Can you guys believe I'm posting again so soon? It's almost like how quickly I posted when I first started this story. Cross your fingers my muse does go running off again.

Chapter 30

It was hot. More than that though it was humid and having grown up in a fairly dry environment most of his life the heaviness of the air made breathing really uncomfortable for the ex-gladiator but he would take the uncomfortable breathing over his prior living conditions any day, no contest, even if it was the middle of winter. Rommell would have snow covering the ground by now.

"Zen you're not concentrating." The sudden comment pulled the archangel mage back to his current surrounding. Forty-eight days of freedom and he still found his thoughts taking him back to the horrors of the pits of Sky Reach Stadium.

A warm callused hand on his shoulder had his wings out on instinct coming down ready to cleave the bastard who dared touch him in half when his eyes finally registered who was beside him. His wing froze immediately but the metallic smell of fresh blood still carried to his nose and he had to swallow hard. The cut was shallow, easily healed by any of White Sea's healers, but that wasn't what worried him.

"Why the hell didn't you move? I could have killed you!" Zen yelled out angrier at himself for his reaction to being touched and his flashbacks than anything else.

"You wouldn't, I trust you." The tenor of Presca's voice was firm in his faith and conviction. "Look, I'm not saying I know what you're going through. I know the facts, I know you lived in hell for most of your life, but I also know people like us all have our demons we have to face and come to terms with and shying away from triggers won't help. Now, are you good to continue or should we call it a day?"

Zen took a deep breath. This was why the energy mage was his friend, his only friend that wasn't family or soon to be family. The man understood him and just had a simple way about him that made his day seem brighter, lighter.

"Let's finish out the hour." Presca nodded and moved again to just outside of the training circle Arman had setup to the side of his home. Raising 7 mages hadn't been easy but having a safe place to toss the rascals to work some of their energy and magic off have been just logical and now it was where Zen was learning better control of his magical output as well as other types of magical attacks he could do besides his physical wing attacks.

It hadn't taken long for Presca to become his best friend. The energy mage was a quite, solid, supportive presence and turned out to be the key to his training, helping him actually feel the amount of magic needed for each attack and teaching him how his magic should flow through his body so his control came more naturally. Growing up in magic cancelling cuffs had really put him at a disadvantage but he was making progress quickly.

These quiet training sessions had soon become his second, maybe third favorite pass-time ever just behind flying but tied with his sudepah lessons. They came with a certain level of pride, a feeling of self-awareness and peace he typically found flying.

Channeling magic into his wings just along the outer edge Zen twisted spreading them open letting the magic flow out just a little and finally he felt it, that sweet spot and smiled as a rain of feather shaped light flew from him filling the large space with a beautiful yet deadly sight.

"Brilliant, that was perfect my man!" Presca called out.

"One more time then we're taking you to a healer to get cleaned up," Zen insisted.

Presca shrugged but couldn't stop the small smile and flutter from his heart at his friend's concern over the tiny slice on his shoulder, it really wasn't much more than a scratch. He knew his budding feelings were a waste, Zen just didn't look at men that way, but there was no helping it. He hadn't felt this way about anyone since losing his young wife and he couldn't bear to deny them. It was a sign that at least it was possible from him to love again and he'd revel in the feeling until he found someone else who could eventually return it.

As Zen started focusing to repeat the move again the door to the back patio slammed open and Farron, his face like stone, called out.

"Lucy and Cris have been taken, we think to Pergrande more specifically Karadin himself. Zen, what do you feel?"

Zen's light mood crashed and his blood ran cold just when he was feeling like he'd turned a corner and put another step between him and his past. Fucking Karadin was back in his life undoubtedly with his perverse pleasures focused on his brother now. Reaching inside for that bond he had with Lucy it felt strained and too taunt, like the smallest change and it would snap but it at least confirmed a direction.

Turning north Zen raised his arm and pointed. It was a direction he was all too familiar with since he often would stare off into the distance that way when he couldn't sleep. "She's that way and fucking far, too far, and…" Zen's amethyst eyes narrowed as his jaw clenched, "she's in one of their labs separated from Cris." It had taken a while to be able to pull such exacting knowledge from Lucy, it was just the day before last that he'd succeeded at it while she was out shopping and man had he enjoyed teasing her about the shopping at the erotica shop when she got home; he'd never seen a woman color that particular shade of red but now he was glad and also devastated that he could.

There was only one worse place to be than the gladiator pits and that was the labs. The things those "scientists" did to people down there was worse than rape or death even though both happened a lot down there frequently. They unmade people in a way that couldn't be recovered from no matter the time frame.

