A/N: Hey,

Thank you for all reviews, follows, favorites.

Characters belongs to Cassie Clare, except for OCS.

Enjoy reading.

Chapter V

"An ally or foe?"

There was something strange in Lightwoods. Magnus was sure of it from the moment he had seen the whole family in one room, during the Saturday's meeting with the Silent Brothers. Maryse Lightwood had called for two of them, from the Silent City, so they would come and check the new downworlder in the Institute, a.k.a. Magnus Bane. Kylios explained to him that it's normal and that the Silent Brothers were ought to see if there are no traces left of a willing using of magic, when it came to warlocks and fairies and if werewolves could turn. They also were obliged to remove or at least to file off their fangs, so they could never bite and drink up from their masters' veins or other shadowhunters. Magnus thought that hunters are indeed smart, when it comes to their own protectiveness.

Bane had been sitting outside the healing room, eyeing the Lightwoods suspiciously. Maryse had been talking with Isabelle and Robert about some plans regarding their soon travel to Idris. Magnus hoped that Morgensterns will go as well and he'll have some time to snoop around the Institute. Both Morgensterns brothers were ranting about something, most likely about who is better in fighting demons, like always. During the first three days that Magnus had been staying here, he realized that both brothers are competing with themselves in everything, especially in gaining the approval of their strict father.

"Come," Valentine addressed his sons, walking into the direction of the staircase. "We must discuss the details of our travel. Robert, Maryse, come as well. Isabelle, you and Alexander stay here and wait for the Silent Brothers."

When the hunters left the hall, Magnus breathed in relief. It was a hard task to be polite to them and serve them. He felt disgusted with himself that he agreed to this stupid plan of Raphael. He should have said no. But then Santiago had a powerful weapon over him: Catarina, Ragnor and Tessa. His friends were enslaved for years now and Magnus wanted more than everything to rescue them.

Suddenly he felt a some warmness near his body. He dared to look at the right side only to find a pale face of the blue eyed angel. Alexander was blushing madly, smiling awkwardly. He kept his distance, but it was all clear that he sat next to Magnus to start some conversation.

"You don't have to be scared. Silent Brothers won't hurt you, Magnus," the warlock gave him a confused look. "You're shivering. You're afraid or cold?"

"Ah, so perceive, darling Alexander," the boy blushed some more at the endearing name. This was a beginning of Magnus's brilliant plan. He would try to lure his way into Alexander's heart. He was good at this. He had a natural talent to woo people, after all he had been master piecing it for years. Alexander Lightwood was very good-looking. Magnus dared say even beautiful, so it would be a pleasure to lure the young man. "Indeed, I'm a bit cold. It's rather chilly in here."

Alec didn't respond to that verbally. Instead, he took off his worn, black jacket and offered it to Magnus. For a moment, the warlock didn't know what to do with such a gift. It was so uncommon - at least that's what he had heard of - that masters were giving a gift to their slave. So why Alexander was giving him his own jacket?

"Relax, you can wear it. It's not poisoned or something," the boy laughed awkwardly and stared at Magnus's face with scarlet cheeks. Magnus took the item, unsurely, and threw on his arms.

"Thank you, Alexander," the boy cringed at the use of his full name. He explained to Magnus that he prefers to be called Alec, but Magnus stated that Alexander is far more beautiful and fits such a handsome man like Alec is. The boy was pure scarlet on his face that night. It was Magnus first step to woo the young man.

Strangely it was easy to talk to the blue eyed boy. He was the shyest man he had ever met, but he was equally curious in Magnus. He kept glancing at him in the hallways, giving him small smiles when no one was looking, biting his lower lip in that cute way. Yes, Alexander was cute, there was no denying in this. His piercing, electrifying blue eyes were unforgettable and they kept haunting Magnus in his sleeps for the past eight days since he had come to the Institute. His voice, so deep and warm at the same time, often left small shivers at his spine. Those not so full lips, dried mostly, were inviting Magnus to kiss, whenever Alec licked them in his presence or when he bit them down, while thinking of something. Bane took the liberty of observing Alec the most. He decided that he'll get the closest with him, as he's almost the oldest after Jonathan Morgenstern and he may know or find out some important informations for Magnus. The warlock decided that it won't be wise to even try to be somehow civil and polite, more than he has to, towards both Morgenstern brothers. They were raised by Valentine, they were almost his copies. Magnus would die first before he'd learn anything from them.

A faint sound of rustling was heard in the hallway and soon two frames in grayish cloaks were standing before him. Magnus looked up at their faces covered with runes.

"Brother Enoch, Brother Zachariah," Alec spoke up, getting up and bowing his head at two men "Welcome."

