Authors note: Thanks for the reviews they mean so much to me and I really appreciate all the help you guys can give me. I promise there will be zombie slaying in the next chapter because there hasn't been any dead people action in a while :) ly loads x
There is a girl standing by the window. She has thick, curly red hair that billows around her head, blocking her face from view. She is crying; I'm not sure how I know as I can't see her face but I can just feel that she is; like a predatory instinct makes me want to keep this girl safe. And all my bones are screaming at me to comfort her but I can't move. My legs won't go forward and when I try to look down to see why, I find that my eyes are stuck too. My gaze is glued to the crying girl.
After a minute of her standing in silent sorrow she whips her head around as if she hears something. Someone is approaching her but everywhere around her is out of focus. She is a sharp focus in a murky blur; acting as a telescope into an unknown world.
The person becomes clearer the closer he inches towards her with, black leather clothes, golden hair, and a face I recognise. I can even make out his words… "You did what you had to… no one blames you… blood on your hands…".
The girl glances down at her blood coloured hands and holds them out to Jace. Holding eye contact with him, no longer crying, as she puts one of her blood stained fingers into her mouth and her lips purse as she sucks it clean. Jace laughs and shakes his head as she takes steps towards him and into his arms. Embracing they start to kiss until she pulls away. The sight of blood left on Jaces lips from the kiss leaves me with a queasy feeling.
She seems to kiss his neck but when the girl pulls away blood spurts and Jace crumples to the floor. She advances towards me and I finally get to see her clearly. Emerald eyes, bright red hair, freckled face dripping with Jace's blood, some of his skin stuck between her teeth as he she smiles right at me. I am looking into the eyes of myself.
The next morning I wake up groggy and disorientated. I am not on the cold, concrete floor of my favourite hideaway, but instead in a comforting bed surrounded by the noise of other people. My bed is soaked in sweat and I shake the image of my dream from my head, expelling it from my thoughts as I wash up and throw on some relatively clean clothes.
Dropping down to the ground floor of the mansion, I find that most of the group are also beginning to stir. In the centre of the room, Alec and an older woman are handing out food, opening cans of fruit and pouring them into metal bowls and cups. Max, after receiving his share, trots over to me, a spare bowl of the stuff in his hand.
"Hi Clary." Beaming he holds out the extra cup to me. "Look at what Jace and Alec found yesterday! I got you some."
"Uh." I glance at the food collection station to see Alec glaring at me again. What the hell is that guy's problem? "Thank you Max." I say smiling. My stomach rumbles ferociously.
"You're one of us now," he grinned and skips off back to the others.
Jace heads over to me and I feel and sickening sensation in my stomach as I remember my dream. I try to pretend I haven't seen him and stroll off but he catches up to me. "You look like shit," he says. "Are you feeling okay?"
"I'm good," I tell him, avoiding his eyes, "Just had a bad dream."
"Jonathon!" a familiar voice called. Valentine walks into the room and motions to him. "Are we almost ready?"
"Yes sir!" Jace calls back and heads in his direction. "Everyone is packing up. As soon as we're all finished eating, we're ready to go." They walk off, still discussing. Turning, I come face-to-face with Alec.
The boy holds my gaze. He's not that tall so I don't have to struggle to look into his deep blue eyes. Oh man, he doesn't just dislike me, he loathes me.
"Can I help you?" I ask, arching an eyebrow at him.
He flushes. "I know who you are," he huffs. "I know why you're here, why you're hanging around."
Narrowing my eyes, I regard him intently. "Is that so?"
"Yes, and I'm here to tell you to forget it. Jace isn't interested."
Ah, now it all makes sense. I have to stifle a laugh. "Look you don't have to worry," I say, keeping my tone as reasonable as possible. "I'm not interested in him in that way either. Although, just a word of warning: I don't think your his type.", immediately regretting saying something so mean.
Alec takes a step closer to me, his face going as red as my hair. Anger rolls of off him in waves. "Just stay away from my family." He says through gritted teeth. "Or I swear to god, I will find a way to get rid of you."
"Charming," I mutter under my breath as he stalks away.
Not long after that, fed, packed up and ready to march, the small group of 13 people gathers around the front door, talking quietly with each other and shooting curious glances at me. Then, as if prodded by some invisible force, we all start moving out; 5 teens, 4 adults, 3 children and me, weaving silently through town and onto the road. We walk quickly- even the kids and the elderly woman move with a sense of purpose- and soon New York fades behind us.