"Well get them back," Presca said softly arm wrapped around his shoulders in a half hug and Zen found it oddly comforting. Looking down he nodded in agreement then looked up at his older brother.

The same determined set of the jaw, bright conviction in his pale blue eyes glared back at him and Zen took his first full gasp of air since Farron had come outside.

This time he wasn't alone. This time, when he faced all his tormentors from his past he had his family and friend on his side. This time, he was going to save his family and kill that bastard of a king for good.

-DTRE-

Nuryev was furious for so many reasons but at the heart of it was his intolerance of stupid people. Who decided to leave the resident expert on dragon slayers and the lead of the resurrection project ignorant to the fact that they not only had a dragon slayer in one of his draining collars but also his pregnant mate who was a powerful celestial mage in her own right while also pumping the man full of succubus venom so Karadin can fully enjoy the brute? No one stopped to consider there might be unknown complications that might cause and that he might be the best person to make things happen?

Entering the secluded lab space that seemed to be setup specifically for this pair, why he didn't know, his emerald eyes first locked onto the massive raven haired man and it clicked. Fucking Karadin most likely wanted to keep this particular piece of ass to himself and with the random visits from his senators wandering through the more accessible lab space, something he'd always objected to since they had no business getting in his way, that wouldn't be possible. They'd be on this man as soon as they could unbuckle their pants.

The dragon slayer was practically feral ripping at the binds and the IV in his arm as he tried to free himself, gaze locked on the woman, most likely his mate. She was a very beautiful blonde and the reason he was finally informed of their presence in his domain.

She was pregnant and seizing violently with a very familiar shade of yellow foam dribbling from her mouth, a foam he'd seen often the few times he'd seen his mother get her hands dirty and kill someone herself. He knew in an instant what was going on.

"Pump the anti-venum into them both NOW," he ordered to prevent any potential arguments that the assigned attendants might have had. The first priority listed in the file he'd been handed was to keep the unborn children healthy. Karadin wanted those babies and all the potential power they promised under his control even if it meant less magic could be drained from the pair and Nuryev could make an educated guess right now that that would be the case.

He might have never had the opportunity to study a mated dragon slayer pair before but there were other magics out there where mating happened and in all of those cases the embryo or fetus required both of its genetic contributors magic to develop correctly which meant these two could not be contained separately nor could they harvest as much magic from them as the others.

As the female's vitals stabilized the slayer calmed but his attention from her never broke and his threatening growls continued. The possession mage flipped back to their files for more information and his eyes widened at the name Pradesh. It seemed Pergrande's king had gotten his hands on another one of Arman's children - gods this man had an unhealthy obsession.

Flipping through a few more pages a full plan started to form in how to handle this unexpected situation.

"You, Cristoff Pradesh," he addressed the obviously furious male and if looks could kill he would not be the only person dead right now. Satisfied, though, that he'd gotten his attention he continued, "Your mate is stable and I will have you with her and those collars off of you so you can ensure the health of her and your children. If I am to do this you must swear on your honor that you will not attack me or my people and you must promise to not try to escape during this transition. Do I have your word sir?"

Cristoff could hardly think straight his dragon was still losing its shit over everything that happened. It very much wanted the blood of every person in this room but its mate and hatchlings' would always come before its personal wants and needs. A slight nod was all he could manage but it was enough.

"All of you idiots clear this area. I want only my team in here. Victor get that IV out and unbind his restraints and get that collar off of him so he can heal the damage from the woman's seizure. Sooktie, I want that collar off her yesterday." He barked out more orders getting the room the unconscious blonde was in setup with a containment field that would allow magic to flow in but not out. It was the best he could do for now to ensure his "guests" couldn't leave but that they would at least be able to maintain the health of their offspring.

Minutes passed and the dragon slayer was keeping his word. Victor and Gerrod might be pressed against the back wall as far away from the brooding mage as possible but they were unharmed as he posted himself right by his only exit, currently sealed.

"Sire, everything thing is setup," Thaine, his most trusted assistant, responded.

"Clear her room," he waited for the older man to leave before internally crossing his fingers. "Open his door."

The re-enforced puriglass door had hardly moved before Cristoff was pushing through the gap crossing the hall to get to Lucy his healing magic already flaring in his palms ignoring everything else around him for the time being. She looked so pale and had yet to waken since they'd gotten here.

It had been clever of their captors to have Lucy and he appear in a room with no oxygen. Instead of try to gas then with toxins or drugs his body and magic could purify, which these people had obviously been prepared for, they let the simple lack of air force them to pass out. When he'd finally woken he'd been alone, strapped to a chair and collared so he couldn't access his magic.

