-Calm down, your like Natsu with caffeine, Cana scowled.

- Shut it, this is all bullshit, Sphinx snarled at the card mage, but kept fidgeting in her seat.

Cana shook her head at the dark haired slayer. It had been like this as soon as her father had parted ways. Apparently in some weird and 'only Sphinx' type of way she had gotten a momentarily high from the men, at least that was Cana's theory. Unfortunately it would only last as they stayed with her. Bacchus they had already left behind last night and since then Sphinx had keep that easy going flirtation towards her old man.

It didn't bother Cana really especially if it took the edge of her friends problem. But as soon as they were alone she had gone haywire again. She was restless, snappy and didn't feel good. It was almost like she actually had a hangover. If you didn't count the panicking look in her eyes that she was trying to hide from her.

-Why is this not happening to anyone else? Sphinx muttered her hand waved around as she again moved in her seat.

- You sleep around more than I do! why do I get punished, heck I kind of think even Lucy and Levi are getting more action then I do now days, there was a sad and frustrated whine in her voice as her hand came to pull her head.

-and to think you have three men after now, Cana sighed

-what a waist, Cana sighed and continued,

-Well you just happened to have some weird instincts and you kind of live of that shit as in us we can live without it, that's why it hitting the source,

-I have no fucking idea what you're babbling about, but I don't like the sound of it, Sphinx muttered as she leaned he head down between her knees,

-DO you think this could be some weird as Devil slayer kind of thing,

-I don't know, I'm the only Devil slayer I know, and there isn't exactly a manual lying around,

-But still with all the seals breaking and changes, I don't think it's you doing this, it doesn't make any sense for you instinct to make you weak,

-well apparently now my twisted self has decided to avoid all men, it's like I'm trying to torture myself to death,

-That's what I mean, doesn't make any sense, the Care mage said,

-Wait! Sphinx suddenly stood up her blue eyes looking widely at Cana.

In any other situation she would have found this extremely hilarious but being stuck on a train for few hours with an agitated Devil slayer was not so fun. The cabin felt smaller than ever as Sphinx moved around enough to even get Cana exhausted just from looking.

-What?

Sphinx appeared in front of Cana in a blink. She only had time to open her mouth to say something when Sphinx harshly grabber her chin and smashed her lips to her. It was over faster than Cana had time to complain.

Sphinx relied herself back and hissed in annoyance before her hand slammed right next to Cana's head. The card mage watched with an open mouth at her friend.

-WHAT THE FLYING FUCK SPHINX!

A flash of embarrassment went through her face but it quickly turned into that same agitated panic. Taking a few steps back the slayer felxed her fingers,

-I just, just thought that maybe chick would do it,

-And you think you can just molest me,

Sphinx shrugged but still managed to doge the bottle that the brunette threw at her. Cana felt her annoyance grow, sure they had kissed and fooled around but this was not for show or to mess around with Lucy, Sphinx was getting out of hand and fast.

-Its only two more stops, Cana sighed and cursed.

-do some fucking sit sit-ups or something,

Sphinx only grunted as an answer, but didn't come up with a better idea. It was a desperate attempt to drown out the void in her. But Sphinx was already shaking and quickly dropped down. She needed to feel something even if it only was her muscles burning and heart beating, it would be that something for now.

Cana let her anger slide she hated to see Sphinx like this and she was not going to let her friend endure it much longer. Off course Cana needed to guilt-tripping her first.

-And I think bashing you fist almost at my face is a pretty clear message,

-pff I didn't even hit you, I hit beside your head,

Cana cocked one eyebrow at her,

-I said I was sorry, she panted,

-well you were going to and you're going to have to do a lot more than say sorry for that,

Again Sphinx only growled at her but didn't argue.

Cana kept try to come up with solutions as Sphinx huffed on the cabin floor. Well now they could rule out: turning into a lesbian, Cana was pretty sure it wasn't even an option, saying Sphinx really was a MAN eater not, woman eater.

The immense need to crawl into a ball and hold her head while wallowing in emptiness was almost winning but the devil slayer keep fighting. She had darkness in her enough to begin with she did not need this kind of 'craziness'.

