Chapter 4
"I made pancakes!" Simon announced. The vampire was standing barefoot in front of the stove pouring batter in a skillet as Magnus came into the kitchen. He noted that everyone, with the exception of Alec, was already at the table talking quietly around an alarmingly large plate of bacon Simon flipped another pancake, and Magnus shook his head when he saw that the boy was wearing pajama pants decorated with sleepy cartoon owls. Simon continued, "I had to walk to the neighbors to get milk and eggs, but they were really cool. I thought about waking you up so you could magic us some food, but I thought you might need to sleep after last night. I figured we could all use a big breakfast considering a what a long day it would be. Me and Clary always have pancakes when we come to the—"
"Coffee," Magnus interrupted, trying to ignore the pounding above his left temple.
"Oh! Sure, it's over there in the alcove," he gestured with the spatula in his hand, and Magnus moved to get two mugs down from the cabinet. "I put a fresh pot on just a few minutes ago," Simon continued. "That was really something last night! I knew you were magical but wow. I thought I was going to hurl when we went through that crazy vortex."
Magnus tuned out Simon's chatter and poured his coffee, noticing with a frown that his hand was trembling slightly. Not good. He added a splash of cream to the second cup and leaned against the counter. Despite the sunlight streaming through the lace curtains, the atmosphere in the small kitchen was grim. It was going to be a long day indeed.
Alec appeared in the doorway, and Magnus tried not to notice the way his body seemed to spark to attention at the boys' presence. Alec was fully geared up already in the traditional black shadow hunters uniform; his seraph blade and quiver already strapped to his back, and several wicked looking knives attached to his chest.
Bless the Angel that thought to make their gear out of tight black leather, Magnus mused to himself with a little smile as he admired the way the outfit hugged Alec's lean body. He dropped down into the chair at the head of the table, stretched his long legs in front of him, and propped his bow against the wall next to him.
"Flapjack?" Simon asked, holding a plate with a giant stack of pancakes out to Alec.
Alec looked him over for a second, and then said, "What the hell are you wearing vampire?"
Simon glance down at himself in confusion. "Um, pajama's. What do you wear to bed?"
Alec snorted, "Not that."
Magnus's memory immediately flashed to an image of Alec bare chested and hovering above him with only a dark pair of sweats hanging low on his hips. He flushed. Simon opened his mouth to protest, but Magnus pushed him gently to the side taking the plate from his hands and putting it in front of Alec.
"Eat," he said, handing him his cup of coffee. "You're going to need all the strength you can get for today." Their fingers brushed in the exchange, and Magnus pretended to ignore the way Alec moved his hand away quickly and avoided his gaze. He settled back against the counter with his coffee, shaking his head at Simon who held up another plate of pancakes in his direction.
Izzy pushed her plate back, "So Magnus. That was amazing last night. I had no idea that a warlock was capable of something like that."
He raised an eyebrow at her and took a sip of coffee. "Why thank you my dear. I do apologize for the rough ride. Transporting that many people so quickly is a bit…difficult."
"Understatement of the year," Simon muttered under his breath.
Alec stood up impatiently, pushing his chair back with a loud screech. "We are wasting time here. I can barely feel Jace through the bond anymore," Alec said. His eye's flashed, daring anyone to argue. "We need to do this, Magnus. Now."
Magnus nodded. He knew there would be no arguing with Alec despite the foreboding he felt in his gut. The amplification spell he needed to do to find Jace was risky enough when he was at full capacity. After no sleep and a draining transportation spell, it could be lethal. But he had to try.
He turned to the group, "I need as many candles as you can find and ash from a fire," he asked. Without looking at him, he addressed Alec, "Alexander, have Clary mark you with the rune for endurance. Give me a couple minutes so I can prepare before you come in." He walked to the door.
"Oh, and Alec…" The shadow hunters eye's were unreadable as he looked up at him. "Bring your blade."
xxx
Magnus stood in the ash pentagram and lit the candles at each of the corners. The sun from the windows had been completely blocked out with blankets so the room was dark. He tried to ignore the audience that stood all around the room, but as he tried to light the last candle the match dropped from his shaking hand. Across from him a lighter flicked on, and the wick caught as Alec finished the job. Magnus smiled at him gratefully, but Alec frowned back at him.
"Since when do you light candles with matches?" he asked under his breath.
Magnus shrugged. "Since I moved five people to a cabin under duress last night. It's nothing. Just conserving energy," he said unconvincingly. Alec's eye's narrowed but before he could say anything, Magnus moved to the center of the pentagram and faced the group.
His stomach churned as he thought about what he was about to do. He knew it was only a matter of time before his new friends learned his true nature. Magnus scanned the faces of the group around him and felt a twinge of regret.
