Chapter 1- Demons And Shadowhunters
Magnus whacked the last beat in his drums and I strummed the last cord on my guitar. I whipped my fiery hair back and screamed 'thank you' into the microphone. Magnus, Simon and I bowed as applause rumbled through the crowd. We basked in the praise before walking off stage. The assistant handed me a towel and I wiped the sweat from my head. Nonchalantly, I threw the towel at the assistant and slung my electric across my back.
"Wow, good job tonight demons! " I cried pulling Mags and Si into a tight hug. Our band, The Demons, just did support for the biggest pop band in history. The Shadowhunters. This was our first night on tour with them. Our Mortal Instruments tour was going around America and finishing in our home town NYC. We were completely different styles of music but some how, it fitted fine. You see our band do heavy rock and The Shadowhunters do pop.
"Hey hey Demons! Great job out there! " Jace called from down the hall. I broke away from Mags and Si before turning around.
"Dressed to please the fangirls I see. " I rolled my eyes at his outfit, or lack of one. Jace was wearing bleached skinny jeans and high top trainers. He wore a shirt which was completely undone. It exposed his toned golden chest.
"Dressed to please to rockers I see, Fire Imp" he retorted and gestured to my body. I looked self-consciously at my clothes. I wore knee high black studded boots over black leather trousers. I had a red corset on under a short sleeved snake skin black leather jacket. I had elbow high lace gloves, lots of bracelets and an intricately designed choker as my accessories. Heavy black make up caked my face and my red hair was back combed messily. I looked at Mags for help who just shrugged in his black suit. I huffed out a breath of air and Jace started chuckling. Alec and Jordan, Jace's band mates, came around the corner in similar outfits to Jace. Simon lent his base against the wall and waved at Jordan. Alec and Jordan stood on either side of Jace and Magnus, Simon and I stood opposite them.
"I had myself a little idea." Jace said imitating Simon Pegg's voice from At World's End. "We need to celebrate our first night on tour so I've got hold of some beer and we're going to have a drink later, just the six of us." At the moment, we were all crashing in the penthouse room of the most expensive hotel in Miami. Due to our fame statuses (More The Shadowhunters than ours) we got in the hotel for free. Jace's band was huge, the biggest, but ours was only the biggest in the rock industry. This tour was hopefully going to boost our popularity.
"Wow, I was half expecting you to say 'I'm going to bring back the most plastic girls here and we can all have a gang bang'" I snorted. "This is unlike you." Jace winked at me. We had all gone to school together and were all on the same music course. We never really liked each other but we weren't enemies. However, we had always had friendly banter going between us about our style.
"Shadowhunters, your on in a minute." The assistant informed the boys. Alec thanked him and the assistant scurried back over to the stage entrance.
"Break a leg boys!" I called to them as they followed the assistant. Jace, Jordan and Alec all took a microphone and walked onto the stage. I smiled at their fleeting forms and went with Magnus and Simon into the audience. I lost the boys nearly straight away when we walked into the mosh pit. I shoved my way to the front of the crowd through the thousands of screaming girls and leant against the fence.
(Italics Bold and underline= All. Bold=Jace Underline=Jordan Italics=Alec)
"Don't ever say you're lonely
Just lay your problems on me
And I'll be waiting there for you
The stars can be so blinding
When you get tired of fighting
You know the one you can look to" Jace sung into the mic. He gave adoring fans winks and blew them kisses. I rolled my eyes at him.
"When the vision you have gets blurry
You don't have to worry,
I'll be your eyes
It's the least I can do,
'Cause when I fell, you pulled me through" Jordan crooned in his sweet voice. The three boys danced around the stage before all singing the poppy chorus.
"So you'll know that
I'll carry you, I'll carry you, I'll carry you
So you'll know that
I'll carry you, I'll carry you, I'll carry you"
"I know it's been a long night, but now I'm here it's alright
I'll do my walking in your shoes
We'll take each step together, 'til you come back to centre
You know that I know the real you" Lot's of girls cry out as Alec sings. I laugh out loud at their foolishness and Jace catches my eye and smiles at me knowingly. Only me, Jace, Magnus, Jordan, Simon and Isabelle (Alec's sister and Jace's adopted sister) know that Alec is gay and is dating Magnus. The silly fangirls who think they have a chance with him!
