A/N Hello my wonderful readers, Supernatural and shadowhunter fans! Here's another chapter edited! Hope you enjoy!
Carry on wayward supernatural fans and safe patrol shadow hunters!
The streets of New York were alive with the hum of nightlife as Andra and Addy patrolled their usual route. The two Shadowhunters moved through the shadows, their banter filling the air with a lightness that belied the seriousness of their task.
"Do you think we'll find any rogue demons tonight, or are we just going to spend another evening chasing our shadows?" Addy teased, her dark hair bouncing as she walked.
"Honestly? I'd rather chase a rogue drink than a rogue demon," Andra replied, a smirk creeping onto her lips. The memory of Pandemonium flashed in her mind—too many shots, too much laughter, and a few embarrassing moments she'd rather forget. "But I think I'll sit this one out. I've had my fill of bad decisions for the month."
Addy laughed, her eyes sparkling. "Come on, just one drink! It'll be fun!"
"Fun for whom? You're the one who's going to flirt with the entire bar," Andra shot back, rolling her eyes playfully. "I'll just be your designated observer, making sure no one takes advantage of my big, beautiful parabatai."
"Fine, but don't blame me when you see all the cute fae in there," Addy winked, leading the way toward a new bar that had popped up recently. The neon lights flickered invitingly, and the sound of music spilled out onto the street, a siren's call to the restless.
As they entered, the atmosphere enveloped them—laughter, clinking glasses, and the intoxicating scent of something sweet and spicy. Andra surveyed the room, her half-fae instincts kicking in. She spotted a couple of fae men at the bar, their eyes immediately honing in on Addy.
"Looks like you've attracted a couple of admirers," Andra said, nudging Addy with her elbow.
"Oh, please," Addy replied, a smirk spreading across her face. "Let me work my magic." She sauntered over to the men, her confidence radiating like a beacon.
Andra leaned against the bar, arms crossed, watching as Addy effortlessly slipped into flirtation mode. The way she tossed her hair and leaned in just enough—those men were practically putty in her hands.
"Just remember, if they ask you to go to the back, don't forget to come back," Andra called after her, a teasing lilt in her voice.
Addy shot her a playful glare over her shoulder, but Andra could see the glimmer of excitement in her eyes. As the two fae led Addy toward the back of the bar, Andra felt a twinge of loneliness creep in. It was always like this; she was the one left behind while Addy danced through life, charming everyone in her path.
With a sigh, Andra turned her attention back to the bar, scanning the room for something—anything— to distract her. That's when she noticed him. A warlock stood off to the side, his presence commanding attention. He was handsome, with elegant black horns that curved gracefully from his head, catching the light in a way that made them almost regal.
But it wasn't just his looks that caught her eye; it was the way the other warlocks around him shifted uncomfortably, their body language betraying a mix of surprise and wariness. She leaned slightly to get a better view, her instincts kicking in.
The warlock spoke with an easy confidence, but there was an undercurrent of tension in the way the others reacted. One warlock glanced at the door, his posture rigid, while another crossed his arms defensively. Andra could practically feel the electricity in the air.
Her heart raced as she watched him, trying to process what was happening. Something felt off, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. She had always been good at reading body language— it came with her fae heritage. The shifting of weight, the way someone's gaze darted toward a possible escape, all spoke volumes.
And then, as if sensing her scrutiny, the warlock with the horns turned his gaze toward her. Their eyes locked for a brief moment, and Andra's breath hitched. There was something unsettlingly haunting about him, something that sent a chill down her spine.
Before she could analyze it further, he nodded to his companions and began to move away from the group, striding toward the back exit. Andra's instincts kicked in, and without thinking, she pushed off the bar and followed him.
As she stepped outside, her heart dropped at the sight before her. There, standing just at the edge of the alley, was a figure that stopped her in her tracks. Valentine.
He looked just as she remembered, with that same blonde hair and piercing gaze that had once held her captive. It was impossible—he had been dead for years. And yet, here he was, as real as the ground beneath her feet.
"What are you doing here?" she whispered, the question barely escaping her lips.
Valentine turned, a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth, that infuriatingly confident demeanor radiating from him. "I've come to see how you've grown, Andra," he said, his voice smooth and laced with an unsettling familiarity. "You've done well, my dear. You've become quite the Shadowhunter."
Memories flooded her mind—of the man who had taken her in when she was lost and alone, who had trained her with a fierce intensity. He had taught her everything she knew, molded her into a weapon. But he had also cast her aside, sending her away when she was no longer useful to him, leaving her to navigate a world that had been both a blessing and a curse.
"Why are you here?" she demanded, her voice steadier than she felt. "You shouldn't be alive. You can't be alive."
