A/N: Hello,

Characters belongs to Cassie Clary, except for OCs.

Enjoy reading.

Chapter VIII

"Know thy self, know thy enemy"

Raphael sighed loudly, kicking himself in his mind to why he had agreed to call this meeting. Magnus asked him to pass the new information and to decide what is their next step in the plan. The warlock has been in the New York Institute for five weeks already and besides hearing some meaningless information they didn't know anything important. Apparently, Valentine is a smart man, and keeps things mostly to himself, but Raphael knew that Magnus will be able to find out more. They just needed to give the hunters a little kick, some bait to make them move.

Maybe that's why a plan formed in his head this night, after he bit the nerdy, scrawny boy with glasses. The one he had seen hanging on with shadowhunters two nights ago. He seemed to be very close to the red-head girl and Isabelle Lightwood. He must be important to them.

"Consul Santiago?" Luke Garroway, the leader of the werewolves pack approached him with a distressed face. The man was unavailable lately and Raphael couldn't even pass him the news from Magnus. "You wanted to see me."

"Yes, but it's a bit too late, as it seems." The werewolf shot him a confused look. "Apparently it concerns your daughter."

"Clary…"

"Yes, come with me, Garroway." He led him out of the throne room, straight into his bedroom, which, thanks to Ragnor's magic, was soundproofed. He pushed the wolf inside his room, thinking that he'll have to ventilate it, once everyone leave. He doesn't want the dog's stink to hang in his bedroom. Raphael closed the door behind them and looked at Garroway.

From all werewolves of New York's pack, Luke was the most neutral. He was the one who actually held out his hand first to him, after the War, when almost the whole Shadow World became enslaved. He was the one who, along with Bane, offered to create the Council of Shadow World. The vampire agreed to it and thought that Luke will be a Consul as well, but he stated that he'd rather listen to their orders, but he wants to stay hidden as much as he can, for the sake of the woman he loves and her daughter. Back then, of course, Raphael didn't know that it's the ex-wife and daughter of his biggest enemy. Only Magnus knew, as it seems.

"What about Clary? I couldn't find her. I was healing for two weeks, one of the youngest was shot with a silver bullet and I got poisoned as well…"

"She's with the Shadowhunters. In the Institute," Raphael cut him off. The wolf's eyes turned black in that very moment. Santiago could hear how the heart of the beast fastened, how the blood is boiling inside of his veins. It was mere seconds before he turns. Raphael couldn't let that happen. "Relax. Bane is in the Institute as well. He will keep her safe."

"How can you be so sure?"

"She promised to help us. She's an ally," he explained, walking towards the nightstand. There was still a half-empty glass of A- blood, from an hour ago. It was a bit too cold now, but still good to drink. He took a sip of it, tasting the sweetness on his tongue. "Did you know, she knows how to get the cup?"

"She can't know. Even I don't know it," Luke responded with calmer voice. "Jocelyn never told me that. She hid it, before she found me in New York. I thought that Valentine has it, until now."

"Well…" he started with a smirk on his pale face. "Soon it will be ours. And then, we will defeat shadowhunters. The years of slavery will see their end. They will become our slaves."

Raphael stared out of the window. The stars were shining brightly on the pitch black sky. Light of the moon cascaded on his pale face, making it shining. In the reflection of the glass he was himself smirking winningly.

He will have the Mortal Cup soon. He will finally defeat the Shadowhunters and rule the whole Shadow World.

…

"They will be going on a patrol tonight," Magnus said to him, once he pulled him into Edomus again. At first the place terrified him. It was almost the hell itself. After all Magnus's father is one of the Princes of the Hell. But now, Edomus was calming him. Maybe it was the hell's icy air, or maybe the bony throne, on which neither of them ever sat. Or maybe it was the white, pure walls. He wasn't sure. "Alec said that they will be searching around the Chinatown, because the evil blondie had seen some werewolf there."

"Wonderful," Raphael smirked, creating a plan in his mind. He will call for all werewolves and vampires to attack the hunters from hidden. Only to let them know about their existence. "We shall prepare a small surprise for them."

"As we're speaking, they're choosing the weapons, so be quick," the warlock added. "Only Alec, Jace, Isabelle, Jonathan, Valentine, Robert, Pangborn are going." Raphael was nodding to it. "Just don't hurt Alec too much, ok? He's still useful to me."

"Dios mio, have you fallen in love with him?"

"No," he reacted immediately. "He's just our informator. We need him, and for that he can't be hurt."

"Fine, I'll spare the Lightwood kid." Magnus offered him a small smile. "But I will make sure that Valentine knows about us in a hard, hurtful way."

"If it counts, for me, you can kill him."

Magnus sent them both back to their bodies, and Raphael could start his preparations for the attack.

…

It was almost midnight. The light of the moon was casting on the trees in Columbus Park. Raphael and Josh - his right hand - was sitting on the branch of the tree, observing everything. Werewolves were in their wolves forms hiding near the park, ready to attack when the hunters will approach.

