Mortal Instruments 1. Loner

**Untitled**

Disclaimer; All characters and most of the events / plot belong to Cassandra Clare... I just like to play around with them a little ;)

_Beep…Beep…Beep… _**Smash.**

Damn, I wished that hadn't happened. Stupid alarm clock was always waking me at the most inopportune moments. I'd been rather enjoying myself in my dream – they always seemed to revolve around him. And it was always when things were getting a little heated that it chose to go off, I swear that one of these days I'm going to launch it across the room. But for now, I supposed I'd best get up and haul ass to school.

I slipped my legs from beneath the warmth of my plush duvet, feeling the rough wood of my bedroom floor under my bare feet as I headed over to the dresser to grab an outfit. Along the way, I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror – frizzy red hair matted and stuck out at odd angles, deep green eyes framed by short, straight lashes, a dusting of freckles adorning rosy cheeks, glaringly obvious against the pallor of my skin – people were always telling me that I was my mothers' daughter, but I didn't see it. My mother, Jocelyn, was beautiful, statuesque. Long flowing waves of auburn hair, shimmering red in the sunlight, beautifully pale skin always dotted with the odd spot of paint. I suppose that's something I inherited at least – a proclivity for art. Painting, sketching, sculpting; we both loved it all.

I carried on my way, opening the doors to grab the first things I could get my hands on – a band tee and dark wash super skinny jeans – before making my way down the hall into the bathroom. I switched on the shower, and stepped under the wonderfully hot spray, rinsing away the remnants of my dream interrupted – yet again. I grabbed my wild apple shampoo, spreading a generous amount from my palm, running it through the tangled mess of my hair and picturing his beautiful face.

The dreams, they'd started a few months ago. I'd gone to bed as usual, plugged in my earphones, set my iPod to shuffle and let my eyes flutter closed. I'd dreamt of the most beautiful person I'd ever laid eyes upon. Golden hair framing a chiseled face, strong jaw, high cheek bones, lips that looked so kissable all I could think about was how it'd feel to have them sucking my bottom lip between them. Every feature was defined in perfect detail, his golden skin, seemingly lit from within. He was angelic. Godlike. And I wanted him more than I'd ever wanted anybody in my 17 years on earth. My body yearned for him to look at me, notice me. Something I'd never experienced before. When he finally turned his face towards me, long, fair lashes fluttering slowly open, I truly though that I must have died. He had the most amazing golden eyes – I was entranced, watching as they seemed to dance with mischief, a slow, sexy smirk creeping up on his face. He was stunning. But just as he'd reached out a long fingered hand towards me, the damn alarm clock had screeched to life. Just as it had every night since, but last night's had been the worst – or the best depending how you wanted to look at it. I could still feel the brush of his fingertips as he trailed them down my arms, smell the sweetness of his breath as it fanned across my face, his lips so tantalizingly close to mine. And bam! Back to reality with a bang once more.

I feared I was becoming slightly obsessed with my golden dream guy. He was the only thing I wanted to draw nowadays, my sketchbook was full of half-finished sketches of him. I just couldn't seem to truly capture him on paper despite how fully he was burned into my memory.

I quickly finished up in the shower, towel drying my hair and throwing on my clothes before brushing my teeth and slipping a couple of diamante skull studs into my ears. I snagged my backpack from my room, already filled with my school essentials, grabbed a slice of toast and hollered a quick goodbye to Jocelyn on my way out. Hurrying to the corner to meet my one; and probably only, real friend; Simon. We'd known each other since we were in pre-school together. He was the geeky, bespectacled guy who sat quietly in class, forever taking notes and loaning them to me when I'd whiled away the hour doodling rather than working. He was my best friend, always looking out for me.

"Hey Clary"

"Hey Simon, how's it going?"

We made our way to school, chattering between ourselves. The other kids thought we were strange, neither of us being particularly popular. And it was rare to see one without the other during school hours – except for gym of course. The day passed slowly, excruciatingly slowly. Then lunch arrived, and I waited out under the old oak tree on the school field for Simon to meet me. I dropped my backpack from my shoulder and slumped against the trunk, dragging my sketch book out, taking a sharpened pencil and letting my mind wander as I drew, I'd gotten so engrossed in my work that I hadn't even noticed Simon approach until he dropped his bag down next to me.

"Crap! Simon, you scared the life out of me!"

"You looked like you were in a little world of your own there Clary" He smiled crookedly over at me, adjusting his glasses on his face as he took a bite of a sandwich. "What'cha drawing there?" he asked with his mouth full, chewing over the words.

"Simon that's gross" I held my sketchpad close to my chest, not really wanting him to see that I'd been drawing a pair of striking golden eyes.

"You know you love me really Clary" He said, still chewing – this time on an apple he'd produced from his bag.

Just as he said that, I overheard a group of girls walking past; "Have you seen him?" "My God he's so hot" "the things I'd do to that boy" "Did anyone see the others yet? He's got an older brother and a sister apparently" "Yeah, but it's so strange, he doesn't look anything like them, not that his brother's not hot too of course , I certainly wouldn't kick him out of bed for making crumbs" There were near deafening peals of laughter after that particular statement as they wandered off across the courtyard. We must have some new students.

"Hey, Simon, have you heard anything about any new students that have started today?"

"Oh yeah, I think Eric may have mentioned a new girl and her brothers, he was waxing lyrical about her" air quote "hot-bod. You know Eric; he'll have written and dedicated a new song to her by the end of the day." Simon was part of a garage band; it consisted of him and a few of his friends; Jordan and Eric, but they were pretty awful, and to be honest I didn't have the heart to tell him.

"Oh right, so you haven't seen them yet?"

"No not yet. Why? It's not like you to take such an interest in other people"

Saved by the bell.

"Better get a move on, we don't want to be late for class"

I shoved my sketchpad back in my bag, not even closing the cover then stopped by my locker to pick up my Biology text book, throwing that into my backpack too. I weaved through the mass of students in the hall, being pushed and shoved, having to fight my way through the throngs of people to get to class on time. I shuffled my way to my seat in the back corner, hooking my legs around the stool as I tucked myself in, at 5 foot 1, I didn't even reach the floor when I was sat on these. I hauled my bag up on top of the desk as the teacher walked in, followed by a head of thick, blond curls.


	2. Surprises

I nearly fell off my stool. There, right there at the front of the class stood the guy I'd been dreaming about. Same tousled bed hair, same pink lips, the bottom slightly fuller than the top, perfect cupids bow, and the most mesmerizing eyes. The very same eyes I'd found myself drawing just a half hour earlier. And he was staring straight at me.

I could have died of embarrassment; surely my jaw was hanging open from the pure shock of it. This could not be happening. No. I couldn't believe my eyes. They wandered around the classroom quickly, seeing the backs of many peoples' heads, the girls close together, whispering and giggling giddily over the new guy. No seats. There were no empty seats, except the one next to me.

