A/N: I'm posting this because of this high demand for Malec. The first sighting is at the end of this chapter.

Chapter summary: In which Clary plays with runes, Simon makes a new friend, the Shadowhunters negotiate, and Magnus is smitten.


11: Negotiations

Clary had felt relatively good after her meeting with Simon. It was a relief to know her best friend had her back even in all this craziness. But now she wasn't sure how she felt. The way Magnus had acted when they got back to his loft was odd. He seemed distracted, lost. He'd made a beeline straight for Elias than locked the both of them up in his study.

If she hadn't known better, Clary would've thought that the two were going to work off some stress. But she'd seen the two warlocks interact and it didn't seem like they were together. Far from it in fact. They both maintained a careful distance from each other even when they were close. Yet they trusted each other enough to feel comfortable in close proximity and tease one another. It reminded Clary of her relationship with Simon in a way.

Normally, thinking of Simon would have calmed her, but it didn't now. She had the distinct feeling she was being left out of something important, again. She pursed her lips and walked right up to the door and tried the handle. It was locked.

"Magnus," she called. No answer. "Magnus open this door right now," she commanded. Again no answer.

She huffed in indignation and crossed her arms. How dare he. She was a Shadowhunter and had just as much right to know what was going on than...

She was a Shadowhunter. Shadowhunters used runes. Magnus had a book of runes which he had conveniently left in his bedroom. She could use the practice.

Decided, Clary hurried into Magnus bedroom and plucked the Gray Book from his bedside table. She flipped through the many pages of runes bemoaning the fact that they weren't in any particular order. Honestly, did those Shadowhunter people ever hear of a Glossary for crying out loud? At least they had the translated meanings for each rune scrawled at the bottom if each page beneath the rune.

One rune in particular caught her attention. It was shaped like a stylized 'P' with elegant streaks crisscrossing the curved part. 'Recall' was written in perfect handwriting under the rune. It wasn't what she wanted but it...

Something.

She couldn't tear her eyes away from it. It just...

"Luke no."

"You can't...lying...Jocelyn...killing you."

"...can't tell her...too dangerous."

"She's a Shadowhunter. ...take it..."

"...she...father...Valentine..."

She jerked back from the book, almost dropping it. She'd somehow leaned closer to the Recall rune on the page to the point her nose almost brushed the paper. She shook her head, trying to make sense of the voices fading from her mind. She couldn't remember hearing those words said before but she recognized the voices. They belonged to her mother and Luke. Something about her father.

Her father was dead. He'd been in the military and died before Clary was born. It was an ache she had never gotten over but had learned to live with. She had more important things to worry about right now, though. Like getting into Magnus' study.

She flipped through more pages until she finally found a rune that could be useful.

"Unlocking," she mumured.

Thankfully, it wasn't an overly complex run compared to some of the other runes she'd seen in the Gray Book. She propped he Book up in one hand and walked out of the bedroom into the living room until she stood directly in front of the locked study door. She took a deep breath and pulled her stele out of her pocket.

The Unlocking rune wasn't something that made sense to be drawn on her skin, but maybe it would work if she drew it directly on the door. Or perhaps the lock itself would work better, she thought. She crouched down and carefully copied the rune exactly as it was in the Gray Book onto the lock leaving searing black marks. The marks glowed red hot briefly and Clary had a moment of panic thinking she'd done it wrong or made a mistake and would permanently damage the lock surface. But not a second later, the lock snicked open and she grinned victoriously.

She stood, grasped the doorknob with the hand still holding the stele, pushed the door open with her shoulder and walked right into the study. She was met by twin expressions of shock from both Magnus and Elias.

"Now," she said, closing the Gray Book and tucking it under her arm, "what did I miss?"

Elias blinked awkwardly from where he stood holding a ruffled looking Magnus who had been thrown forward when the door he'd been leaning against suddenly opened. Magnus straightened and brushed himself off as if nothing had happened. Both warlocks attempted to recover their thoroughly bruised egos.

"I should never have shown you that Book," Magnus grumbled, fixing his hair.

Clary flashed him a stunning smile. "Well you did leave it on your bedside table," she chided. "Honestly, if you didn't want me to use it, you should've just told me so."

"Like that would've worked."

"It wouldn't have," Clary declared. "But you would've felt better and enjoyed lecturing me because I actually did something you told me not to do. Since you never said anything, you can't lecture me."

