Standard disclaimer applies.

a/n: Please imagine the Inugami mansion as a Japanese-style house/castle. For those who've seen Nurarihyon no Mago, the Inugami mansion is similar to that house.

again, I'm taking liberty with the concepts of youkai/oni here.


THE BLUE-HAIRED DEMONESS


Invisibility was a rare spell to muster. For one Juvia Lockser, she didn't even need a mantra to cast the spell on herself. She lacked the presence a full youkai should possess.

Youkai, even in their human forms, appeared regal and magnificent. Their visage seemed to be illuminated with glowing beauty indescribable with mere words. And the elite youkai, belonging to high-status ancient clans, were even more god-like in appearance.

Juvia belonged to a lower class youkai clan. Her father was a direct descendant of a long line of stewards to the elite clans in Magnolia. Currently, Jule Lockser served as the main steward of the lord of the Inugami of the Blue Emblem, the oldest and most powerful youkai clan in the city. Though her beauty was admired during her younger years, the praises and compliments subsided as soon as she entered high school. Her dark brown eyes were always hidden behind dark-framed rectangular glasses. Her wavy blue hair was always tied in a bun.

So it was no surprise that Juvia commanded no attention whenever she walked the hallways of Magnolia Elite High, one of the three private high schools in the city exclusive to those with youkai blood. To other youkai (and even ordinary humans), she was just an average-looking girl lacking presence and appeal.

Not that it mattered. It really didn't matter, since she never craved for attention. In fact, she detested being the subject of discussion.

And yet, around her clan, she was often the favourite topic, most specifically her hair. Blue-coloured hair was not a rarity. Human or youkai, or even the savaged oni (bloodthirsty demon beasts who devour humans, and at times youkai), could possess blue hair. But being the only bluenette in her clan brought scrutiny. Relatives often gossiped why Juvia didn't inherit her parents' straight brown hair. If her eye shape didn't resemble her mother's, Juvia would've believed she was adopted.

Presently, Juvia sat silently in an empty classroom. The last bell rang about twenty minutes ago, indicating the end of the day. For the students, it signalled the end of the second term — the start of winter break. The hallways were littered with chattering students, planning their holiday winter parties. Others dashed to get to their designated clubs and sports teams.

Juvia gazed out the window. The temperature outside was chilly and crisp, but so far no snow. She refocused her attention on her practice book, hoping to finish the homework package before returning home. As soon as she scribbled the last number, she closed the notebook and expelled a breath. She hated Math, but she wasn't terrible at it. As a student, she was average as well. Though she never got top scores, her results were always satisfying in all her classes.

There was also another reason she lingered in school. She had to wait for her best friend, Gajeel Redfox, one of the few students Juvia associated with. The two of them grew up together. And despite Gajeel being acquainted to many students — he's the captain of the judo club — Gajeel maintained his deep friendship with the bluenette.

Gajeel, a dragon youkai, was born into a warrior youkai clan and in line to be the main protector and bodyguard of the Inugami heir.

So it was only fitting that Gajeel would be the one to hone her fighting skills. Every Friday, as long as Gajeel had no practice or competition, he would train Juvia in his family's dojo. According to iron-manipulating youkai, Juvia must learn to defend herself in case of unforeseen battles. Another aspect to Gajeel's training was due to Juvia not being able to use any youkai ability yet. Normally, at the age of ten, a young youkai would begin to develop some kind of ability (such as manipulation of fire, controlling the wind, forging iron, etc.), and by fifteen would reach full fruition.

Not Juvia. Though she possessed the innate abilities of youkai, like healing capabilities and agile movements, Juvia hadn't shown signs of any type of power. In fact, she had never transformed to her youkai form. Her parents weren't worried. Though it was a rare case, there existed many youkai who began transforming at the age of thirty. In human years, that indicated late maturity. Not for youkai. If one would match it to human years, a thirty-year-old youkai would be equal to a ten-year-old human.

The youkai age slowly, and their human appearance remained unaltered by the time they reached thirty years in age. Unless a drastic amount of power had been drained, this form wouldn't be affected at all.

When Juvia checked her phone clock, there was still a significant amount of time left before Gajeel finished with club activities. Deciding that it would be best to wait for him outside the school's dojo, Juvia gathered her things and put them inside her bag.