Oh god. I could feel my blood rushing to my cheeks as they flamed a bright red, he was still staring at me, as I sat having a miniature breakdown at my desk, and I could feel his eyes watching me intently. It was getting uncomfortable. Then the teacher interrupted;

"Right class, I'd like to introduce our new student Jace Lightwood" He lifted a long-fingered hand, tanned and slightly calloused from what I could see, to wave in greeting, winking at a few of the prettier girls across the room, sexy smirk on his beautiful face.

"Go ahead and take a seat next to Clarissa. Miss Fray, I assume you will show him the basics in regards to what he's missed as he will be your new lab partner for the remainder of the year."

I wanted the ground to swallow me as I squeaked in reply. What the hell was up with me? Shit, he was sauntering up the room, eyes focused on me, I just wanted to run my hands up his muscular arms, his tight black tee clung to his sculpted body, as his black skinny jeans hung low on his hips, and damn if it didn't make him look even sexier. What was I going to say to him?

"Hey, Clarissa is it?" he winked at me. I tried to keep my face impassive and not drool all over him. I assumed it was working, since the smirk slipped from his face. My fingers itched to grab my sketchpad and finish off all the sketches in which I hadn't managed to capture his beauty accurately. Instead, I forced myself to reply;

"No shit, Sherlock, this is kind of the only empty seat in here. And you can knock it off with the winking and grinning like a fool. It may work for some of the bimbo's around here" I nodded across the classroom towards Kaelie and Aline who were glaring daggers at me "but it's definitely not my thing."

"So tell me Little Red, what exactly is _your thing_" he asked, arching an eyebrow at me. Shit, what was I supposed to say to that? Did he seriously just call me Little Red? I'd been called some crap over the years but that was insulting.

"Listen, and listen well, Jace Lightwood. You ever call me Little Red again; I'll make sure you regret it."

"Is that a threat or a promise" he leaned in close to my ear, his lips practically brushing the outer shell as her whispered "Little Red?"

I blushed furiously and kicked out at his shin, my foot connected, hard. But he barely even winced.

"You're gonna have to try harder than that Little Red" he smirked again.

I threw open my textbook, rifling through the pages and continued to ignore his presence for the rest of class. Working on my assignment assiduously, counting down the minutes until I could escape to my art class. I could feel him, as much as I feigned ignorance, it was like there was an imperceptible electrical current buzzing through me with my need to reach out and brush my hand against him. I snuck a look out of the corner of my eye, noticing for the first time, a tiny black speck on his chest, barely visible below the neckline of his shirt. I was intrigued. Could it be a tattoo? I knew I'd like to find out first hand. I had to stop thinking like that, this guy was obviously used to having girls throw themselves at him, and I wasn't about to become another notch on someone's bedpost.

I didn't hang around at the end of class – I'd written down the homework assignment, packed up and was sat at the edge of my seat about five minutes before the bell was due… So I sat twiddling my thumbs, fighting the urge to gaze in his direction. He hadn't said another word to me throughout the whole class, I was probably more than a little bitchy towards him but guys like him just broke your heart and I wasn't planning on ever getting involved with someone like that. I'd shot up and escaped the room even as the bell echoed in the hallways and weaved my way to art where I could finally breathe. Damn, that had been awkward. And now I felt kind of awful for being so hostile towards him…

Maybe he wasn't like that at all, maybe he just came across that way till you gave him a chance and got to know him? I was pretty harsh and maybe I just judged him too soon from the shock of seeing him in person. His resemblance to the guy in my dreams was startling. So startling that I still couldn't quite believe it, it was almost as though I had the ability to see in to the future, as though I knew he was going to become a part of my life. Perhaps I should apologize… But even as the thought crossed my mind, in he walked, scantily clad girl draped over each arm. I guess I had been right in my assumptions after all. Their giggles reverberated from the walls as they strutted through the door, flicking their hair, acting like complete fools as they vied for his attention.

The art teacher collared Jace though, and I had to fight back a grin as Aline and Kaelie were hastily sent to their own seats, leaving the Boy Wonder to charm his way out of a somewhat strict talking to about being late to class on his first day. She then turned around, scouting the room for empty spaces… of which there were a few. All on my table. Damn and ass. It was times like these I really regretted not being more sociable, now I'm going to be stuck with him again, and in my favorite class too.

It passed quickly and quietly surprisingly enough… maybe he'd really gotten the hint and wasn't going to harass me. But as much as I wanted that, I also wanted to hear his honeyed voice, I loved the way he'd called me Clarissa, the way it rolled off his tongue… Shit I need to get my act together and stop drooling over this guy. I dawdled a little whilst cleaning down the desk and getting my things together, watching him though my lashes as he walked away, grabbing Aline's hand on the way out. I plugged in my headphones as I made my way outside, turning up the volume to maximum. That's when I felt the tug on my t-shirt and was pulled into a pair of muscular arms.

**Jace;**

I couldn't help myself. A soon as I'd walked into that classroom earlier and she'd seemed so unaffected by me, so different to the usual harem of women trailing after me, I had to know for sure if she really meant it. I'd seen her fiery hair the second I'd walked into the room, with my heightened senses I'd picked up on the barely audible gasp she'd made, and once I'd set eyes upon her, I couldn't seem to tear them away. Even at that distance I could see the spattering of freckles dotted across her nose, the surprise that seemed to register in her wide green eyes, eyes like I'd never seen before. She looked so small and delicate, perched on her stool, looking as though she was about to topple from it when the teacher introduced me. He directed me to the seat next to hers, and I couldn't stop the words tumbling from my mouth. I wanted her, from the second I'd lain my eyes upon her.

It was quite a shock what I'd received by way of a reply. I felt her eyes on me, surreptitiously watching me, I felt them on my skin like a caress, that's how strong the pull I felt towards her was. The tension crackled between us and I watched her dainty, little fingers twitch, nails slightly flecked with the remnants of green and red paint… an artist maybe? I wasn't sure. I just knew I wanted her, and she had kicked me. In the shin. Of course I'd barely felt it, but still, not exactly the reaction I'd been hoping for. Far from it in fact. I'd seen the rosy tint to her cheeks and couldn't help but imagine how they'd look flushed with desire, her cheeks, and her chest as I worked my way slowly down her body, taking her rosy little nipples between my teeth… Shit.

No other woman has ever affected me this way, and there have been more than a few. That's why, after hours of silence I'd had to talk to her. Except that's not quite how it turned out… I'd tried to distract myself with the others, but to no avail. In fact I couldn't even really tell you their names… Alana and Katie maybe? All I could think about was her. I'd watched her in art class as she'd sketched out a landscape, one extremely familiar to me. The landscape as you looked over Idris toward the hills surrounding Lake Lyn. No mundane could ever have seen it… so I had to know. I needed to know what she knew of us. The Nephilim, Shadowhunters. Or if she'd simply imagined the whole scene and it was uncanny in its resemblance to the place I had once called home.