Valentine chuckled softly, an unsettling sound that sent shivers down her spine. "Ah, but you see, Andra, life is far more complicated than you give it credit for. I've always had my ways." He stepped closer, and for a moment, she felt that old pull, that sense of belonging she had once craved.
But she shook her head, forcing herself to remember the truth. "You used me. You only cared about Jace. You turned your back on me." The anger surged within her, hot and fierce.
Valentine's expression shifted, a flicker of something unreadable passing through his eyes. "I did what I had to do. You were always meant to be part of a greater plan. You were my secret weapon, Andra."
"No," she shot back, her heart pounding with a mixture of fear and defiance. "I'm not your weapon anymore. I'm not yours."
As Valentine opened his mouth to respond, Andra felt a sudden surge of determination. She couldn't let herself be lured back into his web of lies. With a final glare, she turned on her heel, her mind racing as she made her way back to the bar, her heart heavy with the weight of old wounds and the secrets she still carried.
She had to find Addy—had to ground herself in the reality of her life now, away from the specter of a past that threatened to swallow her whole. One thing was clear: she wouldn't let Valentine's shadow loom over her ever again.
Andra pushed through the bar's back door. She needed to find Addy, but the moment she stepped inside, she spotted her parabatai in a corner, engaged in a heated kiss with one of the fae men from earlier. The other fae was trailing kisses along Addy's neck, and Andra felt a flush of frustration rise up within her.
Normally, she would let them have their moment—Addy was a natural flirt, and Andra had always found it amusing. But tonight was different. This was an emergency. She needed Addy focused, not lost in the haze of attraction.
"Addy!" Andra called out, striding forward with purpose. She could feel the heat of the situation, the palpable energy radiating between her parabatai and the fae, but she didn't have time for niceties. She pulled Addy away, a mix of urgency and anxiety pushing her forward.
"What's wrong?" Addy asked, her brow furrowing as she glanced back at the fae, a hint of annoyance in her voice. But Andra could see the concern lurking just beneath the surface.
Andra hesitated, her heart racing. She had so much to say, and yet the words felt lodged in her throat. She opened her mouth to reply, but nothing came out. Instead, she felt a wave of fear crash over her.
"Addy, I—" she began, but the weight of her thoughts pressed heavily on her chest, suffocating her.
"Andra," Addy said, her tone shifting as she stepped closer, eyes searching. "I can feel your fear. What is it?"
That was all it took. The concern in Addy's eyes cracked her resolve, and suddenly, the floodgates opened. "I'm half fae," she blurted out, the confession spilling from her lips before she could think twice. "I was taken in by Valentine when I was little. He trained me, taught me everything I know, but I—" Andra's voice faltered, the memories crashing over her like waves. She could see Valentine's face, hear his voice echoing in her mind, but she forced herself to push those thoughts aside. "I never told anyone. Not Alec, not Izzy, not even you. I was scared of what they would think. Of what you would think."
Addy's expression shifted, surprise quickly morphing into understanding. "Andra, I—"
But before she could finish, Andra felt her parabatai wrap her arms around her, pulling her into a tight embrace. It was warm and grounding, a reminder that even in the chaos of her secrets, she had someone who cared.
"I've known," Addy finally said softly, pulling back to meet Andra's gaze. "I've known you were half fae for a while now. It doesn't change anything for me. You're still my parabatai. I wanted to be by your side no matter what."
Relief washed over Andra, a weight lifting from her shoulders. It felt good to finally share a piece of herself, to let someone in. But then her mind flitted to Mark and Helen, the other half-fae Shadowhunters. She wasn't alone in this.
"Mark and Helen," she said, a small smile breaking through. "They're half fae too. I'm not the only one."
"Exactly," Addy replied, her eyes sparkling with encouragement. "You're not alone, Andra. You never were."
But even as the relief began to settle in, another wave of anxiety washed over her. What would Alec and Izzy think if they found out about her past? She could already picture Alec's stern expression, the way his brow would furrow as he tried to process it all. "You worked for Valentine?" he'd likely say, disappointment lacing his voice.
And then there was Izzy—her vibrant, fierce sister, who would undoubtedly be torn between anger and compassion. "You kept this from us? From me?" Andra could almost hear the hurt in her tone, the way it would echo through the air.
The thought made her stomach twist. Would they see her as a traitor? As someone who had been playing both sides? She knew they would want to understand, but how could she explain the complexity of her relationship with Valentine? The way he had taken her in, the way he had molded her into a weapon, and then discarded her when she no longer served his purpose?
"Andra?" Addy's voice pulled her back from the abyss of her thoughts.
"Yeah?"