As she was about to slide the door open and step out of the classroom, a towering figure bumped into her; Juvia staggered backwards but regained control of her body. Her bag, however, landed on the floor with a thud.

"Fuck!" the figure cursed.

Juvia didn't even need to know the owner of the voice. In fact, she didn't even need to hear his voice to know who this was. His scent alone was familiar enough, now that he was much closer in distance. Why she didn't sense him arriving was due to her inability to sense anyone's presence.

Bending low, Juvia apologized, "Forgive me, Fullbuster-sama."

The respect she gave him was not only because of his bureaucracy, but also because her father had been the Fullbusters' steward for the past thirty years.

The dark-haired teenage youkai glared. "You should've sensed me coming. Didn't you even sense me? What kind of youkai are you?" he scoffed, looking at his inferior.

Her classmate, Gray Fullbuster, was announced as the heir of the Inugami of the Blue Emblem. As part of the elite youkai clan, Gray possessed all their stereotypical characteristics — kingly aura, noble features, and magnificent demeanour. Hence, he was one of the most popular boys in school. His fangirls almost worship the ground he walked on.

Bowing again, Juvia apologized. "Juvia still hasn't improved with detection," she explained, hoping that was sufficient enough for him. She refused to look him in the eyes.

He probably didn't remember his encounter with Juvia almost a decade ago; they were still children. And though Gray acted haughtily, Juvia came to admire the boy who gave her an ice butterfly. The figurine never melted, and she kept it inside a velvety box for safekeeping.

"Whatever," Gray dismissed her with a wave. He walked past her, making his way to his desk. He grabbed his schoolbag and left the room without acknowledging the female youkai. Juvia bowed to him until he disappeared.

A sad smile tugged on her lips. This was enough for her — to admire him from afar.


"Your stamina is lacking. Your legs are weak. Your concentration's even lower. You only missed one training week, and you got worse?"

The loud voice of a dark-haired teenage youkai echoed throughout the wooden walls of a dojo. He stood in the centre of the training hall with an imposing stance. His eyes stared intently on the weakling he referred as his best friend. Crouched in all floors, strays of wavy blue strands sticking to a sweaty face, Juvia panted heavily. Droplets of sweat from her body met the shiny dojo floors. The hands and knees that supported her weight kept shaking from exhaustion. Juvia felt her every limb tensing, as if warning her of an impending cramp.

"Ju... Juv... Juvia c-can't... more," she tried to tell her friend but words won't just form in her mouth. "L-let's... ssssto-," she pleaded but was hauled up instead.

Gajeel, with his bulging biceps, easily lifted the blue-haired youkai. He planted her feet on the dojo floor with a thump. "It's only been thirty minutes, Juv," he bellowed in frustration. As soon as Gajeel released his hold on her, Juvia collapsed on the floor once again.

"No more. Juvia can't. If you keep insisting, Juvia will never speak to you again."

Gajeel snorted. There was that threat again. "And if you don't get up after a count of one, I'll never talk to you as well. Consider us strangers."

Dejectedly, the bluenette tried to get up. When her knees wouldn't support her, she stretched out her arm for his assistance. Once again, the youkai boy lifted his best friend up with ease. "How about a ten-minute break? Please, Gajeel-kun?" she begged, hoping her puppy eyes would win him over.

Unbeknownst to the bluenette, she only needed to widen her eyes and slightly pucker her lips in a pout to convince Gajeel. Rolling his eyes, he gave her the good news.

"You're in luck, Puddle," he used the nickname she hated the most.

Juvia earned the 'Puddle' pet name from Gajeel at the age of six. It was because Juvia wet the bed one time she slept over at Gajeel's house. In Juvia's defence, Gajeel told her a scary story about an oni eating blue-haired children. When Gajeel woke up, the side where Juvia slept was wet. The girl was too scared to get up for a washroom break during the night. Since then, the nickname stuck.

"I have to go to the Inugami mansion in an hour. So, this ends your training for today."

Juvia heaved a sigh of relief. Clapping in glee, she beamed at her best friend. "Can Juvia go with you to the mansion?"

