CHAPTER THREE

Warehouse

New Jersey

8 PM

Damon saw a slight movement to his left and a glint of something in the dark. Too late to do anything, he heard Stefan grunt in pain and saw him stumble back towards the far wall.

"Stefan!"

"Shit. Get away Da-Damon." Stefan panted with pain filled breath. Damon snarled in rage and with vampire speed moved towards the intruder. He caught hold of a jacket and threw him to the ground at his side. He sneaked a peek at dark hair and surprised blue eyes before pain erupted at his back. It was pain unlike anything he had ever felt before. It was burning and clawing at his back.

He didn't know how long he rode through the pain before his brother's voice rang out in the room.

"Let go of him. Or I'll snap his neck."

Immediately the pain stopped and Damon embarrassingly fell to his knees. The pain was gone but he felt inexorably weak. He slowly looked up to see the man with the blue eyes struggling feebly in Stefan's hold. Stefan had an arm locked tight around his neck, restricting his air flow.

"Fine. I stopped. Let him go. Now." The voice came from behind him. The one who had attacked him. Damon immediately got up and turned to face the man. The first thing he noticed was that he was really tall. And that he was…

"Are you wearing makeup? With glitter?" Damon asked dumbly. Because the man in front of him was not what he expected. He was tall and thin and was wearing a rich blue jacket with a silver shirt. Rings adorned his fingers and a locket was around his neck. He didn't look like a warrior or even who could handle a knife. He looked like someone was returning from an all night party.

The man frowned, "I always wear makeup. With glitter." He turned towards Stefan and a dark shadow passed over his features, "You might want to let him go. You are steadily growing weaker anyway."

"What?" Damon asked as Stefan pushed the man away and seemed to wilt down. Damon felt a chill go down his back as he quickly reached his brother's side. "What the hell are you talking about? Stefan you okay?"

"My si-side." Stefan muttered in pain. Damon noticed that he was clutching his side in a death grip. And it was dripping blood. Damon spun around with murder in his eyes.

"What did you do?" Damon turned to Stefan, "Why aren't you healing?"

"I don't kn-know. Something is bloc-blocking it." Stefan said and grunted in pain as his knees buckled and leaned heavily on Damon.

"Okay. It's okay. We will take care of it." Damon whispered to his brother. Stefan nodded jerkily.

"Answers. Now." Damon hissed to the two men standing guardedly to the side. The blue eyed man was watching Stefan steadily. Damon walked in front of him and blocked his view. "Who the hell are you people cause you are not vampires or anything I have ever seen before."

"You are in no shape to ask us anything, vampire." The one with the blue eyes said. "Your buddy is dying, and we will kill you soon enough."

Damon smirked, "Oh you think you have the upper hand here, do you?" He looked directly into the deep blue eyes and said in a slow tone, "Bring out that knife you are carrying in your back pocket and slowly slit your wrists." Damon felt the power of compulsion pass through him and into the boy.

He slowly smiled as the boy widened his eyes but started removing a long knife from behind him.

"Alec? What- What are you doing? Wait!" The man beside him shouted as the boy-Alec- removed the knife and held out his other hand, wrist upwards.

"I can't stop. Magnus I can't stop!" He shrieked as he placed the knife on the inner side of the wrist.

Magnus grabbed his hand and tried tugging the knife away. But his grip was too strong. A thin line of blood appeared on the wrist.

"No! Stop it. I'll heal your brother. But stop whatever you are doing to him now!" Magnus yelled with wide eyes to Damon.

"Damon sto-stop." Stefan voiced weakly from behind him.

Damon compelled the boy to stop. "Stop it. Take that knife away." he said. Alec breathed out as the compulsion over him was removed and he dropped the knife on the floor.

Magnus immediately took his hands in his own shaking ones. A blue light emanated from his hands and surrounded Alec's wrist. Stunned, Damon watched as the blue light faded to reveal Alec's wrists unmarked as if nothing had happened.

"I am okay, Magnus. It's okay." Alec murmured rubbing at his wrists. Magnus turned to Damon and said hauntingly, "What in angel's name was that?"

"I could ask you the same thing about the blue magic light." Damon quipped back.

