Author's Note: Thanks to everyone who gave the first chapter a chance. I really love reviews and hearing what everyone has to say so feel free to review. It does motivate me to keep writing. Thanks to Amoz for the advice and guidance, and to everyone who came over from the Infernal Devices, welcome, and thank you. Enjoy this chapter, and please review!

Song Credit: Yes, by Coldplay

Chapter 2: Initiation

When it started we had high hopes;
now my back's on the line, my back's on the ropes...
When it started we were alright,
but night makes a fool of us in daylight.

There we were dying of frustration,
saying, "Lord lead me not into temptation."
But it's not easy when she turns you on...

Stephen got home late that night to find Amatis sound asleep in their second floor bedroom. She was uncovered and had a book in her hand, so Stephen covered her and took the book from her, making certain to mark the page she was on. Then, he went into the bathroom and started the shower. Stephen was just relaxing beneath the slightly warm water when he felt two hands latch on his waist, causing his body to shudder involuntarily. Stephen spun around to see Amatis behind him.

"You're jumpy," Amatis said. She ran her hands up his chest and rested them on his shoulders. Stephen placed his hands on her lower back and kissed her on the forehead.

"I love you," Stephen said. He ran a hand down her body and rested his palm on her lower stomach, which had begun to swell with her pregnancy. The fact that she was actually pregnant was all becoming real. It was like some sort of miracle only they got to experience.

Stephen swore he met Amatis on the first day of the rest of his life. He had just moved from London to Idris for school, and was living in the dorms while his parents settled into their manor house outside of Alicante. He was home sick, though he didn't want to admit it, and dealing with the growing pains associated with striking out on one's own. On the first day of classes, Stephen was sitting beneath an oak tree, close to the front gates of the Academy when Amatis walked in. She was so unlike any other girl he had ever seen, he immediately took notice.

Amatis was beautiful in a subtle way. Her eyes were either blue or grey depending on the light. They reminded him of his Aunt Tessa, a warlock that was close with the Herondale family so much so, they invited her to family events. That first day, Stephen was prepared to walk up to Amatis and introduce himself, but she walked right past him without even noticing the blond haired boy sitting beneath the oak tree.

So the next day, he sat there again, and when Amatis walked into the front gates of the school, Stephen introduced himself and offered to carry her books. The rest was history.

Before Stephen knew it, they were studying and making out in the Library at all hours of the day. Amatis was bringing cookies and treats to his dorm room and causing Stephen to gain five pounds despite eight hours of daily battle training. Every morning, they met at the front gates, and every night, Stephen walked her home. There was no question of what was happening: Stephen went to bed one night not knowing what love was, and woke up the next morning madly in love with Amatis Graymark.

They waited four months before introducing one another to their families. Stephen's parents didn't approve of Amatis, and Luke was wary of Stephen, but it didn't matter. They were in love. Stephen was just barely 18 and Amatis was just a few months younger than him. They were young and stupid- everyone said so- but that didn't even matter. One week before graduation, Stephen got down on one knee beneath the oak tree where they first met, and asked Amatis to spend the rest of her life with him.

The wedding was massive. In Shadowhunter culture, the groom's family paid for the wedding, and the Herondale family spared no expense. There was a six foot tall icing covered fruit cake decorated with tiny blue roses. There was more food and drink than possible to consume. After the formal dinner, there was a masquerade ball. Stephen and Amatis danced until the sun was high in the sky the next day, celebrating their love. Stephen felt that he had found all that was needed to be found in the world.

Following the wedding, Stephen and Amatis went to Italy, where they stayed in the Venice Institute for six weeks. When they came home, it was perfectly acceptable that they move into the manor house with Stephen's parents, who welcomed them with open arms. Had Stephen not fought with his father over the Circle, and had he not told his father that he was an adult who could make his own decisions, which included where he was going to live, he and Amatis could have been there now.

