Demon On Your Shoulder

by Takara Phoenix

Every person had a daemon, an animal-shaped manifestation of their own soul, and bore a picture of their soulmate's daemon on their body. Everyone, aside from Jace. Because Valentine split his soul, giving him two daemons – and took the one on his soulmate's marks. So even when he meets them and recognizes them by their daemons, they don't recognize him. Magnus/Alec/Jace slash

13. The Herondale Heir (2)

Malace || Shadowhunters || Malace || Demon On Your Shoulder || Malace || Shadowhunters || Malace

Title: Demon On Your Shoulder – The Split Soul's Soulmates

Fandom: Shadowhunters: The Mortal Instruments

Disclaimer: All rights to the Shadowhunters show reserved to Ed Decter, the books the show is based off and its characters belong to Cassandra Clare. This fanfiction on the other hand is entirely mine. No money is made with this, though reviews are more than welcomed.

Tags: polyamory (m/m/m), alpha/beta/omega dynamics, soulmate AU, daemons, past child abuse, hurt/comfort, angst, explicit intercourse, anal, oral, f/f, m/f

Main Pairing: Magnus/Alec/Jace

Side Pairings: Lydia/Izzy, Simon/Clary, Luke/Catarina

Shadowhunters Characters: Jonathan 'Jace' Herondale, Magnus Bane, Alexander 'Alec' Lightwood, Isabelle Lightwood, Clarissa 'Clary' Fray, Simon Lewis, Lydia Branwell, Madzie, Catarina Loss, Luke Garroway, Raphael Santiago, Maxwell Lightwood, Imogen Herondale, Valentine Morgenstern

Daemons: Aurea (Jace's Golden Retriever), Celestina (Jace's barn owl), Shyama (Magnus' panther), Minerva (Alec's snow owl), Dolios (Max's raccoon), Nagendra (Izzy's cobra), Timon (Lydia's lynx), Seraphina (Clary's robin), Adina (Simon's rat), Ares (Andrew's dog), Piedad (Raph's bat), Menelaus (Cat's lion), Regulus (Madzie's bunny), Lupercalia (Luke's wolf), Cornelius (Imogen's horned owl)

Summary: Everyone had a daemon, an animal-shaped manifestation of their own soul, and bore a picture of their soulmate's daemon on their body. Everyone, aside from Jace. Because Valentine split his soul, giving him two daemons – and took the one on his soulmate's marks. So even when he meets them and recognizes them by their daemons, his daemon doesn't match.

Demon On Your Shoulder

The Split Soul's Soulmates

Chapter 12: The Herondale Heir (2)

"And you had a good day with Magnus and Shyama?"

Jace had to ask, because leaving Aurea at home had stressed him out. Even though he had left her with his alpha, with his soulmate. He'd been apart from her for so many years. The moment him and Alec had returned home, Aurea had jumped him in excitement, tail wagging and tongue out. Ever since, she had been happily curled together on his chest, not leaving his side. Which left Magnus in charge of dinner, and Alec in charge of serving Jace – bringing him a blanket and a drink.

"Magnus gave me a pedicure," there was a purring sound to Aurea's voice that sounded quite pleased. "And he ordered us fancy food for lunch and a massage. He called it a 'spa-day'."

"And you had fun with that spa-day?"

"Ye—es," Aurea flattened herself, looking pleased. "He took really good care of me."

Jace smiled at her, ruffling her cheek fur. "I'm glad you had a fun Magnus-day then."

"And you will have a fun Magnus-day too, one day," Magnus approached him from behind, running gentle fingers through Jace's hair. "Once this war is officially over, I'll take you to a real spa. You and Alexander definitely deserve a day of pampering too."

"...Alec getting pampered, huh," Jace laughed softly. "Hard to imagine."

"I'll make you see it," Magnus smiled as he leaned down to kiss Jace's forehead. "Dinner is ready."

