"A strong and brave heart isn't enough. A true heart, no matter how much the truth hurts, is the strongest of all."
"Kill her?" I echoed, dawning realisation crashing in on me, "You want me to kill her?"
Sam rolled his eyes, "No, I want you to hunt her down to propose to her! Didn't you understand what I just said?"
I fought the urge of blushing furiously, straightening up from my previous slouch against the door. Alec, noticing I hadn't retorted yet, was staring at me in disbelief. I wanted to snap at him and ask what did he think he was looking at but stopped short.
I didn't want to propose to her, of course I didn't. But… that didn't mean I wanted to kill Clarissa. I mean, before I got the chance to talk, have some fun, first… By the Angel, what had become of me?! I was shocked by my own thoughts; maybe I should see a doctor.
"Course I did, Blackburn." I recovered, my tone acidic and sharp, "But what makes you think I'm just going to run at the Clave's beck and call? Supposing I had something exciting planned this weekend, something that didn't involve killing Greater Demons?" I smirked at Sam's scowl, my mind yelling in triumph Right back at ya, bitch!
"They told me you were a cocky one," he spat, clenching his fists, "But this situation isn't to be taken lightly, kid. There's been countless mundane deaths, even some shadowhunters-"
I pretended to yawn, resuming my comfortable slouch, "Oh, I'm sure there were, pensioner" Sam's blue eyes flared but I continued on relentlessly, "What makes you think I give a f-"
"Jace!" Alec shouted from behind me and Sam and I turned around in surprise, "Just skip the pantomime and say you'll go already. I would've thought you'd jump at the chance of seeing Clarissa after how much research you've made me suffer through!" I opened my mouth to retort but Alec silenced me with a hardened glare.
"We'll be both be waiting at the nearest Portal in Brooklyn in an hour." Alec stated and Sam nodded solemnly, before walking away. I shut the door with a bang and began my rant.
"Seriously, Alec?! You don't… You don't just arrange stuff like that! And you're not coming, it's too dangerous – a Greater Demon, in case you forgot!" Alec's jaw was clenched.
"Of course I didn't forget, you jackass! And I am coming, whether you like it or not, even if my only use would be to drag your dead body back!" Spit was flying everywhere from Alec's mouth but I figured now wasn't the time to point it out.
"What's this about dead bodies?" Isabelle inquired, gliding down the staircase to meet us two in the foyer. She was wearing a pair of denim shorts, fraying at the ends and a white t-shirt with the words printed in block lettering: IT'S NOT ME, ITS YOU.
"None of your business!" We both growled simultaneously and she grinned, cocking an eyebrow.
"Okay… I'm going to leave you guys to it…" she winked and went to grab her leather jacket off a hook. You could see she was trying to be subtle about it, ever so slightly making a move to turn the doorknob… Of course Alec noticed straightaway.
"Where do you think you're going Izzy?" He accused sharply, and a grin broke across my face at her rolling eyes.
"Out." She said through gritted teeth. Alec wasn't having any of it!
"Where exactly?" She sagged in defeat and muttered under her breath, as if hoping Alec wouldn't hear.
"There was this faerie guy I saw at that party I went to last night, and we kind of got it off and we arranged to see each other today. Now, if you don't mind…" She shoved past Alec and walked out of the door, easing into her jacket as she walked.
Alec let out a list of incomprehensible words and I laughed. He turned to fix me with a blazing stare, "By the Angel, why do I have to have the most infuriating family in this dimension?"
I snorted, "Oh come on, you know we're all infuriating in the best way!"
Eventually, Alec gave me a grudging smile. Then he said seriously, "We need to get ready if we're going to leave in an hour for the Portal." I nodded and we both headed up the stairs into the weapons room, putting on our gear and choosing our pick from the murderous selection.
While we're got ready, I couldn't help thinking of Gale and Dubias, their horrific story of their encounter with the 'fire-haired temptress'. Then Sam, and the gruesome scars that adorned his neck. "She very nearly cut open my windpipe, slowly and painfully, until I could barely breathe and she was smiling with those deceitful, red lips every second of it."
I couldn't help wondering if I would come back from this ordeal with any scars… or come back at all…
"You ready Jace?" Alec called, bringing down a set of arrows from a bracket on the wall, "Got your blades?" I nodded, unstrapping Nakir and Raphael from my back and twirling them between my hands. The seraphic material caught the light of the weapons room, and the beam of reflection bounced off the walls.
We both turned towards each other, weapons in hand, the knowing look of future bloodshed in our eyes. For all we knew, this could be our last peaceful moment together. Death could be on the horizon, a horrible fate awaiting us…
But all Alec said was, "Let's go then," and we were off.
I bit my lip as we walked towards the area of the Portal, a gesture very rare for me. Usually, I had girls biting it for me when things got very hot and heavy in the bedroom. My mind wondered and somehow the idea of this Clarissa biting my lip swam into my thoughts… whoa, where did that come from?!