"You still broke into my study," Magnus said in frustration.

"I wouldn't have had to if you had just brought me with you," she countered. "I'm just as much a part if this as you and I will not be shut out like a child."

"You are a child," Elias said, confusion evident on his face.

"And yet I'm the only one standing here demanding transparency in a matter that concerns all of us," Clary shot back. "I may not be an adult like mom yet, but I am legally an adult which means I expect to be treated like an adult. Don't baby me."

Elias raised his hands in surrender, then pointed to Magnus. "His idea," he said.

Clary turned to Magnus and waited impatiently for an explanation. Magnus, however, was too busy staring at Elias in shock.

"Traitor," Magnus huffed, crossing his arms.

"Magnus?" Clary said. "I'm waiting."

Magnus' shoulders drooped and his amusement faded. "I wanted to find a way to tell you that wasn't..." He bit his lip. "Dot is dead," he said bluntly.

Clary's bravado vanished replaced by shocked disbelief. She felt the Gray Book slip from her grasp. She stumbling back when Elias dove forward and snagged the tome before it struck the ground. She gulped and clutched her stele like a wand. Her green eyes lifted to Magnus' glamoured brown. She must have looked horrid because Magnus sighed and gently took her hand in his, running a thumb over her palm.

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

Clary nodded, fighting back the sobs that threatened to rip from her. She couldn't stop the tears, but she brushed them away angrily. "I will fucking murder whoever's responsible," she growled viciously. "I will get my mother back and I will murder that sick son of a bitch."

Magnus raised an eyebrow at his niece's choice of words but shrugged them away. It wasn't like he would have said or done any different had he been in her position. Still.

"As the adult in this room I have to say I don't approve of that kind of language," Magnus said loftily. "As your uncle I have to say I absolutely agree and I'll hold them down while you rip their throats out." He winked which startled a chuckle from Clary.

Elias rolled his eyes. "You're both crazy," he muttered just loud enough for them to hear. "I'm going to get ready to head to the Spiral Labyrinth. Try not to bring down the place while I'm gone," he said.

"No promises," Magnus called at Elias' back. The other warlock shook his head and stalked out of the room. "Now my clever little niece," he said, facing Clary. "You want a crash course on runes? I'll give it to you. I expect you to draw a few somewhere on your body in preparation for tonight anyway."

Clary nodded feeling a combination of anticipation and worry. "Which ones?" she asked.

"Speed for one," Magnus said. "Invisibility, for two. Also the Protection rune, the Angelic Power rune, and that should be good for now. You don't want too many runes too soon. We don't know how you'll handle that many applied at once."

Clary nodded and held up her stele. "Ready when you are," she said.


Simon sat awkwardly in the interrogation room. At least it was a bit airy which nice. It wasn't as intimidating as the interrogation room where Luke worked. He gulped. Here, sunlight streamed through the blinds cover the window. Blinds were drawn over the other window facing the hallway and the door too. Simon lifted his head and winced at his reflection in what he assumed was a two-way. Then again, there was another mirror behind him.

He'd finished writing his official statement a couple minutes ago but no one had come to pick it up or check on him. He'd just been left in here with nothing to do and it was driving him nuts. Fed up, he decided to pass the time by conducting the fingernail test on the mirrors. He'd figure out which mirror was the real two-way mirror and yell his frustrations out at that one.

He pressed his finger against the glass on the mirror behind him and saw a gap between his real fingernail and the reflected fingernail. That meant this was a real mirror. That left the other mirror across the table. He swallowed and circled the table to press his finger against that glass. There was no gap between his real fingernail and the reflected fingernail.

"Hey," he said to the people on the other side of the mirror. "I know you're back there. I finished my statement thing. Can I go now?"

No answer.

"You can't keep me here," he said, holding his arms out. "I haven't done anything wrong."

The door suddenly burst open and a blur or red fluttered through. "Sorry, sorry!" the person said.

Simon whirled around to face the door in surprise. "Wha-"

A red haired girl who had to only be in high stood by the door holding a finger over her lips indicating silence.

"I'm hiding," she whispered.

"What?" Simon asked, sure he hadn't heard right.

"Hiding," the girl repeated.

"Why?"

"I'm not really supposed to be here," she said, shrugging. Long ginger hair a few shades lighter than Clary's tumbled over the girl's shoulders in perfect waves. Her eyes were such a pale shade of blue Simon wasn't sure if they were actually light gray or light blue.