Aurea whined softly in protest but then got off Jace to allow him to go and get food too. The table was set outside on the balcony, with unnecessarily many candles lit (because Magnus was a sweetheart who knew how much Jace loved candles and who had acquired an additional amount of candles ever since Jace had moved in). Alec was already sitting, after filling three glasses of wine.

"So—o," Magnus drawled as he sat. "How did meeting your grandma go?"

"Good," Jace knew his voice sounded careful, softer than usual, like the word was fragile. "I think. I... invited her over for dinner? This weekend? So we can talk, in a more... domestic setting than her office? Really get to know each other. But... I do think that... that's what she wants. I mean... what she really wants. Not like... others. That what she really wants is to... is the same as me. To get to know the last blood-family she has left, after thinking that there was nobody left who shared her blood. She..." Jace paused for a long moment, gripping his glass maybe a little too tightly. "She said I look like my mother. That I have her eyes..."

Jace looked up at Magnus and Alec at that and they could see his eyes shimmering with unshed tears. Alec reached out to cup his parabatai's cheeks, overwhelmed by the feelings that came through both bonds – he was used to feeling Jace through their parabatai-bond, but now they also had their soulmate-bond, a bond so new and fresh they could not yet control what feelings they did and didn't want to share through it. There was an ache, a yearning for the mother he had never gotten to meet, but also a deep, profound warmth.

"I did wonder about it, you know," Jace admitted while they started eating, intently staring at his salad and not at either of his soulmates. "You remember when we were teens, when some of the others were making fun of my eyes?"

Magnus noted the way Alec's knuckles turned white on his tight grip on his fork. He remembered.

"My father didn't have heterochromia," Jace continued. "And I read up on it and I wondered. If the mother I never knew had it. Or if it..." Jace paused again, this time around a lump in his throat. "When I read up on it, I also read that heterochromia can be caused by injuries to the eye in early childhood development. And I wondered, if it's a last reminder of a mother I never knew, or... just another reminder of... the way my father showed his love."

That gave Alec pause. "I... You never... You never told me that."

A shrug, Jace still not looking at Alec. "We never really talked about my father's abuse, Alec. You... knew what he'd done. But I never... admitted to it. Named it. So I just... Some things felt better left unsaid. But... since we're now in this... relationship... and doing this whole... honesty and open communication thing... I... Yeah. When I looked into the mirror, I did always... ask myself..."

Magnus reached out to take Jace's hand and give it a gentle squeeze, offering him a warm smile when Jace finally did look up at them. A shaky smile formed on Jace's lips, clearly still unsure about the whole thing. The chance to perhaps have blood family in his life that may care about him. He had closed with that, he... thought he didn't need it. After all, he had Alec, Izzy, Max, now Magnus, Clary and Luke. Family hadn't meant 'blood' for him in many years. But 'Michael Wayland's return had stirred something in him, the reveal that his mom may be Jocelyn, may be alive, a mother he had never known may still live and he may get to know her.

"So, the inquisitor is going to come to my home, mh?"

Jace winced at that. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have invited her without asking you first. It's your home. I just, it was a spur of the moment kind of thing, I-"

Magnus shushed him with a wave of his hand. "You would know if I were upset, sweetheart. I'm not. I... do understand where you're coming from. Believe me. I haven't had... blood family in a... very long time. I know the way you must feel right now. And I'm not holding it against you, love."

That got him another thin smile from Jace and a weak nod. Of course Magnus would understand.

"How are we feeling about everything else?" Magnus asked, motioning at Jace.

For today, Jace had been taking some light suppressants. Just to ease back in. It was not going to be an easy revelation, that he was an omega. Meeting Imogen today had already been enough pressure. But tomorrow. Now that he'd met Imogen, tomorrow he would... take Aurea with him, and... tell the truth. About Valentine's experiments. About Aurea and being an omega. Because he wanted to embrace this, so he would have to come clean about it.

"Will you come with us to the institute tomorrow?" Jace looked at Magnus. "I just... I might feel more... calm if both of you were there. I hate feeling like this. I'm not a nervous person. But this all... All of this is a lot of change and uncertainty and... they're going to transport Valentine to Idris tomorrow, where he'll be imprisoned to await sentencing."

