Chapter 40: Clary's strategizing. The Herondales are regrouping and Jonathan's being… himself.
POSSIBLE TRIGGER WARNING: violence, non-con and drug use (Rated M).
I do not own any of the characters, only the illustrious Cassandra Clare owns them. I do, however, own this particular story, so please don't be lame and copy/paste it elsewhere.
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Previously: "She threw her arms around his neck, whispering into his ear. "I will love you forever. Never forget that." Jace turned his face and kissed her mouth, whispering back to her. "This is not over. I will never give up on you. I don't care how long it takes. I will bring you home. Be strong."
Clary stared down at her cup as the female servant filled it with coffee, then smiled up at her in thanks. She couldn't recall her name, but she looked about forty and had kind eyes. Does she know the kind of people she works for? With trembling hands, Clary pulled her sleeves down over her wrists before reaching for the cup, so as not to alarm the woman with the abrasions and bruises around her wrists. Jonathan made pleasant small talk with the woman and asked for more scones. Does she know the pleasant Mr. Jonathan tied me to his bed and raped me for hours last night? Clary sipped the hot liquid and winced when it burned the inside of her mouth where her teeth had cut behind her lips. That was before she stopped fighting the gag he tied around her face. That was before she stopped fighting at all.
She looked across the table at her devilishly handsome fiancé. Emphasis on devil. He looked surprisingly well-rested, in spite of the arduous hours he spent disciplining Clary for her "transgressions". And there were so many for her to answer for… "Stealing" her own phone, trespassing into the basement, finding her imprisoned aunt, hiding, lying, telling Jace she loved him, kissing Jace, asking Valentine to spare Jace and Amatis, slapping Jonathan– twice, not responding to his kisses, not cumming when he told her to, cumming too soon, not telling him she loved him, saying she hated him, running from him– again...
She wished she couldn't remember so much of what he did to her, but the sick fuck decided to give her a full-dose of a reversal agent, when they got to his room. He had glibly said he was just following their agreement of "no rape drugs" and also "wanted her to remember every second of her punishments" ...and she did. He had forced her to give him head for the twenty-odd minutes it took for the drug to take effect. He had brutally used her mouth and throat to the point she had nearly fainted. Then he brought in a black duffle bag and pulled out a long silken rope, which he used to tie her hands together and affix them to a metal ring , newly affixed on his headboard. He had then spent quite a bit of time mauling her neck, breasts, and stomach, leaving bruises, bite marks, hickeys, scratches… then he moved down… That had been when she was officially reacquainted with Sebastian last night, as promised… for hours… and she hoped to never meet him again.
It would take many soaks in one of Jonathan's fucking lavender baths to heal herself from his brutal attentions. Clary shifted uncomfortably in her chair. The lash marks on the back of her thighs and bottom chafing, the longer she sat. He had been careful not to break the skin when he had punished her with his belt. "I wouldn't dare want to scar your silken skin, Clarissa. Not one freckle is to be lost from my possession." She had refused to stand naked at his easel and draw for him, so Sebastian, as he demanded she called him at that point, beat her with his belt, then bent her over his couch and brutally took her from behind.
Clary came back to the present as Jonathan said something funny and Miss Kind Eyes laughed and placed the replenished plate of scones in front of him. Clary laughed too and smiled when he handed her a fresh scone. It was warm and tart, just as she liked them. He knew all of her food preferences and always made sure she was served her favorites. She had found it endearing at first, but now it annoyed her. It's only because he's fucking obsessed with me. He just wants to keep me. He asked Clary about her plans for the day and she answered him as needed, with a pleasant demeanor. She tossed her hair behind her and pulled the collar of her green turtleneck sweater higher, in case any of the bite marks or bruises showed. He watched her hair fall around her from across the table and smiled at her, a lustful look in his eye. Clary blushed and smiled back. How can I possibly still blush after… everything. Because you know what he can make you do… and so does he.
Jonathan ran his hand through his sexy white hair and smirked flirtatiously at her as he sipped his coffee. Clary felt nausea unfurl in her stomach. He wore a red v-neck sweater, his silver Morgenstern pendant flashed in the light, like a warning to behave…and she would. For now. She had absolutely zero intention of spending the rest of her life locked away in Morgenstern Manor, married and mated to the twisted fuck that was Jonathan Morgenstern. So, she would play along. Play the long game, as it were. Get him to trust her… just as he had made her trust him. Let him think she belonged to him… and wanted to. He hated the thought of her being angry with him. He wanted her to see him as a great man… her protector, not a twisted bully. She would somehow have to get the upperhand in the relationship and she knew how it had to happen. She would give him what he wanted. Her. He wanted her to want him… like I want Jace. To love him… like I love Jace. He will try to make up with me after yesterday… after last night. Smooth things over. The question was, could she convince him that she could forgive him and move on? Mind fuck him for a change. She had to be careful.
Jonathan was no fool. He was shrewd, manipulative, and easily read people. She would really have to work to convince him… then she would get him to let down his guard and she would slip away and escape… back to Jace and her friends. Jace's words echoed in her head. "I will never give up on you…I will bring you home. Be strong." I will be strong, Jace. Like my mother.
