Thanks, guys, for your feedback! I know I haven't written much about Clary, but the series is already pretty much based on Clary. I want this to show more of Jace's side of things. Also, to answer cnp97's question: This set after City of Ashes and before City of Glass, so Jace and Clary still THINK they're siblings.
So here's chapter four! First fight scene of the story!! =D I haven't written a fight scene in a long time, so it might not be so great.
Jace, Clary, Isabelle, Alec, and Imogen stood quietly in the library as Maryse and Robert began speaking. Max sat on the couch, face hidden behind the latest volume of Naruto, but Jace knew Max was listening in on the mission details.
"We've received information that there are shape shifters in the city. We think they're at the Chaos club," Maryse explained.
"You can probably handle this without us," Robert said.
"We've handled worse without you," Jace said.
Maryse glared at him. Robert chuckled. "That, you have. But I still don't think Clary and Imogen should go with you."
"Why not?" Clary demanded, frowning.
"As much as I hate to say it," Isabelle started, "both Clary and Imogen can hold their own. Besides, it's just shifters. It'll be easy. We could be back before midnight if we wanted to."
Robert and Maryse exchanged looks. "Fine," Maryse sighed. "But be careful. Go get ready. You'll leave in half an hour."
The door swung open as Clary pulled on a slinky green top over black leggings. Jace stepped into the room and shut the door.
"Ever heard of knocking?" Clary huffed.
"Well, that would just be polite," Jace sneered.
"Would it kill you to be polite for once? I could have been naked."
"All the better for me."
Clary shot him a dirty look. "I'm your sister, for Christ's sake! What do you want?"
"You should stay here," Jace said. "I don't want you coming with us."
Clary scowled. "Why not?"
"Damnit, Clary, how many times have I told you?! You're not a real Shadowhunter. You barely know how to fend for yourself."
"I've been fine so far!"
"You've gotten lucky."
"I don't care what you say, Jace," Clary announced defiantly. "I'm coming."
Jace sighed. Clary was so stubborn that Jace almost hated her. But at the same time he loved her attitude and temper that was almost as fiery as her hair. Why did she have to be his sister?
"Clary, I don't want you getting hurt," Jace said.
Clary reached out and touched his arm. "I'll be fine."
Every muscle in Jace's body tensed, holding him back. A fire ignited within him every time Clary touched him. He loved how it felt, but hated that it was so wrong. He wanted to grab Clary and kiss her, kiss her like there was no tomorrow. No brother should ever feel this way about his sister. Jace suddenly felt horribly ashamed. He did the only thing he knew how to do. He turned and walked away.
A boy with spiky, electric blue hair made his way past the bouncer into the club. As his bright green eyes scanned the dance floor, he felt a shockwave hit him. It was energy, live energy. Humans were so full of it. The boy smirked. He couldn't wait to pull aside some unfortunate human girl and steal away her life. A girl with pink hair walked into the club behind him. She licked her lips as her electric blue eyes scanned the club. As she began walking past the boy, the boy grabbed her arm.
"Aren't you going to warn me not to attract attention, like usual?" he asked.
"No. Valentine wants us to attract attention, remember? He wants the Shadowhunters," the girl replied.
The boy grinned. "Good. I'm sick of holding back." He began scanning the crowd of thrashing teenagers for his first target. His eyes fell on a petite girl with flaming red hair. Her eyes glowed with a flame of their own. Perfect. He made his way over to the girl, putting on his most charming smile. The girl caught his gaze and seemed to read his mind. She stepped toward him and put her hand on his shoulder.
"Dance with me?" she asked.
The boy put his hands on her waist and led her deep into the crowd of teenagers. Usually the boy was patient. He would usually seduce his prey before he struck. But tonight he was impatient. He pressed his lips to the girl's ear.
"Let's go somewhere private," he said.
The girl grinned, gazing up at him through her long, mascara-enhanced lashes. The boy took her hand and led her toward the back of the club. He opened the backdoor of the club and glanced out into the alleyway – empty. He pulled the girl out into the alleyway with him. The girl sat down on a pile of crates.
"So what's your name?" the girl asked.
"Mark," the boy answered.
"I'm Clary," the girl said.
"Well, Clary," Mark said, stroking Clary's cheek," I'm ready have some fun."
Clary smirked. "So am I."
Suddenly, there was a loud, sharp crack and an inhuman shriek of pain erupted from the blue-haired boy's throat. The spiky-haired boy spun around and found himself face-to-face with Isabelle Lightwood and her infamous whip. The boy lunged at her, but Isabelle easily side-stepped the clumsy attack. She lashed out with her whip at the boy's ankles. The end of the whip wrapped around the boy's ankles, making crash down onto the cold asphalt. The boy turned onto his back just in time to see Alec Lightwood leap out of the shadows and land on his chest, seraph blade poised to strike.