That's why I'd grabbed her. I'd walked out with one of the other girls, but fobbed her off within a moment waiting for Clary to emerge from the doorway. And when she had I'd reached out to take her in my arms and find somewhere a little quieter in order to talk to her. But she was deceptively strong for her size, I had to use much more strength to restrain her than I thought would be necessary. I pulled her quickly around the corner, and pressed her up against the wall, aligning my body with hers. For a moment it had felt so good, I forgot why I'd grabbed her in the first place and let my mouth descend upon hers. Her lips were plump, but pliant beneath mine and she tasted wonderful. I slipped my tongue over her bottom lip, pulling in into my mouth and biting it gently as my hands wound their way through her curls, she moaned a little at that and her own hands made their way up my chest to wrap her fingers around my neck as I pressed myself closer to her. She was brushing her hips up against mine, as I broke away to breathe, and before I even had chance to react, her tiny palm connected hard with the side of my face as she slapped me.

I was so shocked that I backed away slightly, giving her the room to dart from between my body and the wall where I'd had her, moments before, moaning under my ministrations. She was full of surprises that girl. And I still hadn't gotten to ask her about her interesting piece of artwork. Fuck.


	3. Need

Disclaimer; Thought I should maybe throw this in again - none of the characters belong to me - all are property of Cassandra Clare and her wonderful imagination. I just like to have a little fun with them

**Clary;**

His mouth. Oh, his mouth was so much better in reality than it had been in my dreams, I wanted to feel him trailing his lips all over my body, to have him tease me with his talented tongue, make me cry out for more… Shit! Double shit. It was hard enough to ignore him already, he'd just made it a million times worse. How was I ever supposed to forget the fire that erupted within me the moment he pressed his toned body against mine? The feeling of having his arousal pushed firmly against my stomach as he ravaged me with his beautiful lips? He tasted so wonderful, surely nobody would, or could, ever compare to that. I still can't believe that was me; me wrapping my fingers around his neck, teasing the curls at the base of it, me pulling him closer, needing to feel his body against my own.

My thoughts were scattered as I escaped, running as fast as I possibly could on my short legs. I barely even registered the traffic as I crossed the streets making my way home, distracted as I was. I was caught in a daydream, reliving the moments his lips touched mine, the way he dominated my mouth, running his tongue along my lip, making me gasp allowing him to encroach further. I was mortified by the sounds that erupted from my throat, I'd practically growled at him when he'd bitten my bottom lip, tugging it between his teeth. How was I ever going to look at him again without wanting a repeat performance? Without wanting more? I didn't have a whole lot of experience. One extremely awkward kiss with Simon, which was barely more than a peck, probably didn't count, but no-one had ever affected me the way Jace did. The way he'd run his fingertips through my tangled curls, gentle but demanding, I was losing my inhibitions… I wasn't _that girl, _in fact I was almost as innocent as the day I was born. I'd thought I had more respect for myself than to behave that way just because a hot guy decided to pin me against a wall. Apparently not. And then I'd slapped him. I'd had to find a way out of the position I was in, trapped between his muscular arms, his long, sculpted body and the wall.

Talk about a rock and a hard place.

So I'd slapped him. Surprising myself in the process. Then I ran, and ended up here… Which was not as it turns out, my house, but in fact my little niche in the park. This is where I came to relax, to sit under the sunlight dappled leaves, as they weaved beautifully bright patterns across the grassy floor. I collapsed against the tree, sliding my body down slowly, folding my knees up towards my face. I needed to breathe for a moment, to catch my breath. I wasn't in the best shape, and sure I was thin, but fit… not so much.

What the hell was he trying to pull, kissing me like that? He had no right. Id expressed no interest in him. If anything, I'd tried my best to deter him from thinking I was just as easy as the others, fawning over him like foolish little children, painting their faces to hide their true colors. I was just me, not pretty enough to warrant such attention from him, so surely he has another agenda? If he thinks I'm going to be doing his Bio homework, he's got another think coming.

I became angrier and angrier as I sat stewing over the events that had transpired earlier, the next time I saw him I'd give him a piece of my mind… until then, I would sit here and draw. Capture the moment on paper. As much as I despised myself for it, I had definitely enjoyed it, more than enjoyed it, but I would not dwell on the feelings developing within me. I could not dwell on them, because that would put my heart at risk.

The next morning I met Simon on my walk to school as usual;

"Hey Clary, I missed you outside school yesterday? Did you hang back after art?"

He knew how engrossed I sometimes got when I was working on any of my projects. It's probably a good thing he'd asked me because I didn't have a clue how else to explain my absence for our walk home. In fact I'd forgotten all about Simon after my encounter with Jace.

"Hey" I smiled at him, "Yeah, I wasn't quite finished with it so I stayed for a little while to get it right" I felt awful for lying to him, but I knew how awkward it would be having a conversation with him about kissing another guy. Simon may be my best friend, but there are some things that guys just don't appreciate you sharing with them.

We made our way through the school gates, idling the time away by talking about Simon's band, they had changed their name… yet again. I was too busy thinking about how uncomfortable my lessons with Jace would be to listen to him properly.

"Hello… Clary" He waved a hand in front of my face "Earth to Clary, you'd spaced out a little there huh?" He asked as he pushed open the double doors, letting me walk past him.

"Oh, Simon, yeah a little. I'm gonna grab my things from my locker and head to class" I said by way of reply, but he wrapped his hand around my arm and pulled me gently so that I faced him.

"Are you alright Clary? You've seemed a little different these past couple of days, this morning especially" He asked me, the worry visible in his brown eyes, unveiled by his crooked spectacles.

"I'm fine Si, I'm sorry, but you don't have to worry about me" I gave him a slightly strained smile and left him standing in the middle of the hallway as I made my way to my locker. Where I found none other than Jace Lightwood, lounging against the wall, like a lion lying in wait before it pounces on its prey. I averted my eyes, and shuffled over to my locker, punching in the combination, throwing non-essentials into it and dragging the required text books out of it. Last nights' anger had faded to a dull irritation, and I had decided that maybe I should just forget it had ever happened, feign ignorance in his presence once again. It seems that he had other ideas.

**Jace;**

She had seen me, I saw the look of annoyance flash in her emerald eyes before she had looked away, dashing towards her locker. I needed to talk to her, I hadn't stopped thinking about her, the way she'd melted beneath my touch, the sounds she had made as our tongues entwined. I'd been with my fair share of women, and none of them had excited me the way she had, I had always been a lust them and leave them kind of guy. Clary was different, somehow she'd managed to worm her way under my skin in the short time I'd known her, she was familiar to me, as though I'd known her before, but surely I would have remembered that. And she's just a mundane, surely she would never have been able to visit Idris, my childhood home.

