-Chapter 10-

"You're staying?" Cristoff whispered lowly so his voice didn't carry.

"Of course, you know I'm too curious for my own good. She knows more about the spell than she let on," Vander said seriously.

"You do realize you're probably her mate right?" Cristoff said watching Bickslow and Erza walk around a corner. That caught Vander by surprise at first but then again it was likely Bickslow confided in Cristoff while he slept last night, everyone in the family had the habit of confiding in him. It wouldn't take much more for both his bothers to come to the same conclusion as he had. "With Erza being a child of a dragon slayer and Safra's knowledge of dragons I wouldn't be surprised if she was a dragon slayer or similar to Erza. She also might not take to being spied on well." Vander nodded and watched his brother turn and finally leave. Shifting into the shadows Vander carefully made his way back into the room staying out of Safra's peripherals since she'd been able to see him before.

Vander took in her appearance more fully as he crawled across the ceiling. She was beautiful; her face more narrow than Lucy or Erza's with high cheek bones. Rounded eyes instead of the normal almond shape most people had that were a light purple almost gray color like his brother Kaleb's. To be honest her hair was almost as pale as Kaleb's white blond hair too but her complexion wasn't as dark. Her hair was intricately braided into a large flower shape so it was completely off of her shoulders and the purple cloak she wore did a remarkable job of hiding her figure.

"Ah ha!" Vander heard a voice cheer from an odd looking com held in Safra's hand as her shoulders dropped a bit. "That's my girl, took her seconds into her first taxidi and she already finds her sýzygos," the voice laughed. 'What does taxidi and sýzygos mean? Is that referring to me?' he thought wishing he could see who was on the screen.

"Papa!" Safra yelled before he watched the woman tense and almost whisper, "Gin."

Her voice sounded so sad and broken, emotions he was more than familiar with seeing given his line of work. Vander was now glad he couldn't see Safra's face from his position. He always hated watching people cry and not being able to do anything about it. It's part of why he loved sex so much and didn't really have a preference in appearance or personality. What he loved was watching their faces as all their problems and fear bled away leaving nothing but smile.

"I am not ready to move on," she cried weakly and it took everything in Vander to stay where he was. He needed more answers but there was something about that kind of pain that always called to him. It made him want to just fuck the person senseless. Make them so overwhelmed with pleasure they forgot all about being in pain. 'Did her previous lover die? Is Gin a friend or the lover's family?'

"Calm my little Sunflower, one never thinks they are ready for their future," a melodic tenor responded sounding just as sad.

"But I love you! It could be wrong, that spell does not summon people. The spatial magic could have messed it up. You know just like I that the finding spells are not 100 percent!" she said while shaking her head.

His eyes widened at the passionate declaration and Vander shut down his emotions immediately. He couldn't risk reacting at all drawing her attention to him before he heard more. Instead he focused on what she said. 'The spell was meant to find a sýzygos, whatever that is, and is not always correct.' That last bit was not something he wanted to hear and fell far too close to the third possibility he had reasoned for her delay in being transported here. Yes she had confirmed she had been transported right when she stepped outside some type of protection but if the spell wasn't definite she could just be the best match it could find. 'Typical,' he thought then continued on what else he'd learned. She spoke a language he hadn't even heard and the terms she used suggested she was definitely not a dragon slayer or something similar. Clenching his fist to stop any other reaction he also added that Safra was already in love with someone so finding a mate right now was not at all welcome to her even if the spell was right. Vander's gut twisted at the thought but he ignored it. It wasn't until the past 24 hours that he'd even thought about having a mate with regards to himself outside of his childhood fantasies. It was stupid to feel a sense of loss for something that was never really an option. That's at least what he told himself but couldn't help the hopeful surge in his chest when she continued.

"I cannot know for sure unless I bring him back to the Charm."

"Safra," the first voice, 'her father' his mind supplied, said firmly. "I know a similar spell said Ginomai was your intended only for the ceremony to fail and I know this is hard to accept but what is our fundamental belief."

"All happiness and joy," Safra hiccupped, "is found through harmony and balance."

