Natsu's New Rival

Chapter 9

I Refuse

"We finally meet, Lucy Heartfilia." The disgusting man in front of me spoke. His chubby lips formed a grin across his portly face. A thick layer a sweat covered his brow as his brown eyes scanned over my body. His eyes showed the perversion of his thoughts. "My name is Minikui Shibo, I am pleased to finally have the honor of seeing my future wife."

I felt myself cringe in disgust as he spoke the words. Who would ever want to be the wife of such a man? His white suit barely managed to cover the roundness of his stomach and the buttons on his shirt looked like they would pop at any moment. He reached forward, his thick fingers grasped at my hand. His sweaty palm brought my hand to his lips before I quickly pulled it away and scowled at the man.

"Lucy!" My father shouted in anger before Minikui waved it off. His grin only widened as he continued to look at me. His gaze made me feel violated, as if he was undressing me with his eyes.

"It's fine Jude, I like the feisty ones. She is just a gorgeous as you said and I believe that we have a great future ahead of us." My father grinned at the man. Yes, this is all I was ever good for. Another one of his investments. A tool for him to use as he wished. And in this case, a way to increase his wealth.

"I have all of the paperwork ready, just sign on the last page." The creep of a man wobbled his way towards my father and looked over the papers he was handed. He quickly scratched his signature across the white paper before they both turned to me. "Now Lucy, all you have to do is sign."

His eyes flashed the warning that he was unable to speak. I was captured by a crazy guild, hung from a wall in chains and I was finally let down only to be forced to change into this stuffy dress for this so called meeting. This room was a large improvement to the one I was in before but it reminded me of the manor back home. All of it's expensive furniture and high end designs only added to my bad mood.

The long black dress fell to my ankles in ruffles, its long sleeves flared at the wrist and it had silver lining around the hem, sleeve ends and bust. The corset underneath was tied so tight that I felt like I was suffocating and the low cut of the dress only seemed to make this brown haired man even happier.

Jude walked forward, the paper and pen in his hands. His eyes never left mine as he stopped a few feet away. His arm raised with the white paper, all the black letters written and spelled out to perfection. I looked down at it before turning my heavy gaze back into my fathers brown eyes.

"I refuse."

"You have no choice in this matter. You will sign or regret this action later." I shook my head. There was no way I would ever sign away my life like that.

"I would rather die than to marry him or anyone that I do not love." My voice held the finality of my words. It was the truth. I could not live if I had to be with someone like that. My belief in love was too strong.

"I can make that possible." Jude threatened. I knew that he was bluffing. He needed me alive for this deal to take place. The portly man walked forward his brown eyes danced over my figure once more. A shiver passed down my back from the lust that shined in his eyes. His round fingers gripped at my chin and pulled me closer.

"You will be mine." He grinned. My eyes narrowed. I hated guys like this, they think that they can have whatever they wanted simply because of the money they possessed. He still held my face in his greasy fingers but tightened his grip when I tried to pry free. I growled at the man before spitting in his face.

"I will never be yours! I would kill myself before that would ever happen!"

"Jude, do what you must to make it happen. As long as she receives no permanent damage to her face or body then it will be fine." He let me go and wiped the spit from his cheek. Jude walked him out of the room before closing the door with a light click. His cold eyes rounded on me before he called out.

"Jose, if you will." The man seemed to have appeared out of no where. His long and bony fingers wrapped around my arms as the sound of metal clanking reached my ears. I found myself once more locked in chains.

"Gajeel." Jose called out, his voice just as chilling as it was when I first saw him. "Take her to the dungeons and show her just how persuasive we can be."

Gajeel nodded before he grabbed onto my wrist and pulled me away. I bit my tongue as the metal of the cuffs cut into my skin. The metallic taste began to spill into my mouth but I ignored it. This was nothing compared to what I have already been through.

I was thrown into a dark cell and heard the metal bars clanking shut behind me. I glanced around to see that Gajeel had locked himself inside with me. He took slow steps towards me, his red eyes flashed in excitement. I tried to back away but there was no hiding in this place. This small cell that smelled of mold and something rotten was no more than eight feet wide and six feet long. I could hear the sounds of flies buzzing in the corner but refused to turn my gaze from the dark haired mage.

This would be the end of me. There was no way that I would ever sign that paper. To me, either way I look at it I would be losing my life. I will end it all here rather than slowly dying on the inside from living a life that I would hate so much.

"Where is she?!" Erza shouted at the butler. His wide eyes looked upon the scarlet haired mage in fear. She gripped him by the collar and held his face only inches from hers. Her deep brown eyes glared into his forest green ones.

"I-I swear, I don't know! My master only said that she would be taken. He never mentioned where they were taking her." The old man pleaded with the red head who's looks were fierce. He had never in all his years seen a woman as scary as her. A shaky hand landed upon the requip mage's shoulder causing her to turn at him.

"I think he is telling the truth, Erza." Gray could see the fear in the mans eyes and felt a bit sorry for him. He understood what it felt like to be on the receiving end of her anger. Erza's angered glare had him removing his hand from her and backing away.

"Then how are we supposed to find her?" Natsu asked. The scarlet haired mage looked back at the man in her grasp before sighing. She let him go and turned to her teammates.

"All we know is that it was Phantom Lord that was searching for her. So I say we start the search at their guild. Someone is bound to know where they took her." Natsu and Gray smirked. The idea of getting their hands on such a guild excited them.

"Well lets get going then." Natsu said as he cracked his knuckles. The team was ready to take revenge on anyone who dared to mess with their guild.