The Serpent's Heir

by Fiction Incarnate

-Happened on the City of Lost Souls time. She's a Verlac. and every relative she know is dead. or so everyone thought. But Veronica knows. her brother, the real Sebastian Verlac is still alive. barely. locked away by Jonathan Morgenstern. And she must find a way to save him. Before he's dead. Or, before the demon on her body, planted by Jonathan himself, devour her completely

CHAPTER ONE.

•Veronica, New york, New york institute

•CoLS time.

Veronica limping through the New York street.

Pain. Blood gushed from the wound on her stomach. Her vision is blurred. Either from tears or the depthless endless agony

"You can't run from me, V. I'll find you. Even in the darkest hour"

His words stirred in her head. Illusion started to reappear before her. The basement, silver chain, burning candle and that damned smile.

"I'll find you"

No. Veronica thought, shrugging off her illusion. She can't have another seizures here.

Just a few more block. The New York institute looming high and proud before her. The afternoon sun hanging low on the horizon. Just a few more step.

She groaned in misery. A few mundane give her a double take. But mostly didn't even care to look. Just a normal day in New York city. She drag her sore feet until the institute gate.

Veronica hold on tight to the cold iron. "open" she whispers The gate didn't move an inch. No… no. It can't be. Usually, the gate open itself when a she just think about it

"Open you damn fool!" she raise her voice. Some old lady who pass by look at her like she's looking at a crazy girl. Well... to mundane, the institute look just like an old church. Nobody blame the old lady for thinking a girl who scream at its gate is lunatic

But still, the New York Institutes gats stood unflinchingly stubborn before her.

She is still a shadowhunter. She is sure of it. The blood on her stomach start dripping to the ground. She's going to pass out in a few second. She's sure of it.

Think… think. There must be some way to enter. She search for anything on her jacket pockets. And when her finger touch a cold cylinder, she pulled it out. A stele. She almost sagged in relief. The stele is not hers. Well, the jacket is not hers. But she'll use anything at the moment

She put the stele at the iron gate, and start drawing an opening rune. One of basic rune who's every shadowhunter learn on their first training. Within two second, the rune already there. Glowing, and..

Burning. Every inch of her body felt burning from the inside. Like every drip of her blood is on fire. She muffled her scream. The opening rune still glowing, and she pushed the gates.

It moves

Enough for her to slip inside.

And with every strengh left in her, Veronica walk towards the door. She felt the institute's garden stretch so far between her and the door. Her feet start to feel numb. Her vision fading. She kind of see the door cracked open revealing a tall black haired woman running towards her.

"Erchomai.."

Was all she can say before she felt the numbness spread through her body, and everything went black.