Happy City of Lost Souls day! I finished the book in six or seven hours. It was GLORIOUS. I am still awestruck.
Still, all the angst left me wanting to publish something happy, so… Yay!
I can't wait for summer to come; I'm feeling a definite case of junioritis (the precursor to senioritis, of course!) and needed this release. I haven't written in months, and I'm so glad to be back at it again. So I hope you enjoy this!
Anyway, this is more of me indulging my teenager side. I feel like, despite being Shadowhunters, they're still teens (plus Magnus) and would still enjoy a week's spring break and fun just like any teen. Without all the demons and surprise-we're-siblings-but-not-really stuff and psycho father-figures who want to destroy the world, I think they'd enjoy the silliness. So this'll be a bunch of drabble without much demon killing. Sorry for those of you who enjoy that! It's set before City of Fallen Angels. Cassandra Clare said somewhere that they'd had about "two months" of the Happily Ever After™ from City of Glass before Jace started to have issues again. Consider this stuck somewhere in those two months.
ALSO: The more I write, the more OoC the characters get. Sorry, I'm having too much fun to worry about stuff like that.
Playlist: Too long to list. I seriously have a sixty-three song playlist on my iPod called "Shadowhunter Radio." It seems to grow every day. Anyway, that's what I listened to mostly while I wrote this. If a song is vital to a part, I'll mention it.
Oh yeah, and Cassandra Clare owns the Mortal Instruments world. I just kind of borrowed her characters and shoved them into my world for a little while…
Alec is still twitching, and I haven't seen Jace for hours. I think Clary is trying to being him out of his shocked, comatose state.
In a rundown, deserted church that was neither rundown nor deserted (if you knew how to really See), four teenagers and one immortal being sat in silence around a round table. Under said table lay a blue Persian cat, whose yellow eyes were closed in pleasure or annoyance; it was hard to tell with cats, especially Church. Two of the teens were reading books, one was flipping through a magazine, and the last was absently twirling a delicate but deadly knife between his fingers. The final resident of the room observed the rather depressing scene for a few moments with his cat-eyes before slamming his hand down on the wooden table. The smaller boy looked up from his book, dark hair falling over blue eyes, and smiled.
"Is there a problem, Magnus?" he asked innocently.
"Yes, there's a problem, Alec," Magnus asserted, his chin set stubbornly. "You're all a bunch of boring—"
"Now, now," said the other boy without stopping his dangerous rhythm. "No need to be insulting."
"There is much need to be insulting," Magnus replied with a sniff. "For Shadowhunters, you really don't do much, do you?"
"Not much to do," said the dark haired girl, studying a hairstyle on the glossy page in front of her. "Ever since everything that happened in Alicante, it's been incredibly quiet." She flipped her hair over her shoulder and started to weave pieces together, copying the model's style.
The one with the dagger laughed softly and set it down. The last one in the room marked her page and closed her book before brushing her red hair out of her eyes. "Thank God for that," she murmured with a small smile. "I've had plenty of action and panicking for a little while." She met eyes with the blond boy sitting across from her, who grinned in a good-natured way and started to spin the small weapon on the table. Magnus sighed and brought the conversation back to his original point.
"Be that as it may, I am sick and tired of sitting in this room watching you do the same thing day after day. I think it's time we get out, do something risky, and have some fun."
The blond boy sheathed his dagger inside his boot before kicking his feet up on the table, leaning the chair back on two legs. "Great idea, Magnus. Call us when you find something."
The redhead rolled her eyes at the blond before focusing on Magnus. "Did you have something in mind?"
Magnus smiled. The mischief painted across his face like the glitter he loved so much did not assure anybody in the room. "As a matter of fact, I do, Clary. How do you think your parents would react to a road trip?"
The blond sat up quickly, the two front legs of his chair hitting the floor with a bang. Everyone ignored him.
Alec looked vaguely wary, but the girl immediately stopped her intricate weaving, all thoughts of braids and twists forgotten.
"Ooh, a road trip to where? I'd love to get out of the city for a while!" Her dark eyes sparkled with the idea of going somewhere new. Magnus looked to Clary, who nodded.
"Sounds fine by me. I could do with some time away." Green eyes looked over to the blond boy, who, like usual, showed no real excitement one way or another. If killing things wasn't on the agenda, then his attention span was gone. "What do you think, Jace?"
Jace shrugged at her, his chair balanced on two legs once more. "Depends on where we're going." Alec looked relieved that he hadn't been the one to express any doubts about the plan. All things given, he was perfectly okay with going on a trip, but Magnus Bane wasn't exactly the king of subtlety. If nobody checked him, they'd probably end up in Italy for a month or so.
