Hey readers!
Okay, so I meant to update two days ago, but FanFiction was acting funny, so I waited until yesterday, and then I realized thanks to Kade141MS (you're a lifesaver) that I put up a chapter from another story...
Crap, I am just a lunatic, in all honesty.
So I apologize, but if you liked that one chapter, go ahead and read that story too. ;)Enjoy!
- EasyIsTheDescent
Disclaimer: I own none of The Mortal Instruments, Cassandra Clare does.
"Are you ready?" I yelled, and I heard a thump on the other side of the door.
"Rose Marie Nightlock, so help me, if you do not leave me alone…" Isabelle growled from inside, and I snorted.
"Isabelle, we are about to leave in like two minutes. I can guarantee you look fine," I insisted, and the door opened, leaving me to slip inside.
Isabelle stood before me in a sleeveless silver top and a long silver skirt, showing off the black runes all along her body.
"I know, it's just this is one of the only times we can go out and not have to conceal every inch of our skin, you know?" She didn't look at me, still applying lip gloss, concentrating on the mirror.
It's not that I wasn't taking advantage of our trip as well. I was wearing a black leather tank top, black leather pants, and my boots, but my arms were bare, flaunting every scar and black Mark imaginable.
"Hurry up, why don't you. I will throw you into that Portal by your hair if I have to," I warned, and she took my threat seriously. Wrapping her whip around her arm, just above her hand, she spared one last glance at her reflection before she linked her arm in mine, and we walked out to join the others.
Everyone was in the garden outside, Ethan, Liam, the Lightwoods, Jace, Magnus, and Madeleine, the Shadowhunter who had talked to Clary. Izzy went to stand with Alec and Max, leaving me to wander over to Ethan and Liam.
Ethan whistled. "You look like a prostitute," He commented, and Liam smacked him upside the head.
"Ouch," He muttered, rubbing his head, "What the hell was that?"
"Show some respect for your sister," Liam winked at me, "By the way, I personally like the outfit."
Ethan snorted. "I bet you do, especially-"
"Shut up right now," I warned quickly, and he grinned mischievously, but he didn't say anything.
The two were wearing short sleeve t-shirts, revealing the multiple scars and Marks on Liam's arms, and the few black runes on Ethan's.
"You ready?" I asked Ethan, and he shook his head.
"I wasn't expecting to go back to Idris again," He admitted, and I wrapped my arm around his shoulders.
"We won't be anywhere near there," I whispered, referring to our old home. I missed Idris, and so did Ethan, but the memories were too painful. Part of me was dreading this trip.
"Well I haven't been there since I was a child. I'm concerned you may leave me to get lost at my own leisure," Liam murmured, and I rolled my eyes.
"Never," I grinned, and he wrapped his arms around my waist, kissing my cheek.
"You two are nauseating," Ethan commented, and Liam feigned hurt.
"I thought you said you approved of me," He said in disbelief.
It was true. When Liam had finally woken up after the attack on Valentine's ship, Ethan admitted that he loved Liam like a brother, and that "if anyone was getting down with his sister, he was glad it was Liam".
Jace glanced up, and I followed his gaze to see Simon before us.
Simon was a Daylighter now, a vampire that could walk in the sunlight. Jace murmured something to Maryse, then walked over to him.
I felt something against my chest, a burn that was all too familiar, and I looked around, confused.
"Rose?" Liam asked, concerned.
My eyes widened. "Liam-"
A harsh scream interrupted me, and I had a seraph blade out in an instant, Ethan shoved behind me, Liam standing in front of me slightly.
In front of us were multiple… things, horribly misshapen. It only took me a minute to figure it out.
"Forsaken!" I yelled, and Liam and I shared one look before we lunged forward, throwing ourselves into the foggy scene before us.
"The Portal!" Someone, Magnus, shouted above the noise. "Go through the Portal!"
As soon as Maryse and Max jumped through, I took Ethan by the arm, racing over and throwing him through, ignoring his protests.
"Alec! Isabelle! Jace!" I yelled, but I didn't get to see what happened next, because Liam took my arm, and I was whirling through the Portal and into Idris.
"You! You little son of a-"
"Rose, we all got through the Portal-"
"Yeah, after you threw me into it!"
"I'd just like to point out, you had it coming, considering you did the exact same thing to me."
"Ethan, shut up."
"Are you done, Primadonna?"
Liam, Ethan, and I all stared at one another.
"I'm still not happy."
"Are you ever?"
"I'm not afraid to take you, Nightlock."
"Give me a time and a place, Nightlock."
"…Touché, kid, touché."
"Ladies, retract the claws, if you'd please." Liam sighed impatiently, and I rolled my eyes.
We were standing in the living room of the Penhallow's, an old Shadowhunter family that the Lightwoods were close to, arguing.