"Da-Damon." Stefan's soft voice sounded from behind him. Damon immediately knelt down beside him and whispered,

"Hey. How you holding up, bro?"

"Not..good." He whispered back clenching his eyes shut.

Damon whipped back to look at Magnus and Alec. "Do what you did to him. Now."

Magnus opened his mouth to protest but Damon cut him off with a glare,

"If you don't do it, I will make him rip his own heart out."

Anger and fear flashed before in his eyes before he tightly nodded. Alec remained silent, his eyes gazing back to the injured vampire. Magnus slowly made his way to Stefan and knelt down beside him.

"If you do any funny business…" Damon warned in a slow tone.

Magnus merely glared and him and then turned his attention to the fallen brother.

"This might tingle a bit, dear." He said and then blue light flooded through his hands like earlier and surrounded Stefan's side. Magnus moved his hands in a graceful way over the wound, blue light streaming over his entire chest. It was almost mesmerizing, Damon thought as he followed the light around his brother's body.

Stefan let out a long breath and his body relaxed against his brother's.

"Stefan? You okay?" Damon asked as he turned his gaze towards his brother's face. Stefan slowly leaned away from his brother and pulled his shirt up. Damon's eyes widened when he saw the unblemished skin, there was still the blood but the wound was completely gone.

"Who the hell are you?" Damon asked slowly looking up at Magnus. He stood up with his brother, although he hovered close in case the magic was all a lie and Stefan collapsed again.

Magnus went back to stand with the boy who was looking uncertainly at the brothers. They had somewhat of an advantage when one of them was injured, but now they were back to even. Magnus watched them warily and said,

"Don't you know who we are?"

"Oh we do, we are just asking for the fun of it." Damon replied sarcastically.

Magnus rolled his eyes and said, "I am a warlock, smartass. Never run across one?'

"Warlock? Like a witch?" Stefan asked frowning.

"Now that is just a insulting thing to say to the person who saved your life." Magnus said looking at Stefan.

"Who are you?" Alec cut in. "I mean, I get the whole vampire thing, but you are different."

Damon smirked, "We are better. And more good looking, if I might add."

"How old are you?" Alec said ignoring the comment.

"167 years. We are way older than you, little boy and his magic man." Damon said.

Magnus laughed heartily. Even Alec seemed to crack a small smile for the first time since they met.

"What?" Damon asked frowning.

"Darling, I am 800 years old."

"Whoa. Are you kidding me? 800 years old?" Damon exclaimed.

"Warlock's are immortal?" Stefan asked at the same time.

"Does he look 800 years old to you?" Alec quipped to Stefan.

"I don't understand. We know a witch and she is a mortal. She can do magic too." Stefan asked.

"Magic like me?" Magnus asked flicking his hands. Blue lights shot out again.

"Uh, no. I think. She can't heal people like that. That was something else." Stefan said.

"Well, I am different. Much better and good looking" He said smirking at Damon.

Damon scoffed and looked towards Alec who had been quietly following the conversation, "And is he another warlock there?"

"No. I am a shadowhunter." Alec said glaring at them.

"A what? Do you like fight shadows?" Damon asked stupidly.

Alec rolled his eyes, "No. I don't fight shadows. I hunt demons and downworlders like you. No offence Magnus. You know what I mean." Alec said.

Magnus waved his hands dismissively. "None taken."

"Downworlders? What do you think you are, angels?" Damon said hauntingly.

"Yeah. I am half human and half angel." Alec said seriously as Magnus laughed silently beside him.

"I need a drink, Stefan." Damon said wearily.

"I think I need one too." Stefan replied. "So, do you have like wings?" he asked Alec who looked horrifies at the notion.

"What? No. No wings at all. I am a hunter. I am mortal." He said.

"Okay. You know what? Enough talking. This is making me go crazy and I think I have enough of that with my brother. Why don't we get down to business and just fight so that I can get the hell of this freak town and have a drink back home." Damon said looking steadily back at the two men.

Alec and Magnus immediately stiffened, all trace of humor and curiosity gone. Stefan shook his head and said urgently, "No wait. There is something missing here."

