CHAPTER 3

'I'm not crazy, I know I'm not.' Clary told herself, yet she somehow couldn't push the nagging feeling at the back of her mind away, telling her she was. "I'm not crazy." She spoke aloud this time, her voice mirroring the thoughts in her head. "Jesus fucking Christ Clary, you are talking to yourself now, maybe you are crazy after all…" Her voice trailed away quietly until she gave out a fake laugh, as if to reassure herself that she wasn't.

Clary, not even seventeen, was just an ordinary human being. There was nothing special about her; she was just like every other boring human on the planet. Even her looks weren't particularly unusual or special. She had dark red hair that set thickly below her shoulders, in waves that curved around her face, causing her features to blend in. Her eyes were as plain as the clothes she always wore. 'God, no wonder Jace doesn't fancy you, get a grip.'

Clary stared at herself in the mirror. She never thought of herself as pretty, but always as the small girl the every boy looks past, to the more attractive girls around her. Next to her full sized mirror sat her bedside cabinet with a photo of her and Jace set out on. Picking it up, she studied Jace more closely. 'That's funny,' She frowned, 'His eyes look so empty here.'

His hair, usually golden, was brown at the roots. Jace had always sworn his hair colour was natural, but looking at the photo, Clary wasn't so sure. Suddenly the phone rang, distracting her from her thoughts.

"Yeah?" She answered, her voice came out sharper than she intended. Covering it with a cough, she tried again, more softly now. "Hello?"

"It's me."

"Jace, what is it? It's two in the morning and I have had no sleep so make it quick." Clary told herself that she was being a bitch to him for no reason, and made a mental reminder to slap herself later.

"I wanted to talk to you about the other day. I'm sorry okay? You mentioned the whole seeing demons and blood on face thing to me, how else would I of known? I'm not a physic..."

Clary didn't answer then, she knew she never mentioned it at all.

"Anyway," Jace carried on, his voice rushed, "I just wanted to say I'm sorry for flipping out on you in my room. Can you come over?"

She was going to refuse straight away, but she could hear the pleading in his voice and agreed. Ten minutes later and then were in his room. There was awkwardness in the air, hanging between them like a dark cloud.

"Clary, we need to talk."

"Sure, what is it?"

"I love you."

The three words were said so quickly Clary almost thought she'd imagined them. She could feel her mouth drop open like a fish and knew how ridiculous she looked.

"Wh-what?!" Her voice stammered. Jace's still empty eyes bore into hers, as if looking into her soul.

"When you fainted, I thought you were dead Clary. And I realized that I couldn't loose you, I love you."

Suddenly he was walking quickly towards her and without waiting for a reply, with moves just as quick as his walk, his lips were on hers. It was a demanding kiss but Clary still loved it. Shock ran through her but it was quickly replaced by a feeling of a desire that matched his. His mouth open hers and she could taste him as she wrapped her arms around his neck. His hands where all over her body, tracing down the sides of her hips. Laying her down, his hand began to stroke up her leg. His hand slipped up her dress and started to slip up further still.

'Stop!' Her mind suddenly screamed at her. 'This isn't right! Something is weird about Jace, and you know it Clary!'

His hand was already tracing her underwear with his fingers, and Clary knew he was close to taking them of. With the realisation of this, her eyes flew open, only the find out that his were too.

'He never had his eyes closed Clary'

Her hands threw him off her and as he fell on the floor she bolted towards the door. But somehow he was there before she was, blocking her way. 'Fuck, he's quick.'

"Let me go Jace.' Her voice trembled, but there was stubbornness to it as well.

Jace stepped to the side, and she threw to door open and ran outside, refusing to look back at his smirking face.

With yet another realisation Clary knew why she always felt nervous around him. It wasn't her being 'in love' with him like she presumed it might be but it was her gut warning her. 'Stay away from him' it seemed to of tell her, but she never listened until now.

'Well you better start listening to your gut now Clary' she told herself in her head.