ʜᴇᴀᴠᴇɴʟʏ ꜰɪʀᴇ ~ ᴛᴍɪ

Chapter 6 - Hotel Dumort

Allison was certain the situation was going to head downhill very soon. When the moment arrived, she wasn't entirely surprised.

As vampires loomed overhead, filling the archway inside Hotel Dumort. The entire clan was assembling—the worst-case scenario. She could see the gears inside Jace's brain struggling to get out of this, his blade digging deeply into Raphael's back.

Raphael, the clever cretin, even made her almost suppose he was helping them. But the invisible tracks when he left the foyer, the whole woven story about his brother getting trapped here...he was the vampire.

"If you idiots are done, shall I take over?" She said, crossing her arms, entirely unfrazzled. Oh, she was in panic mode now, but better not let the others know.

Jace considered her calm demeanor, the idea she had brimmed her eyes. "Any idea?"

She smirked and looked at Raphael. "I'm going to have fun with you as my hostage, chico," She gestured at Jace. "Shut it and follow my lead. I know exactly what to do,"

Clary kept an eye on the vampires, rows of bloodless faces and sharp canines flashing. Allison grabbed her arm and pushed her behind her and said aloud, "Stop right where you are or your precious Raphael is dead."

A sort of murmur ran through the crowd that could have been whispering or laughter. "Stop," Allison said again, and this time Jace did something, she didn't see what, that made Raphael cry out in surprised pain. "Trust me, he's crazy,"

"I'm crazy," Jace agreed, twisting his grip.

One of the vampires flung an arm out to hold back his companions. "She means it," he said. "They are Shadowhunters."

Another vampire pushed her way through the crowd to stand at his side—a pretty blue-haired Asian girl in a silver foil skirt. "Shadowhunters trespassing on our territory," she said. "They are out of the protection of the Covenant. I say we kill them—they have killed enough of ours."

"Which of you is the master of this place?" Jace said, his voice very flat. "Let him step forward."

The girl bared her pointed teeth. "Do not use Clave language on us, Shadowhunter. You have broken your precious Covenant, coming in here. The Law will not protect you."

"Answer him," Allison's voice turned deadlier, her eyes glazing.

"Give me one good reason," The girl hissed again.

Allison just shifted her jacket, revealing the badge on her waistband. Her Investigator badge.

The vampires reeled back, and murmurs and gasps of the name Investigator echoed around. The symbol of the Clave was the three C's—the Clave, the Consul, and the Council. A sword struck through it—the Mortal sword. The official symbol of the Investigators.

"Now, you must understand I haven't broken the Covenant. Nor would my further actions would be considered illegal." She met the girl's gaze again. "Ready to talk or..."

The blond boy from earlier said with hesitation. "Our leader is in Idris."

"Someone must rule in her stead," Jace observed, his tone more controlled.

There was a silence. The vampires up in the balconies were hanging off the railings, leaning down to hear what was being said. Finally, "Raphael leads us," said the blond vampire.

The blue-haired girl, Lily, let out a hiss of disapproval. "Jacob—"

"I propose a trade," Clary said quickly, earning a look from Allison. "By now you must know you took home too many people from the party tonight. One of them was my friend Simon."