Time for some Claire! Things are getting heavy around here… I wonder how we'll make it? What with Madi making a deal with a demon for me and all. And all the angst.
Does anyone watch Supernatural? Because I'm having a ton of Destiel feelings. I even made a playlist about them. I don't know what's come over me.
Also, sorry about the wait. Technical difficulties. Very troublesome.
~ THEMESONGS ~
Roll Away Your Stone ~ Mumford and Sons
Spotlight ~ Mutemath
.C.I.W.
9. The Backup Singer
On a quest to find Jace, Madi and I trekked over to Alphabet City to Simon's apartment. Conveniently, Simon was also on his way in, a bag of bagels in his arms. I snatched one out of the bag as we went up the stairs.
"Hey, I'm back… anyone home?" Simon called, hanging his coat up in the entryway. "I brought bagels, and guests…" He trailed off as we heard from the living room the familiar sounds of Halo. Jace and Kyle, like proper chums, were sitting on the couch and shooting at virtual people together.
"That guy's totally looking the other way, a spinning wheel kick would put him out of commission." Jace observed, staring intently at the screen.
"You can't kick people in Halo." I informed him. "You only shoot them."
"Well, that's stupid," Jace huffed, then glanced over at Simon. "Back from your breakfast meeting, I see. I bet you thought you were pretty clever, sneaking off like that."
"Medium clever," Simon admitted. "Like a cross between Oceans 11 George Clooney and the Mythbusters guys, only better looking."
"I'm so glad I have no idea what you blather on about," Jace said, while Madi rolled her eyes at Simon's remark. "It fills me with such a sense of well-being."
Kyle paused the game and got off the couch, loping over to the counter. "I'll take a bagel," he said, then looked over at Madi and me. "Claire, right? I met you at the garage, I think. And… you are?"
"Madi Verdantia," Madi said. Kyle nodded and took a bite of bagel.
"Is anyone going to continue this game with me?" Jace yelled from the couch. I tossed the remains of my bagel into the trash can and flopped down in Kyle's empty spot.
"I will," I said, grabbing up the controller and pushing 'play'.
"Jace, you should really eat something." Simon said, sounding concerned. Jace raised an eyebrow.
"Look who's talking… dammit, you just shot me in the back. I think that says something about your character."
"I like winning," I grinned. "And I actually lose at this game every time, so this is refreshing." I mashed a couple more buttons and waited for Jace's character to be reborn. Sometimes, I actually liked this world. Even if this power was a curse more than a gift, I think dimension hopping had its fun moments.
"I'm not kidding, Jace. You fell asleep last night while guarding me… How long has it been since you last slept?"
"Like, through the night?" He pondered for a moment, shooting at my character as it was running behind a wall. "Two, maybe three weeks."
"Why? I mean, what's going on?"
Jace smiled a ghost of a smile, which grew as he actually shot my character for once. "I could be bounded in a nutshell and count myself a king of infinite space, were it not that I have bad dreams."
"Hamlet," I said. "Nice one. Shakespeare is my homie."
"So that's it, then? You can't sleep because you're having nightmares?"
"Vampire," Jace said grimly. "You have no idea."
There was a moment of silence, broken only by the sound of Madi drumming her fingers on the counter impatiently. Finally, she spoke.
"Alright, we need to get down to business."
"What's going on?" Kyle asked. I listened as Jace and I continued the game. I switched into mission mode, quietly explaining what it was to Jace so as to still be able to hear the conversation on the other side of the room. Simon began to explain how he went to meet Luke, and how Camille wanted him to join her. He pointedly left out any mention of the Mark of Cain, I noticed.
"Luke Garroway, head of the New York City pack. I've heard of him." Kyle said.
"His real name isn't Garroway," Jace pointed out, throwing a glance over his shoulder. "He used to be a Shadowhunter."
"I heard that too," Kyle said. "You know some pretty important people, Simon."
"Yes he does, and important people are trouble." Madi pointed out. "Like a certain Camille."
"Camille's not the one trying to kill him, we know that." Jace said. "She knows better than that."
"Right," Kyle agreed. "She wouldn't kill someone she wanted to use."
"When did you two become such good buddies?" Simon asked, looking from Kyle to Jace with a confused expression. "Yesterday you were all "I'm the most elite warrior", "No I'm the most elite warrior", and today you're playing Halo and giving each other props for good ideas."
"It's because we realized that you annoy us both." Jace said, getting up as I paused the game. He walked over to the counter, and I trailed behind him. I went over to stand by Madi, who was staring at a bagel. It seemed like she was contemplating whether to eat it or to kill it.
"The problem with you two watching him all the time is that no one will attack when he has guards. We'll never know who they are if they don't attack." Madi said, opting to throw the bagel up and down as she thought. "So we need to lure them out, get them to attack again. If we can capture them, we'll find out who they are."
"As I recall, I had this idea yesterday. Simon didn't like it much," Jace argued.
"I was tired, and I've been thinking." Simon protested. "I think Madi's right. That's the best way to do it."
"I'm in," Jace said, though Kyle looked a bit dubious. "Are you just going to wander around and wait for them to attack again?"
"No, why not do at somewhere they know I'll be?" He pointed at a poster on the wall. The words MILLENIUM LINT, OCTOBER 16, ALTO BAR, BROOKLYN were printed on it. The band's gig. "I mean, why not?"
"That's actually a pretty good idea there, vampire." Said Jace, looking at Simon in his version of slight admiration.
"You want them to attack you on stage?" Kyle asked, still unconvinced.
"They'd wait until after," said Madi. "Though it would make the show more exciting."
Madi, Jace, and Simon went off arguing for their case against Kyle, who was reluctant. I let it go on for about a minute and a half before butting in.
