Clary POV

"Clary, can I talk to you before you go?" Director Lightwood calls after me. I just finished my two long class.

I groan, I'm really tired and I really need a shower. "Yeah, I'll be right there," I turn my head away from her so she doesn't see me roll my eyes. I made the mistake of doing that in front of her and let's just say, she wasn't very pleased. I wipe the beads of sweat from my forehead and turn to wave off my best friend and fellow roommate, Izzy and my other best friend Maia. "I'll see you guys later."

All three of us met freshmen year when we were grouped together for a dance project and we've been inseparable ever since. I know I don't compare to them with my 5ft 2 size and my crazy red hair but I couldn't picture my life without Izzy and Maia. We all attend Alicante Academy, one of the best dance schools in the state. Most of the students, unlike me, were able to pay their way in. Not me, I'm here on scholarship and it's not been easy, I worked my butt off just to get where I am now. Ever since I started to walk, I begged my parents to let me take dance lessons. My mother was almost as excited at me when she took me to my first class. She always said that I could dance better than I could walk, which kind of gave me the boost that I needed to set a goal for my life to work towards. Which brings us to now.

There is a recital coming up at the end of the year, everyone in Director Lightwoods class is expected to present a senior piece. Scouts from every major dance company in the country will be here. A decider of everyone's future.

I walk towards Director Lightwood, "Clary, what's going on with you?" She looks at me with pity. "Your falling behind and Isabelle's told me that you've not even started your final piece yet," Izzy, being my best friend, is also Director Lightwood's daughter, her two sons Alec and Jace. I've met Alec, he graduated in my sophomore year and Jace is a Senior like me. Damn you Izzy. "Clary, you are my most promising student, I expect more from you."

"Yeah I know, I just… I'm just stressing, I'm having a bit of trouble with the routine but it'll be fine. I'm staying behind after hours to work on it." I say in a quiet voice.

"Okay then, I'm expecting you to pick it up in class tomorrow." She turns to walk out the door.

"No problem." I call after her, suddenly feeling exhausted.

"So Clary, are you coming to Pandemonium tonight?" She looks down on me. I can see the excitement in her eyes and I know that it's not just the night out, she wants to give me a makeover.

"I would but I can't, I'm gonna work on my piece," She pulls the puppy dog face on me, "oh no, don't you do that" I duck under her arm and back away from her, "Iz, I really can't," tears start pooling in her eyes, oh no, I'm started to get soft. I huff at her, "FINE," I all but shout. She squeaks and tackles me a tight hug, "yeah, get off me."

Izzy managed, under protest, to force me into a burgundy, short sleeved floaty dress that ended just above the knee, my hair is floating elegantly down my back with perfect curls, and Izzy applied smokey eyes to "make me more mysterious" as she put it Not that I'll ever tell Izzy, but I actually like the dress. It's not too provocative and I can actually move around pretty well.

Four hours later and we make it to Pandemonium. The bouncer letting us in straight away causing protests from the people waiting in line. As soon as we get in the club, I lose Izzy and Maia straight away. Sighing, I make my way to the bar. With a flash of my ID, I order my favourite yet plain vodka and coke.

My second drink in, I see someone, a male, sit in the seat next to mine. I turn to him only to find him already looking at me with golden eyes. I recognise him. "Hello Jace." His eyes widen slightly with a hint of amusement. I take a moment to take in his appearance loose, black shirt with black skinny jeans, if possible, he looks more attractive.

I take a sip of my drink. His smirk, if possible, grows wider into a grin.

"Hello Clarissa," he states. He takes a gulp from his beer bottle. Never taking his eyes off me.

Me and Jace have a weird sort of relationship. I've known him as long as Izzy and we hardly ever hang out. We don't even know that much about each other, we've fooled around before but only on drunken encounters, I don't even think he remembers them.

I look at him only to find his eyes already boring into mine. It takes most of my self-control to look away, a blush making its way on my face. I look towards the many people dancing to try and distract myself. "You dance?" he asks me.

"I go to Alicante, of course I dance," I start, "-but not like this" I point towards the people dancing.

He looks at me questioningly, "Ballet?" he asks.

