Act 3

34

Dracula

"There are darknesses in life and there are lights, and you are one of the lights, the light of all lights."

― Bram Stoker, Dracula

And the wall abruptly shattered, throwing all three into the river behind them.

"Ah! Natsu!" Lucy cried as she struggled to get to the surface only to cry out in pain as she hit a rock she couldn't see. This was bad. This was very bad. At this rate she would be tenderized or worse!

"Lucy!" Happy cried, having felt the impact as well, and knew by the way she'd tightened her grip that she was trying to take the blows for him, "We gotta get out of here!"

He could hear Natsu shouting ahead of them, but between the fog and the dark not even he could see the dragon clearly enough to do any good. And with Lucy snagging on so many rocks and things it was only a matter of time before she got seriously hurt or pulled completely under again.

Happy's heart pounded with fear, but it was clear enough that the only way to get out of this was if he did something. But what could he do? He was too small and weak to grab hold of something and keep them there and Natsu was too far away. Maybe he could fly them out?

It was worth a try.

He scrambled out of her arms, ignoring Lucy's alarmed shouts, and crawled up to her shoulders, "Sorry!" He called as he accidentally sank his claws deeply into her shoulder to keep from getting swept away.

"Happy! What are you doing?" Lucy cried, frightened the kitten would get hurt, but up ahead Natsu, who had been trying futilely to swim against the current to get to them, was able to see Happy's movements and began cheering him on.

"That's it Happy! Get Lucy to shore! I'll be fine!"

"Wha-?" Lucy started only to eep as Happy wrapped his little paws around her, sank his claws into her clothes, and lifted her out of the water.

He huffed and puffed, tiny wings flapping like a hummingbird to fight against gravity. But the exceed was stubborn and managed to drag her to the side enough for Lucy to catch her arms on the embankment and pull herself out. She panted hard to catch her breath, soaked to the bone and freezing.

"Thanks Happy," Lucy croaked. It was impossible to determine how much water she swallowed by the surprise dip in the water.

"You're welcome," The kitten wheezed, just a shivering clump of blue fur. He looked absolutely exhausted having tried to hold up Lucy alone, "You're really heavy. Heavier than Natsu!"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Lucy growled, snagging the cat by his little rucksack and dropping him onto her lap, "Speaking of which, where's Natsu?"

Lucy leaned her soaking head over the waterside, her eyes scanning around to try and catch sight of him in the water. But the current had been strong and had swept him away.

"Alright Happy, I'll look for Natsu here," She looked at the cat, "You go back to the village, he might meet us back there, okay?"

Happy did not look completely convinced and he looked up at Lucy with big, black eyes, "What about you Lucy? We shouldn't split up anymore, what if the monster gets you when you're out here alone?"

Feeling warm at the feline's concern, Lucy shook her head and soothed her fingers through his wet fur, "I have my spirits with me Happy. I won't be alone."

He was only indecisive for another pause before he breathed out and nodded.

"Aye! Come back soon with Natsu! Ok?" He saluted and opened his tiny wings.

Lucy watched the Exceed fly off, swallowing hard as she realized she was now alone by herself in the woods at night.

Perhaps It wasn't the best moves, but Happy was still too young to be doing rough adventures like this, and now she and Natsu had been separated. It was too dangerous to keep him here.

Slowly she pulled herself upright and brushed herself off, trying to knock aside thick slabs of mud from her shins and knees. It clung stubbornly to her skin, wanting to ingrain itself into her.

All she wanted was to take a hot shower.

Preferably two.

"Natsu!" She called out into the dark forest, "Natsu where are you!"

Predictably, there was no response to her calls.

At least, not in the form of Natsu responding to her.

What she heard instead was a rustling sound that sent shivers of fear up her spine as she turned to peer into the inky darkness, "Who's there?" She demanded, her hand flying to Virgo's key, "I warn you, I'm not helpless!"

"Piri, piri! Don't shoot! Piri!" A pair of familiar voices called and Lucy's jaw dropped as tiny blue twins pushed their way through the tree branches to join her

"Gemini?!" She exclaimed, completely flabbergasted, "What...what are you doing here?"

