I gave Wendy a smile, rubbing my collar bone where it had been slashed at.
"Thanks Wendy," I said and she nodded, smiling back at me.
"You're welcome Lucifer, I saw you fighting by the way. I thought you were amazing, and the way you acted toward the sailors! You had me scared." She complimented and I let out a light giggle.
"Awh thank you, I think you're magic is pretty awesome too." I said honestly and she blushed. I stood up and stretched, her standing up as well.
"You should get some sleep, it's pretty late...or early." She said, both of us turning to look at the rising sun. I yawned and nodded.
"Yeah you're probably right, you should get some sleep too." I told her and she shook her head, covering a yawn of her own.
"I will soon, but I need to take care of Natsu first. He got a bad wound earlier and before I could get to him he fell asleep." She explained and I tilted my head.
"Couldn't you just wake him up?" I asked and she shook her head.
"He doesn't sleep much so when he does I try and leave him alone." She said and I slowly nodded.
"You guys talking about me?" Both of us nearly jumped from our own skin at the deep voice, whipping around to see an exhausted looking Salamander, his pink hair messier than usual, dark bags under his eyes and still wearing the shirt from earlier but it clung to his body with sweat or blood.
"Natsu! Sorry, I was just talking with Lucifer how I couldn't heal you earlier." Wendy explained quickly and he pulled tired eyes away from her to me, giving me half a smile that made me catch my breath.
"I fell asleep, sorry." He said, his voice deep and raspy. I licked my lip, looking away as he sat down on the barrel I had just been on. Wendy moved forward, inspecting the ugly gash you could barely see under the shirt.
"Lucifer can I see your knife?" She asked but before I could produce one Salamander reached forward, pulling one from his belt. I had no idea what was wrong with me but something about how smooth his actions were gave me goosebumps. I watched Wendy take it, quickly muttering an apology about his shirt before cutting it away, pausing when he flinched slightly. I sucked in a breath, seeing an even uglier gash that I thought.
"Oh wow, what did they get you with?" I asked, leaning forward and inspecting his bicep.
"Uh, shoved a knife in me when I tossed a few of his buddies away." He explained and I couldn't help but to marvel at him for a moment.
"Jeez...I can hold my own but if I got a knife shoved into my arm I think I'd be pretty much done for." I said and he gave me a grin, using his free hand to point to the Fairy Tail symbol.
"Never give up, if you can't stand then crawl, if you can't crawl you drag yourself forward until you can't move. Then you give your strength to others." He said and I blinked, taking in what he said. He never did fail to impress me on how he felt toward his guild. A pang of guilt ran through me as I thought about what the Captain had said; full on war had been declared on dark guilds. It was funny how much a month and a few weeks could change my opinion on Fairy Tail. I couldn't imagine any of these guy being split up or killed...I couldn't imagine them being locked up in cells...by my father's hand. But what could I do? I was more worried about my own crew though, if there was a war coming then we needed to be prepared.
"Hey, calm down. Your face is making weird looks. Your crew will be fine." Salamander said suddenly and I jumped, looking at him in surprise.
"What? How did you-" He cut me off by shaking his head, giving me a grin.
"Cause you're a caring person and put others before yourself." He said and I stared at him, puffing out my cheeks and furrowing my brows. I had no idea why but I felt defensive over the statement. Wendy got up, nodding to Salamander and his now healed arm, heading towards the angry looking white cat that waited a few steps away.
"Tch, no I'm not. I'm the-" I started but he cut me off once again, his grin falling into a slightly annoyed look.
"The Captain of Sabertooth, yeah I now. Don't worry Lucifer." His look turned up once again into a mischievous smirk and the goosebumps returned, a guilty heat starting to warm the inside of my stomach. It wasn't that bad though right? If I didn't act on it or actually want to do anything then I wasn't unfaithful. No one could down me for finding someone attractive.
"Your secret is safe with me." He said, taking a deep breath but coughing. I frowned, moving closer as he seemed to choke on air.
"Hey you okay?" I asked and he gasped for breath, extending his hand as he let out a grunt. Confused, I grabbed his hand but the second I did he yanked it back as if I had stung him. I stepped away, my hands up as he covered his mouth and nose, looking at me with his pupils slitted. I frowned more, did I stink? His muscles were tense and flexed and I saw his free hand digging into the barrel as if he was restraining himself.
"Lucifer...please just….walk. Away." He rasped out and I realized it looked like he was struggling not to attack and hurt me. I sucked in a breath, ignoring the tingling of stupid attraction I felt to the danger I could be in and focused on the offended feeling that was also there.
"Okay then…" I said awkwardly, turning and walking away. I scowled to myself. What the heck was that about? I huffed, deciding that it was time for me to go to sleep.
"Stupid flame brain." I muttered, taking my time and pausing here or there to greet someone before opening the door to Erza's room. I walked in, closing the door behind me but I let out a shriek at what I saw.
_!_!_!_!_!_!_!
Once she got a few steps away I forced myself to look away. I didn't know what caused her to feel...that way but whatever it was the scent was driving me mad. I wanted to pounce on her and make her mine. I heard a crack and saw that my fingers had grown sharp claws that went through the barrel I was sitting on. I took a deep breath, trying not to jump up and attack the blonde. Her scent was lingering in my nostrils. My vision narrowed but enhanced and I sucked in a deep breath, standing up quickly and heading towards where she was on her way to Erza's room.