"Yeah. Their head on their shoulders." Damon said.

"You know we are going to kill you, right?" Alec said taking a step forward.

Stefan held his hands up and said firmly, "No one needs to kill anyone. Just wait."

"What is the matter with you, brother? They are the ones who starved that vampire and killed him. And we need to get through them to get to the stone" Damon said frustrated.

"What the hell are you talking about? Starved a vampire?" Magnus said frowning.

"Yes! The one you left for dead out there! If you can do that and you can kill us for the stone too. Ergo we kill you" Damon finished.

"We didn't kill any vampire. And what stone?" Alec said.

"I don't think they killed the vampire, Damon. They are not the ones we are looking for." Stefan said cautiously.

"Wait a minute. The demon attacks that has been going on. The dead vampire and the werewolf, it wasn't you?" Alec asked slowly.

"So the other one is the werewolf?" Stefan asked.

Alec nodded. "Yes. We got a report about Downworlders turning up dead at this warehouse and its vicinity. We came here to kill the demons that are behind this."

"Great job Stefan killing the mood." Damon whined as he relaxed his stance.

Stefan sighed, "We came here for an artifact we need. It's last known location is here."

"The stone?" Magnus asked.

"Yes."

"I don't suppose you can tell which stone?" Alec asked.

"No. The less you know the better." Damon said smirking.

"Well, this is awkward. We almost did kill each other. I think Alec needs to apologize to someone for almost killing him."

Alec glared, "I won't. He is still a vampire and he kills people for blood."

Stefan flinched slightly and Damon glared at Alec, "Listen here, angel, my brother here is holier than freaking Jesus. He feeds on gross squirrels for Christ sakes. Now, you would have been a monster for killing him."

"Alec, apologize. He is just like Clary's vampire friend." Magnus reprimanded.

"You are right." Alec said slowly and then looked at Stefan, "I am sorry that I almost killed you. I should have been aiming for your brother instead." He said smiling.

"Now that's my boy."

"Hey!"

Magnus and Damon said at the same time. Stefan gave a small smile and shook his head, "You don't have to say sorry. It was a misunderstanding."

"See? Holier than Jesus." Damon mocked.

"Shut up. Shall we get down to business now please?" Stefan said seriously.

"Oh yes. I am itching to kill some demons. Like now." Damon said rubbing his hands together.

"There is something seriously wrong with you." Alec muttered. Then he looked at Stefan, "We were searching the warehouse when we heard you two come in. We didn't get that far. But it appears empty. There is no one here. At least not in this part."

"We need to search the entire building. The stone we need has to be here somewhere. They won't risk it carrying around it with them." Stefan mused.

"You said it's a very powerful relic?" Magnus asked

"Yes."

"Maybe I can track it. Get a feel if it's here."

"You can do that? Won't you need something to track it with?" Alec asked looking at Magnus.

"Not if it's a powerful magical object. If it's here, then it will connect with my magic. It won't give me its exact location but it's a start." Magnus said.

"It won't take a lot out of you, right?" Alec whispered turning towards him with a worried frown.

"Don't worry darling. It's nothing." Magnus replied moving a hand over his cheek.

"Oh spare me the lover's moment. You guys are gross." Damon said rolling his eyes.

"You are just jealous, pumpkin." Magnus quipped.

"Stop calling me names. My name is-" Damon protested but was cut off by Magnus's hand.

"Shh. Let me concentrate now if you want me to find this stone of yours." Magnus closed his eyes and lifted his hands palms downward. A faint blue light emanated from his fingertips. Sudden silence reigned around them as Magnus stood still and the others mimicked him.

They stood like that for a couple of minutes before Magnus opened his eyes. The blue light vanquished.

"It's here. And it's scary powerful." Magnus said slowly looking at the brothers.

"Perfect. Where the hell is it?" Damon asked.

"Lower levels. I am thinking they have some kind of a basement here. And the demons are here too." Magnus said seriously.

"Do you how to fight demons?" Alec asked them.

"167 years, mortal. I think I know how to rip someone's head off." Damon said.

Magnus sighed. "Fine. Let do this. I am really starting to feel the need to burn the whole house down."

To Be Continued

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