Magnus waved a perfectly manicured and polished hand airily. "Somewhere in the States, of course. I don't think Clary's mother would approve of her traveling trans-continentally quite yet." Clary sighed and hid her head in her hands. Rather than loosening up a bit now that her daughter knew about the Shadow World, Jocelyn Fairchild had actually become even more protective, if that was possible. The only thing positive that Clary could see was that her mom approved of the Lightwood children, and was therefore willing enough to trust her around Jace as long as they were there too.
"You still haven't given us a place," Jace pointed out. "Any ideas?"
Magnus laughed. "Ever been to Florida?"
The dark haired girl lit up. "Yes! Beaches and amusement parks!" Even Jace looked vaguely interested.
"Yes, Isabelle." Magnus rolled his eyes tolerantly. "So is that a yes?" There were nods of agreement all around. "Excellent. So how about we go for a week? We'll leave on Monday."
Everyone gave nods of agreement. Clary immediately stood up from the impromptu planning and grabbed her bag.
"Well, if I have four days to convince my mom to let me visit the other end of the East Coast, I'd better start tonight. I'll see you guys tomorrow, I guess." Clary walked around the table and gave Jace a quick peck on the cheek before heading out the door, pausing only to make sure the door closed properly as she left.
After a few arguments, some compromises, and a promise to text every day, Clary emerged from the negotiation table triumphant. The Lightwoods, on the other hand, were much easier to convince. Their only requirement was that they brought a few weapons each for protection, which they would have done anyway. After a quick shopping spree on Isabelle's part, a few complaints from Alec (who really hated giving up his sweaters and jeans, despite the totally rational argument that it was spring in the Sunshine State, and therefore could hit up to ninety degrees on a good day), a reminder to Jace that he had to fit more than weapons in his duffel bag, and some quick work on Magnus's part, the group was ready to leave. Simon was really upset that he couldn't come along, but he couldn't manage to get the week away from school, and he'd already missed too much to even consider skipping.
Early Monday morning, the group of teens trudged down the stairway to the entrance, where Magnus was waiting with a smile, his spiky hair and makeup perfect as always.
"Good morning, Shadowhunters! And Alec especially," he added with a flirty wink. Alec blushed slightly at his boyfriend's exuberant behavior, even though everyone was already used to it. Clary, eyes drooping until they were almost closed, was leaning heavily on Jace, who looked like he'd just rolled out of bed and pulled on the nearest items of clothing he could find. Isabelle covered a yawn with her hand.
"How are you so chipper in the morning?" she asked, barely concealing another yawn.
Magnus laughed and sent harmless blue sparks her way. "Magic." Jace rolled his eyes. "Well, that and a triple shot macchiato from the Starbucks." Clary nearly moaned.
"Don't tease me, Magnus," she begged, her voice muffled from being tucked into Jace's side. "You don't know how badly I'd love some coffee right now."
With a snap of his fingers, Magnus was holding a cup of coffee. He waved the cup enticingly in front of her buried face. It took a few seconds for her to realize what she smelled, but the second it registered, Clary was turned and had her eyes focused on the cup.
"Did I ever mention that you're the most amazing warlock ever in existence?" she said. Her green eyes never wavered from the cup in front of her eyes.
"Flattery will get you everywhere," Magnus replied with a smile before handing her the cup. Clary immediately wrapped her hands around the comfortably warm cup. She took a sip and hummed in pleasure. Perfect. Jace smirked and ran his hand through his hair, although his eyes did watch her with a tenderness that belied his attitude.
"Now that that's been taken care of, can we get this show on the road?" Alec asked with a hint of impatience. Behind him, Isabelle nodded through her sleepy haze. With a smirk, Magnus turned and waved his arms like Vanna White incarnate, dispelling the invisibility glamour on their ride.
"I give you… the Magnusmobile!"
Clary stifled a giggle in her coffee. Alec blinked and rubbed at his eyes a few times. Isabelle actually squealed. Jace just rolled his eyes at the theatrics and picked up both his and Clary's duffel bags off of the pavement.
"So we're driving all the way to Florida in a flamboyantly purple motorhome. Lovely." He deadpanned. Magnus shot him a smirk and opened the door. It only took a few minutes for the motley group to pile into the eccentric vehicle and get on the road. It took much longer for the vehicle to maneuver itself out of the crazy New York traffic and get to the highway.