Vander's thoughts raced. 'So Gin was identified like me as her intended but something went wrong when they tried to mate? She's been through this before only for it to be wrong? Would that happen to us? Should I even risk my heart before I know for sure? Should we just go ahead and try mating before either of us get too far ahead of ourselves? That disappointment must have hurt.' He had an older sister who was a dragon slayer. When she was 16, she had tried to mate with a boy she'd been in love with for years only for him to die unexpectedly with no real sign of how. His sister had been devastated blaming herself and while Safra's failed ceremony didn't end with Gin's death, she had to live every day seeing the man she loved knowing they couldn't be together. It would also be difficult to move on. 'The pain has to similar enough to what Emzadi felt back then.' Simultaneously he felt conflicting emotions. He didn't want to be the person who tore these two apart but he also didn't want to lose this chance at having a mate. His mind focused at the mention of a name but he hadn't really been listening.

"No, she is out hunting, why?" the second voice he labeled Gin said.

"I believe Nurem knows him! She spoke of her son Cristoff so often she is bound to know his brother Vander as well. She could tell me about him."

'She knows Nurem? I have to tell Cristoff she knows where his mother is hiding!'

"Your sýzygos is Boscan?" Vander heard this Gin person ask.

"I think so, if they are the same people. How many dragon slayers named Cristoff could there be?" Vander rolled his eyes at her response. It wasn't like dragon slayers were all that common to begin with.

"Boscans are an open, understanding people. Who knows, your Boscan may let me stay with you as a friend or companion. Maybe allow me to watch as you join on occasion. It is something to hope for."

Vander was brought up short at the longing he heard in Gin's voice. He wasn't a jealous man so having another man around constantly, even if he was a previous lover, wouldn't bother him at all if he and Safra were indeed mates. 'It might help her to open up so we can get to know each other better. Mates are sýzygos to them I think…' His only real concern with that would be if Safra could move on and love him fully with her previous lover around. It was obvious that even after this failed ceremony the two had stayed close. 'Not altogether bad if we end up not being mates. At least I know that if I fall for her and we aren't mates the relationship can still continue for a time…What the hell am I thinking? I don't even know her! My even having a mate it beyond hopeful.'

"Who knows, he might even invite you to join with us if what you say of Boscans is true."

Vander smirked at that. He was more open-minded than even your average Boscan and enjoyed the challenge of pleasing multiple partners at the same time so if Safra and Gin were too that could be a bonus for him. I nice three-way sounded absol-fucking-utely fabulous to him right now regardless of their situation - it had been too long. They were willing to have him decide the extent of their future relationship without any signs of spite or resentment. That showed their respect for his feelings and for the potential mating too.

"What does he look like?" he heard Gin ask.

"Oh he is the most beautiful human I have seen and you know how often I used the viewing window."

Vander's smirk turn smug, 'Whatever a viewing window is Safra has good taste in men and they both seem to like watching people. That could be lots of fun.'

"He is a little taller than I am with rich thick long hair the color of deep mahogany. Burnt red highlights that looked naturally bleached from the sun. His eyes are smaller and more slanted than mine but the color of a full bodied Syrah. He has the cutest ears with little black studs on the lobs and he is slender like us but wider in the shoulder and looks to be well sculpted muscle."

"He sounds delicious. You think he'd let me have a taste?"

That was all he needed to know for now. If Gin was showing interest toward him too and not only Safra…'We might all be able to have some good fun together, mate or sýzygos or whatever or not.'

He heard Safra giggle as he moved behind her.

"I'm sure I would as long as I got to taste back," Vander said stepping out of a shadow looking over Safra's shoulder getting his first glimpse of Gin in the mirror he now recognized as the one he saw her use earlier to see if Lucy was breathing.

And a glimpse was all he saw as Safra gasped and spun around. "How much did you hear?" she asked eyes full of fear. Vander's teasingly smug look softened. He hadn't meant for her to react like that but he understood since Gin was probably part of what she'd been hiding earlier. The pieces were all part of a larger story, he had no doubt, but he didn't know enough to see the full image yet. All he knew now was: Safra knew how to read the spell, she knew what it was used for, she was not a dragon or slayer and Gin was definitely not human. The man, he assumed from what he'd heard so far, was humanoid in shape. He didn't have any hair or eyebrows and Vander was pretty sure he saw pointed ears. Gin's skin looked smooth but more like a snake's than a human's in appearance. His face and neck were almost entirely snow white but his head, shoulders, across his brow line and down the center of his nose were vibrant shades of turquois. His lips were full, almost pouty, and his eyes were just slightly too large and round to be human and a deep color of polished bronze.

