Clary POV
Jace dragged me through a portal and we ended up near downtown. We took back streets and alleyways so neither of us would get recognized. At one point he let go of my arms and allowed me to walk freely. When he grabbed onto me again, he looked unsatisfied. "Three second head start and you didn't try to run? I'm disappointed."
"What's the point? You're just gonna catch me again anyway, right?" I asked
"Let's go." Said, Jace, trying to push me forward. I dug my heels into the dirt and turned myself around so I could look at him.
"Did you kill Alec and Izzy? Did you?!" I asked as he looked at me with a blank expression, "Answer me!"
"I don't take orders from you." Said Jace
"We can run all you want. It's only a matter of time before the guards from the Clave get to us. Lilith cannot protect you from that." I said
"That's why I activated your anti-tracking rune. As long as we keep the shadows, you won't be found." Said Jace
Trying a new tactic, I turn myself around and look into his eyes, "Let me talk to him. Please. Give him back to me. I can't lose him again. Please, I just need to talk to him one last time."
"There is no version of this where your Jace wakes up and comes home." Said, Jace, looking at me with no emotion, "He is gone and you are just gonna have to accept that. You will never get him and if you do, he will be so damaged that he'll never be who you remember. Jace is no more."
"Jace, if you can hear me in there, I will never give up on you. Never." I said
"The life you knew is gone. You belong to Lilith now. Come on. It's not much farther now." Said, Jace, grabbing ahold of my arm and pulling me down the alleyway. I slowed my pace and when he pushed me I fell on my stomach, "Get up."
"Just give me a minute. I haven't stopped moving since Valentine's interrogation." I said noticing a broken bottle. I scooted forward a bit and grabbed a sharp shard and held it in my hand.
"Stop moving. You're gonna need your stamina." Said, Jace, pulling me to my feet. As we walked I squeezed my hand around the glass, causing blood to drip down my hand. As we walked I left a trail of blood behind me and that is exactly what I wanted.
Simon POV
Jordan went back to the Praetor Lupus Headquarters to report his findings. Meanwhile, Isabelle and I went to the hospital to check on my sister. From across the room I could see a male nurse ushering my mom toward a balcony, "Ms. Lewis, she's in good hands, and fresh air will do you some good."
"People are gonna think she's insane." I said as I watched her leave the main room and go onto a balcony. She stood there shaking and all I wanted to do was give a hug. With what I have done my mom would never look at me again.
"This isn't your fault." Said, Isabelle, as she put her hand on my shoulder.
"How is any of this not my fault? I've ruined her life." I said pushing her hand away. I took a deep breath, formed a smile, and walked up to the front desk, "Excuse me, miss. Paramedics came in with Rebecca Lewis. Where is she?"
"Are you family?" Said, the nurse, looking up from her computer.
"Yeah, she's my sister." I said as the nurse searched through her database and told me the room number. I wrote it on my hand and nodded, "Thank you."
"I'll wait out here." Said, Isabelle, as I headed for the second floor. I took a set of stairs and went down two hallways until I found Becky. I quietly opened the door and my guilt rose to the ceiling. Her neck was bandaged and she was so pale. It was all my fault.
"Becky. Hey, I'm here." I said as she slowly opened her eyes, "Are you okay?"
"Simon. It's a hell of a hangover. What happened?" Asked, Becky, as she felt her neck. The second her hand touched the gauze everything came back to her. She looked up at me with fear in her eyes, "Did you do this to Mom too?"
"No. It didn't come to that. I am so sorry." I said sitting down beside her. She scooted a little farther from me, but she tried to understand.
"I've read enough vampire books to know what happens. How long is it until I turn? Will it be quick or am I gonna have sit here in agony?" Asked, Becky, as I shook my head.
"You won't, I promise. You'd have to have died with my blood in your system, then get buried, and then feed as soon as you crawled out of your own grave. It's a lot longer process then how books and movies describe it." I said
"Oh, Simon. You went through all of that alone? You died?" Asked, Becky, squeezing my hand with worry in her eyes.
