So close now! Next chapter… well, it's the Run! Also the last chapter of this story. But of course, there's an epilogue. We'll find out what happens to the characters that managed to survive. Oh yeah, I said that. Anyway… thank you so much for the fantastic reviews! Read on! You never know… the Run chapter might be up later. Keep an eye out. Drop some more reviews my lovelies! x

Clary

Dad doesn't wait to be invited in; he just strolls into the house as if he owns the place, saying to us in a cold voice "this has gone on for too long." He turns his gaze on me. "Come home Clarissa. Now."

Is he actually joking? My eyes narrow. "No."

Dad looks as if I've slapped him. And then he growls, reaching for the front of my shirt, but Jace elbows him hard in the chest, standing before me. Protecting me I realize.

"Leave," Jace tells him coldly. "You are not welcome here."

My father scoffs. "Do you think that if the world knew what you were, they'd allow you to stay here in Alicante?" the threat is subtle, but we both know what it means; he'd out Jace to the Council.

And if he did that… wouldn't I be revealed too?

My father doesn't scare me anymore. He's just a monster. But a different kind of monster to Jace. Jace thought himself one, but was far from it. My father was a monster.

And then my father grabs my wrist, yanking me towards the door. "You're coming home Clarissa. I've had enough of all this. Your mother has too. Maybe when you return home, she'll come to her senses and return too."

What?

I wrench myself away with a growl before Jace can intervene. "She left you? Good! You deserve to be alone!"

Whatever my father was about to do, Jace had seen it. Had pounced and shoved him away from me with a hiss of "out. Get out."

He doesn't move. He gazes at us both, understanding in his eyes. "Ah. One monster calls to another."

Jace frowns in confusement, but I know what he means. My father chuckles, reaching for the front door. "We'll settle this on the ice. Actually-" his hand pauses on the handle. "Let's make this a little more interesting; if either of you win, I shall never bother you both again. I swear on the Angel. But…" a dark glint could be seen in his eyes. "If Jonathan wins, Clary comes home with me. You two never see each other again."

Oh by the Angel. That was…

"I accept" Jace snaps. "I can hardly wait for this Valentine Morgenstern free life. You killed my parents, you bastard. You will be punished. One way or another."

My father arches a brow. "Jace, even if you won the Run, do you think the Council would listen to you? They know how… questionable your frame of mind is. And they know that you and my daughter are, ah, together. Who do you think would they listen to? Their esteemed leader or… children. Children they know are rebellious and likely to tell tales."

Even if either of us won… it wouldn't be winning, exactly.

There was no way for either of us to…

"Get out!" Jace yells, his voice laced with pain. He's trying to hide it, but he's failed. My father leaves without another word, slamming the door shut behind him.

Jace dashes forwards and locks the door behind the man, standing there with his forehead against the wood afterwards. Neither of us says anything for a long time, but then I sigh lightly and walk over, twining my arms around his waist, resting my cheek atop his shoulder. "I know you're not okay, so I'm not going to ask that" I mutter, tightening my arms around him.

Jace turns in my arms, resting his back against the door. "We're fucked, basically" he says in a flat, emotionless voice. "He's right- even if we do win, they won't believe us. The only thing we can gain from this race is your freedom." He smiles weakly, raising his hands. He cups my face into them. "That doesn't sound like a bad thing to fight for." Jace lets his hands drop to my waist and hugs me into his chest. He buries his face into my hair and we hold each other for what seems like forever.

It feels like the calm before the storm.

Clary – the day before the Run

We haven't kissed since that day when my father had visited. That was about two weeks ago. We hadn't fallen asleep together, we hadn't gone on a date. Just… zero romance.

Training had taken over. And I mean taken over.

And today was the last day for training.

The snow had come heavy the previous night. And then the wind had picked up. Idris was a swirl of pure white. And yet, the Run hadn't been cancelled. It was insane. Completely insane. How could anyone win this-?

"The horses are fine with the snow" Jace tells me as we sit atop them in the snow that reaches halfway up their legs. Holy crap. "They're used to this. And the course for the Run will be clear for morning, I assure you. Cancel the Run? Never." A pause. "Are you scared?"

"No." Yes.

"Me too" Jace admits. "I'm scared out of my wits."

I frown at that. "But you've won this thing before. You know how this race works."

"Last time I ran, I didn't have you here to watch." Jace shrugs, twirling a finger around a stray hair of Draco's. "How am I supposed to win for you, yet keep you safe at the same time? What point is there in winning if you die, huh?"

