***************** Chapter 13 *******************

"Good evening Valentine." Robert greeted him. "How nice of you and your sons to stop by for a visit."

Valentine smiled his usual shallow grin.

"Thank you for being so accommodating Robert." Valentine spoke with false civility.

"Would you like anything to drink?" Maryse asked addressing Valentine and his sons.

"No thank you." Valentine replied.

"Jace and I would but don't worry. We can serve ourselves" Jonathan replied smiling.

Maryse smiled back.

"Please help yourselves to anything on the table. I have a son and know how hungry boys can get."

Jonathan and Jace grinned. It was true. They both were starving. Valentine took a seat and motioned for the Lightwoods to do the same. He began asking them broad questions about the circle and what they were doing with the girls.

"This is actually really good." Jonathan said stuffing his face with a sandwich.

"Yeah…someone should fire our cook." Jace replied quietly.

He was nervous to see Clary. It had been months since he had talked to or seen her. She had tried to call him and text him a few times but he never replied. Despite being apart for four months she had been in his dreams almost every night. He was lost in thought until something Valentine said got his attention.

"So dear friends how has it been without Hodge?"

Maryse and Robert looked at each other.

"It has been well but the children miss him terribly." She sighed.

"I am sorry to hear that, but children will be children. He had worn out his usefulness and needed to be removed." Valentine replied coldly.

Valentine had seen to the matter of removing Hodge personally. It was an easy kill. Hodge had lost the will to live long ago. He even seemed to welcome death.

"Please don't mention him to the children. Isabelle and Alec especially are a little sensitive about Hodge's sudden departure. We thought it best to tell them that he left for Ireland." Maryse said sweetly.

Valentine nodded his hand.

"Oh course my dear Maryse. Now onto more pressing business. Where is my daughter?"

"I'm right here father." Clarissa said gliding into the room out of breath.

She portaled to her room to avoid suspension. As soon as she hit the ground she was off. She literally ran up two floors of stairs to the library. The others should be behind her shortly. She could hear the elevator moving from down the hall.

Clary smiled and looked at to her father who was eying her outfit disapprovingly. She blushed slightly before casting her eyes onto Jonathan who was smiling wickedly. She had almost forgotten about her brother's incestual desire. Her eyes brushed past him and then landed on a pair of golden eyes.

Jace

Her body went rigid and her heart began to beat frantically. It had been so long since she had last seen him. She thought she would be okay next time they met. She had done her best these last few months to cast out all feelings for him. She had gone over in her head what she was going to do and say to him next time they met. That all went out the window as she met his eyes across the room.

Jace had to swallow his food hard and look away. She kept her eyes on him though. Taking in every detail.

"Where have you been?" Valentine asked looking at his daughter.

Alec, Isabelle, Aline, and Helen finally came in behind her.

"We were at Pandemonium…" Clary started and then caught sight of Alec's warning expression.

"We were killing a demon." She finished quickly.

"Really now? All by yourselves?" Valentine asked critically.

"I was with them." Alec replied quickly. "They have been training extensively for months on how to kill demons discretely in public."

Valentine looked at Alec coldly.

"Oh really now…and this training paid off I assume. Did you succeeded in killing the demon?" Valentine asked.

"Clary was actually the one that killed the demon. With one blow too." Isabelle chimed in trying to get the attention off of Alec.

Valentine smiled at that.

"It would seem that coming to New York has improved your skills greatly my daughter."

Clarissa's attention was now back on her father.

"It would seem so." She spoke sternly.

She wasn't going to let her father pick on the Lightwoods or give him any reason to think poorly of them. She couldn't help but be protective of her new friends; especially Alec. He had worked too hard pushing her and training her to deserve her father's backlash.

"Well done then. It seems that this little finishing school is paying off. You have done a great job my friends." He spoke gesturing to the Lightwood parents.

" But now I must ask to please speak to my daughter alone." Valentine asked addressing everyone in the room.

"Of course." Maryse answered bowing her head.

The Lightwoods, Helen and Aline left the library. Jonathan and Jace were about to leave too when Valentine spoke again.

"Not you two. What I have to say concerns all of my children."