***Slam*** I looked up as she shut her locker, scurrying quickly away. It didn't take long for me to catch up to her, she was so small and delicate looking, I towered above her at 6"2, and everyone was clearing out of my way, giving me a clear path to follow her vibrant hair as she weaved in and out of other the students.

"Clary, hey" I greeted her as I reached her, taking in the low cut tank top she was wearing. It gave me a nearly unobstructed view of the little lacy white bra she was wearing beneath it, housing her wonderful breasts. She was slim, but definitely not lacking in that department, and I was almost mesmerized, watching them bounce as she walked a little quicker, attempting to avoid me I presume. You'd think I'd never seen a woman's breasts before, the way she entranced me. Get a grip Lightwood.

She still hadn't answered me as we rounded the corner to the Math corridor, yeah, definitely ignoring me. Shit. I didn't know what else to do, how else to make her listen to me, so I caught her elbow and spun her towards me, maybe a little too quickly, as she lost her footing and I had to wrap her in my arms to prevent her from falling. She quickly disentangled herself from my embrace, smoothing her shirt as I retrieved her dropped books. I passed them to her, brushing her hand with my fingertips and watching her shudder in desire, her eyes darkening slightly, mouth parting as she drew a shaky breath. I could see how I affected her, I knew she could feel it too, the overwhelming pull drawing us together, but as I was lost, thinking about her, she whispered a quick thanks, turned on her heel and strode through the nearest doorway in preparation for class. I must have missed the bell.

Which was worrying.

She was disturbing my keen Shadowhunter senses, invading my mind.

I left quickly, still thinking about her. I had to talk to her.


	4. Foolish

_All characters and major events belong to Cassandra Clare. I'd also like to thank people for the support so far and sticking with this... I know that not much has happened yet but I'm just starting to get to grips with it now and still deciding which direction I want to take it :) for now, here's chapter 4..._

**Clary;**

The day passed quickly, I spent a quiet lunch with Simon, trying to act interested in what he had to say as he babbled on about a girl he had taken a liking to. Isabelle, I think that's what she was called. Despite my best efforts though, all I could see was Jace as he sat across from us, we had picked a vacant spot on the field, away from the guys all throwing a football, clamoring over one another in their haste to reach it. Shouting and protesting loudly whenever someone was tackled a little too roughly, or the opposition managed to score. The first five minutes or so had passed as usual, both of us just catching up a little before Simon pulled out his most recent Manga comic, and I in turn reached for my sketchbook, fingers itching to wrap around a pencil, press it to the page and capture the scene before me between the slightly yellowed pages, but today a distraction had appeared in the form of Jace Lightwood. He had wandered out of the canteen, closely followed by a gaggle of girls with their bright pink lips and back-combed hair, preening like peacocks under his scrutiny.

He was beautiful, I would have to be blind not to admit that much to myself. I'd never seen eyes like his before, so close to the color of gold, maybe he wore contacts… not that he needed any more attention from the fairer sex. He oozed sex appeal, in his dark clothes, such a contrast to his golden tan and flaxen hair. His face looked as though it had been formed by the very hands of God, he was proof that such a deity must exist because he was almost perfection personified. His long fingered hands looked so strong and capable, and felt like heaven against my skin, his devil may care attitude, and the confidence he exuded was enough to make me bite my lip, chewing it as I watched him through hooded eyes. He moved with such grace, enough to make any practiced ballet dancer weep with envy, every step stealthy, silent. I couldn't take my eyes off him.

A dark haired duo trailed behind Jace and his band of admirers, both emitting their own ethereal auras. The guy was tall, taller even than Jace, and lean, his mop of thick hair fell forwards, covering his eyes but not masking the scowl marring his otherwise exquisite face. My eyes trailed further down his lengthy body, taking in the ragged sleeves on his over-sized jumper, the slightly shabby appearance in sharp juxtaposition to the girl accompanying him. She was stunning, my eyes followed the gleam of her knee-high boots, black patent with killer heels, the kind of boots I wish I could wear, but that would come mid-way up my thigh and make me look like a child playing dress-up. There was a flash of milky thigh before her mini-skirt began, black again with a thin, red check pattern running through it. It barely covered her modesty, but she still managed to pull it off. Her shirt was skin tight, clinging to each of her curves, and I'd never been more resentful of anything or anybody in my life. Her long dark hair shimmered as she walked, swinging around her waist, poker straight, so dissimilar to my own disarray of crimson curls, I could feel myself turning green with envy… and if looks could kill then surely she'd have been reduced to a pile of smoldering ashes by now. Jace would never give me a second look with someone like her around. Not that I wanted him to.

Arg! Who was I trying to fool? I wanted him to want me, any girl would, and I'd just be lying to myself if I continued to think otherwise. He made my skin tingle, even the slightest brush of his finger-tips against the back of my hand had made my heart race, beating erratically in my chest, my breathing quicken in response. All I had wanted was to fling myself into his embrace and taste his mouth upon mine again, to have his hands leaving burning trails upon my skin as he made me shiver, writhe and moan. I could feel my face heating at the memory, blushing a violent red, surely enough to match my hair. I couldn't imagine any other guys making me feel the way Jace could with even the most fleeting caress. I really needed to get a handle on this attraction I felt towards him before it got out of control.

**Jace;**

I could tell she was watching me, even from across the field. She was sat with that guy again, the nerd from my math class, with his crooked glasses and his wiry hair. They were always together, I think I'd even seen them walking to school with one another as I drove past this morning… I wondered what their deal was. It seemed to me like she wasn't interested in him, not romantically at least, but the way he looked at her, I could tell he wanted more. It seemed platonic between them, but I didn't like the way he looked at her, the way he followed her around like a lost little puppy dog. I knew she wanted me, that she lusted after me at least. Now I just had to find a way to make her act upon it, to open up, and tell me how much, or little she knows of my world. The world of shadows and secrets and all the things that fabricated a mundanes worst nightmare.

My merry gang of followers were tittering away behind me as I led the way over to the benches, I couldn't seem to shake them no matter how hard I tried. This was the first time in a long time that I hadn't appreciated the attention bestowed upon me, it was becoming somewhat of a hindrance as opposed to the usual ego boost. Their incessant chatter was irritating, the high pitched squeals of laughter like nails drawn down a chalkboard, their personalities lacking any sustenance. Every time I looked over at them, with their faces full of make-up, and fake fluttering lashes, I felt almost nauseated. All I really wanted to see was a certain someone's pale skin, with its light dusting of freckles, big, bright green eyes and full, pouty lips. She was so much more beautiful than any of these before me, all fake smiles and painted faces. She was real, and I wanted her to be mine.