"Medically speaking, yeah." I said
"Well, I guess all of your sketchy behaviour makes more sense now. How did I not know about this sooner?" Asked Becky
"You and Mom both did. I had a vampire friend hypnotize both of you to forget. You caught me drinking the blood of a rat and you couldn't handle it. I didn't want to risk your lives or my secret." I said
"Can you do that too?" Asked, Becky, with curiosity.
"Yeah. And I will totally do that for you too. I can make it as if this never happened and then your life can go back to the way it was. I'll even stay away from you both so this doesn't happen again." I said
"No." Said, Becky, shaking her head, "Simon, I wasn't there for you once. And I will never not be there for you again. I'm your big sister and I'm always gonna love you. Warts, fangs and all."
"You are taking this a whole lot better than Mom is." I said
"How did Mom take this?" Asked Becky
"She tried to kill me. And now, she's telling everybody about what I really am. She is terrified of me and what she witnessed. Mom will never forgive me, not really." I said
"What are we gonna do about that?" Asked, Becky, as she smiled a small smile.
Clary POV
After almost another half hour of walking, we arrived. Jace stopped at the penthouse and pushed the door open. I was dragged to the main living room to find a woman standing over a ancient casket. When she turned around, she smiled a snarky smile. "The prodigal sister has arrived. The family resemblance is striking."
"To tell the truth, I just don't see it." I said
"You're a sassy one, aren't you?" Asked, Lilith, getting a little closer.
"Sorry for the delay, my Queen. Valentine's rib." Said, Jace, taking the rib from his coat and handing it to Lilith. She smiled and set it on the table beside her.
"No need to worry, my Owl. All that matters is we have everything necessary to begin. You will need more energy to win this battle." Said, Lilith, pulling Jace in for a kiss. I looked away with disgust which made her smile even wider.
Lilith pulled away from Jace and turned toward us both, "Anger isn't a good look on you. Neither are those clothes. Get her cleaned up and into a change of clothes for her brother's rebirth. Perhaps something blue. That's what your kind wears when the lost return, isn't it?"
"Is raising Jonathan from the dead, really worth it? Worth all this murder?" I asked as Jace bowed and exited the room.
"The things we do for our children." Said, Lilith, pacing back and forth. "The mundanes killed by my disciples will do far more for this world in death than they'd ever do in life. I am making them better and stronger then they ever could've been."
"And yet you need me alive. How does that work, exactly? I mean, you can't really just borrow my heart." I asked
"That is exactly what I'm going to do. But the heart isn't what you think. Jonathan needs to share your life force in order to breathe again, so I might hold him once more. Losing Jonathan, hearing him call for me with his final breath, was the single most painful moment of my very long life." Said Lilith
"You say that like you loved him." I said
"Why wouldn't I?" Questioned Lilith
"Demons aren't capable of love." I said
"A failing of frail human imagination. Demons live. We die. We feed. We lay. Why wouldn't we love like you?" Said, Lilith, coming closer and nearing her face toward mine, "I need to care for Jonathan like you and your father never would."
"If there's one thing that Valentine and I can agree on, it's the fact that the world
is a much better place with a monster like Jonathan dead and buried." I said
"My son is not a monster!" Yelled, Lilith, as she wrapped her hand around my throat. Fire appeared in her eyes and she looked ready to kill. But she calmed herself down and removed her hand, "Jonathan, is not a monster. He will return and be as he was meant to be."
"So what does Carly have to do with this? You want him back and you're gonna connect his life to mine. Did you just turn Carly evil for the fun of it? What is your game?" I asked
"I didn't turn her evil, Clarissa. The darkness was in her the whole time, I just helped it come to the surface. She was going through pain to keep this darkness hidden, this way she never has to hide again." Said Lilith
"You drowned her in dark energy, that is not helping. At least hiding it she could be okay for a month at a time. She could almost be…" I began
"Normal?" Said, Lilith, as she laughed to herself, "Carly is far from normal, Clary. She is a vampire with demonic powers and even if Carly hid her powers, she'd still have to kill once a month. This way she can kill if and when she wants to. Carly is not normal and she never was. You can't change who she is."
Lilith snapped her fingers and Carly came into the room. She stood beside me and never even glanced in my direction. She was wearing all black leather and there was a evil glow to her. She looked like a monster, no humanity left.
