Here's chapter seven :) I hope you enjoy it,
XOXO,
Lauren
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Jace made a clean downward arc with his seraph blade. It buried itself clean into the demon's head, which gave a loud, ear piercing shriek. He pulled the seraph blade out, and the black ichor spurted out of the demon. Some of it landed in Jace's hair, then it began to curl into itself as if died. Just as he was about to say something about how his hair was ruined, claws dug into his shoulder. He let out a cry of pain, and the seraph blade fell from his hand with a clatter. Clary screamed his name in terror. He reached for the dagger in his weapons belt, and slashed backward, effectively cutting into the demon that had him in its grasp. It released him, then he turned, ready to kill it, when Isabelle's whip wrapped around it's neck. She pulled tightly, and a deep cut appeared. It feel to the ground in a pool of it's own blood. convulsing and folding into thin air as if it wasn't there. He gripped onto his shoulder tightly, sucking in his breath in pain. Clary ran over to ask if he was okay, but he waved her off before she could ask if he was okay. She had a panicked look on her face, and he leaned down, giving her a kiss of reassurance.
"We will put a healing rune on it when we get back to the institute. Surely Alec is ready to rip off someone's head by now. You know how he hates having to watch over everyone alone." Jace said.
"He's not completely alone. Magnus is there." Isabelle pointed out. Jace gave her a look that said "yes because that really makes a difference," and took Clary's hand in his. She gave a shrug in response, and the three of them began walking to the institute. They weren't very far away from it, only a mile and a half. Jace was quiet as the three walked, while Isabelle and Clary were in deep conversation about what sounded like Idris.
Lesley turned off the shower and stepped out, wrapping a towel around herself. She opened the bathroom door and entered into the bedroom. She went to her bureau and put on her bra and underwear. Just as she was about to open the drawer that held all of her pants, there was a soft knocking at her door. If it wasn't for her shadowhunter hearing, she would have thought it was her imagination. She looked around quickly for something to put on her body.
"Just a minute!" She yelled to whoever was on the other side. She grabbed a pair of leggings and a tee-shirt off the floor, then ran to the door, opening it. Cassia was standing on the other side. "Oh hi! Please come in." Lesley greeted stepping aside. Cassia walked in, sitting in the desk chair.
"Sorry if I interrupted anything..." She said to Lesley, who smiled, shaking her head, she went to her bed, laying down on her stomach.
"You didn't. I just got out of the shower is all. I was looking for something to wear." She said, and the other shadowhunter nodded. "So what's up?" She asked her.
"Oh nothing, I just wanted to check and see how you were doing. Is your head feeling better?" She asked Lesley, who nodded.
"Yeah. It feels like nothing ever happened. How have you been? Adjusting to the institute and all after moving from Rome." Lesley asked the other shadowhunter. She shrugged in answer to the question. "I just came here myself for the first time like a week ago." Lesley said. "In fact I didn't even know I was a shadowhunter. Max found me fighting off a demon with a kitchen knife in my own home... and then I found out that same demon killed my..." Her voice cracked and Cassia furrowed her eyebrows. She got up and sat next to Lesley. "It..." She couldn't finish her sentence as tears began to flood out of her eyes and down her cheeks.
"You don't have to tell me." Cassia said. "I understand." She embraced Lesley in a tight hug, rocking her back and forth as her body shook with more tears. "Sometimes a shadowhunter has to break down before they get stronger." She whispered.
"I don't know who I am anymore." Lesley mumbled, although she doubted that Cassia heard what she said, because she never answered back. She just held onto Lesley as if they had known each other their entire life. It was then that Lesley realized how much she would need Cassia; to keep her stable at the least. The two of them were the same in a way. Both having to move into the institute and call it home, both of them having to go through the grief of losing their family. It was reassuring to know that Lesley had someone. She closed her eyes tight for a minute, then pulled away to compose herself. She wiped her eyes and took a deep breath, calming herself. Standing, she looked at Cassia.
"I think I might just go in the training center and find something to hit." Lesley told the other shadowhunter. Cassia gave her a small smile and nodded, standing up. She left the room, leaving Lesley alone so she could change. She threw the clothes that she had on off, and put on the black spandex black tee-shirt. Her hair was already in a ponytail, so she put her sneakers on and left to go to the training room. It didn't take that long as she had already become accustomed to the institute and where everything was. She pushed one of the heavy wooden doors open, and looked around. There was a pain in her that felt as if someone had taken a thousand bricks and stacked them up on her chest. She walked to the punching bag, and stared at it. She wanted to punch it so bad, but her arms felt too heavy to lift and too weak to do anything. She stood there for a long time, until finally she turned to leave, only to be stopped by Max. She gave him a quick smile, although it took all she had to not let the tears spill from her eyes. He looked down at her, then turned her around, facing her to the punching bag.