"Okay, then why are you here?" Simon asked, not really understanding what this whole thing was about.

"I'm hiding from my dad," the girl said with a grin. "The detective lady just got a call to go to a crime scene and I figured if I made myself scarce for a bit, I could sneak out to a rave tonight at this bar near Chelsea." She gave Simon a thumbs up. "Worth a try right?"

Simon chuckled. "Yeah. I know what you mean."

The girl stiffened when voices passed right by the interrogation room windows. Simon recognized the voices as belonging to Detective Beckett and that guy from the night before. Simon gulped and sent up a prayer that they would just keep walking and forget he was here.

He dug his phone out of his pocket and quickly opened the Find Friends app. He knew he'd promised not to but I he couldn't just let Clary be out there alone. He had to check for his own personal peace of mind. Crossing his fingers, Simon picked Clary's icon and waited for the map to load. A sigh he didn't realize he'd been holding escaped in a rush when he saw Clary's icon pop up somewhere by the eastern shore of Manhattan Island near...Chelsea.

He memorized the street names of the place and closed the Find Friends app to look for the same location in Google Maps. It was some bar called Hardtail.

"You know," he said, thinking this over. "I just finished writing my statement," he said, waving to the papers on the table, "and I'm actually heading to this bar on the Island. It's this place called Hardtail." Cool Simon, stay cool. "Mind walking out wi-"

"Seriously?" the girl exclaimed. "That's where I'm going!"

"Really?" Simon asked, smiling broadly. "Wow, okay what a coincidence." Not, he thought scratching his neck. "Look, I have a car if you want a ride there. No pressure if you prefer to walk or catch a cab or whatever," he said quickly. "Just, you know, offering."

"No, that'd be great," the girl said. "You're a lifesaver."

Simon chuckled. "I'm Simon, by the way," he said, extending his hand.

"Alexis," the girl said shaking Simon's hand firmly. She didn't see Simon wave his sore hand when she turned around to peak out the door. "Look's like the coast is clear," she said, flashing him a smile. "Let's get out of here."

They walked out of the interrogation room trying to appear as unassuming as possible. Alexis glanced around as if expecting her father to appear out of nowhere. It would have been funny if Simon hadn't already been nervous. "So," she said, attempting small talk. "You're going to the rave dressed like that?" She eyed Simon's clothes doubtfully.

"Oh, no," Simon said quickly. "I'm picking my friend up from there. I'm the DD." Nice cover Simon.

"Nice," Alexis said. "What was the statement for?"

"Oh, uh." Think fast, think fast, think fast. Wait, why lie? "Someone I know was robbed and the cops think I may have seen the guy that did it so..." He shrugged. "Yeah."

Alexis bounced impatiently on the balls of her feet as she waited for the elevator to arrive. "What'd they steal?" she asked when an awkward silence fell between them.

"We don't know yet," Simon said. "He lived above a store so definitely some cash from the register but, uh, otherwise don't know."

Alexis nodded. "Come on, come on, come on," she muttered, glancing over her shoulder.

The elevator dinged and they both leaped inside and pressed the door close button as fast as they could. When they finally got to the ground floor, the both hurried outside, Simon walking quickly to his bright yellow van. He held the door open for Alexis to sit in the passenger seat then ran around to the driver's seat and pulled away.

"Nice," Alexis said, giving Simon a high five.

Simon smirked. Not bad, he thought to himself. Now to find Clary.


He was so bored, he felt like puking. The sun was setting so most of the Daylighters were beginning to trickle out of the club but the music just got louder. He could literally feel the beat in his gut. Was that normal? How on earth had Izzy convinced him to come along?

He glanced down at his little sister who was impeccably dressed in a dazzling silver sequined dress with a matching silver and crystal headdress draped over her perfectly straight hair. Her makeup was flawless and she was working those four inch heels. In was inhuman. How could anyone wear deathtraps like those things that dared call themselves shoes and feel comfortable? It made no sense.

"Maybe if we're nice, think he'll let us keep it?" Isabelle hummed, petting the huge ruby dangling from her neck.

Alec rolled his eyes. "Stop drooling over it and give it hear," he said, holding out his hand.

Isabelle sighed and pouted at him. "But it looks so pretty on me," she said, sticking her lower lip out pathetically.