The first hour of the drive went by rather smoothly, all things considered. Alec was sitting next to Magnus in the passenger seat, Isabelle was giving herself a manicure, and Clary and Jace were sitting together on the overly bright loveseat pushed against a back wall. However, like any person who's ever been on a road trip before could tell you, boredom sets in quickly and without warning.
Predictably, it was Isabelle who cracked first. She let out an unladylike snort and kicked her boots up onto the small table. Jace rolled his eyes and studiously ignored her, but Clary looked up from her sketchbook.
"What's up, Isabelle?" She asked kindly, unaware of the danger she was walking into. Next to her, Jace facepalmed and mouthed 'Here we go…'
"My boredom levels," Isabelle replied, sticking her tongue out at Jace. "There's nothing to do."
Clary looked at her in surprise while Jace cocked an eyebrow at her. "Isabelle," Clary began, "we've only been on the road for an hour. It's almost a full day's drive from Manhattan, New York to Orlando, Florida, assuming we never stop. Which we will. Are you telling me you have nothing to keep busy with?"
Isabelle held her head high, no shame in her eyes. "I brought a magazine. But I finished it."
Clary sighed and shook her head. Alec, who had heard the conversation from the front of the motorhome, hid a laugh in a cough, but Jace had no such principles and openly laughed at his adopted sister. The smaller girl leaned over and dug through her backpack for a moment before tossing Isabelle a book. "Read something."
Isabelle sniffed, staring down at the cover. "I don't read books, unless they're actually helpful."
"You've never read a romance novel?" Clary asked, shocked. For some reason, Isabelle seemed like the kind of girl who would have a hidden stash of trashy, torrid paperback novels under her bed somewhere. "Give it a try."
"A romance novel, huh?" Isabelle looked down at the book in her hands again. She took in the cover image, which depicted a shirtless male with black wings falling from the sky. "Doesn't look like any of the ones I've seen"
"It's a fantasy romance novel," said Clary with a smile. "That one's really good. Read it."
Isabelle flipped the book over and scanned the summary. A small smile crossed her lips before she paged to the prologue and started to read. Jace leaned over and whispered in Clary's ear, sending a shiver down her back.
"Romance novel, huh? Am I not enough for you then?" His golden eyes shimmered with suppressed humor. Clary hummed in mock-thought before shaking her head.
"You'll do, I suppose." Her lips curled into a smile as Jace grabbed his chest like her words had caused him a mortal wound. She loved this side of him, the silly teenager he always hid behind his mask of toughness.
"How can you need anything more than this perfection?" He gestured to himself, knowingly flaunting himself to her. Clary grinned and pecked him on the lips, effectively stopping him mid rant.
"I don't," she whispered in his ear before resuming her comfortable position on his lap, her back against his chest. He wrapped his arm around her and rested his head on top of hers. The vehicle went quiet once more.
This, of course, only lasted for another hour. As they entered the last stretch of their trip through New Jersey, Magnus let out a loud sigh from the driver's seat. "Okay, I did NOT plan a day long motor trip just so we could do more of the same stuff we did back in New York. Find something loud to do, please. No more silence." He snapped his fingers so that the books Clary, Isabelle, and Alec were reading appeared next to him. Clary groaned, Alec pouted, and Isabelle totally freaked out.
"You can't do that! I was really getting into that book! No, nonononono. Give it back, Magnus!" Isabelle even stamped her foot. Magnus looked vaguely shocked.
"Are you really throwing a fit… over a book?" Jace asked her bluntly, not moving his eyes from the clumsy braid he was attempting to make in Clary's fiery hair. Clary stifled a giggle. Isabelle stopped for a moment and thought about it before returning to her seat. Magnus cleared his throat pointedly, not taking his eyes off the road.
"So, in order to avoid boredom, I think we should do something fun. A game or something." Isabelle immediately perked up, while Alec slouched lower in his seat. Clary curled into Jace's chest, logically afraid of any game a flamboyant, sparkly warlock and three demon hunters would consider fun. Jace hid the chuckle that he knew would only frustrate her and rubbed her back reassuringly.
"What do you have in mind?" Alec asked warily, casting Magnus a sideways glance. Magnus grinned back at him, meeting his eyes for only a moment before focusing on the highway again.
"Well," he began, "we could play Truth? We can't play Dare, because, well… I'm driving. And I don't want to miss out on the good dares because I have to drive this monster."
Clary's green eyes went wide. She'd played this before. There was no way she would do it again, especially not with such… open people. They had no filters on what they'd ask- at all. "No." Her tone brokered no argument.
Naturally, Jace had to argue.