"Jace," I start. "It was my choice to race."

"I gave you permission!" he growls back. "If you get hurt, it's all my fault! Don't you get it? I never should have given you permission to race. You're good, but you're not in the Demon's Run league of good. You're going to be slaughtered."

"Thanks for the confidence (!)" but I know he's telling the truth. I really was a little girl who dreamed she could run and win her freedom. In some book where I was the heroine, I would succeed. But this wasn't some story. This was real life.

The danger was too real. And very imminent.

Jace has a trapper hat on, only a few strands of golden hair escaping it. His cheeks are flushed red from the cold. I bet mine were too. He looks good though. Like racing royalty with his riding gear on.

He turns Draco around, trotting the last few meters to the top of the hill. I urge Nyx to do the same, stopping her alongside the other equi umbra. Jace gazes across the valley, at the glass city that's completely encased in snow and ice. The towers look like ice sculptures. Deadly and sharp with icicles hanging from it.

A hand slips into my own upon the reins. I squeeze gently before raising it to my chilly lips, pressing a soft kiss to the back of it.

Hell, today… tonight could be the last time we…

No I wouldn't think about that.

When I look over at Jace, he's staring at me. I smile, squeezing his hand once more. "Smile?"

Jace chuckles and the smallest of smiles tugs at his lips. "Happy?"

"For now."

Jace's eyes flicker to the city once more. "Do you like dancing?"

I just stare. "I can't say… I've ever really tried it-? Why?"

"Tonight. It's the Last Dance."

"Now why does that sound so ominous?"

Jace tuts, swinging our entwined hands back and forth a little. "The night before the Run, the city holds a dance to commemorate those who have run, and those about to. A sort of memorial. Not that it's solemn or anything. It's a party, Clary. And I wondered if you wanted to come? With me?"

I arch a brow. "Who do you usually take?"

He snorts in laughter. "I've never gone before now Clary. This would be my first time."

"Would my father be there?"

Jace's face hardens. "Ah."

"I don't want to go anyway" I tell Jace. "I'd much rather spend time with you like today. A party in case you die-? Sounds… rather barbaric." I slide down from Nyx's back, landing in the snow with a squeal. The cold doesn't enter my waterproof boots, but it's still freezing.

Jace slides down too, calling after me "Clary where are you-?"

I just laugh, walking to the top of the hill. "Let's make a snowman."

Jace just stares.

"You do know what a snowman is… right?"

Jace blinks. "Of course I do." I hold out my hand for him to take. "Come on then- let's make one."

And we do. Jace rolls the massive base part of the body and I handle the middle bit. Together we heave it up onto the main body. Then I make a head and shove it on. Jace pulls some bark from the nearest tree for a face. He uses a too-long stick for its nose, making me laugh. When he tries to force it in some more, he knocks the poor thing's head off completely. Our unfortunate snowman.

"He looks like you" I say in amusement and a ball of snow hits me in the side of the face. Not hard enough to hurt, but when it goes down the back of my coat I scream, kicking at the snowdrift in Jace's direction. He ducks but loses his balance, falling backwards into the snow. For a few seconds, he disappears completely under the snowdrift. When he comes up, he's yelling, flailing around like a headless chicken. I can't help it-

I start laughing. And I can't stop.

"Cold-!" Jace just gasps, water dripping from the end of his sopping hair. His hat has fallen off into the snow. "So freaking… cold-!" he literally dives onto his horses back, pulling himself up. "Damn you Clary!"

As I climb back onto Nyx's back, I continue giggling. Jace is acting serious, but I can see the smiles escaping him at the same time.

When we get back to the Lightwood mansion, there's no one home.

I shrug my coat off and Jace does the same, hanging them both up on the peg behind the door.

And then my back is up against the now closed front door, our lips locked. Jace's hands tug at my soaked jumper, yanking it up and over my head. It hits the floor at the same time my own hands tug at his jacket, tugging the zip down and shoving it off his shoulders. Jace moans against my lips as I slip a hand underneath his damp shirt, taking that off him too. His chest is freezing cold as I run a hand up it, marveling at how toned his body is.

Jace pulls my shirt off as well. And then his lips leave my own as he looks down, murmuring out "when did you get so hot?"

I try to reply but he merely kisses me again. And with a hunger that pretty much blows my mind. His lips then leave my own, traveling to underneath my chin. His hands move to the front of my jeans and I feel the button come undone. Oh, I certainly know what he has on his mind. And I don't want to say No.I kick my boots off, Jace doing the same. He presses his hips to my own, causing an involuntary gasp to slip from me. He was turned on. More than turned on. I could feel it for one thing.