"Now Lesley," He began. "I know how bad you want to hit that. So why don't you? He asked her. She closed her eyes as sparks blasted from where his fingers touched her. "I won't let you leave until you at least scream at it." He said, and a smile appeared on her face.
"I can't. I have no real reason to beat the punching bag except to make me feel better. And that's useless because it won't last." She answered, looking back at him. He rolled his eyes at her.
"You see, that's the point. Temporary relief of your problems." He moved himself a bit closer, moving his hand to her waist. "Just pretend you're beating the living shit out of the demon that killed your mother." He said in a low voice. She placed her hands over his, and gave an involuntary shudder.
"You know..." She began to tell him, "I would, but I would much rather spend time with you." Lesley moved her body against him, letting her eyes close again. "I like it better the hurting inanimate objects." She stated with a slight shrug. She could feel Max's gaze on her, and she pulled away. "I think I am gonna go for a walk." She said, but max grabbed her arm.
"I told you. I won't let you leave until you at least scream, kick, or punch, the punching bag." Max said then turned her back around, moving her closer to it. "Just... think of something that pisses you off, then punch." Max said to her. Lesley stood for a moment thinking. If there was one thing that pissed her off, it was that Savannah had died. Ever since the car accident, Lesley had always thought it should be her that was six feet under, not her best friend. She clenched her hands into fists, and it seemed that instead of the punching bag that hung in front of her and Max, it was herself. Max was looking at in, his expression was of someone who deeply wanted to find out what she was going to do. It should have been you. She thought to herself. It seem to repeat in her head, and Lesley flinched a bit. She wanted so badly to just scream, and say that it was all an accident and that they were going too fast-- Hands grabbed onto her then, making Lesley look up in shock. Max was looking back at her with a worried expression. Had she been screaming those things out loud?
"I'm okay..." She whispered, although the feeling of something warm dripping from her palms made her think otherwise. She lifted them, palms up, to see blood slowly blossoming out of little nail marks. Max sighed, and pulled his stele out pressing it to her wrist to draw an iratze on it. She closed her eyes as the stinging feeling ran through her veins. He moved to her other wrist, repeating the process. Her eyes were still closed, and Max pressed his lips to her forehead. She opened her eyes then, looking up to him. Her stomach did a flip, and Lesley blushed, looking away from him. She couldn't. She had only been here a few days more than a week. Despite the conversation the two of them had had just the other day, Lesley couldn't kiss him. Not now, when she was training and learning about what she was. She pulled away from him, exhaustion making her body feel heavy.
"Lesley..." He began, and she looked up. "How about we just go back to your room. You need rest," He told her, although he sounded like he wanted to say something else.
"Okay." She replied, and Max pulled her to his side, his hand resting on her hip. They left the training room, heading down the hall and to where there rooms were. They were quiet for a long time until finally said, "how about we go to your room? I spend too much time in mine anyway." Max looked down at her and shrugged.
"Sure." Max said in answer, and they turned into the corridor that their rooms were in. The two shadowhunters went to Max's door, and he opened it, letting Lesley in first. She smiled, then walked in, laying down on his bed. He closed his door and locked it, making Lesley raise a questioning eyebrow. "I always lock my door." He said to her in a defensive tone. He walked over to his bureau, and took his shirt off, throwing it the chair that had begun to look more like a mountain of clothing than an actual chair. Lesley gave a grateful smile as she looked at his back muscles. "Enjoying the view?" Max asked her, and Lesley laughed.
"I'm liking it a lot actually." She answered, and Max turned around with a smirk. His hands went to the button on his gear pants- which Lesley hadn't noticed he was wearing at first- and he undid it. Lesley's eyes widened. "Are you wearing underwear?!" She asked, and Max answered with a dark smile. "Oh my god. You aren't." She said, then slapped a hand over her eyes.