It was soon time for biology, and I was hoping that I'd be able to talk to her, uninterrupted this time. I said a quick goodbye to Alec and wrapped my arm over Izzy's shoulders briefly before making my way to class. I was seated before the second warning bell even rang, tapping my foot against the floor, she made me nervous… no other girl has ever made me nervous before, not like this, not even when I lost my virginity did I feel like this. She was making me experience all sorts of foreign sensations, things I wasn't comfortable feeling, like the tightening in my chest every time I looked at her, the shortness of breath I felt after the kiss we'd shared. She had me wrapped around her little finger already, and she didn't even know it. Shit, I definitely need to get a grip of myself.

**Clary;**

He was already seated when I entered the classroom, I could see him drumming his fingers against the table as I approached; somewhat warily. His golden eyes found me and locked me in his captivating gaze. I couldn't find the will within myself to look away, his whole face seemed to light up and his smile was beatific as it stretched across his face, drawing my eyes from his own, down to his sensuous mouth. He was perfect, everything about him was impeccable from his bed head, to his scuffed combat boots, he carried off the "bad-boy" look effortlessly, or so it seemed.

As he was grinning at me and I was gaping back like a fool, I noticed the first, and most probably only, imperfection upon his person. He had the tiniest chip in one of his teeth, just making him seem that much more approachable, as his beauty was almost inhuman, other-worldly. This one flaw added a little vulnerability to an otherwise faultless facade, he was after all, just a teenage boy, hiding behind his mask of flirtation and flattery, disguising his own insecurities. I just wanted to reach for my sketchbook and capture him in this moment, looking, for the first time, somewhat innocent rather than his usual imperious self.

I scooted onto my stool, tucking my legs in and pushed my textbook across the desk, he was still smiling over at me, not the grin it had been, but something more attractive even than his customary smirk, he was really smiling, making an effort. How odd. He didn't strike me as that kind of guy…

"Hey Clary"

He used my name, my actual name and not the somewhat offensive nickname he had concocted. Even more peculiar.

"What do you want Jace?" I asked rather abruptly… he has to be up to something? He's acting a little atypical… I was growing more and more suspicious as he continued to smile over at me.

"Why Miss Fray, why ever would you think I wanted anything?" He asked, feigning a hurt expression.

"Because usually you're kind of an ass"

"Okay, I have been a bit of a dick and I'm sorry. Which means a lot, just ask Isabelle, I very rarely apologize for anything." Ah, and there was the conceited fool I was more accustomed to dealing with.

"I probably would if I even knew who Isabelle was" I was still a little peeved that he thought he could just grab me and kiss me, that he seemed to think I'd throw myself at his feet just because he showed a little interest in me. I'm sure Simon was talking to me about an Isabelle? I really needed to try to be a better friend, I haven't even been listening to him properly.

"Isabelle's my sister. Well, my adoptive sister. And she actually wanted me to invite some people over on Friday night. She's throwing a little housewarming party to get to know people better. You'll be there right?"

It was less of a question and more of a command the way he spoke to me, and usually I wouldn't be caught dead at anyone's parties; I was hardly a social butterfly. But maybe, if Simon came too, it wouldn't suck too much to see Jaces house?

"Maybe, I'll have to see what I'm doing yet" I replied, I may not be the most sociable of people, but he didn't need to know that. He gave me an address; should I decide to turn up, that was all the way across town. The houses were enormous, big enough to fit three of mine and Jocelyns inside, and still with room to spare. So not only was he gorgeous, he was also wealthy. Shit, and double shit.

…

The rest of the week had passed quickly, we spoke a little during lessons, and the more I got to know, the more intrigued I became.

Simon however was less pleased with our budding friendship. He had already warned me about Jaces' reputation, told me I would only end up hurt if I carried on befriending Jace. As much as I had tried to assure him that we were nothing more than friends, I could see the disbelief behind his eyes, because I knew him almost as well as I knew myself. He would stand sullenly, glaring over the rim of his glasses as me and Jace approached him after art class, and often walked off before I had even had chance to reach him, forcing me to jog a little to catch up. He had agreed to come to the party with me, a little because Isabelle was sure to be there, but mostly I think to keep tabs on me and Jace. Which was wholly unnecessary, but as I didn't want to walk in alone, and was intrigued to see where Jace actually lived, I was just happy to have a companion for the evening.

I had pulled out my newest pair of black super skinny jeans, and threw on a green and gold embroidered top, some gold and bronze bangles. I had pinned my hair up as best I could, and applied some smoky eye shadow and a little lip tint, just enough to be noticeable, threw on my black leather jacket and flat patent pumps and I deemed myself ready to leave. Simon picked me up in his family car, his mother occasionally allowed him to borrow it, and we made our way up town towards the address Jace had given to me. He was wearing a "Geeks shall inherit the earth" t-shirt and dark wash jeans with his slightly battered Converse.

We pulled up a few houses down from the Lightwoods', there were an inordinate number of cars dotted about their driveway and we couldn't get any closer. I hadn't realized that so many people would show up. I gulped a little, and my eyes sought Simon's as I heard the music thumping through the night sky, the booming voices of our cohorts battling to be heard over the bass. If it was this bad outside… it'd be near deafening in there. We made our way towards the porch and up the steps, Simon grabbing a hold of my hand reassuringly so as not to get separated through the mass of bodies, and stepped through the doorway. My first real high-school party.

Here goes nothing….


	5. Recollections

It was loud… extremely so. The house was trembling upon its foundations, it was enormous and so beautiful from what I could see past the throng of writhing bodies. Our whole school year must have arrived… everywhere I turned, people were crammed, couples entwined in dark crevices and alcoves, friends gathered together gulping from plastic cups. I gripped onto Simon's hand for dear life as he led us through the horde in the direction of the kitchen… I think?

He stopped us at the doorway and leaned in close to my ear, still shouting; despite his close proximity, to be heard over the racket.

"You want something to drink Clary?" I simply nodded my head in reply, mouthing 'anything' and he disappeared into the fray, leaving me alone. I pressed myself up against the wall, hoping nobody would try to coerce me into conversation… people were already beginning to display the effects of over indulging on the free flowing alcohol. How the Lightwood's had managed to get hold of any, never-mind such a copious amount was beyond me. I spotted a girl from my math class, dancing up against a guy who was certainly not her boyfriend… she had her arms wrapped around the guy like an octopus ensnaring its victim, grinding her hips provocatively, practically dry humping his thigh… the poor sap would surely be in for a shock later when her boyfriend turned up.

Every inch of floor space was packed tightly with students, littered already with debris, spillages and crumpled cups lay haphazardly, being trampled by the stampede as Avicii blasted from the speakers and people rushed for the makeshift dance floor set up in what I assume would usually be a dining room. In a house this size who could tell? Someone grabbed my elbow and I whipped my head around hoping to see Simon… or Jace, but was disappointed to see Eric, clearly intoxicated and leering at me, huge grin plastered to his face.

"Clary…" he slurred, "didn't think I'd bump into you here, things like this aren't usually your scene right?"

