At six o'clock Lucy and Juvia returned to Erza's manner for dinner. When Gray didn't show up, Erza insisted that Juvia go get him. She was hesitant to do so but complied. She went down to his room and gave a polite knock on the door.
"Excuse me Gray." She said.
"Go away!" He shouted.
She opened the door and went inside anyway.
"Erza wanted me to tell you that dinner is ready." She said.
"I don't care. I'm not hungry."
Just then his stomach made a growling noise.
"Your stomach says different." She said. "Come on, don't starve yourself."
He looked at her suspiciously.
"What are you up to?" He asked.
"Nothing. Erza told me to come and get you. Look it's fair to say that you don't like me."
"Oh it's way more than fair."
"And I understand that you're mad-"
"Mad? I think mad is far too timid. I am seething. Seething with pure rage! The humiliation of me having to serve a little girl like you! It's bad enough that I was bound by a child once but twice!"
"I am not a child! I am twenty-one years old!"
"Whatever! If I didn't need to keep my temper under control you'd be sorry that you ever met me!"
"I already am sorry but there's nothing we can do about it now. Like it or not we're going to be working with each other for awhile so why can't we be friends? Or at least acquaintances?"
"Doesn't your religion forbid you from fraternizing with devils?"
"Yes and no. We're not supposed to take part in devilish actions but we're supposed to extend kindness to everyone. "
"How touching." He said sarcastically. "But you should know this isn't a touching business. Do you even know what we do here?"
"Sort of."
"Well let me give you an explanation. We hunt down and kill devils, vampires, and other creatures of the occult who prey on humans. And by kill I mean kill. Take their life, destroy them, put an end to their existence."
"I know what kill means."
"Clearly not because if you did you would back out."
"What makes you say that?"
"Obviously you're not fit for the job."
"Excuse me?"
"Listen nun girl praying and being all holy like will not get rid of creatures who go after humans. You have to be tough to do this job."
"I can be tough."
"Oh really? So tell me sister what would you do if a devil had you completely trapped?"
His question was answered when Juvia pointed a gun in his face.
"I would shoot him in the face." She said.
"What the- What are you doing with a gun? I thought you church people didn't use weapons."
"You know just because we're not too fond of violence doesn't mean we'll let something or someone just kill us." She said. "I wasn't brought up in some ordinary Catholic church. I was raised in one that taught me not only how to perform exorcisms and but also how to eliminate devils with a specially built gun that fires specially built bullets. You know these bullets won't even scratch human skin but they can break every bone, artery, and organ in a devil's body."
"Oh...How interesting." He said feeling his earlier jerk like demeanor fall. "Would you mind not pointing that at me?"
"Calm down the safety is on." Juvia lowered her gun. "Bottom line is I know how to defend myself against a devil. But to be honest I oppose the use of violence to solve conflict unless it's absolutely necessary."
"What kind of crazy church do you attend?" Gray said.
"The Kardia Order. Best place to find an exorcist and their services are free. Mother Mcgarden insists that there is no price to help those in need."
"Never heard of the place or this Mother Mcgarden lady. Is she your actual mother?"
"No. She's the mother superior."
"Huh?"
"The head of the nunnery and one of my teachers. Father Redfox says that she can be a pill but I think he likes her more than he lets on."
"Redfox?" He said.
"He's the head of the church militia."
"The church has a militia?"
"Unorthodox I know but it's proven to be very useful."
"Redfox..." Gray said thinking. There was something very familiar about that name but he couldn't put his finger on it. Why did the name tease a memory of his?
"Something wrong?" She asked.
"No just thinking about something."
"So will you be coming to dinner?"
"I don't have a choice do I?"
"I'd like to think that you do but Erza told me to tell you that if you don't come she'll hurt you."
"Like I said I don't have a choice do I?"
So reluctantly he went with her upstairs to have dinner. However Lucy and Juvia weren't prepared to watch how Natsu and Gray ate their meal. For one thing their food consisted of something fleshy and full of blood. And they ate like a pack of ravenous wolves, tearing through the meat and licking up as much blood drippings as they could get.
"I'm not so hungry anymore." Lucy said. "What exactly are they eating?"
"Liver, lungs, and a heart."