Alec just stared at her, hand out, and waited. Finally, Isabelle huffed and unhooked the necklace, dropping it in her brother's hand. "Killjoy," she grumbled, smiling as she spoke to take the edge off the words.

Jace snickered earning him a deadpan glower from his parabatai. Jace just shrugged, looked around innocently, then pointed at himself. "Aw, you noticed me," he said, a wide, teasing smile brightening his face.

Alec had to look away to fight a small smile of his own from appearing on his face. He stuffed the necklace in Jace's jacket pocket, pushing his brother playfully back as e shrugged his own bow higher up his shoulder. "You have our invitations, Izzy?" he asked, hoping the subject change would shift the focus away from him.

"Right here." Isabelle waved the three colorful flyers up so Jace and Alec could snag theirs. "Don't ask questions," she said, "don't look the doorman in the eye, and please try to keep your mouths shut. Jace."

"Why me?" Jace whined.

Isabelle stepped up the doorman and presented her invitation with a flourish. When the vampire looked up at her, she winked over her shoulder with a sultry smile and he waved her past. He moved to stop Alec, but found an invitation slapped in his face. When he lowered it another one filled his vision. When he pulled that one away, he shot a glare at the two male Shadowhunters' backs and grumbled. It wasn't his business. They had an invitation, they could get in. He'd just let the other patrons know to be on the safe side tonight. Just in case.

"Keep an eye out for Magnus," Jace said once they stepped out onto the dance floor.

"I'll be on lookout," Alec said, making his way over to a staircase up to the mezzanine where he could have a bird's eye view of the club. From up there, he could pick out threats and get rid of them easier with his bow.

"Izzy?" Jace said. He waited until his sister turned to him before continuing. "You're up."

She smiled, fluttered her eyelashes at him, and flowed through the crowd like liquid sex. Even Jace knew when to admit when she was hot. This was where Isabelle fit in. She could dance and move and flirt and breathe like the other people in this place without raising any suspicion at all. This was her realm and she knew it.

Alec crouched down in a ready position at the top of the stairs watching the bodies move like an endless wave of black and flashing lights to a beat that vibrated the building's foundations. He just knew his ears would be ringing for a while after this. He drew a single arrow and knocked it on his bowstring, keeping it in a relaxed grip, ready to draw and fire at a moment's notice.

He followed his sister and Jace with his eyes as they made their way through the crowd to the back of the club. Alec stood and walked across the mezzanine to the stairs on the far side. The Downworlders standing between him and his goal took one look at him and moved out of his way. They knew a Shadowhunter on the hunt when they saw one. Alec paid them no mind. Instead he studied the crowd below for anything even remotely suspicious.

A flash of red hair by the bar captured his attention and he focused on it, dismissing it a moment later when he saw the hair's owner. It was a girl but she was younger than he remembered the Shadowhunter girl they were chasing, Clary, to be. This girl had to only be in high school. How she made it past the doorman was beyond Alec. He just rolled his eyes and returned to tracking his siblings again, thus missing a familiar brunette boy bob between the bodies right behind the redhead.

By that time he had reached the back wall of the club and had to go down a couple of the steps of the stairs in the corner to catch sight of Isabelle and Jace again. Now he just had to sit and wait. Typical. At least he had a good view of the majority of the dance floor from here. Of course, it'd be a bit more tolerable if that cute new kitten was still in his jacket pocket.


"They still haven't shown," Clary said, leaning against the table's edge.

She was careful to keep her long, pale legs together. The tight black dress Magnus had gotten for her had a diving neckline and stopped perilously close to her butt. She had to stop herself from tugging the hem down further over her thighs. There was a reason she usually stuck to pants even during the hot months. She forced her hands to toy with the purple stone dangling from her necklace instead. Its smooth surface and deep amethyst color was comforting. It was also the last thing her mother had given her before tossing her through a Portal.

"Relax," Magnus said, crossing his legs in his seat and leaning back.

He was the perfect image of calm and collected, minus the constant rapt attention he paid to the crowd around them. He had chosen a table by the back wall so they could see anyone approaching. It was a good choice. Now if only someone would actually approach them that'd be great, Clary thought.

She caught herself fiddling with her dress hem again and sighed in defeat. "I'm sick and tired of all this waiting," she said. "I just want this to be over. I want my mom back." Her eyes narrowed hatefully. "And I want the sick bastard who murdered Dot to die."

Magnus chortled glancing at her in dark approval. "Easy kitten," he teased. "Talk first, kill later. Killing first disrupts the appetite."