"Hi Eric, just showing my face, I actually think I'm going to leave now…" I trailed off, hoping for a window of opportunity to escape, he was really starting to make me uncomfortable, invading my personal space as he leaned in closer and gripped my elbow again.

"But the party has only just started… We could always take it upstairs" he winked at me, "and continue this conversation in private"

"Actually Eric, I really need to find Simon and get home, sorry" I replied quickly, wishing he'd let me go so I could just get out of here, my skin was crawling beneath his touch.

"Come on Clary, you must know I don't just wanna talk to you... All these years you've come over to watch the band play, you must have noticed the way I look at you. Come upstairs" He was so close to me now that I could feel him spray spittle against the side of my face as he spoke, he was pulling on my arm now, trying to direct us towards to stairs. I started to really panic.

"No, Eric, just let me go, I need to get home" I was digging in my heels, trying to loosen his grip on my arm when we stopped somewhat abruptly. I couldn't really hear what was being said, the voices too indistinct over the booming music, so I leaned around Eric to take a look at who he'd bumped into. It was difficult to see much of anything in the dim lighting. Strobe lights had been set up around the dance floor, sporadic stripes of red and green catching the dancers at odd angles, displaying a flash of an arm here and the swaying of hips elsewhere. It was only when a strip of light caught his ruffled hair that I recognized Jace, leaning in closely to Eric with a menacing looking scowl as he spoke into his ear. Eric's grip soon loosened, and he melted back into the crowd, leaving me to rub some circulation back into my arm, staring at Jace as he stepped closer. His hand encircled my wrist, as he inclined his head and despite what had just happened to me, my breathing picked up in response to his proximity. His scent pervaded my senses, something masculine and musky, something entirely Jace and I inhaled deeply trying to imprint it in my memory.

"Follow me, I promise, I'm not going to try anything" he said, and something in his eyes told me I could trust him, so I gulped, nodded my head a fraction and he led me towards his staircase. Only this time, I wasn't worried in the slightest.

The house really was beautiful, predominantly gold and red, high ceilings, large pictures adorning the walls all in gilt frames. The banister was a dark, gleaming mahogany, worn smooth over the years and the plush red carpet adorning the stairs continued along the hallway, leading off to what must have been a dozen doors, all with bronzed handles. Everything screamed of affluence, antiquated, not dated. I watched the strong muscles of his back moving beneath his fitted shirt as Jace led me about half-way along the hall, stopping before one of the doors, wrapping his long fingers around the handle and ushering me inside. It was dark, the large window covered by dark drapes, allowing very little light from the street to infiltrate the gloom, until he flicked the light switch.

My eyes struggled to adjust as the room was flooded with light. The walls in here were white, the bed spread, white, the furniture white… all in sharp contrast to the rich, deep colors that decorated what I had seen of the house so far. The walls were practically bare, everything minimalistic. If it weren't for the two pairs of combat boots lined up next to the wardrobe, I'd have thought that he'd brought me into a guest room, but this must be his. It was so bare. So different to my cluttered little bedroom back home. Mine was littered with sketches and canvases, stray t-shirts and socks… but this was spotless.

He looked down towards me, drawing me closer to his body before he spoke.

"Let me take a look at your arm?"

"It's okay Jace, it wasn't that bad, you stepped in before things got too frightening, so thank you"

"Just let me take a look, I want to make sure he hasn't hurt you" I couldn't refuse him with that pleading look in his eyes.

I relented and he pulled me closer, tracing his fingertips across my collarbone to slip off my jacket, following it with his hands as he pushed it down my arms. My skin tingled with each brush of his fingertips, coming alive as the tension sparked between us. I let my jacket fall into a crumpled heap on the floor as he drew a sharp intake of breath, gently tracing the finger shaped bruises forming just below my elbow, his lips thinned to a tight line as he looked at the blossoming contusions, anger flashing in his golden eyes.

"Clary, I'm sorry" he sounded strange, almost choked as he uttered the words. I looked up at him, emerald meeting gold

"You have nothing to apologize for Jace, you stopped him before he could take it any further, and he was just drunk. I'll be fine, they'll fade in a few days" I tried to smile up at him but was distracted as I felt him drawing me into his arms. He wrapped me in his strong embrace, one arm around my back, the other hand cupping my head as he nestled his face in my hair, some of the pins must have come loose downstairs as half of it was now cascading around my face. His other hand distracted me from my thoughts as he rubbed it along my back, up and down, his touch making my face flame as I felt an odd sensation burning between my thighs, almost throbbing in time with his sensual strokes. I wrapped my own arms around him, holding him close, reveling in the sensations he was causing within me and whispering a soft thank you into his ear. He relaxed against me, kissing the juncture between my shoulder and neck lightly, laying feather soft kisses from my collarbone up to my jaw. I ran my hand up into his unruly hair and leaned my head back giving him better access, wetness pooled between my thighs and my eyes had fluttered closed at some point during his ministrations, a quiet gasp escaped my lips. His fingers gripped my hips, applying slight pressure and he bit my ear lobe lightly, teasingly. My eyes opened in shock as the damp sensation between my thighs increased, it was beginning to get quite uncomfortable.

As my eyes flew open, I focused on the one picture Jace had hung on the walls. It was a painting, a picturesque landscape not unlike the one I was currently working on in class… and my body grew rigid. Jace must have noticed as he released his hold on me and allowed me to stumble over to it, examining it carefully. It looked like something my mother would have painted, similar brush strokes and her careful attention to detail that made her the wonderful artist that she was. If it was signed, I couldn't see because the frame was similar to those out in the halls, intricately carved, burnished gold and it hid the very edges of the canvas. I reached out my hand tentatively, and as the tips of my fingers brushed the textured masterpiece, a thousand images flickered through my mind.

…

A young girl running across a grassy field, tall, glass-like structures glittering in the distance, her red hair flying around her face as she grinned widely jumping into the arms of a familiar looking woman. She looked just like Jocelyn, only slightly more mature. She had the same auburn hair, same pale complexion dotted with freckles, the same long, thin fingers.

…

A large man, tall and broad was pacing before a wall filled with shelf after shelf of books, thick tomes, leather bound. He ran his fingers through his white blonde hair, mussing it in the process, dressed in black leather cargo pants, a fitted black t-shirt, dark circles beneath his eyes. He turned to look at the young girl, cruelty glinting in his dark eyes, shouting for her to leave at once. She cowers away, turning to run, far away from the man in the scene.

…

A young boy no more than five, was huddled against the wall, arms wrapped around his knees which were drawn close to his body, head hanging. His white blond hair sweaty and straggled as he looked up at the approaching toddler. His black eyes swimming with un-shed tears. The young girl reached out to place a chubby hand on his smooth face.

…

A town, unlike any other. Soaring towers shimmered in the sunlight, pillars of glass enclosing the colorful buildings, short houses in pinks, blues, and greens, taller houses in whites and creams. A river ran through the center, winding back and forth through the quaint little settlement. A young red headed girl sat on the bank, trailing her toes through the cool water, fingers pulling at the lush green strands of grass. It was beautiful.

