Once Gajeel and Juvia had dragged Gray out of the monastery, Lucy found herself able to move again. She made her way toward Natsu who was pinned to the floor by all the blades Gajeel had stabbed him with. Her hand trembled as it moved toward him to check if he was still alive. Well as alive as an undead vampire can be. Her fingers were just centimeters from his face when he opened his blood red eyes and looked up at her. She flinched back a little due to being startled.

"So you are alive." She said.

"Not for long." He said weakly. "I've lost too much blood. I won't last much longer."

"Erza is here and she'll be able to help you."

"It'll take her hours to get the blood ready."

"What do you mean?"

"It's a process. The blood must be fresh and heated to body temperature before I drink it otherwise it's effects will do nothing. It's funny really...That I'm dying in a monastery. A house of God, considering that's the last place I ever saw myself in to begin with."

Lucy looked at him with eyes of pity. She didn't know why but she didn't want him to die which was strange considering that he was both a blood thirsty monster and a stranger to her but still she didn't want him to die.

"How much blood do you need?" She asked.

"A pint full should be enough." He said.

She swallowed hard then grabbed one of the blades that was in his back.

"Sorry, this might hurt." She said.

"What are you- AHHH!" He howled in pain when she jerked that blade out of him. "What the hell? What are you doing?"

"You said that you needed fresh blood that was at body temperature right?"

"Yeah."

She rolled up part of her sleeve, took that blade, and slit her wrist with it. She seethed at the sensation of the throbbing in her arm and the warm red blood spilling out of it.

"In that case drink up." He held her wrist toward him.

"Are you crazy?"

"Probably but I'm your only chance to live right now so drink."

"You're actually giving me your blood?" He said not sure that he heard correctly. "You're willingly letting me drink your blood?"

"Why else would I slit my wrist? Now hurry before I faint."

Without any further hesitation he took hold of her wrist and placed his mouth over her wound, then began to suck the blood from it. Lucy closed her eyes, she couldn't bear to see this. It felt so weird. She had expected him to rip through her like some wild animal but he was surprisingly gentle about it. He didn't even bite her. Finally his mouth released it's hold on her.

"How do you feel?" She asked him.

"I'll live."

"Good."

She felt lightheaded. The shock and horror of witnessing all this combined with giving up a pint of her blood was too much for her. She fainted. Natsu having regained some his strength back, was able to catch her falling body and gently lay it on the floor. He then tore off part of his sleeve and binded her wrist with it to stop any further bleeding. He still couldn't believe that she had willingly given him her blood. Only one other person had done that for him and it was Erza. Blood being offered had a much different effect on him than blood being taken. For one thing it didn't make him feel as guilty about drinking it and another reason was it made him feel like there was someone out there who actually cared if he lived or died.

"Natsu!" Speaking of Erza, she had just walked in carrying a pint of fresh blood ready to be given to him. "Thank God you're still alive. I was so sure that your life would be forfeit by the time I arrived."

She looked over at Lucy's unconscious form.

"What happened to her?"

"She just lost a pint of blood." Natsu said.

Erza looked at him in terror.

"Natsu you didn't." She said.

"Relax I didn't have the strength to bite her. She cut herself and gave me her blood."

"Really? She did it of her own free will? You didn't use any mind tricks to convince her?"

"Come on Erza, you know me better than that." He chuckled. "As if I would resort to such a pathetic tactic."

"So she just chose to give you her blood?"

"As crazy as it sounds yes. Had she not you would have been too late. Apparently she didn't want me to die tonight."

"Well in that case we owe her a debt of gratitude but we can get around to that later. Right now let's focus on fixing you and Gray."

"What about that priest? What happened to him?"

"He'll be coming with us for interrogation but Juvia is positive he's not the one we're looking for."

"What makes her so sure?"

"She knows him."

"Big surprise."

"Hold still and I'll pull these out."

As she pulled out each blade out of his back it hurt like hell. But he just bared his fangs and endured it while drinking the pint of blood Erza had brought him. It did make him stronger but the taste and sensation of it was nothing compared to Lucy's. Her blood was better than any wine, water, or meat that he had ever tasted in his entire life. It burned in his throat, boiled in his stomach, and teased his inner desire. It was like drinking pure gold. He couldn't remember the last time he had drank blood that was even close to being that sensational.

