Hey. ;)

I'm so sorry about the delay, guys! I have just been busy - or just lazy. xD I promise to speed up with the next chapters to make it up to you. :D

Chapter 13

Lucy was almost at the bar when white smoke suddenly surrounded her. She coughed, annoyed, and waved a hand before her face.

"Hallo Loki," she said, even before she saw his smug smile appear. He quickly found her pace and started walked like he had been there all the time.

"I saw everything from the spirit world," he said with a crooked smile. "I thought about joining the party, but you seemed to have a handful already."

"Yeah…thanks, I guess," Lucy said and really was thankful that the handsome spirit hadn't interfered too. "And how could you see it from the spirit world?" Lucy added, wondering. Loki made a little laugh.

"There's a lot you don't know about the spirit world, my little celestial spirit mage," Loki teased and Lucy rolled her eyes.

"What do you want, Loki?" Lucy said and now she could see the bar at the end of the road.

"Congrats you on your wedding day," Loki said, but his smile disappeared when he saw her expressionless eyes. "Sorry, it wasn't funny," he hurried to say.

"It's okay," Lucy said and almost laughed at the spirit's expression. Loki sighed when he saw her smile again.

"Anyway, where's Gray?" Loki asked straight on.

"W–what do you mean?" Lucy said and almost blushed. Loki sighed deeply and gave her the, like-I-couldn't-figure look. Lucy responded with an I-don't-know-what-you're-talking-about look.

"Come on, I told you I watched you from the spirit world," Loki said smirking.

"That's kind of creepy. How does that work anyway?" Lucy said, trying to change the subject, but Loki wouldn't let her go that easy.

"So, where is he?" Loki said and ran forward to block Lucy's way, and looked at her over the top of his sunglasses. Lucy suddenly remembered the day in her room, when she had just gotten her keys back. Loki had been there for her, and had even guessed that she loved Gray. He knew her too well. What was the point in keeping it secret?

"He's fighting Natsu, okay!" Lucy said annoyed. Loki looked at her with shocked eyes. "Are you happy now?" Loki just looked at her, totally stunned.

"No! I'm seriously not happy," Loki said, just as annoyed, but his anger was pointed at Gray. "How could he let you go on your own? Just like that?"

"Oh please, Gray can do whatever he wants. It's not like we're dating," Lucy said and put a hand on her hip.

"No? Really? Are you already together?" Loki asked.

"What? No! Loki, stop that!" Lucy said and pushed him aside so she could continue her walk toward the bar. Loki laughed quietly and followed her with his hands in his pockets.

"But you want to, right?" he said close to her ear. She hurried to wave him away like an annoying fly and continued walking.

"Maybe I do, maybe I don't," she murmured and felt her cheeks warm up. Loki's lips widened into a satisfied smile and he laid an arm around her shoulders, which made her moan and roll her eyes.

"That's great Lu-chan!" Loki said cheerful and took her comments as a yes. "And now that the 'mission' is over, you'll have plenty time together at home." Loki winked and Lucy sent him a deadly glare.

"I shouldn't have told you," Lucy whispered, more to herself then to Loki, but Loki answered anyway.

"Don't be like that, I-." He suddenly cut himself off and went quiet. His smile had disappeared and he suddenly got tense.

"Loki? What's wrong?" Lucy said surprised. Loki took his arm off her shoulder and pulled her behind his back.

"Problems," he said quietly. His eyes were serious and hard. Lucy was about to ask him again, but suddenly two people appeared in front of them, coming out from the shadows. Lucy looked at Loki, stunned; how had he sensed them? Oh well, never mind that.

The two people were completely covered in black, almost like a tight suit, and their hair was just as black, which made them meld into the shadows. Only their pale faces and golden eyes lit up in the darkness. They looked completely identical, except that one of them had longer hair and a few female features in her face.

"Who are they?" Lucy whispered to the protecting spirit in front of her.

"Shadow mages," Loki whispered back. "You only find them in one place: in a dark guild."

"Are they after us?" Lucy asked, while the two shadow mages swayed, retreating a short distance from them.

"Not us. You!" Loki answered and got in a fighting position.

"Why would-?" Something clicked in Lucy's head. "My father."

"Likely," Loki said and narrowed his eyes.

"How much longer can you stay in the human world?" Lucy asked quickly.

"Are you underestimating me?" Loki said and smirked. Lucy was about to say something else, but suddenly Loki shot forward, attacking the shadows with full force. Lucy's hair waved a little with the breeze created by the movement. She looked down at herself. She still wore that stupid dress and she didn't have her whip. That, along with her other clothes, was still in her father's house. She couldn't help Loki at all. The only thing she could do was not get in the way.