"You're overthinking it," Addy said, the confidence radiating from her. "You're not a traitor. You did what you had to do to survive. And if anyone can understand complicated family dynamics, it's Alec and Izzy."
Andra took a deep breath, grounding herself in Addy's words. "You're right. I'll tell them when I'm ready."
Addy nodded, a reassuring smile on her face. "And I'll be right here with you, no matter what. Just remember, you're not defined by your past. You're defined by who you choose to be now."
Andra felt a surge of gratitude for her parabatai, the bond between them solidifying in that moment. She didn't have all the answers, but with Addy by her side, perhaps she could find the courage to face the truth, to confront her past, and to finally embrace her identity as a half-fae Shadowhunter.
The weight of her secrets felt lighter now that Addy knew, but there were still shadows lurking in the corners of her mind. She glanced around the dimly lit room, the laughter and music swirling around them like a whirlwind.
"Addy," she started, her voice low, almost lost in the cacophony. "There's more I need to tell you."
Addy turned, quirking an eyebrow. "More? You've already dropped a bombshell on me. What else could possibly be more surprising?"
Andra hesitated, her heart pounding. "It's not something I want to discuss here. Not with all these people around." Her eyes darted to a group of patrons at a nearby table, their laughter a stark contrast to the heaviness in her chest. "Can we go back to the Institute? To your room?"
Addy's expression shifted from playful to serious. "Yeah, let's go."
The two of them slipped out of the bar, the cool night air hitting Andra's skin like a splash of cold water. With every step toward the Institute, her thoughts raced. She needed to tell Addy about the warlocks she had seen, and the haunting presence of Valentine that had been creeping into her life. It was becoming increasingly difficult to separate reality from the shadows of her past.
Once inside the Institute, they climbed the familiar stairs to Addy's room. The moment they stepped inside, Andra felt a wave of calm wash over her. Addy's room was a sanctuary of order, everything in its rightful place. Neatly stacked books lined the shelves, and the bed was perfectly made, a stark contrast to the chaos that often filled Andra's own life.
"Make yourself comfortable," Addy said, moving to tidy up a few stray items on her desk. "I'll grab us some tea."
As Addy busied herself, Andra took a moment to breathe deeply, trying to steady her racing heart. She glanced around, soaking in the tranquility of the room. It was a stark reminder that some things could still feel normal, even when everything else felt like it was spiraling out of control.
When Addy returned with steaming mugs, Andra wrapped her fingers around the warmth, grateful for the small comfort. She looked into Addy's eyes, knowing this moment was crucial. "I've been seeing and hearing Valentine," she blurted out, the confession tumbling from her lips. "Even though he's—he's dead."
Addy's eyes widened, the playful spark replaced by genuine concern. "What do you mean? Like, you're seeing him as a ghost or something?"
"Sort of," Andra replied, her stomach twisting. "After the reality merge, I started hearing his voice in my head, and sometimes I see flashes of him. It's like he's still… here. I don't know if it's some kind of residual magic or what, but it feels real. Too real."
Addy leaned forward, her expression serious. "That's… unsettling. Have you told anyone else?"
"No," Andra admitted, a sense of shame creeping in. "I'm not even sure how to explain it. It feels… wrong. Like I'm being haunted by my past, and I don't want to burden anyone else with it."
Addy shook her head, her brow furrowing. "You're not a burden, Andra. You know that. But we need to figure out what's happening. There could be a reason for it."
Andra felt the weight of her words settle between them, the gravity of the situation becoming all too real. "There's also something else. I saw a group of warlocks at the bar tonight. They were acting strange, especially one with these elegant black horns. The way the others were looking at him—there was tension. I think something's going on."
"Warlocks?" Addy echoed, her eyes narrowing as she processed the information. "What were they doing?"
"They were gathered in a corner, but the moment I noticed them, it was like I could feel the energy shift in the room. It was… off. The way they were looking at each other, it felt like something was brewing. I couldn't shake the feeling that they were discussing something serious, maybe even dangerous. And then there was the warlock with the horns. He just exuded this kind of power, and when he caught my eye, it felt like he knew something."
Addy's expression hardened, determination taking root. "We need to investigate. If there's something going on with the warlocks, it could affect everything. We can't let whatever it is slip through our fingers."
Andra nodded, a sense of resolve growing within her. "But we need to be careful. I don't want to get caught up in any more chaos than I already am."
As they sat together, the weight of their conversation hanging in the air, Andra felt a flicker of hope. She had shared her deepest fears with Addy, and for the first time in a long time, she didn't feel completely alone.
But the shadows of the past still lingered, and as Andra thought about Valentine and the warlocks, she couldn't shake the feeling that the storm was far from over. They were standing at the edge of something big, and she had to be ready to face it, whatever it might be.