…

Hundreds of images flashed through my head, fleeting glimpses of a small scarlet haired girl, like the grains of sand slipping through an hourglass, too swift to grasp.

And then the world faded to black…


	6. Destruction

**As always, I would just like to point out that nothing really belongs to me however much I may wish it so… Credit to Cassandra Clare for gifting us with such an awesome series of books to play with … I would also like to thank everyone following / favorite (-ing) and reviewing. It's all very much appreciated :) I also welcome any constructive criticism anybody has to offer, there's always room for development…**

**Anyways… on with the story…**

**Jace;**

I watched her walk over and touch the solitary painting I had taken from my old home in Idris, almost as though she was in a trance. She reached her hand up slowly towards it, brushing her fingertips over the lush green landscape depicted in the sweeping brush strokes, the azure sky and imposing manor house sat atop a hill. Wayland Manor. My father's house. I was lost in my own head, my childhood memories returning. Training… relentless training, the beatings if I did not perform to expectations, my father's stern voice telling me; "To love is to destroy Jonathan". I caught a flash of red hair in the corner of my eye, pulling me from my reverie and it was only for my enhanced Shadowhunter swiftness that I managed to catch Clary before she hit the hard-wood floor. I could see her eyes twitching beneath the pale skin of her lids hiding her beautiful emerald irises from my view, back and forth they rolled as her body fell limp in my arms. I was panicking, Jace Lightwood, panicking for maybe the first time since I'd been a small child.

I lay her head on my lap, smoothing the stray curls from her face, whispering her name over and over,

"Clary, Clary, come on, open your eyes…" I hadn't felt fear like this since my father had beaten me as a young boy. She was making me feel, and for so long now I'd been drifting through life, never really living, lusting not loving, never caring what anyone else had to say, until she came stumbling into it like a fiery wrecking ball, breaking down my carefully constructed walls… and now here I was, cradling her tiny frame in my arms, willing her to wake up, to open her eyes and look at me. It was alien, fearing for anybody that was not a part of my family. But I had never felt so helpless before, so desperate. I must have sat with her for ten minutes or more before she started to come round. They were the ten longest minutes of my life so far. I'd have gladly faced every demon I'd ever returned to the fiery pits they came from simultaneously than have to endure the torture of watching Clary, unmoving and unresponsive in my embrace. I'd never known such weakness, I could do nothing but sit by and idly watch as her skin became clammy with sweat, strands of red hair sticking to her dampened cheeks, and yet she was shivering.

She awakened gradually, first I noticed her fingers twitching, tapping lightly against the floor, and I breathed her name into her hair as I held her close to me. Her hand slowly came up and gripped my shirt, fisting it in her hand, her lids slowly fluttered open, eyes unfocused, pupils dilating and retracting before she uttered my name. Her voice hoarse and difficult to hear over the pounding of the music still playing below.

"Hey there, welcome back" I said and she winced at the sound of my voice.

"My head Jace, it's pounding… I don't know what just happened. One moment I was admiring the painting, thinking that it looked so familiar to me, but I couldn't put my finger on where I might have seen it. Then I was being assaulted with images, memories, I think, too vague to recollect. I remember they all had a little girl, she was me I think, in beautiful little dresses, and she had hair the exact same shade as mine, wild and curly. But there were so many other people and places, events. I just couldn't… How long have I been out?" She asked. I was utterly speechless. The only way she could have seen that picture is if she had been to Idris, I knew she had never seen it whilst it had been in my possession, it was an original, unique. Only one was ever crafted, I remember my father, how he would stand and admire it, sometimes for hours, he'd run his fingers across it lost in his own thoughts. Oftentimes it was the only reprieve from an endless regime of training and conditioning, he wanted me to be the best, and he expected me to excel in everything.

When I finally gathered my thoughts I answered her; "Ten minutes or so… How are you feeling, other than your head? Is anywhere else…"

She cut me off swiftly, "No, I'm alright Jace. Just my head… I'll be okay in a minute then I'll grab Simon and go home, tonight's not exactly been my night huh?" She managed a smile as she tilted her face towards mine, and despite the pallor of her skin and wisps of hair still dampened with sweat, I had never seen someone as exquisite as her. I couldn't stop myself leaning down and capturing her lips with my own. Hers were so soft, so full, I pressed little butterfly kisses from corner to corner as I felt her hand pulling me closer by my shirt, the buttons tearing away from the fabric, skittering across the floor. I lay my body beside hers and felt her small hand exploring my chest as I licked my way along her lower lip, nibbling lightly, sucking it into my mouth. Her delicate fingers tracing the slightly raised edges of my runes as she worked to pull it over my shoulders, tearing a few more of the buttons in the process. It felt like I was on fire from within, my body burned for her, ignited with every kiss and caress, it had never felt like this before, I felt myself growing hard as she bit my lip. By the Angel, this girl would surely be the death of me, and I'd die one Hell of a happy man. She released a quiet moan as I trailed my tongue down the column of her throat, she smelled divine, and I was nipping and sucking at her collar bones, smoothing my calloused hands across the smooth expanse of skin exposed above the waistband of her dark jeans, she hooked a leg over my body, entwining us further…

"Oh God Clary, we need to stop… I can't control myself around you, I'll get carried away"

"Jace, I want this, I… I want you" I gazed into her hooded emerald gaze and saw the longing, the desire scorching in their depths. And I was pulling her even closer, grinding my hips against hers, letting her feel the length of me brush between the juncture of her thighs. She threw her head back and gasped, louder this time, and every pant and moan was just turning me on even more. God, I wanted her. Needed her.

And that was the moment her phone chose to ring. Fuck.

**Clary;**

He was torturing me, burning me from the inside out, tension slowly coiling as my panties grew damp. His lips were a source of pure ecstasy, I couldn't get enough… the feel of his warm body beneath my fingers was bliss, I followed the raised patterns littering his skin, dark, swirling lines intricately linked… marks similar to those I'd seen earlier on the blonde man stood in the library, reminiscent of my mothers' own silvery scars that decorated the otherwise smooth expanse of milky skin… but right now those thoughts were fleeting at best. He was invading my senses, I could smell his skin, taste his lips, hear his labored breathing as he pressed his hardened length between my legs. I couldn't fight the gasp that escaped my throat as he did that, it felt so wonderful. The only other time I'd felt anything like this was when he'd pinned me to the wall…

I was getting carried away, arching my body, encouraging him to touch me, I wanted his hands roaming everywhere, and I wanted him. Lord, how I wanted him. My skin tingled with every stroke of his hand…

And my ring tone blared loudly, muffled only slightly by my jacket, still lying on the floor a few feet away. I reluctantly began to pull myself from Jaces' embrace, only to be prevented by the corded muscles of his forearms.

