Prologue
4 years ago
"Sera, Maryse would kill me." Jace groaned while Seraphina –who preferred to be called Sera, merely giggled. The blonde couldn't help but be captivated with the smirk of the red headed girl, as he succumbed to her doings.
"Will kill us both, not only you." Sera grinned devilishly, her emerald eyes sparkling with mischief. Jace shook his head, but smiled at her nonetheless. "But come on, this would be fun!" As those words left her lips, she took Jace's hand and together, they climbed up to the institute's roof.
They sat on the edge of the roof, but positioned themselves carefully so that they won't fall 5 storeys high. Sera immediately stared at the sky, watching as the darkness slowly enveloped it. The orange-y texture of the sky was setting down and being replaced by the bluish color. Jace scooted closer to Sera, and the red head slowly dipped her head into Jace's shoulder. The blonde's mouth formed a small smile as he looked at the carefree figure beside him, while she stared at the now setting sun.
"The view is beautiful." Sera sighed dreamily. She watched in fascination as stars started to reappear. Jace, however, was looking at her the whole time. He opened his mouth to say something, but was stop by Sera. "Don't say it. You're going to be cheesy again." Jace couldn't help but let out a soft chuckle. "But you're much beautiful, Sera." She mimicked in a deep voice, which brought out another chuckle from Jace.
"But it's true!" He argued. "I could stare at you all day."
To prove his point, his eyes rested on her face. He gazed at her red curls, and wanted to know how it would feel to run his hands on them. Several freckles were splashed against her cheeks but it made her more adorable to his eyes. Her bright emerald eyes were filled with mischief, wonder, and it found its way towards his heart. By the angel, she's very beautiful. This thought had been running on his head the very moment he laid his eyes on her, and it continued up to this day, and possibly for the days to come. She was also not physically beautiful too. Her carefree attitude trapped his heart too. She lived her life everyday as if it was her last, dragging Jace along with her adventures. They spent almost their lives together –and Jace wanted that to continue.
Sera groaned but a blush was forming across her cheeks. "Stop it! You're too cheesy." She pretended to be annoyed, but a smile was creeping from her face. It made Jace smile too. His eyes soften as his golden orbs found her emerald ones. Sera didn't know why, but the atmosphere around her changed, but not in the there's-an-attacker kind. Both could feel their hearts thumping against their ribcages, and they silently wondered if the other person could hear it too.
Jace brought his hand to Sera's face. He carefully stroked the right side of her face, his hand lingering on her delicate skin. "I made it obvious, and you're smart enough to notice it." Jace began nervously, before he told himself not to be a wuss and to get it over with. He didn't know why, but words spilled out from his mouth before he could stop himself. "I like you. No scratch that, I think I'm in love with you. Ever since we were young, you and I have been inseparable. Remember that time you asked me to be your parabatai and I declined?"
How could I forget? Sera nodded. "Yes. I cried for hours thinking you don't want to be friends with me because of it. It also hurt when I saw you marked Alec with that parabatai rune."
Jace chuckled. "I declined because I knew it was forbidden to be in love with your parabatai." Sera made no movements, only the sound of her fast beating heart. "I love you, Seraphina. I know I'm only 16, and supposed to be too young to know what love is, but my heart does. It beats only for you –and it would stay that way until my heart is no longer beating."
Jace's golden eyes blared with intensity as he stared towards Seraphina's bright emeralds. Million thoughts were running through his head, but they were not making any sense. Normally, he would read her like an open book, but this time, he can't. He's not sure whether Seraphina guarded her expression or his own mind is too caught up with his emotions and he can't use his observation skills properly. He watched as those luscious lips of hers parted open to say something, and sat in total frenzy as he anticipated the words coming out from her mouth.
He started to lean closer, their noses almost touching. Emotions swirled on both of their golden and emerald irises, but the attraction between them established its way. Sera's pink luscious lips were inches away from Jace's. Jace wanted to kiss her, but he tried to control himself. Little did he know, Sera wanted to do it too.
Sera caught her breath. "What do you want be to do?" She whispered.
"Be my girlfriend, Seraphina Fairchild."
It's been 5 months since Sera said the words which brought ultimate happiness to Jace. Nothing had changed between the both of them, but the label. Jace would irk Sera by calling her sweet things. Sera hated cheesy and corny stuff; and Jace found her annoyance to be cute. However, he did not like it when Sera called him 'Jacey-poo'.
On the different light, the New York Institute suffers from frequent demon attacks. They have no idea what the demons want, but the attacks did no lasting damages other than some fissures on the walls brought by their relentless attempt to enter the institute. The wards were also weakening too, but it was not much of a problem. The head of the institute, Maryse and Robert Lightwoods, did nothing to stop the attacks. The demons were not much of a threat, since they're only small and not powerful. Maryse and Robert focused much more on bigger problems –and those demons were not one of them.
"Alec and Jace", Maryse called out as she surveyed the monitor. It displayed the front façade of the Pandemonium, a popular club that Shadowhunters and downworlders often go to. Recently, it was infested by some demons. And since mundanes go there too, it was the job of the institute to make sure it's safe. "You two will head down Pandemonium and see what's been causing this havoc. I trust that you can do this?"