"Alexander, Isabelle," Brother Enoch spoke in the minds of hunters and the warlock.

"Magnus Bane," Zachariah said in his mental, gentle voice, glancing at the cat-eyed man. "Long time no see."

"Indeed, Ja...Brother Zachariah. Brother Enoch," he bowed his head and got up as well, letting Alexander's jacket fall to the wooden bench they have been sitting on. "Shall we start this ridiculous thing? I think I have a tight schedule for today. I believe that our dear Sathera has many orders for me for this day."

He smiled at two inhabitants of the Silent City.

"Very well," Brother Enoch turned to Zachariah. "I will leave you with him alone and will talk with Maryse and Robert. We shall meet by the door in an hour." the other man nodded. "Alexander, Isabelle, let us go to the library. Brother Zachariah will examine Magnus Bane."

When Isabelle, Alec and Brother Enoch disappeared behind the corner, the other Silent Brother grabbed the warlock by his elbow and dragged into the healing room. He closed the door, as silently as he could, and pressed his ear to the door. He listened for a while, if there was no one behind the door. Once he was sure of it, he turned around to the warlock and shot him a confused look.

"What are you doing in the Institute, Magnus?"

"I'm Valentine's slave now." The Silent Brother didn't buy this explanation, he knew the warlock for years now. Magnus Bane was too good to be caught by any shadowhunter, even Valentine Morgenstern.

"You are good at lying, but this time you fail. What is the real reason of your being here? I am certain that you would not let yourself be caught." The Silent Brother sat down on the wooden stool by the small, single bed. He gestured Magnus to sit down as well.

"Well...James, you know me so well. I have a small plan…" Magnus made a small pause, smirking at the ex-shadowhunter. "Actually, Raphael and me have this little plan."

"Which is?"

"We're trying...no, we will rescue all downworlders and end the shadowhunters' rules around the world." James couldn't be shocked. Truth to be told, he wanted someone to rescue downworlders for a while, since the day he found out that Tessa had been enslaved as well.

His lovely Tessa.

The only woman he gave his heart away, years ago, before he became a Silent Brother.

Even though he was forbidden to have such feelings, James missed her every day. Back then, before the war, they have met, once in a year in London, but now...James didn't see her for ten years now, since the day she had been captured by Blackthorns in Los Angeles. James wanted to rescue her for so long, but he couldn't. It was forbidden.

But now…

"...and Raphael said that he'll come up with a perfect strategy to do so. So…" Magnus's voice got him out of his thoughts. "So soon, hopefully, we'll bring Tessa, Cate and Ragnor home."

"Are you certain that you will succeed?" the man in the robe asked.

"He is. And I want Cate and Ragnor and Tessa back. They are my family."

"I would like to help you." Magnus was stunned by those words. After all, Silent Brothers were meant to help only shadowhunters, never the downworlders. But then, James Carstairs was never a usual Silent Brother, not even usual shadowhunters back in his days. Well, he did fall in love with a shapeshifter downworlder. "Do you know the spell…ah, of course, your magic is now bounded…"

"No, it isn't." James shot him a confused look. Magnus smirked and summoned a small, blue fire right out of Edom. "I still have my full magic. I only put a small spell on myself, to mask it from hunters. Please, I'd never give up my magic."

"Very wise, Magnu… someone is approaching." James caught Magnus's wrist into his hand and pressed at the fake binding-mark, chanting a spell in his mind. A moment later, the door of the healing room opened and a pitch black mass poked inside.

"I'm sorry to disturb, brother Zachariah," Alec walked into the room, smiling shyly with a faint blush on his pale cheeks. "Valentine wanted to know if you're done with examining Magnus."

"Yes, we are done," he confirmed, turning his eyes back on Magnus. He had given him a meaningful look, before he spoke in the warlock's, only his, mind. "Keep me aware of your moves, Magnus. I'll be reaching you soon." Magnus closed and opened his eyes in a confirmation. "Bid my goodbye to your parents and Valentine, Alexander," he spoke in the hunter's mind, before he turned to Bane once again and spoke in mandarin. "Be careful and rescue my beloved."

Magnus just gave him a small grin, before he hopped off the bed and walked to Alexander.

"So, I'm all clear, right, brother Zachariah?" he asked the silent brother, keeping his eyes on the blue eyed boy, who turned another shade of red, when Magnus winked playfully. "Remember that, Alexander, for some time in the future."

The young boy choked on his own saliva and had to cough a few times to catch a normal breath. Magnus hit his back a few times.

"You ok there, darling?"

"Ye...ah…" he managed to say after a while. "Yeah."

"Wonderful," Magnus grinned at him. "Shall we go downstairs?"