Instead, Stephen was now passionately kissing Amatis in a tiny shower in a tiny bathroom in a tiny house wedged between two other canal houses. Stephen could hear when the neighbors were cooking dinner. He could hear them having sex. He could hear… well… He hadn't expected his newlywed nest to be quite so loud… and cramped… and so unlike any place he had lived before. But Amatis was there, and Amatis made it home.

The water in the shower ran ice cold suddenly. Stephen leapt out, with Amatis following, because the water was only warm for a little while before it went ice cold, then scalding hot. Amatis offered Stephen a towel, which he took to dry off.

"So what's the Circle like?" Amatis asked. Stephen shrugged. "You can't talk about it, or what?"

"It was nice. We sat around, drank tea, talked…" Stephen said.

"It's two in the morning. You left the house at three in the afternoon. What else did you do?" Amatis asked.

"We just talked and drank tea," Stephen said. "Jocelyn Fairchild is pregnant. So is Maryse Lightwood. Michael Wayland's wife just had a baby. We'll fit right in. Valentine is pleased with everyone, so it seems. Valentine's approval means everything." Stephen left the bathroom and walked into their bedroom.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Amatis asked. She pulled the covers back on their bed and climbed in. Stephen lay down beside her.

"He just cares, is all. He's thrilled that the members of his Circle are reproducing. It was strange," Stephen said.

"Strange?"

"When he spoke, no one talked. Only Hodge commented on things. Everyone else sat there with this brainwashed look on their faces. Like Valentine was their god and what he said was their gospel. It was weird," Stephen said. "Jocelyn said maybe three words all night, like she was afraid to say anything. It was probably because I was there."

"So are you in the Circle or not?" Amatis asked.

"I have initiation tomorrow night. I can tell you more then," Stephen said. "I can always quit the Circle, you know. But I think it's worth checking out."

"As long as you think it's right," Amatis said. She grabbed Stephen's hand and put it on her stomach. Stephen kissed the top of her neck and breathed in her familiar scent. Amatis smelled nothing like orange blossoms and cotton. Her scent was a warm and comforting mix of ashes and rose water perfume.

"I hope it's right," Stephen mumbled.

At sundown that night, Stephen arrived at the Fairchild manor with everything Valentine told him to pack, and nothing more. They enjoyed a large dinner with Jocelyn and Celine, and then left at midnight, on foot, for Stephen's initiation into The Circle.

Valentine was silent as they tromped through trees a few miles away from the manor. High above, the moon was full in sky filled with stars. Idris came alive at night, and more so on the night of a full moon. Far off, in the distance, werewolves howled. Vampires would be out socializing along with the warlocks that lived in Idris. There was even a lake close to Alicante that played host to a monthly gathering of faeries. Per the Accords, most everyone left each other well enough alone.

In time, they came to a grove of trees they hid in the shadows of. Valentine knelt on the ground and invited Stephen to crouch beside him. They faced a small clearing bathed in bright moonlight. Valentine gripped Stephen's shoulder.

"You will swear to absolute secrecy. You must not speak of anything that happens tonight. Not to Luke, not to your wife, and to no one else in The Circle. Am I understood?" Valentine asked.

"Sir, yes sir," Stephen mumbled. Valentine scowled for the briefest of seconds.

"Swear by the angel," Valentine said. Stephen sighed and held a hand up.

"I do solemnly swear by the Angel that tonight never happened," He said.

"Very good, Stephen," Valentine said. "Remember what I said before. I can see you doing great things in your life time. Great things." Stephen nodded. "You might want to know why we are here tonight. The answer is before you." Valentine pointed into the clearing.

A man walked into the clearing from the grove of trees opposite Stephen and Valentine. Valentine's hand closed around the dagger at his hip. Stephen glanced down at it, and then looked back up. The man's skin was translucent white in the moonlight, as if the life had been drained from his body. He was a creature accustomed to darkness, which would burn to ash if forced into daylight.

"That's a vampire, Stephen," Valentine mumbled.