I look up at him, "Not since I was nine," I look away, "I do contemporary. I have my senior piece at the end of the year, and let's just say I'm a little stuck." I look back up at him. He nods understandingly.

Selena Gomez Hands to Myself starts playing. He downs the rest of his beer and turns to me and grabs my hand, pulling me towards the dance floor.

My eyes widen in shock, "Jace, what are you doing?" He looks at me, that smirk still present.

"What do you think, come on" He pulls me onto the dance floor.

My protests are lost under the music as he pulls me into the thick crowd. It's hot and sweaty here, like walking into a sauna, and all around us are moving, pulsing dancing bodies, facing lit up with abandon, lost to the rhythm. Jace is a natural, he finds the beat right away, already moving as he leads me out to the centre of the dance floor, the beat thumping loud enough to vibrate my chest.

"Relax," he says in my ear, despite the loud music, I can still hear him, "just follow my lead."

Okay then.

I try to move, but my body feels awkward and foreign. I try to catch the beat, cringing with every pained, jerky step. I wish the ground would swallow me up. Can't he see I'm not good at this? Contemporary is a million miles from this. I'm used to precision, defined moved, carefully choreographed steps polished to perfection, not this – this chaos.

Somebody pushes behind me, knocking into me causing me to clumsily fall against Jace's chest. My face, no doubt, turning the same shade of my hair from embarrassment. "I'm sorry," I pull away from him, "I can't!"

I turn to weave through the dancing bodies towards the exit, but something grabs at my wrist pulling me back – Jace. He pulls me back in, close to his body. "Close your eyes," he tells me.

I stare up at him, confused and reeling from the heat of his torso against mine.

Jace grins down at me. "Just trust me, close your eyes."

Emotions whirling around in my chest, I just want to get out of this crowed place, but something in his playful grin makes me stop. I came here for a reason. I can't run away yet.

I take a deep breath and reluctantly do as he says. I close my eyes.

"Now, listen to the music. Just feel it." Jace's voice comes, a low, sexy growl against my ear.

A shiver runs up my spine. In the dark of my mind, my senses are suddenly heightened.

I can feel the heat from his body, just inches away, hear the pulse of the music, like a wave rolling into shore.

"Good, relax, just feel it."

His voice is like a balm on my insecurities, lulling me. I focus on the beat, the rhythm of the chords. One two three. One two three…

Almost without realising, my hips begin to move. Just small circles, but I feel it, flowing through me. And then his hands are on my waist, and his body pressed closer to mine.

I freeze for a moment, shocked at the contact. I'm used to dancing with a partner, but this – this feels so different. Unscripted and free. I have no idea what we're going to do next – and that thrills me. Jace keeps dancing and slowly, I find myself matching his rhythm, moving with his body.

Oh…

The sensation is overwhelming. The heat of him, the fell of his taut, solid torso pressing against me, the scent of him, deep and musky. With my eyes closed, there's nothing to distract me, no way to block it out or focus away. Just us: me, him and the music. Nothing else in the world.

"See? I knew you could do it."

Jace's hands reach further on my hips, drawing me into him. Our bodies slide together, and the touch is so intimate, I find it hard to breathe, to even think. My heart is racing, every nerve sparking with electricity. My body tightens with lust, tension curling deep between my thighs. I've danced with partners before, of course many times, but this is different. A sensual rhythm, like we're bound together by the beat, moving as one being.

This is what sex is like. Moving with someone, feeling their body so closely; a sweaty, delicious slide…

I want to stay locked in this dark, breathless state forever, but I want to see Jace more. I force myself to open my eye. And there he is, his golden orbs staring down at me, his face inches away from mine.

I catch my breath, dizzy. His eyes blaze ravenously under the lights, echoing everything his body is saying. He's so beautiful up close, so powerful: an angel awakening feelings I've never even dreamed about.

I want him. I want all of him.

As if reading my mind, Jace moves one hand up my back; a slow caress, hot against my skin. My eyes don't leave his, but I shiver under his touch, feeling the heat, the purpose behind his touch as his fingers trace up my spine to the back of my neck, curling to tangle in my hair.

