Harlem around the university was dead empty at this time of the night. Jace had run the whole way in order to overtake her on her way home. Now he listened to his own breathing steadying. He started going up and down the streets, looking for a small figure. The guy's description wasn't really helping much, so he started going down every street. He needed to find this woman. If she really was mundane, then it was dangerous for her to see downworlders. It was too easy for them to take advantage of her. There were many ways you could use mundanes. Their blood was precious – not only to vampires.
After a while and some ill-humored homeless persons later, he finally admitted to himself, this might have been a bad idea. The morning light started to rise behind the tall buildings. Angry with himself, he set out for the institute. He would come back another time looking for her.
The next evening, Jace readied himself to go looking for her again. The sunset wasn't far away, and he needed to patrol anyway so nobody would ask any questions. As long as it wasn't clear if she was a mundi, he didn't want to bother anyone with this topic. The clave was still sensible about interference with the mortal world, although the responsibility to the mortals was more embedded than in the past. Additionally, he knew from experience that is was better not to tell everything to the clave.
"Hey, what do you think you are doing? Setting out without me?"
Jace had been about to leave the building, but now turned around with a smirk on his face. His parabatai stood there, his arms crossed. He looked a little hungover – still.
"Alec! I just didn't know you would even get up today! How bad was it?"
Alec rolled his eyes.
"On a scale of one to ten?", he asked, himself smiling. "A solid 8."
Both men laughed.
"Where are you heading to? Central Park? I think it's on our list tonight."
Jace hesitated, but then he guided Alec to a nearby alcove.
"I need to go alone tonight. Will you cover for me?"
His brother raised his eyebrows. Time for more explanation. Jace sighed.
"There is this girl I met yesterday at the club -"
Alec's face transformed into pure disapproval. He started to say something, but Jace shushed him.
"Just listen to me, alright? It's not what you think it is. You and Magnus had already left. I got myself an invisible rune and headed home, but on my way a mundane girl bumped into me. And she saw me Alec!"
"I've heard this story before…", Alec said drily, but Jace just continued.
"She was either mundane or a shadowhunter on the loose. Either way – dangerous. I tried to follow her, but she was gone in an instant. There was this guy, who knew roughly where she lives, but I searched the streets and came up empty. I want to try again tonight."
When he finished his monologue, Alec had still his mask of disapproval on.
"Alec... you know this could be important. She and therefore the clave could be in danger."
"And let me guess, she's pretty."
"That has nothing to do with it. You know I am not easily distracted by a girl."
"As if. We have a duty here, Jace. If one of us gets attacked during patrol, it's so much worse than this girl 'maybe' being in danger. Please, come with me and just forget about her."
That was the last thing Jace would do. But he knew Alec. He would not budge. So, he said 'yes' and delayed his search to later at night.
When he was finally finished giving Alec the feeling he was tired and going directly to bed, he made his way to Harlem's streets again. It was already six o'clock in the morning and like the last time, it was quiet in the streets. Normal people would sleep at this time of the night. Work only started at nine around here. He hoped, she would get up early. He strolled the streets a couple of times, but again, came up empty. He sighed.
Suddenly his senses started tickling. But it wasn't from a mundane. His senses told him there was a demon nearby. He looked into a back alley, he was just passing by. He heard a garbage can being thrown over. Right when he wanted to move into the alley – a hand on one of his seraph blades – he was stopped dead by a voice. A voice he recognized.
"I wouldn't go in there, if I were you. Better head back home. It's dangerous around here."
He turned and saw the woman from the club standing in front of him. Upon noticing who he was, her eyes became as big as last night.
"Fuck...", she mumbled and wanted to set off, but this time Jace was quicker. He grabbed her wrist to hold her in place. She struggled hard against his grip.
"I've been looking for you. Why -"
He swore, when he heard the sounds of the demons coming nearer. That was definitely more than one. He looked her in the eyes. She had stopped fighting against him.
"Don't move! I promise, I won't hurt you. I just need to get rid of those demons, before we can talk."
He let go of her wrist, but kept an eye on her, while removing one of the seraph blades.
"Sammael.", he mumbled and the blade started to shimmer. The demons were near now. She wouldn't be able to see them, but with his night-vision rune, he saw three Ravener demons crawling towards them. Three of them. That would be tough, but not undoable.
"Give me a blade, too.", she said from behind him. Her voice was firm.
"No way, my love. You better hide until this is over."
He positioned himself between the demons and the girl. Suddenly he felt something from behind. Before he could react, elegant hands fumbled the second blade out of his jacket. Her hands left a trail of tingling skin behind.
"Are you out of your mind? This is dangerous for a mundane!", he shouted, but not letting himself look at her. He needed to focus on the demons.
"Tell me the name. I don't want to die, just because of your big overrated ego, shadowhunter."
He cursed under his breath but said: "It's Anael."
She repeated the name and the demons hissed when the second blade lighted up.
Without former warning two of the demons lunged at him. He managed to hit one with his heavy boots and the other one with his elbow. Both hit the ground. He knew he needed to be the first to strike. They wouldn't have time to think with their little brains. So, he jumped up to a big garbage can, let them come near and then stroke down like a falcon. He took over one of them, his seraph blade gliding deep into the twitching creature. It vanished instantly into dust. One down, two to go. He didn't have much time to celebrate his success, because the other wicked creature lunged for him in revenge for his brother. But Jace Wayland was in fact the best shadowhunter, so he easily sidestepped the creature and stabbed it backhandedly. Dust was flowing around him, when he immediately looked for the woman.
She was gone. And the demon, too.