Jace looked out the window at the mountains in the distance. Idris really was a beautiful country. Of course it is, it's where she was created. He heard Will come in the kitchen and sit at the table with him. He took a drink of his coffee and turned to look at his older cousin. Will had abrasions on the right side of his face and a split lip from their battle with Jonathan and his goons. He, Will, and Jem had been taken by surprise, yesterday morning, when there was a knock at their hotel room door. They had ordered takeout from a local restaurant and Jem went to answer, when the door had been kicked in and four large, armed men rushed in, with Jonathan following behind. That's when all hell broke loose. Jem fought and incapacitated the first man, while Will and the second goon battled. Jonathan had come straight for Jace and they had punched wildly and wrestled each other. Somehow during their battle, according to Will, someone had come up behind Jace and tasered him, rendering him unconscious. The same had happened to Jem and eventually Will. When Jem and Will had regained consciousness, Jace was gone, taken by Morgenstern.
After Jace had been released by Valentine's goons at the airport, he had called Will on his returned phone. His cousin had picked him up and drove him to a safehouse outside of Alicante, since many of the roads had already been cleared. Jace had picked up a burner phone at the airport gift shop, as Will forced him to trash his, in case the Morgensterns had messed with it. He told Will everything that happened on the drive to the safehouse.
Jace had awakened, tied up in a helicopter, on the way to Morgenstern Manor. Jonathan told him the only reason he wasn't dead is because Valentine needed him for something. He assumed it had something to do with Clary and he had been right. Jonathan had been holding Jace's phone, glaring at him. Little bitch. Once they landed at the manor, Jace had been untied and dragged into the manor by the bodyguards and Jonathan had hurried towards a line of buildings and horse stables, adjacent to the main house. Jace had been detained in the lobby of the mansion, held down on the floor by two bodyguards, one of which was Axel Mortmain. Valentine Morgenstern had arrogantly walked up to speak to him when Clary had run frantically, through the front doors, surprising them all.
She looked terrified, her flaming curls flying around her as she ran. She only wore a sports bra, leggings, and running shoes… coming in from the frigid weather. Her eyes had flown wide and she had come straight to him, collapsing to her knees, wrapping her arms around his neck, and smothering him with kisses. She had been the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen at that moment. In spite of his aching face, he returned every kiss, cherishing her touch. She told him she would get him out of there and he had whispered for her to do as they say, that help was coming. He wasn't even sure at the time if Will and Jem were still alive, but he had to give her hope. The next few minutes after that had been utterly surreal.
Mortmain had put his hands on Clary, pulling her away from Jace and she had elbowed his face, breaking his nose. My little badass. Jace had tried to stand then and help her, only to be put back down by another meathead. That was when Clary wavered on her feet and sank down beside him. She told Jace that she had been drugged by Jonathan. That motherfucking psycho. Jace had gone wild, thrashing against the hands holding him down, trying to reach her. Valentine had spoken some bullshit to her and pulled her up, holding her a little too close for Jace's liking. Jace had paused his story to Will at that point and choked back frustrated tears. Will hadn't spoken, just drove, while Jace regained his composure. He had closed his eyes and saw her frightened eyes and tears… felt her kisses. I love you, Clary.
Jace had sniffed and wiped his hands over his face. He went on to tell Will how Clary had begged Valentine for his safety and freedom… how it was obvious that Valentine was waiting for her to do that… how the old bastard told her she had to join the Morgenstern family, marry his psychotic son. How Jonathan had come in and asked to kill Jace… how Clarissa Adele Fray, the love of his life, had sacrificed herself for his freedom, and the life of her aunt, Amatis. Her arms around his neck, as she sobbed… "I will love you forever. Never forget that…" Finally, he had told Will how he had watched helplessly as Clary succumbed to the drugs, her legs failing, as Jonathan fucking Morgenstern picked her up and walked away with her. Jace didn't speak again for the rest of the car ride.
Will poured himself a fresh cup of coffee and sighed heavily before looking at him. "You look like shite, cousin. No sleep for you either, huh?" Jace closed his eyes and nodded, biting into a muffin. He chewed slowly, still feeling nervous and nauseous from stress. Trying not to think about what Jonathan did to Clary after he took her away. Jem shuffled in and sat down with them. He had an icepack on the back of his head. Someone had kicked him in the head during the fighting. He nodded to Jace and looked at Will. "Well, don't keep us waiting, Will. What did they say? Are we still in business?"
