CHAPTER FOUR
4 | Raphael Santiago
"loving the monsters always ends badly for the human"
laurell k hamilton
Jace tensed as the voice echoed through the alley. His hand instinctively slid down to his belt, "Is there someone there?"
"Dios mío." The voice sounded amused, with an accented lilt to the words. "You're not from this neighbourhood, are you?" The boy stepped from the shadows, hair and eyes as black as the darkness he'd stepped from.
"You could say that," Jace said after a moment. He didn't move his hand from the concealed angel blade: the boy may have looked human but that meant little in the shadow world.
"You shouldn't be here, this place is dangerous." The boy announced.
Kassia laughed, her soft voice shattering the tension in the alley, "And you know all about danger don't you, Raph?"
"Raph?" Jace repeated, voice coming out like a strangled cat as he glanced between them, "You two know each other?"
"Know each other, chico?" A smile appeared on the boy's face, making him look more demonic than before, "Kassandra and I go way back."
Kassia avoided Jace's eyes, awkwardly, "You remember I mentioned a Downworlder I dated—"
"Him?" Jace spluttered, "You dated that vampire?" Jace stared at the boy and couldn't stop his lip curling down. He almost hadn't believed her when Kassia had said she'd dated a vampire but Jace didn't like seeing it was true.
The vampire eyed him up, "My name is Raphael not 'that vampire'."
"Now, now, boys," Hailee said and Jace didn't have to look at her to know she was smirking. "I'm the only one who's allowed to fight over my Parabatai."
Kassia rolled her eyes, "I believe they dislike each other due to the societal barriers between their species, not because of a pretty face like me."
"Y es una cara bonita," Raphael murmured. "Is there a reason you are bringing Shadowhunters to my clan?"
"My friend's in there." Clary spoke up, "We came to get him."
Clary's words drew Raphael attention to her and he looked her over with narrowed eyes and an analytical, almost predatory, shimmer to his eyes. Jace didn't like it and purposely shifted himself in front of her.
The movement didn't go unnoticed by Raphael who raised his eyebrow at him before he said, "Then it seems I cannot persuade you to leave."
"Please, Raph, we just need to look around," Kassia said.
"There's no angel children in here… or mundanes." Raphael stated.
Kassia sighed, "He was turned into a rat."
"A rat?" Raphael's eyebrows furrowed, "Didn't you turn—"
"Don't you dare." Kassia scowled. Her hand flew out, wildly aiming for his shoulder but before she could touch him he caught her wrist with vampiric speed. Raphael dropped her wrist with a smirk which only deepened her scowl.
"You were at Magnus' party, no?" Raphael asked her. "What for?"
"Medication," Kassia said quietly, voice twisting sharply like a dagger. "It's nothing."
Raphael moved closer to her, "It isn't nothing, cariño,"
"Sorry we're interrupting you," Jace said coldly. He observed the lack of distance between the two with an air of annoyance, "Do you want us to just wait until you're finished?"
Raphael and Kassia exchanged an amused glance.
Hailee shuffled forwards kicking through the bones on the ground as she did so. She raised an eyebrow at him, "Jealous, Wayland? You didn't seem to care about us watching when you were one flirting."
"We're not flirting," Kassia called.
"Flirting or not, can you actually help? Seeing as you were the one who wanted to assist them." Hailee asked.
Kassia's eyebrows creased and she nodded, apologetically, before she looked to Raphael, "We won't cause trouble."
"I believe you speak for yourself and Hailee, not for those two," Raphael said, his eyes digging into Jace and Clary once more.
"Raph." Kassia said, "Please."
Raphael sighed. He spared one more look at Jace before he stalked past and kicked aside a pile of trash beside the wall. The movement revealed a metal grate, one that could be tugged away to allow a clear entrance below it.
"It goes to the basement," Raphael stated.
Subconsciously, a smile rose to Jace's lips and he stared down into the darkness with adrenaline rushing through his veins. Finally, they didn't have to search through bones and guts.
"You're staying up here," Jace stated to Raphael. Raphael didn't say anything just tilted his head to the side.
