My dragon mate

Chapter 9

Natsu P.O.V.

"Luce!" She was standing behind me smiling. Running up to her I lifted her in my arms twirling her around. I put my head in the crook of her neck taking a deep breath. Pausing I put her down and kept her an arm's length away from me. She smelt wrong. She did smell like Lucy, but she didn't smell like me. She'd spent 2 days in a nest full of my scent. Even if she'd taken 100 baths, she'd still smell like me.

"Who are you." Why did this thing smell, sound and look like her but wasn't her? It cocked its head to the side.

"It's me Natsu." I hated how it spoke in her voice.

"No, you're not." I went to grab it by the neck but stopped. My brain stopped me from hurting it. This wasn't my Lucy, but it was a Lucy. I couldn't hurt it with my instincts screaming at me to stop. It backed away from me scared, causing my heart to drop. It wasn't her but it was her face, seeing it scared of me was the last thing I ever wanted.

"You said you were my mate. Why are you saying these things to me now?" It's voice got quieter and quieter.

"No. I said that to my Luce. What did you do to her? If you hurt her, I will end you." My voice was menacing but it was an empty threat I couldn't hurt it even if I wanted to.

"Please Natsu believe me. I am Lucy. I'll prove it to you. All you have to do is follow me." It was probably a trap, but I took the hand it offered me anyway. Maybe this would get me closer to the real Lucy.

It led me to a wall. I was about to ask what it was thinking when it walked straight through it. The hand it was holding had gone through the wall without a problem. The rest of me followed suit. Walking into the mysterious room it seemed plain and unassuming, but there was one good thing about this place. It smelt like the unknown person causing my defences to raise.

"Finally, the pink-haired wizard has appeared. Good job puppet." He was standing in front of me holding a red stone in his hand. Puppet? I turn to the fake Lucy. It looked more surprised than I was at the news that it is a puppet.

"N-n-no. I swear Natsu I wouldn't do this to you. He's lying." I almost believed it. When the guy from before starting laughing.

"Believe it or not. You are a puppet, made from the blood of the actual blondie. It is somewhat annoying, but this magic allows me to make perfect copies. As in even the personality is the same. Meaning I couldn't make her kill you. Which would have been beautifully tragic. But what I can do is implant ideas into her head. Which is why she thought this place would help her."

Lucy's blood. This bastard hurt her. I could feel my wings spreading, my claws growing longer, and I swear I could feel horns coming out of my head. I walked towards the man each step I felt myself getting angrier and stronger. Any confidence the man had fled his face only to be replaced with fear. Good, he should be scared. He was going to die soon so I'll give him a taste of hell before he goes.

"Where is Lucy?" I didn't even recognize my voice. It was more beast than man. But I knew he understood me. He snapped his fingers and another room appeared. Clearly, Lucy couldn't see or hear me because she didn't look over. What I saw made me even angrier which I didn't think was possible. Lucy was sitting in there with cuffs. Pivoting back to the man I stomped on his leg hearing a satisfying crunch. He screamed loudly. Kneeling next to him I growled out the word key. A shaky hand reached into his breast pocket and came out with a small black key. Grabbing it I raced over to her. Besides the cut on her hand, she seemed to be ok.

"Natsu! You came for me." She jumped into my arms wrapping her body around mine.

"I will every time." I gently set her on the ground and found the man no longer on the ground. Where'd he go this time? The fake Lucy was gone too. A cry stopped my blood cold. I looked over to Luce and saw blood dripping down her neck. I was right beside her how did this happen? Another cry this time the blood was dripping down her arm.

I knew he must be the cause. That puppet must have been linked to Lucy.  Why didn't I kill him? I started smashing walls trying to see if they led to rooms like the one with Lucy. I only succeeded in getting back into the house I was in before. Where was he? Lucy cried out again.

"It'll be okay treasure. You'll be okay." I wasn't sure if I was convincing her or myself, but more blood appeared with every cry making me more scared for her.

"Lucy!" Who the fuck was yelling at my mate? Growling I turn to find a blue-haired girl and a group of other people. Were they here to threaten my mate? I jumped from the top of the stairs and flew at the one who called out to my mate at top speed. I just about snapped her in half when a black-haired studded guy threw her out of the way.

"The fuck is wrong with you Salamander?" Who was Salamander?

"Get out unless you wanna die. Threat. You things are threats." I could barely see their faces. My vision was on a single mission. Destroy anything that threatens mate.

"NATSU!" Lucy screamed. She was at the top of the stairs a knife against her throat. The broken-legged bastard standing behind her.

"You killed my whole guild you monster. For that, your mate dies." I was there in a flash but found him already on the ground a sharp wooden stake in his chest. He was still alive based on the rapid movement of his chest. Leaning down I whisper in his ear.

"A dragon's mate is not chosen lightly. We only pick the strongest and bravest of people. Remember that on your way down to hell." Piercing his chest, I ripped out his heart. His death was too quick, but I couldn't chance him hurting her anymore. A creaking noise caused me to turn around and see fake Lucy come out from behind the door. The puppet's body was glowing and her feet started disappearing. It wasn't long until most of her body was gone, but right before it disappeared it gave me a small wave with a sad smile on her face. It may have been a fake but it was a part of Lucy, so it made me a little sad to see her go.

Lucy was on the ground looking at her hands. "What's wrong?" She looked up at me her eyes blank.

"I just stabbed a person." Her voice was devoid of emotion. Like she didn't believe she was the one who had stabbed him.

"You did it to protect yourself. He would have killed you." I picked her up, holding her in my arms. Nuzzling her neck with my head I let out a comforting rumble from my chest. The sound must have done something because the light in her eyes came back.

"Are you ok?" Lucy asked looking at my hands covered in blood. I just about dropped her. There was a bloody handprint on her leg and arm where I was holding her. I set her down again. I was looking for something to wipe off the blood. Smelling his scent on her made me wish that I could kill him all over again. Only my scent was supposed to be there. Growling I ripped part of my shirt off and took off as much blood as I could from her. For myself, I just burned the blood off.

"I'm fine Luce it wasn't my blood." She turned to look at the body, but I stopped her. She didn't need to see my carnage. Leaning down I kissed her. Partly to distract her and another is to claim her as mine again. Making her smell like me again. I kissed her harder one hand at her neck the other at her waist.

It wasn't enough. I needed something else. Bite her! Claim her! Show everyone that she belongs to you and no one else. These thoughts were screaming in my head repeatedly. Almost as if possessed I moved my mouth down to the spot where her neck met her shoulder licking it. She tasted like sweat but there was something else. Something sweet like vanilla? I couldn't place it, but it tasted amazing. Kissing and nipping her neck made her moan. Grinning I sunk my canines into her neck. I heard her gasp and try to push me off, but the rumbling noise from my throat calmed her back down.

Pulling away I saw the fresh bite mark; it had a little blood but soon disappeared as the mark started to change. The side of her neck started to scale. They were red like mine but unlike mine they were tinged with yellow. I couldn't help but smile as they started to shape themselves into the form of a dragon.

Leaning down next to her ear I whispered, "You're mine forever Lucy. Nothing can separate us now."