"They? Please elaborate who 'they' is, exactly," Magnus narrowed his eyes for a moment. "But yes. Of course I'll be there for you. I'd be honored if I can... make you feel more safe."

Jace hummed in acknowledgment at that, wetting his lips. "Izzy said that she made sure she'll be on the list. And... Alec. And two others. It is Valentine. We don't know how many Circle members are still out there. Or how many may still be... here. In our... institute. So we can't risk someone on his side transporting him and freeing him. That's why she put herself and Alec on it."

"Clever sister of yours, darling," Magnus smiled pleased at Alec.

"I will not leave that bastard out of my sight," Alec narrowed his eyes, jaw clenched. "Not until I see him safely put behind bars myself."

"I do love seeing him all growly and protective," Jace grinned, tilting his head a little.

"Oh yes," Magnus chuckled, leaning back. "Very handsome look on him."

Alec flushed and averted his eyes. Having both Magnus and Jace flirt with him was definitely something he still had to get used to, it made him feel a little dizzy.

/break\

All eyes were on Jace. Which was usually something Jace relished in. He'd always loved the attention. Today, he got it for smelling like an omega and for having two daemons run around himself and for having Alec and Magnus flank him from either side in a protective manner. Alec alone would not be a surprise, because he was Jace's parabatai, but to have Magnus Bane, High Warlock and alpha, stand so close to him, like an alpha who was protective of his omega.

And it took even Jace a moment to really grasp the fact that... this was actually what was happening here. That Magnus was here not as a warlock, as a friend, as a favor for Alec, but... for him. Because Jace was no longer just Alec's parabatai, he was Magnus' soulmate and Magnus was here for him. The thought made his heart feel heavy and full in the best way possible.

"Alec, Ja..." Andrew Underhill paused, trailing off curiously.

The beta sniffed the air, smelling Jace's changed scent. Didn't say anything though. Clearly putting the pieces together himself. He'd been there, when they went back to the cottage. Not part of their inner circle, but he'd slowly been growing closer to Alec, was kind of on the outer rim and catching enough context to know what had been going on. His eyes softened with pity and Jace's stomach turned and Jace himself nearly turned, ready to flee. He didn't need pity, didn't want pity, didn't-

"We have a meeting with the inquisitor, I'll find you afterward, Andrew," Alec said quickly.

And even as he spoke, he took Jace's hand into his own. The contact soothed Jace. Soothed that urge to run off. He could feel his beta's calmness through their bond. And he could see their owls flying ahead toward the office of the head of the institute. This wasn't going to be a fun meeting. It was going to be a very dry one, of them rehashing the past week, essentially. On record. Aurea, the bond, Jace's omega nature. Jace already felt exhausted just thinking about explaining all of that.

"Right," Andrew cleared his throat. "I'll talk to you after the meeting then."

/break\

Imogen watched with hawk-eyes the way the High Warlock of Brooklyn sat on Jace's other side, the side not occupied by the young Mister Lightwood. Now, Imogen had known about Jace's parabatai, so seeing Alexander Lightwood at Jace's side wasn't a surprise – though them being soulmates still was. But a warlock, not just any warlock but the infamous Magnus Bane, was a surprise.

Even with that surprise, Imogen couldn't deny the genuine care that she saw on Magnus' face, the little touches she witnessed – how both, Alec and Magnus, would reach out for Jace while Jace told Imogen about the extend of the experiments. About his first daemon. About Valentine cutting out his daemon. About how that changed his nature. Perhaps these observations helped her deal with that, looking at her grandson's soulmates and seeing the pain on their faces, but also their love, was a good distraction. It was better than to truly focus on Jace's words.

She had gone through the tombs that Isabelle Lightwood had brought to her, had debriefed her on. Not read all of them, but flipped through them and read some excerpts. They were horrible. Cruel documentations of the experiments that Valentine had performed on those innocent children. On her grandson. But this? This was... worse. This somehow managed to be even worse.