We're moving slower now, swaying to the beat in a sensual dance. There's no space left between us, our bodies pressed together, sweaty and breathless and feeling so damn right, it's like I was made to be here, fitted to him, chest to chest, hip to hip.

Jace leans closer, closer, and I catch my breath, lost in the rhythm of our bodies, the intensity of his golden eyes, drawing me into him, so natural, it's the easiest thing in the world when he closes those last, precious inches between us, and connects my lips with his.

The kiss blazes through me like wildfire.

It's overwhelming, a flood of sensation like I've never known before, setting every nerve ablaze. My brain shuts off, short-circuited by the rush of pleasure, and all my hesitance is forgotten.

He was made for this.

I instinctively reach up, pulling his head down to me, hungry for more. Jace groans against my mouth, and then he's kissing me deeper, his lips hot and demanding, his tongue exploring, tasting me, sliding against mine in a sweet rush of friction that makes me shudder, swaying against him. Jace grips me tightly, holding me up with his strong arms and I melt into him, eager for more.

God, this kiss is heaven. A dark temptation that blots everything from my mind until that all that exists in my world is him, Jace, his lips driving me mindless, his body promising so much more.

How did I live before this feeling? How will I ever stop, knowing what I do know?

Suddenly, he breaks away. My body screams out in protest, but before I can make a sound, Jace takes my hand and leads me out of the crowd.

Jace POV

I pull her out of the club, possessed by a singular need.

I want her. I have to have her.

Now.

From the moment I met her, seeing her beautiful emerald eyes, I felt a connection beyond no words, beyond logic. Me and Clary had slept together before but this is different, stronger, knowing he soft sway of her body against mine, the silken touch of her skin.

I can't stop until she's in my bed, feeling every clench, hearing every moan, seeing her sweet lips parted in a scream of pleasure.

Clary stumbles after me. Her cheeks are flushed, her eyes glazed, staring after me.

"Where are we going?" She asks, sounding breathless.

"Somewhere a bit more…private," I answer. But the party is raging. There are people everywhere, and I know, there won't be an empty room to be found.

I pull her gently around the side of the building. Here, the music is quieter, and the shadows offer a private place to hide.

I push her up against the wall. Her beautiful eyes flare as she looks at me, and she bits her lip in hesitation. Fuck. I bring my thumb to the edge of her mouth, gently tracing back and forth.

She inhales a shudder. With a growl, I pull my hand away and claim her lips with my mouth. I kiss her hard, demanding, surging my tongue deeper in her mouth and crushing her against the wall.

She sways against me. I grip her body tighter, roving over every inch of her small body. Her dancer's waist, the slim curves of her hips and small breasts.

Clary pulls away with a gasp. I stroke over her breast again and feel her body shudder. I watch her face, see the struggle between desire and self-control. I murmur her name into her ear, teasing her nipples between my thumb and forefinger, the only restriction being the cloth of the dress. She moans in reply.

I kiss down the pale column of her throat. Her body shivering in my hands, so perfectively responsive, so ready for more.

It's intoxicating. Power mingles with lust in my blood, raging like fire. I want her, right here, right now against the wall.

My hands slide lower, teasing at her waistband. She tenses in my arms, remembering where we are, I force myself to move up again, clenching my jaw to keep control.

I trail kisses along her collarbone, feather soft, until she melts against me again. She lets out a mewl as I kiss around her neck. My member is straining against my jeans, begging for friction and release, but I'm caught up in the moment. All I want to do is touch her. Taste her. Worship her perfection.

There's suddenly a noise nearby. I lift my head. Some drunk couple stumbles around the corner, already all over each other. Clary yelps, covering herself. Without realising, I partly unzipped her dress so most of her bra was showing. I move to bloke her from view.

"S'cuse me," the man slurs. He winks at me, and pulls the woman back out of sight but it's too late, by the time I turn back around to her, she was long gone.

Clary POV

I'm walking to Director Lightwoods class when I see him again.

It's been nearly a week since I last saw him. When I last spoke to him. I've purposely been avoiding him for a long as I could. Not answering his calls, hiding out in my dorm room during meals and study time. But when I first noticed his golden locks, I could just walk away.