When Jace yanks my jeans down, kicking them aside, my hands shoot towards the front of his own. His chest rumbles as a deep groan escapes him. It's all alien, the emotions coursing through me. Emotions that Jace had caused. My heart feels like it's about to jump out of my chest. Every touch, every brush of our skin just makes me want him more. Want him in a way I'd never wanted anyone before. It was thrilling, but frightening too. A nervous excitement.

A moment later we're stood in just our underwear, kissing so passionately it feels like I might explode. Our bodies are pressed together, not an inch left between us.

I can't help the squeal of surprise as things suddenly go horizontal. My back is against the sofa, Jace's weight pressing down on me.

Jace sighs in what seems like contentment, lips leaving my own to travel to my chest. He pauses between the light swells of my breasts, muttering against my skin. "You're so amazing Clary." I don't reply for a start. I raise a hand and wind it into his wet hair. "Why are you doing this Jace?"

I gaze down after, meeting aureate eyes that seem even darker than usual. Dark with lust. He looks confused. "What do you mean?"

A pause. "This, Jace."

"Don't you want to do it-?" he seems almost offended. I laugh, untangling my hand from his hair, stroking it back gently from his face. "So damn much."

He waggles his brows, eyes flickering down the bra I was wearing. The last item of clothing covering up my top half. It's nothing special or revealing. Not even a push-up. Just black with a little lace around the edge that makes it look pretty. "Well I suggest we start then, since we're both in agreement." And then the bastard presses his damn boner against my leg.

"Jace…" I groan, leaning my head back against the sofa. "Not tonight. I don't want to have sex with you tonight. It's not right."

A scowl will be on his face. And when I look, there it is. Jace looks sour. "Clary. Why-?"

"Because," I tell him, taking his face into my hands. "You're under the impression that either one or both of us are going to die tomorrow. That we won't get the chance to do this again."

Jace's face isn't a scowl anymore. It's resigned. "It's very possible" he shrugs. "I'm sorry." He leans down and presses a kiss to my stomach, signing out "tomorrow is going to be hell."

I agree there.

My arms twine themselves around Jace's bare form, burying my face into his neck. He presses a kiss to my cheek, muttering out "come on. Let's get an early night."

"It's not even eight yet?"

"So?" he hoists me up into his arms, stepping over our discarded clothes that litter the floor. Jace carries me all the way up to his bedroom. It's smaller than what I would have expected. A single bed. And it's neat. Very neat. The covers are cream and gold. It's on these that Jace sets me down atop. Jace shuts the door behind him. I shimmy down under the covers, feeling instantly warmer.

"Won't we get in trouble?" I ask him quietly as he slips under the covers as well, tugging me into his arms. Jace shrugs. "Not likely. Besides, it isn't like we're having loud and rigorous sex that the whole of Alicante can hear."

We weren't… but the images in my head at his words. Wow. Jeez. I had a dirty imagination.

My eyes travel to his chest and shoulders. The scars there were pale in the light, but when I raise a hand and touch them gently, they're rough. Like hardened wax on paper.

"How did you get these?" I ask him quietly. "The ones you didn't explain."

Jace sighs heavily, resting his forehead against my shoulder. "I was young. So stupid… and grieving."

"Jace-"

"Yes, these are all done by equi umbra. These scars and bites. When I found out about… the demon blood, I…" he sighs again. "I was depressed. Severely depressed."

"Jace-"

"One day coming back from visiting my parents at the mausoleum, I came across a group of equi umbra." He laughs bitterly, still not looking up. "I wanted to die, bluntly said. So I walked right into the heart of the group."

He'd basically… oh by the Angel. He'd wanted those horses to tear him apart.

"Jace you fool" I whisper, tracing a scar upon his back gently with the tip of my finger. "But you changed your mind?"

"No. The horses attacked me, slashed at me… but they didn't kill me. Guess it was because I was part demon. Part of them." He sounds sour, but at least he finally looks up and meets my eyes. He looks sad now. "I was a fool Clary. You're right. After that, I realized how good I could be with those horses. Started riding them."

My Jace was a damaged boy. But at least he didn't have to deal with it all on his own anymore. I wasn't much, but I was there for him. I always would be.

I bury my face into Jace's chest. He's holding me. I'm holding him.

If this was our last night, I wouldn't have asked for it to go any differently.

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