A/N: I officially apologize for the late update compared to my other ones. My excuse: I finished uploading the prewritten chapters, and I was gone for most of August. I'll be updating less frequently now that school has started. I was asked if I had given up on this story and I haven't. I was just finished with the quick updates. Thank for reading!

"WALLACE!" a feminine voice shrieked angrily. Jellal anxiously whipped around to see a familiar red-haired woman step into the carriage. She moved furiously with a demand for personal justice. "What the hell is taking so lo-"

She stopped and stared down at her companion. Jellal realized with a start as he watched her that her familiarity was no coincidence. This was the same woman that had approached him in the park not long ago. Scarlett Hayes. The situation had both been strange and nostalgic. Since he and the other members of Crime Sorciere wore the cloaks, they had essentially vanished from public eye and were usually not spoken to, especially not so forwardly.

But when Jellal and Ultear had been council members, they had often been approached in public by fans, and he had run into more than admirer that wanted him. He thought it amusing, but being approached in front of Erza was somewhat embarrassing.

Jellal noticed Scarlett's chest rising and falling heatedly in an attempt to calm herself before she exploded as she stared down at the hunter and the restrained knight.

"Seriously?!" she asked. "This is what's holding us up? If you couldn't keep it in your pants, you should've at least waited until we stopped for the night."

Wallace glared at Scarlett before shoving Erza away from him. She collapsed in the corner with a small yelp crying from her limp body. The black snake patterns winding on her skin slowly faded with a hiss until they vanished from her body.

"Why do you make it your personal vendetta to interrupt me every time I want to have fun?" he growled at the woman irritably.

"You can have your fun, as long as it doesn't take up my time."

Jellal breathed heavily and peeled his eyes away from Erza's fallen body to glare at his captors.

"Who are you?" he asked the crimson-haired woman in a threatening tone. She and her comrade had hurt his Scarlet. They would not go unpunished.

The woman looked at him and her face lit up in a grin.

"If you've claimed the girl, then can I have this one later?" she asked the bounty hunter. Wallace rolled his eyes and stood up reluctantly.

"No, you slut. He's the real treasure. Off-limits. You know how you can get attached to your pets." He peered down at her from his tall stature. "You haven't got too involved in your character, right?"

Scarlett laughed. The joyful sound resonated through Jellal's ears and caused him to wince. He had known she wanted him from her behavior in the park, but he had no way of knowing she dealt with demons such as these. He inwardly cursed himself for his naivety.

"You know I didn't go to lengths to change my character for the charade. He is, after all, attractive."

She turned her head to look Jellal in the eyes. Her emerald green ones glittered with intent that made him want to shiver. He understood Erza's panic of being vulnerable. His chains held him up like a sack of meat available for viewing pleasure.

"I apologize for not introducing myself properly, Jellal-sama," Scarlett said, bowing politely. "We had a rather rude meeting in the park. I am Scarlett Hayes. It's been quite a while since we've had such an important guest."

Jellal clenched his teeth. The woman before him disgusted him. To think she bore the name of Scarlet! She dishonored Erza's precious color.

"Are you in league with this hunter, then?" he asked shortly. Scarlett seemed surprised. She clasped a hand to her heart in mock shock.

"In league? Do you use the term in league when supporting your dear numbskull of a cousin?" she spoke, glancing towards Wallace with an unimpressed gaze. "Besides, it's not like being a bounty hunter is illegal."

"Maybe not in capturing me," Jellal said stiffly. "But imprisoning Erza here and subjecting her to your whim isn't only unlawful, but is dangerous. You've surely heard of Titania the Fairy Queen. She will come back to haunt you. I guarantee it."

Wallace looked down at Erza's crumpled form. "I think that whichever officials remain will be very interested to learn that Titania Erza, the so-called defender of righteousness is keeping company with the master of a dark guild."

"Crime Sorciere is not a dark guild!" Jellal snapped back.

"A group of wizards operating without the lawful permission of the Magic Council or any alliances is a dark guild by definition, Blue. Especially if the members are all criminals."

Jellal glared as the hunter turned back to his supposed cousin, who kept glancing back at his restrained body. Her attention sent flickers of unease through his nerves, especially after seeing what Wallace was willing to do to Erza. He kept sneaking looks at Erza's wilted form. Please be all right, Erza.

"Fine," Wallace was telling Scarlett. "How far away are we from the next pickup?"

"Not far," she replied. "We can get there by dawn if you can hold in your urges."

Wallace grimaced at her. "Like you never take ad- wait, what the hell is that?"

An intricate red pattern had slowly made its way onto Scarlett's cheek. She blushed and looked down, avoiding her cousin's gaze.

"I was inspired," she said in her defense. The mark vanished as cleanly as it had appeared. She looked back at Jellal. "I use Transformation magic, and sometimes I like to borrow traits from others. Your mark is really gorgeous by the way. Where did it come from?"

Jellal avoided her gaze. "It's nothing," he murmured. "Just a family thing."

Scarlett sighed, then propped the wagon door open. The dark outside beckoned, but Jellal wasn't free to pursue it.

"Come along, dear cousin," she called out to Wallace. "We have to go if you want to make the deadline." She glanced back at Erza. "And I would feel much more comfortable if you restrained her, please. Especially if you're going to leave your weapons littered around on the ground like a toddler."

Wallace reluctantly followed her orders, grumbling under his breath as he clasped another black chain around Erza's wrist. Jellal slowly relaxed as they exited the vehicle, the stress leaving his bones for the first time since the hunters had entered the space. He flinched as the metal door slammed shut and the wagon began rolling once more.

"Erza," he hissed quietly. "Are you all right?"

Erza's crumpled body shivered. Jellal felt anger at seeing the proud warrior chained like a common criminal, but at least she wasn't strung up like him. She shifted, groaning softly.

"Jellal?" she murmured, stirring slightly. "Is that you?"

"Yeah, Erza. It's me."

For a moment he felt as if he and she were in a different time. When they were younger and life was simpler, yet just as twisted and cruel.

Erza's expression winced as if still in pain or remembering something unpleasant.

"You," she mumbled, her eyes still squeezed shut. "You did this." She trembled as invisible strands of magic coiled around her body and dark hands roamed her vulnerable figure.

Jellal let out a breath in surprise. "What? Erza, the hunter was attacking you. It wasn't me. Don't you remember?"

"You did," she insisted. "But it was bleeding instead."

What?

Then he realized. He had done this to her. He possessed the same binding spell that had also caused pain to Erza. But instead of coal black, his snake was blood red. He used her trust as a weapon and betrayed her precious embrace to bind her in his bleeding coils. And…

He had told her he loved her, just to enrage her even more. That had been his shining hour; why not use every card available? He captured Titania, and she would never be able to escape.

Jellal stared hollowly at Erza. Her chest rose and fell steadily as she drifted into well-needed sleep. He had watched her sleep many times when they were younger. He always claimed a place right beside her to be there whenever she needed him and to guard her from any monsters that might harm her in her slumber. Looking at her had always inspired hope, but he felt utterly hopeless now.

"I'm sorry, Erza," he murmured under his breath. She couldn't hear the words, but he said them anyhow. "I'm so sorry."