Kassia shuffled forwards but Jace caught her arm before she could near Raphael and the drop. She looked up at him and he searched her eyes. They were blank, no regret or guilt in them, and for a moment he questioned how similar she was to the rest of her family.
"Calm down, pretty, boy. I know how to survive a fall." She stated.
Jace tightened his grip, "It could be a trap."
"Raphael wouldn't do that to us," Kassia said. Jace tried not to frown at his name or the 'us' at the end. He was certain the vampire cared little for him. "…or are you asking whether I'm betraying you?"
"I wouldn't put it past a Romanov," Jace stated, tensely. He wasn't liking where this conversation was going.
Kassia's gaze darkened, "You don't know me and you don't know my family so stop making comparisons between us like we are the same- like our values are the same,"
"I know your family are corrupt." Jace should have stopped talking but the fire raging inside of him was wearing his patience thin. "I know they've done terrible things in the name or order, I know all they care about are themselves and the family business that comes with it."
"And do you think I'm like that?" She questioned. Her voice, which had once been reminiscent of swaying tides, was like a tsunami. Dark and unstoppable and something that threatened to engulf them both.
He surveyed her briefly, "I think you pretend that you're not like them, pretend that you're better but I don't think you are."
Kassia stepped back from him like his grip had burnt her.
"That was a low blow, Wayland." Hailee snapped. She stepped in front of Kassia protectively, knife twirling through her fingers with a threatening glint in the metal. "You don't know shit."
Kassia moved away from him. Her movements were awkward, as though she were in shock, but she slowly seemed to be pulling herself together. She pulled a witch light from her jacket and dropped it down the pitch black hole. Kassia waited until she heard the drop before she glanced at Hailee, "It's about ten metres."
"You go." Hailee nodded, "I'll go in a moment."
Kassia's lips drew out into a line, "Don't start a fight."
Jace heard Hailee mutter something in Spanish — something that caused Raphael to laugh and make Kassia almost smile.
He would have glared at Hailee but he couldn't draw his eyes away from Kassia. She didn't look at him, although he was certain she knew he was watching, and slid through the hole easily. There was a moment before a soft thudding echoed through the air. She'd landed.
Kassia shouted to say it was clear and Jace followed after her, pushing past Hailee. He fell for a few seconds before his feet came into contact with the ground.
The room wasn't as dark as he had expected but he didn't spare any time admiring the architecture. Instead, his hand jumped to his blade but he was met with silence, even though he'd expected vampires to attack at any moment.
Kassia was stood a few metres away, surveying the low ceilinged room. She cursed instantly, "This was a stupid plan."
"You don't seem like the type to call take backs," Jace commented, carefully; as though he were speaking to a wounded animal who would shy from any touch.
Kassia stared at him. She hesitated like she had a million comments on the tip of her tongue before she looked away and said, "I just hate surprises."
Jace nodded before he glanced up at the small square of light that hovered above them, "Jump and I'll catch you!"
There was a moment of silence before Clary tumbled down the hatch. Jace caught her easily but let go almost instantly. "You alright?"
"I'm fine," Clary confirmed. There was barely a second gap before Hailee had, too, tumbled down and landed elegantly beside them.
"I'm fine too," She bit out holding Jace in cold regard, "If you wanted to know."
Kassia rolled her eyes, "None of us give a fuck, Hails."
"I can tell by the fact you didn't offer to catch me. I'm delicate, y'know." Hailee stated. Her hand moved in a fast gesture and a knife went spinning in Kassia's direction, however, even though it should have made contact, Kassia dodged it and it landed in the door beside her.
"Real delicate," Kassia state. She pulled it from the door and threw it back underarm.
A loud crash interrupted them and Jace turned to see Raphael land beside them.
Jace's eyes narrowed, "I told you—"
"And I heard you." Raphael dismissed him with a wave, "But if you think I will let you wander these floors with your seraph blade alight then you are as stupid as you look."
Jace opened his mouth but Kassia cut them off.
"It's the top floors, right?" She stated.
"Yes. That is where they will be." Raphael pushed past Jace and through the doorway.
