The Beast

Chapter seven

Predators

A group of people who ruthlessly hunts or tracks something.


She watched him move. Watched as his massive claws tore into the screaming man's shoulder before being torn in half by his titan like strength. She watched as his massive jaws ripped at the flesh of the still human. Human... She looked down to the woman she was resting on. She was screaming, calling out to the man who was being torn to shreds not ten feet away. She moved her hips down to keep her from moving as much. Over the last few days, she found this was her favorite method to kill them. She thought that after killing the doctor she would have left these methods behind. Oh, how wrong she was. She brought her hands to the woman's head and held her in place so that she was looking at her, only her.

"Shhhh" She whispered as the woman began to beg for mercy. She felt her body heat up as the pleas entered her ears. Ever so slowly, she morphed her index finger into a long gray claw before carefully carving into the woman's cheek. She released a low moan as the woman screamed out below her. Taking the tip of her claw into her mouth she tasted the crimson liquid before her face contorted into disgust and began spitting it out and looked down at the woman below her in fury.

"Why! WHY CAN'T I EAT!" She roared before the other three fingers morphed into claws before she cleaved the woman cutting her screams short. She watched as the woman's blood dripped from her clawed hand before removing herself from atop the corpse and took a seat on the overturned wagon that the couple had driven before they met her little group. Her ears listened to the sounds of her alpha gorge himself on the corpse below him. Her eyes stayed with him for a few more moments before she turned to see her friend who's name she had forgotten picked the flesh from the bones of the small human who had bolted from the carriage after her alpha had 'engaged' the father in combat. She had cut off the mother to play with seeing as though she couldn't eat them. While she found it strange that the others could eat just fine, save for her alpha who could only eat humans, she had yet to find anything she could keep down. Her eyes drifted to her hand that had the piece of gold forged into it. Every time she tried to tamper with it, she would feel unimaginable pain. Glancing away from her hand, she saw a fractured mirror still inside the wagon. Taking hold of the mirror, she observed herself. Her light blue hair was rather unruly, her crimson and golden eye shimmered in the moonlight caused her to smile. A low growl alerted her to her alpha's signal to move making her step from the wagon back onto the dirt path.

"Are you all done~?" She purred as she stood before her alpha's 'berserker' stage as he called it. The titan of a creature seemed to ignore her as it's glowing red eyes scanned the forest for any threats. He began walking into the forest causing her to sigh, he wasn't much of a talker in this state. "Come along R, he'll leave us if we don't follow." Her soft voice carried along the soft sounds of the forest as they followed their alpha. Yukino wasn't quite sure what their next move would be, but she knew her alpha had a plan...or maybe he didn't. She really didn't care at this point. As long as he needed her, she would be there for him.


Natsu could feel it, the flesh and muscle began to soften as the morning rays struck through the trees to the east. As he took his steps he felt his left leg snap as his altered bones began to snap under the weight of the muscle mass. He heard her worried voice call out for him as he felt his mind reenter his normal body. Shooting a hand through the rapidly decaying flesh, he began to pull himself out of the flesh prison. As he breached from the flesh he gasped for air before clearing his eyes from the black blood that stained his body. This was...annoying. They had been steadily wiping out town after town in an attempt to lure his targets out from hiding. He knew they were getting closer, he just knew it. He looked to his left to see his other Alpha watching the ground as she waited for an order. She was a very, strange stain in the system, that's one thing he was sure of. She was so vocal when he couldn't talk back, but when he changed back she would always become quite.

"..Is...their a...problem?" His voice rasped out, his vocal cords still readjusting.

"N-no, everything is fine." She said as they reached the creek bed he had decided to call home while they were in the area. He looked to the beta male and willed him to watch the area before he walked into the creek bed and slid down until he was resting his back against the side of the earth. She followed a little after and took a spot adjacent from her alpha. Natsu watched as the dark sky began to change into blue before he looked to his right to see the small hoard his fellow alpha had willed together. He told her to make sure not a single one escaped her watch, the last thing he needed was a rogue beta running around. His eyes went back to the woman across from him as he watched her dull multicolored eyes watch her right hand slowly form into its clawed counterpart. Just as he thought, she was starving. He was fully aware her problem, He just wasn't sure what to do about it. He did know, however, that he needed her at peak performance when they face Jellal. Sensing her alpha's gaze, she looked up to meet his gaze and offered him a small smile while closing her eyes. Natsu eyed her for a moment before he closed his eyes and felt sleep claim him.

Crimson eyes shot open as he jumped and landed on his feet. His eyes shot to the sky to see the sun had just started it's decent from midday. He heard the quick hiss of a beta being silenced as he jumped out of the trench and landed by the beta male. Morphing his hand into its blade form, he began to approach the area where he suspected the beta was killed. He could hear it, the soft sounds of flesh tearing away. As he approached the sound he turned around a tree to a mess of blue hair, it's owner looking over the corpse of a beta. His crimson eyes widened at the sight as Yukino lowered her hands from her mouth, the black blood of the beta dripping down her chin as she stuck her index finger into her mouth and began to clean the blood from it.

