Chapter 1

Welcoming

Weak sunlight filtered through a slither under the navy blue blind that obscured the window in the small bedroom. Scattered clothes littered the carpet like autumn leaves and the whole room smelled like washing powder, blood and sweat. The wooden door to the room opened and a tall, curly blonde haired girl walked in. She sighed loudly at the sight before her, but what had she expected to see, a neat and tidy room with a washed and ready Shadowhunter? That was never going to happen if Jamie Starkweather was involved. The girl crossed the small room and pushed hard against the shoulder of the sleeping figure underneath the blue duvet. He groaned, rolling over to face the wall next to his bed. Grace sighed even louder, using more force this time. Jamie rolled over, his sleepy green eyes opening a fraction to see who had woken him from his slumber.

"Ugh, what do you want?" Jamie moaned, covering his face with his rune marked arm.

"Believe me, I don't want to be here, June sent me. Do you have any idea what time it is?" Grace said, her voice laced with poisonous attitude. She had hated Jamie the very first time she saw him 4 years ago when she had moved from Los Angeles to join the London institute.

"Enlighten me, what time is it?"

"It's 9:45," Grace said, a cold smile spreading across her thin pink lips as she saw panic flash across Jamie's face.

"What? Why didn't anyone wake me?" Jamie threw back his duvet and launched out of bed, wearing only a pair of boxers so his toned and muscular body was on full display. Grace couldn't help but admire him, if there was only one perk of living with a human being as annoying as Jamie, it was that he was extremely good looking. Even after just waking from sleep, his green eyes were luminous, his blonde hair was tousled-yet Jamie could easily pass it off as a new style. Almost everything about Jamie screamed underwear model, everything except the black runes that decorated his body like words on a page. Jamie glanced up at Grace, he held a pair of trousers and a t-shirt in his scarred hand.

"Are you going to stand there all day admiring me, or have you got better things to do?" Grace scowled and walked quickly out of the room, slamming the door shut behind her. Jamie sighed and opened his draws to search for fresh underwear; he had no time to shower before they arrived. Once he was dressed-catching a quick glimpse of the clock on his draw-Jamie hurried out of his room and down the hall to join the three other Shadowhunters in the library, who were waiting anxiously for the arrivals. Jamie sat down in a plush red arm chair beside a fire that was blazing furiously, he couldn't help but wonder who had lit it. It was probably June, for 3 months since her son-and Jamie's parabatai- had left to visit the York institute she had been restless. She always seemed to be busying herself with something-killing more demons than usual, cooking fancy meals, cleaning the institute top to bottom everyday and once Jamie had even caught her organizing the thousands of books in the library into alphabetical order. She was missing Kai more than he was and Jamie couldn't think of a day since the age of 8 where he and his blood brother had been separated for more than a few hours. Grace shifted her position in the library doorway, she too looked tense and restless. Her curly blonde hair was bobbing about her shoulders and it shaped her babyish face, making her look like she was made of porcelain and the dusting of golden freckles across her face gave her an angelic appearance. Grace could easily pass for a lot younger if it wasn't for her height, she was almost as tall as Jamie and was terribly thin. Her wide blue eyes had been framed in black and she was wearing a white dress with a low neckline and stopped mid thigh. Jamie couldn't help but wonder why she had dressed up so much. Suddenly, materiallising out of thin air, appeared a black swirling vortex. The library buzzed with a crackle of electricity and the smell of burning wood filled the air. Out of the black shadow stepped three figures. The first was as familiar to Jamie as his own heart beat. The same jet black, floppy hair that constantly fell across his tanned forehead into his blue eyes, the same tall frame and muscular build, the same warm and welcoming grin.

"Kai!" June leapt forward, her arms wrapping around her son. Kai hugged her back before she released him. "Oh I've missed you so much, sweetheart." June said, placing her scarred hand against her sons cheek, who grinned back at her with love blazing in his eyes.

"I've missed you too Mum, and you Jay." Kai said, looking across at Jamie who smiled crookedly,

"I missed you too, as much as it pains for me to admit it." Kai grinned and rolled his eyes; two figures stepped past Kai into the centre of the library. One was tall, by far taller than both Kai and Jamie, he was also thick with muscle. Dark, brown hair tangled in his hazel eyes and a small smile whispered across his full lips. Grace shifted from her leaning position, her blue eyes swimming with emotion and a bright, beaming smile exploded on her face. Of course, Jamie thought, suddenly realizing why Grace was so dressed up, She's likes Kovu. Jamie tore his gaze away from Grace and Kovu-who were chatting happily- to the third arrival. He drew in a ragged breath; she was as beautiful as he remembered. The foreign jolt of emotion coursed through his veins like fire as he looked at her, not even after 3 months had the feeling in anyway faded. She was so small and petite compared to her brother, Kovu. Her dark brown hair was dangling loose around her waist; her hazel eyes glanced across the room and caught Jamie's intense gaze. He felt his stomach turn to liquid. Her pale, high cheek boned face, the brown freckles across her nose, her full red lips, her long black lashes lashes and her eyes. Those mesmerizing hazel eyes that glimmered and seemed to change colour depending on her emotion, almost black when she was mad and a mossy shade of green and brown when she was happy or excited. Jamie had marvelled at her beauty for so long almost all of her features were locked in his brain. She smiled shyly and continue to glance around the room, Jamie felt slightly disappointed, he thought she might have been pleased to see him. A loud, throaty cough echoed around the room from the roaring fire, every pair of eyes turned to glance at Edward Lightwood. The gray haired man smiled, but it didn't light up his dark brown eyes; he gestured for all the assembled Shadowhunters to take a seat. As much as Jamie hated to admit it, he feared Edward. He had been the head of the London institute for nearly 30 years, with nobody daring to oppose him for the position. There was something quietly controlling about his intense gaze that made Jamie fear the consequences should he get on the wrong side of Edward Lightwood. Cleo hastily sat down beside Jamie, Kai occupying the seat next to her.

