The Shadows of Tragedy

Chapter 13

Every night of next week Gray and Natsu worked on restoring the old house. They worked at night and rested during the day. Eventually everyone except for Erza and Natsu wondered why Gray never came out during the day. He told him that he had a rare skin condition that made him very allergic to sunlight and other forms of solar energy. Both Laxus and Cana were suspicious of his response but neither one of them suspected him of being a vampire.

Whenever Gray became blood thirsty he'd go hunting for some immoral person to drain. He was always careful to decapitate the dead bodies and burn them so they would never become a vampire like him. An act of mercy if you will. Nevertheless it wasn't long before the authorities noticed the disappearing people and when it started showing up on the news Natsu began to get scared. Gray always assured him that the police would find nothing implicating either one of them so he had nothing to fear but that stop him from getting a little squeemish. But blood drinking aside, Natsu found Gray to be a very benevolent boss. He treated Natsu respectfully and paid him well for his services. He wasn't like the vampires he had seen in horror movies that was for sure.

By week's end the house was completely restored and Erza along with everyone else she lived with had moved in. They didn't have much to pack with them aside from their clothes and toiletries so it wasn't that difficult. The paintings that Erza had inherited were hung up in the old house giving it a very nostalgic feeling. It really was a remarkable place. None of them could ever recall ever seeing a house so magnificent.

"Welcome to the old house." Gray said to them when they all arrived.

"Wow." Erza said taking in the appearance of the glorious manner house. "This is amazing."

"I'm impressed." Laxus said. "You actually managed to fix up this dump."

Gray tightened his hand into a fist due to feeling cross with Laxus's words. He did not like the idea of someone not only insulting his childhood home but also the thing that his father worked his ass off to build.

"Laxus I would appreciate it if you would not say such insults. This house was built by our ancestor's father who worked his fingers to the bone to create. This house was his ultimate project, the very symbol of his strength and determination."

"I'm very sorry about that Gray." Erza said. "Laxus you really should think before you speak."

"I didn't mean any harm." Laxus said.

"Still watch your mouth." She then turned her attention to Romeo. "So what do you think of the place kiddo?"

"It's nice." The boy said. "It's exactly how Wendy described it."

"Romeo please, no one wants to hear about that." Laxus said.

"On the contrary." Gray said having his attention being caught by the name that Romeo mentioned. "Who exactly are you talking about Romeo?"

"It's no one." Lucy said. "He has an imaginary friend who he talks to. She doesn't exist."

"She does so!" Romeo argued. "Wendy is real and she told me that she used to live in this house."

"Her name is Wendy?" Gray asked.

"Yes that's her name. But only I can see her so no one else thinks she's real. No one except Juvia."

"Really? And what does Wendy look like?"

"She's a little girl with dark blue hair that she keeps in pigtails and she wears old clothes. Like the people in the paintings."

"And she talks to you?"

"All the time. She's my only friend."

"You would have more friends if you would stop talking to something that doesn't even exist." Laxus said.