He's dressed in a plain black shirt that hugs his muscular torso and sweatpants that hang of his hips. He strikes a pose and I can tell he's settling into the roles, mentally taking himself out of the busy rehearsal room and into that place in his mind all dancer go, where nothing else matters but the music.

I hear some of the boys in the class start to notice me and whisper to their mates but all my focus is on him.

Only him.

The first chords ring out through the room, everyone watching poised for action, his dance partner beside him, bend in a low curtseying pose. The music builds and with it, my anticipation. Jace's face is a mask of concentration, but then, just as he reaches for his partner for the first time, his eyes meet mine across the room.

His expression changes. Just for a slip second, but I see it: a rush of happiness flitting across his face. He sends me a smile, secret and private. Then the mask comes down again and he starts to dance.

I lose myself watching him, the power, the control, the grace of his movements. It feels deeper than any other times I've seen him dance, it's deeper because I know what it's like to be there, pressed up against his body, feeling every step as if it were my own.

I hug my arms around myself, caught up in the performance – and my memory of those hands on my own body, hip to hip, skin on skin-

There's a crash in the hallway, I turn, someone dropped their guitar but it was enough of a realisation, I gasp and look down at my watch. Oh my god, I'm going to be late.

I run towards my class and only just make it when everyone is taking their places.

Coming to the end of our group dance, I hear Director Lightwood shout "Good Clary, nice!" I smile, knowing I'm back in her good graces. "Okay, everyone! Same time tomorrow, don't be late" She turns pointedly to me. I blush.

Izzy walks up to me just as I'm getting my cardigan out my back, "So…" she lets the word drift off.

I sit on the floor and look up at her. "So?" I copy her. I take off my dance shoes and replace them with my battered converse.

"So, where'd you go last night?" She looks down at me, pretending to be nonchalant while admiring her nails.

"I left early, it got too crowded for me" I said, while tying my laces, hopefully hiding the blush that's making its way onto my face.

"Oh, really? Well I think you're a liar, Miss Fray, I saw you leaving with Jace." She sat in front of me, looking me straight in the eye, great, she's going into full Spanish inquisition mode. "And by the look on your face, something happened." An evil grin finds covers her face.

I release a deep breath in defeat, "Look Isabell-"

"I'm completely fine with it, you know," She interrupts me. I gape at her.

"What?" I look at her confusingly.

"You and Jace. I remember how supportive you were when I dated your brother. It would make me kind of a bad friend if I didn't return the favour. I smile at her, genuinely touched. I'm about to reply to her when I hear my name.

"Clary?" I look up. It's Jace, his hair slightly damp with sweat, curly over his tanned face. I stand up and walk over to him. I feel Izzy follow behind me.

"Hi," I say in a small voice. He gives me another smile sending a bolt of heat straight through me.

"Hi," He releases a breath, like he knows that I'm not avoiding him anymore. My skin prickles, like I've been shocked. The effect is instant. Hot. Hard.

"Hello, dear brother," Izzy makes herself known. And Jace looking like he seen her for the first time.

"Oh, hi Iz," he's sounding awkward. I've never seen him like this. I giggle and look down at my shoes. "Clary, are you free now?" He asks. I look up at him, oh no, I've got study period. Which I'm about to tell him when Izzy opens her pipes.

"She's free," She picks up her bags and walks past me to the door, "I'll see you back in the dorm, Clary… or maybe not." She winks at me and then she leaves.

I glare at Izzy's back, hoping she feels it but I seriously doubt it. I look up at Jace just to see his eyes already blazing into mine. My heart catches in my throat. Dear God, he's mesmerizing. "So…" I blush, feeling a little awkward. "What do you wanna do know?"

His mouth turns up in a smouldering grin. He quirks his eyebrow. "What do you think?" I gulp. Oh shit. "I, um," I stutter, my mind blank. All I can think about is his lips, his hands, his body…

"Come take a walk with me." Jace puts me out of my misery, looking amused. "There's this place about a couple of blocks away, we could get coffee?" It comes out like a question.

"Great!" I exclaim, maybe a little too loudly. "I mean, lead the way." I go to pick up my bag and follow Jace out, he leans down and takes my hand in his.

I fall into step beside Jace as we stroll down the backs streets of Manhattan with coffee cups in our hands.