-Alright I think I got an Idea, other than molesting and abuse your best friend.

-Come on, Im all messed up here, Sphinx whined but soon started to smile at Cana's idea.

So they focused on that for now. Cana had come up with a solution to her temporary problem.

It was more of whom than what caused this. And temporary it was, it had to be.

Sphinx turned and switched into push-ups on the cabin floor. She was both happy and angry, that anger fueled her to keep going even when her body started to shake.

Half an hour and 100 squads later they finally arrived. Cana had only stopped her when she started to throw punches, yelling at her that she did not want to be in the same small room when she was agitated and started to spar.

The streets were packed with people and it didn't surprise her. With dull gaze Sphinx pulled her mask up and move towards the guild already knowing who she wanted to see.

As they passed a small diner they saw a group of young men sitting and laughing. Sphinx could see from the corner of her eyes Cana waving and winking at some of them but still she felt not one bit interested.

How depressive, damn it.

Picking up her phase Sphinx turned her focused forward muttering and cursing under her lips. It felt awful not to feel like herself. She used to be able to even entertain herself with only some thoughts of men and her numerous adventures. Now she felt cold thinking about it. There was no stir or shiver, her memories could say to her how amazing and exhilarating it had been but it was like she was lying to herself.

Her fist clenched tightly beside her, the worst part was something she left out even from Cana. She felt like she was slowly starving. A constant hunger lay in her but she couldn't satisfy it. Normally she would feed of auras, power and peoples sexual desires now it felt like she couldn't even tap into it. She felt auras but they were mild and dull.

Finally the double door was in front of them, all the yelling and ruckus could be heard out to the street but they didn't hesitate move towards it.

- Okay just chill already? I'm sure she didn't mean it to go this far, Cana said as she pushed open the door yelling out her greeting to the loud guild.

Sphinx however was far from calm and didn't wait for an explanation but with three powerful leaps she landed loudly on the bar counter. Mirajane jumped in surprises the mug falling to the floor. Furious blue eyes looked at her with such intense Mira instinctually took a step back.

The takeover mage blink rapidly because for a second she could have sworn those piercing blue eyes flash to an eerie pale and her black horns emerge on her head. A shiver went through her and the whited haired barmaid tried to remain herself that this in fact was her guild mate Sphinx.

It was more intense this time, the last time she had seen a flash of her demonic eyes it had been quickly over, now however it seemed the devil slayer wasn't done yet.

She could feel the coldness radiate from her, it wasn't like Gray's, no, this was dark, demonic. Like something heavy and uneasy blanket was suddenly slammed on her shoulders weighing her down. The oldest of the Strauss sisters was familiar with satanic takeovers but the presence in front of her had her lock in place like she was hypnotized.

Was this her magic? Was this the magic of a Devil Slayer?

Mira thought her heart beating in her chest. It wasn't a nice magic, no, it gave off a suffocating bad feeling. It was hard to think of her as human when she felt so primitively and hostile.

- Sphinx, she whispered quietly almost uncertainly, her mind questioning her sanity in an instant,

-Oi, off the fucking counter idiot, I know you're all messed up but stop scaring her, Cana said sounding confident and normal as ever.

Realizing her action Sphinx sighed and slowly backed down.

-What did you do Mira? Her voice was cold but not cruel as she sat down on the stool her piercing blue eyes still looking at her.

- I-, ah,

Mira started only to realize she had no idea what they were talking about. Her mouth closed and opened in confusion.

Cana sighed loudly beside them and leaned closer to the motherly bar maiden and rudely placed her hand over Sphinx eyes. Instantly the dark hared slayer growled lowly and unhappily but still remained in her place. Cana snapped her fingers and successfully got Mirjane's attention.

-Hey, so as you can see, Sphinx's is a little agitated.

There was a scoff from the woman who crossed her arms her whole posture relaxed and even the slightest of bad feeling finally disappeared from Mirajane. Cana removed her hand and to the takeover mages relief Sphinx held her eyes closed.

- What she means is that whatever kind of trick you used on me, revers it.