And when the vision you have gets blurry
You don't have to worry,
I'll be your eyes
That's the least I can do,
'Cause when I fell, you pulled me through
So you'll know that
I'll carry you, I'll carry you, I'll carry you
So you'll know that
I'll carry you, I'll carry you, I'll carry you
Like you've been running for hours and can't catch your breath
The demons are screaming so loud in your head
You're tired, you're broken, you're cut and you're bruised
When life feels too heavy – just hold on, I'll carry you
I'll carry you
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
So you'll know that
I'll carry you, I'll carry you, I'll carry you
So you'll know that
I'll carry you, I'll carry you, I'll carry you
So you'll know that
I'll carry you, I'll carry you, I'll carry you
So you'll know that
I'll carry you, I'll carry you, I'll carry you"Jace sung the last verse with his eyes locked lovingly on mine. I couldn't think about what this meant because applause and screams erupted in the building. The girls behind me surged forward crushing me against the fence. I spun around quickly and growled at them giving them evils. The girls recoiled slightly before one of them screamed again.
"OMG YOUR CLARY! I LOVE YOU FIRE IMP!" The girl did our bands symbol (Making your fingers into devil horns) and I groaned. I'd had enough of this. Quickly, I hopped over the fence that separated the audience from the cameras and the stage. I flashed my ID at the security who had come over and they went away again. I leaned against the fence and looked back at Jace who was chuckling.
"My good friend Clary Fray everyone." He announced and pointed down at me. I glared at him but he laughed again and hauled me onto the stage. "Who wants to hear a little bit about my past?" He said into the mic. The girls in the audience shouted again. Jace had this thing where he wouldn't tell interviewers anything so not many of his fans know much about his life. Alec came over and ruffled my red hair and Jordan took my hand. Jace slung his arm over my shoulder and huddled me into his side.
"Ah, Clary Fray, one of our close friends and lead singer and guitarist of the band that just performed, The Demons. All you Demon fans will know her better as Fire Imp." Alec said into his own mic. You might be wondering why everyone is calling me Fire Imp. Me, Magnus and Simon all have nicknames of demons. I'm Fire Imp, Simon is Ravenor and Magnus is Speed.
"A little minx but we love her." Jordan added and my cheeks flushed.
"We have known each other since 1st grade. Our first lesson ever was music and we both went to pick up the same guitar. My hand clamped over hers. I looked up from our hands and met her emerald eyes. I picked up the acoustic guitar next to the electric we both went for and we sat and jammed together. I didn't hear her sing until third grade and wow! We were friends right threw and then something happened over that summer. On the first day at high school, she turned up looking like a little rock chick with her electric strung across her back. We weren't as close friends and we formed rival bands. This is how The Shadowhunters and The Demons were formed. When we graduated, record labels signed us both and now, here we are. On tour together. Just to think that all this happened over an electric guitar." Jace said into the mic. He turned to me and smiled at me. Why was he bringing up our childhood and being so friendly? Then he did the strangest thing. He bent down and placed a kiss on my cheek. This time I froze in complete shock and Jordan, Alec and Jace all laughed.
"You know the lyrics and chords to Jesus Of Suburbia by Green Day?" Alec whispered into my ear and I nodded stiffly. "Go along with this and you'll be fine, just a little on stage improvising. We already have a drummer and bassist so all we need is you." Alec whispered again and I could feel a grin form on my lips. Jordan had some how gotten my guitar from back stage and was now thrusting it into my arms.
"You guys ready for a little rock pop fusion?" Jace screamed into the mic and the audience cheered. Jace nodded at me and I strummed out a made up introduction to the song. I nodded at Jace and he started singing.
(Italics Bold and underline= All. Bold=Jace Underline=Jordan Italics=Alec Normal= Clary)
"I'm the son of rage and love
The Jesus of Suburbia
From the bible of none of the above
On a steady diet of" This is where Alec joined in. I smiled, they must have planned this because Jordan was doing a harmony.
"Soda pop and Ritalin
No one ever died for my sins in hell
As far as I can tell
At least the ones I got away with" The boys switched so Jordan was now singing the tune.
"And there's nothing wrong with me
This is how I'm supposed to be
In a land of make believe
That don't believe in me" All three sang the next part and I tested a harmony over the top. It worked a charm and Jace grinned at me.
"Get my television fix
Sitting on my crucifix
The living room or my private womb
While the Mom's and Brad's are away
To fall in love and fall in debt
To alcohol and cigarettes
And Mary Jane
To keep me insane,
Doing someone else's cocaine
And there's nothing wrong with me
This is how I'm supposed to be
In a land of make believe
That don't believe in me" My guitar changed here for the next part, city of the damned.
"At the centre of the Earth
In the parking lot
Of the 7-11 where I was taught
The motto was just a lie" Jace sung and Alec took over.