I took a deep breath, her scent getting stronger the closer I got. About ten feet from her I sucked in another breath only to yelp as cold water was splashed on me, growling and whipping around to see Gajeel holding a bucket and looking at me with a knowing look.
"You know she's yours and you haven't told her?" He asked simply, his voice sounding like he was talking to an annoying idiot. I growled, taking a breath in annoyance however the cold water had cleared my mind up.
"She belongs to St-" I choked, my throat closing on me. I grabbed Gajeel's shoulder to steady me as I coughed and gasped, trying to coax my throat to ease open. I got it to open, my eyes teary from the struggle as I sucked in a deep breath. I looked up at Gajeel who had a very slight concerned look.
"Dude...you guys haven't even mated. You can't say she's someone else's. What the hell did you do?!" He yelled, grabbing my shoulders and shaking me slightly. Dragon slayers get one mate, and when we find them we have two choices. We can reject them or we mark them or mate with them. Normally a mark was a promise of love and loyalty and what was to happen later. Once we marked or mated with our mates there was no going back. If we left our mate or gave them to someone else we would be affected. Our personalities would change, we would go insane after a while then get violent. After that a deep depression that ended in death by our hearts giving out. Unless we rejected them.
"I...I haven't marked or slept with her I…" I froze, my eyes widening.
"Natsu help!" Lucy screamed, trying to get away from one of the princes that was visiting. She was six, I was seven. I looked down from the tree I was in and saw the nine year old prince tugging at her hair and holding her tightly. Her scared eyes met mine and rage filled me. I jumped from the tree, my scarf as a bandana that covered my pink hair. I tucked and rolled as I hit the ground, growling in my premature voice.
"She said let go!" I yelled, pouncing on the pretty boy. I wrestled with him quickly, punching his nose. I paused when I saw blood, it was my first time ever breaking someone's bone. It scared me yet I felt powerful.
"Don't touch Lucy!" I yelled at him, jumping off the screaming nine year old and rushing to Lucy who had tears in her eyes. I hugged her tightly.
"Are you okay?" I asked her quickly, looking her over. She sniffled and nodded quickly. Guards were rushing forward due to the screaming and bleeding prince.
"He won't hurt you again Luce! I'll always be there to protect you." She gave me a slight grin before I was yanked away from her. I was taken to the dungeon and beaten for hurting the prince. I had to spend two days in there with no food or water, chained up with my arms to the wall.
I had been sniffling quietly to myself when I heard soft footsteps. Lucy's scent had washed over me and small hands cupped my bruised face.
"Natsu I'm so sorry! I'm gonna get daddy to let you out I promise." She said quickly and I peeled my eyes open, giving her a grin.
"Don't worry Luce, I'm gonna protect you...come here." I told her and she moved closer. I didn't know what it was at the time I just felt like I had to do this and Igneel told me to always follow my instincts. She moved closer, her lips near my ear.
"Natsu?" She had asked curiously.
"Trust me." I had said, leaning up a much as I could and hooking my tiny little fangs into her neck and biting. She flinched softly but stayed still, trusting me. I pulled my teeth out and grave her a tired grin as her hand went up to her already healing wound.
"Now when ever you're in trouble I'll know." I told her and she tilted her head curiously, shrugging and hugging my tiny form.
"It...it shouldn't count. I didn't know what it was...it wasn't..does that count?" I asked him in horror and he gave me a grave look.
"I don't know..I'll talk to Levy about it. Metalicana never told me what happens if you mark someone before you come of age. " He told me but before I could nod I felt a very gentle tug. I had felt it before plenty of times before but I never paid much mind to it. It went away usually pretty fast and didn't bother me that much. Half a second later there was a loud scream and my adrenaline shot up, becoming alert and launching forward, reaching the door Lucy had just went in too and where the scream had come from. I heard more shrieking and shuffling, ripping the door open and jumping in, about to draw my sword when I myself let out a yell, turning my torso and covering my eyes.
"Ah what the hell!?" I yelled, trying not to look at my naked second mate and Jellal who were both flailing and trying to untangle themselves from the blankets and each other.
"Get out!" Erza finally yelled when my fingers split to see if they were dressed. They weren't.
"Ahhh jeez damn lock the door next time!" I yelled, grabbing Lucifer by the collar and dragging her out quickly. We ran out, both slamming the door and pushing our backs against it, letting out deep breaths of relief, blushes on our cheeks. It was quiet between the two for a moment before I let out an awkward laugh.
"Heh...bout time. It's been hell smelling all the sexual tension between those two." I said, actually impressed Erza did it. Despite herself Lucifer let out a small giggle, hitting my arm. Our skin made contact and the urges to jump her came back. I sucked in a deep breath.
"Hey, why don't you use my room to sleep? I'll be out here anyway." I told her, mainly trying to get her away from me. She gave me a mischievous grin.
"Trying to get me into bed Salamander?" She teased and I returned a grin. You're playing with fire right now.
"Just being nice." I told her and she raised a brow.
"Why? I gonna wake up to find you slipped into bed when I was asleep?" She asked and the hair on the back of my neck stood up at the images running through my head.
"Wouldn't dream of it." I told her. Probably because that may just happen if you don't go now. She eyed me for a moment before shrugging.
"Sure, thanks Salamander." She said, giving me a grin and turning. I forced myself to look away from her body. Mavis this would be a long few days.
-edited version-