AN: I wanted to point out that while I am using characters from the Infernal Devices, the timeline of this story is present day (2014) and not the late 1800's as the books are written. I didn't want to call this a modern telling, focusing moreso on the uniqueness of it all.

Chapter Two – Tessa's Brother

I couldn't believe my luck tonight. Finally the wheel of fortune was spinning in my favor. I was gambling with money that wasn't exactly mine in de Quincey's casino. I knew that Tessa thought I was a fool for returning here but when I returned home with the money we needed for rent, utilities and food, she would let it go.

"One last bet." I told myself. I was up 1500 pounds and knew I could double it with my next bet. I placed it all on 34 red and leaned back in my chair, waiting for my number to be called.

"15 black."

My drink spewed out of my mouth and I fell to the floor. I didn't even have time to clean myself up before I was snatched up by de Quincey's thugs. I was dragged through the living room of his home that served as his casino and thrown into his office. Alexei de Quincey was a man to be feared. His skin had the bluish paleness of hardened ice and his not quite shoulder length white hair grazed the collar of his crisp red shirt. He resembled a vampire from a moment of history long since passed.

"Nathaniel Gray." He spoke in his Slavic accent, not looking up from his book.

"How long have you been a guest in my home? A partaker of my wine and entertainment?"

"Almost a year de Quincey." I mumbled as I got to my feet.

He nodded and looked at me with his piercing dark eyes. "And in that time you have lost more money than any of my customers. Would you like to know how much of it you have paid back?"

"I know I haven't been flushed in money but I assure you de Quincey, I will pay you back every dime I owe. You know that I am good for it."

He slammed the book close harshly and shouted that he didn't know me. "You owe me 8, 000 pounds! I have yet to see even a fraction of that."

de Quincey leaned back in his chair and smoothed his tie down, regaining his composure. "I am calling your debt. Because you have loss so much money here, I will be lenient. You have two days to pay off every single pound that you owe me."

"Two days," I sputtered. "de Quincey please be reasonable. How can you expect me to come up with all that in such a short amount of time?"

"Well you better figure something out. And don't think about leaving town. If I have to chase you, I'll gladly take my debt out of your sister." He snapped his fingers and once more I was being dragged out. This time his thugs threw me into the alley causing me to crash into the trash bins. I got to my feet and shook my coat free of the debris, grabbing a fag from my pocket.

I knew there was no way I could come up with the money I would need in two days. And de Quincey was crazy enough to go after Tessa just to make sure I complied. No I would have to find my Aunt's and Mother's old jewelry pieces. I knew they were worth something. Maybe not 8,000 pounds but I was certain I could use what I got to put a sizable dent in my debt. I just had no idea how I was going to explain it to Tessa. She was the only one who knew where the jewelry was and no matter how bad things were, she still refused to sell them.

As soon as I walked into our building, I could smell the stench of cabbage soup wafting through the air. I climbed the steps, trying to draw it out as much as possible. Tessa would know something was up the second she saw my face. but if I could convince her we had no other option then maybe she would give me the jewelry.

Tacked onto the door was a bright pink slip, stating our rent was late for the third month in a row and a letter from the owner of the building. I snatched the rent notice and crumpled it up before reading the notice. The owner, the Castairs Group, was revamping the neighborhood. They were buying all the tenants out so they could tear down the flats and build luxury ones in their place.

I unlocked the door and headed in. First thing I noticed was the faint glow coming from the kitchen. I felt along the wall for the light switch, clicking it a few times before realizing the power company had turned it off. "Nate? That you?"

I rolled my eyes. "Who else would it be with a key Tessa? Everything okay with you?"

"I'm cooking cabbage soup by candlelight Nate. What do you think?"

I shrugged out of my coat and threw it onto the couch and walked into the kitchen. Just like I knew, Tessa knew something was up.

"Did you pay the rent today?"

I sighed and tried to explain what happened. "Ok, I was going to pay it along with the electric bill and then pick up something for inner but then I thought, 'I could take this to de Quincey's and flip it.' And I was winning. At one point Tessa, I was up 1500 and I thought I could double it."

Tessa threw her hands up and walked away. "I gave you 2,000 to pay all the bills so you're telling me you betted the money you were supposed to use to keep the roof over our head and lost it along with an additional 3,000. One of these days, you're gonna walk into de Quincey's place and he is going to shoot you on the spot. What were you even thinking getting in debt to a guy like him?"

"Tessa, you don't understand. I know I screw up but I was trying to make things better for us; so we don't have to eat cabbage soup every night. I want to give you a better apartment, one that's not over a deli and smells of cabbage and salami. I know that don't want to work all these jobs just too barely live. That's why I was hoping you would let me sell Ma's and Aunt's jewelry so I can pay off de Quincey."

Tessa came forward and slapped me across the cheek, scoffing. "She gave me those to keep you from selling them. Auntie made you promise to take care of me! It's not supposed to be the other way around! Just figure something out Nate or I will sell them to get away from you." She cried, grabbing her coat and running out the door.