I begin to relax, his footsteps steady beside me. This isn't so scary, I reassure myself, taking a deep breath. Just pretend he's a friend. A six-foot, ripped, gorgeous friend, who just last night had me moaning up against a wall.

My cheeks burn at the memory.

"What got you into dance?" I ask him, to at least distract myself from thinking about last week.

He looks off into the distance, he takes a deep breath, "Before I was adopted into the Lightwoods, I think I was about 9, I saw these street dancers and I was just obsessed. They danced on this particular street corner every Wednesday and Saturday night. I never missed them. I think it just stuck with me, became my passion, along with music, of course." I look up at him.

"Music?" I ask him. He looks down at me.

"Yeah, I play piano, well and guitar but I'm not very good" He murmured the last part, I think it was trying to sound modest but I wasn't convinced.

"Can you play for me sometime?" I asked, suddenly getting excited.

"Maybe, on one condition." He says, a serious look crossing his face. I frown.

"What?" I ask, genuinely curious.

"Can I ask you a question, and you have to answer truthfully" He says, coming to a stop at a bench and sits down. I join him.

"Okay then, ask away." I ask suddenly worried.

"Why were you avoiding me? And this morning? I saw you and the next minute you were gone." He asked, hurt crossing over on his face.

I had no idea he cared that much. I grab his hand and lace my fingers with his. "I'm sorry about this morning. I was on my way to class and I walked pass your rehearsal, I was going to watch you but I was going to be late for my lesson. And as for this week," I hesitate, "I don't know, I don't think I have an excuse other than that I was scared." He frowns.

"Scared?" He asks, surprised. I nod in response.

"I thought that because, I feel so strongly for you, I couldn't bear the rejection." I say quietly, I look down at our link hands.

I feel him, remove his hand from mine. Here it comes. I screw my eyes together, willing the tears not to come but as always they don't listen.

I feel hand at either side of my face, pulling it up. I open my eyes to see Jace leaning down, I close them again and I feel our lips connect. It feels just as good, if not, better than last night. We both pull away, breathless. "Who said anything about rejection. Clary, I love you, I always have." He breathed out. I sat there in shock. I see hurt slowly make its way on to Jace's face. "It's okay if you don't feel the sam-"

Before I even think about it, I push up and land a kiss on his lips. Placing my hand on his cheek. "Shut up, Jace, I love you too" His eyes widen, and a grin forms on his face and he pulls his lips back to mine.

We are in Jace's apartment, rehearsing for my senior piece as he has a sort of rehearsal space, it's a lot easier than him traveling all the way back to school to help, so we just practice here.

Jace was all too willing to be my dance partner and to help me out with my routine. We are now going over our finished set.

I am standing staring at myself in the dance mirrors, as Birdy Wings starts playing around me, Jace walks up to me and we start moving. We circled each other, our gaze remained locked. Jace placed his hand on my back, my hand on his shoulder, and our free hands finally met. Together, we danced to the music, our feet in perfect sync to the beating of my heart. As the song progressed I felt relaxed, and allowed a small smile to form on my lips. He was perfect.

He turned elegantly, his body in tune with the slow music. Yet, there was a sort of harshness to him, like he was someone who shouldn't be underestimated. I didn't quite care at the moment. The warmth between us grew more powerful by the second. My heartbeat was growing steadily along with it. Our dance was perfect; everything from our breathing to how our feet moved stayed in sync. If, by the end of this dance my breath is taken away, I would know the exact reason why.

Jace guided me across the dance floor as if we were in a dream. He kept his eyes on me, yet still, he knew exactly where to take me. Every moment, every angle planned in advanced. Nothing felt forced; I literally thought I was floating.

That was when I decided to let ago. Let my worries, my pain, and sorrow go. Right here, right now I was living. Nothing else seemed to matter anymore; I allowed him to take me anywhere he pleased on this dance floor. He went right, I went right. He sped up, I sped up. We became one with the song, with the dance and with each other. We continue like that until we had to separate, though I was sad to be away from his warmth. When the song ended I couldn't help but smile at him. In that very hour I wondered why I didn't see it before. Terrance was the one for me. In my eyes, and because of that dance, I can see how perfect he truly is.

