To Heal the Scars
Chapter 4: Pandemonium


Night had fallen in New York and Skylar lounged on one of the couches in the Institute's parlor reading a book as she waited for Aiden to finished getting ready. She was one of the first ones in the shower so she was one of the first ones ready for the Pandemonium tonight. Skylar wore a short dress with a black and red with a modern corset bodice with the skirt of the dress a pure and flowing black that reached just above her knees. To complete the dress she wore black Converse boots that reached mid-leg. Out of habit, Skylar had slid a thin dagger into her boot in case demons showed up and she kept her stele in pouch she kept strapped to her upper thigh under her dress.

Her eyes quickly scanned the pages of her book as she became engrossed with the story. Just before she turned the page to continue it was snatched out of her hands. Skylar looked up angrily at the culprit. "Hey," she said, quickly standing up. "give it back! I just reached a really good part!"

Is that so, Aiden said with a grin. His hair was still wet from his shower. He looked at the book and turned the page and began to read out loud. "'Sam smiled down at Rebecca before pulling her into his arms. He loved everything about her, but at the moment he love the way she felt in his arms. She fit perfectly into his embrace as if she was made especially for him. He inhaled her familiar scent that wafted from her hair--'"

"Jerkface," Skylar said angrily as she snatched her book back punching Aiden in the arm. Her face was bright red against her long dark locks that fell over her shoulders. Skylar put her bookmark on her page and held the book tightly against her chest.

Aiden smiled at her and chuckled lightly. Skylar looked away from his eyes. He didn't know it but when he smiled like that it almost made her forget her anger. It almost made her forgive him.

"Come on Sky, why do you read crap like that? That teen romance stuff is fiction for a reason."

Skylar looked down. "Well, it's still a good book. If you read it from the beginning you'd know it has a good plot and good characters."

Aiden laughed lightly again as he moved his drying hair out of his eyes. "I'll take you're word for it."

Skylar stared at Aiden for a moment searching his face. She was annoyed with his seemingly bipolar attitude. For the most part Aiden was always kind and she learned to accept his occasional cocky attitude but sometimes he was just a jerk and it annoyed her.

"Wow, you two look good."

Skylar turned to see Isabelle at the doorway. She was wearing a long silver form-fitting dress and her long hair was down and silky looking. "Thanks," Skylar replied allowing herself to finally look at Aiden again. Aiden was wearing all black and managed to look mysteriously edgy and elegant at the same time.

"You look great too," Skylar said to Isabelle just as Simon and Clary showed up behind her. Clary was wearing a dark green top and black skinny jeans that complimented her red hair nicely. Simon too, was in black.

"You'll love the Pandemonium," Isabelle said with a smile to Skylar and Aiden. "It's really fun. We'll get going as soon as Jace gets down…" Isabelle walked out of the living room and called toward the rooms.

"Jace! Are you almost ready?"

"No need to yell," Jace's voice boomed back. Skylar imagined him turning the corner before coming into Isabelle's view. Isabelle walked back into the room with him. Jace too was dressed in black making Skylar wonder if there was some strict code that boys must wear black during outings.

"I wonder where Alec is," Isabelle muttered as everyone started to leave.

"Still with Magnus," Jace answered. "I sometimes forget he lives here. Simon's around more often. I kinda miss him."

"You can't get rid of me," Simon said with a smile. "I'll be around forever." Clary laughed from beside Jace as they left the Institute and into the cool night. Skylar felt the cool winds lift tendrils of her hair as she walked with her friends, each high with the excitement for the club.

(X)

The six teens waited in line to enter the Pandemonium. Skylar observed all the people in the line ahead and behind her group of friends. All were dressed wildly in different ways, but perfectly for the club.

As the doors allowed people in Skylar found herself pushed forward as eager club-goers eagerly awaited entrance. Aiden nudged Skylar's shoulder when the shoving subsided. "Are you still mad at me," he asked with a slight smile.

"Maybe," Skylar answered back, her grin gave him his answer. She got over it on the cab ride to the club. Aiden's smile widened into a grin. Before he could respond the big bouncers in front of the doors allowed them entrance.

The club's music pulsated like a live beat of a heart; it was compelling. Neon lights bounced of black walls making it both easy and difficult to distinguish the many faces in the club.

Skylar stuck close to Isabelle and Clary as the boys walked behind them. "Seems like this place hasn't changed," Simon observed. "It still gives me a headache."

Despite the long line outside the club was packed. Not long after walking into the Pandemonium, Skylar found herself separated from her group. Shrugging it off she decided that if something were to happen of if one of them needed to get a hold of her, they would find her. Aiden would help locate her.

As she continued walking, Skylar felt someone shove into her right shoulder, almost knocking her off balance. Before she fell to the ground, a strong arm gripped her, keeping her upright. Skylar winced at the pressure on her arm but remained silent about it, after all whoever was holding her was only trying to help.

"Thanks," Skylar said, looking up into the black eyes of a boy around her age. His eyes were abyss-black and contrasted waxen skin and white-blond hair. He smiled at her, showing his teeth. The red strobe lights of the club made him look demonic.

He is demon, Skylar though to herself, but betrayed no emotion of knowing.

"No problem," the boy said, still grinning. His eyes traced over her body. "What's a as hot as you doing by yourself?"

"Oh, I just kind of lost my friends," Skylar said, looking over his shoulder for them. "I'm looking for them now…"

"Really," the boy said as a slipped an arm around her waist. "How about a dance and I'll help you look for your friends after?"

Skylar looked around. Finding no sign of Aiden and the others she nodded slightly, telling herself mentally that she could take care of herself if the situation arises. "Sure," she said, allowing the demon-teen to lead her.