Aline Penhallow was watching us in amusement, her cousin Sebastian obviously trying to hold back laughter. He gave me a certain feeling of unease, but I ignored it.
"What is that God-forsaken racket?" Alec groaned, entering the room. I shuddered.
"Don't say Forsaken, I may be sick."
He nodded in agreement. "Good point."
"How's Simon?" I asked. Simon had been injured by the Forsaken, Madeleine had been killed, and Simon ended up being dragged through the Portal with us. The look on the Consul's face was so intense that Liam and I had simultaneously shielded Ethan away.
"He's alive," Alec replied, "I guess that's what counts."
"I'm still confused about this whole vampire thing," Aline interrupted, and I turned to look at her skeptically.
"And that's my problem how?"
"Rose," Alec hissed, and I put my hands up in defense.
"I like her," Sebastian grinned, and Liam glared at him.
"That's unfortunate for you," He warned, and Sebastian cringed away hastily.
"At ease," I winked, and Liam rolled his eyes.
"You've got quite the little fan club," Sebastian commented.
"Care to join?" I flashed him a dazzling smile, and he shrugged.
"I would, had I not harbored the nagging fear that your boyfriend would kill me in my sleep."
I glanced over at Liam. "You hold a valid argument."
He grinned. "That I do."
"You can take the flirting down a notch," Liam spoke up, "Considering I am right here."
I rolled my eyes, walking over and sitting on his lap. "Do I detect jealousy, Mr. Darkstrider?"
He thought over this. "There is a slight chance that you do, Ms. Nightlock."
I pursed my lips. "Oh really?"
"Whipped," Sebastian coughed, and I laughed.
"Jealous, Mr. Verlac?" I asked him, and something flashed in his eyes that I didn't recognize.
"Not at all."
"Rose?" Ethan called, and I looked up.
"Hey little brother!" I called, and he poked his head in the room, his eyes landing on me and Liam.
He walked over, sitting next to us on the couch, and Jace, Simon, and Isabelle followed him.
My head snapped up, eyeing Simon anxiously.
"Is that the vampire?" Aline asked, and her eyes raked up and down over his scrawny figure. "I've never really been this close to a vampire before- not one I wasn't planning to kill, at least." She cocked her head to the side. "He's cute, for a Downworlder."
I gave her an even look. "You better watch your comments about Simon. I've been told I have a mean bitch-slap," I cracked my knuckles in response, and she looked fearful for a second.
Ethan grinned in approval, while Simon smiled gratefully.
Sebastian introduced himself, and I watched him curiously. He had dark hair and dark eyes, but there was something about his hair, as if it were wrong. Perhaps he had dyed it?
"Try to hold it together. I'll be back in half an hour." Alec was saying, and he left.
Another conversation started up, but all I could concentrate on was Aline. She had edged herself close to Jace, and yet there was plenty of room for her. Hell, she could sit on my lap if she would be avoiding Jace.
Especially considering Jace had a hand on her thigh.
"Hey Aline," I spoke up, "How much change is in Jace's pocket?"
She gave me a confused look. "I don't know…"
I shrugged. "I just figured you were in the best position to be calculating, that's all."
Sebastian made a contorted wheezing sound.
"Just embarrass the hell out of her, why don't you?" Ethan murmured, and I put my hands up in defense.
"If she were any closer, she would be straddling him!" I hissed.
"Well Jace doesn't seem to mind," Liam pointed out, and I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye. No emotion, just a cold Jace.
"That's what worries me most."
I didn't really listen to the rest of the conversation, until I saw Jace jump up, and a second later he Simon followed him out of the room.
"It's about to go down," Ethan muttered, and I sighed.
"I hate to say it, but my money is on the blonde," I admitted, and Liam nodded in agreement.
"No, I think the vampire has a fair chance, if the fight is Clary-fueled," Ethan argued, and I shrugged.
"Am I the only one that finds it suspicious how Clary was so excited to go, and yet all of the sudden she wants to stay behind?" Liam whispered, and Ethan shook his head.
"No, you aren't the only one."
"Maybe it's better if she isn't around," I muttered quietly, but they heard me anyways.
"What happened to the whole 'she's going to be a great Shadowhunter' vibe?" Ethan asked skeptically.
"I don't doubt it, but the more she's around, the more trouble she causes. One of us is going to die because of her, I'm sure of it." I murmured, and Liam shook his head.
"Don't say that," He argued, "Besides, at least she keeps things interesting."
"I'm glad you found it interesting when you were bleeding out on Valentine's ship in the heart of a demon mass," I snapped, and Liam sighed.
"So that's what you're mad at her about," He murmured.
"Let's just say, Clary is not near the top of my Christmas gift list," I grumbled, and I stood up in time to help Aline with her line of snacks.