"I never answered that question. But if you would really like to know, yes, I am." Lesley let her hand fall from her face as Max unzipped the gear pants. He kicked them off, then pulled out a pair of sweatpants. He walked over to her, the sweatpants still in hand. "Sorry to disappoint, love." He whispered, and Lesley couldn't help but give a small shudder. Another smirk formed on Max's lips, and he leaned in closer, his lips touching her ear. "I love the effect that I have on you Lesley." He whispered. She shut her eyes, taking deep breaths to calm herself.
"Are you trying to seduce me?" She asked, and her own voice sounded shaky to her ears. She felt his smirk morph into a smile, and he pulled away to look at her.
"Maybe just a little." He answered without hesitation. "And based on how you're looking right now, it is most definitely working." He cupped her chin gingerly, then leaned in again, resting his forehead on hers. His looked at her, his blue eyes wide, and she thought that they held uncertainty. "May I kiss you, Miss Blackwood?" He asked her, and Lesley smiled.
"You remembered." She whispered, then to answer his question, "Only if you put those sweatpants on." Max frowned, then pulled away.
"What? You don't want to kiss me when I am half naked?" He asked her, and she rolled her eyes, giving a soft giggle. Max gave her a look of mock-offense, then put the sweatpants on. "Better?" He asked her, and she nodded. Max smiled. He all but launched himself onto the bed so he was straddling Lesley, then put a hand on either side of her face. "This might sound weird, but I have been waiting to do this since the beginning of the week." Lesley was about to gasp, but Max kissed her then. His hands moved to either side of her face, and Lesley let her eyes close as she kissed him back, her hands curling against his bare chest. Her mouth seemed to mold perfectly with his, and she couldn't help but let her lips curve into a smile. Max pulled away then, his eyes bright. Lesley smiled back, and Max leaned in again, placing his lips on her once more. He pulled Lesley up in a sitting position suddenly, making sure that their lips never parted. His hands stayed on her waist, and Lesley wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing her body against his. She wanted to feel every inch of him that she could. Max tightened his arms around her, and then suddenly it was as if two worlds had collided, with sparks and heat everywhere. She could sense everything about Max; his smell, the heat of his skin, the way his mouth moved with hers, and how his body molded perfectly against hers. Lesley's heart beat hard against her chest, and Max pulled away after a few minutes. Their breathing was heavy, and Max's hand went to her cheek, caressing it lightly. She couldn't help but lean into his soft touch.
"As far as first kisses go, I think that was pretty spectacular." Max said in a hushed tone, and his minty breath fanned across Lesley's nose. She smiled, her fingers playing with his hair by the nape of his neck. He closed his eyes not saying another word.
"I personally would say spectacular is an understatement." She said. "Are you sure you haven't had your first kiss, Max?" She asked, and he gave a short airy laugh.
"I would remember my own first kiss, Lesley. And I most definitely will remember this one.. and the one after that." He leaned in, giving her another kiss, "and the next.." he kissed her again, "and the next." Max kissed her one more time, and Lesley couldn't help but blush. Max smiled at her, then looked at the digital clock.
"What time is it?" She asked, laying back down on the bed with a sigh. Max glanced at her. Lesley heard a sigh escape his lips.
"Dinner time." Max answered, and Lesley grinned. She moved out from under him and ran to the door. Max got up shortly after and changed his clothes. He joined her at the door where she had been patiently waiting, then Lesley threw the door open and ran to her room. She opened the door and dove to her bureau, pulling a pair of shorts out and an American Eagle tee-shirt. She heard the door shut, and Max softly laughing. Jumping up, Lesley pulled her spandex and training shirt off and put the clothes she had taken from her dresser on. After taking a moment to catch her breath, she looked at Max, who had his eyes on her. They were bright and Lesley smiled.
"Max," she said, and he grinned at her.
"Yes, Lesley?" He replied, and Lesley took a deep breath. She looked at the blond- haired boy in front of her, and in her head, she was thinking, Why don't you just ask me out all ready? But something was holding her back from saying it.
"Nothing," she said instead. "I just like the feeling of your name on my lips." Lesley said, and Max gave her a doubtful look before turning and opening her bedroom door and waiting for her to walk out. When she did, he closed the door behind them and the two made their way to the dining room to go eat.
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Hey guys!
For those of you that are (hopefully) reading on after I so rudely neglected to update, I just wanted to throw it out there that in the next chapter, a month will have passed since Lesley arrived at the institute.
My justification for this is that I feel like if I give myself that sort of "new canvas" I will be able to further the story along, and it will overall be better writing (with much less errors. Oh my, am I going to have to go back through this and make edits)!
I hope you enjoyed this chapter.
~Lauren