A/N: Hey guys! Yeah, I know, another one already. What can I say, when inspiration strikes, I go with it! Anyway, sorry to those who wanted a prequel/sequel to my last story, City of Shadows, this is not it. Perhaps in the future... I wouldn't rule it out. But right now I need to mentally step away from Kaden, Jacob, Victoria, and Jetty.

This is just the first chapter - more of a prologue - but let me know what you think! It starts off with a bang... or more like a well-thrown punch! *wink* Hope you enjoy!

Oh, P.S. ONCE AGAIN, ORIGINAL CHARACTERS IN CASSANDRA CLARE'S WORLD.

CHAPTER 1 – Kidnapping

Usually Joanna didn't mind walking home from school. Most days either her best friend Kirsten would walk with her, or her boyfriend, Alex. Kirsten was the wild-child, Alex was the sweet guy, and Joanna herself was the quiet girl. Today neither of them was with her; Kirsten was trying out for the hip-hop team – of course she would make it – and Alex had soccer practice. Regrettably, with all the homework she had, Joanna couldn't stick around and watch.

She smiled when she thought of Alex. Joanna and Kirsten had been best friends for the longest time, and high school hadn't changed anything, even now that they were more than halfway through. They'd met Alex in grade nine, and he'd fit right in with their group. Joanna had never thought he would go for her, even though she'd had a secret crush on him since she was fourteen, the time when she'd met him.

When he asked her out halfway through grade ten, she'd been ecstatic. Her heart had soared. It still did when she was with him. Now they'd been going out for a year and seven months. They weren't an outrageous couple, but the love was there. Kirsten had fake-gagged more than once in their presence and told them their sweetness or cuteness was too much for her. She was joking, of course; Kirsten had never seemed to be bothered by their relationship, and it hadn't changed her and Joanna's tight-knit friendship at all. Besides, Kirsten had no shortage of boys asking her out.

Joanna lifted her head, breathing in the fresh scent of damp earth and feeling the spring sunshine on her face. It was a welcome change after days of rain. The small town on the coast of southern British Colombia, Canada, in which she lived had its advantages, but weather was not one of them. She paused as a car approached so it could pass by before she crossed the street. She was only a block away from her house. The car slowed to a stop in front of her, and after a moment of confusion she realized she didn't recognize the shiny black car and it was probably someone new or a tourist asking for directions.

So imagine her surprise when a man leaped out of the car and straight at her without a word.

He was not so much a man as a boy; his cropped blonde hair was spiky and his grey eyes flashed. Startled, she realized he looked her age, around seventeen. He had curling black tattoos up his arms and peeking out from under the collar of his shirt at his neck. He lunged at her, arms flying out.

Joanna threw up her own arms to protect herself on reflex, shocked. He slammed into her around the waist, knocking her to the ground and the breath right out of her. Her backpack slipped off her shoulder and she went sprawling, half on the sidewalk and half on somebody's lawn. Unable to catch herself, her head bounced against the ground hard enough for her to see stars.

His hand was over her mouth before she could scream, his hot, heavy body pressing down on her and making it impossible to escape. She screamed uselessly against his hand anyway, struggling as hard as she could.

This is not happening. I have a chemistry lab to finish tonight and a book club meeting tomorrow. It's just a normal day, a normal week. I have a normal life. This is not happening.

He cursed as she bit down on his hand, but he didn't let her go, even when she tasted blood, like copper pennies on her tongue. Instead, he hauled her to her feet and started dragging her toward the car.

No, no, no, NO!

She struggled frantically, making noises and trying to hit him as hard as she could. She didn't know how to fight! Where was everyone? Her awkward punches met rock hard muscles, but somehow she managed to get a single good shot at his ribs that made him go "oof."

And then his fist came swinging up and met her temple, sending her spinning into darkness.

AN IMPORTANT SIDE NOTE:

No, the blonde boy IS NOT JACE and Alex IS NOT ALEC.
THEY ARE ORIGINAL CHARACTERS, YOU'LL SEE.

- Cat