"We were looking for you!" One exclaimed while the other nodded, "Yeah! Our contract with Angel broke when you beat her, and we decided we wanted to make a new one with you!"

"But we couldn't find you at first." The first twin picked up, "Leo told us you were at Fairy Tail, but we didn't know how to get there!"

"You... followed me all this way?" Lucy asked, completely stunned.

Their keys couldn't be taken to the celestial realm except under very special circumstances and only if a contract was already in place. That meant they would've had to have opened their gate, carried their key as far as they could before needing to go back, and repeated it every step of the way until they'd found her. It was an amazing amount of dedication, and Lucy was awed that they wanted to contract with her so badly they would do it.

"Sure we did!" They exclaimed, "You're really awesome Lucy!" One, the brother she thought, elaborated, "You don't view us as things or slaves. It's really rare to see that!"

"And we weren't the only ones who decided to take the chance to leave Angel!" His sister announced proudly and pulled back a branch so two more figures could join them.

"Aries? Scorpio?" Lucy gawked, certain she could be knocked over with a feather by this point.

"We are totally on board with making contracts with you Miss Lucy," Scorpio grinned crookedly, "I know it seems real sudden, but we were all touched by the dedication you showed Virgo and Leo!"

Aries shifted, smiling at her as well, "A-Ah, I-if you don't think I would be a b-burden, I would also like to be one of your spirits, sorry..."

Lucy's heart turned practically into goo at the shuffling ram and her friends. She twisted her fingers together and tucked her hands through her soaked hair.

"Thank you everyone," She murmured earnestly, "I would love to make contracts with all of you!"

"But, do you think we can do it later on?" She asked them apologetically. Lucy hated to put them off any longer than she already had, no matter how inadvertently, but she couldn't help it.

"I lost my partner, Natsu, and we're in the middle of a job right now," She hurried to explain.

"What kinda job?" Scorpio asked, his eyes dropping down to the key ring at Lucy's side. She noticed he seemed to be eyeing one of her keys with more of a sense of focus than the other spirits.

"Men are being lured away from their homes in the middle of the night," Lucy hurried to explain, "They say they hear the cries of their wives or some other beautiful maiden begging for help and are compelled to leave."

The Gemini twins both floated before Lucy and tilted their heads in unison over this news.

"So it's a copy cat?" They asked at the same time.

Lucy nodded, realizing those two spirits might know something about what was terrorizing the towns thanks to their unique powers. Them, or perhaps she should consider calling on Grandfather Crux.

"Gemini please, do you know of any kind of creature that matches that description?" She demanded.

They let out a thoughtful hum as they seemed to consider her question and nodded, "Yes!"

The second one settled before Lucy, its small form barely visible in the dark woods, "It sounds like a specter of an Enchantress. Perhaps a mermaid that is long since passed away."

The first twin seemed to eye Scorpio, "Mermaids have a tendency of being a little... forceful in their emotions. Especially with their loved ones."

The man looked oblivious.

Lucy for her part, was completely confused by the twins shifty behavior in regards to Scorpio.

That aside, she remembered her own stories about tales and creatures from her world. Sirens who lured sailors to their death by the sound of their voice alone. Perhaps some of the creatures she read about in her world were also in existence here.

"How do you defeat someone like that?" Lucy asked desperately. She had the sinking sensation in her stomach that if she didn't find Natsu soon, the creature would instead.

Gemini looked at one and reached out to take one another's hands, "Isn't it obvious?"

"Only they can defeat themselves!"

"Uhm," Aries stuttered in confusion. Lucy certainly felt as if she could relate to that.

The twins didn't seem to make any sense, but they understood one another far too well.

"I think the little twins mean you gotta break out the cool moves and have a mermaid fight a mermaid," Scorpio translated. His duster tail twitched, "Totally wicked!"

Lucy blinked a little as comprehension suddenly dawned and she looked down at her keys, "You mean Aquarius?" She gasped holding up the key with mingled hope and dread, "Do you think she could find her too?"