"I was here from the beginning," he said not moving afraid she might bolt like a scared animal.

"What are you going to do?" she asked hesitantly.

Vander was surprised at the question. "Do?" as Safra nodded he outlined what he'd already been planning, "We are going to get to know each other better to see if we are sýzygos?" he questioned the unfamiliar term to verify his gleaned understanding.

"The predestined companion of the soul. You could think of it as similar to a dragon's mate but the joining of the souls is done differently," Gin clarified from the mirror Safra had clutched to her chest. Blushing Safra pulled the mirror away and angled it so Gin could see Vander and her even if it meant Vander saw Gin in return figuring it couldn't hurt since he'd already been seen.

Smiling a little broader at getting to see more of Gin he continued, "You can tell me what you are and what Gin is and we can discuss who, if anyone else, we tell. Know Safra, I will not harm you or your family even if we are not intendeds." He felt compelled to promise that since he noticed Safra trembling slightly ever since he'd surprised her.

Vander had never had physical preferences to those he found attractive or bedded before. It's what made him an ideal candidate for being a sudepah so after getting over the initial shock of Gin's appearance it was easy to appreciate the beauty in his exotic features.

"You will not tell anyone anything unless I agree?" Safra needed the confirmation spelled out as she looked Vander directly in the eye.

"I swear," he confirmed.

"And I wish I was there right now. Damn Safra, he's perfection!" Gin chimed in breaking the tension and redirecting the conversation. He hadn't been worried about being exposed to this man. Even if like him, he wasn't a complete match to Safra, he was still a strong enough match that the spell brought her to him. The chances of that type of man betraying her were too slim to even calculate.

Vander smiled as he walked toward his now more relaxed potential sýzygos and wrapped her in his arms from behind and his grin broadened at her acceptance of the contact. He set his head on her shoulder so he could still look at Gin. "I wish I could say the same but I've seen so very little of either of you to judge."

"You wouldn't mind?" Safra asked hopeful and unable to resist leaning back more into Vander's embrace to take the offered comfort. She'd been fighting her interest of him since the second she first saw him lurking in the shadows watching over his companions.

"Mind what, the potential of constantly having two beautiful bed partners even if we are not sýzygos? Never! As long as you can grow to love me as much as you love Gin," he said kissing her behind the ear and felt her shiver against his body – this time it had nothing to do with fear. He wasn't fool enough to think that she would ever forget about Gin especially if he was always around. He would never ask her to choose between them either but he'd need her loyalty and love too. Plus, he absolutely loved the idea of having two lovers all to himself and loved how Safra's body felt pressed against his. Their heights were so similar it was easy to get the full body contact he wanted desperately in that moment. He'd never been able to imagine anyone he wouldn't eventually get bored with. Never even felt the need to sleep with anyone more than once and wondered if he'd still want her as much after they'd had a nice romp. Fate had literally handed him this beautiful woman, so it was likely, and she wanted to bring the exotic Gin with her. If this was common behavior for her he was sure to be a happily sated man for as long as it lasted. Safra smiled and turned her head and kissed him full on the mouth. Her free hand moved to the base of his head to anchor him there.

Vander didn't fight it at all and even deepened the kiss slanting his mouth more over hers. It had been three long weeks of either stress or boredom since the last time he'd gotten to enjoy something as pleasurable as holding and kissing a beautiful woman - he'd felt like he was a starving man just given a steak.

Smiling Safra pulled back from the kiss, "The first thing you need to know is that a chaste kiss is a sign of thanks in my culture," she said what he'd already figured out early when she kissed Erza, "and if the other kisses back it is a sign of welcome. To deepen the kiss like you did just now, you acknowledge your trust in them and when they accept they acknowledge that the trust is returned." That took him back a little. "Do you trust me?" she asked turning fully in his arms to face him.