Yukino wasn't quite sure when it happened, but after the first few weeks of travailing, she found a way to sate her near endless hunger. After they ran into a caravan that had been traveling to the town she had just destroyed. After a small fight, while her alpha was feasting on the remains of his kill, she walked out of view of him and stopped a few feet away as her eyes landed on the fallen beta. Its head had been smashed open by a blunt object. She slowly fell to her knees and felt her hands pull onto the arm and bring it to her lips. It's cool skin made her shiver as she opened her mouth and tore away at the limb. It was bitter, but it was oh so sweet.

After that, she had found herself taking every opportunity that presented itself. And what better opportunity than when her alpha was asleep? And that's how she ended up above this beta. Its bitter taste was a gift as she indulged on its corpse. Her eyes shot open at the sound of a twig snapping and before she could react, her body was forced into the tree behind her. Her eyes shot wide in fear as two burning crimson eyes bore into her.

"N-Natsu? I I I can explain-" she began but was silenced as he rose his hand which turned out to be a sword made from bone with gray flesh gripping along the edges. His eyes watched her as he made a small cut along her cheek and watched as it was repaired quickly. "I couldn't-" She tried again when his hand unwound before it reformed into his normal hand. Releasing his hold of her, she watched as he picked up the corpse of the beta before throwing into the trees behind him. She watched as he wrapped his arms around her waist and picked her up before he sat on the ground and put her in his lap. She was straddling him as she watched his eyes as they appeared to study her.

"You are an alpha. You...are mine. You deserve...better than that." He growled out before raising his chin and leaning his head to the side, showing her his neck. Her eyes widened as she slowly brought her slim fingers across the curve of his neck.

Natsu felt her cool touch as she felt along his neck. He watched as her eyes hazed over as she wrapped an arm around his side and placed her other hand on the back of his head. He watched as she lowered her head before those glowing eyes of hers disappeared and just a mess of blue hair blocked his vision. He waited for a moment before his eyes narrowed as he felt her teeth sink into the soft tissue of his neck. He closed his eyes and rested his head against the tree behind him as the woman pulled her head back tearing away a strip of flesh before she went back to the task at hand. He felt her grip on his head tighten causing him to release a low growl causing her to stiffen slightly before her grip loosened. Making sure to keep his body regenerating, he brought a hand up and slowly applied pressure until she was pushed away from his bleeding neck. He watched as her hazy eyes slowly closed as she leaned into him once more. Natsu found himself being drawn into her, their lips just mere inches apart...

"...You should leave soon." He rasped out before removing her from his lap and standing before he began walking back to their temporary shelter. She watched as his figure faded into the woods around her when she brought a hand to her lips for and felt the ghostly touch linger for just a mere moment. He was cracking. Over the weeks she had begun making advances towards him. He had told her about the other woman. She growled out in annoyance at the thought of her. He was so one tracked minded now. Was she not good enough? Was this other woman like her? Was she as useful as her? She was brought out of her inner rant when she came eye to eye with the beta she killed earlier. Shifting her index finger to a long gray blade, she sliced open the beta's midsection and held a canteen to the open wound before fastening the lid and making her way back to the road. After a short time on the road, a wagon came rolling down the road and slowed as it approached her.

"Would you need a ride to Almac Miss? It's the only village near here and they said that storm will be coming off the mountains soon." Yukino smiled as she played with her hands.

'It's almost too easy.' "If you'd be willing to help a girl in need, then yes. I would love a ride to Almac."

"Just hop in with the others, we're about thirty minutes out." The wagon master said as Yukino walked to the back and accepted the hand offered to her by a young man with brown hair.

"Why thank you." She said with a wink causing the young man to become flustered before the two sat down as the wagon started to move.

"S-So are you, going to the festival tonight?" The young man asked as he looked away from her and an attempt to hid his growing blush.

"Why yes, yes I am." She said while placing a hand on his knee. She felt her smirk grow as he exploded in a crimson blush.

"O-o-o-h... Are y-you going to meet someone?" He forced out the question before Yukino turned her gaze to the trees going past her and a soft blur moving from tree to tree following the wagon at a steady pace.

"You could say that I've already found who I want to spend my time with."


He was going to kill him. He was going to grind his skull between his hands until it popped. She knew he was watching. Was this one of her games? He was sure to make her pay, that's for sure. He watched as she spoke to the human beside her, and watched as she touched him. Why did it bother him so much? He knew the answer. He knew she knew as well. Oh, how she would pay for this.