"What's so bad about a game of Truth, huh? Scared?" The corner of his mouth came up in a smirk that has a challenge written all over it. "Or do you have something to hide." His tone of voice said that this was not a question. Clary blushed, her pale skin suffusing with color, but held firm.
"Not scared, just smarter than you." Her chin came up in defiance. Jace raised one eyebrow in that maddening way that Clary could never manage to copy. Isabelle watched them bicker like one would watch a tennis match, her eyes flickering between them.
"Touché." Jace chuckled, "But you're not getting out of this. Magnus seems to think this is mandatory." Clary groaned and slumped back against his chest.
"Most people on road trips play I Spy, or listen to music. We have to play Truth. Probably a perverted, unfiltered form of Truth. Great." Clary drawled.
"If there was any more sarcasm in that, Jace could cut it with one of his many daggers," Isabelle quipped. Alec chuckled. Magnus sighed and changed lanes, zipping the motorhome around a car full of elderly women who didn't seem to know what the speed limit was. One of them winked at Alec, who quickly averted his eyes.
"We don't have to play Truth in particular. It was just an idea," said Magnus. "But I refuse to sit in a silent vehicle for another sixteen hours, not counting breaks, while you guys read."
"Then turn the radio on or something," Clary suggested to him, desperate to avoid any sort of truth game. There was no telling what she'd get asked, after all. Magnus thought for a second before reaching over and flicking on the radio. Loud rap music blared out of the speakers suddenly, causing Clary to fall off of the couch with surprise. She hit the ground with a thump that was hidden by the blasting music. Alec had his hands covering his ears, trying to avoid the noise. Jace shook his head and helped Clary back onto the couch as Magnus sheepishly turned the music down. He started flipping through radio stations as everyone offered him their opinions on the genre.
"Not country," Isabelle begged. "That music sucks."
"Hey!" Alec shot back, offended. "I love country music!"
"Yeah, well… you're weird, aren't you?" Isabelle replied. "Put the rap back on!"
"Eurgh," Clary snorted. "Rap music is awful. I can think of maybe five rap songs I like."
"At least it's not pop," Jace commented. "That music makes me sick."
"And your rock and roll gives me a headache!" Alec told him. "Let's listen to classical music."
"Uh, how about no."
"There's nothing wrong with classical music!"
"Everything's wrong with classical music."
"You know what else everything's wrong with? Your–"
"Guys!" Magnus shouted, interrupting Alec mid-comeback. Clary sat back, looking smug. Jace was fighting the grin on his face, and Isabelle was just shaking her head. "If you're gonna fight, I'll pick the music," he threatened. Clary huffed and pulled out her iPod.
"Play whatever you like. I have my own music." She stuck her tongue out at everyone before pushing her headphones into her ears and curling up into Jace's arms. He stole one of her earbuds and pushed it into his own ear before he wrapped his arms around her and rested his head on top of hers, watching as she played a game. Magnus messed with the radio dial for a moment and stopped on a station that was playing some pop music. He fiddled with the volume for a moment before focusing on the road again.
The peace lasted for another two hours. They managed to get all the way through Delaware and were almost completely through Maryland when it started up again. Clary was napping, her head pressed against Jace's neck while Jace was playing with her hair again. Isabelle had snuck her book off of the pile and was reading it again, a hand over her mouth like she was shocked. Alec had the front seat leaned back and was sleeping, snoring quietly. Nobody noticed at first when the vehicle started to slow, but everyone did notice when, instead of the steady straight course they had been traveling, the vehicle veered to the left as Magnus took a sharp right off of I-95 and started driving through a town instead.
"A little warning?" Jace complained, helping Clary off of the floor. Clary grabbed tight to him, still looking a little stunned from her sudden meeting with the floor. Jace met her eyes and gave her a smile, his gold eyes glimmering with humor. "Hit the floor enough yet?" He whispered in her ear as she settled herself on his lap again. Clary fixed him with a glare.
"Shut up."
Isabelle laughed and delicately turned a battered page, continuing her book. Alec snorted and adjusted the seat, his dark blue eyes half-blurred with bleariness. Magnus smoothly maneuvered the motorhome up to a gas pump.
"Break time," he told the group. "Run inside and grab some snacks, kay?" He snapped his fingers and handed a few bills that had appeared out of the air to a still-sleepy Alec. "And pay for the gas, too. We're at pump—" he paused for a moment to check the number, "four." Alec nodded and slipped out of the vehicle to join the others on the pavement. The group quickly made their way inside and grabbed some snacks. The clerk behind the counter, a witless boy who tried to make a pass at Clary and was promptly glared into submission by a protective Jace, packed everything into a bag and handed it to Alec, wishing a "nice day" to their retreating backs.