He wasn't sure he knew how to answer that but her slightly eased behavior after her kiss with Erza now made more sense though. Even knowing Erza had done it without knowing the significance didn't stop the trust she'd afforded to her. With him, though, she needed to confirm he understood.

He had every logical reason not to trust her: he didn't know her, people were often liars, and she hadn't done anything in particular to earn his trust. Then again he was asking for her to trust him too and she had knowingly given it to him already. He shook his head at her naivety. Here she was surrounded by unfamiliar people in a strange place and she was already trusting them. He also needed to consider there was also the fact that they might be soul mates or at least close enough for the spell to bring her here. He could never be with someone he couldn't trust explicitly. 'She is probably someone at least trustworthy...' With her in his arms he could feel an ease to the constant pressure he'd been feeling from his magic recently and his childish hopes surged forward again against his best efforts to ignore them.

Safra didn't rush him to answer but waited quietly, patient, for a few minutes as he internally thought through everything. Looking deep into her lilac eyes he knew, bone deep he knew without question, and all the logic he could apply was forgotten. There was nothing logical about this entire situation he'd found himself in this week. Remembering his meeting with his mother he sighed in acceptance. He would follow this road wherever it led open to all possibilities afforded to him.

"Yes." Her answering smile was radiant and he swore her eyes literally glowed for a second as well.

"The second thing you should know is that we crave physical contact almost as much as air. So," she paused, her hand pulling the tie free in his long hair. When he answered her with a grin pulling at the corners of his lips she moved her arm around his shoulders holding him closer, her other arm still out with the mirror so Gin could still see everything. "Please touch me wherever and whenever you'd like. I am not shy and will most likely wish it was more," she said rubbing her cheek over his jaw letting her breath fan over his throat when she spoke. She couldn't explain it but the more she accepted the idea of Vander and opened up to him the less she felt the ever present pain she associated with missing Gin. The finding spell brought her here and she was drawn to him so it was likely that his presence eased her soul's burning - it was worth exploring a little at least.

"Hmmmm, I can do that," he said moving his hands under her cloak finally and felt lots of exposed skin. He thanked every god he could think of for that, even Apollo. "Do you really look like this or like Gin?" he asked inclining his head to Gin while his hands explored the smooth planes of her body. He moved his mouth to her neck letting his lips drag along the skin as he kissed his way down to her shoulder slowly. Even distracted with getting his hands on a beautiful willing partner for the first time in weeks he hadn't missed her saying "we" suggesting that she and Gin were both of the same species.

"This," she said licking the rounded edge of the ear she found so cute before sucking one of his studded lobs into her mouth.

Gin chuckled at the pair as he watched them continue their conversation while their bodies were obviously more interested in exploring each other. He'd have to talk to Pefko to see if he could join Safra now that she had found her sýzygos. The only reason he hadn't been initially allowed to travel with her was to give her space so she could focus on that. "I think you both should move this conversation to your skini Safra. It would be more comfortable and private so you don't have to mind your words."

Safra groaned tipping her head back as her free hand ran through Vander's soft hair giving over completely to the moment. She was almost lost in sensation as his hands gripped her buttocks pulling her closer to him while his mouth sucked on her collar bone. It felt too right for her to fight any part of it any longer. She couldn't just stop with touching like she initially intended, she needed him fully now. It was her people's nature to trust in fate and to live in harmony with their desires and she desired him. Fighting this was discordant and she couldn't do it any longer. It would all work out as it should and she decided then and there she would have a lot of fun with her potential sýzygos until it was.

"He's right," she said roughly as Vander ground his hips into hers pressing his hardening phallus into her abdomen. "I want both my hands free," she said gripping his jerkin in one hand, "and you will get to see more," she added archly looking over at Gin.

"Sounds fun," Vander said as he lifted Safra up with his firm grip on her plump cheeks, her legs wrapping easily around his hips. He paused his movements surprised at how light she was turning a questioning look on her and she shook her head.

"Not here," she said trying, and failing, to get her hand under his tight black leather top.

"Where?" Vander shifted her higher so his mouth could reach more of her body.