Sphinx snarled but her voice was a lot less intense, annoyed yes but not evil. The familiarity of the guild quickly swept the warmness back into her body and Mirjane focused.

-Trick? What are you talking about?

- It kind of dangerous Mira, Sphinx almost broke a man hand, even Cana scowled now disapprovingly,

-What?!

- You need to reverse it, you shouldn't play with her instincts, hell, even Sphinx doesn't know all about being a Devil slayer but we all know all the slayers are intense about everything they do, Cana said.

-But I didn't do anything, Mira said.

Suddenly Sphinx looked up at Mira again, there was no weight on her shoulders this time but still they gazed at her suspiciously.

-Mir-, Cana started but was interrupted by the female slayer,

-Oh shit, suddenly the air seemed to be sucked out of her lungs, Sphinx had almost fallen into a desperate comfort that all this was because of some Mirajane's match-making trick.

-She not lying, her voice was a sorrowful whisper as Cana watched her friend once again look so devastatingly lost.

- No, no, no, it has to be you, It has to,

Hands came to her head taking a hold of her hair. The female slayer had been certain it was Mira because if it was Mira it could be broke, reversed or undone. She hadn't let herself even thinking about the possibility that it was something else.

Something that she might not have power over or it wouldn't be the first screwed up thing in her.

Is she going to have to endure this forever? Was she broken?

Thoughts swarmed her mind instantly her grip on her hair getting tighter as she gritted her teeth. Just when she gained control over her new powers there is another twist. How was she going to stop this? It had been easy to hold on to hope. That it had been just once or twice, but she couldn't deny it anymore.

It had been going on for a while.

Sure she hadn't even tried attacking Gildarts, but somehow it didn't give her comfort at all. She had wanted to hurt Bacchus, they were just lucky the man was a martial arts expert and could handle her violent instincts.

-Hey hey, chill, your fine,

-I'm going to take a shower. Sphinx suddenly said and left before anyone could have another word.

Empty, hollow but desperate were perfect words to describe her at the moment.

The anger and fury she had been clinching on had quickly left her open for that horrible doubt and despair. She had fought for weeks already, but she had also told herself that all this was fixable. Now she wasn't even sure anymore?

Sphinx kept turning the water to hotter and hotter till it burned her skin. She had been so calm while twisting the man's hand, like it was a natural thing. Almost as if it had been his own fault for daring to touch her. It was ridiculous, normally she would have allowed it she would have smiled in a pleasant way and flirted back.

That's what she had supposed to do,

Absentmindedly she exited the shower and dried off. By now she had learned to leave an extra pair of clothe at the guild and pulled on a black top, shorts and her normal thigh high socks. She then pulled on her jacket but left open and walked back over to the guild hall.

Her eyes looked at the bar where Lucy and Erza had appeared; they all seemed to turned to look at her just as she entered.

- Hey Good looking, Sphinx recognized Grays voice and a cool hand slid over her shoulder.

It felt wrong and just like before she moved on autopilot. Spinning away from under the arm before landing a harsh open palm hit on Grays chest. The ice mage stumbled back several steps before gaining his balance back.

-Wow, so it's true, he dark hared male exclaimed looking up at her with interest.

Sphinx frowned and walked towards the bar where a sympathy looking Lucy gestured towards the stool next to her. Gray soon sat on the other side of her.

-How are you feeling? The blond asked

- Like shit, dead, Sphinx said before she started to munch on the grapes Mira had place before her.

-So is it only guys? Lucy said thoughtfully,

-Yeah, I think, actually I'm starting to think it has to do with attraction, Sphinx said gloomily,

-So it's been going on for a while, since Laxus, Mira said,

- Could Laxus have done something?

-Pff somehow I don't think so, I mean I doubt, it somehow hard to see him doing something like this to me, whatever this is. Sphinx muttered,

A shiver went down her spine; again their last encounter wasn't the friendliest. She hadn't even thought about comforting him when she was so focused on Mira.

- We should ask him anyway? Lucy said and Mira nodded and went to the lacrima.

It didn't take long for the lightning mages stern face to appear. Sphinx didn't bother to pay attention until she heard that familiar low voice.

-What? The man instantly asked.