"You seem... troubled. Is something wrong?" Natsu landed on a branch before turning to see a floating shadow.

"What do you want Keyes?" Natsu growled out before the mirror strapped to his side flashed causing him to pull it out and watch as two figures were walking on foot towards the valley they had entered last night. Which means that they are close.

"There will be a winter storm soon. They will wish to be in town before nightfall but will not be able to make before the storm hits which means they'll be there in the morning. This puts you at a major disadvantage. He also has a wide arsenal of magic." Keyes warned before his eyes watched the wagon that was on the road below disappear into the distance. "Have you already forgotten about Sayla? I thought that new strain would have cured the rapid memory loss." He questioned before a ball of fire shot out and fazed through the ghostly visage. Natsu retracted his hand before he watched the skin reform on it.

"I-I haven't forgotten her. But I can't help it. It drives me insane watching her." Natsu explained before his eyes wandered to the mountains to the north, the black clouds swelling around its white peaks. The shadow merely hummed for a moment before it spoke.

"You are thinking about this all wrong. You were, in a past life, a dragon slayer. The magic you used gave several traits of a dragon. It only makes sense that you would look for more mates." Keyes said before noticing Natsu's clueless expression. "The stain I created enhances certain things in the infected brain. For dragon slayers," Keyes paused to point to Rouge who was following on foot. " It enhances their primal side, same as humans just not to that degree. For demons, it seems to enhance possessiveness-" "Then what about Yukino? She's a human." Natsu asked the shadow. "She seems..to have mutated. And the light energy that leaks from her hand could be the catalyst for the mutation. If you were willing to part with her," Keyes chuckled at the low growl that emanated from the alpha. "I'll let you get back to it. Just don't be afraid to retreat. I won't be able to bail you out this time."

The shadow then faded away until Natsu was left alone with the beta below him. He then jumped from the tree he was into the next one and so forth. Could he be right? Could he be over thinking it? No matter. Sayla was as close as she has ever been to being with him again. If what he said was true, this will be his hardest fight yet.


Cool air greeted her as her mind blurred her vision. What had happened to her? She heard familiar voices began to mix with the ringing in her ears. She felt something drape across her shoulders as her vision finally cleared to see several odd figures surrounding her. She knew them.

"Vision seems normal. Can you recognize us Sayla?" a woman asked to her left. "...Kyoka...what happened?" She heard her voice ask when the woman was wrapped in a hug by the former.

"the test had succeeded," Keyes grumbled before turning to leave the two alone.

"You have lost several months of memory after I removed the strain from your body, nothing to worry about, however. Do come by my lab later for a full briefing on what happened when you were away."

"She'll go nowhere near you! You're lucky I don't kill you now!" Kyoka yelled at the retreating figure who simply waved her comment off. Slowly coming to her feet. She felt Kyoka take her hand into her own before leading her away from the spawning chambers. She remembered the feeling, and she had missed it...hadn't she? She could feel her partner's hands on her own as she was pulled into her chambers. She should have felt the need for her partner's lips after they left her own, she should have felt her burning touch as it roamed her body, she should have felt the need to please the woman on top of her just like she had in the past. So why...why did it feel so...so...empty? As she laid next to her partner she watched as she breathed in and out before a frown found it's way onto her own lips. Carefully untangling herself from her lover, she silently approached a window that sat in the room. From the soft glow of the moon from the adjacent window showed her beautiful face bask in the lunar light. Slowly her hand rose and rested on the reflections cheek. She was back where she was supposed to be...right? If that was so, why did she feel so alone?

Meanwhile, in another part of Tartaros, the resident necromancer sat in front of a clear glass box. He slowly pulled up a screen to show the occupant in the room a video of a black haired woman opening her eyes before falling out of a regeneration tank. A small hand reached up as though to take hold of the woman before her soft voice was heard.

"...Mom."


Gods how she hated this. They all seemed so fine with what they were. How could they stand being human when they could be so much...better. She watched as they danced around the large fire in the center of the village. So carefree. So...so sickeningly unknowing. She was brought out of her thoughts when she felt a slight nudge on her shoulder. Looking over her shoulder she found the teen she had chose to stick to. She already forgot his name but he was persistent. She'd give him that.

"Y-you want to grab a seat before the show starts?" He asked as she felt his fingers brush across her shoulder. While resisting the urge to gut him, she simply smiled before laying a hand on his ear and pulled him closer.

"Meet me in the tavern when the show starts and I'll give you a personal dance~" She cooled before pulling away from the puddle that was the teen. Leaving the babbling mess in the streets, she passed by the tables sat around the center and walked into the tavern. Yukino scanned the room before walking towards the back where a large pot was set to a low boil. Taking the canteen from her belt, she unscrewed the lid before pouring the black liquid into the stew before giving stir or two before the sound of the front door opening altered her. She peeked out from behind the pillar to see two men had retrieved the pot and took it out the door. She walked back out into the main dining area and shortly after the teen from earlier had shown his face.