"In my bag, my skini." At his confused muffled sound she clarified, "umm…it looks like a tent." Vander's hands finally pulled her strapless top down freeing Safra's breasts causing her to gasp. She moaned freely as Vander kissed and licked between her breasts teasingly as she tried speaking again, "Outside… wherever it… won't be in… the way… quickly," she demanded through her harsh gasps for air as his mouth sucked hard on one of her darkened taunt nipples. Not needing to be told twice Vander slipped into the shadows and moved quickly outside on the opposite side of the temple from where Virgo had set up camp quickly finding a small glade in the forest.

-DTRE-

Cristoff followed Bickslow's scent out of the temple still carrying his precious cargo a deep satisfaction settled into his chest as Lucy clung to him in her sleep. When he finally made it outside he noticed it was still very early on in the day since the sun had just started peaking over the surrounding mountains. The small valley they were located in was beautiful and looked untouched by man except for the temple behind him and the very comfortable temporary camp in front of him. He figured he could let his mate-to-be sleep longer so he moved towards the camp where six plush beds were now setup. He didn't know why there were so many but he hoped at least one was going to remain unused.

Nestling Lucy in the bed that smelled strongly of her he kissed her forehead then moved to the lavishly set table his brother and Erza were sat at. There were pancakes, bacon, scrambled eggs, potatoes and sausage in containers with glass lids over small burners to keep them warm as well as butter, toast, jams, strawberries, syrups, powdered sugar, whipped cream and cubed melon. Set on the center of the table was also a pitcher of some red chilled drink judging from the condensation running down the side.

"How?" he said filling a plate with the delicious smelling food.

"Virgo," was the only answer Bicks supplied between bites. There had been a few stories he'd heard about that particular spirit of Lucy's yesterday but they didn't really answer his question. Fortunately Erza took more pity on his ignorance.

"Virgo likes to anticipate Lucy's needs and wants. Lucy usually reins her in so she can stay a little more independent but I figured we could all use a nice breakfast after being confided for a day living off of the deer jerky I had. I also had her setup extra beds for you, me and our new acquaintance."

Bicks snorted. "After making out with someone I think you should use her name Amazon," he said with a lecherous grin, his tongue wiggling about.

"It would have been rude to brush off her way of thanking," she said primly before putting a whipped cream covered strawberry in her mouth.

"Is that what we're calling it now? Then please, let me thank you for passing the toast." Bicks teased.

"Well I…" Erza blushed prettily and was at a loss for words.

"I'm just teasing you Amazon. You forget, I'm Boscan and things like that happen more often there then you'd think," Bicks' smile softened seeing how easily flustered she was.

"You think she might be Boscan?" Erza asked changing the subject.

"Wrong accent." Cristoff joined the conversation.

"Cristoff, you notice anything weird about her smell?" Bicks asked thoughtfully around a piece of melon he was chewing.

"She smelled really familiar but I can't place where I know it from. Why, does her soul look different? Like mine or the other slayers?"

"I sensed her magic was strange too." Erza commented then asked Bickslow, "Dragon slayers' souls look different?" Now that the idea that she wasn't completely human was in her head, she seriously wanted to know more about anything dragon related. He mother had been among the first dragon slayers on Earthland so she really should have considered the idea sooner.

"Yeah, they have their normal human souls which are typically green or blue, although the blue ones are rarer. The rarest are white or gold souls like Lucy, Vander or Seith mages in general. From what I can tell dragons all have gold souls. Since dragon slayers get their magic through a piece of a dragon's soul they all have that gold spot in their soul."

"What color is my soul?" she asked.

"A beautiful solid sky blue," he said with a smile.

"So no dragon in me?" she asked the real question she wanted answered.

"I don't see any gold but you have to remember I've only seen 8 dragon slayers if you include Arcnologia and his soul was so black and twisted I couldn't even tell what his original color was. I did see the 7 dragons after the Grand Magic Games but that's like me walking into a room and seeing only green souls and declaring all humans have green souls. It's just too small of a selection. Plus you're not a slayer so your soul should be solid, dragon blood or not." Turning back to Cristoff, Bickslow finally answered his question. "I didn't see any gold in Safra's either but her soul had three colors all woven together like the threads in fabric which was a first. There was a bright grass green, aqua blue and yellow. I've never seen a yellow soul."

"What is she?" Erza asked getting shrugs from both men.