Loki sent a deadly blow toward the enemies, but they just laughed creepily, sending chills down Lucy's spine. Loki's hand went right through them. "Shadow illusions?" Loki whispered to himself as his fist hit the ground. Shadow mages were experts in illusions. They could fool almost anybody, and they always fought dirty. Loki looked around and suddenly got a terrible feeling. They were after Lucy. They wouldn't waste their time on him.

"NO!" he yelled when he realized their plan. "LUCY! WATCH OUT!"

Lucy widened her eyes at his outburst, but didn't get a chance to react before cold, lifeless hands grabbed her around her waist and wrists. She heard the creepy laugher close to her ear and shivered.

Loki panicked, leaping and bounding toward her, but he was too late. The shadows covered Lucy's body and the last thing he saw was the golden eyes, staring, amused, at him, while Lucy disappeared along with the shadow mages.

He was about to close the gate, so he could appear by her side again, but then he changed his mind.

"Gray," he mumbled and hurried down the streets toward the outskirts of town.

Lucy felt like her whole body was covered in cold slime. Her scream was suffocated by the lack of air, and she inhaled sharply, but only smoke came in. The shadow mages held her tightly while the smoke consumed them, and the black gas stung her eyes and nose. It was like all her senses were tortured in different ways. She could still hear their silent laugher outside her ear. She tried to cover her ears, but an invisible force bound her hands.

Finally she felt ground under her feet and coughed in relief when the smoke disappeared around her.

"Lucy!" a familiar voice yelled in horror.

Lucy tried to focus her eyes, but everything was blurry at first. The lifeless hands still held her arms and the smell of smoke was replaced by the rotten smell of the two shadow mages. Finally her sight became clearer and she realized whom the voice belonged to.

"Mako?" she murmured surprised. "What are you doing here? What am I-?" She got cut off when the shadow mages let go of her arms, and she fell loudly to the floor. The smoke had made her dizzy, but she hurried to her feet.

The shadow mages laughed from somewhere behind her, amused, while they pulled back. She cursed them silently, while she regained balance and looked at Mako.

"Where are we?" she asked. "Is this our fathers' -?" She cut herself off this time as she got a better look at Mako's face. He sat on the floor, supported by the wall, half of his face covered in darkness.

"What? You look like you have seen a ghost," Mako said with dark humor.

"Almost," she said horrified. "What happened to you?"

Mako touched his face lightly and didn't answer. Even in the dull light, his face could be seen. His eyes were red and swollen, and his neck and cheeks were covered in blue marks from heavy blows. His hair was messy and he looked paler then usual.

"Yeah, my father normally hits me where clothes can hide it," Mako said when he realized her stare and forced a smile. "It's nothing. It could be worse, trust me."

Lucy knelt in front of him, but that only made the sight more horrible.

"You're a mess! Didn't you hit back?" Lucy said and didn't dare to touch him in fear that he would fall apart.

"He's my father…. I-I can't…" Mako tried to explain it properly, but gave up, and just sighed. "Anyway, why are you here?"

"Like I know. Where am I precisely," Lucy asked again.

"My father's office," Mako mumbled and looked away.

"L-like your home? The duke's mansion?" Lucy said surprised and bit her lip. Mako gave her a small nod. "Why? Why am I here? How far away from Magnolia am I?"

Mako opened his mouth to reply, but suddenly the door behind them opened and two men stepped into the room.

"Father?" Lucy and Mako both echoed, Lucy with surprise and Mako with horror.

"Ice make: Lance!" Gray yelled angrily and a pole of ice flew toward Natsu. Natsu jumped, successfully avoiding the attack, and sent several fireballs toward his opponent. Gray hurried to make a shield and protected himself from the fire. Natsu was about to send another ball of fire, but suddenly a voice cut through, making both mages turn their heads in surprise.

"Stop fighting, god dammit!" it yelled, panicking and the two rivals lowered their hands.

"Loki? What do you want?" Natsu said wondering.

"Why are you here without Lucy?" Gray asked and suddenly got tense.

"That's the problem," Loki said and held the ice mage's gaze. "I think she's in danger."

"What?" Gray said and looked around, confused. "She left?"

"Didn't you even see her leave?" Loki said and his shoulders fell. He shook his head and sighed, "Well, forget about that…are you going to help or not?"

So what did you think? Maybe a little short, but I wanted to update fast. Hope you liked. ^_^g