"Really?" Stephen whispered, "I was expecting black clothes and fangs and a Transylvanian accent. You've disappointed me." Valentine gave Stephen a murderous gaze.

"Kill it," he said. He pulled a dagger from his weapons belt and offered it to Stephen. Stephen felt a laugh nearly escape his lips, until he looked into Valentine's eyes and saw that this was no laughing matter. Valentine's eyes were cold and dark, his mouth was set into a hard line on concentration. "I want to know if you can follow orders. The Circle is about taking care of that which needs to be taken care of. Kill the vampire, or you're out of The Circle."

"That violates the Accords. It's unjustifiable death," Stephen said.

"Do you need everything justified?" Valentine asked. "Fine. That's a vampire, and a young one at that. It drinks blood to survive. Given the chance, it would drink your blood. Sure, you can spare the vampire's life. But would it do the same for you?" Stephen looked out into the clearing. Another vampire had joined the first. They were conversing quietly.

Of the few vampires Stephen met, most were older and accustomed to being around mortals. In the beginning, young vampires craved blood constantly. Everything about these vampires gave evidence to support that they were young. If they were human, Stephen would have described them as "on edge." As they spoke, their heads moved subtly, picking up various noises with their hyper sensitive hearing. They could probably hear that Stephen's heart was pounding, that hot, salty blood pulsed through his veins. Stephen moved his hand slowly and rested his palm in the hilt of his dagger.

"Humans have self control. That's what keeps us from killing one another when the mood strikes," Valentine said. "These vampires, they have nothing. They act on pure instinct and raw desire. They're demons that only look human. They deserve to die like any other demon."

He justified it in a way that Stephen wanted to agree with. The maddest men always have the soundest arguments.

"Is this what you did to Luke? And Robert? And Maryse? And Michael? You made them commit murder just to see if they would?" Stephen asked.

"Of course not," Valentine said. "I would never force someone to do anything. Besides, they joined the Circle before I chose to take it in a new direction. I told you I have big plans for you. Those plans start with this." Valentine offered his dagger to Stephen. "Show me you can do it. Make me believe in you."

"You're fucking insane," Stephen said. "You're violating the Accords. This is wrong. I'm reporting you to the Clave." Stephen straightened up and turned his back on Valentine, prepared to walk away.

"That's what they all say," Valentine mumbled. "Oh, Stephen? You forgot something." Stephen turned around just as Valentine leapt at him. The blade of his dagger dug into Stephen's forearm and sliced through his skin, all the way down to his wrist. Hot, red liquid rushed out of the cut, ran down Stephen's arm, and filled his palm with blood in an instant.

In the clearing, the vampires lifted their heads as if startled. Their eyes grew wide and they turned, quickly, and scanned the grove of trees, searching for prey. Stephen pressed a hand to his arm but couldn't staunch the flow of blood. In the moonlight, the vampires opened their mouths as their fangs revealed themselves. Valentine grabbed Stephen by the back of his shirt and thrust him into the clearing.

There was no time to think, or even react. Something slammed into Stephen, knocking him to the ground. One of the vampires landed on his chest and leaned forward, prepared to bite down on the exposed portion of Stephen's neck. Stephen ripped the dagger from his belt and kicked the vampire as he shoved the blade into its neck. The creature shrieked and dissolved into dust.

Stephen leapt to his feet as the second vampire rushed at him. This one was much bigger than the first, and when it's body slammed into Stephen's chest, his ribs cracked. Somewhere far away, Valentine was yelling something, but Stephen heard it as though he was at the bottom of a well. His wrist ached as blood hemorrhaged from the cut on his arm. His chest felt full of white hot pain. The ground rushed up at Stephen as he staggered across the clearing and slammed backwards into a tree.

"By the Angel, Stephen!" Valentine cried, "Are you really going to get beaten by a FLEDGLING! What kind of Shadowhunter are you?" Stephen opened his eyes just as the vampire raked five sharp nails across Stephen's chest, tearing his skin. Stephen fell forward, his dagger raised, and stabbed the vampire in the chest, missing it's heart by inches. "Do you even know what you're doing, Stephen?"