Gajeel gave her a funny look. The bluenette always insisted to accompany him whenever he was tasked to stop by at the Inugami mansion. "Why do you always want to go there?"

"Juvia just wants to get an opportunity to see Mika-sama. Plus, I want to visit the library at the mansion."

Youkai from allied clans can go in and out of the Inugami mansion. Gajeel, specifically, belonged to the Inugami clan tasked to protect the main family, the Fullbusters. They act like the typical bodyguards, but if and when a battle ensues, they would be the warriors defending the fortress.

There was also one reason. Since it's a Friday night, Juvia was sure the young heir of the mansion wouldn't be home. The last thing Juvia wanted would be an encounter with the young heir. Strange, as much as she admired Gray Fullbuster with all her heart, she tried to get out of his way. She had no choice when it came to school, since they're classmates.

Part of the reason she hated being around Gray was due to embarrassment. Juvia had nothing to show up for as a youkai. No abilities whatsoever. The girl lacked self-confidence, and she hated feeling so weak and small in front of him.

Yet, the Inugami mansion was the one place Juvia loved to visit. She also held great admiration towards the Mistress of the House, Lady Mika Fullbuster. So, as creepy as it sounds, Juvia learned of the days Gray stayed away from the mansion. She found out, by accident, that on Fridays leading to the weekend, Gray would stay with his girlfriend, the beautiful Ultear Milkovich, a tengu youkai. She came from the newly-founded clan, the Rossette Crest. Her union with the soon-to-be leader of the Inugami of Blue Emblem would fortify her clan's power.

Thus, with persistent pleading, Gajeel had no choice but to let Juvia tag along. The Redfox's dojo was a few blocks away from the mansion, so it didn't take them long to reach the massive iron gates. The guards allowed them inside right away with just a glance at Gajeel. After all, the tall, dark-haired broad-chested teenager would be the future protector of the young lord.


"Juvia, dear, it is always pleasure to see you again," greeted a beautiful voice from behind.

Juvia whirled around in surprise, bowed down deeply upon realizing the owner of the voice. "Forgive Juvia, Mika-sama. Juvia didn't detect your presence right away."

The statuesque creature walked towards the blue-haired teenager. Her movements were graced with fluidity making it appear as if she's floating. Her gorgeous satin kimono had intricate threading of metallic red, silver, and gold, all forming delicate floral designs. The light inside the library illuminated her striking features and put a halo above her silky dark tresses. She looked regal like always, but her visage exuded such warmth and kindness.

She was aware of Juvia's abilities, or lack thereof for the moment. She dismisses her apology with a chuckle. "It's partly my fault, my dear. I tend to conceal my aura around the house. My husband is a master detector." She peered at the book Juvia was holding. "I see you have great taste when it comes to literature. There are only a few copies available presently, and that my dear is one of the authentic ones."

Juvia gasped. She heard many things about the rare classic written by a renowned novelist of superior youkai blood. It detailed about the life of an ethereal water fairy who fell in love with a youkai. However, their love story ended in tragedy. Youkai and humans searched for the original copies of the book, but only a few were printed. As expected of the Inugami library!

"Is Juvia allowed to borrow it?" the young youkai shyly inquired.

Mika smiled at her. "Of course. In fact, I'll give it to you."

Juvia shook her head, surprised that the lady easily bequeathed to her such an important piece of history. "No, no, no. Mika-sama, Juvia cannot possibly take this. Juvia only wants to read it."

"How about this, Juvia. Consider the book yours, but just keep it here in the library. You can come in any time you want to read it," Mika proposed. Without waiting for Juvia's answer, she called the librarian and gave the instructions. No one would be allowed to take the book anymore without Juvia's permission. "Will you join me for tea? I cannot possibly go to bed without having a sip of my favourite beverage," the lady of the mansion invited a still stupefied-Juvia. The latter simply nodded. "Just wait for me at the garden courtyard while I make the necessary preparations."

Juvia watched Mika glided her way to the opposite side of the mansion, to the direction of the kitchen. She left the blue-haired youkai unsure where to go. Juvia had never been inside the deeper part of the house, so she had no idea of the house's intricate layout.

