Well, 'Existence' is finished! And here is our next Clace story. I was reading The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stievater when this idea came to mind. The horses sounded so demonic and terrifying that I thought "hey, how about we actually make them demon horses?" and this idea was born. I was taking notes even while writing Existence for this. You don't need to have read that book to read this fic, as it's really different after the prologue to TSR. It's rated M because well, since when did I write a story that didn't have some sexy moments in? And this one certainly will sooner rather than later. It's AU of course, but everyone's still a Shadowhunter etc. I've been really excited to start writing this, so I hope you guys like it! I'll carry it on if, as usual, enough people want me to continue. So drop me those reviews and let's get this wild ride started! Whoops, this rambled on for a while! Onwards to the prologue and I hope you enjoy it! x Nicola

I don't own TMI or TSC. Sobs.

Untamed.

10 years ago

The boy with the ragged hair the precise same color as sunlight wanted to shiver in the morning air, but his pride wouldn't allow it. Cold and cruel was the breeze blowing through the snowy valleys of Idris. The horses with eyes as red as rubies and hides as black as the midnight sky snarled and twisted at their riders, sharp and deadly hooves slashing at the air as well as ground. Someone had lost a finger already. Someone would probably die before the afternoon arrived.

But the boy's pride did stretch enough to ask his father with wide, almost begging eyes. "Don't do this. Demon's Run is impossible! The snow… the ice… LakeLyn won't be frozen completely over. Not this year."

Stephen Herondale chuckled, sidestepping a horse with a tail as long and deadly as a whip. "Oh Jace, my boy… do you still fear them?" He reached out a hand to ruffle his son's hair, but the boy merely stepped away. "I do not fear them Father." He did fear them. Only one thing in the world could make him have nightmares, and it was those half equine, half demon creatures. They were abominations. But so beautiful. Their cries pierced the night. When he'd been even younger, he'd watch from his bedroom window in the city of Alicante as the horses raced outside the wards, unable to come in. Sometimes they'd look like true horses. A truly powerful glamour that deceived even Shadowhunter eyes.

The wild Shadow Horses, the equi umbra, they were the most dangerous. And the fastest.

Which made them all the more desirable, even though the risks were often fatal. It wasn't uncommon to see a family missing a member because of the races. Every family had at least one person who had raced. It was rare to see a Shadowhunter family who had never participated. It was twisted, but it was entertainment. Entertainment of the most dangerous sort.

Pounding hooves shook the ground now. Jace didn't even need to turn around to see who it was. His father laughed, eyes sparkling as he turned to the horse and its rider. The horse was as white as the man's hair, something more than rare in equi umbra. But then, it was Valentine Morgenstern after all. A powerful man with a powerful horse below him.

But Jace's eyes weren't on the man as he slid from his steed; it was on the two figures that had been sitting before him.

One of them he knew already. Jonathan. The boy, even at seven years old like himself, was the spitting image of his father with his white blonde hair and midnight eyes. Like the horse he was riding, the boy held a deadly grace to match the elder Morgenstern's. Jace was sure that when Jonathan was older, he'd be an unparalleled Shadowhunter. Even though they were in the same class, they weren't friends. Where Jace had a massive gaggle of friends, drawn to him like a moth to flame, Jonathan didn't.

It was… strange. His father was one of the most influential Shadowhunter's alive, and his son was a recluse.

Jace knew he had a little sister, but had never seen her. Until now. She was petite, about six years old with a large volume of seemingly untamable ginger hair. Her emerald eyes were round and big, freckles spattering her cheeks. Jonathan leaned forwards, saying something into his younger sister's ear. She scowled and slid from the horse herself. Or at least, tried. Her foot slipped on the stirrups, causing her to crash to the snowy floor with a cry of pain and surprise.

As he watched, Valentine turned away from his friend and bent down, picking up the little girl into his arms with a sigh of, "Clarissa. Stop messing around."

She scowled at that and Jace couldn't help but secretly smirk to himself.

He now took in what she was wearing. It was a type of Shadowhunter gear made especially for the racer's families. The actual race gear was exactly the same as hunting gear, but more rigid and tougher in places like at the knees and elbows. Most of the time, when a rider fell off, his knees or ankles would be the first to take a hit. But the tougher, older Shadowhunters were prone to not wearing them. Or the younger, cockier ones.

This year, Valentine Morgenstern was wearing the thick leather pants and equally as padded boots. But even though it was starting to snow lightly once more, his arms were bare in his black t-shirt. His muscled arms were inked with runes, family ring glittering on his finger. But as Jace watched, he tugged the ring off and placed it in his daughter's hand, saying in a low voice, "look after this for me Clarissa." The girl smiled and closed her fingers around it. And then Valentine set her down upon the floor, turning to his son.

