I woke up, gasping, looking around wildly. It took me a few moments to realize that I was in my room back at the Institute. "You had another nightmare." A voice said. I looked to my left and saw two things.
First, that Jem was in the chair next to my bed, sleeping, and second, that Will was leaning against the doorframe of my bedroom. I frowned. "What happened last night?" I asked as I got out of bed, stretching.
"We attacked de Quincey during his ceremony and killed every bloody vampire except him and your new friend." He said, seeming to be angry. I glared at him. "What friend? And why are you so angry?" I snapped. He raised an eyebrow at me, amused. "Your little red headed friend? What's his name…? Larten Crepsley I believe it is." He said.
I flushed. Now I remembered. I gasped. "Where is he? Is he okay?" I asked, rushing to my closet and pulling out a clean dress. I ran behind the cover of my small room divider in front of my tub and stripped of my now blood stained dress, all the while Will was laughing at me.
"Yes, he's quite fine Anna. He's downstairs where we usually keep Downworlders." He paused. "I say, if I didn't know better, I'd think you'd fancy the man." Will snickered. I frowned and threw the dagger that I had hidden in the back of the blue dress I had worn the night before around the divider towards Will. I stepped out, needing Will to help me tie the bodice of my dress and smiled when I saw that it had stuck into the doorframe right above his head. He was glaring at me.
"Will, be a dear and tie my bodice, please." I said, turning around. He grumbled and came behind me, tying it. I turned and smiled at him, patting his cheek. "Thanks love." I winked at him. He rolled his eyes and walked out of my room, muttering under his breath. I turned to Jem and walked towards him.
"Jem." I said gently, shaking his shoulder lightly. "Jem, you need to wake up and go to your room." I said. He groaned and opened his heavy lids. He smiled when he looked up at me. "Ah, good afternoon Anna. Did you sleep okay?" he asked as he stood, gripping the chair as he tried to gain some balance. I smiled at him.
"Yes, I did. And judging by your eyes, you didn't." I teased, poking his nose. He laughed and shook his silver hair out of his face. "No, not really." He admitted sheepishly. I rolled my eyes and grabbed his hand, pulling him out of my room and a few doors down the hall to his. I opened the door and pointed to his bed. "Bed, now." I ordered. He rolled his eyes. "I'll be fine Anna." He said, walking off. I rolled my eyes and walked down the hall in the opposite direction.
"Miss Annabeth!" I turned around to see Sophie rushing towards me, clothes and blankets in her arms. "Miss Annabeth, can you take this down to that vampire friend of yours? Mrs. Branwell needs me to take care of Nathaniel." I paused for a moment and nodded, taking the items from her. "Of course, send Tessa and her brother my regards." I added. She smiled and nodded, rushing down the hall towards the kitchen, no doubt.
I began to feel giddy as I walked down the dim hallway that led to the room where it was possible for us to keep the cursed. I assumed that Charlotte had left the door unlocked and pulled the handle. My assumption being correct, I stepped into the room illuminated by witchlight. I looked at the fountain in the middle of the room and saw a tired looking Larten sitting on the edge of it thinking, his hand covering his eyes. He sighed.
"If it is you, Mr. Herondale, please let me be. I am not in the mood for your boorish behavior." He said warily. I smiled at this some. "And if it is Annabeth?" I asked sweetly. He paused and turned his head. I caught his eye and giggled as he smiled up at me. He straightened up.
"If it is Annabeth, I would rather enjoy your company." He said, patting the fountain beside him. I blushed slightly and walked towards him. He stared at the blankets and clothes curiously. "Are those for me?" He asked as I sat down. I nodded and gave them to him. "Yes, Sophie had me take them to you." I told him. He stared at me. "Who is Sophie?" he asked. "Sophie is the maid." I replied. He nodded.
I looked at his face and hesitated, remembering the end of my dream. He raised an eyebrow at me. "Have you a question for me, Annabeth?" he asked. My hand automatically fluttered to the side of my neck. His face went blank, unreadable, as I looked down at my lap and back up at him guiltily. "Is that what you dreamed about Annabeth?" He asked gently. I looked into his eyes, but found nothing. I looked down and nodded. "Yes…well, the end of it anyways." I said quietly, looking up at him. He was about to say something when the door opened.
"Mr. Crepsley it seems that you have a visitor." Will said, annoyed as a boy came into the room after him. I froze as he walked towards Larten. "What the hell, Mr. Crepsley!" the boy cried, throwing his hands in the air. I winced. It was one thing hearing William use such words as Hell, but it just sounded completely vulgar when this boy used it. Larten glared at him.
"Darren, do not use such words when you are in mixed company." He said angrily. Darren ignored this. "What happened last night? You were supposed to come back from the party, and next thing I know, Magnus returns telling me that all the vampires were dead but you were alright! Why didn't you come for me? I was starting to think that you were dead!" He shouted angrily. I unfroze and glared at him.
"Hush yourself, boy. I have a headache and your whining is only making it worse." I snapped. William snickered at this. "Will, shut up! Should we have a repeat of this morning?" I asked, my voice strained with anger and terror. He wiggled his eyebrows at me and left, laughing as I glared at the back of his head. Larten looked at me.
"What happened this morning?" he asked curiously. I frowned. "I threw my dagger at him." I replied. Darren looked at me, startled. "You threw a dagger at him?" He asked, incredulously. I stared at him. "Yes, I did. And I'm about to throw one at you if you don't leave." I replied calmly, taking a dagger out of my sleeve. Darren's eyes widened. Larten gently laid his hand on my hand.
