here tonight would have resulted in many of his children's deaths, but know this if you are using that girl then he will return in Three Moons and will kill us all and put our bodies on display. His children are his treasure and no one lives once they have harmed one, whether emotionally or physically."
Ace noticed his mother begin to tremble. He had never once seen her this way before. " I am sure, Mother." He said gently pulling her against him.
" You know I would die to protect you, Ace." Rouge said softly, hugging her son tightly. " But I'll throttle you to within an inch of your life myself if your messing around here." Ace smiled as he buried his face comfortingly into his mother's hair.
" I know, Mother."