"How many more of you are there?" Alec demanded.
The boy laughed.
"You think this is a joke?!" Alec shouted.
The shape shifter screamed something in a language Clary didn't recognize. But Alec and Isabelle knew he was calling to another demon. Alec swore and plunged the seraph blade into the shape shifter's chest. The demon shrieked, twitched, and then lay still. Within the blink of an eye, his body had disappeared. Suddenly, the sound of mass terror reached the ears of Alec, Isabelle, and Clary. Screams rang out from inside the club. Without hesitation, the three Shadowhunters dashed back inside.
The smell of blood was strong. Masses of terrified teenagers surged to every exit. Isabelle yanked Clary aside to escape being trampled. Alec pushed his way through the frantic crowd to where Jace and Imogen stood back-to-back fending off a swarm of raveners.
"Raveners!" Alec yelled back to Isabelle and Clary. Screaming some sort of incomprehensible battle cry, Alec leaped through the air and buried his seraph blade into the head of one of the raveners. Isabelle was in shock for a few seconds. They'd walked into an ambush. The demon must have called the raveners out before Alec killed him. Raveners had poison that could kill a normal human in minutes. Isabelle cleared her head and joined the battle, whip zipping through the air.
A ravener crawled up the wall to the ceiling, then sprang down on Jace, teeth, claws, and barbed tail ready to rip apart the Shadowhunter. Jace swung his seraph blade at the ravener's head. It wasn't until then that Jace saw the decapitated ravener's poison-equipped tail flying toward his face. His decapitating swing had been too wide and there was no way he could deflect the tail. Jace shut his eyes and made an attempt to dodge. Then he heard the sound of metal cutting through flesh. Jace slowly opened his eyes and saw Imogen standing over the dead ravener, her seraph blade dripping with thick, black liquid. But he didn't see the deep gash in her side.
Another ravener had managed to pin Alec to the floor. The demon bared its razor-sharp teeth in Alec's face. Alec's fingers fumbled for his seraph blade he'd dropped. Isabelle kicked a ravener away from her and struck the ravener on top of Alec with her whip. The whip wrapped around the ravener's tail, and it took all of Isabelle's strength to yank the demon off of her brother.
"Clary, now!" Isabelle shouted over the chaos.
Clary pulled a dagger out of her boot and flung it at the ravener. The blade buried itself in the creature's hideous eye in the middle of its forehead. The ravener shrieked and writhed, then became silent and still. Suddenly, Isabelle cried out in pain as another ravener launched from the floor and buried its claws in Isabelle's back. Imogen tackled the ravener and stabbed through its scaly skin as the creature's tail buried into Imogen's leg. She stabbed it again and twisted the seraph blade until the demon stopped moving.
Jace had just killed another ravener when he saw a figure standing off to the side, watching the fight. At first he thought it was a Mundane who was either petrified with fear or just had a morbid sense of entertainment. When he took a better look, he saw it was a shape shifter. She grinned evilly as she caught Jace's glare and leaped at him, claws outstretched. Jace met her with a punch in the face, but not before she could claw his shoulder.
"I usually don't hit girls," Jace growled, gripping his shoulder. "But you're not really a girl, are you?"
The shape shifter laughed as she stood up. "Valentine warned me about you, Jace Wayland," the shifter sneered.
Jace's heart fell into the pit of his stomach. "Valentine?"
"He wants to see you."
"Why?" Jace hissed through gritted teeth.
"Well, he's your father, isn't he? He sent me to kill the others and take you back to him. Look, he even gave me a present in advance for my services." The shape shifter held up her hand and wiggled her fingers. On her fourth finger was a silver ring with an amethyst and diamonds.
Without warning, Imogen came flying into the scene caught the shape shifter in the head with her foot. Just then Jace remembered there was a fight going on behind him. He spun around and saw that Alec and Isabelle had finished off the last of the raveners. The club was now deserted.
"Everybody okay?" Alec panted, leaning against the wall.
Jace nodded.
"I've got a few scratches," Isabelle grumbled, "but no poison."
"I'm fine," Clary piped up.
Alec nodded. "Alright. Let's go home." He began walking toward the exit, followed by Isabelle supported on Clary's shoulders. But Jace hung back. Alec turned back to Jace. Jace had his arms folded over his chest, and he was glaring at Alec.
"What, Jace?" Alec demanded, bewildered.
"You didn't save any raveners for me," Jace huffed.
Alec rolled his eyes. "Come on."
Jace followed Alec, Isabelle, and Clary into the alleyway. Once he was halfway down the alley, Jace froze. "Wait, where's Imogen?"