It was easy for new people who drifted into his life to ignore the fact that he was a powerful warlock who's soul was half demon, especially when he was covered in glitter and throwing fabulous parties. But eventually they always asked. Eventually they always needed something from him that would force him to tap into the darkest side of himself. Magnus tamped down on the sorrow that rose up an made his throat ache.
He always could tell the moment he lost a person. The moment they realized what he was capable of, any affection or friendship they had felt would cloud over with horror. And no matter how close they had become as a friend or a lover, that moment always signaled the beginning of the end. He dreaded the possibility of seeing that look in Alec's eye's.
He raised his voice, "It is important for you all to know that once the spell starts, it can not be stopped. No matter what you see, do not enter the circle. This is dark magic. As I said before, it is not something to be trifled with. Entering the circle will only lead to death."
"What are you going to do?" Clary breathed. Magnus could only see the brassy spark of her hair in the gloom, but he addressed the whole group, "I will be opening a portal to hell and using the energy to amplify the bond between Jace and Alec."
"There's no such thing as hell." Simon said immediately.
"There's no such thing as magic, Vampire," Magnus snapped. And all of a sudden he felt unbearably weary. Like he could sleep for a decade. "But hell, I assure you from experience, is very much real…now hush all of you." He held his hand out. "Alexander."
Alec stepped into the circle. Magnus studied him for a moment. Alec's face was set, his eyes steely. In his dark battle gear, he looked every part of the soldier that he had been trained to be. Maybe this time would be different, Magnus thought to himself as he spoke. "The first part will be difficult, but you need to trust me. Dark magic requires sacrifice. I assure you that what I do next is necessary. Do you trust me Alec?" he asked quietly.
Something flickered in Alec's eye's, "You know I do Magnus."
With a quick movement, Magnus plucked one of Alec's knives from his belt. His eye's didn't leave Alec's face as he muttered the spell under his breath and stepped back. The temperature in the room plummeted, and Magnus shivered as black magic rose from his palms like thick smoke. The dark cloud sparked with blue and gold as it settled between them to reveal the figure of a man.
Icy fingers of dread spread across his spine as Magnus saw the gun cradled between the strangers hands. The man looked up and his red rimmed eye's were filled with madness. In slow motion, Magnus saw him scramble for the gun in his lap. With a cold swiftness that would shock Alec later, Magnus stepped forward smoothly, grabbed the strangers hair, and slit his throat in one clean stroke.
Someone outside the circle screamed and lurched forward but hands held them back. Magnus just watched Alec's face as the spurting blood coated his fingers. "There is much you don't know about me shadow hunter." he said softly.
Alec's pupils were blown wide, and his knuckles were white on the hilt of his glowing blade. Magnus laid the dying man on the ground and murmured, "May Lucifer take you." He grimaced as the hot greasy blood coat his fingers before standing back up and holding his hand back out to Alec.
The whole room held their breath as Alec stared at Magnus's bloody outstretched palm.
Alec hesitated. Magnus, who had been alive for centuries, looked into the beautiful hazel eye's of the man he was falling helplessly in love and saw fear. For a moment it was if he was made of glass. It was a struggle to keep his voice steady as he said simply, "He was a murderer. A killer who was on his way to slaughter his family this evening. Only mundane blood can be used as a sacrifice in dark magic. It was necessary."
Alec's face was bleak. "You killed him."
"It was a mercy." Magnus replied, the blood in his outstretched hand dripped off the silver of his rings and padded grotesquely on the ground like a gentle rain. "Take my hand Alexander, or his death will be for nothing. Our time is short."
For a moment, Magnus thought all might be lost, but Alec was a warrior. He put his hand in Magnus's, the blood slick between their palms and nodded for him to continue. "This will be unpleasant. Don't forget to breath," he instructed Alec as he closed his eye's to concentrate.
In his mind, he gathered the dark magic that thrummed through is body like an live electric wire and pushed it through the connection in their hands. He plunged into Alec's silver energy, seeing the thin black tendril of smoke that must be the parabatai bond. He swirled his magic around it firmly and felt Alec's hand tighten on his. He ignored it and called out into the pentagram, "Patrem vocals me et cos."
When the demon power hit him he staggered under it's weight and fell to his knees with a cry to absorb the pain. The black magic swirled around him and through him like icy daggers.
A pleased voice whispered seductively in his ear, "My son, you bring me the blood and memories of a mundane? Why have you called me here?" Magnus didn't respond as he mentally gathered the dark magic, struggling to contain it as he pushed toward the bond.
It was horrifying. The magic was like despair and self loathing in corporeal form. It's greasy blackness slipped through his magic like sludge, but still cut him open to the bone. His vision narrowed.
Magnus had once stood on a battle field filled with the bodies of dying men, and he had never felt such anguish as he did trying to harness the swirl of demon magic inside of him. He felt his strength slipping. With one last gasp, he pushed the dark power around the parabatai bond and watched it light up in a brilliant burst of pewter and scarlet. He felt his bones hollow out as the world faded to black around him.