All he could see was Lucy laying on a bare cot also collared with her baby bump exposed and no way to get to her. She didn't have a pillow or blanket and the only other thing in her room was a bucket. If he hadn't recognized the name Karadin he could have guessed they were in Pergrande; no other country in Isgar would treat their pregnant female prisoners so poorly. Hell, no other country would kidnap a pregnant woman.

As he mended the damage in Lucy's body that the venom and seizure had caused he prayed to the spirit of the mother he'd never met that Lucy and their innocent little ones would all be safe. If only there was one fucking window in this place he'd be certain they could get out of here when the full moon rose a week and a half from now. The magic resistant material the walls and door was made of could not stand up to him and Lucy both overpowered and then he'd be able to moon shift them the hell away.

"Sire, King Karadin requires your presence," Thaine said tearing Nuryev's attention from the loving couple. It was so unfamiliar to him, to see what could only be a man in love. That kind of display would have been used against anyone he was around growing up by his mother as a way to control them and guarantee their loyalty. Nodding Nuryev set the file down and called out behind him as he followed the young male slave from the room.

"I want a decent meal for them both and clean drinking water here before I return."

-DTRE-

"What the hell do you mean by sending my people away? This is my kingdom, my labs, my prisoners and I want my people in charge and the dragon slayer in my rooms now," Karadin thundered. From the moment his spies had shown him imagines of the dragon slayer he'd wanted him. Wanted to feel the way his perfectly sculpted ass would clench as he penetrated him, hear the way he grunted and growled helplessly at his mercy. Gods he wanted to taste his skin, feel his turgid cock in his mouth and when he had finally gotten his fill he'd send his niece in to try and get pregnant with an heir to his bloodline he could be proud of.

"With all due respect Your Highness the Succubus venom they used almost killed her the two fetus she carries. Your first order was to keep their offspring healthy so they called me in to handle the situation. I prefer my people around me when working in such dire situations since they are much better suited to handle anything to do with Succubae."

"They were ordered to prep only the male. I have no use for that weak wretch."

"That is what they did but it seems any substance introduced into the one gets into the other through their bond. I have not seen anything like this in all of my experience. As you know you know men and women are genetically different and because of that Succubae must tailor their venoms to a specific gender. If they don't their victims die. My mother had succubus magic and it was always her favorite way to execute people by injecting a female suited venom into a male. Seizures, cardiac arrest and foaming at the mouth are only the tip of the iceberg of reactions before their bodies just shut down."

"So even if I were to get different venom it would end-up killing one of them," Karadin thought out loud.

"Likely both of them sire. If they respond similarly to the death of their mate like dragons do the mate would be around for days, maybe a week before following them into death." Nuryev kept his head bowed as he tried to educate this man without setting him off.

He could tell by the silent tension Karadin was thinking, weighing his options. Would he leave the Pradesh man alone for now and wait months for the children to be born before finally having him the way he wanted him even if it was only for a few days? He might even have to wait longer than a couple months before the children could be safely removed from their parents. Did he even need the power a bunch of dragon slayers loyal only to him would provide? He could always use another drug on the slayer. While not getting the same level of complicity the venom would provide the female would likely survive even if she didn't manage to carry them to term but at least he'd have the slayer longer how he wanted him.

"I'm not sure if you've been made aware of this but female dragons and, as a result, dragon slayers are rare. So rare it is likely both children will be born male," Nuryev added seeing the way Karadin's thoughts were playing out. The man could be so transparent.

"Why are they together and their magic no longer being siphoned?"

Nuryev internally cursed. He knew his people wouldn't had talked, hadn't had time to even if they'd been made to speak out of turn so that meant Karadin had monitors in that section of the lab too which meant he'd have to keep his guard up there as well. Fucking paranoid prick.

"Do you have access to the monitor systems from the labs here?" he asked instead.

Karadin raised a brow but handed over a thin tablet. Pulling up the charts and diagnostics for the small family Nuryev handed the tablet back.

"As you can see, the fetal health has significantly decreased from the moment the pair were split up and worse still after they were collared. Now, since moving them into the same room, which I've had sealed so they cannot escape, and collar free they are now recovering. I've seen many magical species rely on their progenitors' magic as much as the nutritional sustenance provided through the mother. The largest transfer of magic to the female happens through copulation," he added as a side note that might make this more palatable to be heard.

If Karadin at least got to watch his newest obsession naked and fucking something, even if it was a woman, that was at least better than nothing. He could probably sell viewing rights to his senators too and earn a few bob as well as favors.