I smile at him, I put my hand up against his cheek and around his neck and pull him close until our lips locked. He moved both his hands to cradle my face. At first, the kiss was small but then, it grew bigger and more intense. I suddenly felt pain in my spine as he pushed my against the wall, with many things happening all at once. He grabs me at the waist and picks me up and I hook my ankles around his waist and he hold me and starts walking, never releasing his lips.

He walks towards his bed and gently lowers me down, and without any thought I pull him on top of me, keeping my legs wrapped around his waist. I managed to flip us over so I was straddling him, never letting our lips disconnect, he sits up moving his hands to my back and up to my top button he unclasps it and my dress becomes loose, pulling my arms out the sleeves so my dress is pooling at my waist, our lips meet almost immediately with my hands exploring his chest, moving my hands down towards the zipper on Jace's jeans, he then somehow manages to shimmy out of his jeans with me still straddling him. He has no idea what he does to me, I may make myself appear confident on the surface but on the inside I'm a quivering mess, Jace makes me feel a way I never could dream possible and he sets my stomach on fire with every glace, makes my insides melt with every touch. I've always been confident but Jace is unmatchable, so it was always difficult for anyone to feel attractive near him. He moves his hands and puts them on my thighs under my dress and ever so slowly moves his hands up my waist to my ribcages, taking my dress with them and pulls it over my head. "I love you." He whispers. My breath leaves my body as I look at Jace. He looks unsure for a moment until I chuckle at him and lean down and kiss him with love and passion. "I love you too" I peck small kisses all over his face and when I pull back to look at him, I am faced with a big cheshire grin, I smile back at him and our lips meet once more.

He flips me over so he's on top of me, he starts kissing me...everywhere, from her legs, his kisses travelled upward, which each and every kiss adding fuel to the fire in the pit of my stomach, my moans getting louder with each kiss. Jace's kisses both of my hips, moving upwards over my navel, my stomach, in-between my breasts up to my neck and back to my lips. Lifting his hand, he brushed my hair away from my face their chests pressing against each other with both of us trying to catch our breaths.

I arch my back up and reach to undo the clasp of my bra and throwing it aside. "Clary, you're beautiful," he breathed as he reached her breasts with trembling hands at first and then caressed me with more confidence. He moved his hands in ways that made waves of heat rush over me, and each touch flipping on another level of desire that had never been reached before, not even with past boyfriends.

Jace's hands then moved back down to my hips and then down my legs pulling my panties off, I slightly arch my back offering a little bit of help and he goes to take off his own boxers so we're both bare. Since Jace had come in to my life, I have seen some pretty amazing things but the way Jace was looking at me in that moment, nothing in the world could compare. In this moment everything disappeared but me and Jace. The scent of his hair mixed with sweat, the feel of his muscles contracting under my hands and the way our bodies were moving against each other. Their hands going everwhere. Only when I heard the sound of ripping foil, that I had become all too familiar with in my mature years, I knew there was no going back from this, no going back to being 'just friends' this was it. Joy filled me, all I wanted was to be closer to Jace and now it was finally happening the longing only intensified. When we looked into each others eyes we knew how right it felt, I nodded to him, urging him forward. He looked down at me with his characteristic love and determination, a small loving smile on his lips. His eyes were as if they were holding all the secrets of my heart. Our hips pressed together and we are one. Jace's movements was the lead I needed to start moving in ways that caused Jace's eyes to role back into his head. We moved in rhythmic motion as if we were back in the living room dancing without a care in the world, as if we were the only thing that mattered. We moved as one in the same way that our souls are joined. With each movement, I felt myself being pushed further towards the edge of desire.

There wasn't a doubt in my mind that Jace's ego was getting a kick out of this allowing himself to move in a firm yet gentle motion that was causing me to moan involuntary and shudders spreading throughout my whole body. We were nearing the same edge by the way his body shook against mine. His moans were like secrets of his heart being whispered in my ear. We both arched in completion holding on to each other as if we were the air to each others lungs unwilling to let each other go. We both collapsed onto the bed, not letting each other go, not saying anything, just listening to each others heartbeats.