A fist slammed into the side of Stephen's head, knocking him to the ground. When Stephen tried to get to his feet, the vampire struck him again, knocking him back to the ground. Stephen got to his feet and came at the vampire again, this time stabbing it in the neck and wounding it. Then, Stephen grabbed it by its head and twisted it's neck until bones cracked against his arm. The vampire fell to the ground and stared up at Stephen. It was gasping like a fish out of water, despite not needing to breathe.

"It's not dead yet!" Valentine exclaimed. He danced into the clearing, clapping his hands. "You need to KILL it, Stephen, not hurt it. It can heal from a broken neck. You need to finish it off."

Stephen fell to his knees beside the vampire. One of the vampire's hands was around it's throat as it choked and gurgled. Demons never suffered before death, but this wasn't a demon.

"Finish it, Stephen. It's a vampire. A parasite. It wanted you to die and to become like it. Kill it. KILL IT!" Valentine yelled.

The vampire turned and looked Stephen in the eyes, begging him silently. It seemed so human in this moment, lying in wait for a death that would claim it. Stephen lifted his dagger with a shaking hand and plunged it into the vampire's throat. The vampire dissolved the way a demon would have.

Stephen fainted.

When he came to, there was nothing but darkness surrounding Stephen. His face felt bruised and swollen. His entire body shivered as he lay cradled in Valentine's warm, comforting arms. Valentine was running his hand through Stephen's hair, quietly saying things.

"Oh, my poor boy," Valentine mumbled. "Oh, my little Angel boy, you must not die. I have far too many dreams for you."

"I'm going to be sick," Stephen said. His stomach rolled and his mind spun in dizzying circles. He laid his head against Valentine's chest, willing the world to stop turning, just for a second. Valentine rubbed Stephen's upper back, the same way Stephen's mother used to whenever he got sick as a child.

"You were so brave," Valentine said. "You're a good boy, Stephen. You did what you were told. I'm proud of you. You must know that, Stephen. I'm proud of you."

All Stephen did was kill two vampires who wanted him dead, and Valentine was proud of him. Stephen disobeyed the Accords, and Valentine was proud of him.

"You did such a good job," Valentine said. "You're a good boy who did such a good job."

"A good job," Stephen mumbled.

"The best job," Valentine said. "You and I could do great things together, Stephen. Great things." Stephen nodded. The world stopped turning and became right again. Two vampires had threatened Stephen's life. They needed to die, and so they died. "Come now, let's go home."

Valentine helped Stephen stand up, and allowed him to lean on him the entire walk back to Fairchild Manor. Once there, Stephen was pointed to a room which contained a large bed. Stephen fell onto the bed and passed out cold.

Sometime later, Stephen awoke to someone humming softly as a feeling of warmth traced itself across his chest. He opened his eyes to find Celine standing at his bedside, dressed in a low cut ivory nightgown which left little to the imagination. She was holding a sponge to his arm, which was covered with dried blood. His body felt cool and moist and his skin smelled like lavender soap. Stephen glanced down to see that his shirt was off.

"How are you feeling?" Celine asked. Stephen shook his head and felt his brain throb. He moved a hand beneath the blankets and found himself completely naked.

"Excuse me, what are you doing?" Stephen asked. He pulled his arm away and tried to pull the sheet up higher.

"I'm washing you off," Celine said. "Valentine said you were all bloody and needed cleaned up. You've been unconscious for a few hours."

"I'm more than capable of cleaning myself," Stephen snapped.

"Yes, but you were unconscious, so I did it for you," Celine said. "It's no big deal, Stephen. Do you really think you're the first Circle member I've had to patch up?" She grabbed his arm, rewet the sponge, and again ran it down his arm, over the still tender cut Valentine left behind. "How are you feeling?" Stephen shook his head and closed his eyes somewhat. He longed for his own tiny bed at home, and for Amatis, who was sleeping alone tonight. "This is most certain to scar. I have something that should minimize that. Are you in any pain?" Celine's hand felt warm in his. She seemed to care about Stephen, despite not knowing him at all.

