Prologue

Fourteen Years Ago.

Cloaked in red.

Just like the story her grandfather would tell her before she went to bed. But, this wasn't any bedtime story or a silly little tales of Grimm that she read to her delight. Her colorful life of seven years had been tarnished with deepest shade of gray that not even the light could bring her back to her innocents. The color on her mother's cheeks were deathly white, blue hair darken with the clotting of dark red to black matted on the alley floor. Her beautiful white dress was ruined in the cape of her own blood.

And so was Levy.

Cloaked in blood.

"Mommy…?" Levy gurgled, trying to speak but nothing wanted to come out. Not even a breath as she stared at the woman in front of her. Once honey eyes were gone, blacken and lifeless. She reached for her face, hoping to stir her awake, but when she looked down at her gray hand, it was no longer gray.

Like warm paint, Red had covered them, caking her small hands in potent iron liquid.

Something inside of her wanted to scream, wanted to call for help, but she could not. Levy couldn't bring herself to it, and she didn't know why. Her only concern was the red on her hands, and not the two men and one woman who did this to her mother.

"We have to do it!" The woman with short brown hair snarled at the two of them. "She saw our faces! We have to do it!"

"Then, do it!" The older man yelled back at her. "It's your idea! You fucking do it!"

"I wasn't the one who killed her!" She growled back. "We were supposed to steal her money and that's it!"

"Fine!" The younger man with the bloody serrated knife took a step towards Levy. "I'll do it since you fuckers won't do it!" Levy still held her hands up, but her half-lidded eyes stared up at her killer. Blond? Brunette? Levy wasn't sure. Gray was color of his skin—hair—eyes. Red from his knife was all she could see.

"W-What—" Levy mumbled, but couldn't finish when the man held up his knife, bloody tip pointing down at her. She watched as the alluring red droplet became heavier and heavier, ready to fall on her cold forehead. She'd remember watching the rain droplets pool together on leaves, and when they get too heavy they'd fall. Levy closed her eyes and braced herself, imagining that single drop to be the last she'd ever touch rain.

"What the hell is—ack!?" Levy blinked her eyes open, but for only a moment before she flickered them shut from the fresh wave of hot liquid splashed against her face. She dared not to open them as screams from their captures were lain waste in the alley way. Like her mothers, no one heard them. No one bothered to look in their direction.

"Mommy!" She shrieked, pulling her drenched knees to her chest and she hugged them with her arms. She didn't want to open her eyes until she awoke from this nightmare. "Daddy!"

Silence.

Not a sound of heavy footsteps.

Nor their heartless banter.

Suddenly, a warm breeze smelling of iron and raw flesh overwhelmed her. The smell raised her head from her knees and two set of blood moon eyes peered back at her. A large beast—a wolf perhaps—thick fur dark as the shadows of streetlamps, eyes like the blood that plagued this alley, and white teeth like the garnet tarnished snow. The wolf stood in front of her, black nose twitching left and right, smelling her stench and her fear.

But, she was no longer afraid. The mangled bodies that killed her mother were lying in their own blood. The dog—wolf took care of them. And for some reason, the small child was thankful.

Levy held out her bloodied hand, but flinched when the black wolf stepped back, almost stepping on her mother. Her fingers drew back, then she moved her arm again, wanting to thank her savior. His muzzle briefly looked down at the woman's body, sniffing the silver necklace around her neck before his attention was at the seven year old Levy McGarden.

"My," She gulped. "W-What b-big eyes—" She gulped again. "—you have." Levy could feel his breath against her skin. He didn't pull away and neither did she. Her small hand grazed the fur and whiskers on his muzzle before something tore his focus away.

A wolf howling at the end of the alley.

Levy looked back at the midnight wolf, but he was no longer there. Her gaze returned to the end of the alley and there was the black wolf joining a beautiful pristine white wolf. Levy finally found her voice, wanting to call out to them. However, they both disappeared into silhouettes of the streetlights.

