Chapter 2
Marco paused, trying to recall where he had heard that name before. It had been many years ago, and it made him feel loved. He frowned, but forced the thoughts away. He was being rude, he had a lovely creature pinned against his wall, with such a sweet scent. He had never had a Fire Elf before, they were rather rare, and Marco couldn't wait to drink from him.
He could smell the poison lingering within though. Designed to kill vampires, and he couldn't help but chuckle. Marco planted a kiss on the sweet elf's neck, before leaning back. Grey eyes were glazed, the pretty thing's thoughts clouded by an enchantment, though he could feel the hunter trying to fight it off, his willpower pushing back. Marco smiled, and licked those lovely long ears. That was any elf's weak point. Ace gasped against him, before growing lax once more.
Marco sucked on the pointy tip of the ear, smirking at the moan he got in return. The firefly was growing excited, and Marco couldn't wait to devour this feast. Of course, the poison would ruin the moment. It was designed to kill vampires, so Marco would have to wait.
Suddenly fire exploded from Ace, and his willpower soared. Marco braced himself, blue flames soothing the orange flames back, earning a startled gasp. Ace was wide awake, no longer compliant, and it made Marco sigh. He had been enjoying the sweet thing too. Marco's blue flames coaxed the orange down, and those flames made Marco feel hungry, almost starved even. He wanted Ace. Damn, he wanted him so badly. To claim him, sink his teeth in and mate him properly.
But Marco already had a soulmate, though that had been thousands of years ago. The memory of them was too far away now, too distant, so with a soft sigh Marco frowned at his captive.
"Coherent now, are you?"
"You..." Ace looked baffled. "How... Blue flames?"
"Ah, yes," Marco chuckled. "A special trick yoi. Maybe we'll talk about it some time, after some dinner and bedding?"
Ace's cheeks flushed, and Marco purred at the scent of his blood rushing to them. "Like hell!"
.::.
Those blue flames. They felt safe and secure, and no matter how hard Ace tried to push out his own fire, it melted against the blonde's flames. Fire killed vampires. He didn't understand how his hadn't worked against this damn thing.
A pair of lips covered his own, and Ace groaned. The kiss was sweet and careful, almost loving, and he almost yielded to the fog that tried to cloud his thoughts once more. Not this time though, this time Ace pushed back, tried to wriggle within the vampire's grasp again, but his grip hadn't loosened.
Suddenly the world moved and he was somewhere dark. First thing he felt was thick leather straps twisting round him, and that he was seated, dangling in the air. Ace gasped. Leathers straps were wrapped around his upper chest, and they were bound to a rope hooked into the ceiling. He was seated on some thick straps, bound across his waist and thighs, and they too were bound to the same rope hooked to the ceiling. He wriggled, but his ankles were bound as were his wrists. His arms were pressed tightly to his back.
The blonde vampire smirked at him, and tugged the ropes. Ace groaned as the straps tightened, before scowling.
"Comfy yoi?"
"Asshole. Untie me," Ace spat. "I swear, I'm going to kill you when I get out of this!"
"How so? I've already searched you and took all your weapons," the vampire purred.
Ace shivered when it's warm hand stroked his thigh. He still had his trousers and t-shirt, but his jacket was gone, as were all his weapons. Wait. How could a vampire have a warm hand? They didn't have blood. It shouldn't be warm. Dammit, it was all too confusing, and this vampire was way too fast.
Sabo would also be looking for him in about an hour. If he got caught by the blonde vampire they'd be done for. Akainu wouldn't know that they had been captured for about two weeks, because neither of them ever sent a report to him.
Ace had fucked up. He had fucked up so badly-
A gentle kiss on his neck distracted him.
"Shh, don't linger on upsetting thoughts," the vampire murmured. "You look distressed."
"Bite me!" Ace snarled.
"Don't worry, I will. Not now though. You have too much vampire poison in your bloodstream for me to risk it. No matter how tempting you are yoi," the blonde murmured.
"Fuck. How old even are you?" Ace scowled.
Because it shouldn't have been able to smell out the poison. It should have sunk it's teeth into Ace's neck, and died. In fact, it shouldn't have been even able to step outside. But it had. It had ran out and grabbed Ace, dragging him inside. Now that he had thought about it. He had been in a bright, sunny spot. Not in the cool shade.
He froze. This vampire couldn't be... No, Ace told himself insistently. He couldn't have that much bad luck, right?
The blonde hummed. "I think I'm about seven thousand, three hundred, and ten years old. It's hard to keep track of though."
Ace shivered. He was an ancient vampire. They had walked in on an ancient vampire. There was no way they could beat him. Fuck, they needed the whole Guild here for this, or at least the powerhouses.
"I don't understand... Why are you even here?" Ace frowned.
"I wanted to drink, and well, this cute little village has some of the best wine in the world," the vampire sighed, still idly stroking his thigh. "You see, sweetheart. I'm missing something. A memory from a very long time ago, that used to show me my mate, but well, thousands of years passed, and despite being immortal, even I can forget things."
"Your mate?" Ace asked quietly.
"Yes, firefly," the blonde chuckled. "Us vampires, once we mark a person as ours, and they accept it in return of course, gain them as our soulmate."
"I already told you my name. Stop insisting on the stupid nicknames!"
It laughed. "You're still arguing with me despite that fact you now know I'm an ancient vampire? How very bold, little one."
"Somebody will stake you, even if you've caught me. You know more of us will come in bigger numbers," Ace sneered.
The blonde smirked. "I know. It's been so long since I've been hunted. It's quite exciting."
"You want to be hunted?"