Lucy and Juvia looked at her in horror.
"Relax they're the liver, lungs, and heart of a pig and a bull." Erza assured them.
"It doesn't look all that well done." Juvia observed.
"That's because it's not cooked."
"They eat it raw?" Lucy said
"Of course. Raw protein is very healthy for them. Makes both their bones and skin stronger and easier to heal. And the bloodier the better."
"It gives it that special flavor." Natsu said licking the blood from his fangs.
"I think I'm going to be sick." Lucy said turning a little green.
"I agree they're table manners are repulsive." Erza said. "Really boys, can't you eat in a more civilized manner?"
"We can we just choose not to." Natsu said.
"Slobs." Lucy mumbled under her breath.
Once everyone had eaten Erza began their discussion.
"So the issue is that there have been many vampire attacks taking place and I have reason to believe that they're linked." Erza explained.
"Why do you think that?" Natsu asked.
"At each scene of an attack, whatever blood remains is used to make a symbol and it's always the same one. This could be a cult or legion at work here."
"Any living witnesses?"
"None so far. Investigation begins tomorrow night so you all better get some sleep."
"Hold on what are we doing?" Lucy asked.
"You and Juvia will be joining us on our investigation. Don't worry you'll both be well protected and I trust that you both know how to defend yourselves?"
"Yes." Juvia said holding up her gun to prove a point.
"Whoa you use a gun?" Natsu asked.
"Only in a dire situation but yes. The Kardia Order is a firm believer in peace but also in self dense so it is mandatory that all members learn how to use a firearm."
"Hmm...You know I like this nun."
"Well maybe Juvia can defend herself but I can't." Lucy said. "Before the other day I thought vampires and stuff like that were all just stories used to scare kids. Now I find out that not only do they exist but I have to fight them?"
"I'm surprised your family never told you." Erza said. "You do come from a long line of vampire hunters. On your father's side that is."
"I know for a fact that my father never hunted vampires."
"Probably because he didn't believe in it. If I remember correctly your father never was open to the idea of the super natural."
"Couldn't this be a mistake? I'm pretty sure my family has never had anything to do with vampires."
"It's no mistake. You are the granddaughter of Archibald Heartfilia. The one and only hunter who was able to defeat the greatest vampire in the world."
"I still can't believe I was beaten by an old man." Natsu said feeling humiliated.
"The Heartfilia family was the best in the business." Erza said. "And the greatest of them all was your grandfather. At least that's what I've read in the books."
"Books?"
"Your ancestors did not want the world to forget the existence of vampires and to always be wary of them so they wrote books telling of how to defeat vampires." Erza pulled a book with a hard leather cover from one of the shelves in the living room. She then handed it to Lucy. "Your grandfather wrote this copy. It will tell you everything you need to know about vampires."
"Thanks. I hope reading this will help me."
"I'm sure it will. Now then I believe you two should go home and get some rest. You have very big night tomorrow."
The girls thanked Erza for dinner and left the house to return to the car. Natsu and Gray watched them from the window.
"What do you think of them?" Gray asked Natsu.
"That blonde is definitely related to Archibald. She has the same attitude as him. That high class arrogant manner."
"I don't really see her as arrogant but she does carry a certain air about her. Of course that's common in all rich people."
Gray's eyes then turned from Lucy to Juvia and his gaze did not leave her until she got into the vehicle and it drove away.
"Looks just like her doesn't she?" Natsu said in teasing manner.
Gray's eyes flashed that chilling silver color and he moved to grab Natsu's throat but he quickly moved out of the way.
"Oh did I strike a nerve?" Natsu asked.
"Shut up!" Gray snapped. "How dare you mention her after what you did!"
"After what I did? What the hell did I do?"
"Don't pull that shit with me! You know very well what you did! And as God as my witness I'll never forgive you for it! What you did was the ultimate betrayal!"
"What I did was the ultimate betrayal?! What about you?!"
"I didn't do anything to betray you!"
"You picked that great big heavenly hypocrite over me! You swore that you would always be loyal!"
"I was loyal to you til that day! That day you took everything that ever mattered to me! And when the day comes that Erza finally releases us from her contract I will kill you!"
"Ditto for me!"
They gave each other one more glare of pure hate before retiring for the night.