Alec barely registered the hard cold ground as the poison consumed his body. He didn't open his eyes. When the pain became sharp for a moment he was sure it was a sign he was finished, but then, to his surprise, the pain lessened as if it were being drawn away.

Alec opened his eyes and kneeling beside him he could see the most remarkable man he'd ever seen, with caramel skin and exotic features. His hands were glowing with blue light but it was his eyes Alec found himself mesmerized by. They were like a cat's eyes, deep and mysterious. Alec forgot the pain as he gazed at his saviour, for he knew now why the pain was leaving him. It was this man and his blue light taking the agonizing pain away. Then those elegant cat's eyes were looking right at Alec and for a moment they gazed at each other; Alec felt the world fall away. Maybe it was nothing but a fever dream from the poison, but in this moment there was nothing in Alec's world save those beautiful eyes.

The sharp pain returned and Alec had to flinch away. But no sooner had he moved then the pain started to ease again. Then the pain was gone completely. Alec felt a warm tingling feeling instead and realized this man hadn't just saved Alec from the poison, he was also sealing the wound itself. This man must be a warlock, so Alec knew he'd likely been paid to save him, but Alec doubted he'd been paid to do more than that. Alec knew this man didn't have to seal his wound.

Then the man was gone and Alec found himself instantly disappointed to be surrounded by his family. They were all speaking at once but Alec wasn't listening. He sat up looking for the remarkable man.

"Who saved me?" Alec asked as he looked left and right.

"A warlock," someone replied.

"Yes, but which one?" Alec asked.

"It doesn't matter. What matters is that you're alright." It was his mother voice and Alec turned to her.

"Is he still here?" Alec asked. "I'd like to talk to him."

"He left," Maryse replied, but she had a rather unpleasant look on her face.

"What's wrong?" Alec asked.

"As I said," Maryse said smiling, clearing the anguish from her face but not her eyes. "All that matters is that you're alive."

"What's up, dad?" Alec asked his father instead, knowing Robert wouldn't withhold information like Maryse did.

"The warlock will ask for payment," Robert told him. "We didn't have time to negotiate before, so he could demand anything."

"I see," Alec said. Taking his father's outstretched hand Alec stood up. Somehow, Alec couldn't believe the worst of the remarkable man with cat's eyes. In fact, Alec very much wanted to meet him again, though he was not about to tell his worried parents that. He desperately wanted to ask the warlock's name, but he sensed that neither of his parents thought this to be of any importance. He decided to leave it for now.

Everyone made a fuss over him for no good reason as they headed back to the palace. Izzy and Jace were apologizing for not protecting him well enough during the fight. His parents were apologizing for trusting the wrong sources when gathering the intel for the mission. Alec tuned it all out easily, his mind fixated on that remarkable man's eyes.

Sure, Alec knew what warlock's were, those cursed by demons, but never before had he realized how beautiful a demon's curse could be. He couldn't fathom how those eyes that had looked so kindly on him and those hands with the blue light that had taken his pain away, could be the result of a curse.

"Why do you distrust warlocks?" Alec asked. He'd been so zoned out he'd hardly noticed the trip home. They were in the palace again, those bright high walls all around them, walls secured by warlock magic—the same magic that had just saved him.

"How can you ask me that after what happened to your little brother?" Maryse replied.

"Maybe the warlock tried their best," Alec said. "Maybe it was no one's fault." Alec had heard the stories but he'd never actually met the warlock who'd been called on to save Max. His mother never mentioned them by name.

"Just wait and see when this Magnus comes calling," Maryse said. "He might demand more than we can give in return for saving you."

Alec hardly listened to her. The only word he caught was the warlock's name. Magnus. Somehow it suited him. Alec's desire to met this person was growing every moment.

Duty kept him from doing this, however. There was a meeting in the mission room to which everyone was to attend. They had to find out why their information had been so wrong. Was there a spy in the palace? Had their allies to the west betrayed them. Alec tried very hard to pay attention. He knew he'd one day have to sit in his father's chair and deal with this everyday. He knew he couldn't afford any distractions.

"If there is a spy," Valentine said standing up. "We need to flush them out."