Clary chuckled despite herself.

"Magnus!"

"Showtime," Magnus said, uncrossing his legs and standing in one smooth move. Clary stood too, taking her place at her uncle's side as an equal. "Shadowhunters," Magnus said greeting their guests.

The two Shadowhunters who walked up to Clary and Magnus couldn't be more different if they tried. The female was the personification of feminine beauty. Her lips were a luscious red, her skin a tantalizing tan, her hair a shiny ebony, and her dress a startling silver. She was beautiful and Clary suddenly felt incredibly self-conscious.

The male was tall, well built, and handsome. Strangely, the word 'golden' came to mind. The man's blonde hair and molten amber eyes stood out starkly against his black clothes. Everything about him was attractive, until he opened his mouth.

"Magnus Bane," the blonde Shadowhunter said. "You've been a bitch to track down."

Magnus gave a lazy smirk that never reached his eyes. "Always happy to oblige," he said. "But I believe it was," he turned his attention to the lovely Shadowhunter woman, "this young lady who contacted me. Not you."

The woman smiled and it was sensual as fuck. Clary sighed and briefly wondered what it'd be like to be interested in women. The blonde Shadowhunter looked pissed when Magnus dismissed him but the woman preened under the attention.

"I did," she said. She held out her hand and waited for her partner to drop a piece of silver jewelry into her hand which she then dangled in front of Magnus. "I believe you want this," she purred.

Clary watched Magnus' eyes fill with desire as he made to swipe the swinging gem from the Shadowhunter's hand. But the woman brought it back, bouncing it tauntingly, and dropped it between her breasts. "Talk first," she said. "Can't give up my only leverage first, you understand."

Magnus hesitated, eyes lifting from where the woman had dropped the necklace to her eyes. "Fine, but only after I've verified its authenticity," he countered with a sly grin.

The woman drew back, a hand resting delicately over her breasts. "You doubt my sincerity?" she asked in mock offense, a smile still playing on her lips.

"Trust no one, my dear," Magnus said, matching her grin with one of his own.

"Not even you?" the woman asked, eyeing him from under her thick eyelashes.

"Especially not me," Magnus said.

The woman breathed a laugh and pulled the jewel out from its place between her breasts holding it out to Magnus. "Authentic," she said, "and warm." She winked and Clary blushed.

Magnus took the jewel and flipped it over so the inscription on the back was visible. Amor, it said.

"Amor verus numquam moritur," Magnus breathed, studying the necklace appreciatively.

"Is that Latin?" Clary asked, leaning over to study the jewel curiously.

"Indeed," Magnus said. "It means 'True love can never die.'"

"Your turn, Magnus," the blonde Shadowhunter said, cutting Magnus off. "Talk. What's going on with the warlocks? And why is a Shadowhunter with you?" he added, casting a cursory glance at Clary.

Clary hated him.

"That 'Shadowhunter' doesn't like your attitude," Clary snapped.

The blonde man blinked, as if surprised Clary could speak at all. She deliberately ran her eyes up and down the male Shadowhunter's body and sniffed in disdain before turning away, dismissing him entirely. That certainly ruffled his feathers. Perfect.

"She's with me," Magnus said, winking at Clary playfully. "She's free to go when and if she wants to. But don't worry," he said. "It's not your fault my company is in higher demand. I guess I just have more charm than you do. Don't take it personally. Hardly anyone is as charming as I am."

The Shadowhunter woman was pressing a hand over her mouth and trying incredibly hard not to laugh out loud. Her shoulders were shaking and her face was turning red from the effort. The blonde, however, was staring at both Magnus and Clary dumbstruck.

"As for the warlocks," Magnus said, turning to more serious matter. "The Circle is hunting us. They want the Mortal Cup which, as I'm sure you know, is missing. For some strange reason, they seem to think we can help them find it. They've already murdered several of my people under my watch alone."

"They took my mother," Clary said, tossing a strand of ginger hair over her shoulder with a jerk of her head. "They murdered Dot and kidnapped my mother. Unless you can help me get her back, than you're useless to me."

"The Circle hasn't been active in years," the Shadowhunter woman said cautiously. "Why would they act up now?"

"Why do idiots do anything?" Magnus said with a heavy sigh. "Because they can." He paused, studying both Shadowhunters' reaction carefully. "Then again, since Valentine is back, I suppose they just decided now was as a good a time as ever."