"It says home is where your heart is
But what a shame
'Cause everyone's heart
Doesn't beat the same
It's beating out of time" Then something odd happened. Jordan took over in a new found AC/DC style voice
"City of the dead
At the end of another lost highway
Signs misleading to nowhere
City of the damned
Lost children with dirty faces today
No one really seems to care" The boys all screamed the nest bit out and I lost myself in the guitar.
"I read the graffiti
In the bathroom stall
Like the holy scriptures of a shopping mall
And so it seemed to confess
It didn't say much
But it only confirmed that
The centre of the earth
Is the end of the world
And I could really care less
City of the dead
At the end of another lost highway
Signs misleading to nowhere
City of the damned
Lost children with dirty faces today
No one really seems to care
"I don't care if you don't
I don't care if you don't
I don't care if you don't care" Jace sang.
"I don't care if you don't
I don't care if you don't
I don't care if you don't care" Jordan sang
"I don't care if you don't
I don't care if you don't
I don't care if you don't care" Alec sang
"I don't care if you don't
I don't care if you don't
I don't care if you don't care" The boys sang together.
"I don't care
Everyone is so full of shit
Born and raised by hypocrites
Hearts recycled but never saved
From the cradle to the grave
We are the kids of war and peace
From Anaheim to the middle east
We are the stories and disciples
Of the Jesus of suburbia
Land of make believe
And it don't believe in me
Land of make believe
And it don't believe
And I don't care!
I don't care!
Dearly beloved are you listening?" Jace looked at me funny and I realised I had started singing along as well. I shut up embarrassed but he egged me on. The crowd joined in egging me on and I continued singing. The three boys did the 'oo-ing' in the background.
"I can't remember a word that you were saying
Are we demented or am I disturbed?
The space that's in between insane and insecure
Oh, therapy, can you please fill the void?
Am I retarded or am I just overjoyed?
Nobody's perfect and I stand accused
For lack of a better word, and that's my best excuse" I let the boys take over here.
"To live and not to breathe
Is to die in tragedy
To run, to run away
To find what you believe
And I leave behind
This hurricane of fucking lies
I lost my faith to this
This town that don't exist
So I run, I run away
To the lights of masochists
And I leave behind
This hurricane of fucking lies
And I walked this line
A million and one fucking times
But not this time
I don't feel any shame, I won't apologize
When there ain't nowhere you can go
Running away from pain when you've been victimized
Tales from another broken home
You're leaving...
You're leaving...
You're leaving...
Ah you're leaving home... " The song finished and the crowd cheered. I smiled and put my guitar onto my back. Jace took my hand and pumped it into the air. Jordan did the same with Alec's hand and the crowd cheered more.
"Thank you!" Jace called into the mic and the cheers finally died down. "We sounded quite good as a rock band. Ever consider leaving Mags and Si and coming to The Shadowhunters? It'd be one less Demon to fight." Jace winked and I thumped him lightly in the stomach.
"That was weird. I never imagined that I'd perform with the most poppy band in the universe." I grinned. "Anyway, you guys enjoy the rest of the set." I whispered the next part to boys away from the mic "And I'll see you in a bit for our celebration." After a final wave to the crowd, I waltzed off the stage and went back to my dressing room. I chucked my guitar into it's gig bag and stripped out of my work clothes. I picked my after gig clothes from my bag and walked into the bathroom of the dressing room. I had a quick shower and teased the knots out of my hair when I got out. I pulled on some black tights and torn and studded black shorts. Roughly, I pulled my Ac/Dc top over my head and tucked it into my shorts. I put my boots and leather jacket back on before drying my hair. When I was done, I put on my black beanie and redid my make-up. I put my work clothes into my black pageboy bag and picked up my gig bag. I made my way back to the stage exit but heard no music so I went to Jace's stage door. I knocked once and waited. A couple of seconds later, Jace answered the door still in his stage clothes. He leaned against the door jamb.
"Hey Fire Imp." He smiled down at me lazily.
"Hey Golden Boy." I smile up at him.
"You did good on stage tonight. I think we should record a single together. You know, just me and you." He smiled down at me again before hastily adding "I mean only if you want to" I chuckled at him.
"I would love to Jace." His eyes raked down my face and rested on my lips. Jace started leaning into me. Once again, I froze in shock. Jace pulled back quickly and ran a hand through his hair.
"We should probably go and celebrate." Jace said in a cool tone. I shot him a tight smile before he led me down the corridor. We rounded up the others and headed back to the hotel.