"Carly, are you still in there?" I asked as she turned toward me with a smile.
"Of course I am. I never left, Clary. I am still me, but now I am the full me. I never have to hide myself for anyone else and I am so happy. I'm powerful and confident with no more pain." Said Carly
Before I could respond, Lilith took my steele and forced me to stay still. She came up to me and drew a rune deep into my shoulder. I screamed in agony as my skin felt on fire. When the rune was finished, she went over to Carly and did the same; Carly barely even flinching.
Simon POV
I left my sister to rest and I knew what I had to do. I looked over at Isabelle and she understood what I was about to do. I calmed myself down and went onto the balcony my mom was relaxing on. I came up behind her and put my hand on her shoulder, "Mom."
"No, no, no." Said, my Mom, as she turned toward me and backed away, "Please, don't kill me. I'm all your sister has left. Please, Simon. Just leave us alone."
"No, it's okay. It's okay." I said grabbing her arms so she'd stay in one spot, "I know how hard it was for you to lose Dad, but what I'm about to do, it has to happen. It has to happen for your own good."
"Simon, what are you gonna do?" Asked, my Mom, with fear in her eyes.
"Don't. Don't panic. Please, don't. Just relax. Just listen." I said as I looked deep into her eyes. Her face went blank as she stared right back, "Your son isn't a vampire. That's just how you're dealing with your grief. There was an accident, but your son felt no pain."
Tears formed in my eyes as I continued to compel her, "In his last moments, he thought about how much he's gonna miss you. Every day, every night. And, no matter where he ends up in his next life. He will always love you. Simon Lewis is dead."
I pulled her in for one last hug as I walked out of the room. The order took hold and she collapsed onto her knees. Tears streamed down her face as I wiped away my own. I walked around the corner and Isabelle knew the deed was done. She got up from her seat and pulled me in for a hug. I dug my face into her shoulder and sobbed.
Magnus POV
I prepared the ingredients for the spell as Alec paced back and forth. He was being consumed with worry, "It's been hundreds of years since you banished your father. What makes you think he'll even listen to your request?"
"Let's just say he owes me one." I said as I crushed up the ingredients into a paste.
"For what happened with your mother?" Asked Alec
"That and for everything in the years that followed." I said kneeling onto the floor and beginning to draw a pentagram, "I was living on the streets. I didn't know who or what I was. Asmodeus took me in. Nurtured my darker impulses. And taught me the "proper" way to be a warlock."
"And why'd you listen to him?" Asked Alec
"Because he was the only one in the world with eyes like me. He was my father. He was the first person in a long while to care for me. I wanted to make him proud." I said
"Look, at least give me the time to call in backup from the Institute. We don't even have Lilith under control. Another Greater Demon gets loose, it could put the whole city at risk. Please just give me some time." Said, Alec, grabbing my arm desperately.
"Fortunately for the good people of New York, my father won't be traveling top-side." I said moving away from him and lighting a few candles.
"What aren't you telling me?" Asked Alec
"This pentagram isn't for summoning Asmodeus to Earth. Doing something like that could cause chaos. I don't want to take the chance he will escape. The pentagram is for sending someone to Edom. In this case, me." I said
"Absolutely not." Said Alec
"We need my father's help. And the cell service down there is terrible." I said
"This isn't funny!" Said Alec
"Would you prefer I act as terrified as I feel right now?" I said
"This is insane." Said, Alec, as he pulled me close and looked deep into my eyes, "You're gonna make it back. You hear me?"
"Why wouldn't I? Look what I have waiting for me." I said stroking Alec's cheek with my hand. He grasped my hand and held it there for several moments. Then he quickly pulled me in for a kiss. We stayed in that position until both of us were out of breath.
"I love you, Alexander." I said pulling away
"I love you too." Said, Alec, as I stepped into the pentagram while whispering the spell. Flames surrounded me on all sides and pain radiated throughout my body. I tried to hold back my screams as everything went dark.
Luke POV
After finding out that Clary was locked in the Gard, I was using all I could to find a way to save her. I tried to get my pack to help, but they made me choose them or Clary and Clary meant more to me. I frantically search for an answer and luckily Isabelle called soon after, "What's up?"
