Disclaimer:All characters belong to Cassandra Clare. I'm merely using them for non-profit entertainment purposes..
Right now, I wish, really, truly, wish that someone will tell me I'm hallucinating. That I am delusional..That the rough nights have taken its toll on me, befuddling my mind, taunting me with dangerous visions. Or probably these are the first signs I'm going nuts. I will have to pull out from the academy, and get myself enrolled in Nut School and then…..Shit. This is not the time, Clary.I mentally chided myself .
But….Something in me snaps. Why the hell is this creature in a warded bookstore! The wards I have gotten Alec to place around this sanctuary of mine is supposed to prevent any of these..these creatures from stepping foot here. This is the only place where I'm free from the confines of a professional shadow hunter!The only place where I can let my guards down and yet be assured that I will be safe! Apparently,that's not the case anymore.A tiny little voice at the back of my head whispers.
I clear my throat. "Excuse me, no making out in the library. Please obey the rules and if your dense brains can't comprehend any of it, then leave this instant"
That got his attention. He is turning to face me now. This dangerous creature, who by the looks of it, is seething with rage too. His skin glimmers a warm buttery golden glow. ( A dead giveaway that he is clearly and obviously not a human) His eyebrows arch in annoyance and his fathomless gold eyes fix on me.( Clearly not human either). Despite his rumpled blonde hair, he still looked…I gulp.. Beautiful. And thus, insanely dangerous in my book. My skin tingle at his fixated glare and I try not to shudder when I catch sight of the pair of white,white wings on his back, soft feathers speckled with gold dust at the edges. But if he holds on to his glamour, only one of his kind and people like me ( shadowhunters) are able to see him in his true form.
The girl in his embrace pulls herself from his arm, a little unwillingly I must add. Her face is flushed and her top button is undone. Talk about getting lower than low. "Jeesh, Jace, Didn't I tell you to come to my place instead of here. It-" Her eyes sweeps over the ceiling walls in one swift motion, "reeks of books and boredom. Only freckled freaks will consider it a haven"She splayed her fingers on the her Jaces's chest and give me a deep, cold stare, as if to tell me to back off her property.
Freckled freaks?Better a freak than a dim-witted slut.
"Aline". I give a slight nod, trying not to roll my eyes an call her names. Because I'm a shadowhunter and professional shadowhunters don't lose their temper.
"Clarissa. Fancy seeing you here," she smiles sweetly(sickly)Did I ever mention that I hate being called Clarissa? Oh, she knows. She's just trying to piss me senseless."Oh, I forgot .You work here like 24/7 don't you. Why don't,- "
" Why don't you go get a room, Aline. You know to, continue doing whatever you were doing with it," I interrupt her, all the while glaring pointedly at this Jace. He has no right to be here. How had he gotten past the wards. If Aline have had a hand in this, oh, she's going to get it. A shadow hunter at that. And then just like that, my stupid gaze has to fall on the soft, pure white feathers. Is it really as soft as it looks…If I extend my hands out,will I-
"I am an it, human?," The Jace's words were soft and calm, yet it was tempered with an edge that stroke like a razor across my skin. I have forgotten all about him. " You are degrading me to a mere animal?"
Satisfaction is plastered on Aline's face. Hah! Her face said. You are sooo dead.
My spine stiffen" You are admitting that you aren't one of us" I blurted, avoiding his question " You refer to me as human". I'm losing all my cool, so not cool.
" You already know I am not one of your kind "
"Do not"
Rule 1: Don't ever let them know who you are. Don't ever, ever let them know that you can see past their façade. If you want to live...
I have broken the one major rule in the book.
I am told that I am not to cuss
But in such a situation…
Fuck.
I think that sums it all up.
"Do too"
"Do not"
"Liar," He says smoothly. For one moment I thought I see a flash of pain, of regret deep in his bottomless golden eyes. I am struck with a funny feeling of déjà vu. Been there, done it before kind of feeling. Before I can comprehend it , its is gone, leaving me to wonder if I have imagined it.
Aline looks like she wants to eat me up whole." Quit it. I'm getting bored of your sick attention seeking games, Clary. Why don't you leave us. I am sure the library needs you,"More than we do, Her eyes says
" I'm not moving an inch . Not until you leave."I state vehemently. Not until it leaves
" We will leave," The stupid it says. "Come, Aline. We will head to your place. And you-" he turns with languid grace to face me, " I am not done with you." I will be meeting you again,Shadowhunter
I want to cower in fear. I didn't know angel play mind games. No one ever told me that. And this one sure did.
I take a deep breath, trying to calm myself. I focus my thoughts on the ladders which slide on oiled rollers from one section to another. Seeing it glide from one end to another calms me to a certain degree. And when I am calm, I can think. Think how to not die. Perhaps, Luke will know.
Luke is in charge of the Academy. That's where all the shadowhunters acquire their kick-ass skills, learn everything there is to know about fighting the damned creatures of the night, make glass steeles, draw runes… Oh well, that's where we learn to survive. Period.
What was I doing, giving myself away, really. The only time when they figure out who we are is when the steeles are stuck firmly in their hearts. They take our secrets to their grave.
Not the other way round.
I don't know the first thing there is to know about Angels. Luke hardly mentioned anything about angels. But then only one thing mattered. He did tell us that they were dangerous. Not to be trusted. And that was all we needed to know. Is that all I really need to know right now?
"Izzy, will you be alright on your own? I need to see Luke," I ask my shadowhunter partner over my shoulders as I march to the front entrance, my bag slung over my shoulders
"What are you hiding from me now, Clary Fray?" She looks up from the books she are arranging, her eyebrows are pulled together, concern written all over her face.
Sometimes, I think she can see through me. "Nothing. Luke needs me for something," I pull off an effortless shrug. And sometimes, I think I am too good an actor.
She scans my face for a moment, looking for signs of treachery and then lets me off .
As I push open the doors, an icy blast of wind hits my face. It's the time of year when the temperature takes a deep plunge. I remind myself as I turn into a street. So, It should be normal. Note the should be. Which means that it isn't. Something is not right. A thin tendril of panic unfurls in my chest and then realization slams down upon me. But it's too late.
The it is here. Right in front of me. Within touching distance. What does he want? He inches closer. Waves of undiluted anger roll of his body. I take a tiny step backwards. I want to scream and scream and scream for Izzy, for Luke, for anyone but nothing comes out . Because his slender, fingers are curled tightly around my neck....