"Maybe?" The twins replied, "We might be out of range since we don't know where the other mermaid is hiding." They smiled happily, "But don't worry! We can help you find that!"

"Really?" Lucy gasped excitedly, pleased she wouldn't have to summon her very temperamental spirit just yet.

"Sure!" One exclaimed, "Her lair is sure to be near water, so if we split up and check up and down we're sure to stumble across it!" They drifted over to her side, "We'll go with you downstream while Scorpio and Aries go up. As long as you're holding our keys then we can signal each other."

"Right on!" Scorpio enthused, "If Aries and I find it we'll backtrack to our keys, which will be with you and let you know! And if you find it you can summon one of us! That'll signal the other!"

Lucy stared at them in delight, "You guys are the best!" She exclaimed, suddenly feeling much better about this now that there was a workable plan in place, "Alright, let's do this!"

She collected their keys and fastened them securely to her keychain, "You guys be careful alright?" She told Aries and Scorpio, "Especially you Scorpio. This thing doesn't seem to work on non-humans, but we can't be too careful."

"Don't worry about a thing Miss Lucy!" Scorpio grinned, "We got this one in the bag!"

Lucy grinned back at him as they split up and began moving downstream. The fog, for whatever reason, seemed to be lifting a little so she was having an easier time seeing. She just hoped that didn't mean this thing had Natsu or any of the villagers.

"I hope we find this spirit mermaid soon." She told Gemini, "I'm worried about Natsu."

"Aw, don't worry about him!" They replied, "He's a dragon! He won't fall for any of her cheap tricks. The only way he could would be if he was in love, and we know that's not the case!"

Lucy had to hide a jolt to her heart over hearing those words spoken aloud, but smiled at them anyway, "Yeah you're right. Let's go!"

Of course Natsu wasn't in love. It was a stupid thought and she'd been telling herself that for weeks. Gemini had just said what she already knew out loud. That was all.

That didn't stop her heart from aching though. Or praying to whatever deity was listening that he was alright.

-::-

Meanwhile, Natsu coughed up a lungful of water, shaking out his baggy pants and staring up at the sky. He had swept quite the distance away from Lucy without so much as a tug at their bond.

He didn't know what that meant. How he was allowed so much space from her?

Natsu didn't like it.

He set himself aflame, drying himself off from the river in seconds and lifting his nose to the air. The fog was especially thick at the base of the tree he was crouched against, and he was having trouble picking up Lucy's scent next to the river.

But if he stuck by the river bed and headed back the way he came though, he was bound to find Lucy again.

So that was the plan he had. Confident she was okay thanks to Happy's quick thinking, he began to move up the river. It was a good thing Lucy hadn't thought to summon Aquarius in the river, after all the temperamental mermaid might have done more damage to Lucy in the dark than good. Still, he had to hurry.

Alone in the woods with some weird monster thing? Natsu wasn't in favor of those chances.

That, and the heaviness of the fog seemed to be clinging to him stubbornly now, filling his lungs with its filmy darkness and making it hard to see.

"Natsu!"

His head jolted up, and Natsu's heart jumped in his chest, a smile spreading across his face at that familiar voice shouting. He continued to head up the river, the fog slowly receding backwards as if peeling from his body like strips of confetti.

"Natsu where are you!" Lucy's voice came from just up ahead, and Natsu's pace quickened.

"Lucy!" He called out, hearing her gasping response.

Overjoyed, he broke through the next few trees into a clearing finally devoid of the ever-present mist. Lucy was edging along the riverbank, looking frustrated, soggy, and completely out of her depth as she fumbled in the dark.

However she caught one look at him and her face brightened with relief.

"Natsu! Thank goodness you're alright!" She exclaimed and rushed towards him. Her arms were flung around his waist and her head dipped into his chest.

"What, you thought a little bit of water could actually hurt me? Please, do I look like that ice prick?" Natsu grinned at her, his eyes scanning around her body to make sure she was okay. She smelled fine, somehow having managed to escape injury. Aside from a few bruises at least, she looked like she was safe.

"Well sorry," She rolled her eyes, "You can't blame me for being worried, we were really freaked out there when you went sailing off by yourself!"