Streetlights and Silhouettes

By: MasterChick aka KissedbyIron

A Fairy Tail Fanfiction

Characters by Mashima Hiro

A Modern Werewolf AU

Chapter One: Red Like Roses

Fourteen Years Later: After the events in the alley

"Really?" Levy placed her hands on her hips and eyed her friend wearing nothing but a scantily clad pirate uniform. "You have no idea who I am?" The long haired eye patch wearing woman took a swig of her vodka soda.

"You some super hero or something?" She hiccupped, clearly having too much to drink before the party even started. Cana, Levy's oldest and best friend, studied her outfit one more time, keeping her chocolate brown eyes on her ruby red bodice. Layers of white and pink lace petticoats covered her smooth thighs and knees, hot rod red shoes adorn her black stocking clad feet. Levy shifted slightly, revealing a set of garters on both of her thighs. Lastly, if the red ribbon and cloak didn't give it away, Levy was dressed up as, "—Scarlet Witch!" Cana answered.

"Little Red Riding Hood!" Levy playfully punched Cana on the arm. "Remember my favorite story?"

"Hell, Levy!" Cana hastily gulped down her drink, vodka spilling over her lips. "That's so long ago! You read so damn much it's hard to keep up with your favorites." Her chocolate brown eyes looked over Levy's shoulder and beamed a very thrilling smile. Before Levy could turn around to see what she was looking at, but Cana pulled her back and wrapped her arm around her. "I'm so happy to see you come out to the party! I thought for sure you weren't going to come…again."

Levy was early graduating college this coming December, and she finally have time to drive out to Magnolia to see her friend after entrapping herself in school work. Her hard work would pay off in the end as she would be able to do whatever she wanted, though finding a decent architectural job would be her only challenge. But, that would come later. Levy's concern at the moment was the suspicious tone and look Cana was giving her, like she had something up her sleeve. Or lack thereof.

"I know you've been busy with your internship and school," Cana walked, arm still slung around her, guiding her down the stairs to the heart of the party. People with plethora of costumes crowded around certain parts of the house. A drinking contest in the large dining room, dancing in the cleared out living room, one of Levy's friends, Jet, was impressing the scantily clad ladies with his bartending skills in the kitchen, and the loud talking amongst certain groups in the foyer and beyond. "—there's someone I want you to meet."

"Wait, what?" Levy was distracted by the loud pong game going on in the dining room.

"I said, there's someone I want you to meet!" Cana repeated herself. "He's a great guy."

"I bet he is," Levy swallowed the lump in her throat. She never liked it when Cana sets her up. "But, right now—"

"Here we go!" Cana snickered. "What's it going to be this time, huh? You can't say school—"

"Yes!" Levy laughed. "I still have to pass my classes. When I receive my diploma in December, then you can set me up whoever you want."

"That's what you say now." Cana gaffed, stopping at one of the tables full of drinks. "Y'think you can pull off a Natsu? Oh no! Both you and Natsu need to get laid—not together—Hahaha, that'll be weird. Both of you need to find someone to unkink the work out of you." She handed Levy a vodka gimlet and then pointed her finger to something behind her.

"What is it now?" Levy turned around to see three guys with jeans and a regular non-festive shirt, all three wearing different masks as their costumes.

"I'm not asking you to make a commitment." Cana's sexy sultry voice rumbled through her ear. "Just live a little and do something Little Red Riding Hood wouldn't do." She snickered low and raspy, snaking her arm around Levy's waist. "Show them that the Big Bad Wolf ain't the only thing bad in your story. How bad do you want to be?"

"I don't." Levy pulled away, facing Cana. "I'm sorry, I am grateful you're doing what's best. Right now, I can't do it." She stepped back and took a sip of the potent sour liquid. "I'm going to find Jet."

"He's busy catching his own Riding Hood!" Cana called out. "Don't mess with the huntsman and find your own!" Levy rolled her eyes and decided to find Erza in this crowded house. If she remembered correctly, Erza said she was going to wear her red bunny suit. The same one she always wore every Halloween. With the vodka warm in her belly and her heavy red cloak, she was getting quite warm. All the bodies she passed looked at her as she maneuvered through the crowd. It was definitely going to be difficult to find her, so she pulled out her phone from a secret pouch in her skirts and tried calling her. Before she could do that, Levy noticed she texted her a while ago.