At long last Erza finished removing the blades and helped him walk back to vehicle which took them back to the organization to get the boys fixed up and to interrogate Gajeel.

"I already told you I don't make human sacrifices." He said. "Such a heathenous act is against my religion."

"Then what were you doing going to an abandoned monastery every night?" Erza asked.

"I was gathering nettles."

"Nettles?"

"Sharp plants that only grow on holy ground such as graveyards which are commonly found around churches and monasteries."

"What do you need those plants for?"

"Not me perse. Mother Mcgarden."

"She teaches the members of the church how to make medicine and ointments using natural resources in case we get hurt or sick and there's no hospital nearby." Juvia answered. "He's been collecting them for her for years. You have to believe him."

"Alright so maybe he's not sacrificing humans but you almost killed my agents." Erza said.

"I'm an exorcist lady, it's my job to kill monsters." Gajeel retorted.

"They're not monsters and I won't allow anyone to refer to them as that."

"They're a vampire and a devil! What else could you refer to them as?"

"You don't even know them!"

"What's there to know? One thrives on human blood and the other is an abomination of Satan. And trust me I know more about one of them than you realize!"

"Enough please!" Juvia said. "Erza can I talk to you for a minute? Alone?"

They left the interrogation room to speak privately.

"Erza you have to understand that while Gajeel acted rashly he thought he was up against two forces who were a threat to humanity. I'll see to it this doesn't happen again." Juvia explained.

"And he'll actually listen to you?" Erza asked.

"Yes. He will because if he doesn't I'll never speak to him again and he can't bear that."

"Juvia how exactly do you know this man? Are you close?"

"Closer than you think. To put it blankly he was my guardian up until I was eighteen."

"Oh...Wait a minute you mean to tell me that you were raised by him?" She said pointing toward the gruff and aggressive looking man that was behind the screen. "I thought you were brought up by other nuns?"

"Legal wise the sisters of the Kardia Order were charged with my care but it was him who fed me my bottle of milk, rocked me in my cradle, taught me how to walk, put a bandaid on all my boo-boos, taught me how to shoot my first gun, and trained me in exorcism from the very moment I turned twelve. The reason why he wasn't declared my guardian legal wise was because he was only eight when he started taking care of me."

"Eight years old? That's very young."

"He was very mature for his age...Most of the time. Look he won't be anymore trouble. Just let me talk to him."

"Alright."

"Thank you."

She then went back into the interrogation room to speak with Gajeel. While that was going on she went to check on Lucy who had just woken up.

"How are you feeling?" Erza asked her.

"Still a little light headed but I'm feeling better." She answered.

"That's a relief."

"How's Natsu and Gray?"

"Natsu was better again in no time at all. Gray has a few hurt areas but he'll be fine by tomorrow. He takes a little longer to heal than Natsu."

"So they're going to be fine?"

"Yes."

"Thank goodness."

"I still can't believe you just gave your blood to Natsu."

"I..I had no choice. If I didn't he would have died."

"And you cared about that?"

"Yes. Don't you?"

"Of course but I thought I was the only one. Glad to see that someone else cares about him."

"Where is he now?"

"Sleeping. It's almost morning but he went out and picked up something from a local store. Told me to give it to you." She handed Lucy a small box. "He didn't want me to tell you who it's from but I think it's stupid to keep gift givers anonymous.

Lucy looked down at the box Erza had given her. What gift had Natsu picked up for her? She opened the box and unwrapped the paper inside to find a Victorian style brooch made from gold, embittered stones on the edge, and had a star engraved on the pendent.

"I guess he felt sorry that you had lost your mother's brooch." Erza said. "He and I both know it won't replace the one you lost but he thought that maybe it would make the loss heal better."

"He actually bought this for me?"

"Natsu may not act like it all the time but his heart is as golden as that brooch." Erza then made her way toward the door. "Well I better leave you to rest. You've had a long night."

With that said she left the room.