| Fire |» Jace Wayland

Chapter 3: Demon Club

Simon's yellow van was parked not far from the coffee shop where Simon and his band-mate Maureen were performing their gig. The four teenagers sat on the roof cramped together. Clary and Kristina were back to back leaning against each other, they seemed to fit best that way unless Clary would sit on Kristina's lap. Simon and his band-mate Maureen were sitting either side of them, legs dangling over the side of the van. They were deep into convention, discussing the gig they were about to go to and Clary's paranoid mom.

The only one not actively conversating was Kristina, whose mind was elsewhere. She was aware of the chattering yet she paid no attention to it, her thoughts were spinning. She could not get that demon from the butcher shop out if her head, nor the 'shadowhunter' Jace that killed the demon.

All those stories mother told me, all the training she put me through. She knew about this.

Annabeth (Kristina's mother) had told Kristina of shadowhunters and their world, but she told them as one would tell tales passed through their family. Kristina always thought that's just what they were, stories, tales, nothing of real events.

"You guys don't think that's a little bit suspicious?" Maureen's voice broke through Kristina's thoughts, making her stiffen at the words.

"What is?" She questioned, not having a clue what they were talking about.
Kristina felt Clary move against her back to look at her.

"Clary not knowing anything about her family" Maureen stated with a quick roll of her eyes, she turned back to Clary and added "your mom could be hiding some deep dark secret"

Kristina stayed silent, observing Clary's reaction as her own mind run wild. Could Jocelyn be hiding the shadow world (as Annabeth would call it) from her daughter?

"Maureen it's not possible" Clary blurted not believing her mom could hide anything from her.

"No, but think about it"

"No my mother is incapable of concealing anything from me," Clary stated before Maureen could say anything more to convince the girl that her mom is keeping secrets from her.

Kristina turned her body so she was now sitting sideways against Clary's back, and gave her friend a measuring smile. Kristina knew that Jocelyn could very well be hiding the shadow world from her daughter, when they first met Jocelyn asked Kristina if she knew about shadowhunters. She always thought Jocelyn was talking about the 'stories' her mother told her, their parents as it turned out were great friends in the past.

"I hope not Clary, but I don't want you to be hurt of you find out she is" she whispered into the red-heads ear, who nodded her head in a reassuring manner.

"I know"

>>>

"Thank you for being our roadie" Maureen's soft voice came from the back of the van, where Simon was getting changed.

"Yeah, and thank you for being our artist in residence. You to Kris" Simon added looking towards Kristina by the end of his sentence.

"Of course." The girls said in sync, giggling at each other.

"So, you went on stage tonight as Champagne Enema," Clary stated making Kristina cringe, they can't up with the worst band names.

"What were we thinking, right?" Maureen joked, laughing lightly

"But now... we're Rock Solid Panda, Simon stated coming un with a new name.

"Yeah, we are."

"Rock Solid Panda, coming up. I'm feeling inspired." Clary said happily pulling Kristina, who held the spray paints in her hand, along with her to the side of the van.