"If it brings me such pretty things to enjoy? Then yes. Definitely yes yoi."
The blonde approached his head, it's hand leaving his thigh, which surprisingly sent a twinge of disappointment through him. Ace didn't understand why, he should be relieved, and dammit, this vampire was messing with his head. A pair of lips once more covered his own, and before Ace could protest, a tongue slipped in, and Ace moaned.
The vampire pulled away, smirking.
"Be good while I'm gone yoi. I'm going to go have fun with another pet, since you're a bit poisonous."
Instantly the vampire was gone, and Ace struggled until he grew too exhausted to. He went limp against the ropes. A soft, padded leather piece met the back of his head, cradling it, and Ace frowned. The restraints were comfortable.
"Dammit," Ace huffed.
He couldn't reach anything. He was hanging completely off the ground, seated in the air by straps, and bound so tightly that wriggling did nothing except tighten his restraints.
The damn vampire knew what it was doing, and that was just frustrating.
.::.
"Marco has met the hunter."
"I hope the hunter isn't Akainu, otherwise we might be down a Chosen one."
Robin looked up from the glyphs, to where Crocodile scowled down at the brightened symbols in disdain. Dragon merely sighed. The sand elemental's brow was furrowed, while the dwarf merely smiled.
"No, I feel it. This is a Portgas," Dragon said. "It's Rouge's child. Portgas D. Ace."
"Look, I know Rouge will always haunt us from the grave," Crocodile drawled. "But are you sure it's the kid? He's a very young elf, in his society's standard, and for being a hunter. He's only twenty-two."
Robin considered that point. Hunters weren't normally sent out until they were twenty-six, but the Portgas child had been hunting since he was seventeen, alongside his Guardian of course.
There were a few brightened runes on the table, the Fighter and the Leader, the Witch and the Princess, the Healer and the Demon. Everyone had met at least one person, and Dragon grinned.
"I just have a feeling, Crocodile."
"She used to blame me for seducing you."
"I thought I seduced you?" Dragon blinked.
"Dragon, you're incapable of flirting with someone," Crocodile reminded him.
"Dad! Father!" Monkey D. Luffy flew into the room laughing, colliding with both his parents.
The three all went crashing to the ground, and Robin winced in sympathy. Crocodile grumbled as he sat up, while Dragon sighed. Monkey D. Luffy was a strange dwarf. He had been cursed as a child by a witch, who had tried to turn Luffy into a rubber band. Crocodile managed to stop it just in time, but some of the properties of a rubber band remain with Luffy still. Many witches had advised Luffy not to use his abilities, because they weren't understood, but he loved coming up with new fighting techniques with them.
It had certainly brought out a few new interesting scenarios.
"Luffy, I told you not to do that," Crocodile huffed. "My hook is poisonous. One day I swear you're going to collide with it."
"You gave me the antidote though!" Luffy grinned.
"Still doesn't mean I want you to be poisoned."
"Dad, Dad, Dad, are we calling for the others yet?" Luffy asked, instantly whirling round to Dragon, who sighed. Crocodile muttered something about being ignored.
"I'm not sure yet, Luffy. The moment we call for all the Chosen will be when the beacons across the kingdom are lit. That would give the Old God a heads up that we're coming together, or are together, depending on what we do."
"Teleport them in! Shishishishishi," Luffy demanded.
"If we could quietly get word to them, that should lessen the amount of people who know about you," Robin smiled. "I could send word out?"
"That would be good, Robin. Send word to Zoro, Vivi, and Thatch. If we're lucky, Thatch can get into contact with Marco," Dragon said, his brow furrowing. "The Gods know he never keeps in contact, but that's not exactly his own fault..."
Crocodile sighed. "The bird's still mourning. He doesn't show it, and sure, he has calmed down over the years, but he's still wild."
"At least he's no longer in a blood frenzy," Dragon said.
"So, how do we get into contact with the others?" Robin asked.
"That is something we'll need to discuss with the Chosen we currently know-"
.::.
Dragon felt a wave of magic at his back, and froze. Crocodile's face drained of blood, despite the fact he was an elemental being, and shouldn't be capable of doing that. As one, they turned around slowly to face the Chosen Alter, where their son had his hand pressed up against the giant talisman that summoned all known Chosen ones.
"He gets it from your side of the family," Crocodile said instantly.
Dragon sighed as a bright light engulfed them all.
A few seconds later six voices began to complain.
"It's so bright!"
"What the hell?"
"NOT AGAIN! I WAS TRYING TO MARRY THE LOVE COOK DAMMIT!"
Dragon winced. They had interrupted the demon's wedding. Again.
"Dammit, I didn't want to be involved in this again yoi!"
The light faded, and before him stood six Chosen. The beacons across the kingdom would be lit, and people would be rejoicing that they had eight new heroes, all while dreading the return of the Old God.
Dragon could hear his son's laughter, before spotting a golden hook catching him and dragging him away. He heard Crocodile mutter something about a 'naughty corner' while his son wailed. Instantly what Dragon assumed was the Hunter tackled Marco, throwing them both to the floor, all while snarling.
"Asshole! What did you do now?"
"This ain't me yoi!"
"I was in the middle of a meeting..." Vivi blinked. "Well... I guess it's over now?"
"I WAS JUST ABOUT TO REACH THE TREASURE!" a red haired girl screeched. "JUST ONE MORE STEP!"
"Well, that was good timing," a dark haired man mused. "I nearly got captured."
Dragon needed more coffee before he could deal with any of this. He decided to put all the blame on his father, because it was his fault Luffy was this chaotic. At least, Dragon swore it was.