"I..." Imogen rubbed the bridge of her nose and took a deep breath.

She had to turn off her grandmother mode right now. She couldn't look at Jace and see her back from the dead grandson. Right now, she had to think like the inquisitor. If for no other reason than to keep it together. She looked at Alec, Jace and Magnus.

"I need you to go to the infirmary and get a full physical," Imogen's voice was more sure this time around. "This is... incredibly awful, Jace. And we need to make sure that there are no lasting effects to your health. Both, as your grandmother and as the inquisitor who needs you to be declared fit for duty, you understand that, yes?"

Jace winced and Magnus rested a hand on his thigh squeezing it ever so subtly and exchanging a look with Alec behind Jace's back, nodding briefly. Mh. Interesting, Imogen wondered what that was about. Leaning back, Imogen continued observing them.

"I'll come with you, if you'd like, sweetheart," Magnus offered in a soft voice. "Since Alexander has... other obligations today."

Ah. Imogen could feel a twitch of her lips. So the two had been communicating about this? Alec was assigned to deliver Valentine to Idris, which meant he would have to leave Jace's side. Jace turned toward Magnus, offering him a grateful smile. A relieved warmth filled Imogen, knowing that despite his hardships, Jace had found someone who cared for him, who knew what he needed.

"And don't worry, Jace. I'm not going to make you... repeat this. There will be a debriefing held about this. Without you, unless you want to be a part of it."

Jace looked at her, face filled with relief as he nodded. "Yeah. I'd... prefer not to."

"Wonderful," Magnus got up and turned to smile at Imogen. "I believe we will be seeing you tomorrow at our place then, Madam Inquisitor, yes?"

"We will," Imogen returned the smile and reached her hand out to shake Magnus'.

A very polite alpha. Centuries of experience in politics. So smooth, he knew exactly what to say. Imogen found herself easily charmed by him. Which in itself, he was trying to charm her. He wanted her on his side. He was making an effort here, for Jace's sake. From what little she had observed here in the past hour, she could tell that there was a lot he was willing to do for Jace.

/break\

"Are you... okay?" Andrew looked at Alec side-ways. "Is... Jace okay?"

"Jace if perfect," Alec actually glared at him.

Andrew cleared his throat. "I can smell that you'd say that. Which is... another surprise."

"I'll... catch you up on all of that. Later," Alec made a dismissive gesture, looking around. "Not now. Not... here. You wanted something?"

"Right, yes," Andrew cleared his throat once more. "Just wanted to go over security details with you one more time, before transportation of the prisoner."

Alec's eyes landed on Ares, Andrew's daemon. A German Shepherd, sitting upright with his ears perked. As diligent as his human. Alec liked both of them, Ares and Andrew. It was... nice, making a friend. A bit strange. Alec had never made a friend of his own, without Izzy and Jace doing the grunt-work of it all and Alec spending some time with their friends.

"-And you'll take charge of it," Andrew's voice came back into Alec's focus.

His eyes scanned the plans and papers and he nodded along. It all looked good. Andrew was a good strategist. He'd been filling in for Alec while Alec took the time off because of Jace.

/break\

"Well, that was a sexy first date for the two of us," Jace's voice was dripping with sarcasm

"I mean," Magnus smirked as he watched Jace put on his shirt. "I did get you shirtless..."

At least that got him a laugh from Jace as the two of them walked out of the infirmary. Aurea bumped her head against Magnus' leg, circling the two of them excitedly on the ground, just like Celestina circled them above. For a moment, Magnus considered opening a portal to simply sweep his omega off and go home. However, Jace had had an uncomfortable day of being pushed and prodded – figuratively by the inquisitor and literally at the infirmary just now – so Magnus didn't want to push him toward that and leave the choice up to him.

"What do you want to do now, sweetheart?"