"Annabeth, there is no need to get violent with him, he is merely an ignorant child." He said, glaring at Darren. I shook my head. "Why are you here? Did that other boy follow you?" I asked quietly. Larten became tense. "What other boy?" He asked gently. I answered him, never taking my eyes off a frozen Darren. "The boy with black hair and murderous eyes."
Larten stared at me, shocked. "You mean Steve? How does she know about Steve?" Darren asked, staring at Larten. "He was in my dream. I thought you were going to kill me, but when you lunged, you attacked him." I said. Larten frowned. "Interesting…" he trailed off. Darren frowned at this. "Who are you?" He asked. Larten smiled ruefully. "My apologies, I should have introduced you. Darren, this is Annabeth Bane. Annabeth, this is Darren Shan." He said. I held my hand out to Darren. He gently pressed his lips to it.
I snorted. "Oh, now you have the capacity for manners." He smiled sheepishly. "He is actually quite shy. I suppose I had just made him that angry." Larten laughed. I smiled. "So, he is a vampire as well?" I asked. Darren frowned. "How'd you know?" he asked. I smiled. "You're a friend of Larten's. Also, you have no smell…vampires don't usually have a smell." I explained.
Soon, I heard the clicking of heels down the hall and frowned. "Oh, lovely." I growled. Darren and Larten looked at me confused as a high voice called out to them. "Oh, I heard we had visitors!" I turned my attention to the door to see a slender girl with thick, blonde, curly hair coming towards us dressed in a navy blue dress with white vertical stripes on the front of the bodice.
Darren's eye's practically bugged out of his head. Of course he'd find her attractive. I thought. I turned to Larten to see him staring at her with a sort of admiration. I frowned. He looked at me and smiled, seeming amused. I looked down, blushing fiercely. He chuckled to himself.
"Oh dear, poor things. You mustn't have had a decent conversation all day." Jessamine said. I looked up to see her staring at me. I glared at her. "On the contrary, Annabeth is a rather interesting young woman." Larten replied. I smiled slightly at this. Jessamine sniffed and turned to Darren. "My, what a charming, handsome boy we have here." She said, looking him up and down. I had a feeling that Darren would be blushing if he could. I sighed. "Jessamine, they're vampires. Go back to bothering Nathaniel." I said. She paused, frowned, and turned on her heel, walking out the door.
Darren stared at me. "What just happened?" he asked, dazed. I smiled. "That, my dear friend, is Jessamine. She believes herself to be a lady. Silly, she is. We are Shadow hunters first, and a lady second." I sniffed. Darren frowned. "What are Shadow hunters?" he asked. I sighed. "Basically, we are angelic human beings created to fight demons and other Downworlders to keep the mundanes safe." I said.
Darren was about to ask a question but he looked at Larten and a confused expression came to his face, and he said nothing. I stared at Larten curiously. He smiled at me.
"Annabeth! There you are. We've been looking for you all morning." A voice said. I turned to see the amazingly handsome Gabriel Lightwood at the doors of the room. I stared at him, dumbfounded. "Gabriel, what are you doing here?" I asked, confused. He smiled. "Father is having me stay here for the questioning of the Downworlder." He said, giving a look of distaste to Larten. I looked back at Larten who seemed amused.
"Who is this?" Gabriel asked, walking towards me but looking at Darren. "This is my assistant, Darren." Larten said, bored. Gabriel stared at him and scrunched up his nose. I frowned.
"Is there something you needed, Gabriel?" I asked kindly. He paused and looked at me and then smiled. "Yes, may I speak to you for a moment?" He asked. I nodded. He hesitated and his cheeks turned slightly pink. What..? "In private?" he asked nervously. Darren and Larten snickered. I shot them a glare. "Yes, Gabriel, we can talk in private." I said, still glaring. Larten stopped and looked at me with a weird look.
Gabriel threw a dazzling smile at me and held his arm out. I looped mine through his and he led me through the dark corridor and towards the front doors of the Institute. He opened the door for me and followed me out. Gabriel sat on the stone steps and looked up at me, smiling. "Join me, Annabeth." He said, patting the step beside him. I nodded and sat next to him.
"Darren, follow them." Larten said as soon as he believed that Annabeth and the annoying Gabriel character were out of hearing range. Darren stared at his mentor, incredulous. "Follow them? Why?" His mentor's face was blank.
"I do not trust this Gabriel. He might have information that he is withholding from me about Camille's whereabouts." He said. Darren snorted. "Mr. Crepsley, I've been your assistant for ten years. I know you're lying."
Larten glared at the boy. He missed the days when Darren had only just met him and couldn't tell whether or not he was lying. Suddenly, Darren's eyes widened and he gasped.
"Mr. Crepsley! You don't fancy her, do you?" Darren cried. Larten glared. "Of course I do not! That is absolutely ridiculous!" he said defensively. "Yes, I know. But it's absolutely true as well!" Darren snickered.
"What's absolutely true?" a feminine voice asked from behind. The two men looked at the door to see a certain pale, pink haired girl wearing a light yellow dress staring at them curiously. "Nothing, it is nothing at all." Larten said quickly, giving Darren a hard stare. Darren snickered at him.
"So…what was it that Gabriel wanted to ask you?" Larten asked curiously. The girl flushed. "Nothing of great importance." She said quickly. Larten stared at her amused as she hurried out the door, obviously embarassed. Darren followed her.
A few moments later, Darren came back. As soon as he shut the door, he burst into a fit of laughter. Larten stared, bemused. "What is it?" He asked. Darren stood up and, in between laughs, said, "Gabriel…asked her to go…on a sort of date with her…tonight…in the Park."