chapter six. . .
deep trust
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JACE HAD LED Malia directly towards a biker bar. Rows of motorcycles parked out front, and a lot of people either admiring or showing off their vehicle that had girls reeling over it. The brunette's eyes only flickered around, taking in the scenario of graffiti and the amount of leather that was all in one place. Malia had heard of practically every club or bar in New York, even though she wasn't exactly the legal age for it. But Hardtail, never had come to her hearing or her knowledge. "Why exactly are we going into a biker bar?" Malia asked, her mind didn't think of what Jace was after, but her mind did think about the fact Simon was still held captive by vampires awaiting for an item that neither Clary or Malia had.
"We can't move on the vamps until sunrise." Jace replied as he walked by the side of the Adams. "Plus, there's something I need in here."
"A drink?" Malia guessed.
"I don't drink."
Malia scoffed. "You don't drink?" She questioned the blonde. "I would think given your job that'd be one thing you'd be doing, you know, from the stress." Her eyes trailed over the amount of men that stood in one place too, all admiration of vehicles that were parked, scattered around the biker bar. "Jace, we need to get to Simon." Malia told. "What's the point of hanging around a bunch of posers?" Jace had let out a chuckle, as he noticed the difference between himself and the girl who had lived a mundane life for 18 years. "You think this is funny." Malia was taken back as she continued to follow after the blonde.
"It's kinda funny."
"Okay, look, if we're going to save Simon, don't you think you should be teaching me how to fight vampires?" Malia asked before she slowed to a stop as the blonde had concluded his walk through the bar.
"Do me a favor." Malia sighed as her arms crossed over her chest. "Look over there." He pointed ahead towards the couple that sat together, and from her mundane eye, she had noticed that they were making out. "What do you see?"
Malia shifted on her feet as she narrowed on the people all doing the same thing. Kissing the other. "There's a lot of people making out." She told Jace before her eyes flickered up to him. "Way too much PDA." Malia commented before looking back to the numerous amount of people, only this time saw something different. Her vision had narrowed on the people who were making out, but it was as if her eyes had deceived her. What she had come to notice was that those making out were those who were feeding.
Jace noticed how the girl had taken in a sharp breath, and he only worried as she noticed her lingering stare. "Malia?"
"They're vampires." Malia told before she managed to pull her eyes away, Jace questioned how she had gotten through the Shadow World so easily, he believed because she knew nothing abut it, it'd take longer for her to see the truth. "You brought me into a vampire biker bar." She snapped at him.
Jace chuckled at the teen's reaction, her brows arched in anger. "Check out that guy." He pointed ahead towards the guy that had just walked past, wearing a blue leather jacket with a white stripe running down the middle of his sleeve to his shoulder. "He's got something."
Malia raised a brow. "What? The obsession of leather as so does everyone else in this place?" She questioned.
Jace's eyes flickered to the leather jacket he wore. "Now, now." Malia was quick to follow after the blonde. "Bet you can't handle his charm."
Malia laughed. "Charm?"
"You really wanna help find Simon? Go on, go and compliment him on his motorcycle." The teen shook her head as she cringed thinking about herself flirting. "They like that."
"If I remember my last relationship it made me swear off of guy until college." Malia told Jace as she tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. "How about you go and flirt with him?"
"You want to save Simon, right?" Jace retorted causing her to throw her head back. She knew she'd have to do it for Simon. Her eyes flickered down towards what she wore, the pink sweater hung off of her shoulder, and she questioned how was she supposed to look flirtatious.
"Okay."
Jace had watched as she had pulled off the dark jean jacket she had wore before handing it over to Jace. The blonde was taken back as he held it within his grasp before she had taken off her sweater. "What are you doing?"
"Trying to flirt." Malia replied before she had fixed her bra to show off my cleavage, the blonde's eyes widened as he made himself look away before she had snatched her jacket back. As she slid it onto her back she made she looked like a hot mess by running her hands through her hair. A shaky breath escaping her lips had been noticed before she strutted over towards the vampire with a smile spreading on her face. "Hi." She greeted as her eyes focused on the vampire's. "Do you own this bike?" Her finger trailed along the metal as her eyes focused on the vampire who only grinned with he attention he was getting from a beautiful girl.
"Well, hey, baby." He greeted as his eyes wondered over the girl's body. "You like to ride?" He said before his hand raised, moving slowly as Malia's eyes fixated on the movement to where she led into a trance she hadn't even noticed. As her eyes flickered back up to the vampire, his hair was stroked back with lots of gel, his beard had faded and with a smile she hadn't even noticed that his fangs were showing. He had leant closer towards Malia who only followed in action to lean closer towards him. "You know you smell like a friggin' angel, right? Even though you have all that rune crap over you. I don't know what the hell you are, angel doll but you're one tasty treat."
Malia giggled. "Thank you."
His hand slowly snaked around her waist, his palm resting against her lower back as his lips moved to brush against her ear. "I'm Brad."
Before Malia had the chance to tell him her name, she had heard whispers that echoed her name through her ear, a voice she had never heard before either. But whoever or whatever it was, it had snapped her out of the trance she was held captivated in by the vampire who made his way around her, believing he had his dinner for the night. "Malia." She introduced herself knowing she needed to keep the act going even though she dreaded flirting.