"Maybe Vander will know when he gets back?" Cristoff suggested finishing his last bite and looking back over at Lucy making sure she was still sleeping.

"You sure he's talking to her and not just having sex?" Bicks asked causing Erza to scoff only to pause. Thinking about the random kiss Safra gave her earlier and Vander's reputation in the guild changed her thoughts just as quickly as her original reaction came.

"Sorry, you make a valid point," Ezra corrected never one not to admit when she was wrong. Bicks chuckled and waited for his brother to respond.

"He was going to listen in on her call before approaching her so whether or not they actually talk before sleeping together is moot. He'll still probably figure out what she is, whether it's something he'll share with us is a better question," he said now thinking realistically about their younger brother. If anyone could keep a secret it was Vander even though he tended not to unless told explicitly to. He would respect Safra's wish to keep it hidden if she asked, even keep Kaleb, their mind-bending Wizard Saint of a brother out of his head to do so. So unless Bicks went digging through their souls they'd never know. "Well I'm going to nap with my mate-to-be. Wake me if he gets back before Lucy gets up," Cristoff said with a smile. "Oh and call Dad, tell him we're free."

Bicks waved his brother off and noticed Erza watching him the whole way back to Lucy. He saw her eyes narrow when Cristoff climbed into the same bed as Lucy and figured he'd better run some interference.

"Amazon, you already know as much about mates as I probably do from what I overheard you and Lucy talking about yesterday so why the glare?" he asked bluntly.

"Lucy was raised as a Fioren heiress. Her parents instilled in her that sexual relations should only occur after marriage. As her sister it is my job to ensure she lives up to those values since both her parents have passed," she declared firmly.

"Erza," he said her actual name which had the desired effect of getting her undivided attention. "Are you talking about the same life and status Lucy ran away from as soon as she could?" he asked and saw her surprised expression. "I know you know Lucy believes that running away is what her mother would have wanted because I know that she talks to you more than she does me."

"What does that have anything to do about it?" Erza said defensively.

"Her mother sacrificed her life to save Lucy from any sort of looming familial duty. She wanted Lucy to make her own decisions and live her life on her own terms. Do you really think she would have done that if the standards of the Fioren Aristocracy were so important? How can you hold Lucy to unknown familial wishes? I know for a fact that you don't hold yourself to them."

"But they are Lucy's beliefs. She thinks sex outside of marriage is gross and I don't want anyone to pressure her into giving in."

"She thought, maybe even still thinks, sex in general is gross. It has nothing to do with whether the people are married or not."

"What?" Erza said astonished.

"Lucy ranted on the train ride out here how she couldn't get past the idea of the diseases someone might give her during sex to even think about wanting to do it. Said it made her skin crawl. But now she's found a man, her mate, who uses healing magic. He's probably the cleanest person on a microscopic level she'll ever meet no matter how many partners he's had in the past. He's probably cleaner than her because she often shares her food and drinks with friends," Bickslow laid it all out for the woman he hoped would now stop focusing on her friend and be freer to focus on him.

"I…she really said that?" Erza asked completely befuddled. The why Lucy stayed away from sex was never talked about so she'd just figured it was part of her values and had decided long ago to help Lucy remain true to herself. But what Bickslow said made sense. If Lucy thought the act was just gross, she wouldn't talk about it to anyone, not when almost everyone in the guild was sexually active and had a penchant for teasing. She'd probably thought they'd make fun of her and that it would isolate her from all her friends. If it had been about her own values she'd shout them from the rooftops like she did with her belief in celestial spirits rights as living beings.

"Yeah, and while I don't know if she believes in having sex before marriage, that's between her and Cristoff. They are going to be dealing with their souls pushing them to mate, I saw it when Lucy first met him, but I know for a fact Cristoff won't take advantage of that or her. He'll hold them to what she wants. All she really needs from us is to be supportive of whatever she does choose," he said reaching out and holding Erza's hand.

At the gentle show of support Erza looked up into Bickslow's eyes. It was weird seeing him without the armor and helmet for a change but not unpleasant. 'He has such a kind face. Too bad he feels like he has to hide behind a mask all the time. I know the felling…maybe I can help him with that?' "I can try," she said, the double declaration only known to her.