The comforting smell of ink and paper was the first thing he noticed as he carefully opened the set of heavy oak and iron braced doors before him. Strangely enough he felt no hunger at the smell of the iron, but realized that it smelled exactly like his own. Taking a moment to peer closer at the doors in the dim light, he could see the faint trace of a mixed language carved into the grain of the wood, carrying with it the slightest hint of Levy's smell. Feeling his lips curve slightly, he continued through the doorway to find himself in a large open aired room lined with shelves and endless books. The smell of his iron was much stronger here, and he could see multiple, elegantly made, tables, chairs, lamps, and benches throughout the room. Taking a step closer to peer at the closest shelf, he could see that it was made of iron as well, molded to appear as vines, swirls, and flowers. The burst of pride he felt as he saw the work he had done with his iron for the books that his shrimp loved had his chest swelling with emotion.

He could smell her there, lingering on the books, stronger on some. Breathing deeper, he could tell that she was there from how strong it was coming from a hidden corner of the room. Passing quickly by the different furniture which he quickly found was all made from his iron, and cushioned with endless pillows and blankets, he paused at the end of one bookcase to peer around the corner, a full grin spreading across his face at what he saw.

He had seen this before many times, but still he knew he would never get tired of it. The sight of his shrimp curled up in an overlarge iron chair with a blanket wrapped around her, legs draped over an chair arm, and thick book nestled in her lap was a favorite of his. And he knew from just looking that she was lost in whatever she was reading, so he'd be able to sne-

'I know you're there Gajeel.' Levy murmured, knowing her low voice would reach his sensitive ears. The grumbled curse that came from the end of the row had her smiling slightly as she tilted her head up ever so slightly to see him come around the edge of the case with a scowl on his face.

'How did you know I was there shrimp? Your hearing isn't as strong as mine.' He asked with a slight pout as he walked to her before kneeling down in front of the chair.

'It's not, but we're mates. I've always known when you were around in some way. It soothes me.' She said softly, lifting a hand to run her fingers over his cheek. Her smile spread further when he pressed into her hand, a soft purr rumbling from him as his eyes fell shut. Opening his eyes once more, he eyed the book in her lap for a moment before reaching out to close it, making note of the page she was on. Reading the cover of the book, he felt his eyes widen before looking at her once more, her gaze locked on her hands in her lap.

'Soul bonds shrimp? I thought we discussed this.'

'We did. Kinda. Right before-'

'Before Lucy and Loke grabbed me.' Gajeel breathed, looking at his surroundings once more. He had noticed when he had first come in that the room had an odd dreamy, other worldly feel to it, but he had brushed it off as being safe since he had recognized his iron, and Levy's smell on the books. 'Shrimp? Where are we?'

'I'm not entirely sure…but….we're in two places at the same time I know that much. We, me and the others found you, but something happened to send you and I here. Gajeel, I know you think that I'm strong enough to live life without you if something happened to you….but I can't. Losing you, and being left behind like that isn't something I can do, and honestly, I don't want to. If I'm going to be with you, I want it in every sense of the word.'

'Levy.'

Gulping, she raised her eyes to find the heated ruby gaze staring intently at her.

'If we're where I think we are…you know what that means….we've been hurt….fatally.' He said gruffly, his head and gaze dropping in shame. 'I didn't protect you like I was supposed to.' Feeling her small hands cradle his head, he lifted his gaze to hers once more. The amount of love and tenderness he found staring back at him had his breath stalling in his lungs, making him light headed.

'Gajeel, you metal brained idiot, I don't care about that, as long as I'm with you. As long as we can have our soul bond, then we'll find each other again. As long as I don't have to live my entire life without you….whichever life that might be, I don't care if I die a thousand times as long as I know you'll be there with me. Please Gajeel, give me this.' Levy said quietly, leaning forward to nuzzle her cheek against his, her soft voice teasing his ear.

Blinking quickly to stem the moisture threatening to escape his eyes, a ragged breath leaving his lungs, Gajeel raised his arms to bring her tightly against him. 'I don't deserve you Levy.' He growled, burying his nose in her hair. Her responding giggle had a smile teasing at his lips again.

'You may not deserve me Gajeel….but I deserve you. And someday you'll see that you do deserve me.' Levy answered. Grinning wickedly against his ear, she nipped at his lobe, loving the feeling of him tensing and shuddering against her. Neither of them noticed the book landing and falling open on the floor beside them.

'Be careful what you say shrimp. You may not be able to handle what I've been wanting to dish out to you for a long time now.' Gajeel muttered, pulling back to find her eyes filled with such heat and lust and love, that he couldn't help but groan as he went rock hard against her. The wicked promises filling those eyes he loved so much had him trembling already.

'Oh really? I'm not glass Black Steel Gajeel. I can take anything you dish out.' Levy breathed, leaning up to lightly kiss him, her breath teasing across his skin. 'Show me what you got.' She finished wickedly with a mocking lift of an eyebrow.

