Alec was in the last place he expected to find himself: a Downworlder night club.
He watched the crowded scene in Pandemonium from the balcony of the club's VIP section on the second floor. Downworlders and mundanes alike were bouncing chaotically on the dance floor, mashed together. Electronic dance music pounded. Smoke curled around in the air, illuminated by the pulsing blue and green strobe lights.
Alec had only been to the club a handful of times and only ever while on duty to dispatch of wandering demons who bothered the mundanes. He had never been upstairs to the lounge, which he guessed to be Bane's usual spot. Even up and away from the riot of the dance floor, Alec found the scene too noisy, too hazy, and too intrusive. No, the club scene did not appeal to him. At all.
He turned around to watch Bane interact with the other Downworlders. Against Alec's cautious advice, the warlock had insisted on visiting Pandemonium as a show of normalcy. In the end, Alec begrudgingly conceded. It made sense to keep up appearances so as not to raise suspicion of something wrong.
Bane sat in a tufted velvet club chair that was regal enough to serve as a throne. For as awkward as Alec was in social spaces like this, Bane looked like he truly belonged there. Even through the smoke and dim lighting, Alec made out the dark kohl-lined eyes, sharply clenched jaw, and those never-smiling lips. Alec walked closer without thinking, and before he knew better, he was sitting down in a much less ornate lounge chair beside him.
Bane's gaze flickered to watch Alec sit before resuming his confident indifference. He casually scanned the lounge floor in front of their sitting area.
"Have you finished uh, making an appearance yet?" Alec asked, eager to move Bane away from the crowded space. If someone was truly targeting him, a place like Pandemonium was not where they should be.
"This isn't your scene I take it," Bane said, disinterested in Alec's concern. He was still looking around the room when Alec leaned closer.
"I just don't like being in a situation that leaves you exposed."
Bane reacted strangely. His eyes widened in surprise at the same time his nostrils flared in anger. Not even a second passed before his icy, unconcerned expression slipped back into place.
"Yes. Well, it's a good thing I have a trusty Shadowhunter at my side then. Isn't it?"
Alec sat back with a sigh, knowing they were unlikely to leave anytime soon. A couple of Seelies glided over, both holding a drink in each of their hands.
"It's a tantalizing evening when the High Warlock is in our company. We haven't seen you around much lately, Bane," the male Seelie said.
"What can I say, Downworlder affairs keep me busy."
Alec noticed Bane flash a smug smirk, clearly meant as a discreet 'I told you so' about the importance of keeping up his appearances. Of course, Bane had been right. Withdrawing from the Downworld to hide while trying to solve the issue of his weakened magic would be noticed. Even though it was true, Alec still didn't like it.
The Seelies settled into the couch at Bane's other side. Alec recognized the female as Kaelie, one of many girls Jace had been with.
"Share a drink with us, Bane. This," she said as she offered one of the glasses, "is called an Old Fashioned I just learned."
Bane took the glass and clinked it against hers before drinking it down in one long swallow. The male Seelie offered one to Alec, who waved his hand to decline.
"Are you sure you wouldn't like one?"
"No, thanks." Alec shook his head firmly. The Seelie shrugged and sipped at it himself.
Bane set the empty drink down on the glass table in front of them. "Alec here is on official duty. There's been an increase in demon sightings in the area. Naturally, there will be an increase in Shadowhunter presence. I don't want trouble for my patrons."
"So that's why Jace is here," Kaelie said, her fingers running up and down the other Seelie's bare arm.
"Jace is here?" Alec asked.
Kaelie nodded. "I thought he might be looking for a good time, but he declined my offer."
Alec stood and walked back over to the balcony. He immediately noticed Jace at the edge of the dance floor, standing stoically, arms crossed over his chest as he scanned the crowd. Within seconds, the blonde man looked up and made eye contact, grinning at his parabatai in surprise. Then he noticed Izzy effortlessly making her way through the throngs of people.
Alec knew they were on patrol, which meant they likely tracked something into the club. Alec instinctively turned back and rejoined the warlock, who was being flirted with by the Seelie couple.
"We'd be interested in a night with you, warlock. What do you say? Are you in the mood for a threesome?"
Alec cringed, a curiously bitter heat pricking about in his chest. He swallowed the sensation away obediently. The duty assigned to him was simple: Protect the High Warlock. Nothing more, nothing less.
"Bane, there's a matter that requires your attention," Alec interrupted. Bane ignored the vague statement.
"Don't leave," Kaelie said. "We'd even let this Shadowhunter come and watch if that's something you're into."
Before either could answer, a man with a dark brown-haired ponytail and beady eyes joined their group, coming to stand in front of Bane. He had strolled over from a crowd of warlocks. "What a nice surprise, Bane. I didn't see you there," he said, voice raised above the loud beating music around them.
"Lorenzo," Bane said through gritted teeth.
"I figured I'd drop in tonight to remind our fellow warlocks of my gathering this weekend," the other warlock said.
"Ah yes, one of your infamous parties. Must be sure your guests show up," Bane drawled. "Alec, this is Lorenzo Rey, one of our New York warlocks."
Lorenzo and Alec nodded at each other. They didn't have time for this. Alec needed to get Bane out of the club if his siblings were truly tracking demons downstairs.
Lorenzo stuck his chest out, undeterred by Bane's less-than cheery greeting. "Well, Alec. I applaud our fearless leader here for working to strengthen the relationship between Downworlders and Shadowhunters."
Alec noticed Bane roll his eyes off to the side as Lorenzo continued.