He didn't seem quite as nervous as before, she knew that as she was enveloped by his arms. His lips attached to her neck and his hands started running along her body. She resisted the urge to severe his head from his body, she would get retribution later when she would make him beg for his end. The mere thought caused as a moan of self-satisfaction. The boy stopped his advances when a scream was heard causing him to tear away from her. "What was that?" he asked before more screams filled the air.

"Stay here I'm going to see what's wrong-" He was cut off as the doors were kicked open to reveal her alpha. His burning crimson eyes bore holes into the two.


He watched from the trees as the villagers ran around the fires and laughed into the night sky. His eyes stayed glued to his blue-haired partner and her...friend. He was going to split him in two. He watched as she left him to walk into the large building towards the center of the village. He watched as the teen waited around before making his way to the tavern. Natsu watched as several of the villagers fell to the ground before he felt the virus take hold of them. Several others swarmed around the down villagers before the first of several rose to it's feet before jumping onto the nearest person.

"Don't let anyone leave alive," Natsu ordered his underling who nodded before jumping from the tree and morphing into his infected state. The people below cried out in terror as Rogue cut through the crowd. Natsu launched himself from the tree and landed among the chaos before he approached the doors to the tavern. With a powerful kick, he stormed into the main hall to see that damn human between him and what was his. "Who are you!" The teen ordered as Natsu stormed closer to the duo. As he came closer the teen decided to meet him halfway as he drew his fist back and fired a shot at him. Natsu caught the fist with ease and with a quick snap of the wrist, broke the teen's arm. The former cried out in pain before Natsu picked him up and threw him across the room. With a crash against a table, the teen rolled across the floor. Before he could recover, he felt a foot rest against his back momentarily before it rose and came crashing back down onto him, snapping his lower spine in a swift motion. Having completely blocked out the pest's cries of pain, he rolled him over before crouching down to him and raising his fist before sending crashing down onto his head. The slight ringing in his ears stopped as the crimson explosion seemed to end the screaming from the body below him. He then stood up and turned only for Yukino to crash into his chest and plant her lips to his. Natsu released a growl and picked her up before pushing her back against the wall. Her eyes were wide as she felt fear go through her veins as she stared into the raging inferno that was his eyes.

"Don't ever," He began as took her face into his hands, "Do that again. You are mine and no one else. Understand?" He growled momentarily before she nodded her head with a whimper. With one last feral growl, He descended into his temptations.


"We should be getting there soon." Jellal spoke as the duo walked down the path towards Almac. His partner matched his pace down the path before rising her head to see snow had begun to fall.

"And not a moment too soon...hey Jellal?" Meredy called out as she wrapped her coat around her tighter. The blue haired man hummed waiting for her to continue.

"What if Almac was hit by that dark guild we've been after. That will make it the sixth village in the last month." Meredy had a hunch as to what guild they were tailing. Tartaros. The last figurehead in the Balam alliance. They were up to something and they knew it. She paused when the village gates of Almac came into view. She felt her stomach churn when several figures could be seen just barely out the gate. As the two approached she gasped while Jellal hardened his gaze. They were too late. The villager that lay at their feet, just all the others, had been cut to ribbons and left on the ground.

"Come on, we have to check the rest of the village." Jellal urged her away from the scene before entering through the gates. As the two walked down the main stretch of the village they saw smoldering piles of ash that had stayed behind from several large fires that the snow couldn't fully put out. Meredy was too busy looking at the homes to notice Jellal had stopped.

"What's...wrong." She trailed off when she saw what Jellal had stopped for.

The semi-circle of the village was littered with bodies that were piled in two piles with a table between them. There at the table sat a woman who had her head resting in one hand while the other was lazily holding a glass. Her short light-blue hair was rather messy as though she had just woken up.

"I'm afraid you missed the party last night." She spoke before rising, her eyes opening to show gold and red orbs that drilled holes into the two.

"I remember you from the games! What happened here!" Meredy yelled/ ordered before Jellal held a hand in front of her.

"We've been dying to meet you Jellal. After he's done with you I can't wait to sink my teeth in on your friend." The woman spoke before Jellal spoke.

"We?"

As if on queue, the tavern exploded into a fiery explosion and out of the smoke a large object shot out and landed behind them. Jellal turned to see the object before his eyes widened. Out of the smoke, a figure stepped out with glowing red eyes. Meredy's gasp went unheard as he gaped at the figure. He should be dead, Erza told him he was dead. So how... how was he here? He felt his lips move as the question pulled itself out from within him.

"Natsu?"


AU: Here's the next chapter

And as always, have a good one!

-Justaguy35