She had only been to the library and the main courtyard in the few times she visited. Once she was invited to the tea room by the Lady Mika, however Juvia's mother insisted that the young demoness should stay outside.

Trying her hardest to concentrate, Juvia tried to get a whiff of floral and leafy scents. She was sure those scents alone would direct her towards her intended destination. Through the maze-like halls, her feet softly padding through the polished wooden floors, Juvia let her nose guide her. A hint of fresh earth soil and minty aroma infiltrated her senses, and she assumed she was nearby. Since winter had arrived for some time, even though the snowman had failed to make its appearance yet, Juvia realized she won't get a whiff of the flowers.

Once she got out of the main building, Juvia rejoiced that for once her senses didn't betray her. It was already quite dark and the luminance of the moon served as the source of light. Trudging the stony path, Juvia wondered where she should wait for the Lady Mika. Seeing that the path led to a roofed pavilion, Juvia decided to just wait there.

But just before stepping inside, Juvia heard rustling sounds at the side. Curiosity bested her so the blue-haired youkai investigated. Hidden in the dark, a tall figure stood with his back facing her. Juvia couldn't quite see his full profile so she decided to simply walk away and not disturb. As she took a step back, the dark figure whirled around. Juvia didn't have time to analyze the face because he charged towards her within a blink of an eye.

Juvia's breath got caught in her throat when long, lean fingers gripped her neck. The figure's face was mere inches away from hers, and Juvia could feel his breath on her skin. His scent was alluring — of muskiness mixed with mint akin to the first snowfall. Strands of dark hair with streaks of silver fell on his forehead, its tips covering a part of his left eye. His slanted eyes glowed bloody red. A faint squiggly mark appeared on and off on his face, travelling vertically from his forehead down to the middle of his right eye.

It took Juvia a few more blinks to completely recognize her attacker. It was Gray Fullbuster. And he was on the verge of transforming into his youkai form.

A rumbling in his throat escaped his lips and he began to nuzzle his nose on Juvia's upper left jaw, just right below her earlobe.

"G-G-Gray... Fu-Fullbuster-sama," she croaked out his name, unsure of what to do. Juvia stepped backwards and away from him, but he whacked her back forward with an open palm. Juvia's chest bumped onto his broad upper body. The impact made her flinch. Juvia opened her lips to protest but Gray crashed his lips against hers; his fangs nicked the delicate, soft lower lip. He growled when he tasted blood. He licked the inside of her mouth, his tongue playing with hers.

Juvia was caught in the stinging sensation, too shocked to react. When reason began to descend upon her again, she pressed her palms against his chest. With all the strength she could muster, she pushed him off of her. He was too strong for her, but she managed to put a gap between them. Such action made him rage, and Juvia could feel anger pulsating around him. If she could see a youkai's aura — something she hasn't developed yet — his would be an intense red.

Gray gripped her wrist, pulled her roughly towards him. His other hand cradled the back of her head to tilt it to one side. Her neck had been fully exposed, Juvia realized. Gray bent his head down to lick the skin on the base of her neck.

That particular spot for youkai was reserved for a mating mark.

Juvia panicked and tried to break free, but his hold on her was too firm. "NO!" she yelped, when she felt him sucking on her neck. She might have admired Gray, but it ended at that, nothing more. This was not how she wanted to be marked. That right belonged to her future mate, and Gray Fullbuster was none of that.

"Stop," she pleaded but he paid no heed. "Please let Juvia go," she whimpered, her tone begging, but it only made him suck on her skin deeper. She could feel the tip of his fangs grazing the now-sore skin. Tears streamed down her cheeks. Juvia closed her eyes in defeat, a silent sob escaping her lips.

"Blue…" she heard him whisper hoarsely.

She felt a wet fluid, probably blood, trickling down the side of her neck. He was really going to mark her, and they're not even mated.

But when all hope faded, she felt herself being snatched away from Gray, heavily thrown off the ground. Dizziness clouded her mind, and she felt completely disoriented.

Soon, even with the illumination of the moon, the world around her was submerged in darkness.


a/n: thank you very much for the feedback: SNAVEJ, MYSTERY GIRL520, ME GA MAWARU, and WILATHEWTICH. I hope to read more of what you guys think. till next chapter!