This time Alec only nodded. He opened the door and let Magnus and the Silent Brother go first. He closed the door and followed the two men, who were consumed in a silence. Once they were downstairs, Brother Enoch was already waiting for the other brother at the front door. They bid their goodbye to the warlock, the werewolf butler and Alexander. As soon as Kylios closed the door after the brothers, he disappeared into the hallway leading to the kitchen.

Magnus and Alec were left by themselves.

The boy was clearly uncomfortable standing with the warlock in the hallway, when everyone could see them. It was funny for Bane, but he'd never dare to laugh at Alec. For the past a few days, he was able to see two Alec's. One was tough, closet, silent, and meant to be seen in public. The other was nice, shy, laughing at Magnus's jokes, leaning to small touches of the warlock, blushing so beautifully whenever Magnus winked at him. The other one was meant to be seen only in private and not by everyone. Bane was glad that Alec let him see his true self.

"How 'bout we sneak out to the attic? You can help me hid from Sathera's and Valentine's radar, Alexander."

"It's Alec," he responded.

"I told you, darling, I like Alexander better."

Magnus didn't give him a chance to say no to his proposition and grabbed his hand into his. Strangely, they fitted so good, like they were meant for each other. Alec's hand was a bit cool comparing to his normal warmness. He probably was nervous, as always, in spite that it was their twenty meeting like that in the past a few weeks. It was odd and yet amazing that in such a short time they clicked so good.

The warlock dragged him upstairs, on the third level, where no one was ever coming, well no one except for Sathera, who were ought to clean there once in awhile. Alec let go of Magnus's hand and pushed the attic door opened. The clouds of dust hit their noses, pushing them to sneeze at the same time. Both of them burst out in laughter. After they went inside, waving off the clouds of dust, Magnus pushed the door closed. Alec immediately went to sit on the old wooden bench, right before the big window. They pushed the bench here the last time they were here. Soon Magnus joined him, sitting so close to him that their hips were touching.

Alec's cheeks became rosy again.

"Are you feeling ok?" the blue eyed boy asked. "The examination…"

"Believe me, darling," he grabbed his hand into his, interlocking their fingers. Alec let him do it. "I know J...Brother Zachariah for years, he would never do something hurtful to me. But thank you for your concern, Alexander."

Alec didn't respond, he only smiled shyly, looking outside the window. The snow was falling slowly at the leafless trees in the garden. The winter was coming earlier this year. After all it was barely middle of the November.

"You never finished," Magnus started again, "how did you and the blondie become parabatai?"

"Well...I think it was expected of me to become parabatai with John," Alec explained. "But we never were really good friends, even though we're the same age. I befriended Jace sooner, so I think it's just that. It was Jace, who told our fathers that we'll be parabatai, I was thirteen and he was twelve then."

"So your sister is the other blondie parabatai?" Alec shook his head.

"Angel, no. If they'd be parabatai, they would kill themselves in the first combat." Magnus laughed at that. "Neither John, nor Izzy has parabatai. But it's ok, we take care of them during battles."

"I don't think that you have to do it often, right?" Magnus added, playing with Alec's fingers. "I mean with whom you'd have to fight? Downworlders are no longer a threat, demons don't show up, because there's no one who could summon them anymore…"

"Well, it's not like there are no more downworlders out there," Alec said, with eyes closed, leaning at the back of the bench. "Valentine says that they still are there, just stay hidden. So, once in awhile he wants us to go on a hunt." For a moment, Alec was silent, then he chuckled. "I'm sure that soon he'll want us to go on one. It was too quiet lately. And Valentine hates the silence the most."

"He's a strange man." Magnus concluded and Alec nodded. "But enough about that buffon. I wanted to ask you something."

"Hm?" Alec opened one eye and turned his head towards Magnus. "What is it, Magnus?"

"Will you come here tonight, at nine pm? I'd like to meet with you."

"Why?"

"It's a surprise, my blue eyed angel," he teased playfully. As expected Alec blushed at this lovely pet-name. "Just do it, for me." Hesitantly, Alec nodded.

The hunter left the attic first, as always. And, Magnus assumed, went to his bedroom, trying to be unseen. When Magnus went outside as well, tiptoeing towards the staircase, he started to think about tonight's evening. Tonight he will push his way more into Alec's heart. He will start to woo him in more ways just than small touches and lovely names. Tonight he will make the young hunter fall for him.

Fall hard.

A/N: Did you like it?

Small spoiler?

"Their lips touched.
And, oh, dear. Magnus for sure knew what to do. His lips were so soft on Alec's. Moved in ways that brought the strange feeling through his body, like some kind of electrifying. He parted Alec's lips with such an ease and slipped his tongue inside."
Oh-la-la they will kiss :)

Review if you feel like to,

Intoxic