The boy lead her to a dark part of the club where people mainly went to make-out with each other and did other unmentionables. Automatically the boy pulled Skylar toward him tightly so his body was pushed against her. His breath was hot and moist on her neck. "You have such a radiant glow," he murmured as he played with the cord to a necklace Skylar always wore around her neck. Skylar suddenly felt teeth grazing her neck lightly.

Skylar quickly pulled away from him. That's it, Skylar thought angrily, I'm doing away with this thing now! Skylar smiled up at him and pulled on his arm. She nodded her head in the direction of a private room. With a smile the demon took her lead.

In the darkness of the room, the demon looked around to make sure they were alone. Confirming it, he then smiled menacingly at Skylar. "You're life-force is so attractive," he said, drawing closer and closer to her. "I could sense it from the other end of the club."

Skylar smirked and backed away from the demon. With a quick flurry of motion Skylar pulled out her dagger and held it in front of her. The demon-boy's eyes narrowed.

"Shadowhuntress," he hissed. Skylar remained silent and her eyes narrowed as she kept focused on him.

"I should have guessed," he continued. "The energy of a Shadowhunter is usually more appealing than that of a mere mortal. I shall enjoy tasting!" The once ethereally beautiful face the demon possessed contorted into it's true monstrous form. The demon rapidly lunged at Skylar, his hands, that now possessed talons, outstretched to grab her. Skylar parried and took a swipe at the demon, cutting him at his side. He hissed and went after Skylar again, attempting to swipe at her face but managed to hit her wrist as she defended herself, knocking the dagger from her hand and into the darkness.

Skylar's eyes widened for the briefest of moments before she quickly reached for her stele. Watching her movements, the demon lunged at her again, knocking her over and falling on top of her. Skylar fell on her back, losing grip of her stele.

Why is he so strong?! Skylar wondered to herself as she struggled to claw at his eyes. The demon simply laughed and pinned her arms to the ground. Skylar swore mentally at herself for being an idiot. If she had had her sai or was less cocky she knew she wouldn't be in this situation.

Skylar watched as the demon lifted his arm to deliver a killing blow, but before he could reach her, a long gold rope wrapped around his wrist. Skylar turned her head to see her friends running into the room. Isabelle flicked her wrist controlling the whip and the demon was off of Skylar and on the ground, sporting a large gash across his face.

Aiden ran over to Skylar and hoisted her to her feet. "Idiot," he said angrily. "What do you think you were doing trying to fight a demon off on your own? And without telling us where you were going?!" Aiden had yanked at Skylar's wrist and using his own stele he drew the ruin for healing on her.

"I thought he was weaker than the norm," Skylar muttered when Aiden was done. Isabelle still had the demon in a bind and was glaring at him.

"She'll live," Aiden announced, keeping a protective arm on the small of her back.

The demon looked at Skylar, his dark eyes wide with fear, knowing that whatever was going to happen in the next few minutes spelled out trouble for him. "Wait," he said in a high and shaky voice. "I have information!"

"Been there, done that," Jace said with an eye roll. "That's what all the demons say in a weak attempt to live."

"But this is real," the demon insisted, looking at everyone that surrounded him. "Valentine's true son still lives!"

Jace's eyes narrowed and Clary put a hand on his arm as though it would hold him back. "Kill him," Jace said to Isabelle in a low and dark voice.

Isabelle made a light motion with her wrist once more and the whip around the demon tightened. He began to laugh maniacally realizing the end for him was soon. "Hypocrites," he shouted. "You have a demon standing amongst you and you kill one of his own in front of him! Shadowhunters are all the same! They lie to get what they want!"

"Simon's not like you," Clary yelled angrily but her voice was drowned out by the demon's laughter. Finally Isabelle flicked her wrist a final time and the demon fell silent with death.

The room was tensely silent for a while. Skylar looked down at her feet and rubbed her arms. It was her fault that everyone was hurting now.

"I think we should head back home," Aiden said, taking charge. "This was enough of an excitement for tonight I think."

Silently others nodded and started to file out of the room. Aiden left Skylar for a moment to retrieve her stele and dagger. He touched her shoulder again, "Are you alright, Sky," he asked. He looked down at her wrist, glad that the rune had worked.

"This was my fault," Sky said in a small voice.

Aiden was silent for a moment but he did not contradict her for a while. "Not really he said. You getting hurt, yes, that was your fault. But what he was saying was not your fault. He just knew what buttons to push."

"You don't think he's right do you," Skylar asked, stopping in front of Aiden as they were now outside. Skylar kept Aiden separate from the group for a while as others hailed down cabs.

Aiden narrowed his brown eyes thoughtfully as he black hair fell over his eyes. Pushing his hair back he sighed and finally answered. "I want to say no, Sky. But I don't know. After all that has happened in Idris and with all the Shadowhunters and Downworlders alike, I don't know what to believe."

Skylar nodded but she knew Aiden was right. Even the others who had overheard the last part of their conversation knew he was right. They remained silent, however, fearing that if they spoke it aloud, the horrors would come true and the war had only truly begun.


Sorry this chapter took so long! I've been very busy with getting ready for prom in a couple of weeks and graduation next month, and school, and friends, and what not...so sorry! Also I had writer's block so I had to stay away from this story for a while. Then when I came back, I deleted about a page of work and re-wrote it all and I think it turne dout a lot better! So I hope the next chapter will be up soon (within the next week!), especially now that the ball is rolling. I hope with this chapter you're able to see more of what the plot will be like...
Reviews are still loved and appreciated!! :DD

Special thanks to: australia95, magic noctum, and fizz for reviewing my last chapter! (:

Yours,
---Serena.