Jace was still fuming about it five minutes after they'd left the station and were back on the highway. Clary had given up on his mood and moved over to sit by Isabelle, who had finally finished her book. They were eagerly discussing the assets of the main male characters—something that wasn't helping Jace's mood.
"I totally think his face is his best feature. Nobody could resist eyes like those," Isabelle swooned playfully, fanning herself with her hand.
"Nah, his attitude is the major turn on. I guess I'm a sucker for that cocky wit." Clary threw a sideways glance at Jace, who smiled a tiny bit at her comment. His posture thawed slightly, finally letting go of his frustration. Isabelle laughed and brought Clary's attention back to their conversation.
"Wit's all well and good, but he sounds yummy," she asserted, twisting a strand of ebony hair around her finger. Clary bit her lip and giggled.
"I have to give you that one; I'd be his lab partner anytime." Clary winked jokingly, and the girls fell into peals of laughter. Jace shook his head and reclined on the couch, throwing an arm over his face to block out the light. Clary noticed his posture relax as he stopped paying attention to his surroundings. A devious grin stole across her face, and she leaned across the table. Isabelle, curious, met her in the middle.
"When I say now, we jump on him," Clary whispered. Isabelle stifled a laugh and nodded conspiratorially. Clary stood from the chair and casually made her way over to the couch, beckoning Isabelle to follow.
"I have the next book, if you want it," she said to the taller girl, giving their presence a pretense in case Jace was still paying attention. Clary bent over and shuffled through her backpack for a moment. "Ah, I found it… Now!" She shouted and catapulted herself at Jace. He lost his breath in a rush of air as Clary landed on top of him. Isabelle jumped onto the dog pile and sat on top of them both, crossing her legs and wearing a triumphant grin. Alec, hearing the commotion, came back to see what was happening. Upon seeing the dog pile, he gave a war cry and flung himself at them, tackling Isabelle and sending them both rolling across the carpeted floor in a mess of laughs and dark hair. Jace, who by now had gotten some air back into his lungs, gave Clary a look that promised imminent revenge. Clary gave a little "Eep!" and tried to escape, but Jace wound his arms around her waist and flipped them over, pinning her slight frame beneath his. He pushed her into the couch, grinning.
Clary wriggled and writhed, trying to slip out from underneath him. She stopped suddenly when Jace lowered his face into her neck and moaned, his breath warm against her skin. Blood rushed to her face, leaving Clary flushed and uncomfortably warm. Jace pulled back and kissed her hungrily, his hands wandering down her body to dig into the thin strip of flesh between her t-shirt and the band of her shorts. Clary twisted her fingers through the curls of his hair. The continued like this until a loud cough disturbed them enough to pull back. Alec had his eyes averted and Isabelle was hiding her laughter behind a Marked hand. Jace rolled off of her and pulled Clary up, no shame in his eyes. Instead, he just smirked at Alec, who had made the coughing noise, and crossed his arms. Alec was determinedly not meeting Jace's eyes. Instead, he fiddled with a hole in his sweater.
"I'll just, um… Go back up front." He jerked a thumb over his shoulder. "Yeah." With no further preamble, Alec returned to the relative safety of the passenger's seat. Jace laughed at his hastily retreating back and sprawled back out on the couch. Clary sent Isabelle a pleading look. Isabelle laughed and made shooing motions at her. Clary smiled gratefully and curled back up on top of Jace, whose arms twisted around her without even opening his eyes. Isabelle grabbed the next book in the series and folded her long limbs into a glittery disk chair. She flipped the book open to the prologue and started immediately. Clary nuzzled against Jace's neck, kissing and nipping at the skin there. Goosebumps erupted over his arms at the sensations, and he tilted his neck back slightly for her. His fingers strayed up under her shirt, where they traced patterns on the skin of her lower back. Clary shivered and kissed him. Jace hummed happily as her lips moved against his. He smelled the way he always did, of leather and soap and the musky remnant of Marks. Given her way, Clary would spend most of her time in Jace's arms the way they were in that moment.
Unfortunately, fate wasn't always keen on such constant displays of affection.
"Hey, I don't want to have to disinfect that couch at the end of this trip!" Magnus shouted back to the couple, who reluctantly broke their kiss. They rested their foreheads against each other's, breathing heavily. Magnus smiled in a self-satisfied way and turned the music up until it was rocking the windows. Jace leaned back—he needed the distance in order to straighten out his thoughts—and sighed. "I'm riding through DC in the campest party bus ever known to mankind." He bemoaned. Clary rolled her eyes but smiled tenderly at him. Then she found herself being yanked off of Jace and spun in a circle.