"Well, I can't work yet since I'm not cleared for active duty yet," Jace glowered. "I... could have desk-duty, but honestly? After the soul-strip-tease with... Imogen... and the very thorough once-over I just got? That feels like work hours. But I'd... like to not go home just yet. Can we wait for Alec?"

"Yes," Magnus smiled at that. "I'd like that. Where would you like to wait for our darling?"

"I me—ean," Jace tilted his head. "I do still have a room here. Wanna go to my room?"

Magnus laughed softly at that and nodded pleased. He let Jace lead him to said bedroom, where Shyama immediately claimed the bed, spreading herself out pleased and pawing at the pillows.

/break\

Everyone in the Bane loft was unusually nervous. Each on their own, and then further due to the bond transferring that nervousness onto each other. Jace's grandmother was coming over. Alec and Magnus were going to meet their omega's grandmother – which was also the only living authority figure in their partners' lives, since Magnus' parents were long-dead and Alec had made the hard decision to cut his own parents out of his life, after their reaction to his coming out, and their behavior about and toward Jace while they had thought him to be Valentine's son.

"Welcome to our humble home, Madam Inquisitor," Magnus smiled pleased.

"Please," Imogen looked around curiously as she let herself be led in. "Call me Imogen, when we're not... meeting in the capacity of Inquisitor and High Warlock, mh? If we're meeting as... Jace's soulmate and grandmother, respectively."

That made the pleased expression on Magnus' face look much more genuine. "Very well, then of course, call me Magnus. Now, we've set up on the balcony, since the weather is so nice."

"Hey. Hi. Hello," Jace looked at her, completely lost.

What was the proper greeting for a long-lost grandmother? What name to call her? Definitely not Madam Inquisitor. But grandma was too familiar too. Even just the 'hello' was a struggle. What was too formal? Too familiar? This wasn't the kind of relationship that should just happen.

"Hello," Imogen's smile was so warm when she looked at him and it settled some of his nerves.

It felt so stupid to be nervous about this. He wasn't used to being nervous, but these past few days alone had been so overly rattling already. Things were so different from anything he was used to, how could he not be nervous? But looking at her closely, he could see the same nervousness in her eyes and smile too. This was all uncharted territory to her as much as him.

The four of them sat down together and started dinner with some casual small talk.

"How much longer will you be staying in New York, Imogen?" Magnus asked.

"I'm afraid not too much longer, now that Valentine is securely in the Guard," Imogen looked at Alec for a brief moment. "His capture and interrogation was the main reason I came here, after all. Alas, after... I appoint a new head of the Institute, I will return to Idris, mostly to oversee his sentencing. Though I think I do have... some vacation days left that I could be taking."

Jace visibly tried not to perk up. "Really?"

"I've missed so much of your life already," Imogen looked overcome with sadness. "I would like to be a part of your life now. If you'd want that too. How have things been for you? I know there are many things about your past that I need and want to catch up with, but... you're an omega, and so far you've presented as a beta at the Institute. I imagine that's... quite the change."

Jace heaved a sigh at that, slipping a little lower in his seat. "A lot of awkward stares. Though I'm... grateful that you held a debriefing yesterday. So people are just staring because it's new and not because they don't know. And I don't have to... explain it myself. Though it is annoying that people now... know... I know you gave them a very cut version of it, but still..."

"That's in the past now," Imogen reached out for Jace's hand, patting his arm in a comforting gesture. "What he did to you in the past... I want you to know that your future is yours to shape, Jace. You're not Valentine's experiment, or the Lightwood's protege. You're the heir to the Herondale name and that is something that you can... assign meaning to. I want this to be a fresh start for you, if... you want it. It is rightfully yours."

When she removed her hand from Jace's, Jace was holding a ring in it. The Herondale family ring. This was something he hadn't thought about yet to its fullest potential just yet. The fact that being her grandson meant being a Herondale, getting a chance to start anew.

---

Author's note: Next chapter, I want to get a Jagnus smut scene in since they didn't get to go yet, and give Alec some spotlight!