Jellal is in town. Sorry, Lev. I'll see you Monday. -Erza

Tell Jellal I said Hello and have fun. Levy sent a reply. She couldn't get mad at her. Erza hadn't seen her boyfriend since his deployment. She would just have to find her other friends to keep herself entertained.

Or keep drinking.

This wasn't like Levy to excessively drink with her friends. Maybe Cana was right? Maybe she should relax and treat herself with some company—a book in her hands most preferably, though a man would do. Levy down another mix shot with some old high school friends crowding around the kitchen island. The inevitable amount of questions kept pouring out of them as much as Jet making specialty strong drinks for them. The questions made her nervous, because she honestly didn't know how to answer them without looking like a loser.

Oh she was a loser.

She hadn't had a boyfriend for almost three years, and she was absorbed in her school work, internship, and second shift at the library had tied her down to boring life. Taking in the drinks made the nervousness of answering the question bearable, though she wouldn't be too confidence in her lies; parties at frat houses and pushing out crazy boy stories (which she pulled characters from books she'd read and made something up). Luckily for her, they were as drunk as she was and they didn't suspect any of her lies. However, Jet wasn't easily fooled.

"I think you have enough, Lev." Jet shook his head, looking at the damage he had done. Levy hiccupped and stared at him with glassy eyes. "You okay? Let me get you some water."

"I'm—fine—nah!" Levy snickered. "I just need some air."

"Let me come with you." Jet offered, walking around the island to help her off the high bar stool, but Levy easily stood up despite the heels.

"I need to be alone." She fought a nasty burp and pushed him aside. It felt like she was walking on jello with heels, though once she steadied herself, she was able to get a good ground as she walked toward the back door. Levy didn't want Jet to follow, knowing him all too well he would, so she had to make it believable that she could walk normally. One foot after the other; on the outside she looked fine, but the inside…

"Oh my god…" Levy mouthed to herself, planting her feet firmly with each step without looking like a complete idiot. "…why's the room—spinning?" She burped again, gladly no one heard that as she pushed through the double doors. The crisp autumn breeze greeted her warm face, waking her from her blurry daze. The air was smoky as a bon fire settled itself on one part of the dark wood and brick deck. A small intimate group stared at her as she waiver by the door. They said something to her, though she couldn't make out what they were telling her. She didn't like this. Not in control of her head.

Levy somehow made it down the stairs towards the garden path. Her cloak caught in a strong breeze, tugging against the nape of her neck. She pulled the hood over her head, hoping that would help it stay put. Her heels clicked against the rustic brick, marching down the path to a fancy gardening shed and fountain hidden among trimmed bush garden. On her trek, there was a man with long black hair tied back in a tight pony tail. A lit cigarette between his fingers as he rested his arm over his knee. He looked up, face clad in a small black mask, covering the skin around his eyes. The man caught her staring. Levy wanted to look away as if he was mistaken for her gawking, but the strange dark red eyes stirred something awfully nostalgic in her gut.

"Sorry…" Levy cleared her throat and she sped up her pace along the path. Once she disappeared behind the bush, Levy relaxed and breathed in the fresh air. No smoke…no more alcohol and no more noise. It was quiet, small wrought iron fountain trickling water from the top and the air peppered with pine scent from the manicured shrub wall. With every intake of breath, she regained her focus, sobering up nicely with the help of the tranquilness of her surroundings. Though one thing was bothering her. That man sitting on the stone bench along the path was someone she never met, but his dark garnet eyes was familiar. It might be her impaired imagination seeing things and the soft garden lighting playing shadows along his features.

"Did you see her wearing that sexy costume?" Levy jumped at the figure busting through the fountain garden. His cheap gray animal ears were on his disheveled blond hair and his tan nose was painted black to represent a beast of some sort. The red painted cheeks and his stumbling indicated he was indeed drunk. "Hey—let me call you back…" The man eyed her from head to toe, bringing a nervous chill down her spine. "How are you doing?"

"Fine, thanks." Levy was trying to figure out how to get away from him. He was blocking the only way out of the clearing. The shed looked locked and the only other solution was to go through him or the bushes.

