Second Chapter Phew! Firstly, thank you to everyone who reviewed! You are all lovely, lovely people! Cookies for you all! Secondly, I am very sorry for the long wait of this chapter, I was a bit low on inspiration, writers block can be such a pain in the butt! But here it is. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: all belongs to Cassandra Clare. I own nothing but this little bunny idea!
Ten Years Later…
Tessa Lightwood sat in front of her cream, rounded mirror. The table in front of her was lined with perfume, hair pieces and other bits and pieces that belonged to a woman's dressing table.
Carol brushed her brown hair, light soft strokes, pulling it away from her pale rounded face that stared blankly back at her in the mirror. It was the same expression that had stared back at her every evening on the twenty third of December.
It was the Annual Shadowhunter Christmas Party. This year the New York institute was holding the celebrations.
But to Tessa it never held much joy. It was a night filled with jealousy, desire, hunger, pain and always having the reminder of a beautiful past been lost.
It was a possibility they wouldn't come this year, Tessa thought to herself as Carol twisted her hair up into a brilliant bun. After all, he had never been very keen on the Conclave especially with his father in law within a position of power.
"There you are mistress," said Carol slipping the last silver pin in place and standing back to admire her work, "Would you like me to help you dress miss?"
"No," said Tessa glad that her voice was stead. She gave a smile but it didn't reach her eyes, "That will be all Carol. Thank you."
Carol curtsied and turned, closing the large archway doors that led to Tessa's sleeping quarters. At the moment of her returned arrival in America as Mrs. Lightwood she had demanded her own separate room from Gabriel (God only knew how many rooms the New York institute owned).
Gabriel, in an effect to please her, accepted the demand but Tessa knew he secretly did not like the arrangement. Of course, a husband and wife were meant to sleep in the same bed but Tessa had refused. She had even ordered Carol to wake her when Gabriel tried to visit her at night so she could quietly slip away and take refuge in the library, attic or roof.
Tessa ran her fingers down her blood red dress, admiring it for a moment. She had to admit, after ten years of being the wife of Gabriel Lightwood, he was not as bad as she had first suspected. He had less of his father in him, which Tessa was especially grateful for, he had never done her any harm and had always been kind to her as he had promised, despite some of the unconventional rules she had laid down.
Tessa instantly wished she had not thought that because it made her stomach seize. She wondered if Gabriel had ever been unfaithful. She wouldn't be surprised, nor could she blame him. She had not been the best wife either.
"Miss," called a voice from the other side of the doors making Tessa jump, "Miss, Master Gabriel has asked me to come get you. The guests are beginning to arrive."
Sighing Tessa said, "Thank you Carol. I'll be down in a minute."
000
Twenty minutes later Tessa stood next to Gabriel smiling prettily, nodding, laughing, wishing Merry Christmases, saying how fine she was and thanking each person for their compliments on how the decorations were so beautifully done.
She felt like a recording device set on replay.
"And should we be expecting a little Lightwood running around soon?" elderly Sarah Penhallow, leaning heavily on her cane, spoke loud enough for the surrounding crowd to look towards them curiously. Tessa felt the swelling of horror begin to expand inside her.
Gabriel gave a low laugh, "Oh, I'm sure that will be soon."
"What's that?" cried Sarah, leaning in a little further, her hand trembled slightly on her cane, "I didn't hear. Old age you see. It does terrible things to the body, even a Shadowhunter's body! I said, would you be expecting any little ones soon?"
Tessa could feel her face burning because Sarah had practically screeched the last part. She wanted to carve a hole around her feet and disappear but instead she smiled and said, "Hopefully soon Sarah."
"Ah I see!" cried Sarah nodding before swatted her cane across Gabriel's legs, "The old fish not working right Lightwood?"
George Penhallow appeared at his elderly mother's side, "Hush mother, you're making a sceptical of yourself." He sent an apologetic smile to Gabriel and Tessa before steering her off.
"And that," Gabriel muttered lowly to Tessa, straightening his jacket, "is why it is best for Shadowhunters to die young."
"Gabriel," scowled Tessa quietly, sending him a disapproving look, "Show some respect. Sarah was a great Shadowhunter in her youth and she was the first woman to be honoured a place in the Enclave."
Gabriel waved her off before he called out, "Father!"
Tessa watched him move towards Benedict and embrace him. She felt the heat still in her cheeks but she knew it wasn't from embarrassment.
"I must say," said a voice behind her, "Not Sarah's most shining moment but I must hand it to her, I couldn't have humiliated Gabriel better myself."
Tessa froze.
She hadn't seen him enter. She had hoped dearly that he wouldn't be coming. But like always he was there one moment and gone the next. Like a black cloud.