"Now then Jonathan," he started. "Why is Bellator stock still?" Jace was confused, but then realized it was the name of the pure white horse. Warrior, Jace understood. The horses name was the Latin word for Warrior.

And he knew why the horse was still before Jonathan even answered. "Because his eyes are covered? It makes them more docile."

Valentine nodded. "But they are never pets. Never creatures to be babied or trusted. Never, ever trust one. You'll understand when you start to race."

Jace watched the boy grin, his midnight eyes sparkling. "I can't wait." And then he saw Clary- her nose was wrinkled up while her fingers toyed with her father's ring.

But now Jace's attention was back on his own father as a shout for the racers to line up came through the chilly air. His heart was starting to race with exhilaration and fear. In a few minuets, the race would start. Dashing over LakeLyn. Jace just prayed that the lake was completely frozen over. Winter was usually harsh and unforgiving, but this year it had been so light. Gentle. The lake had apparently been checked, found satisfactory, but Jace couldn't relax. He nor his father cared about the money or the medals of victory, it was more about their family name. The honor of being a multiple Demon's Run winner. That was power in their world.

Stephen Herondale crouched down before his son, zipping up his jacket before buckling a strap across his chest that would protect his heart if he fell. "I'll see you in a few minuets, yes?"

Jace nodded, a smile spreading across his face. "You better win."

The elder man laughed. "It's what I'm good at." And with that, he hitched himself up onto the back of the horse. Jace heard a low snarl, not a whinny. Stephen raised a hand in farewell towards his son before turning away towards the unofficial starting line where all the blindfolded horses were lined up. For now, they were quiet. But not for much longer.

Valentine's horse was minus its blindfold already, and its screeches and rattling snarls sent shivers down Jace's spine. It was a powerful, terrifying beast. Only the most skilled, most… well, most stupid and reckless of riders would take one like that. But Valentine was neither. He was experienced with a side of cocky. He was good and every single Shadowhunter knew it.

And then all the blindfolds were off. The snapping and snarling began. As Jace watched, he found himself frozen to the floor. One horse had fangs. Another had a barbed tail. He found them beautiful in a twisted way. And also found them disgusting. Their riders were Shadowhunters. Their mandate was to kill demons, not breed lethal demon horses and race them. It was unnatural. But Jace couldn't help but be fascinated by how powerful the beasts were. Some even had talons instead of hooves. He'd often wondered how they could run so fast with them. Their breathes were coming out in clouds of dense white, making them look even more twisted.

While lost in his thoughts of demonic horses, there was a shout and it began.

The screeching of hooves and claw against ice made Jace wince, but his eyes never left the back of the rider with the sandy hair. Or at least, it looked it as the snow started to fall heavier.

There was a whoop from Jonathan Morgenstern as he dashed over to his sister, grabbing her arm and attempted to drag her towards the finishing line a little further away, but she wouldn't move from her spot. The riders would U-turn as soon as they were over the lake.

Jace lost sight of his father in the mass of snapping fangs and forked tongues, bone and blood. The ice was stained a crimson red, stark against the white.

And then he caught sight of Valentine Morgenstern on his white steed, ahead in the front with another that Jace recognized as his father. They'd made the U-turn first.

As Jace watched, it was like the white horse snapped at his father, catching something for sure, for the midnight horse flinched away and suddenly it was down. A leg had vanished as the ice gave way.

Jace felt a new kind of ice freezing his veins as the distant crack sounded. And then the whole horse vanished underneath into the waters of LakeLyn. His father as well.

He didn't pause to think as he dashed forwards, narrowly avoiding the pure white horse as it stormed past the finishing line.

Hands caught his shoulders, yanking him back. A voice in his ear, "Jace stop-! It's too dangerous! There are horses without their riders wandering the ice!"

"Let me go-!" he was snarling. As feral as the equi umbra. But he knew it was too late. There was nothing to be done. By the time help got there, both horse and his father would be dead. He probably was dead by now. Either from the sheer freezing temperature of the water, the crushing weight as it pressed down on him. Or hurt on the ice. And then there was the water itself. It was lethal.

His father had known the risks of racing a demonic horse, yet still chose to. And now he'd paid the price.

Jace didn't know who the hands holding him back belonged to. He didn't care. His father was dead. Gone. There was no more family left to take him in.

The snow was cold under his knees as they came into contact with the ground, and Jace was sure the tears burning in his eyes would freeze in a minuet or two.

I'm the last one, Jace realized with an internal jolt of horror. The last Herondale.

-Review! :D