The room was now empty except for the Morgenstern family. The fire brought warmth to the library. This was Clary's favorite room in the entire institute aside from the green house where she went to be alone.

Jace, Jonathan and Clary came and took a seat next to their father.

"I think it is time we talked about you three taking your place in the circle."

Clary held her breath. She expected this conversation just not this soon.

"I thought you said we were not ready to join the circle father?" Jace asked.

Valentine smiled wickedly at his son.

"You're not."

"Then why are you-"Jonathan began.

"Because I am letting you know that I have my eyes on you three. That I expect you to step up and show me that you are worthy. You can't just rely on our family name forever. You need to prove you are worthy of the name Morgenstern and in Jace's case Herondale."

"Herondale?" Clary asked looking from her father to Jace.

Jace didn't meet her gaze.

"Father gave me the choice of carrying on my birth name or keeping my adoptive one." He shrugged.

"Yes and Jace decided to keep his biological last name since he was the last living Herondale heir." Valentine finished.

"Oh." Clary said. Clearly her father had something to do with that decision.

"So what is it that you want us to do?" Jonathan asked.

At that second the fire flashed and shoot a piece of paper out at Valentine. He looked down at the parchment and got up swiftly.

"I will leave that up to you three. Surprise me." He got up and headed for the door.

"There is a matter I have to attend to tonight, I must step out for a while."

Valentine walked to the door and opened it.

"Oh yes." He said turning around. "Clary, your mother wants you to come home at the end of the month for Jace's birthday dinner. I will make the necessary arrangements."

Then he was gone. Clary looked at her brothers.

"Well that was eventful." She said sarcastically.

"Yeah. Sorry we interrupted your nightclub demon hunt." Jonathan joked.

"We actually didn't plan on killing a demon. We went out for fun and then it sort of just happened. The demon was an Eidolon demon and he offered to buy me a drink." She laughed.

"Well we're glad you've been having fun living it up Clary but Jonathan and I have more pressing issues to deal with than you turning yourself into demon bait." Jace spat getting up.

"Jace. What the hell is your problem?" Clary shot up angrily.

Jonathan stood up as well.

"I think you two need to talk in private. I am going to go upstairs and chat with Alec while you both figure things out."

Jonathan quietly walked out closing the door behind him. Clary didn't say goodbye. She continued to glare at Jace until he gave her some sort of explanation. After a few minutes she had had enough. Old Clary maybe would have cried and been upset. New Clary however was just pissed off. Being around Isabelle had taught her not to back down from confrontation but meet it head on.

"What the hell is wrong with you Jace? I know we didn't leave off on the best note but seriously. You never call or write and when I do visit Jonathan tells me that you don't want to see me. How long are you going to pull this crap until you grow a pair and face this problem!" she demanded.

Jace looked at her shocked. She had never spoken so pointedly to him before.

"What's my problem? What's yours? You leave your family for a few months and turn into some slut." He said gesturing to her outfit.

That did it. She knew he was angry but he just crossed the line. She could feel the anger radiating off her skin.

"Just because I look sexually appealing to someone other than you doesn't make me a slut. Unlike you who has slept with countless girls. If I want to go out to a club with my friends and flirt a little than I can. You can't be jealous. You had your chance and blew it." She hissed.

"My chance! I told you exactly why we couldn't be together Clarissa." He raised his voice.

"Because you're not sure if you love me or if it is our blood right?" she shouted back.

Jace glared at her.

"You don't know what love is yet Clarissa." He only used her full name when he was really upset.

"Have you found a boy you like here yet? Or did you already give it up to Alec? I saw how you defended him." Jace accused.

Clary gawked at him. Alec? Really? He actually thought she slept with Alec. She looked at him and despite everything laughed out loud. Jace looked at her shocked.

"I don't think I'm his… type." She laughed again.

Jace just made him more furious.

"Regardless my point still stands." He said venomously.

Clary composed herself and looked at him. She had practiced what she was going to say a million times but right now telling him to leave was the last thing she really wanted. Maybe it was the alcohol talking. Who knows? She did have a few drinks at the club. Liquid courage? She might as well embrace it.

"The only one confused here is you Jace." She spoke calmly.