"Well, I was thinking, maybe I could be a back-up singer or something during the gig for extra protection. Just in case. That would be helpful, right?"
There was silence for moment as all eyes turned to me.
"I mean, I can sing." I added.
"Umm…" Simon started, then Madi cut him off.
"That is actually a good idea."
C.I.W.
The Alto Bar was grungy, though I could see underneath the grime that someone had put in an effort to make the place look cool. It was also jam packed with hipsters. Apparently, hipsters were the same in all dimensions. I could spot about twenty pairs of oversized black or tortoise-shell glasses within thirty feet of the stage. On the upside, the club was pretty full. On the downside, I really didn't think they were there for Millennium Lint. Kyle, Simon and I had spent the afternoon learning and modifying the songs. On a good day, they were awful. And there was the issue of the band name, which was just embarrassing.
I plucked at the dress Isabelle had lent me idly, which she had insisted made me look like I "might actually have a chest". To tell the truth, I wasn't buying it. What I was really worried about was the hemline, which was shorter than I would have liked. I'd insisted on wearing spandex shorts under it as a precaution. It may come as a shocker, since I'm so gosh darn attractive, but I don't really do "sexy". I'm more the type to let guys imagine from what they can see. From what Eric and the rest of the boys of the band had been saying to me all night, they definitely were doing some imagining.
"So Bang You Like a Drum, it isn't just a song, it's a statement. And that statement applies to you, babe." Eric finished a long pick-up attempt geared towards me as I tuned back in to what they were saying. I really wondered how they ever get girlfriends (which they apparently had).
"Mm-hmm," I said, then looked up at the boys. "Your girlfriends are here, right?"
They were all suddenly absorbed in their sound-check. I went back to the small area where Simon, Jace, Madi, and Kyle were waiting.
"As long as we're all wearing our own pants," I heard Simon say right as I entered.
"I see I have come in at a fascinating time in the conversation." I looked over at Kyle and Jace, my head cocked to one side. They were both wearing jeans and a black t-shirt. "Hey, you guys match."
"See?" Simon said, gesturing to the two. "Exactly what I said. Best friend stuff."
"Anyway, we're about to start. So let's get out there."
"Break a leg up there," Jace said. "And I'll be down here, hopefully breaking someone else's."
"Ah, the American dream." Madi piped up, then looked at me. "Be careful." She added, nodding her head towards me. She really had the badass nod down pat. If it was an art, she'd be Picasso.
"It's just an expression, Madi," I said, then followed Simon and Kyle out onto the stage.
C.I.W.
Simon stumbled off the stage as Bang You Like a Drum started, looking like he was about to keel over and die. My eyes narrowed. I sang my part of the song, then quietly slipped off after him as Kyle took over the vocals. I caught a questioning look from Madi in the audience, then rounded the corner into the backstage area. A camera flash momentarily blinded me.
When the spots on my vision cleared, Simon was going for Maureen's neck.
"Simon!" I shouted, the whip uncoiling in my hands in my seconds. I was glad it worked, I'd been practicing in my room at the Institute. Maryse probably wasn't going to be happy about the broken vases.
I flicked the whip out, it first hit the wall above Simon's head, then landed a stinging blow on his back. I caught a flash of silver before the whip came flying back without warning, hitting me in the face. I stared at it, wondering how that would happen, then realized.
The Mark of Cain.
This was not going to be a fair fight. But then again, did I really need to fight him? Really I just needed to distract him, long enough that he didn't hurt Maureen.
I pulled him around to face me, carefully being as unthreatening as possible. Behind his back, I gestured for Maureen to run.
"Simon, what do you think you're doing –" I stopped short as Simon's eyes fixed on a spot on my face. His fangs were fully extended over his bottom lips. He made no move to turn back to Maureen, as I'd expected he would, but instead was advancing toward me. Slowly, I raised a hand to my face.
It came away red.
Shit. The whip hit me in the nose. It made my nose bleed. I was with a hungry vampire. I really have fantastic luck. Just fantastic.
"Okay, Simon…" I said slowly, as if talking to a misbehaving child. I slowly moved back as I talked. "You do not drink from humans. You're better than that…"
He made his move, launching himself across the small gap between us. Twisting, below him and around, I grabbed onto his back. The Mark threw me up and back, and I hit the wall hard. I crumpled to the floor. I pushed my hair out of my face and looked up at Simon. His fangs had retracted, and he looked absolutely horrified.
It wasn't the least painful way to take care of things, but it worked. The Mark of Cain really packed a punch. Kyle walked in as I was dragging myself off the floor. His eyes flicked from me to Simon and back again.
"What the hell did you do, Simon?" He demanded, rounding on Simon.
"I didn't mean to…" Simon said, staring wide-eyed at the floor.
"It's okay, I'm fine, nothing happened." I protested, wiping the blood from nose.
"Like hell nothing happened!" Kyle barked. "You lost control, didn't you? There was a terrified little girl with pinpricks on her neck running out there. You almost fed on an innocent person, Simon, that it is not nothing. What would you have done if Claire hadn't shown up?"
"I didn't mean to," Simon repeated numbly. His eyes didn't move from the floor. Kyle moved to shove him, trying to get more of a reaction, but before he could he was picked up and thrown across the room as I was. He landed in a wolf-like crouch, springing back up effortlessly. He looked murderous for a moment, then his face calmed and he dusted off his knees, and looked down at me.
"You alright?" He asked. I nodded. Shaking his head, he exited the room.
"I didn't mean to." Simon said one more time, though his head lifted and his eyes met mine.
"I know." I replied. "Just get out of here, Simon."
He quickly walked away at that.
.C.I.W.