"Valentine is dead," the blonde said, sounding unsure of his own words.

Magnus snorted. "Like hell he is. The Clave may have officially declared him dead, but the Downworlders have known for a while now that he is very much alive. Granted we had no solid proof, but I think those 'Demonic Murders' the Mundanes have been dealing with for the past month or two was proof enough."

"The Circle is behind those?" Clary gasped, whirling on Magnus. "How long have you known?"

"Suspected is more like," Magnus said. "Valentine had a penchant for experimenting with and mixing blood with different races during the Uprising. I'm sure you understand how unpleasant that is," he said, eyeing the blonde Shadowhunter.

"It's against the Accords," the woman said darkly.

"Well that explains who those demons were peddling the Mundane blood to," the blonde said, crossing his arms thoughtfully.

"Demons?" Clary asked.

"Oh, now she talks to me?" the blonde asked and Clary instantly rolled her eyes.

"We've been tracking a group of Eidolon demons who've been peddling Mundane blood in various clubs," the Shadowhunter woman said. "We tracked a group to Pandemonium hoping to find out who was buying it-"

"But she interfered instead," the blonde interrupted, shooting a glare at Clary.

"Yeah, sorry for not dying," Clary sniped. Surprisingly, the blonde immediately backed down.

"Look," he said. "We just want to know what's going on."

"Join the club," Clary said glumly.

She sighed and looked absently out to the crowd when she noticed a mop of what looked like brown hair. "Simon?" she murmured in confusion. Something bright and quick to her right caught her attention. She had just enough time to holler "Look out!" and yank Magnus back before an arrow zipped through the air inches from Magnus' face piercing the neck of the would-be assassin.

Magnus, caught off guard by the unexpected movement, stumbled into Clary before catching himself on the table. Together, he and Clary turned to see the fallen person clutching his throat where a bloodied arrow sprung up like some sick flower. Clary stared at the dying man while Magnus retraced the arrow's trajectory and saw a dark and devastatingly handsome young man stalk right past him and up to the gurgling man. The vaguely noticed the other two Shadowhunters drawing their own seraph blades, but they were of no importance. The young man with the wild black hair thrusting the arrow deeper into the assassin's neck, killing him, had Magnus' full attention.

"Who are you?" he breathed, unable to tear his gaze away from the angel before him.

He had a moment to notice the young man had a Deflect rune drawn on his neck before a sinking feeling settled in his stomach. The young man who had just become the focal point of his lustful desires was a Shadowhunter. That could be a problem.

"Magnus are you okay?" Clary's voice broke through his clouded mind and jolted him into action. He quickly composed himself, opened a Portal to his Lair, and pulled his niece towards it.

"Oh no you don't," the blonde Shadowhunter called, snagging Clary's arm and tugging them back. "You're a Shadowhunter. You belong at the Institute."

"My Lair can offer her protection your Institute can't," Magnus hissed. "Besides, the Circle found us. If they found us, then I have to get back to my Lair."

"We need to get back to your Lair," Clary said forcefully, aiming a hot glare at the blonde. She promptly stamped her high heeled shoe right where she figured the arrogant blonde's big toe was.

"AAH! What the hell bitch!" the guy screaming, reeling back and clutching his now throbbing foot.

Clary just sneered and used the opportunity to run straight into the Portal dragging Magnus behind her.


Jace just shrugged in annoyance still rubbing his sore foot. Isabelle willed her whip back into its bracelet form and shook her head. "We'll have to track him," she said. "You still have that photo Alec?"

"Yeah," Alec said, pulling the picture out of his breast pocket.

"Let's do it outside then," Isabelle said, already turning to walk out. "Fewer people and fewer rats." She shot a disgusted look at a rat that skittered across the floor by her feet and left, her brothers following after her, one limping and the other walking normally.


He waited until the Shadowhunters were gone before stepping forward and scooping up the terrified rat.

"You just couldn't stop drinking, could you?" he asked, not expecting an answer.

The rat squeaked pathetically and struggled to escape his grasp, scratching at his unnaturally pale skin. He just rolled his eyes. "Oh shut up," he muttered.

He stuffed the rat in his coat pocket and stalked out the back of the club. He'd make sure the drunk idiot he just saved from getting stepped on paid for any damage done to his brand new jacket once they got back to Hotel DuMort.

"I hate dealing with fledglings," he griped.