"What the hell, Isabelle!" Clary shrieked as the other girl laughed and forced her to dance by grabbing her hips and shaking them in time with the beat. "What are you doing?"
"Oh, like this song doesn't make you want to jump around," she teased, bouncing around with an indecent amount of energy. Without Jace's gold-colored eyes to distract her, Clary really listened to the music and found herself smiling despite her intent to remain upset with Isabelle. When Isabelle made another twirl by, Clary grabbed her arm and spun with her, shaking her head so that her red hair flew everywhere. The two girls rocked out, jumping about and shaking their hips with the music. The first song soon ended, and another took its place. This song has a more rockfish feel to it, and Clary recognized it immediately. Her face flushed slightly, but she couldn't help but sing along to the slightly dirty lyrics. Isabelle stood across from her, hands on her hips, and they sang to each other, both grinning.
"It's a war in your bedroom baby, I'd cut off my tongue for just a taste of a piece of your flesh, my darling, I've got no time to hesitate…" Isabelle rocked her head to the drum beat, and Clary spun around to grab Jace off of the couch, where he had been watching them. Jace put up a token fight, but let the smaller girl tug him into a standing position. He grabbed her and pulled her close to him. She wrapped her arms around his neck as they danced. He ground into her in time with the music as she sang along in his ear. Isabelle, meanwhile, finally browbeat Alec into dancing with her. Their dancing was much different than Jace and Clary's, though—more silly sibling twisting than close, heated dancing.
They had fun roaring through the nation's capital in their flamboyant motorhome and debating what innocent bystanders must think of them. They laughed and danced to the music that played and teased Jace about going soft, which resulted in another huge dog pile on the ground. It felt good to just let go of the tension from the past few months and just be kids, not demon hunters or war heroes or oddities to be studied.
They made it through Virginia with no trouble; just another rest stop for gas and a chance to walk around outside. Jace used it as a chance to practice sparring with Clary, who was supposed to keep up her training despite their vacation. Clary whined, but her "trainer" would hear nothing of it and promptly knocked her to the floor five times. They were currently standing for their sixth match, Clary out of breath and sweaty, Jace looking perfectly unruffled.
Clary made the first move, swinging her right leg out in a kick at his knees. Jace jumped over her leg and feinted right before throwing a punch at her left side. Clary anticipated the feint and dodged his punch. She grabbed his arm and pulled, trying to use his momentum to off balance him, but Jace twisted out of her grip. He grabbed her extended wrist and pulled it behind her body, putting her in an uncomfortable position. Clary fought for a moment before relaxing, like she was giving up; Jace relaxed with her. Clary suddenly sprang into motion, spinning into the grip on his arm and driving her arm into his elbow, breaking his grip. She continued her movement, using it to sweep his legs out from under him. He fell back, hitting the ground, and Clary pinned him there in triumph. Jace grinned up at her, the chip on his incisor endearingly cute.
"Congratulations," he told her. She laughed, adrenaline still running through her veins from the fight, and kissed him hungrily. Jace pulled her down on top of him so that they fit together and flipped them over, straddling her waist to keep her there. He slipped his tongue past her lips and she met it with her own, dueling playfully just as they had when they'd sparred.
This was the position Isabelle found them in when she came looking.
"Oh, by the Angel, you two!" She shouted. The two broke apart, panting heavily but smiling. "Can you stop sucking face for five minutes?"
"No," Jace told her with a perfectly straight face. He leaned forward to kiss Clary again—and was forcefully pulled off of her.
"Back in the Magnusmobile. Scoot." Isabelle made shooing motions toward the motorhome that was garnering odd looks from the people around it. Jace huffed and rebelliously ignored Isabelle by helping Clary off the ground before taking off for the vehicle. Clary fixed her mess of curls as best she could and brushed gravel off of her butt before accompanying Isabelle back onto the motorhome, gratefully accepting the bottle of water Jace held out for her.
Alec slipped past the trio on his way to the passenger seat. "Jace worked you hard, huh?" he commented to Clary, who was almost finished with her water already.
Clary sputtered, choking on the huge mouthful of water she'd just tried to breathe in. Isabelle broke down into peals of laughter.
"Oh yeah, man, I worked her real hard…" Jace purred, winking at Alec, who paused for a moment, thinking about what he'd said, then promptly turned bright red.