The baring of teeth that was her answer had her gasping in delight as dampness pooled between her legs. The sudden shifting of bodies as he lifted them to his feet had her wrapping her legs around him, moaning in blatant delight at the rigid heat now pressing tightly against her.

'We're running out of time Lev. This isn't going to be slow, or gentle.' Gajeel gritted out, pressing his lips against the skin of her shoulder.

'Don't care, want it, want you.' Was her panting reply. 'I love you Gajeel, completely. We can do slow another time, but we've waited and danced around this long enough. Give it all to me!' Levy snarled, surprising Gajeel with the intensity behind her words. The sound of ripping cloth could be heard followed by her small teeth sinking into his skin in a harsh bite had him shouting out in both arousal, pain, and utter delight.

She had torn his shirt then bitten him! Growling in utter delight, he walked her backwards, slamming her into a bookcase. He worried it was too much at first, but the cry he had heard as pain was quickly forgotten as the smell of her increased arousal wrapped itself around his throat, yanking him to her harder.

'Dammit Levy I love you, have since I joined the guild.' He moaned, nipping the skin at her neck and shoulder as he reached to pull the blanket away from her. Blinking in shock, he pulled away enough to find that what he had felt wasn't his imagination. Pulling the blanket away completely he found her bare to him. 'H-holy shit shrimp! Are you trying to give me a heart attack!?' He gulped hard. Seeing her like this, bare, ready, and her arousal coating the air had his dragon side yanking at the chain of control he was struggling to hold onto.

'No, but I didn't want to waste any more time. We've done enough of that haven't we?' Levy purred, curling her arms around him to pull him into a deep kiss.

'Damn Levy you're going to be the death of me.' He groaned before kissing her hard, his teeth biting into her lips and his tongue surging in to claim her mouth.

Yanking her head away to lean it back against the shelves behind her, breathes panting, moans falling from her like music, she couldn't stop her body from moving against him, trying to push herself that much closer to him and to the edge she was looking for. Hearing his words through the pounding blood in her ears had her smirking slightly, even as she gasped at the feeling of him biting into her skin.

Threading her hands through his hair, gripping it tightly, she had to use brute strength to lift his gaze to hers this time.

'No Gajeel, we'll be the life of each other. Now claim me, mark me, bond with me dammit!' Levy growled, using one hand to quickly free him of his pants. The first feel of her fingers around him had him growling, his head thrown back as she quickly guided him to her where he could feel just how ready she was, had been for longer than he was sure he fully knew.

The first touch of his shaft to her entrance snapped the mental chain he had on his dragon and in an instant he shifted to his iron form. The lust filled groan that escaped Levy had him grinning, before burying himself into her heat in one fast, unrelenting thrust. Her cry of pain had him pausing, but her words is what snapped the last link he had on keeping his need for her under control. 'Don't you dare fucking stop Gajeel! I want it all!' Her words, and the tightening of her hands in his hair had him letting go of everything.

Growls, grunts, moans and cries echoed through the room, the sound of metal sinking into warm flesh a heady aphrodisiac for those pushing themselves closer to the edge of the cliff that would send them flying to the heavens.

Panting harshly, Gajeel slammed a hand into the shelf next Levy's head, trying to keep his own orgasm at bay. Feeling her nails digging into him even through his iron, and her core clutching at him, had him teetering on the edge already. She was everything he had every wanted, and he wanted to make this good for her. Her cries of pleasure had him going harder into her, hitting that one spot he knew would drive her insane. The tightening of her legs around him had him cursing as he was pushed even deeper into her.

'Oh god Gajeel!'

'That's it Levy, take what you want, show me how much you can take!' Gajeel grunted into her ear. When all he got was a mewling whimper, he felt a bit of smug pride. He could tell she was close from how much tighter she was getting. With his free hand he reached between their bodies, rolling his iron coated thumb around the clit he knew was sensitive and throbbing. The resulting shriek had his ears ringing even as she stiffened in climax.

The sudden sinking of her teeth, hard enough to break his iron coated skin, had him roaring in both pleasure and surprise as it threw him over the edge to his own climax. Instincts drove him on as he bent his head, his own hardened teeth breaking her skin open.

Neither of them saw the ribbons of iron or glowing runes that wrapped around them, sealing them together for all eternity.

Slowly, carefully, Gajeel removed his teeth from his mates skin, leaning back to catch his breath. He had never felt pleasure so strong or anything quite like that before in his life, and he knew that she was the only one he would even find that with. His head was still swimming, body humming, and feeling much like the cat who had gotten into the cream when he realized just what it was he was now seeing happen.

Blinking in shock, he lifted his head to get a clearer view, watching in awe as the bite he had given Levy as his mark started forming over her skin. Veins of iron started racing from the bite, swirling, and filling in, growing larger by the moment until finally it stopped and he saw a set of bright red eyes staring up at him. The slight curl of the lips on the long snout he saw had him blinking again, gaping. Tracing his eyes over the mark, he saw that its color matched that of his iron, darker in some sports, lighter in others, forming a dragon that draped itself over Levy's shoulder. For a moment he felt a pang of sadness that they didn't have a mark that moved like Natsu's when the snout opened on a large yawn. He couldn't stop the bark of laughter that escaped him at that point.