Jace watched Hailee followed, but not before glancing at Kassia nervously. With the wave of her hand, Kassia dismissed her worries but even Jace could see how tired she looked. The darkness only seemed to enhance the circles beneath her eyes and the underlying tremors in the way she held her seraph blade.
The hotel was a maze. Every room was empty and time seemed to have taken its toll on everything. Jace followed Raphael and Kassia, who had latched onto his side, closely. It wasn't that he didn't like the vampire it was just he didn't trust him — or that was what he told himself.
Clary coughed behind him.
"Keep it down," Hailee muttered as she caught up with Clary and Jace. "Raph may like us but the others won't." Even though she was examining every room Jace had noticed how her eyes jumped back to Kassia every other moment.
"What's wrong with Romanova?" Jace asked.
Hailee hesitated, "She's just sick."
"That isn't what it looks like from here," Clary said.
"Then don't look," Hailee muttered coldly as they pushed into a lobby.
It was empty with rotting carpets and smashed floorboards, armed with splinters. Jace could imagine what it looked like — high, grand staircases with ornately decorated walls and hanging chandeliers brightening up the room. It was an echo of what it once was.
"What do vampires have against staircases?" Clary asked.
"They don't need them." Hailee stated, "There's the whole flying thing."
Kassia glanced over her shoulder, "What's the best defensible position here?"
"Not this room," Hailee said, "You know I hate this place. We're too vulnerable. The ballroom is the best place I'd say, at least we have clear lines of sight."
Clary stared at them with intrigue, "You two are like soldiers."
"That's what we are." Kassia shrugged. "Soldiers prepared to die for a cause."
Jace glanced away from them as he heard something shuffle behind him, just a whisper in the air but it was enough to spread unease through him.
He was liking this less and less, and with Raphael leading them he was beginning to feel as though he didn't have all the pieces to the picture.
The sound echoed again and this time even Hailee glanced round. Jace and her shared a wary look but they followed Raphael into the ballroom. Hailee moved forwards to Kassia, eyes scanning the hall as though she too was missing something.
Raphael turned away and it was at that moment that Jace acted. His hand jerked and a knife released from his hand.
The vampire was quick but not quick enough.
The knife embedded itself in the side of his chest and instantly red began to engrave itself into the grey shirt.
Kassia jumped forwards, prepared for a threat but Hailee tugged her back, murmuring something quietly in another language.
Jace jumped forwards and lunged for the knife but Raphael was faster and pulled the knife from his chest. However, he let out a scream of pain as his hand brushed against the cross-shaped hilt. Jace grabbed Raphael's shirt his blade digging into the vampire's chest.
"You missed." Raphael laughed and his whole expression twisted, changing into something darker. "You missed my heart."
Jace tightened his grip on his shirt, "You moved at the last moment. It was very inconsiderate."
"Let go of him, Jace." Kassia snapped, eyes jumping around wildly, but she was withheld from moving forwards by Hailee who had locked her arm around her waist and pulled her back.
"Let go of him?" Jace asked, "He tricked you, Romanova, just accept that maybe he's not the knight in shining armour you thought."
"And you are?" Kassia said coldly.
Hailee tightened her grip, "Kassia."
"I didn't trick her." Raphael said before glancing at Jace, "You two maybe... Look up."
Jace resisted the urge to look away, "Clary. What do you see?" He didn't have to ask he already knew, "You called the rest of them, didn't you?"
Raphael smiled, victoriously. The wound had started to heal, the blood no longer spreading towards Jace's fingers. "Does it matter? There are too many of them, even for you, Wayland."
Jace wanted to kill the vampire more than before. He tightened his grip on his blade and withheld the urge to press it into his heart.
"Jace, don't kill him," Clary ordered.
"Why not?"
Clary hesitated, "Maybe we can use him as a hostage."
Jace glanced at the other two girls. They were having a whispered argument, Kassia gesturing violently at them whilst Hailee pushed her further away from Raphael. Jace glanced back to Clary, "A hostage?"
"I know what I'm doing." Clary said, "Get him on his feet, Jace."