TU-TUM,

Huh? Sphinx tensed up at the familiar but somehow surprising feeling.

-Hello Laxus, we need to know something, it's important, Mira asked with a polite voice but serious face,

-What is it? The lightning mage said not focusing,

TU-TUM,

There it is again, its, it's like I can breath again.

-We need to know what happened between you and Sphinx? Mira asked and instantly Laxus narrowed his eyes.

-Sphinx?

TU-TUM, oh for the love of God don't tell me,

-Is she alright?

TU-TUM,

Slowly but surely a small familiar flicker tingled in her spine, her abdomen and on the tip of her fingers. Sphinx looked down at her hand as she flexed her fingers. Mira turned from the lacrima, her eyes looked her over but the takeover mage had a puzzled expression.

-She's, um,

Mira didn't know how to explain it and wasn't really sure how much she was even allowed to say to Laxus, after all they didn't part in the best terms. Sphinx couldn't blame her; she and Laxus were the definition of complicated.

So she leaned a little to the side so Laxus could see her. Lifting one hand up and gave him the middle finger before smirking.

TU-TUM,

-Never better,

Laxus cocked one eyebrow and gave her a glare but still she could see the way those blue gray eyes seemed to take in her appearance just in case. She felt heat spread in her and muffed a groan. Sure she welcomed it with open arms but because it was in fact Laxus who made her problem perish it didn't mean she wanted the others to know.

I would never hear the end of it from Mira,

-Why did you call Mira? Laxus turned to the takeover mage fully knowing that his glare would have a bigger effect on her that the stubborn Sphinx.

- Well, Sph-

- Its okay Mira, I have a thing I need to test, you can hang up, Sphinx said waving a hand at her completely brushing off Laxus,

Laxus growled lowly at the other end of the lacrima, he never likes to be taken lightly. He watched Mira turned to him with that apologetic smile while she lightly rubbed the back of her head.

They had called him and why were they asking about the time in the infirmary?

Was something going on with Sphinx?

If there was he needed to know.

Laxus saw Sphinx turned to Lucy and hear her ask about Natsu's where about. The frowned deepened and again his eyes flicked to Mira silently demanding her to tell him.

Natsu?

-Sorry, Laxus, she said before reaching to turn the link off.

Sighing Laxus turned towards his team, they still had a week to go on this particular job, his curiosity was tormenting in his mind and as Bixlow appeared next to him he felt the obligation to share.

- Sphinx? The seith mage guessed already,

-She's back at the guild, Laxus said

-Finally, hope she's staying until we get back.

- I think there something else going on as well, the lightning mage said sounding annoyed and Bixlow instantly felt like asking more but already knew that Laxus didn't know, he wouldn't be so agitated otherwise.

Sphinx rolled her shoulder; it had been both failure and success with Natus. It was clear his presences did awake her slumber and she was able to pick up a few things from his aura but still it didn't feel quite right. And in the end she had round-house kicked him to the wall.

-Do you feel any better, Cana said intrigued,

-That was a carnivore trying to be a vegetarian, the dark haired mage said,

As the other looked from Natsu to her they clearly had no idea what she was talking about.

-I can feel him, I can feel his aura and there is a response but still it's not opening the gates fully.

Sphinx said trying to describe her mixed feelings. Pushing a hand threw her hair she flexed her arms above her head, before walking towards the exit.

-It's like something that will keep me alive but will never really satisfy me fully, her voice was disappointed but now she wasn't desperate, she had a clue on what could maybe bring her back.

I just really hope it's not the only thing.

Her theory was that it had something to do with the primitiveness of the slayers. She was happy about the fact that she wasn't completely numb but annoyed at the same time. It seems that everything had to do with slayers.

Laxus is going to have a ball when he hears about his, Sphinx sighed.

She quickly withdrew from the guild and made her way to her apartment. She needed to think about stuff. Now days it seemed that too many people took the liberty to invade her cave so she decided to go to her actual apartment for now. Looking up in the sky she could see the storm clouds gathering and a shiver went down her spine.

-It's going to rain tonight; she muttered out loud but quickened her steps, she was already feeling the cold from the inside she didn't need to get soaked on top.