"I don't feel good," Stephen said. "Can I get some water?"

"I have something better," Celine said. She lifted a mug from the bedside table and offered it to Stephen. He took a sip, and then drank all of it. The liquid quenched his thirst and made him feel stronger. Most all of his aches dissolved away.

"What is this?" Stephen asked. Celine shrugged.

"Valentine makes it. He's been giving it to Jocelyn when she feels ill with her pregnancy. She's been depressed, you know," Celine whispered. "This pregnancy has been difficult on her. Truth be told, she's a bit crazy. Always hearing things. When she raves, we just pretend she's not." Stephen nodded. Celine finished cleaning his arm. She took a small bit of salve from a jar the bedside table and massaged it into the scar on his forearm. Stephen looked over at her. Tonight, she wasn't wearing any make up, but she didn't need to. She was lovely in her natural state. In this light, her gold eyes were a warm brown. "I saw how you were looking at me the other night. You find me beautiful."

"I'm a married man," Stephen mumbled. "I can appreciate your beauty, yes. But I won't do anything about it. I have a wife, and a child on the way."

"I see," Celine said. She touched one rune on his forearm, and then ran her fingers up his bicep, across his chest to the other rune, situated over his heart. On their wedding day, Amatis wore a silver dress and stood beside Stephen as etched those very runes into his skin. He did the same to her, and then, they were suddenly married. "You don't have to deny it, Stephen. You're allowed to feel whatever you want. Love, lust… anger… jealousy…" Celine's touch was warm and light. Waves of heat spread through Stephen's body, from his chest, down to between his legs. Stephen's eyes flickered closed and he moaned as his cock stiffened beneath the sheets.

"I think you need to leave," Stephen said.

"Or what?" Celine asked. She crawled onto the bed, straddled his waist, and sat down on top of him. "What will you do, Stephen?" She massaged the bruised and cut flesh across his chest. Stephen gasped a little. He arched his back, pressing his chest into her hands.

"Celine… no," Stephen said. "I'm not…" Celine drew a strap of her nightgown aside and took Stephen's right hand. She placed it on her breast.

"To the victor go the spoils," Celine whispered. "You were strong and brave tonight, Stephen. You should be rewarded." She moved her hips, pressing herself against his cock. Stephen's left hand… his infernal left hand… reached up and grabbed her other breast as the other strap of her nightgown fell down. Suddenly, he had his hands on bare breasts. He squeezed them gently, marveling how they fit into his hands just right. Celine smiled and moved her hips again. She brushed her lips against his, exhaling a soft, peppermint scented breath. Stephen kissed her once, then, again. She offered her tongue and he accepted it. Everything about her was soft, sweet, and innocent.

"No," Stephen mumbled. Celine kissed him again, pushing herself against his body. She pulled her straps down so that they nightgown fell around her waist, completely exposing her breasts to him. She was warm between her legs, and no doubt wet. Celine was offering herself to him, and was his for the taking. It only had to happen once, then never again. Amatis would never have to know.

Amatis. Amatis was his wife and she was sleeping alone tonight.

"Celine, no!" Stephen exclaimed. "Get the fuck out of my room! Get out! I don't want you!" He only wanted Amatis.

Celine smiled triumphantly and climbed out of the bed. Stephen waited until she was halfway across the room, then jumped up, pulled on some pants, and showed her to the door. He drew a Locking rune beneath the door knob in case Celine got the bright idea to stop back, then crawled back into bed and wished for sleep.

Author's Note: Thanks for reading! Please review. Please? Here is a teaser to the next chapter.

"He's gotten to you already!" Jocelyn exclaimed. "What can he give you that you don't already have? You don't need this life. Run, Stephen. Run away from this."