"I agree with my father," Jon spoke up.

"We can't turn on our own," Jocelyn pleased with him. "That would be worse than a spy."

"Jocelyn is right," Robert said. "We will need proof before we can accuse a spy."

"Let me investigate," Valentine offered. "Maybe it was an outside source and no one

is at fault."

"Alright," Robert allowed. Valentine nodded curtly and sat back down. The topic changed to the countries along their border and Alec lost interest. He knew he shouldn't but he couldn't help it. He needed to meet Magnus; his mind would not be still until he did so. Alec sat through the rest of the meeting, so as not to arouse suspicion, but then he went alone to the library.

It was a large room, with a high ceiling, but the bookshelves were only about six feet high. The ceiling was clear, showing the sky outside, but Alec knew there was a strong glass structure over his head. He could see the shimmer through the glass, the shimmer that meant they were safe. The more Alec thought about this the more it didn't make any sense. They were safe because of warlock magic, so why did everyone hate them? Why did people reply on and yet distrust them?

Alec started taking down books and searching for the word Magnus. None of their books went back more than four centuries as there had been a great upheaval at that time which destroyed all their records, but the name Magnus could be found as far back as the records went. Alec couldn't help, but be amazed. He couldn't imagine what it was like to live that long. How many things must this man have seen?

Alec closed the book in his hand with a snap. He hadn't satisfied his curiosity, quite the opposite. Not only did he want to meet this Magnus for personal reasons, he wanted to learn from him. Alec wanted to understand. He'd never questioned his people's traditions before, but, suddenly, it was all he could think about.

Leaving the library Alec moved through the castle quickly with a clear destination in mind. They weren't supposed to use the portal for anything other than official missions sanctioned by his father, but Alec knew how to use it and he'd been listening enough at the meeting to know no one had any missions planned for the next day. It was now or never. Alec burst into the thankfully empty room and ran up to the portal then stopped. Where did Magnus live? He knew his mother had know where to find the warlock since she'd clearly been the one to fetch him when Alec had been poisoned, but he couldn't just ask her.

Seized with a sudden idea Alec went to the control panel. The portal had records of where it had been unless you took the time to delete them. Alec found the portal trip that had dropped them into the ambush. He went forward one and knew this had to be his mother's trip to see Magnus. Alec opened the portal and stepped through.

He emerged on a road. Alec turned to see the portal still there behind him, then he walked forward until he saw a path leading through the woods. Stepping off the road, Alec moved onto the path. The trees cleared quickly revealing a house, though it was not your average house. It rather blended into the woods around it. The roof was thatch, the siding smooth and white with moss growing on it.

There was no doorknob or knocker so Alec tapped his knuckles against the door three times. While he waited, he found himself studying the door, with its smooth wooden panels and sprinkling of green. The moss seemed to be everywhere. When Alec was starting to feel awkward standing at a closed door he knocked again.

"I AM NOT EXPECTING ANYONE!" came an annoyed voice through the door. "THEREFORE GO AWAY."

"Sorry," Alec replied gently speaking to the door. "I know I am here unannounced, but I just wanted a word."

There was silence while Alec wondered what that silence meant. Was Magnus going to open the door or ignore him until Alec was forced to leave? Was this even the right house? Maybe Alec had been foolish to come here at all? Why had he come anyway? Curiosity? No, Alec thought, that wasn't why he'd come.

Just then the door flow open to reveal Magnus Bane. Alec stood for a moment, in awe once again of the remarkable man before his eyes. This time Alec saw him a little better. Magnus had black hair that seemed to be held up somehow. He was wearing a bathrobe of some kind that exposed a sliver of his skin from collarbone to navel. Alec tried very hard not to let his eyes wonder.

"Ah, Prince Alexander," Magnus said smoothly. "Are you unwell?"

"Alec," Alec said automatically. "And I'm fine actually." Magnus seemed infinitely confused by Alec's reply.

"I correct everyone who calls me Alexander," Alec tried to explain. "I prefer Alec."

"Yes, that is all very well and good," Magnus replied. "But what on earth are you doing here if you are in good health?"

"Do you never get visitors?" Alec asked. He was still using much more energy than he thought the task would require, not to stare at Magnus's perfect chest.