He had the grace to at least look apologetic about that, and lightly dropped his hands on her shoulders. It was then Natsu caught sight of a few things that threw him for a loop. Three new keys rested on her loop, while Happy was nowhere to be seen.

"Huh, where'd you get those?" Natsu asked immediately, his penchant for noticing everything about his partner flaring up immediately. He glanced around, worried, "And where did Happy go?"

Lucy smiled back at him, "Don't worry. I sent Happy back to the village in case you showed up there. He's fine. As for these..." She tapped the keys with a grin, "It seems Gemini, Aries, and Scorpio had their contracts break when I beat Angel, but we left too soon for them to let us know that. So they've actually been trying to find me ever since."

Natsu's eyes widened in shock at that, "Seriously? They've been following you since then?"

She nodded, "Yeah. They said they were impressed with my dedication to Virgo and Leo, so they wanted to join me."

"Wow Lucy! That's awesome! At this rate you'll have the whole Zodiac!" Natsu grinned broadly at her, relaxing now that he knew Happy was safe, and Lucy was even more armed than she'd been before.

He knew she treasured her keys, but as far as he was concerned the more variety she had to work with the better. It gave her more options in battle.

He watched happily as she smiled back and snuggled closer to him. He realized belatedly that she was wet and shivering, and automatically wrapped his arms around her, gently increasing his temperature to warm her up and help her dry off.

"Thanks Natsu." She murmured and he grinned down at her, opening his mouth to reply, when he was suddenly struck by just how close she was.

All at once it hit him. How she felt in his arms. The way she was pressed against him so deliciously. It sent a shiver of heat that had nothing to do with his fire coursing through him. She was...beautiful.

Beautiful and extraordinary.

He knew he was not. That he shouldn't be feeling these things around her. Simply basking in her light was amazing. But he couldn't help feeling what he did.

If he was honest with himself, it had been going on for a while, but thanks to Gray he hadn't been able to get it out of his head and now she was right there and fit against him like a perfect puzzle piece and...and...

And greedy bastard that he was... he wanted more.

His gaze dropped to her lips, and he was overwhelmed by the urge to find out what they tasted like. He was sure they were as soft as he looked, and bet they tasted like the strawberries she smelled like.

He startled when he felt her dainty hand reach up and caress his cheek, gently guiding him closer, and the soft, hungry, growl he'd been keeping at bay erupted.

"Lucy…?" He purred, his entire being focusing on her, and he rested his forehead against hers, breathing in her scent. Even with all the mud and river water she smelled wonderful and heat scorched through his veins again to rest somewhere a bit further south than his belly.

It was embarrassing, but he didn't care about that right now. Right now his senses were filled with her and all he could think about was tasting her. Just this once. Never again if she didn't want it.

He glanced into her dark eyes and groaned when her tongue flicked out to wet her lips.

A moment later he had her pulled tightly against him as his lips sought out hers in a fiery, desperate, kiss. Eager to convey everything he knew he would never be able to properly say.

Her cool hands brushed over his cheeks and buried themselves into his hair. With a tug, she had him sinking against her, eagerly memorizing how she felt in his arms.

"Natsu," She breathed against his mouth, and the heat in his stomach erupted into a wrenching blaze. Her mouth, soft like a flower and just as sweet found his. It was as fierce as his own, but...

Her hand traveled down his chest, sliding around his waist to grip at his back under his shirt.

Suddenly something didn't seem right.

"Natsu please," Lucy pleaded, such a wanton sound, it was like the fire jolted in his veins again. However he couldn't shake the thought that something was wrong.

But how could it be?

Lucy was in his arms, and everything was right.

As he held her though, more and more, that sense of discomfort seemed to radiate outward. Natsu backed away, his eyes dropping down towards Lucy's large, brown ones.

It struck him then in that moment, what it was that threw him off, and it doused his fervor like a flame to water.

She was touching him like a stranger.

Lucy wasn't touching him like she knew him. Only that she wanted him. Which perhaps wouldn't have been a problem for most people, but Natsu was not like that. The deep friendship they had managed to find in one another, the companionship- all of that was missing.

