Hey sorry for the delay. Hang in there for some smut coming up, folks. Hope you'll enjoy it. Like what you've seen so far? Please leave a comment!

We stood at opposite ends of a long hallway. The walls were gray. Not a single paper decorated any of the bulletin boards. Every door had been closed. Overhead, a faulty light flickered and buzzed loudly while the others blazed uninterrupted. The presence of a single soul could not be sensed. We were alone.

He did nothing; simply stared at me. I dared not call out to him. I looked over my shoulder. There was not a door behind me, but it felt as though I'd be barricaded in, trapped. When I turned back, I nearly jumped to find him approaching me. His stride was quick and confident.

He came to a stop in front of me, his frame towering over mine. Intimidation had me cowering under his stare, but I managed to lift my eyes to meet his. He smiled then. Such an innocent, friendly smile. One that gave butterflies flight in my stomach.

Then he lifted the gun.

"You like Russian Roulette?" His voice, though quiet, echoed down the hall.

My lips, as well as my feet, were frozen. I couldn't speak, couldn't move. I just gaped at the gun, gaped at Magnus, then gaped at the gun again.

Magnus's smile broadened as he calmly aimed the barrel at his temple. His eyes never left mine. He didn't blink, didn't even flinch, when he pulled the trigger.

Click.

Magnus pulled the barrel from his head and slowly moved it until I felt the cold metal licking at the junction between my throat and my jaw. My knees wobbled beneath me, but I managed to hold my own weight. Part of my brain was screaming at me to swat the gun away, to turn and make a run for it. But I waited. I stared up at Magnus as he pulled the trigger.

Click.

I blinked and Magnus lowered the gun. His free hand came up and I felt warmth as he brushed his thumb over my cheek. My pulse was out of control. He stepped closer to me, his eyes falling from my eyes to my lips. I sucked in a breath. He dipped his head lower. I could feel his breath, could feel the soft brush—

I jackknifed upright with a yell as a loud alarm screamed in my ear. I looked around wildly, still struggling out of sleep's chokehold. I was laying on the floor, curled up against the wall opposite from the entry way. Had I fallen asleep staring at the door?

My muscles were knotted and stiff from sleeping on the floor, but they relaxed considerably after a hot shower. But the steam did nothing to relax my mind. The dream replayed over and over in my head. Magnus kissing me. Russian Roulette. Magnus kissing me...

Get a grip, I chastised myself. He wants to kill you.

I turned off the water and stood dripping, rooted in place, as another voice whispered, Does he?

Class was a whirlwind of a lecture I paid no attention to, vocabulary terms that didn't make any sense, and a homework assignment that I didn't write down. Normally, not understanding class material would have scared the hell out of me. But my lack of sleep made me too tired to care today. I spent the entire period staring at nothing. I didn't even bother to open my notebook.

Before I could escape with the other students, Val Morgenstern called me up to the front of the room. He waited until everyone else had dismissed themselves before shooting me a critical look. He was leaning up against his desk, arms folded across his chest.

"What's up with you, Lightwood?" he asked gruffly.

I blinked at him. Val Morgenstern looked like the kind of guy who didn't give a shit about anyone. But his question, though stern, was shockingly concerned.

"Nothing," I said.

My typical answer made a vein pop out in his head. "I think you're bullshitting me."

I didn't want him to pry so I shrugged and said, "I'm just going through a rough patch."

"Family problems?"

"Yeah." It wasn't technically a lie.

He pointed to the cut on my face. "That have to do with family, too?"

"No. That was a result of my own stupidity." Again, not technically a lie.

Morgenstern nodded, though his narrowed eyes hinted that he didn't believe me. "How are the grant forms coming along?"

Great! They're currently in the hands of some psycho thug who probably doesn't even know the square root of four. "They're coming along."

"Do you have your homework assignment to pass in today?"

I gawked at him. "Huh?"

Val pinched the bridge of his nose. "I'll take that as a no."

It hit me then, like a slap to the face. There was an assignment due today, and I'd forgotten all about it. I raked my fingers through my hair and uttered a curse.

"Protocol suggests I give you a failing grade." Val sighed at my panicked expression. "But I'm going to make a once in a lifetime exception for you, Lightwood. I'll give you an extension. Hand the assignment in next class. All other due dates are final. If this happens again, you'll get a failing grade."

"T-thank you," I stammered, taken aback by his generosity.

"Don't tell anyone about the extension," he growled.

That was a silent jab at me. Morgenstern probably knew I had no friends. Who would I blab my luck off to? But that was Val Morgenstern. Threatening. Menacing. Intimidating.

"Thank you," I said again as I hurried out of the classroom before he could change his mind.

I'm not sure what the bus driver thought of me. Maybe he thought I was lost. Or maybe he thought I was just some psycho who rode the same bus for hours on end just for kicks. Or maybe my sitting in the same spot without getting off at any of the stops pissed him off. Whatever his thoughts were, he said nothing to me.