Feeling his small mate shift against him, he leaned back from her to find her gazing up at him with a much satisfied look on her face, lips curled in a smug manner. Clearing his throat carefully, he asked gruffly 'How're you feeling shrimp?'

'Hmmm I feel wonderfully wrung out.' She answered with a contented purr. She couldn't help but be a little evil as she lifted her arms to stretch, causing her body to roll against his in a languid caress. The resulting purr she got out of him had her smiling further.

'Well then I did my job right.' He replied with a smirk. Feeling her hands trail up his chest, he couldn't stop the shiver that raced across his skin.

'Indeed you did. How about you? How're you feeling?' Levy asked.

'Feeling pretty damn smug actually Gihii.' He answered with a smirk.

'I'm sure you are.' Levy said with a small smile. Letting her gaze wander over him, she found her mark on him, wrapping around his bicep, the dragon seemed small in comparison to him, but cool hazel eyes blinked back at her from his mark, and she knew that they were bonded.

She opened her mouth to comment on the mark when she felt a sudden searing pain lance through her back, causing her to arch and cry out, scrambling to hold onto Gajeel.

'Shri-dammit!' Gajeel cursed, feeling a slicing pain flare through his torso. His eyes widened in shock at the sight of blood flooding from a wound that appeared between Levy's breasts. Feeling another sharp stabbing pain in his own chest, he looked to find a wound similar to hers appear where his heart was.

'Ga-Gajeel! We ha-have to go back!' Levy gasped at the pain throbbing through her. Without another word from her, she disappeared.

A roar of rage escaped him, his hands slamming into the shelves when she disappeared. Hissing through the pain racing through him, and fighting the dizziness that forced him to his knees, he took one more look around, loving the room he saw. Seeing the book from earlier that had fallen open, he looked closer. What he saw had a giddy smile spreading across his face, and this time it was with pure joy that he left the world they shared.

He came to with a gasp, pain radiating through him, instincts pushing him to break free of his restraints. A flood of smells came to him, and his eyes raced across what surrounded him. Salamander, light socket, Mira, Wendy, Erza, Gray, Levy and-and- he felt his mind screech to a halt in denial at the overwhelming smell of blood that nearly covered all of his guild mates smells.

Levy.

LEVY.

LEVY!

A roar of anger exploded from him, shaking the very walls around him as he saw Levy leaning against him, the hilt of a sword protruding from her back. He could feel the sword buried in him as well, its point puncturing his heart but at that moment he didn't care. He was still stuck in the chains that cancelled out his magic, but he no longer felt the magic from before trying to force itself through his system.

He could see the child from before in the shadows, and from the snarl on her face, to the smell of Levy's blood on her hands, he knew that she was the one to have fun his shrimp through with a sword. He managed to keep from moving too much in fear of making Levy's wound worse, but he had no qualms about letting out roars to let the others know where they were.

He wanted blood. He wanted death. The urge to kill pressed on him, stronger than ever before, even more than when he had been in Phantom Lord. This bitch child had hurt his mate and now he couldn't control the dragon within that was snapping and snarling to rip the childs head from her shoulders.

"She was weak, and tried to ruin my plans. She was disposable. You on the other hand are not." The child explained with a sneer. Stepping forward, she gripped the sword that she had let go before and yanked it free from the small woman. The answering roar that came from the chained dragon slayer as Levy slumped to the floor, had her smirking before cursing. She could hear the shouts and responding roars coming from above. Stepping over Levy's body, she reached up to caress the thrashing dragons cheek. "Don't worry pet, I'll be back for you later. I will find you again." The child hummed in delight at the smell of the blood thick in the air.

Feeling the child pet his cheek had Gajeel wanting to throw up repeatedly, but he managed to still himself as she touched him, letting her say what she wanted even as his dragon strained to get to his mate. Gulping down the thought of what he was about to do, along with his stomach, he waited for the child to pass her thumb over his lips….once….more….now!

The scream of agony that echoed through the room soothed his dragon for a moment as he lashed out, his teeth turning to razor sharp steel long enough to bite off the digit that kept offending him. The taste of her blood in his mouth had him fighting his gag reflex, but he couldn't let that piece of this bitch go. He smirked in sadistic pleasure as she stumbled back, a snarl crossing her face as she readied her magic to lash out at him. He tried to brace himself for it, but he needn't have bothered.

The wall to his left exploded inward and he had to whip his head to the right to keep from getting hit with flying chunks of stone. Cracking his eyes open he turned his head to find a group of people standing there, and the magic pulsing off of them, not to mention the anger would've normally caused him to piss himself. Instead he turned his head back in time to see the child glaring at them before taking a step back and disappearing in a red mist. A split second too late a flame and lightning fed fist exploded against where she had been. Cursing spilled free of Natsu's mouth as he stood once more, turning to face Gajeel. Without a word, Gajeel spit the thumb still in his mouth at Natsu's feet before passing out once more.