Jace's eyes grew wide. Clearly he hadn't expected that response.

"Maybe it has to do with our blood, maybe it's because I genuinely love you. I personally think it is a little of both. Regardless, I don't care. I love you." She said sweetly.

She took a step forward and closed the space between them. Before he could move away Clary wrapped her arms around his neck pulling his face down to hers.

"I know what I feel and unlike you… I'm over the excuses." She whispered bringing her lips to his.

Jace was shocked but returned the kiss eagerly. Something about her lit a first in him that he hadn't felt with anyone else. He wrapped his arms around her waist and let his arms fall to grab her butt. He pulled her body in closer until her body was brushed up against his. She was warm and each touch sent a current of electricity though his body. She opened her lips and let him push his tongue into her mouth. He could taste sweet fruit and alcohol. No wonder she was so bold tonight he thought.

He pushed the thought aside and dropped his hand lower to her thigh. He began pushing up her already short dress; something he had imagined doing a few times after seeing her in this revealing outfit. Clary let out a light moan as his skin touched hers. Jace released her lips began kissing a sensitive spot on her neck. She began to move her hands up under his shirt. Lightly brushing his chest with her fingernails. Jace moaned against her neck burying his face into her hair.

"We should stop." He whispered.

"Why?" she replied.

"Because we shouldn't be doing this. You're technically my sister and…. Valentine would beat me into a bloody pulp if he saw us right now.

"I think you could take him." She giggled. "Plus, I don't care about any of that. I told you, I want to be with you."

"I know you do but we have to think logically about this Clarissa. We can't be together. He would never allow it. Valentine would hunt us down. Then he would punish both of us and I couldn't bear it if anything happened to you."

Clary nodded reluctantly. She knew that Jace was speaking the truth. Though she didn't want to hear it. Her brain was too fuzzy from the light buzz she had going on. On top of that every cell of her body was screaming for Jace to claim her. It was hard to think especially with Jace kissing her neck and his bare hands under her dress.

Suddenly there was a light tap on the door. Clary and Jace both looked up to see Jonathan standing in the doorway with his arms crossed. A look amusement and a bit of disgust on his face. How long had he been there?

Jace was faster than Clary and jumped back creating space between them. Clary blushed pulling down her dress. She caught a smirk in her brother's eyes.

"I see that that you two made up." He grinned.

"What do you want Jonathan?" Clary asked not meeting his eyes.

Before Jonathan could open his mouth to answer Valentine stormed into the room. Clary looked at Jonathan and who gestured to their father. She owed Jonathan big time. She could only imagine what she looked like right now. Valentine looked at Jace and Clary confusingly. Studying their expressions, the wild look in their eyes and the blush on his daughter's cheeks. After a second he smiled.

"Come here Clarissa." He motioned opening his arms.

She crossed the room and embraced her father. He held her happily and kissed her on the forehead.

"I am afraid your brothers and I must leave now. Something important has come up that I need to attend to." Valentine squeezed and then released her.

"Say goodbye to your brothers." He commanded.

Clary hugged Jonathan tightly. She hadn't even really gotten to hang out with him. She could tell he didn't want to let her go. After a few minutes their father grunted. He reluctantly released her. Clary turned to Jace who gave her a very formal hug. Clary couldn't help but notice how their father was looking at them. Valentine was studying them intently with a big grin on his face.

"Come boys. It is time to go home."

Valentine entered the portal first with Jace and Jonathan behind him. Once through the doors to the portal closed. Clary stood there thinking about Jace and their close call. Something about how her father looked at her and Jace sent a chill down her spin. Her head tried to blow it off but her gut told her something different.

He knows.

******************************************** Authors Note ***************************************************************

Some chapters are easier to write than others. This one seemed to write itself. I hope you liked it but honestly I have no clue. I haven't gotten a lot of reviews on this story. I'm not review junkie by any means but it would be nice to know what you guys think. Do you like it so far? Are the characters actions in line with their personalities from the book? I like creating a spin but still keep the characters mostly true to form.

The next few chapters are going to have a lot more action in them coming up. I'm hoping to wrap this story up in twenty chapters assuming you guys actually like this story. Again, let me know your thoughts! Enjoy this double update!