"Oh, I get visitors," Magnus replied. "Just never those without an agenda." Magnus's fantastic cats eyes narrowed as he looked at Alec.

"I came to talk to you," Alec said sheepishly. "Can I come in?" Again those eyes studied him. Alec suddenly didn't know what to do with his hands and his eyes strayed.

"Very well," Magnus replied as he stepped aside. Alec walked through the door and into a large open space. Though the outside of the house looked small it seemed the inside wasn't. Alec turned on the spot as her took in the ceiling light that seemed to have something alive in it.

"Wow," Alec said as she looked around. There was a rather impressive oray of seating, from luscious arm chairs to small stools. An elegant set of stairs was in a corner reaching up farer than Alec could see but it was the bright colours in the room that had really prompted Alec's 'wow.' Everything from bright yellow to brilliant purple was laced into the walls and furniture. Alec turned to see a slightly smug smile on Magnus's face.

"So," Magnus began, but before he spoke again a bright blue light flashed and suddenly the warlock was holding two glasses full of amber liquid. Alec couldn't help but stare and Magnus seemed to change tactics. "Haven't seen magic before have you?"

"Just the portal," Alec said, his eyes still fixed on Magnus's hands.

"Ah, but that's different," Magnus replied. "That is old magic, older even than me. So why are you here young nephilim?"

"Are you really four hundred years old?" Alec asked. Magnus just shrugged, but Alec didn't speak so the warlock eventually replied.

"Something like that," Magnus said. "I lost track centuries ago."

"So time must mean something different to you," Alec guessed.

"Did you come here to question me?" Magnus laughed. "I must say this is highly unusual."

"Sorry," Alec mumbled. Magnus handed him one of the glasses and Alec took a huge gulp to calm his nerves.

"Trusting one aren't you?" Magnus said. Alec lowered the glass to look at Magnus, curiously.

"You saved my life," Alec said bluntly. "Why would you poison me?"

"Yes, that would be the logical way of thinking about it," Magnus replied. "However, I have yet to meet such an argument among your kind." Alec didn't know what to say to that.

"You are the first warlock I've ever met," Alec said.

"Magnus Bane," Magnus replied with a twirl of his fingers that almost resembled a bow. "Nice to make your acquaintance."

"Alec Lightwood," Alec replied. "Likewise."

"Are you dodging my questions on purpose, young prince?" Magnus said.

"No," Alec replied quickly. He had no idea what he was doing. Why was he so flustered anyway? "Sorry."

"Don't apologize," Magnus laughed. "This guessing game has become quick entertaining actually."

"Is entertainment hard to come by," Alec asked. "When you're lived for centuries?"

"It can be," Magnus replied, but he didn't elaborate. Alec realized it was rather more personal question than it appeared and didn't follow up.

"I'm not trying to confuse you," Alec said as sincerely as he could, taking a step closer. "I just don't know how to thank you."

"Thank me?" Magnus asked clearly confused. Alec felt a sudden need to be closer to him. The hand not holding his drink reached out and gently touch Magnus's arm. When their skin met Alec had the strangest feeling. It was like nothing else. As if his arm were on fire but it was also pleasant, a tingling on his skin.

"For saving my life," Alec said. "I am very grateful, so thank you."

Thank you for all the wonderful feedback guys! I haven't been writing much these last few days... but I think its more netflix's fault this time than me worrying about this story. Thanks again. :)

At the moment this story is rated M, but I haven't actually decided it there will be smut. I haven't written a gay lemon in AGES! At least not a real one. All my recent stories have had straight couples as well and honestly I've just been writing the smut less in general. What do you guys think? The plot for this story will be the same either way, I am just not sure if I should add the smut...

Sneak Peek Chapter 4

"Alexander," Magnus said. "What are we doing?"

"I have no idea," Alec said, blushing deeply and out of breath. "But I-" He took a step closer, eyes open and honest in what they wanted. "I've never felt like this before."

"Clearly," Magnus replied, trying to keep his expression free of emotions. Alec's face fell and Magnus couldn't help but admire the way Alec's every emotion was written across his face.