"All right." He shrugged and hauled Raphael up.
"This isn't funny." Raphael snapped.
"That's why no one's laughing," Jace commented before he jammed the blade of the knife between Raphael's shoulder blades. "I can pierce your heart just as easily through your back, I wouldn't move if I were you."
Raphael laughed then, "If you kill me you anger Kassandra. I don't think you want to hurt her any more than you already had."
Jace tried to ignore him but his jaw clenched and he dug the blade further into his back.
Clary turned to the oncoming vampires, "Stop there or he'll put the blade through Raphael's heart." Jace jabbed the knife into the skin, making Raphael cry out and Kassia, beside them, flinched. "Stop!"
A blonde boy from the party flung an arm out in front of his companions, "She means it. They're Shadowhunters."
Another vampire pushed forwards, an Asian girl with blue hair. "Shadowhunters trespassing on our territory, they are out of the protection of the Covenant. I say we kill them — they've killed enough of ours."
"Which of yours is the master of this place, let him step forward," Jace ordered.
The girl bared sharp teeth, "Do not use Clave language on us, Shadowhunter. You have broken your precious Covenant coming in here. The Law will not protect you."
"That's enough, Lily." The blond ordered sharply, "Our master is not here. She is in Idris."
"Someone must rule you in her stead." Jace joined out. He may dislike vampires but he knew of the politics and traditions. The room fell silent. Even Kassia and Hailee's argument had stopped and Kassia had glanced warily at Jace.
"Raphael leads us." The blond said after a moment.
"You expect me to believe your leader was out of the clan," Jace said.
"He wanted to see Kassandra. As usual." Lily said with a roll of her eyes. Jace glanced over at Kassia in surprise, as it seemed did all the vampires.
She ignored the stares and met Jace's gaze, "Let go of him." Jace didn't move and Kassia ripped her arm from Hailee and moved towards Jace, "Let go of him or I will make you."
He hesitated for a few moments before he gave in. Jace scowled and shoved Raphael away from him. The vampire stumbled but quickly regained his balance once Kassia jumped to support him.
"Are you okay?" She asked quietly.
Raphael nodded, "I'm fine."
Kassia looked sceptical but she didn't argue with him. Instead, she faced the vampires, "We can do a deal. No one has to get hurt today."
"How… how well do you know each other?" Clary asked. Her eyes were glued to the arm that Kassia had thrown around Raphael's waist. Jace had noticed it too. He looked away.
Hailee almost laughed, "They dated for what? A year? A year and a half? I'm glad it's over, to be honest. You don't know pain until your roommate is on nocturnal hours."
"You're here with the Shadowhunters." The blond stated, "I thought better of you, Kassandra."
"I just wanted to make sure Raphael was okay, Jacob." Kassia stated, "Clary's why they're here actually. She's looking for someone." Kassia glanced at Clary pointedly.
Clary hesitated for a moment, "You took home too many people from the party tonight, one of them was my friend Simon."
"You're friends with a vampire?" Jacob asked with raised eyebrows.
"He's not a vampire. And not a shadowhunter either." Clary said, "He's just an ordinary human boy."
"We didn't take any human boys home with us from Magnus' party. That would be a violation of the Covenant." Said Jacob.
"He'd been transformed into a rat. A small brown rat." Clary explained, "Someone might have thought he was a pet… or…" She trailed off at the stares from everyone.
"Let me get this straight." Lily's face twisted in disgust, "You're looking for a rat? And you're helping her, Kassandra?"
"I helped her get here." Kassia corrected, "I've never spoken to the boy she's looking for."
"Yes. I'm looking for a rat." Clary nodded.
Jace rolled his eyes. This had been a mistake. Though he wasn't sure whether it was because of the risks or because of the way Kassia was now looking at him; like she wanted to punch him.
"Do you mean this rat?" Another vampire pushed through the crowded building. He held a small brown creature in two hands and Jace withheld the urge to glare at the rat.
"Simon?" Clary asked.
The rat thrashed and squeaked in the vampire's hands.
Hailee smiled, "He's so much more adorable."