Will shrugged slightly, took a deep breath and looked hard at him. "I just got off the phone with our superiors. They told me, if we are unable to reestablish contact with Amatis Graymark and get her cooperation, they will pull their resources from our… project. Long story, short… They are giving us six weeks to wrap this up or they are pulling support and closing us down." Jace's head snapped up. "Six weeks, Will? I was expecting much less…" Will shrugged and smiled wryly. "They started with two weeks, but I was able to negotiate longer…because your Clary is Lucian Graymark's daughter. He meant a lot to many of us. Also, the voicemail that Clary texted us placing Jonathan at her house, before the fire, helped. They want Clary's affidavits as well. After six weeks, we'll be on our own, though." Jace nodded and looked down. They were going to need more help. A different kind of help. Clary, apparently, was going to be getting married. Over my dead body. She would need her friends for that… a maid of honor, perhaps… He looked up at Jem and Will. "Guys. I have an idea, but you're going to have to trust me… and bend a few rules." The two agents looked at each other, then back at Jace speculatively. Will leaned forward and picked up a muffin, stuffing it in his mouth, "I'm listening cousin…"
Jonathan wiped the blade clean and set it down on the table. He smiled humorlessly and tilted his head at Axel Mortmain. "I never pegged you for such a screamer, Axel. It really was quite… unnerving. I mean, you always seemed like such a tough guy… a real manly man, I suppose… I guess having your manhood sliced off was the kicker, eh?" Jonathan unzipped his blood-splattered coveralls, rolled them up, and placed them in a hamper. He removed his rubber boots, then scrubbed his hands clean in the sink. He turned around and leaned casually against the table and looked impassively at the gasping, dying man before him. Axel Mortmain was limp and naked, chained to a cement wall, with countless slits, stab wounds, and divots cut from his body. His lifeblood ran down his body, pooled at his feet, then trickled down to a drain a few feet away. Jonathan leaned down and laced-up his spotless leather boots. He pulled the sleeves of his sweater back down and smoothed his mussed hair.
Jonathan sighed and tsked sympathetically. "It's a shame, really, Axel. We had so much fun together, over the years. But you just couldn't help yourself this time, could you? My beautiful Clarissa was too much of a temptation for your sick, twisted kink. Just between me and you, old friend, she is indeed, a natural redhead. Now. I told you what would happen if you laid a lustful hand upon her. You touched my woman… I saw the security tapes. You tried to fuck… to rape what is mine. My woman. You selfish idiot… Ave Atque Vale, motherfucker." Jonathan took one last look at Axel's dying ruin, turned and walked out of the chamber. He walked quickly down the dark hallway, turning down another, passing Amatis' room. She was still in her drug-induced coma. Good. He left the lower level of the mansion and approached the state room, where his Clarissa was working. He narrowed his eyes in annoyance when he saw his father, once again, standing too close to her while discussing Jocelyn's art pieces.
He watched Clary push her hair over her shoulder and turn to the desk, picking up a paper. He saw his father look her up and down, before she turned back to him and handed it to him. It may be time for my father to take a vacation. I tire of him ogling Clarissa. What are they talking about? Clary looked pleadingly at Valentine. "This is her contact information, Valentine. I'm sure you've spoken to her in the past, when you made your purchases… or maybe Amatis did. If we are going to make this art opening gala happen, in light of Amatis'... health issues, I will need her help. This really is her wheelhouse… and she was quite close with my mother. Please say yes." Jonathan walked up to them and slipped a possessive arm around Clary's waist. She winced when his hand brushed her backside. Jonathan frowned and cleared his throat. He had been quite rough with her last night and needed to make up for it. Sebastian had reacquainted himself with Clarissa and had taken many unhindered liberties with her. He had beat her with his belt and regretted it. She'll never love me if I continue to hurt her… I just need her to submit.
Jonathan tugged gently on her waist and she leaned into his side. "Please say yes to what, Father?" His father ignored him and smiled warmly down at Clary, shaking his head. "Oh Clarissa, I simply cannot deny you when you look at me like that. Your mother sometimes had the same expression…Of course, the answer is yes. I shall have my assistant contact her tomorrow and we shall make arrangements for–" He looked down at the paper again. "For Ms. Tessa Gray to help you with the opening and gala for your mother's art." Clary pulled away from Jonathan and kissed Valentine's cheek. "Thank you so much, Valentine. Tessa and mother met in London, many years ago. She was her agent and dear friend. I can't wait to make this happen… for my mother." Clary leaned back to Jonathan's side and Valentine smiled at her, looked at Jonathan, and turned to return to his offices downstairs.
Jonathan turned to Clary and cupped her face in his hands, giving her a long kiss. He sighed deeply and looked into her emerald eyes. She looked tired and he knew why. It was time to start over and woo her back to him. "Clarissa, I just wanted to let you know that Axel Mortmain will never bother you again. He has been relieved of his duties and is no longer with us– here at the manor." Clary raised her eyebrows and nodded. "Thank you for letting me know, Jon. He was… he frightened me. I'm glad he's gone." Jonathan smiled down at her. Oh he's gone alright… and the same thing will happen to anyone else who dares lay a hand on what is mine.
Jonathan wrapped his arms around her hips to pull her against him when she stiffened and whimpered. "I'm sorry Jonatha… I'm very– sore…" Her eyes misted with tears and she looked away from him. Jonathan pursed his lips. He released his arms from her and stepped back. He reached for her hand, intertwining them. "Come, love. Let's go to your room. I'll run you a bath… you need to soak and relax. Heal. Your punishments have been dealt. You know what you did and what will happen if you do it again… it's now time to move on. Let me take care of you. Come, love." Clary nodded and smiled nervously at him as he led her upstairs.