I couldn't deny it; in some twisted kind of way, I was attracted to her, this badass Greater Demon that kissed and killed with the same hands. My kind of girl.
"Jace?" Alec turned his head to look at me, a concerned look on his face. Thankfully his interruption had stopped my thoughts from escalating to anything further… "You alright about this? I mean, I know it annoyed you when I just arranged this out of the blue and all but-"
"Don't worry Alec," I assured with a smile, "Let's just go in there and kick some demon arse!" He grinned at me and I grinned back. We walked to the Portal, where Sam and another shadowhunter stood waiting, leaning against the stone wall. Sam smirked when he saw me, and brought out a long, thin dagger from the heel of his boot, the point clearly sharpened not too long ago. It was clearly meant to intimidate me, but all I felt was the thirst for topping it off.
With a casual whistle, I brought out Nakir, running my fingers along the shiny adamas carefully, the material cool and slick underneath my fingers. Sam lost his smirk, and put back his dagger, squaring his shoulders almost defensively. It took all my self-control not to laugh out loud.
"So," I started, eyeing the active Portal, "What's our defence and attack tactics then?"
The shadowhunter that had come with Sam cleared his throat before answering, "This Greater Demon's clever. When she senses a threat, she calls on hordes of demons to create a shield. Me, Sam and Alec will fight them off and you can go in and attack her when she's not expecting it. She's hasn't preyed upon you yet, and she won't know your strategies; it will catch her unawares."
I nodded along to his speech normally enough, but inside I was infused with excitement and adrenaline at the promise of battle, the kind that made my heart beat faster and left me utterly breathless, "Alright then. I take it you two are already Runed?"
They both rolled up their sleeves to reveal black runes that covered their entire skin. I got out my stele the same time Alec did, and we both took turns drawing runes on each other. Finally ready, we faced the other two shadowhunters who had started up the Portal. It shone brightly, images of a thousand places shimmering in its waters.
Sam beckoned us forwards before screwing his face in concentration, imagining the place we were going to. Then apparently satisfied, he jumped through, the rest of us right in after him. I saw a golden flash then we were gone.
…
I groaned, getting up from the ground where we'd landed. I was usually graceful when using Portals but SOMEHOW someone's foot managed to connect with mine and caused me to trip. I didn't need to guess, Sam's smirk was answer enough!
"Okay," Sam's friend confirmed when I'd gotten to my feet, "Jace, you go as soon as the horde comes and it won't be long. Find Clarissa and kill her." I nodded, ready and waiting as we listened out. Sure enough, an ugly slurping sound descended and a stench so foul it could only be one thing. Demons.
My blade was in my hand, fitting in it naturally, as I prepared to run. Then, disgusting monsters of all shapes and sizes charged from out of the mist. Alec, Sam and his friend ran towards them with a battle cry and the gruesome slice of flesh and inhuman shrieks of pain ringed in my ears. Without a thought, I dived through the mist, away from the horde and found myself in a clearing. Quite calm, peaceful… completely harmless… Utter bullshit.
"Clarissa!" I called out to the mist, twirling the blade in my hand. I could feel her presence, sense her eyes on me in that way like fingers pressing down on your skin. My heart was almost bursting out of my chest in the state of frenzied excitement I was in as I waited for a reply.
Footsteps, soft and light. Behind me. I whirled around but nothing was there, only the mist, growing thicker by the second. I heard a giggle that seemed to be coming from all around me, like an echo in a cave. Then a voice.
"Aren't you a pretty thing?" The sound of her voice was alluring, like a light at the end of a dark tunnel that I desperately wanted to follow.
"I know, I get told that by a lot of people," I drawled, acting confident though the hand my blade was clutched in was starting to sweat. Another giggle.
"I bet you do. Jace Lightwood." My name sounded forbidden in the way she said it, almost like a dirty secret, "The most skilled shadowhunter of your generation, if I do recall, who's currently obsessed in killing me." This was followed by laughter, taunting and sweet, and an uncomfortable feeling began to twist in my gut.
"Enough flirting demon," I snarled, then immediately regretted it. Since when did a demon make me get all defensive? Since this insanely alluring bitch. "Let's get this over with so I can watch that brand new movie I bought for this evening." Silence. I tried to peer through the mist all around me, failing to see any movements. Then a breath behind me, so close it stirred the hair around my ear.
I found I was paralysed, unable to move as I felt fingers move up my spine, feel a body press against my own from behind. It wasn't doing wonders for my concentration.
"So sorry to mess up your movie," she hissed and I caught a glimpse of red hair out of the corner of my eye, like a strand of fire glimmering in the grey nothingness around me, "I'm sorry to say you're going to need to make some other plans."
Oh Jace, you hear that? XD
Just a little author's note to say thank you to all people that read 'Those Green Eyes'. I love writing this and knowing that people love reading it just makes it twice as great! Do you like how it's going so far?
Stay strong!
~InfernoAlive