20
Mission
The rain was pouring and the streets of New York were flooded. It was a freezing rain and it did hardly any good to wear a jacket and keep warm; merely only kept a person concealed.
Leigh-Ann was soaked all the way down to her shoes and Sadie was sopping wet. They slipped by people and cars with their glamor easily, though, did not hesitate to slip into the shadows as precaution.
Leigh-Ann stood in front of the Hotel Deamount, staring up at it, and then sucked in a breath before walking forward and opening the doors of the abandoned hotel.
Sadie stood beside her as they stood in the center of it. She could feel it; the walking dead.
"Leigh-Ann Grace Taylor," an accented voice called amongst the darkness. "I was wondering why a Shadowhunter like yourself would be calling upon us vampires for."
"Raphael," she replied, professionally. "I need your help."
"Why would you need our help?"
"I believe I said your; I need your help finding Camille Belcourt."
"Why would I know where that wretch is?" he spat.
"I don't know. Why would you? That's not all that I need help with. "
"What do you want, Nephilim?"
"I know Jonathan Morgenstern has been here and I know that he's been to see the Seelie Queen, too."
"How did you know that?"
"I didn't. Thanks for telling me, though."
"You're a sneaky brat, aren't you?" His accent hissed, though a malevolent smirk crossed his lips.
"I do what I can to get information for myself. I need to know what he was here for."
"He wanted an alliance; however, I denied it, due to the rights of the Coven."
"Did he say anything about what he was doing or where he was going?"
"He said they would be at Stonehenge preparing a ceremony for a particular person. He told us that she would be becoming a demon rather soon."
She tensed. "Did he say when?"
"Tomorrow when the moon is full, he told me," he replied.
She nodded. "For this information, what shall I offer you as payment?"
Raphael was taken aback. "You would actually give us payment?"
"I may be Nephilim but I am nothing like the Clave," she spat.
"Ah, I see the Clave has upset one of its Shadowhunters. Tell me girl. What have they done to you?"
"They lied to me and kept my most precious secrets from me." She shook her head, though. Stop it. You're starting to sound like a demon; like Jonathan!
"I see. That is…interesting."
"Here," she muttered. "I took it from a blood bank. They're all fresh. It's human blood." She tossed a bag to him and he opened it, seeing several packages of blood inside.
"If the Clave knew you were giving this to us-"
"Damn the Clave to the depths of Hell. They ruined my life the second they decided to lie. They can deal with me giving blood to a vampire. I must depart now. Come on, Sadie."
She turned away from him and out into the darkness of the night.
"Wait, Miss Taylor."
She turned to see Raphael standing a few feet away from her. "Yes?"
"Form an alliance with me."
Form an alliance with a Downworlder? What rubbish.
However, she extended her hand out to him. His hand was stone and cold.
"Ah, I see. You're the one Jonathan spoke of."
"You can feel the blood in my veins…" she muttered.
"There's bitterness spreading amongst this sweet blood; Angel blood. You ARE an Angel."
"Yes, I am."
"And what a graciously beautiful Angel you turned out to be. I wish you luck on your journey."
"…Thank you, Raphael."
She took her hand back and turned away from him, disappearing into the night.
She sniffed the air. Blood, she thought. And it's not just any blood.
She peaked amongst the corner into the alleyway, seeing the blackness of a demon's blood spread across the ground. She walked over to it and bent down to look at it.
It was destroyed with a whip. … Isabelle…
She had started to realize that if the Shadowhunters were searching for her, they were beginning to get onto her trail which meant that she'd have to get to Stonehenge before they realized where she was going.
She pulled out her stele and gestured for Sadie to come to her side. Her loyal companion watched the opening of the alleyway for anyone who planned on intruding. Leigh-Ann was drawing the rune for a portal when she heard Sadie's low growl escape her throat. She looked over.
"That's not particularly legal."
"What's it to you?" She gripped the seraph blade on her hip. It was a male's voice.
"I just thought you ought to know, considering you probably would get caught. How are you capable of drawing such a rune, young lady?"
"…I smell werewolf on you, so how would you know what a rune is?"
"I used to be a Shadowhunter. My name is Lucian, but I go by Luke these days."
"I honestly don't care. I have things to be doing at this cold hour and the people who are looking for me could show up at any moment."
"Do you not want to be found?"
"No. Stay away from me please. I don't want to kill a fellow Shadowhunter."
"Where are you going…?"
"…To kill Jonathan Morgenstern."
A stillness of silence filled the air. She turned her head as she muttered the name of her blade and lifted the light to where she could see his face.
It was stiff and cold though calm all the same before changing to a look of familiarity.
"Leigh-Ann Grace Taylor," he muttered.
"Thank you for stating the name that I already know for myself. Now I must depart."
"I know Jonathan is evil, but why do you seek him?"
"He is the reason that my life is completely unrecoverable." She did not let him speak another word and she gestured Sadie into the portal.