"I feel like in my youth, just after you turned me," Josh whispered to him. "You taught me that the observation is the key to survive in the Shadow world."

"And I was right," he replied, listening closely to every sound in the park. So far he only had heard some humans walking with a dog, two hundred meters from them. "You must be aware of everything, once they get here."

"I know, I know. Attack, kill fast, and no drinking their blood. Got it."

"Yes, but you must remember that Valentine is one of the best hunters, as well as his sons are," he explained. "If you're not fast enough then you're dead."

"I'm already dead," he joked.

"I meant truly…" Raphael sniffed the air. It was full of incense, like in the church, a holy smell. "They are coming. Prepare." he said it loudly enough so the nearest werewolf could hear him as well.

Raphael could hear six sets of footsteps, rustling of taking out a bow, the fastened heartbeating.

"I smell them. Werewolves," some of them said. "Come, come, doggys, time for a little play."

"Do you smell this?" a female voice said. "It reeks of death."

"Now," Raphael whispered to Josh. The blonde vampire nodded and flew behind hunters.

Josh grabbed one of them from behind and bit into his neck. The man tried to struggle, to throw him off of himself, but Josh was stronger. Arrows were flying into his direction. Josh retrieved his fangs and before the hunter had a chance to do anything, the vampire snapped his neck and rip his heart out. When other hunters went to kill him, Raphael ordered werewolves to attack Valentine.

The blonde shadowhunter was fast and smart. He was attacking them with his sword and seraph blades. He managed to kill two of them, before a grey wolf had bitten him in his leg, forcing him to collapse to the cold ground.

"Kill him! " Valentine shouted to his companions. "That's him!"

His son, Jonathan, ran after the wolf. Fortunately, even with their runes, Luke was faster in his wolf form. Raphael appeared behind Valentine, grabbing his neck with one hand and the other snapped the knives from his hand.

"We'll meet again, Valentine," he said to his ear. "You thought that we're dead. But we're not. I will bring the end to you. I'll kill your sons, your wife and your daughter on your eyes. I'll rip their hearts out and feed on them. And you'll be watching. Then I'll use the mortal cup to control the shadow world. And in the end, I'll make you my slave."

"You think that you can beat me?" the shadowhunter responded. "I have something that belongs to you, Santiago. Something that you want back more than anything." He turned in his arms, but didn't pull out any other weapon. "I'll kill Ragnor Fell. And when he'll be dying, I'll tell him that you are the reason of his death. I'll kill him tonight and then throw his heart on your doorstep."

Raphael hissed at him, pulling his fangs out. Valentine only laughed. Santiago heard an arrow flying into his direction. He immediately disappeared, hearing the mocking laugh of Valentine Morgenstern. He promised to himself that he'll kill the man as soon as he can. But first he needs to protect Ragnor. And there was only one person who could help him with it.

…

Raphael was pacing his rest-chamber in Hotel Dumort. Downstairs, in the lobby, wounded vampires were drinking human's blood and werewolves were being healed by their healer. Santiago's head was burning. He tried to come up with a solution to save his beloved man. He knew that Valentine's words were real. He will try to kill Ragnor, it was only a matter of time.

He walked to the small table standing by the not-working fireplace. He opened the drawer and pulled out an old, grey, material bag. He unknotted it and looked inside. There wasn't much warlock powder left there, but for his task it will have to be enough. He took two small papers and a pen and began to write two messages.

Be careful. Valentine wants to kill you. I'm sorry. I love you.

Get me to Edomus. Immediately. It's about Ragnor.

He grabbed a fist of the white powder and the first message. He threw it together into the fireplace, thinking about his beloved, green-skinned warlock. The other he sent to Magnus Bane, hoping that his messages won't fall into the wrong hands. He waited for some response. If he'll be still a human, his heart would be hammering right now.

Finally, after what it seemed forever for him, he felt himself being light and soon collapsed on the hard floor.

He woke up in the white room with Magnus standing above him with a frown on his face.

"Do you have any idea, how stupid it was?! I could be caught and our whole plan…"

"He will kill Ragnor tonight!" Raphael cut him off, standing up. Magnus's cat eyes opened in a shock. "Valentine said that he knows about Ragnor and that he'll kill him tonight. I sent him a message, but...please, Magnus...do something. I can't lose him. Please."

"I'll try to bring him here, to cast some spell on him. Just wait."

The projection of Magnus disappeared from the cold room. Raphael crouched by the nearest wall, with hands on both sides of his head. He prayed, even though he hadn't done it in years, to God, so Ragnor would be still alive. He wouldn't survive if anything would happen to the man he came to love so badly.

