Hey guys!

I looooove the feedback! Thank you so much for your support. I hope to update by Sunday if not before.

Hope you like it so far!

XO RC

Brooklyn was dirtier than she had imagined. It was almost enough to tempt her to pull out one of her well-placed daggers while walking the streets alone, just as a safety precaution, but she decided against it.

The dark streets loomed with warehouses and factories, some with signs of human life, some without. She had noticed a group of Night Children wandering down the street ahead of her and decided to follow them assuming they were going to the same place that she was.

She held herself back as she watched the crowd in front of her make their way up the stairs to Magnus's apartment. She suddenly longed for a friend, nervousness washing over her body. Stepping back from the door, she shook it off. I am Clarissa Morgenstern, I fear no one.

Jace was watching from across the street with Isabelle and Alec behind him. He wondered what Clary was thinking coming here alone and following Downworlders no less. He watched as she took a deep breath and made her way through the door. "It's time to go."

Isabelle smoothed her dress and adjusted her whip on her arm. "Are you sure you want to do this, Jace? She is just a girl."

"A Shadowhunter at that, she surely can handle herself." Alec added.

"Right, like we would ever let Izzy go up there alone." Jace moved away from them and toward Magnus's building. "I am going, whether you two join me or not."

Isabelle followed. "You know I would never miss a good party," she said with a wink.

Alec huffed and fell in line behind her. They made their way across the street to Magnus's door and followed some Fair Folk up the stairs. When they reached the top, Magnus Bane made his appearance with a warning for them to keep a low profile and asked them not to start any trouble. Which they obliged, unwillingly.

Amid the vampires, faeries, and other Downworld inhabitants, Jace searched for Clary. She couldn't be that hard to find considering she was the only other Shadowhunter there. How hard can it be to find a gorgeous redhead covered in runes?

Isabelle moved to the bar and waited for the lilac-skinned bartender to make her a drink and Alec made his way around the other side of the loft doing the same as Jace, searching for Clary. A few vampires watched them carefully, but for the most part, no one made an issue of them being there. Most of the vampires were worried that Magnus had invited the werewolves, so they didn't bother with Jace or Alec as they passed by.

Clary was standing in the corner waiting for Magnus Bane to show his face. That is when she saw him. What the hell is he doing here?

She quickly turned into the darkness of the corner as she saw Alec approaching. He hadn't seen her, but she knew Jace wasn't far behind. Alec passed by leaving her unnoticed, so she decided to make a move to another side of the loft. That is when she was spotted.

"You like the party?"

She turned around quickly, expecting Jace, but finding Magnus leaning up against the wall instead. "Have you been there all along? I feel like I have been waiting forever."

"Maybe I have." He moved toward her, taking her hand to lead her away.

Clary swiftly made her way through the crowd of Downworlders toward the door. She had gotten what she came for and she didn't want Jace to spot her. She had almost made it out when someone grabbed her arm from behind. Assuming it was Jace, she turned around.

It was definitely not him.

In front of her now stood a handsome vampire dressed simply in a pair of jeans and a blue t-shirt. "Well, you're a pretty one."

"Thank you," Clary said quickly as she tried to turn back toward the door, but he wouldn't release her arm. "You can let me go now, I need to head out."

"I think you should dance with me." He smiled, baring his sharp teeth. He was not backing down, his grip on her arm stayed strong.

"Clary!"

Clary turned her head to see Isabelle waving to her. She waved back, using her eyes to show her that she was stuck where she stood. Isabelle nodded and made her way over to Clary, snatching up her free hand in an attempt to drag her away from the vampire and onto the dance floor. Surely enough, he released his grip as he glared at the girls.

"I owe you one." Clary smiled as she danced around with Isabelle.

Isabelle winked. "Not a problem. Besides, who really wants a nasty bloodsucker groping on them at a party. Ick!"

Clary laughed as Isabelle stuck out her tongue in disgust. She danced in a circle holding one of Isabelle's hands when she felt eyes burning through the back of her. Jace, she thought. And she was right this time. He was standing behind her, a slight bit of anger coursing through his golden eyes. But she refused to make eye contact with him, she knew he must be furious with her.

He moved in closer to her. "You best be careful with that one, my dear, seems he has had one too many Bloody Marys," he told her as he nudged her arm and pointed at the vampire who was still watching her through the crowd.

She laughed a little. "Bloody Marys?"

"Why, yes, they mix their vodka with real blood," he explained as he took hold of her vacant hand and raised it to his mouth leaving a soft kiss on the top of it. He watched curiously out of the corner of his eye to make sure the vampire got the point. "What do you say we head out of here?"

Clary looked at Isabelle who smiled and gave her a soft push closer to Jace. "I guess that is a yes." She felt no reason to remove her hand from his grip as he lead her through the crowd with Isabelle and Alec following behind.

Outside, the air felt cooler, a welcoming sensation since it had been quite muggy in the apartment due to all the party guests. Together, they made their way toward the subway. Jace kept ahold of Clary's hand, now intertwining his fingers with hers. She smiled up at him and he smiled back down at her, raising her hand to kiss it again. For how mad she had assumed he was earlier, he was in a much better mood now. He attributed that to the fact that she was safe and now under his protection once again.

They split off from Alec and Isabelle and made their way toward Fifth Avenue. She had to admit that overall the night had been a success. She couldn't wait to make it up to her suite and tell him what she had found. Maybe she did need him after all. Well, maybe she wanted him there after all. Need was a pretty strong word.

Clary plopped down on the padded bench next to Jace, happy she had gotten to shower and to change into something more comfortable - a black silk tank top and matching silk pants. She sat calmly, her bare feet resting against cool floor of the terrace. "Do you want something more comfortable to change into, Jace?

He looked up at her. "You wouldn't happen to have an extra pair of pink panties, would you? Because that would just be splendid!" His sarcastic voice was playful, his smile bright.

She laughed at him and smacked him in the back of the head with a throw pillow. "I do actually. However, I was bored today and I grabbed you a pair of pants when I was out shopping."

She moved into the room and dug through a shopping bag still full of clothes, tossing him a simple pair of black flannel pants. "I just assumed that they would be more comfortable than your demon-hunting leathers."

"And I just assumed that by this point I should be allowed to sleep naked. Although I understand that my god-like beauty would be extremely hard to handle. It is okay, I forgive you." He pulled off his shirt, tossing it at her before moving into the bathroom. "I'm going to shower."

She gave him a thumbs up. "Good, I didn't have the heart to tell you that you were starting to smell." She smiled as she stuck her tongue out playfully.

"Yeah, yeah," he said mockingly as he shut the door.

Clary pulled the wad of paper Magnus had given her out of her jacket pocket and moved back out to the terrace with her laptop in hand. She sat down and opened the internet to a search engine where she typed in what was scribbled on the piece of folded paper.

Jocelyn Fray, Brooklyn.

"Bingo." Clary clicked open a website leading her to an address. She hoped it was an up to date entry, but at the moment, she was just happy to have something. After she scribbled down the address, she closed the laptop and set it aside with the pile of closed books.

She didn't realize how tired she was until she woke up to Jace leaving a soft kiss on her lips before pulling her into him, his damp hair grazing the back of her neck. She was in the bed, but didn't remember how she got there, nor did she really care. He pulled her in tighter to him, holding her close.

And that is when she gave in, her eyes closing slowly.

Sleep.