"You are fine." Eyes drifted to her legs, licking his lips creepily while he pretends to unbuckle her garters with his mind. "Where are you from? I don't recognize you from around here."

"Nobody." Levy looked around her again, backing up against the bush. If she could get her shoes off… "No one you'd like to know."

"But, I do want to get to know you." He kept looking at her body, undressing her with his eyes, and slowly walking towards her. Her fingers begun to shake at her sides, gripping her petticoats to stop them. Levy felt light headed all of the sudden with the alcohol and disgusting stench of the man's cologne choking her. She wanted to run, wanted to flee back into the house where her friends were at. But, she couldn't move from her spot.

"What's your name, sweetheart?" He was arms length away from her and reached out to touch Levy on her alcohol flushed cheek. Levy's words to tell him to go away were lost in her dry throat. She waited for his touch.

She was trapped.

"What the—?" Levy opened her eyes, to see his hand hovering inches from her face, but held back by another hand, digging his nails into his forearm. "Dude, that fucking hurts!" Levy looked over to the man who was sitting on the bench along the path. His mask showcasing the blazing red eyes, like pools of lava filled with anger and rage. His jaw was clenched, barring teeth with a sinister growl escaping between teeth.

"You even think of laying a hand on her." His grip tightens around his arm, causing the man to wither to his knees.

"Dude! Okay! Dude! You gonna break my arm!" The man pleaded, eyes tearing up from the burning pain in his arm. Levy looked at the masked man. The muscles in his arms were taut and veins were showing itself upon the surface of his tanned skin. Teeth white and yet sharpen almost beast like—eyes like the blood moon—something coiled deep in Levy's belly. A sense of fear and heat washed over her at the sight of this stranger.

"E-Enough!" Levy shouted, trying to pry his hands from the man. The way he held him, Levy definitely thought he was really going to break the man's arm. "It's fine. Just let him go." The masked man looked at her, eyes still tense and blazing red eased his grip and let him go as she asked. The man scurried away calling him names that the masked man simply ignore. "Thank you…but you really didn't have to do that."

"Didn't have to?" He hissed at her. "Yer want me to stand by and watch?"

"No…No!" Levy barked. "You could easily just scare him off without touching him! Violence wasn't necessary! He was drunk—"

"Jaysus fucking christ!" He cursed. "Yer fine now! I'll leave you alone." He tsked and walked away, but Levy with the boldness of the alcohol flowing through her system, she grabbed his arm.

"Hey!" Levy shouted at him. "I'm not fine with—" Once she grabbed his arm, Gajeel turned around and pushed Levy hard against the fountain. She winced at the ache in the back of her calves when the iron painfully stung her skin. The coolness of the iron against them told Levy that her stockings were ripped. She looked back, the hem of her cape in the water, slowly absorbing the liquid through the fabric. If it wasn't for his tight grip on her arm, she'd had fallen into the fountain.

"Wad ya say, Shrimp?" He hissed again, this time inches from her face. The scent of menthol, tobacco and beer were strong on his lips along with his earthy smell. His breath was warm against her face, the hand on her arm burned her skin.

"What gives you the right to barge in here and grab me?" Levy seethed. "You have no right like that man who you injured!"

"He deserved it!"

"And you don't?" Levy eyed her arm and return her burning gaze to her savior. "What if someone else comes in here and did that to you?" He pulled her closer, gripping tighter around her forearm. She winced at the pain, but never lost her eye contact.

"I'd like to see 'hem try, Shrimp." He curled his lip, snarling at her like a beast. The accent threw her off. It almost sounded foreign and not from this time. "What yer gonna do about it? Little Red Riding 'ood with no 'untsman?" His common tongue slipped, exposing his true speech. Who was this man? If only she could bring her fingers to his mask— a growl left his lips, muscles in his jaw tighten at her other hand reaching for his mask, warning her of the consequences of her actions.

"And who says you're not my huntsman?" Levy rasped, staring into his furious eyes. "You did save me after all." His eyes soften just a bit, but still ferocious to scare anyone. Except for Levy. The alcohol was potent in her veins, still impairing her from her better judgment. And as of that moment, the closeness of her hero, the surprisingly pleasant scent of tobacco and the fire in his eyes branded her with burning desire in her belly. Lastly, the curiosity of his face beneath the mask. Just as desperately as she wanted to have a gander, she did not want to. A hollow feeling pooled in her gut. A part of her didn't want to know.