I finally got up from my seat a couple of blocks away from Central Park. My legs were moving at their own accord again. I knew the safest place for me to be at the moment was at home, but I felt too messed up, too wrong, to be cooped up. Walking was supposed to relieve stress, wasn't it?

A small curve of the sun was the last remnant of light in the sky. A dusk chill had picked up, but the cold's bite felt like a just punishment through my jacket. The park's crowds had dispersed and the peace and quiet gave me time to think.

Not only had I nearly avoided getting a failing grade, but I'd also blanked out and missed an entire class's worth of notes. Aside from that, a gang leader had taken up residence in my dreams and thoughts. He was a threat to me, a threat to my brother; yet, I thought about him like a horny teenager.

I shrugged my shoulders against another gust of brisk wind. My feet came to a stop on a bridge. I wanted to keep walking, to go on forever with no particular destination in mind. But my mess of a life would always be just a step behind. I could try to outrun fear. I could try to outrun failure. But I couldn't outrun myself. I wasn't one to run from my problems. I suffered in silence.

As I turned to head back to the bus stop, I bumped into something solid. I muttered an apology when I realized it was a person, but I realized he was standing too close to me. I hadn't heard him, but part of me guessed he'd been following me.

I took a step back and eyed him up and down. He was shorter than me, with wild black hair that stuck out in every direction. His movements were jittery and his eyes darted around like a cornered animal's. He murmured something indistinguishable.

"Pardon?"

"Give me your wallet," he demanded without looking at me.

Well shit. "I don't have it on me."

"Don't lie." His voice cracked and his eye twitched.

"I don't have anything on me—"

"DON'T LIE!" He reached under his coat and withdrew a large hunting knife.

I automatically reached into my coat pocket for my Swiss Army knife, but cursed when it was not there. I'd forgotten to grab it when I left the apartment. I raised my hands in surrender as I sized the man up. He was at a disadvantage with his height, but I wasn't sure how strong he was. Despite his shaking he seemed fairly agile. I didn't know if I could fight him off and I didn't know if I could outrun him.

"Give me your wallet," he hissed again.

"I don't have it—"

I narrowly jumped out of the way as he lashed at me with the knife. He raised it to swing again when a sharp whistle stilled him. He turned and I looked over his shoulder. A tall, dark figure was leaning against a tree nearby. We watched as he or she pushed off the tree and sauntered toward us, hands in pockets. My jaw fell open when I finally discerned Magnus Bane's features in the growing darkness.

He ambled toward us like he was...taking a walk in the park. As he neared, I noticed the mugger had gone deathly pale. His weapon was lowered and he was shaking more badly than before. There was no doubt in my mind that he knew who Magnus Bane was.

Magnus stopped at the mugger's side and glared down at him. Like a flash of lightning, he reached out and snatched the knife from the mugger's hand. "Beat it."

And just like that the mugger took off in the opposite direction, not daring to look over his shoulder. I stared at Magnus, incredulous. Magnus twirled the knife in his hand before tucking it away. He looked down at me with an amused half-smile.

"I wouldn't worry about that fang banger too much. Those fucks aren't much of a threat."

"Umm... Fang banger?"

Magnus gave a one-shouldered shrug. "That's what we call them. They're the equivalent to gangs as what Edward Cullen is to vampires. They're a nuisance."

"Nuisances with knives."

Magnus smiled. "He didn't hurt you, did he?"

I checked myself quickly, keeping my face down to hide my growing blush. "No."

"Do you go looking for trouble Alexander Lightwood?" Magnus tilted his head. "Or is trouble magnetized to you?"

"I've been wondering that myself."

"Fair enough." He waved his hand. "Come on. I'll take you home."

Magnus turned and started walking away. When he didn't stop to check if I was following him, I darted after him. I thought I saw the amused grin again, but when he flicked his eyes down at me, I hastily looked away. We walked in silence to the bus stop and we rode to our next stop without saying a word. Magnus seemed perfectly at ease as we walked to my apartment mutely. I, on the other hand, was constantly at war with myself trying to decide between possibly humiliating myself in making conversation or not breaking the silence.

He stopped just outside my apartment. "Take care, Alex."

"Wait!" I reached out and touched his elbow before he could walk away.

His look of surprise must have mirrored my own.

"How did you know I was in the park?"

"You didn't notice the fang banger following you. Nor did you notice me," he said. "You need to be more aware of your surroundings, Alex."

I rubbed my arm awkwardly. "Thank you. For helping me."

He dipped his head. "Take care of yourself," he said before he turned and walked away.

I stared after him until he disappeared from my sight. It seemed that every time I came into contact with Magnus Bane I felt less threatened by him and more passionate toward him. And it wrenched my heart to know that I was falling in love with my brother's worst enemy.