I creep down the steps as slowly as possible, when I get to the bottom I stop suddenly.

"Ow!" Jonathon complains as he runs into me. "Why did you stop?"

"Can't. See" I whisper back, my eyes slowly adjusting to the dim light of the basement. I walk forward cautiously through the room, I slowly feel my way around a corner. Around the corner a room is eerily lit by a set of complicated weaving runes that glow a spooky blue/white light. What looks like an interrogation lamp, swings above the broken figure of what once a glorious angel. His wings are broken and when looks up I can't see his eyes.

"By the angel…" I breathe. Jonathon doesn't speak, but his eyebrows furrow.

Jonathon

"Come, son of Lilith. Bringer of the night, lord of the darkness or is it bringer of light, lord of the dawning day? You must make a decision; you are at war with yourself. I've been watching you, Valentine speaks of you often, gloats about you often. You have a demon inside you, strength, power, you're a soldier." The angel, Ithurial speaks inside my head to me.

I shake my head. "I'm not a demon!" I yell.

"You are what you are. No more, no less."

"But…but then what is the point? I can't change who I am! I…I'm a monster…"

"Not quite young one. You are half mortal. Tell me, can you feel emotion? Do you love anyone?"

"I…I love my sister" I reply in my head, glancing at my very confused sibling.

"Love? Or Lust?"

"I…I…don't…know…love?"

"Or is it?" A second voice joins in, this hiss I recognise. It has overcome me before. "You could have your way with her now if you wanted. Go on, see how cute she looks in this light. And oooh look how vulnerable she is, you could break her. Make her yours"

"But...she's my sister. I can't, it's wrong!" I protest. I feel my body bending to the demonic wishes. Temptation is trying to draw me in and over power me.

"Who cares? The Egyptians didn't. Remember how close you got before…remember the jealously you felt when the Wayland boy tried to take her away. The Wayland boy, favoured by your father. You were always second best, you could beat him to it, win over him…" I can feel myself caving in. I grab her almost uncontrollably and slam her into a basement wall. Leaning in…Only her look of pure terror snaps me back to reality.

"No, no, no, no, no, no! I don't want this. I don't!" I yell over the booming voice of the demon in my head.

"But you do…you're a demon anyway. What harm can it do? After all…it's in your blood"

I glance again at Clary, but her scared expression brings out my protectiveness. Even if she abandoned me years ago, I would never stop loving her.

"ENOUGH!" I shout over it, successfully shutting the voice out. Sometimes I could control it, it's been getting worse since Clary left because before she gave me the reason to hold back. I couldn't understand her even before, she despised our father while I thought he was amazing. I guess I understand now, I was clouded by the demon inside of me.

"So what can I do? All things demon should be destroyed! I'm even worse than a Downworlder!"

"Did not your father once say 'To love is to destroy and to love is to be destroyed'? He is wrong, a hypocrite, his ways are wrong. There is a chance for everyone. You are still incredibly young, poisoned through no fault of your own. Your sister, Clarissa is powerful as you already know. I will offer her the gift of a rune that will dispel your darkness. However I cannot guarantee you will survive, for it is made of Heavenly Fire, you must be willing to commit to it's working fully. Otherwise you may find you die if you are too overpowered by your demon, but I am offering you the option"

"Yes! Yes! I don't want to be this way"

"You must promise me a few things"

"Anything"

"One, you set me free. Two, you do not stray down the path of temptations again. Three, you defeat Valentine by any means possible"

"Certainly"

Clary

I'm so confused, one minute Jonathon goes all psycho brother and the next he's practically leaping for joy. I seriously don't get it.

"Clarissa Fairchild, hear is a rune I am offering to you. Use it wisely and follow your heart always, as I know it is pure." A seraphic voice interrupts my thoughts.

"Ok…"

"Ask your brother, he shall explain. Now, please, spare me my pain and set me free"

I take out my stele and draw over the runes binding him in place. He breathes a sigh of relief as his chains are released. Jonathon wears a grim expression as he presents him with a seraph blade. I watch in horror as the angel takes his own life. Jon is about to say something when the building starts to crumble. He gasps and grabs me by the hand in a vice like grip, dragging me up the stairs. The books in the library are scattered and the whole world appears to shake. Jonathon launches a rock through the window.

"JUMP!" He yells. I shake my head.

"ARE YOU CRAZY!?"

He scoops me up without a word and much to my protesting, dumps me unceremoniously out of the window. I shriek as I tumble down the hill, he follows closely behind and throws his body over mine. A deafening crash sounds and I cower underneath him. Once it is all over he stands up and grabs my hand again, brushing the dust off of himself.

"What. Just. Happened?" I ask.

"A lot" He goes on to explain what the angel told him.

"The rune…are you ready to try now?"

"Yes, please anything. I….I don't want to hurt you"

I smile, I never knew he could be so sentimental. I brandish my stele, he takes off his shirt and I start tracing the details onto his chest, directly above his heart. I can feel the power emanating from the rune, even as I draw it. I sit back and we sit in suspense, nothing happens.

Suddenly he convulses, thrashing from side to side. His eyes open and I'm temporarily blinded by the piercing light that shines through. He coughs and chokes, scarily black blood spewing out. I watch helpless and he moans. He suddenly stops.

"Jonathon? JON?" I ask, trying to shake him awake.

He doesn't move. He's deathly still.