He would never picture himself in liking men. But there was something in Ragnor Fell that drew him in all those years ago. Maybe it was the crankiness of the warlock, maybe the wiseness he possesses. Maybe he fell for him, because of how he was taking care of him in the years just after his change. At first, Raphael tried to deny those feelings. He even thought that maybe Magnus - because he was able to do it - put a love spell over him. But spells wear off eventually, and his love for Ragnor Fell never did.

A blue light shimmered in the white room, getting him out of his thoughts. It was followed by the green light, which the vampire knew very good. He got up from the floor in his vampire speed, and before the projection of Ragnor formed before him, he threw himself onto him.

"Maybe I should ask father to bring here a bed instead of a chair?" Magnus joked, looking at both of them in an embrace. "See, he's all good, same old, boring Ragnor."

"Are you faring well?" Santiago asked, when Fell materialized himself in his arms. "Did you get my message?"

"I did. Thank you for a warning, my love," he smiled shyly at him.

"Oh dear…" Magnus sighed. "You're so sickly in love that I feel a dinner in my throat."

"Shut up, Bane," the vampire growled, not taking his eyes off of his lover. "Cast a spell. Now."

"What spell?" Ragnor asked, looking from Raphael to Magnus.

"Your boyfriend wants me to cast a protective spell on you, because Valentine threatened to kill you." Magnus shook his arms and came closer to his fellow warlock. He grabbed his green hand in his and opened his mouth to say something.

Then Raphael saw a frown on his beloved's face. He quickly pushed the other warlock aside and placed his cold hand on the green cheek.

"Are you alright?" he addressed the issue. Fell scratched his chest, right where his heart was beating. A scowl came up on his face. "Ragnor?"

"I don't know. I felt some sting, here," he tapped his chest.

Then it happened. It was merely a few seconds. His green face turned pale. A short scream escaped his mouth and blood started to run from his heart. His projection started to flicker. Raphael tried to grab his body, but he failed. He kept screaming his name, having the blood of his warlock on his hands.

He felt a pair of arms around himself in the moment when the illusion of his lover disappeared. He didn't know what was happening there. His body and mind was consumed by the pure rage. His instincts kicked in. Raphael slid his fans out and turned to the other person in the room. The vampire growled, smelling the blood of his beloved man and threw himself onto the other man. He felt himself being thrown back, right on the wall. He hit it with his back and fell to the floor.

"Try that again, and I'll leave you here forever!" Magnus screamed at him. "You…"

"It's your fault! You should have cast that spell earlie…"

"No, it's your fault!" Bane cut him off, seething with an anger. "You attacked Valentine! You came up with this stupid plan! It's your fucking fault! It's because of you that Ragnor is dead!"

Raphael cried out and fell down to his knees. Red tears escaped his eyes and were running down his cheeks. He brought his hands, covered with his lover's blood, to his mouth and liked the tips of his fingers, tasting Fell for the last time. He was lamenting Ragnor's name over and over again, feeling that his dead heart broke into million pieces.

He felt that Magnus sat next to him, too close for his liking. Raphael was still angry and he was afraid that he may kill him.

"I'm so sorry, Raphael," Bane whispered with a shaky voice. He must have been crying as well. "We shouldn't fight. We shouldn't blame each other. It's Valentine's fault! He did th…"

"I will rip his heart out!" he growled, sliding his fangs out. "He will beg me to kill him. He will beg me to let him die, but I won't. I will torture him, as much as I can. And then, I'll turn him into what he hates the most! I'll turn him into a vampire."

"I'll help you with that," Magnus promised solemnly, putting his hand on the other's upper arm. "I'll be at your side with this. He's gone too far. He'll regret that. He'll be begging us to show him some mercy, but we won't."

"We won't," he agreed. "I'll do everything to make him suffer hundred times more than I am." He paused for a moment and inhaled the thick air sharply. "Send me to Idris. I'm going to take Ragnor's body to his homeland."

"It's too risk…"

"I don't care! I need to…" tears were streaking his pale cheeks again. "I need to take him from there. I need to."

"Ok…" Magnus stated with a heavy heart. He didn't want to spill innocent blood anymore, whether it was Raphael's or those poor hunters who were Fell's owners. But he knew that he couldn't stop his companion. Not when he's driven with rage and broken heart. In fact, if he could, he'd do the same. "I'm sending you back to the hotel and then I'll send you to Idris."

Hours later, moments before the sun rose in the household of shadowhunters in Idris, Raphael stood in the middle of the room with the dead body of his lover in his arms. Right before him were crouching three shadowhunters, a little girl with curly blonde hair, a boy older than her, and their mother. Their father had been lying in the foyer with his heart ripped out. The vampire's hands were covered with his blood.

"Please," the woman whispered. "Spare the children, they have done nothing wrong."

"Your whole existence is wrong," he barked at her. "But fear not. You won't die, tonight. I want you to pass a message to your leader. Tell Valentine Morgenstern, that I, Raphael Santiago, am coming for him!"

A/N; Did you like it?

Sorry for killing Ragnor.

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Review if you feel like to,

Intoxic