By the time we got everything set up, Max had appeared, who Ethan had joined to keep him company, and Jace and Simon walked back in the room.
It was when I saw Aline touch Jace's wrist that I poured a good amount of wine into a glass.
"Rose!" Jace warned quickly, so random that everyone looked at me.
"What?" I asked innocently, bringing the glass to my lips.
"You know just as well as I do why you won't drink that," He spoke calmly, but I saw anxiety flash in his eyes.
I rolled my eyes. "What, worried I'm going to choke up my lungs and ruin your pretty leather jacket?" I asked lazily, and while most people in the room tensed, Liam and Ethan gave me a worried look, and Aline and Sebastian seemed very confused.
"Isabelle, it's the middle of the afternoon," I groaned, though it was no use. We were sitting in the middle of her bed, while she poured the golden liquid into two glasses, handing me one. I accepted it reluctantly.
"Any hour can be happy," She said firmly, "It just takes a little bit of this," I sighed, but I glanced at the door, figuring there was no harm in it.
Ethan was doing something with Max, and Jace and Alec were in the weapons room. Maryse and Robert were out. Perfect chance.
"Bottoms up," I agreed, and I tossed back the drink.
Worst mistake yet.
My throat burned in agony, almost like it had that terrible time I had refused to remember until now, and I hit the floor, coughing.
"Rose! Rose!" Isabelle yelled, her voice cracked in alarm.
I felt her wrapping her arms around me, but I couldn't respond, for there was no sound coming out of my mouth.
"Jace! Alec!" She yelled, and I heard barreling footsteps, before the door banged open, revealing the two boys with seraph blades in hand.
"What happened?" The two knelt beside us, and I pointed a shaking hand towards my discarded glass, which was in pieces beside me.
"We've got you," Jace whispered, and I tried to say something, but nothing was working, only a gasping sound emerged from my lips.
"Ethan doesn't need to know, now come on," He replied urgently, understanding my intentions. I wrapped my arm around his neck, and he helped me up, Alec comforting Isabelle, and we walked to the infirmary as Alec dialed Maryse's number.
"Don't be stupid, Rose," Jace muttered, and I shrugged.
"It's in my genetics, to be stupid, I mean," I replied smoothly, and suddenly the glass was out of my hands, and I whirled around to see Liam had taken a large swig, and the wine was gone.
"There," He said firmly, setting the glass down on the table, "Now you have nothing to be stupid about."
"I wouldn't say that," Isabelle grumbled, and she got up to replace the empty bottle of wine, though really I think she was trying to calm her nerves.
Jace ignored me for the rest of our time.
"What's the deal with the wine?" Ethan asked me worriedly, and I gave him a look, before I realized that Jace had kept his word. Ethan had never found out about the incident.
"It's bad for my health," I said smoothly, and Aline heard.
"Why?"
I glared at her. "Take a wild guess, Nasal Voice."
"Okay, I for one have had enough alcohol," Liam interrupted, "Rose, if you could help me up the stairs, it would be greatly appreciated."
I took his arm, not as gently as I had anticipated, and he walked (quite gracefully, for someone who drank so much) with me out of the room, into the hallway with the staircase.
"You sure have something against Aline, don't you?" He asked wearily, and I shrugged.
"I just don't like her. It's nothing personal."
He muttered something under his breath, but then his eyes returned to me. "Jace only gets that worried when something is about to happen to someone close to him, I've realized. What's the deal with the wine?" He asked, and I bit my lip.
"Just to remind you," He added, "My head is whirling because of the alcohol I just consumed on your behalf."
"Fine," I sighed, "There was a time, when Isabelle and I were idiotic teenagers, that we decided to drink alcohol for the first time since I lost my voice, and it didn't end well," I explained, and Liam listened quietly.
"I'm sorry," He replied, and I shrugged.
"I just had to find a different beverage for drinking my problems away," I joked, and he smiled slightly. I took his hand, pulling him closer, and I kissed him, before someone interrupted us.
"Gross," Max commented, and we turned to see both Ethan and Max were watching us with equally horrified expressions.
"Don't think I don't remember that time when I caught you with one Brazilian Shadowhunter way back when, Ethan Nightlock," I threatened, and he paled considerably.
"We were five years old!"
"And I was nine. It was a gruesome sight."
"I'm nine." Max spoke up.
"And you have witnessed kissing as well."
"Anyways, Max was going to teach me how to read manga," Ethan announced, and I smiled at him. Ethan was old enough to participate in our older Shadowhunter conversations, but he never forgot about his little brother, either.
After the two walked into the bedroom they were sharing for the time being, I turned back to Liam.
He grinned. "So where were we?"
Well, that was the start of City of Glass!
Read and Review!
- EasyIsTheDescent