Scarred for Life

Chapter 15

I can't apologize enough! I know it's been 2 weeks since I've updated and I honestly have no good excuse. I had a bunch of school work plus writers block. My Beta, KelseyMasun16, was sick and just sent me this chapter about 20 minutes ago. I hope you feel better!

Enjoy the chapter!

Clary P.O.V

After reassuring everyone that I was 100% fine and I wasn't going to mysteriously drop dead or grow fangs anytime soon, I managed to finally break out of the infirmary and sneak into my bedroom. I popped my head into the hall and checked for any signs of currently unwanted company, before turning the lock on the door and briefly leaning against it with an exhausted sigh. I then slowly walked over to my dresser and dug the little silver bell out from underneath disheveled layers of padded bras and decorative underwear. I hadn't noticed it when Valentine had first given the trinket to me, but the bottom was engraved with swirling symbols and shapes. It looks like fairy writing.

Is Valentine working with fairies? Is that how he has become so powerful? I fully intend to ask him. I had just leveled the bell with my face to ring it when I heard a loud knock on the door. I jumped in surprise and quickly hid the bell behind my back. I attempted to hide any emotion from my face and swallowed my guilt as I tucked the bell in my pocket and ran to unlock it.

It was Jace. "Hey Becca, I thought you could use some company so, naturally, I came to offer my services."

He waggled his eyebrows. If I hadn't been so stressed, I would have rolled my eyes at his obvious innuendo. "Gee, thanks Jace, but I think I'll pass for now. Actually, I was just going to take a shower so if you could just leave…" I let the sentence fade of and opened my bedroom door in the universal sign for "please leave".

Jace's face fell and his beautiful eyes shown with hurt and disappointment, but he quickly smoothed out his expression and nodded a quick goodbye before walking into the hall. After he left, I waited a few minutes to ensure that no one else barged in unexpectedly. When I decided the coast was clear, I pulled the bell from my back pocket and gave it a deviant shake. It had a sharp, clear ring that seemed to echo throughout my entire bedroom. I was instantly worried that someone had heard it and would come running.

Too distracted trying to decide if the footsteps I heard were simply my mind playing tricks on me, I didn't even see the large portal that had formed in the middle of my room.

"Hello, baby sis." I bit back a frightened scream as I whirled around in a flurry of panicked confusion. Jonathan stood in front of me with a rather amused look on his flawless face. His cold eyes slowly raked over every inch of my body before meeting my stare, lust swirling in his eyes. I crossed my arms over my torso in a weak attempt to hide myself from him and tried to get rid of the chill that still lingered in the air.

"Can we just go already? I wouldn't want to keep His Royal Highness waiting."

Jonathan face distorted with fury and he snapped. "Valentine Morgenstern is our father and you will treat him with respect. He can give you anything you want, but you are just too blind to see it. Quit being so selfish and help us bring pride to the Morgenstern name!"

His fists were curled at his sides like he wanted to strike me. Do it, I mentally urged him, hit me. Punching daddy's little disappointment is sure to make him love you.

After a few seconds, Jonathan had regained his posture and relaxed noticeably. He held out his hand towards me, palms up. "Come on Clarissa, Father is anxious for your arrival."

.o.O.o.

As soon as I stepped through the portal, I was thrown roughly onto the stone floor. I growled at my brother and spun around on my knees quickly. "What the Hell was that for?"

Jonathan simply chuckled. "Come on, Clarissa. Like you don't already know. It's the last day of the month. Father is furious that you took so long to decide. He wants you to understand that you have no power over him. That you are weak."

Jonathan crouched down beside me and placed a calloused hand between my prominent shoulder blades. "But if you join us, you will be strong. You will rule this world alongside Father and me."

His hand slowly started to travel down my back. I shivered involuntarily and felt bile threaten to rise. "How do you think our dearest daddy would feel if I told him that you were touching me so personally, Jonathan? I know Valentine is a sickly twisted man, but even incest is beneath him." A look of shame and rage flashed across his face. The next thing I knew, a sharp pain spread throughout my abdomen as Jonathan stood up and kicked my side. I felt the breath leave my lungs and a burning sensation spread throughout me body. He would have struck me again, but Valentine decided to make his appearance.

"Jonathan, stop abusing your sister, right now." His words may have made him sound like a concerned parent, but his tone was icy and didn't hint any of his true emotions. "Now help Clarissa up and apologize to her."

"Of course, Father." He reached out to assist me, but I was already on my feet. "Please forgive me, Clarissa. My actions were blindly out of rage and I meant you no harm."

An overly sweet smile appeared on my face and I replied in the most sarcastic tone humanly possible. "Well, of course I forgive you Jonathan. I know that my big brother would never dream of laying a hand on me."

Jonathan visibly paled and I smirked at him with knowing eyes as if to say, what now? Not so big and tough I see. Valentine cleared his throat.

"Now that that's out of the way, come along Clarissa." He turned on his heel and walked out the door. I contemplated using my stele to make a portal and run home, but Jonathan saw my indecision and grabbed my elbow and marched us after Valentine.

As I stepped out into the hall, I noticed that it was bare of any sentimental décor. There were simply concrete floors, concrete walls, concrete ceilings, and no windows. It smelled of mildew and rotten garbage. "Nice place you got here," I mumbled under my breath.

Jonathan just squeezed my elbow tighter and kept walking. We stopped in front of an oak double door. Standing guard outside were two goblins. I wrinkled my nose in disdain. Goblins were supposed to be extinct, and I wish they were. They were about 4 feet tall, had green, pimply skin, and rotten brown teeth. The goblins saw Jonathan and opened the door without another word.

We stepped into a dining room. Valentine was seated at the end of an extravagant mahogany table, meticulously sipping his wine. Jonathan led me to my spot and placed me into the seat directly across from Valentine, while he sat in a seat between the two of us.

I was getting tired of this. I just wanted to tell Valentine my decision already. I don't know why, but he just kept trying to prolong the inevitable. "Look, I appreciate you giving me this offer, really I do, but I don't appreciate it when my father threatens the people I love. I came here to give you my decision, and I will. I'm not joining your disgusting demon army. You are a repulsive man, Valentine Morgenstern, and one day soon you will get what you deserve and rot in the fiery pits of Hell."

To give him credit, Valentine didn't look fazed by my outburst in the slightest. Jonathan, on the other hand, looked beyond pissed. "How dare you speak to our father that way, Clarissa! After everything he's done for you. You little-"

Valentine held up a hand, effectively silencing Jonathan mid-sentence. "Enough, Jonathan. Clarissa has made her decision. If that is what you truly want, then I will honor your decision, but I must warn you, I will still hold up my end of the bargain. I don't take being rejected lightly. Just ask your mother."

His last sentence rattled me. What does he mean by 'ask my mother'? She's dead. "I can't ask Jocelyn, she's dead."

I saw Valentine's eyes light up momentarily before returning to their usual coldness as he realized that he knew something I didn't. "Is she?" The words came of his lips playfully and my stomach dropped away at the small sliver of hope that grew inside me. I was about to open my mouth when I felt the familiar burn of a stele against my neck and the world, once again, faded to black.

What did you think? Do you forgive me for taking so long? Does it matter how many times I apologize? Will it help if I give you puppy dog eyes and flash my dimples? (It works on my friend Julia :-))

I luv you?

BFF's?

REVIEW!

~ByTheAngel99