"I'd like to follow suit. Though you may not be comfortable there, you're welcome to attend my party. My events are the most lavish in Brooklyn I'll have you know."
Alec nodded again, impatient. Lorenzo's attention strayed somewhere behind them. "Oh, and there's Dorothea. I haven't spoken to her tonight. I guess I'll see you both soon enough then. Have a lovely evening." Lorenzo wandered off, leaving Alec and Bane alone with the two Seelies again.
Alec watched Bane exhale and sag down in his seat, propping his head up in his hand as if it were suddenly too heavy to support otherwise.
Though part of his face was covered with ring-laden fingers, Alec still noticed Bane's dark expression had faded to a dull stare. His weary demeanor reminded Alec of when Bane had depleted his magic. The only problem was that they had not been involved in any physical battle; they had merely sat in the club for the last hour.
Alec moved quickly. "Bane, can I speak with you privately?"
The warlock blinked at the sound of his name; his eyebrows furrowed at Alec's request. When Alec gestured for Bane to stand up, he waved him away with his free hand and closed his eyes.
A voice came from behind him. "Alec."
He spun around at the sound of his name to find Izzy standing there. "You need to get Bane out of here. We followed a group of shape-shifting demons into the club."
Alec hushed his sister, not wanting others privy to their conversation. "Do you have things under control?"
"Don't worry, big brother. We have a full team. Now go."
Alec didn't wait any longer. He turned around and grabbed Bane's arm at the bicep, pulling him up to his feet roughly. Bane's vision cleared enough to glare at him.
Kaelie groaned. The male Seelie stood; Alec still hadn't learned his name. "Don't spoil the evening, Shadowhunter."
Bane regained his senses enough to brush the Seelies off. "Your offer is tempting, but Alec is right. I have some business to attend to."
Alec started to lead him to the stairs.
Bane wrenched his arm out of Alec's grip and straightened his jacket. "No. This way."
They made their way to a door that sat hidden in a darkened, empty corner. Bane pushed it open just as a loud shriek came from the club behind him. One of the demons must have shifted into their true form; the fight had begun.
The floor rumbled as people started scrambling to the stairs in a full-on stampede.
Alec considered pushing Bane through the door to safety and turning back to help his siblings. He looked over his shoulder at the sound of a whip cracking. Izzy's whip. It wrapped around a scathing demon's neck. With an effortless tug, Izzy effectively snuffed the creature into oblivion before turning to Alec.
"Go!" Her voice was filled with exasperation.
Something heavy pulled at his side. He looked over to see Bane sliding to the floor on buckling knees. "No you don't," Alec said, wrapping his arm around the other man's chest to pull him back up. Without looking back, he pushed them both through the door.
They tumbled into a long hallway with black walls and dark purple colors. The door slammed shut behind them. "Are there stairs or a fire escape back here?"
"Better," Bane said as he sucked in gulps of air. "An elevator. The end of the hall."
"What's wrong?" Alec rearranged his hold around the warlock to pull him up into a standing position.
"I'm … I … nothing is wrong."
"You are definitely not okay if you can't stand on your own. What happened, Bane? You were fine three minutes ago."
Bane placed a hand against the wall to steady himself, but it didn't help. His legs wobbled like jelly. He rolled his back against the wall only to feel himself begin to slide down again. He grunted in frustration.
"Yeah, something's definitely wrong," Alec said.
"The Seelies' drink," Bane wondered out loud. Beads of sweat had started to form along his forehead. He swallowed, his mouth dry from panting for breath.
"Damnit." Alec punched the wall with one hand while he held the warlock up with his other. Of course, it must have been the drink. How had Alec not questioned it?
"All right. It's going to be okay. We just need to get out of here." He looked intensely at Bane. Exhaustion clearly etched along the warlock's features, but he was fighting to keep his eyes open. Though foggy, they still stared fiercely at the Shadowhunter. Standing so close, Alec could see the storm that lived inside Bane. Alec found it memorizing.
Bane noticed Alec's intense gaze and the awe-struck look sprawling onto his face. It infuriated him enough to send a brief surge of energy through him. In a single instant, Bane growled while he grabbed Alec's wrists. He pushed himself off the wall, flinging Alec against it instead.
"Don't ever look at me like that again. Stay out of my head," Bane snarled. Soon after, his grip loosened, and his face softened. "You won't like what you see there."
"Okay. Okay," Alec said in a strangled whisper. "Bane, we just need to get out of here before someone sees you like this."
"Why are you trying to save me?" Any newfound energy had been zapped from Bane's body. His arms dropped heavily at his sides. He staggered back. "You should be running away from me, you stupid Nephilim."
Bane turned to head further down the hall but after two steps, he lost all ability to stand and dropped to the floor in a crumpled heap.
Alec swooped down beside him. "Bane, wake up." He turned him over and tapped gently at his cheek, repeating the motion until he saw shining cat eyes blink open sluggishly.
"Bane, hey. Look at me. You need to stay awake just a little longer."
The warlock's fuzzy gaze moved from the ceiling down to Alec. When he noticed Alec hovering over him, a tiny smile crept across his lips.
"Alexanderr, what's going onn?" he slurred.
Alec's breath caught in his throat upon hearing the soft-spoken use of his full name.
"Magnus?"
The warlock managed a shaky nod. His weak smile grew a little wider before dropping into a confused frown. "Ssomething's wrong… H-help me."
Before Alec could speak, Magnus' entire face fell slack, and his head lolled back in Alec's hands. Behind the door, sounds of battle grew louder.