DISCLAIMER: Nope. Still don't.

CHAPTER TWO

NEW JERSEY

6 PM

In a distant alley, a portal formed and out stepped two men on the concrete corner of the alley. A dumpster stood on their left with overflowing garbage. Except for a stray dog which ran away at the sight of two men materializing out of nowhere, the alley was deserted.

"I hate New Jersey." Magnus said as he wrinkled his nose at the smell of garbage. He flicked his hand and the dumpster disappeared with all of its waste.

"I hate portalling. Why couldn't we drive a car or a train like normal people?" Alec complained as he shook his head to stop the spinning.

"Darling, you are here to shoot at a couple of demons while I encourage from the sidelines. None of this is normal."

"Encourage? You opted to come along to help me kill these demons." Alec reminded him.

Magnus waved his hand in dismissal, "That was for your mother's peace of mind. As much as she dislikes us together, a warlock protecting you offers her comfort and relief. On the other hand, I get to spend some alone time with you without you being distracted by others in the Institute. Think of it like a vacation." He smiled cheekily.

Alec couldn't help but smile in return. "Yeah. But first we got to kill these demons. I have to scout the location of the warehouse and read that police report. We don't know what kind they are or how many."

"Let's get something to eat first. I am starving."

"Magnus. We just ate and came."

"What? Portalling takes a lot out of me. And if we have to go trudging in some creepy warehouse at night, I need some sustenance. And I know just the best place."

"I thought you hated New Jersey."

"Oh I do. But it's the least disturbing place in the city. I have been there and I kind of know the owner." Magnus said

Alec narrowed his eyes, "Meaning you slept with the owner."

"Alec." Magnus said slowly.

"Oh no. It's okay. I know you are 800 years old and have had a lot of partners since. I am getting used to it."

"It's not that. I didn't go out with Glenn. She is just a good friend. She knows all about the shadow world. Might help us out."

Alec blushed. "Oh. Okay. Good."

Magnus turned to him and held his hand, "And even if she were, it's in the past. I cannot change it and I wouldn't want to. Because then I wouldn't have met you, Alexander. You are my future now."

Alec blushed some more and smiled. "I know. As you are mine." He leaned in and captured Magnus in a slow kiss. He sighed at the feeling of love and peace that swept through him.

"Shall we get some early dinner then? Get that warehouse business done so we could go back to our room and I could show you how much I love you." Magnus said pulling back.

Alec raised a brow, "You got us a room?"

"Of course. Pink one with frilly curtains."

"If that is true you are not getting any love from me tonight." Alec warned.

"Oh we will see Alec, we will see."

The warehouse was a small dilapidated building on one side of the woods. The fading evening light cast a dark shadow around the house making it look eerie and imposing. The woods were sparse and thin. The whole area looked barren and plain miserable. Perfect for demons and their heathen, Stefan thought, as he raked his eyes over the surroundings.

"Well, if this isn't a pleasant sight." Damon remarked standing beside his brother.

"I don't think anyone's home tonight." Stefan said. He couldn't hear any movement inside in the warehouse with his enhanced vampire hearing. Also he couldn't feel any dark presence around him.

"Isn't that a good thing? We just go in, grab the stone and get out of this miserable city. This place gives me the creeps." Damon said with a shudder.

"When is anything with us this easy?"

"Got a point there, brother."

The two brothers started making their way along the shadows of the woods towards the warehouse. Being night creatures, they walked stealthily without making any noise. Stefan was pretty sure there was no one around, but they couldn't take any chances.

All too soon they were standing in front of the door which was barricaded from the outside with two wooden logs hammered across it. It was broken down and rusted in some places but looked sturdy enough.

"Must be some side entrance or a back one." Stefan muttered.

Damon with inhuman strength ripped off the two logs and threw them away.

"Damon!" Stefan protested in a whisper. "What the hell are you doing?"

"Never use the road the enemy uses, Stefan. Also, the more ways out from this hell hole, better chances of escaping. Didn't they teach you this in Surviving Demons 101?" Damon said smirking.

"You could have alerted someone if they are in there." Stefan said.

"Then it's better if they come out and attack rather than walking in on an ambush. Honestly Stefan, how are we even brothers?"

"That's the question I have been asking myself for all these years."

Damon shook his head and opened the door slowly. The door creaked and swung inside into darkness.

"Ready, little brother?"

"Absolutely not."

"Good"

The two stepped inside. Their vampire sight helped them to look around in the darkness. The inside of the warehouse was no better than the outside. Somehow it was worse. The room they entered looked like a small office with a desk pushed to one side. Cupboards stood beside it which looked rusted and broken at some places. A chair was sitting forlornly in one corner, dust gathered on it.

"How long has this been closed down?" Damon asked wrinkling his nose at the foul smell.

"Too long it seems. The place doesn't look like it has been used in years." Stefan said.

"And yet Bon Bon thinks there is a powerful magical stone here in this filth. I am starting to think she just got bored of us and sent us away on a busted mission."

"If she wanted that, she would just kill us." Stefan said, "But there is something wrong with this place. I can feel it."

As if on cue, all hell broke loose around them.

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