"Get your minds out of the gutter, people!" Alec yelled, although there was a small smile on his face. "I didn't mean it like that."
"They only freaked out because they know it's true," Jace confided with a pirate's grin on his face. Clary smacked him over the head with her empty water bottle. "Ow! You wound me, woman!" He cried dramatically, clutching at his head.
"Then keep your smart ass comments to yourself," Clary offered, tossing her empty bottle into the trash on her way back to the couch. Isabelle stifled her giggles and took up residence next to Clary, forcing Jace to sit somewhere else. Instead of sitting in a chair, though, he sprawled out on the floor at Clary's feet, his back propped up against the couch. Clary pulled her legs up under her and ran her hands through Jace's curls. Jace hummed and closed his eyes, enjoying the sensation. Magnus got back into the driver's seat and pulled out of the station, maneuvering the motorhome back onto the highway.
A few hours later, the sun was set. They'd been on the road for almost fourteen hours, and they were only a little past two-thirds of the way there.
In the passenger seat, Alec yawned and stretched toward the ceiling. Jace had fallen asleep sitting up against the couch, leaning against Clary's leg. Isabelle was fighting sleep, determined to finish her book before she went to bed. Clary had her sketchpad out again and was trying to draw Jace as he slept. She was so tired, though, that her drawings kept coming out looking less and less like Jace. Finally, she gave it up as a bad job and curled up in a ball on the couch, fighting her heavy eyelids.
It wasn't long before Magnus could drive no further. He turned off the highway at the next exit and found an RV park. He parked the motorhome in one of the spots and turned on the lights.
"Alright, get up!" He yelled. Clary yelped and flailed for a moment, but managed to keep her balance. Isabelle looked up from her book, her eyes starting to look a little bloodshot. Alec mumbled something that sounded suspiciously like "Go 'way," and proceeded to ignore him. Jace, however, jumped up into a defensive position, already calling the name of one of the many seraph blades in his belt. He stood there, bleary eyed but ready to fight, until Clary pulled him back onto the couch between her and Isabelle. Jace lost his grip on the blade and fell back with a muffled "thump." Magnus, who had pointedly ignored Jace's minor fit, continued speaking.
"We've stopped for the night—obviously. Instead of curling up on the floor, how about we pull out the beds, huh?" Magnus swept around the small room, leaving a trail of glitter. On the wall between the bedroom and the sort-of living room, he pulled on a handle that was hidden in the wall and a twin bed unfolded from the wall.
"The loveseat becomes a full sized bed," Magnus informed the group, "and Alec and I will take the bed in the actual bedroom." Alec blushed a heady red, but put up no protest.
"When I come back out here tomorrow morning," Magnus continued, sounding both threatening and amused, "you two had better have clothing on. If I hear anything during the night, I am authorized by both of your parents to chain you on opposite sides of the vehicle." Clary flushed. Jace, on the other hand, looked absurdly proud that his presence warranted such precautionary rules.
"Got it, don't let you see us and don't let her get too loud," Jace replied, a grin on his face. Clary moaned and hid her face in her hands. Isabelle smothered a giggle. Shaking his head, Alec made his way to the bedroom with a pair of pajama pants in his hand. Magnus followed him, closing the door behind him.
"Right," Isabelle immediately took charge. "Jace, turn around and close your eyes."
Jace, of course, decided to be stubborn. "Why should I?"
Isabelle sighed. "Because we'd like to change, and I don't trust you to keep your hands off of Clary if you watch. So turn around, Angel Boy." She made a spinning motion with her finger. Jace huffed—he hated that nickname. It sounded so… feminine. Sure, he called Clary Angel Girl sometimes, but that was a term of endearment. This was just mockery. Still, he turned around and offered the girls his back.
Clary dug out her pajamas—a dark green t-shirt that was at least three sizes too big for her petite frame and a pair of boyshorts. Isabelle had already stripped down to her lingerie and was pulling a crop top over her head. Clary pulled the worn and comfy shirt over her head and looked at the shorts for a moment before dropping them back into the bag. Her shirt was long enough to be a nightgown; she'd be fine. Isabelle pulled on a pair of bottoms that had no right to be considered shorts before turning to Clary. She looked puzzled for a second; she tapped one perfectly manicured finger against the side of her mouth in thought. "Isn't that… Jace's shirt?" She asked. Clary blushed and refused to meet her eyes. Behind her, Jace was snickering.
"It, um… might be?" Clary offered lamely. Isabelle just shook her head and zipped her duffel bag shut.
"Alright Jace, you can turn back around."