"I ain't no 'untsman." He said, gulping realize that her gaze were no longer scared of him.

"Then the Big. Bad—" She licked her lips. "—Wolf."

"You don't wanna start this," He warned, staring at her ruby lips. His jaw clenched tight at the sight of her lower lip claimed by her pearly teeth. "I ain't some'ne you'd mess with." For a brief moment, Levy remembered Cana's words about living it up once in a while. It wasn't her style, but right now…

"What big eyes you have…" Levy said to him, her manicured fingers grazing down his chiseled jawline. His adam's apple moved along his neck, swallowing his anxiousness. His eyes narrowed, wondered if she really dared to challenge the beast.

"The better to see with…" He dared to accept her challenge in the most ridiculous way possible. And Levy loved it. "…yer not afraid?"

"Should I be?" Levy sighed, eyes staring at him daringly. It'd take more than a snarl or two to scare her off. Especially after that fateful night, and somehow tonight felt like she was staring at the beast once again. His eyes were hesitant, lingering to mouth and her chest, contemplating on his options. Sure enough, just leaving her be was one of them.

She didn't want that.

Levy reached down, accidentally graze his chest. Back of her fingers brushed against his wrist and she grabbed his hand. The tips of fingers tingled at the contact of his rough hands, callused and stern—wanting hands like these to hold her.

"What big hands you have…" Levy's eyelashes fluttered to see his narrowed at her face. The air between became thin. Heat overwhelming them in the October chill, and yet they still remained as close as they could without falling into the void. And at the moment, they were at the precipice of their own lustful hell.

"…better to touch you with." He moved his hand to her neck, brushing her jaw with back of his fingers before settling them at the curve, craning her head closer to his. "You stupid girl…" was the last thing he said before he lowered his lips to hers, igniting a spark that traveled throughout her body. A moan left her from the back of her throat and she simply sank into him, hands running along his muscular pectorals and feeling the ridges of his abdomen through his shirt. Her lips pulled away to suck in a sharp gasp at the harden muscle underneath, but he brought them back against his.

The grip around her arm relaxed and guided them around his neck. With one swift move, he picked her up, guiding her legs around his waist, and Levy squeaked when her feet were no longer on the ground. She wasn't sure where he was taking her, how he was taking her, but she didn't give a damn.

The pull in her stomach yearned for him to touch her more, peel away the layers she had on, and hoped that he dared not to remove his mask. Levy didn't want to know whose face lies behind it and sure as hell didn't want to know his name. The eyes were a haunting figures in her dreams and having them here staring back at her was something she never expect to want so…wantonly.

Her back hit hard against the outer walls of the gardening shed, bringing a delectable groan from her throat. His lips tasted her jaw, neck and grazed his teeth along tender skin, making his way down towards the edge of her bodice. Her chest swelled when sharpen teeth touched the sensitive curve of her breast, causing Levy to arch her back and her chest into his face.

"W-What big teeth you have—" Levy gasped, electricity flowing through her as his hand cupped her neck and red eyes glaring back at her.

"Better to taste you with…" He growled and claimed her lips. Rough hands glided up her flurry of skirts, holding tight at her soft thighs. Her tongue darted into his mouth, losing herself in his smoky taste. A groan left his mouth falling into his own madness as his kisses became more hungry, touches more demanding. Levy felt her pressed harder against the wall, sliding down until his hips grounded against the wet apex of her thighs. Something hard and frighteningly foreign pressed through her lace panties, sending a new ache of pleasure through her being. The way he moved his hips—his tongue playing a primal tango against hers—Levy was getting close to losing herself.

"Oh my—god." Levy rolled her hips, trusting the mysteries man's hold on her. Her head leaned back against wall, staring at the frustration in his eyes, the burn that branded down to her core, and the need to see his entire face contort to her whims. All it took was a flick of her dainty fingers to reveal the truth.

No.

Not tonight. Nor tomorrow.