It was barely over mid night as Sphinx finally decided that it was enough cleaning for one night and sat down by the fire. The sky was thundering and rain was rattling against her windows. She wanted to just settle down and maybe start napping but the restlessness had her thinking about doing another set of exercise routines, again.

Feeding of Natsu's aura could only keep her from jumping up the wall for so long,

Her fingers tapped against her leg and her tail twitched. The nearly painful lump in her gut had her on the edge the whole time. Sphinx was already positive that she wouldn't be able to sleep in this condition. She even put on music but that had no effect on her growing anxiety.

Fuck, why didn't I ask Cana over earlier?

She didn't feel particular social or lonely but at the same time the emptiness and quiet had her puling her hair.

Maybe I should get drunk and pass out?

Instantly she was on her feet again and walked over to her small kitchen cupboard. Her apartment was small on the ground level and she only now had noticed that her upstairs neighbor had actually moved out leaving the whole left end of the complex to her. Meaning she could play music as loudly as she wanted without getting complaints, like she was doing now, even if it was a lame attempt to drown out her problem.

-Shit, Sphinx jumped in fright as there was a loud knocking on her door.

Blue eyes turned to the door in shock, it was after midnight. Concentrating on the door she let out a pulse of her aura.

TU-TUM

Her body reacted fast and she all but ran to the door and wrenched it open with such force it was a miracle it stayed in its hinges.

TU-TUM, TU-TUM

Her heartbeat was loud and clear in her head. Like a blanket had been removed all her senses and instincts came back in a wave. Her skin tingled and made her want to squirm but she expertly contained herself.

For now

What she didn't contain was the obvious lustful growl as she side stepped to let her late night visitor in.

Red eyes never left hers as his aura swiped over the devil slayer. Her pulse picked up its pace as she absentmindedly shut the door behind him. They didn't say anything; words could not describe what he managed to do to her just by being near.

It was euphoric, the tension left her muscles and she felt like humming at the sensation of his aura

Leaning her back against the cold surface of the door, Sphinx let her eyes closed in content. He was just want she needed. Like a ray of sunshine in the cold and dark.

She could just bath, cuddle and roll in this familiar but sweet sensation that had her instincts and nerves dancing. Without her really knowing she started her low rumbling purr just from feeling good.

Gajeel looked her over slowly; she looked to be fine on the outside to his relief. His imagination already had his hearth hammering threw his ribcage on all the bad things that could have happened, on his way there. So to see her slowly unwind and purring from his presence instantly had a calming and serene effect on the iron slayer.

Gajeel took step forward and lifted his forearms against the door. Tension and stress instantly left his body as he leaned over her. His eyelids dropped a little as he inhaled her scent and listing to that primitive noise she did for him.

Levi had him running all the way here in the middle of the night, when she called that something was wrong with Sphinx. He had barely time to droop of his backpack from the mission he and Lily just returned from, when his blue haired friend and had him running through town in a storm.

Well played shrimp, the man mused in his mind but the sight of Sphinx there like this had all anger or annoyance leave instantly.

It was worth it,

Gajeel pressed closer to the small female. He had missed her, he had missed her alarmingly much, her scent, her blue eyes, her exotic appearance and strange behavior. But most he missed how she looked at him, or the way he could make her flush so easily.

Of course he would never say thing like this out loud, he wasn't a wuss. In fact he had held his hard tough appearance solidly, only few had seen the longing and contradictions in him. Gajeel was not a guy to start talking about feeling.

After that the damn lightning rod had once again pushed her limits she had disappeared for three week.

Three long fucking weeks,

He had cursed Laxus to the lows parts of hell because of that.Gajeel had felt annoyed before that she would disappear from time to time. However the last three weeks had been pure torture, this time even Levi had noticed his restlessness, and boy did she bitch about him needing to open up.

It took him a while to actually accept the fact that he was missing her. The slayer wasn't sure why he missed her so much stronger all of a sudden but he suspected it had something to do with Mira's plan. The cat was on the table now, they had something between them, it had been proven, something more than just casual attraction.