"Man, I thought he was Zeke. I wondered why he was copping such an attitude." The vampire shook his head, "I say she can have him, dude, he's already bitten me five times."
Clary moved forwards — to take the rat — but Lily stepped in front of the vampire. She narrowed her eyes, "I don't trust you, well the shadowhunters, how do we know you won't just take the rat and kill us?"
"We'll give our word," Clary said immediately.
Raphael swore softly and both Kassia and Jace tensed, with wide eyes. Lily looked curiously at Jace over Clary's shoulder.
"Clary," Jace started slowly, "Is this really a—"
"No oath, no trade." Lily said instantly, "Elliot hold on to that rat."
Elliot tightened his grip on the rat making it sink his teeth into Elliot's hands. "Man, that hurt."
Clary turned to Jace, "Just swear. What can it hurt?"
"Swearing for us isn't like it is for you mundanes." Jace snapped. He clenched his hand tightly and whilst it looked like it was from anger it felt like it was from nerves. "I'll be bound forever to any oath I make."
"Oh yeah?" Clary asked, "What would happen if you broke it?"
"I wouldn't break it, that's the point—"
Jacob interrupted Jace, "Lily is right. An oath is required swear that you won't harm us. Even if we give you the rat back."
"I won't hurt any of you." Clary said, "No matter what."
Lily smiled at Clary as though she were a little child. She shot a look at Jace, "It isn't you that we're worried about."
"You're enjoying this." Kassia stated, "Forcing a Shadowhunter's hand, forcing them to make an oath. You know how they're bound to it."
"As are you, Kassia." Raphael smiled. He met Jace's eyes, "Make the oath little shadowhunter, make it and we return the mundane."
Jace gritted his teeth, "All right. I swear it."
"Speak your oath." Lily said, icily, "Swear it on the Angel. Say it all."
"You swear first," Jace said instantly. His golden eyes hardened and his whole body tensed. The clan fell into silence.
Lily exchanged a look with Jacob before snapping out, "Not a chance, shadowhunter."
"I could kill your leader right now. And what do you have there? A rat." Jace snapped.
Kassia pressed Raphael behind her, "Make the fucking oath, Wayland."
"Listen to Kassandra, shadowhunter. It is a pretty important rat for you to come all the way here." Raphael stated, "It is you, little Shadowhunter, who will swear first."
Jace fought away the anger that threatened to boil over inside of him He spun the knife between his fingers and refused to let the infantilising taunt hit him.
"The rat's a mundane. If you kill him, you'll be subject to the law." Jace said sharply.
Raphael smiled and Jace wondered what Kassia saw in him apart from a sneaky little vampire, "He is in our territory. Trespassers are not protected by the Covenant, you know that."
"You brought him here," Clary said, "He didn't trespass!"
"Ahh, technicalities," Raphael grinned, "Besides. You think we do not hear the rumours. The news that is running through Downworld like blood through veins. Valentine is back. There will be no Accords and no Covenant soon enough."
Jace's head jerked up, "Where did you hear that?"
"All of Downworlder knows," Kassia said quietly but in the silence, her voice was like a beacon. "Valentine is back and they all know because they aren't so ignorant that they won't believe him. He won't stop until he gets his revenge and nothing will be able to stop him unless the Clave actually listens."
Raphael smiled, "If he does get his revenge there will be no more false peace, only war. No law that will prevent me from tearing your heart out on the street—"
And then Clary dived for Simon and the world fell apart around them.
Anddd chapter four! Finally. I'm sorry that barely anything happens in this chapter but it's the best I could do.
I rewrote this fic because - apart from that it was generally terrible - I wrote Clary out to be a real bitch. I just don't like her as a character, she generally annoys me through the series and I much prefer the other characters so I struggle to write her without a real bias against her character.
I think she just comes off quite badly in the TMI series and I kind of continued to write her that way in my last fic. I'm trying to tone that down a bit because I don't think I have a popular opinion with her. Do you guys dislike Clary too or is it just me?
Anyways, hope you enjoyed it and I've already got the next chapter written so it shouldn't be too long a wait.