"Ignore it…" he pleaded, kissing and nibbling along my jaw.

"I can't Jace, it could be important" he relinquished his hold on me and a scooted my way across the floor towards my jacket, digging through the pockets until I managed to get my hands on the offending item. I checked the screen and saw a picture of Jocelyn, hit the answer button and held it up to my ear, covering the other one because of the party, still in full swing downstairs.

"Hang on a sec Mom, I can't hear you" I glanced up and caught Jaces' eye. He was lying on the floor, propped up on his elbows, naked from the waist up… and he was magnificent. I felt my face heat as blood pooled in my cheeks, seeing his obvious arousal tenting his dark jeans as he grinned lazily over at me… but before I could continue along that train of thought my mothers' harried voice echoed through the speaker.

"Clary listen, don't come home. Can you hear me? DON'T COME HOME. It's not safe. He's found me, find Luke. He will know what to do. Promise me Clary."

"Mom, what are you talking about? Who's found you?" There was a crash in the background, plates or vases smashing… a grunt.

"Clary, I love you sweetheart" Was Jocelyn's only response.

"Mom, wait… No MOM!" I was shouting into my mobile at this point but it didn't matter. My mother was obviously in trouble. There was a loud shout at the other end, and the line went dead.

Jace was already on his feet, rifling through his chest of drawers for a fresh shirt as I grabbed my jacket. A stray tear rolled down my face as my palms grew sweaty, my shaking hands struggling to tuck my phone away. I had to get home, **now**.

"I need to get Simon, Jace I have to go home now. My mum…" I trailed off, struggling to gather any coherent thoughts.

"I heard, it's okay I'll get you home Clary. I've not drank anything I'll take you in my car" He was holding his door open for me and reaching out for my hand, he enveloped my small hand in his own and I trailed him down the stairs, pushed through the mob of people blocking our path to the front door, and we were in his car within two minutes, tyre squealing out of his driveway.

"Which way?" He asked. He continued to follow every direction I gave him, breaking just about every speed limit on the way, but when we pulled up outside my house, smoke billowed from smashed windows. Glass littered the front lawn, the drapes were torn in the living room window and where our little red door had once resided, there was now just a gaping hole, pitch black in the darkness, the frame splintered and cracked. I couldn't believe this was my home.

"MOM!" I screamed at the top of my lungs "MOM!" I had wrenched the door of the car open before Jace had fully stopped. I was running now, across the remnants of her flower beds, trampled and sullied by footprints and… paw marks? I didn't have time to stop and investigate. I passed the threshold and the utter destruction of the house was truly evident. The side table resembled kindling for a fire, the banister was missing rungs which had been strewn across the floor. There were filthy footprints leading up the stairs, claw marks… Claw marks? Gouged into the walls, a disgusting black substance leaking slowly from a splatter that had stained one of Jocelyn's canvases… Eating through it, dissolving the work of art before my very eyes. I hopped and jumped over the debris littering the floor, skidding to a halt in the kitchen doorway… the stove was on fire, smoldering away, producing black smoke with an acrid stench, it looked as though more of the slick substance from out in the hallway was spattered across the kitchen too. Most of the cabinet doors were missing, some clinging on by a lone hinge, the fridge had been rolled onto its side, the contents spilling across the cracked tiles on the floor. Still no sign of my mother.

I turned tail and took the stairs two at a time, finally noticing the spots of blood littering the once cream carpet, I followed the trail towards the bathroom, noticing even more gashes in the walls; angry looking grooves destroying what had once been my home. The bathroom door was split in two, one half lying exposed in the hallway, propped clumsily against the opposite wall as though it had been tossed with abandon. I crept my way towards the doorway slower now, I reached my hand out to flick the light switch, and it flickered quickly to life, before dying just as rapidly as it had flashed. It was so dark up here. Oppressively so. I could feel eyes on me, that prickling sensation as goose bumps raised the hairs on the back of my neck. That's when I heard it.

There was a disgusting slithering noise, like that of a snake, combined with the wheezing sound of someone struggling to draw breath, an awful rattling noise growing steadily louder as I peeked into the bathroom. Off guard, and focused on the awful noise being emitted from somewhere within, I didn't notice Jace approach, his steps feather light, soundless against my carpeted hallway, only when he brushed his fingers up the length of my forearm did I notice his presence. God only knows what he was thinking sneaking up on me like that, I almost had a coronary, my heart stopping in my chest as I released a scream laced with pure terror.

He wrapped his arms around me and covered my mouth with his large hand, whispering a quick; "Shh…It's just me" in my ear. I slumped against his hard body, terrified, heart still beating hurriedly in my chest. Then the anger welled up within me and I whipped myself around in his arms, facing him, looking up at his features, he was even more striking in the darkness.

"Shit Jace! What the hell did you do that for?" I pushed hard against his chest and took a step back, now in front of the doorway, the appalling noises being emitted from within forgotten momentarily, washed away on a wave of fury.

"Clary…" He trailed off and threw his body towards mine as the revolting sounds from within the bathroom steadily grew louder. I wasn't sure what was happening, I was weightless for a moment, then my body hit the floor, hard. My head bounced off the wooden skirting board, pain erupting in my skull as Jace landed on top of me, knocking the air from my lungs. In an instant he was gone, I rolled onto my side, wheezing for breath and watched with wide, disbelieving eyes as Jace fought with something, something more horrific than anything I'd ever seen before. It was a monster, surely to God I was hallucinating? The thing was horrendous, thick, dark scales covered its body, I couldn't make out the exact color. Its eyes glowed a vibrant yellow in the darkness. It had too many limbs to count… tentacles like an octopus, suckers oozing the viscous slime staining the walls downstairs. It was the source of those awful sounds, the hissing, rattling noise. It lunged towards Jace as he whipped out a blade of some sort, rolling away and quickly finding his feet, he jumped in a graceful ark over the top of the thing, dodging the claws extended towards him from its other appendages. Its mouth was a gaping hole, dribbling saliva all over the floor, row after row of cracked, yellowed teeth, sharpened to deadly points, and the stench… like rotten flesh… was making me gag as I curled up on the floor. How had I not smelled it? It was vile. I flinched as Jaces' blade emitted a bright white/blue glow, squinting my eyes as the pain in my head spiked. Jace was slicing through the air towards the creature, it looked as though he was dancing as he whipped the blade back and forth, spinning, ducking and weaving; he was a sight to behold. He moved in close, bobbing beneath a stray tentacle and struck the thing firmly through its chest. It let out a guttural shriek before disappearing. Leaving Jace stood, hair falling into his eyes, shimmering blade in hand, dripping a repulsing black substance onto my carpet.

What the fuck just happened?

**So what do people think of this one? I know It's been moving slowly so far, but I'm hoping to pick up the pace a little from this point onward.**

**Thanks for sticking with me :)**


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