Shrimp and Lily had begged him to just call Sphinx, but how could he? The little devils slayer had enough stress in her life with Laxus being an ass about things. It hadn't meant than he didn't want to call her, it would have felt like intruding to him. She left because she needed space, ofcourse he didn't see it that way.

And what the fuck would he even say to her?

Come back, I feel like my insides are eating themselves, I miss you,

pff yeah right, like that would happen.

Besides who was he to tell her what to do? He would not start trying to control her actions.

Sphinx leaned her head back and looked up at him. Her gaze was like lava, there was so much heat and hunger in those blue eyes, so captivatingly beautiful that you want to touch it yet you know it will burn.

People said he had a piercing gaze but he had nothing on her. That gaze had his abs tensing and dragon stirring. She was just too much and still he couldn't get enough.

Feeling his own temperature rise, Gajeel leaned slowly down capturing her lips before she could see the flush on his face. It was slow simple kiss but yet it brought back their connection instantly. Gajeel pressed closer, trying to tell his mind and body she was really here, in front of him.

As he pulled away a little she brushed nose softly over his cheek a few times, it reminded him of an animalistic greeting. It was like she familiarized him in her mind, while emitting that calm noise.

He would let her familiarize him as long as she like, where ever she like as long as it kept her there,

They hadn't really been this way before, just the two, in total private, well he didn't count his retrieval trip to her cave. She had been a sleep. A thrilling but a very pleases feeling washed over him, he could get used to having her to himself.

It seemed the last times confrontation and confessions did bring some fruit. They were instantly closer and from the look of it she wasn't panicking either. Droplet water from his hair hit her face and she screeched her nose but grinned at him.

- Come on, Iet get you a towel, she said amused before lightly pushing him back.

He walked behind her never two steps away. It was warming and amusing that she didn't question or act weird even if he was in her apartment. At the same time it was harder to control himself than it had been before. Sphinx's swaying hips and black tail had his hand itched to grab her. A red towel was tossed his way and the snatched it with one had.

While drying off the water from his hair and skin he momentarily lost sight of her. Instantly there was a wrench in his gut as he quickly left her bedroom, not even bothering to put his shirt back on.

-Hungry? Came her relaxed voice from his left,

Sphinx was looking into her fridge eyes searching for something. Gajeel only now noticed that he had momentarily held his breath.

Yeah, he was hungry, just not for food,

His eyes roamed over her appreciating her skin tight work out leggings. Shaking his head the iron slayer suppressed a groan before focusing again.

- But you don't cook, Gajeel pointed out earing a flat look from the dark hared female.

-No, but I ordered pizza earlier, she said while pulling out a large pizza box and grinned.

Gajeel walked closer not missing the way her back strained even if she tried to mask it with turning smoothly to lay the pizza box down. A grin came to his face as he walked behind her, slowly placing both hands on the counter from both sides. Stayed in her place but he was so close against her that he felt the shiver that when down her spine.

He loved that she still reacted to him and how she responded to his presence. How well they matched yet held each other on their toes.

Leaning his face down to her neck his eyes closed as he inhaled her scent. She felt incredible like this. She was small against him and the urge to wrap his arms around her finally won. He had waited for three weeks to hold her there. This time there was no stopping the content call he let out.

Her head leaned on his shoulder as she answered him with a purr. They didn't need words; they didn't need to communicate like normal. Strong frim arms enveloped her protectively just as he nuzzled her neck. A shudder went down her spine and she moaned. His aura and physical presence was just enough to have her knees give out.

But it was when his lips hit her skin that the small flicker of hunger grew into a tornado of desire. Hand came up to grab that mass of black hair just as she pulled her head to the side and looked up. Gajeel seemed to have sense the shift as he instantly leaned down capturing her lips.

They moved in sync as he finally pulled away for breath. Heat, hunger and passion soon coated the air. Sphinx panted and turned in his arm and without asking, she was lifted of the floor and place on the kitchen counter. The Iron dragon was on her not on blink later. His hand came to her neck and hair as the other on grabbed her waist bringing her flush against him.

Sphinx wrapped her legs around him her hand started to roam around his hard chest before one hand ventured to his neck. She needed him closer, much closer.