For once in her life she needed to do something daring and forbidden. Ever since that night in the alley, she always lived a comfortable and safe life where she always thought of everything through before doing anything. That was how her mind work with logical thinking and not fall into temptation. Levy asked herself if she could have this one night not to be herself.

He breathed hard, biting her swollen lips, fingers digging into her hips, and his groin hard and prominent between her legs. Levy shivered, a soft little gasp of surrender crossing her lips, and he smiled wickedly. Levy reached for his collar, hastily unbuttoning the black pearl buttons on his shirt just enough to expose smooth and toned muscle underneath. He tightens at the contact, pectorals rising and falling with every intake of breath. Her hands moved to his shoulders, pushing the cloth to expose more of his tan skin in the moonlight. Thousands of acres of flesh waiting to be touched, and it overwhelmed him, quivering in her touch, rewarding her with greedy and hungry touches of his own. His hand traveled to the edge of her stifling bodice, toying with the strings that kept her heaving chest from escaping. Levy wanted so much for him to hold her, running a callused thumb over her aching nipple, but instead his hand left her breast and made way towards her garters, unbuckling them with skilled fashion.

Levy's eyes met his, noticing the wicked curl of his lip as his fingers danced along the edge of her panties. A flood of heat washed over her, burning in her cheeks and her mouth let out a soft cry when one finger slipped through the hem, gliding along her wet folds. His eyes fluttered shut and placed his forehead against hers, hearing her breath turned ragged, feeling her squirm from his simple touches. Her cries were soon muffled by a deep kiss, moaning against his tongue. She pulled him closer, tightening his hold around his shoulders and slowly rolled her hips against his relentless digit.

"Please…" She beckoned, eyes fluttering from the heat pooling deep in her stomach. "…take me." Levy mewled with swollen red lips. He clenched his jaw, throat vibrated a feral growl, and he complied with her demands. He hooked her panties to the side, fabric straining enough to break and with one finger he slid inside of her.

"Fuck," He cursed, pulling back a little and delving back in to her. An illicit moan escaped both of them and Levy squirmed with each delicious intrusion, pulsating waves upon waves of electrifying through her. She never felt anything quite like this. His other hand touched her breast, cupping it through the fabric. His gaze fluttered to the long silver chain around her neck and delving between the well of her chest. Levy brought her fingers under his chin, forcing him to look at her. With that, Gajeel slipped another finger inside of her wetness, fingers dripping in her juices. Her golden orbs rolled back and her head reeled, exposing her neck to him. His lips sucked on her delicate skin, bringing out more cries from her hoarse throat. The masked man ran his fingers along the silver necklace and pulled it out of her cleavage, revealing the diamond shaped pendant with a symbol that caught him dead in his tracks.

Levy was so close. So damn close to the edge and there was so much more she wanted, but suddenly he pulled away. Newly stretched walls clenching at nothing.

"W-What's wrong?" Levy's legs were wobbly. She held on to the wall for support. Her eyes studied the man's face, confused and dumbfounded, staring at her as if she was the monster. "Did I do something wrong?"

"I have to go." He growled and turned away, but Levy grabbed his arm.

"What is wrong?" Her voice cracked, anger and disappointment bubbling in her throat. "I'm sorry—"

"We shouldn't 'ave done this." His voice stern and clear, but his eyes were lying to her. "Sorry." Narrowed eyes and the clench of his jaw gave way to his lies. He yanked his arm from her hold and marched out and into the garden path. Levy pushed herself off the wall and stumbled to follow him, but once she reached the path, he was no longer there. Her eyes searched for him beyond the garden but he was no longer there.

Despite the fleeting heat of the moment with a total stranger, Levy somewhat felt like her heart was ripped out of her and taken by him. A stranger she had fallen for by the way he looked at her. The way his smoldering red eyes burned through her, branding her soul without the need to touch her. Not even a minute and the brand ran cold, skin prickled with gooseflesh. She'd dream of him, knowing that would be the only time she'd meet him again.

Little did Levy knew that fate would draw their passions far sooner and at the least likely of places.

They would, indeed, meet again.

A/N: For Gajevy Love Fest 2015