"Fine, but I want one of my men on your team to keep me apprised and find a way to harvest at least some of their magic for the resurrection. She's got celestial magic and it's too potent to let any of it go to waste."

Nuryev bowed humbly. He'd gotten the most of what he wanted and time to "alter" the collars so they would do what the man wanted. With any luck the possession mage might just have been delivered two very powerful, very helpful and motivated allies in his effort to bring Karadin and this fucked up nation to its knees.

-DTRE-

Arman sat in Safra's skini on what he knew to be a comfortable couch but everything outside of Gin's search through the main viewing glass didn't even register in his mind. His children were each doing their part in preparing for the rescue mission so no time was wasted once they had a firm location and an idea of what would be needed to get them out.

Vander was probably already at the Holy Knight's headquarters with Erik meeting up with Kaleb and Safra to ferret out the party culpable for his children and grandchildren being taken in the first place. Zen was with Presca and Bickslow working with Kaleb's assistant Thane compiling a list of which members of White Sea they would most likely need to infiltrate Pergrande's labs.

All in all he wanted to keep the number small but there was something itching at the back of his mind that was telling him to go big, to bring at least 100 serious fighters and enough support mages to cover that many people without overly taxing them so that was what that group was doing. If they didn't end up needing them, better safe than sorry.

Erza was notifying Laxus and the rest of the Tatsu in Magnolia while Farron was arranging an airship to pick them up as well as two other military gunships to raise the hell out of Pergrande before they left. Xally was mixing up some potions and the like with the help of Freed, anything the pair think might be useful in the upcoming fight. Poor Emzadi got stuck assembling all the ear pieces they were going to be using to communicate instead of Kaleb's telepathy so they could work completely off any magical radar. It was a necessary precaution but his very active girl would absolutely hate it.

"There, follow the guy in the lab coat pushing the cart with food," Arman asked as Gin easily manipulated the viewing mirror to jump from reflective surface to reflective surface with ease. They'd at first tried to call up Cris and Lucy directly but something was interfering with the request and Arman prayed it wasn't because they were dead already.

The halls got progressively more barren as the young man moved along turning through the twisted underground maze. The Pradesh patriarch hoped Zen had suggested at least an earth mage or two for this mission; they might be very useful given the location.

Watching the man turn one last corner and bingo, he saw his son kneeling over a very ill looking Lucy with his hands glowing and tears running down his cheeks. There was no blood, she was obviously still pregnant but his son's lips were moving quickly. Arman was only able to catch the words Mama, lose, babies, wake up and love. It was enough to know his son was praying to Garnier to intercede where he couldn't and it had his throat burning in restrained emotion. Had whatever happened to Lucy to make her that sick taken one or more of his grandchildren from him? Soon his own silent prayers joined his son's.

-DTRE-

Cristoff was on the brink of devastation. He could only hear the flutterings of two heartbeats along with Lucy's slow but steady rhythm. There were supposed to be three and he focused again begging for what his senses were telling him not to be true. They couldn't have lost one of their precious ones not now, not yet. He started his exam of his mate again.

There was something his was missing and he knew it was obvious but it was hard to think right now. Inhaling a shuddering breathe of stale air filled with the noxious fumes from the sterilizers often used in labs like this and it clicked. He didn't smell blood.

If Lucy had lost one of the babies surely there would have been blood and other fluids soaking the cot and she'd be in danger of losing the other two from premature labor…but everything was normal. That's when he remembered, one of his little angels liked to hide and had done so before very effectively.

Growling sharply, mouth near Lucy's belly, Cristoff pushed his magic a little more forcefully into her than before and there…the third flutter appeared again and trilled almost happily that it had been found and he could fight the smile on his face at his ornery child's behavior. He'd take ornery of dead any day.

Lifting Lucy into his lap, the lunar slayer cradled his little family firmly to his chest rumbling comfortingly as he waited for when his beloved woke up.

-DTRE-

Both Gin and Arman exhaled when they saw the brilliant smile bloom on Cristoff's face neither man realizing until then that they had been holding their breath.

"Okay, they are together and okay," Arman said more to himself as comfort. "Gin can you get a basic map of the building they're being held in? I want any type of sensors you can find plotted, guard rotations and paths, and look for any patterns in how the others move around too. Anything you might think would be useful."

"Leave it to me," Gin replied with what he hoped was a reassuring smile.

Arman sighed and scrubbed his face. It was time he joined Emi with the earpieces to hopefully speed that process along.

-End of Chapter-

So, I toyed with the thought of cutting the chapter before letting you all know if Lucy lost one of the babies or not but I couldn't be that cruel. Let me know what you think. - Blas