Jace nodded before smirking. "Piece of cake."
The rest of the Shadowhunters were also leaving the institute due to their own missions. Frequent attacks all over New York was happening, and terrorizing the mundanes. Robert and Maryse doubted that it was a coincidence, but did not pay too much thought regarding the matter. There's almost no one left in the institute, except for Seraphina and Isabelle, who were parabatai.
"Seraphina and Isabelle", both girls silently groaned at the use of their full names. "You two will remain at the institute. Kill that pest of the demons that tries to enter. Robert and I will go Alicante, and you will safeguard this institute during our absence. I expect that everything would be in a perfect order once we get back. Do I make myself clear?" Maryse eyed the both of them, narrowing her eyes at the spark in Sera's emerald orbs. "And no parties for the both of you; or else, you're grounded for a year."
"Crystal." Seraphina mocked saluted her.
"I'm serious, Sera." Maryse said exasperatedly. Sera's gaze softened as she noticed how stressed Maryse is. Maryse looked like she aged a few years; crease lines appeared on her forehead, her mouth is always twitched down into a prominent frown, and she looked like she lost weight.
"Don't worry Maryse." Sera assured, her voice softening. "Izzy and I will take care of it." Maryse looked relieved, before nodding and walking off. Alec, Izzy, Jace and Sera stared at her retreating figure, concern etched on their faces. Sera wondered if the Clave were overworking her, if they did, it certainly showed.
The thoughts of having a party immediately vanished from Sera's head. She loved Maryse liked a mother, because her true mother died before Sera could know what a true mother is like. Maryse took her into the institute and cared for her like she was her own, and it made her grateful. Not adding to the stress Maryse was probably feeling right now is the least she could do.
Turning her attention to Jace, she smiled. "Good luck." She told him earnestly. She didn't know why, but something bothered her. She hoped that it was nothing, and she hoped that Jace and Alec would return safely.
"Where's my good luck kiss?" Jace joked. He expected Sera to playfully hit him, even though it would feel like it was not meant playfully. It took him by surprise when Sera leaned in and captured his mouth for a kiss. He wanted more, but Sera pulled away, smirking at him.
"Get moving, Jacey-poo." She cooed amusedly while Jace playfully glared at her. She waved goodbye to Alec and Jace. As she smiled at them while they leave, something uneasy settled on her stomach.
Alec withdrew his seraph blade as it shrunk before his eyes. He put it away, sensing that there are no more demons around the place. The glamour rune glistened on his skin, making mundanes oblivious to the things happening around them. His blue eyes found Jace. as he silently conveyed a message.
"I'm curious too, Alec." The blonde boy admitted. "The demons did not pose an imminent threat, but why do they looked so smug? They was killed, after all." He asked as he tried to remember his encounter with the demon.
He could remember the details very well. Five ravena demons with claws on its mouth looked like it was prepared to die. It put up a fight for a few minutes before they suddenly stopped, altogether. It was like a timer went off, and along with it, is their fight for survival. Jace and Alec only killed 2 of them, before the other 3 suddenly froze, unmoving. If they could smirk, Jace would caught them doing so. Jace and Alec's seraph blades sliced through their body, and they did not even send a leer towards their way.
No demon acted like that, until now.
"Maybe, they're just tired of fighting and knew they're no match for us." Alec guessed.
Jace wasn't too sure about that, but he let it drop. "Come on, let's join the girls on the institute."
Alec let out a low chuckle. "You just want to snog with Sera again."
"That, too." He smirked.
Isabelle never felt this distress through her entire life, until now. The institute was a mess. Monitors were broken and its pieces lie on the floor. The institute's windows were also broken, and the wards were down. She could feel the pain from the demon attack. Her leg was bleeding, but it was the least of her concern.
She groaned from the pain, and tried to limp. Her mind replayed when the three greater demons entered the institute, and they were able to do so easily because the wards are already weak from the previous attacks. She and Sera split up. One went after Sera, which looked different from the other two. The remaining went after her. Her whip was no match for the demon. The demon tore it into pieces, and threw it across the window, shattering the glass in the process. She unleashed her seraph blade, but it wasn't much of a fair fight. She heard a scream, and no doubt that it was from Sera. She wanted to help her, but one of the demons grazed her leg, which immediately started bleeding.
And after that, they immediately vanished before she could unsheathe her seraph blade again.
"Sera!" She called, the pain in her voice was noticeable. Her heart started beating faster when she did not hear any reply. "Sera, are you alright?" Her voice carried out through the silence; but no one answered. "Sera, where are you?"
"Izzy, what happened?" The voice of her brother snapped her eyes towards the front door. He eyed her in concern, before his eyes widened as he noticed her bleeding leg. Izzy collapsed, due to her strained leg and Alec immediately scooted down and dabbed a piece of clothing to his sister's leg.
Izzy's eyes found Jace's. She didn't know how to say it, but the words spilled before she can know it. "Jace, I think Sera is missing."
A/N.
This is my first fanfic xD (Well, not really but it's been years since I wrote one xD). This is only the prologue. I just want you guys to see a glimpse on Sera. Any thoughts? Leave a review!
Disclaimer: I don't own TMI and its characters.