She turned and extended her hand, "William."
"Tess," he grinned at her before taking her hand and placing a soft kiss to the back of it. Tessa swallowed the lump forming in her throat feeling the soft texture of his lips and seeing how his long eyelashes meet his skin as he lowered them. He was just as beautiful as the day that she had met him.
Still grinning Will hooked Tessa's arm around his and began to lead her towards the Lightwood men.
"I must say," he whispered to her, "red is very becoming on you. Reminds me of the dress you wore to you're first Shadowhunter Christmas celebration in England. It puts some colour into you're pale cheeks Tessa. Sign of good health my love."
"Don't call me that," Tessa hissed, her eyes instantly searching the crowd for unwanted ears but Will gave a low chuckle.
She would have said more but they had stopped in front of Gabriel and Benedict. Gabriel narrowed his eyes slightly.
"William," said Benedict a faint trace of distain in his voice when he pronounced the other man's name, "Where is you're wife? My Rebecca promised she would be coming."
Will gave him a smile but Tessa could see his eyes were burning, "You're daughter sends her deepest regrets Benedict. But Rebecca has come down with a terrible cold and Charlotte and Sophie are minding her."
"So you believe it is alright that you come to a party whilst my sister is lying in bed sick?" Gabriel raised an eyebrow at him but Will's grin reminded Tessa of a mischievous cat planning on causing a little chaos.
"Oh no brother," said Will lingering over the word 'brother' to lace it with irony and sarcasm, "I very much tried to stay. I said to her 'Becky I shall stay with you and be you're knight in shining amour and bring you all the soup and blankets you shall ever need.' But alas, she swore that if I did not come she would never bed with me again. And that I could not have."
Silence filled the air between them, and the laughter and talk around them seemed to make the situation more awkward. Instantly Tessa felt something burning in the pit of her stomach, bubbling like acid and clamping down on her breath. It burned through her veins like demon blood. Jealously.
"Well," said Will, "This has been very pleasant and as much as I have missed my wife's relatives, I promised Henry that he would see Tessa. The poor man's been dying to see you," Will turned his grin to Tessa.
"Don't be too long," snapped Benedict suddenly.
His hawk gaze rested on Tessa, "You're husband will need you're help with the guests. I am sure, despite your origins, that you could handle something as simply as playing a well bred hostess."
"Father," said Gabriel warning.
Will waved an impatient hand, "I won't keep her long."
000
"Will!"
Will ignored Tessa and continued to pull her down the corridor. His grip on her hand was hard and strong. She was struggling so much that Will turned back, glancing behind her at the brightly lit ajar of the hall's doors before he grabbed a door on their left and pushed a protesting Tessa inside before drawing a locking rune on the door.
"Have you gone mad?" growled Tessa.
"I frequently ask myself that question too Tess," said Will as he moved to look out of the window.
He heard movement behind him but he grabbed Tessa around the waist before she had managed to get to the door.
"Silly Tessa," he whispered against her hair, "Only a Shadowhunter can open that door now."
"Will!" she half wailed, "Please. I can't do this anymore."
Brushing a strand of brown hair from her face and pressing a soft kiss to her temple, Will hugged Tessa to him with her back to his front. Tears began to prickle in the backs of Tessa's eyes.
"You can't leave me as I am Tessa," Will whispered to her as her struggling began to subside, "I've accepted this is all I can have from you. One night a year, that's all I'm ever going to get. Please Tess, you take this away and I'll have nothing."
Tessa felt her resistance begin to leave her as it always did on the twenty third of December. Will's strong arms held a safe cage around her, keeping her locked into something that was sinister but lovely at the same time. It twisted around her like thrones but the roses smelled so beautiful.
"You complete me my darling Tessa," he whispered.
She turned her head and saw Will's dark blue eyes the guarded nature in them was gone as always when they were alone. He was looking at her with such vulnerability that Tessa was instantly reminded of that night many years ago when he had cradled her on the Sanctuary floor thinking he had lost her forever.
"Only once more," Tessa whispered when Will's lips were a breath away from hers.
"Yes," breathed Will, "Once more."
And then he kissed her.
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Chapter Three will be coming soon! There's a sneak peak:
"Do not lie to me!" Gabriel yelled as he grabbed a vase and threw it across the room, shattering it against the wall into a thousand pieces, giving Tessa a witness of his Shadowhunter strength.
Despite the tremble in her heart Tessa raised her head and clucked the child to her chest.
"After all that I have done!" yelled Gabriel, "I have bowed to you're every demand, anything you wanted and it was yours and this is how you repay me! My father was right about you, you're like a stray dog that cannot understand simple commands. I should beat you bloody for this! Beat the obedience into you!"