"We welcome you three back warmly, you have been missed here at the institute and we are glad for your return. But, as we all know, you did not go to York for a social visit. Kovu, how are things over there now?" All eyes fell on Kovu, who licked his lips nervously. For being so visibly dominant, Kovu was extremely shy and hated any attention.

"Well, when we arrived their was another Mundane body, dumped in a bin behind the kitchens, we think it was a vampire this time." A heavy silence fell across the room. The York institute had been victim to Downworlders either playing a gruesome game or giving them a deadly warning. Mundane bodies had popped up discarded around the institute, each body mutilated by either a vampire, werewolf or some other creature which the Clave could not identify as either Warlock or Faerie. The York institute had already been low on Shadowhunters so Cleo, Kovu and Kai had transferred in order to make up some numbers until the younger Shadowhunters had completed training in Idris and were skilled enough to join the York institute.

"How many Mundanes were killed then?" Jamie asked, receiving a furious glance from Edward for interrupting Kovu.

"8 in total, most of them were werewolf kills, although we can't be completely certain."

"What is Veronica doing about it now?" June asked, referring to the head of the York institute Veronica Blackthorn.

"I'm not sure, when we arrived we questioned the Downworlders in the area, but of course none of them had seen anything. I presume she will make the new arrivals do the same thing as us- question Downworlders in hope they will reveal something of use to the Clave. But what I do know is, as soon as we arrived, no more bodies were discovered." A layer of confusion fell across the library, Jamie broke the silence with a question.

"Why were there no more bodies?"

"We don't know, but I think it's because the Downworlders knew they could get away with dumping the bodies before we came. The York institute only had 3 Shadowhunters there, they were pitifully unprotected. The Downworlders weren't expecting the Clave to get involved and send reinforcements so quickly, they all seem so shocked to see us." Cleo explained, speaking for the first time since she arrived. Kai nodded his agreement,

"They all denied having anything to do with the bodies, but I have a theory as to why they're doing it." Kai said, everyone looked at him, awaiting his opinion. Kai gulped, glancing at Cleo who smiled warmly to reassure him before he spoke.

"Well, we all know that recently the representative for the werewolves on the Council died. I believe there is a lot of unrest among the lycanthropes, they all believed Luke Garroway was corrupt, tied to the Nephilim because of his family and his past. They all hated him as their representative because they think he only agreed with what was best for Shadowhunters, not werewolves or any other Downworlder."

"What has that got to do with the werewolves unrest now, Luke died half a year ago?" Grace said, her eyebrows crumpling with confusion.

"Exactly, he died a while ago, and yet there has been no replacement on the Council. The werewolves think the Nephilim only agreed to let Downworlders have a seat on the Council if they had influence over them. Apparently- according to some of the Downworlders we spoke to- the werewolves believe the Clave-and all shadowhunters- are only trying to make everything appear as if we are equal when in actual fact we view ourselves as the most superior race."

"That's rubbish." Grace exclaimed, glaring at Kai who shrugged.

"It's what they believe."

"How do you know all this is the case, have you heard the werewolves discussing this, to you in first person?" June asked, Kovu shook his head.

"Not from the werewolves, but we overheard some vampires discussing it."

"Ha, vampires? You can't trust a word they say." Jamie sneered,

"See, that's exactly why Downworlders think we're all arrogant and view ourselves as better than them, attitude like that!" Cleo growled, giving Jamie a harsh glare that made him look guiltily at his feet. He didn't care what anyone else thought of him, only Cleo and Kai's opinions of him mattered and so far, he didn't think Cleo liked him very much. Edward Lightwood cleared his throat loudly, once again making every Shadowhunter give him their attention.

"I shall inform the Clave of your theory, Kai, it seems a very plausible one. But it still doesn't explain why Downworlders are killing innocent Mundanes."

"Downworlders don't care a thing for Mundanes, they never have and they never will. But they all know we are sworn to protect them, and if innocent humans are being killed then we are not fulfilling our duty, the Downworlders know this. Plus, they will all stick together in revenge against the Nephilim-" Kovu began

"Werewolves and Vampires despise each other, they'd never help each other they're enemies." Jamie exclaimed,

"But Shadowhunters are a bigger enemy, they'd stick together to fight us and we all know it." Grace whispered, her blue eyes clouding in fear. Kovu stood up, stroking Grace's arm gently.

"I think we are all overreacting, some Downworlders are playing pranks when they know they can get away with it. As soon as more Shadowhunters arrived they stopped," Kovu said, June shook her hair, a curl of brown hair falling across her weary face,

"In circumstances like these we need to overreact for our safety, the balance between Shadowhunters and Downworlders has always been a delicate one and we need to remember that. But, I do think we need to all calm down for the time being. I'm sure this is a one off, and if it's not then the Clave will be able to sort it out and we will deal with the offenders as the law requires." Murmured agreement fluttered around the room like a buzz of bees.

" There's so many things I still don't understand..." Grace muttered, raking her slim fingers through her golden locks.

"And we might never understand them, all we need to worry about is that this never happens again." Edward declared, his eyes thoughtful.

"I'm exhausted after discussing this and it's only quarter to eleven. I think we need to celebrate our family coming home." June said, smiling warmly but the grin did not sparkle her blue eyes, making a feeling of dread pass over Jamie in a strong wave. June Carstairs was a strong woman, a determined woman and at time fearless, which was why the look of impending panic reflected in her eyes showed that this was not just some Downworlder joke. Something serious could happen here, something that affected everyone.