This was just a copy.

A shallow copy of what he wanted.

Natsu yanked back from her, as the reality of their job sank in fresh, his body going hot and cold in turns.

The creature.

The one that lured men away. How had it copied Lucy so closely? How come it took so long to affect him?

His eyes sharpened on the fog around them, ever present - ever seeing. His lungs squeezed in shock as he realized it served as the creature's eyes. Earlier Natsu had been with Lucy - the real one...

Too late, Natsu realized how it was done. This creature mimicked those they loved and Lucy-

"You aren't her," Natsu snarled at her, raw fury coloring his expression and voice at the sight of the beast wearing his partner's face, "You aren't Lucy!"

She looked surprised, as if he had snatched words from her mouth and stunned her with them.

But then a slow smile spread over her face, one which transformed Lucy's beautiful face into something much more sinister. It was a smirk that had no right deforming her in such a way. Natsu's stomach flopped uncomfortably and a hot surge of desperation sank into him, chilling its way through his blood. Was the real Lucy okay? And Happy, had he really gone back to the village?

"You're the first man who's been able to see through my disguise. A pity, you've got plenty of spark," The look alike smirked at him, not looking opposed to him, or the way fire was beginning to ignite over his fists and shoulders, "Congratulations - not that it will do you any good."

"You're already too deep into my waters," She purred at Natsu. With a finger, she pointed down.

Sure enough, the mist, which had returned the moment Natsu realized what was happening, rolled back just enough for him to see blackened waters wrapping around his waist. They sucked him down another inch. They swept around him while he was caught under her spell, trapping him slowly in its embrace.

"There's no hope for you - even if you could break free, I doubt you could hurt me while I still wore this face," She laughed cruelly at him, making Natsu feel ill at the thought he had been so thoroughly tricked.

The sight of this water witch using Lucy.

Using his feelings for her..

"You bitch!" He roared, throwing his fist forward and pushing forward with all of his strength. He moved a foot forward, fire pouring from his back to shove him through the water to get his hands around her slim little throat. Despite her claims, the witch clearly did not know who she was dealing with.

Dragon and demon. Water was not about to stop him as Natsu cut through the water, his flames pushing him forward with murderous intent.

The woman looked startled at his sudden lunge, but abruptly her eyes filled with tears, her expression falling into something resembling shock and betrayal. It transformed the face she wore into one he recognized.

"N-Natsu wait!" She gasped, shielding herself from his strike.

Staggering, Natsu was unable to follow through with his swing, Lucy's large eyes suffocating his flames in an instant.

No, he couldn't hurt her.

In the moment of his hesitation, the woman struck back hard. A torrent of water slammed into him from behind her, crushing Natsu back against the river wall, and then dragging him down underneath the rapids.

Air burst from his lungs, and Natsu disappeared beneath the black water, leaving the spirit behind with her vengeful thoughts.

She dropped a hand to her chest and gasped in relief, "Dragons sure are troublesome. That one was close..."

Thanks to everyone who reviewed! I did your responses through PM to avoid padding the bottom of the chapter! Also, I hope you all liked what happened here. Hohohohoho...

Guest review responses! - . .word (The sneak peeks are special gifts for when we hit over a certain number of reviews. Kytrin and I would never hold a chapter hostage for reviews, but we do the sneaks as encouragement :) ) - yucie (Don't worry, you'll be spoiled soon again I'm sure! - Avengerika (Yeah the whole chapter is super intense. And you're right, Fairy Tail always makes through. It's just fun to see how they do it) - Animallover (Oh he totally got lucky with the troia. :'D You were pretty close with the Siren. We didn't want to specifically make one. And haha that's a super good theory!) - Guest (Oh man! Sorry to disappoint you! Hahaha there are 65 chapters of this fic. And the whole thing is over. We update once every two days, so you don't have to wait long!) - Guest (will do!) - Little Red (Lots of people were hoping for a sccubus. Others a siren. Hope we hit a good middle ground here. ) - Guest (Absolutely! Hope you enjoyed it!)