"Lilith just used Jace to break Clary out of the Gard. Alicante is in chaos and on a man hunt for Clary and Jace. Many of the prisoners were killed and guards as well. Things are not looking good." Said, Alec, as I slammed my fist into the wall beside me.
"Why would Lilith want Clary?" I asked
"Remember that image Simon took of that casket? The ritual markings from Lilith's church?" Asked Alec
"What about them?" I asked
"Whatever the ritual is, Clary's a part of it. We don't know what, but Magnus said it was for a resurrection spell. If she is bringing back Jonathan, she might need something from Clary to accomplish her goal." Said Alec
"Do you know where Jace took her?" I asked
"I don't know. I just got a tracking hit on her. It's faint, but she's definitely back in the city." Said Alec
"All right. Let's go find her." I said ending the call.
I made my way across town to meet Alec. When I arrived Alec was in a trash-filled alleyway. I walked up to him and searched for any sign Clary was there, but I couldn't find anything, "Do you think Clary was actually here?"
"Yes, she was here." Said, Alec, crouching down beside a small puddle of blood.
"Jace's or Clary's?" I asked
"Clary's. It's probably what set off my tracking." Said Alec
"Do you think Jace did this to her?" I asked
"Clary might have done this to herself. She's leaving us bread crumbs." Said, Alec, pointing to the trail of blood leading to the street, "Clary knows she can't get out of this on her own. She knows we'll be looking for her, so let's not keep her waiting."
I followed Alec out of the alley and down the road. Four blocks later, we arrived at our destination. In front of us was a skyscraper and it looked too normal for a demon to hide in, "Lilith's hiding in a mundane building?"
"Yes. The trail led us here. She's trying to put as many bodies as possible between her and anyone with a mind to stop her." Said, Alec, as we noticed the demonic body guards on the first floor.
"Where's Isabelle?" I asked
"She's with Simon. He has had a rough night and I told her to get here as fast as she could, leaving Simon to relax." Said, Alec, as Isabelle and Simon appeared beside us, "But it looks like she didn't listen to the last part."
"Simon, you don't have to do this if you don't want to." I said as I cleared the tears that were soaking into his face, "If you can't do this, everyone will understand."
"No, I am helping. I just lost my mom. I'm not losing Clary and Carly too." Said, Simon, with a look of determination. He left us and climbed up the side of the building, trying to identify where Clary was. He searched for several minutes and Alec was getting impatient.
"Simon's been in the building forever. What's taking him so long?" Asked, Alec, crossing his arms. He began to tap his toe as Simon appeared again.
"Sorry. I tried to get as close as I could without anyone noticing, but my vamp ears couldn't hear Clary inside anywhere. Lilith must be concealing her location with some kind of glamour." Said Simon
"Let's find out." Said, Isabelle, taking out a gun-looking device.
"What does that one do?" I asked
"Spiritum. It allows us to see currents of supernatural energy. So, if we can't see the shark in the ocean, you can still see the waves it makes." Said, Isabelle, as she shot the device at the building. The building lit up like a Christmas tree and lines of power appeared around the entire building.
"Lilith has portal wards on the perimeter and she's redirected the ley lines to the top floor. I've never seen magic that strong. With or without Magnus, we have to get Clary out of there." Said Alec
"Look, Lilith's gonna throw everything she has at us, including Jace." I said
"For the record, I'd rather not vaporize Jace if he tries to kill me, but I can't control how this thing works or the fact that he'll probably try to kill me during the fight." Said Simon
"Alright, here's the plan." Said, Alec, as we all got closer to him, "Isabelle and Luke you take on the hoard of possessed humans on the first floor. I will go around back and distract Jace. Simon, you sneak up to the top floor and get Clary and Ethan out of there."
"What about Carly?" Asked Simon
"Simon, you might not be able to save her. Carly might be too far gone for you to pull her out. You need to get Ethan and then Clary out of the building. Once they are out you can try to save her, but you might just have to realize she's past saving." Said Alec
"I am saving them all and I will bring her back. Don't you worry." Said, Simon, as everyone went on their way.