He did just that, a sly grin coming across his face when he saw Clary playing with the hem of his shirt.
"You know, Clary, that shirt looks almost as good on you as it does on me." Clary rolled her eyes, but kissed him quickly.
"Quick Isabelle, let him change before his ego gets too big for the room," The redhead quipped, turning her back on her boyfriend. Isabelle walked over next to her and they waited, staring at the dark glass of the door.
Jace rummaged around for a moment in his bag before coming up with a pair of black pants. The blond boy set them aside and pulled off his weapons belt, laying it in the disk chair. As he fiddled with the belt on his jeans, he thought he heard one of the girls giggle. He paused for a moment, then continued to change. After slipping the belt from the loops of his black jeans, he pulled his t-shirt over his head and dropped it next to him.
Okay, this time he was sure he'd heard laughing.
"Is something funny?" He asked over his shoulder and he pulled his jeans off and bent over to get his pajama pants. That time, he distinctly heard Clary gasp. Confused, he tugged them on and turned around to the girls, who were still staring out the window in the door. The reflective window.
The window he could see his own eyes widening in.
Jace quickly controlled his surprise and crossed his arms over his Marked chest. "So, I don't get to see anything, but you two get a peep show, huh?" Isabelle put her hands up.
"I wasn't looking. I have no desire to see my brother in any state of undress. I was laughing at Clary's face," Isabelle defended. Jace looked from his sister over to Clary and could immediately see why he'd heard laughing. Clary's face had flushed a bright, burning red. Her green eyes still looked vaguely shocked at what she'd seen. Jace chuckled at her expression.
"I feel like this is kind of one-sided," he told the two girls with a grin. "I've show you mine, you show me yours, hmm?" Isabelle laughed, but Clary turned an even brighter shade of crimson.
"I'll pass, thanks for the offer," Isabelle replied, flipping her long black hair over her shoulder. "I'm sure Clary would be more than happy, though." Jace turned to Clary, an expectant expression on his face.
"As much as I'd love to, I think I'll have to pass," Clary said with false bravado. Jace, sensing the nerves behind her front, took a menacing step forward. Clary squeaked and hid behind Isabelle, using her as a human shield.
"Gee, thanks Clary. I'd love to be the barrier between you and your perverted boyfriend. Thanks ever so much for asking."
Jace laughed. "Like Isabelle is going to stop me. If I wanted you, Clary, I'd already have you." He winked, and Isabelle huffed.
"I could totally take you in a fight if I wanted," Isabelle whisper-yelled. Jace raised an eyebrow at her mockingly and dropped back into a defensive stance. Isabelle copied him, her muscles coiled in preparation to spring.
"Guys!" Clary stepped in between them and held her hands out. "Magnus is going to come out here if we don't shut up, and I don't fancy spending the night chained to the wall, so could you stop with the sibling bickering and drop it?" Isabelle stood down, but Jace only pivoted and scooped the petite redhead up before she could protest.
"You can take the twin bed, Izzy," Jace informed her as he carried Clary over to the couch, completely ignoring Clary's protests. He set her down only long enough to change the couch into a real bed, then picked her back up and placed her gently on the bed. Isabelle rolled her eyes at their silliness before turning around and laying out on the other bed.
Clary grabbed onto Jace's arm and tugged him down onto the pull-out mattress amid a chorus of complaining springs.
"Watch it, you two," Isabelle warned them. "Don't make me trade with one of you, because I will."
"Yes, mom," Jace taunted her even as he pinned Clary to the bed. Clary's eyes went wide and innocent as she smiled up at him, her red hair fanning around her head. Jace leaned down and kissed her slowly, sweetly, completely ignoring Isabelle making gagging noises on the other bed.
"I am right here, you know. Older sister who does not want to listen to her brother sucking face with his girlfriend."
"Then cover your ears," Jace mumbled against Clary's lips. Clary wrapped her arms around his neck and twined her fingers through his blond curls, keeping him close to her.
Isabelle huffed angrily. "Jace, I will exile you to this bed if you do not stop it right now and go to sleep."
Jace pulled away from Clary and let out a low laugh. "Mhmm…" he hummed, doubt in every bit of his tone. Clary kissed him once, twice more and settled on his chest, her arms tucked between them. Jace placed one arm around her waist and the other behind his head, looking up at the ceiling.
"Good night," Clary spoke into the darkness. There was a squeaking as Isabelle resettled herself on her bed, convinced that Jace and Clary were done needing her chaperoning presence for the night.
"Night."
City of Lost Souls came out today. Opinions? Feel free to share them in a review- I already finished the book! =D