"Do you wanna jump on the bike, baby?" He asked, with dread, she bit onto her lip as his hand trailed down to the back of her thigh to lift her leg up to get her to sit on the bike as offered. "Careful."
Malia couldn't help but allow a shiver to run down her spine as she sat on the motorbike with Brad's arms wrapped around her, not planning to let her out of his sight. Jace had watched from afar, believing that he was right and Malia couldn't handle the charm. "Hey." Jace called to grab their attention, Malia's head turned sighing quietly in relief that he had made his approach. "You having fun with my girl?" He asked whilst fixing his leather gloves strapped to his hands.
"Piss off, Shadowhunter."
Malia forced a smile. "Brad said he's gonna take me for a ride." She told Jace as her eyes met his, trying to signal him with the fact she was not under any sort of trance.
"That's right."
"That's not gonna happen." Jace concluded just as Brad had turned away, Malia had managed to pull her hand from his pocket and clench the keys within her grasp.
"You heard the lady. Step aside." Brad snapped just as him and Jace came to a face off with each other. Brad had given Jace a shove, and Malia had pushed herself off of the bike after shoving the keys into the ignition.
"Brad." Malia called for him.
The vampire turned to face the teen, who had kicked her leg out whilst swinging herself off of the motorbike, the heel of her boot had hit Brad across the face, far harder than expected as he had fallen back, landing limp on the floor. The brunette sat herself back onto the motorbike to start the engine as Jace noticed the vampires stalking towards them, and he knew he couldn't fight all of them.
"As you were."
Jace had climbed onto the motorbike, only to rear the engine before he had taken off in lightning speed, and which the vampires that chased after them, didn't even bother given the speed it carried. With the sudden take off her arms had wrapped tightly around Jace hoping that she wasn't going to fall off as her eyes were tightly shut, trying to get used to the wind hitting her face and blowing back her hair. The blonde had noticed the tight grip around his waist and only chuckled in response, to cover the fact he found it comforting. "I can't believe you let him do that to me." Malia snapped at Jace as she soon relaxed on the back of the motorbike.
"I couldn't exactly dig around in his pockets for the keys." Jace replied which caused a scoff to follow from Malia's mouth.
"That's exactly what I did." Malia told. "Wait, so you'd rather have him turn me into a vampire just to get keys?" She questioned, and she wondered why she had put her trust in Jace.
"Don't you trust me?" Jace asked which caused the girl to fall silent before the engine they sat on throttled. "Better hold tight, this bike runs on demon energy. It's pretty mean."
Malia nodded as her hands clasped together to keep the grip on Jace. "Okay, but, you know we still have to--"
"Find Simon. Yes, we'll find your mundie." Jace reassured causing the teen to smile. "I feel you've got a good grip." Malia nodded, knowing that the fright of it all was the reason she was practically crushing Jace's lungs.
A gasp escaped her lips as she noticed how the bike begun to rise from the ground, where the distance between the wheels had lengthened to a point where they were flying through the air on a vampire's motorbike. "Oh, my God." Malia breathed out in shock, but from the height they were on, she fell into admiration of New York City from Birdseye view. A chuckle escaped her lips before her head came to rest on Jace's back, to where she had relaxed and her grip on Jace had loosened. Her trust was 100% in Jace.
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"WHAT THAT VAMP did to you back at the bar..." Jace stood in front of the brunette after their ride to the Hotel DuMort he knew that Malia couldn't have the risk of falling under another trance, so he searched for the rune to help that prevention. "it's called encanto." He explained before he flicked his stele out of his pocket, coming across the rune on her arm, and which he had run over swiftly. "That was just the first step. It's kind of like what a cobra does to a mouse right before it strikes. This will keep you safe just in case you run into Mr Fascinating again."
"I wasn't that fascinated." Malia defended herself before Jace's eyes trailed up her arm to look for the rune that was to give her the power of silence. "I-I don't know what it was, but I snapped out of it quicker than I fell for it." Jace's brows knitted together in confusion wondering what the girl had meant. "You seriously have no idea what I am?" She asked.
"We're going to figure that all out with time, Malia." Jace reassured her before tapping the rune sitting on her shoulder. "This is for silence. The vamps won't hear us coming, but we can't disguise the scent of our blood from them."
"Oh, so you don't have runes for everything?" Malia quipped, and which had caused Jace's eyes to roll in return.
"Once we enter the building through there," The blonde pointed towards the door. "they'll know something's up. But if our plan works, we'll have time to find Simon." Jace gestured for Malia to follow after him, and she was quick on her heels to keep pace with him. "The mundane world is all into vampires. I don't get it. They see everyone else as an animated sack of meat."
Malia scoffed. "Well, I certainly do not see the romance." She commented.
"That's 'cause now you know it's all real." Malia had begun to wonder. How did she get to where she stood with Jace from celebrating her best friend's 18th birthday. "Still, you gotta hand it to them, though. They know how to frame a narrative."
Malia's lips pursed. "So, how will we find Simon?" She asked.
"He'll be in the most secure room in the building." Jace replied as they begun their walk towards the stairs leading them to the door hopefully to lead them in the direction to Simon. "Trust me, we'll know when we see it."
"Is there a chance they'll use encanto on him?" Malia questioned as her head turned for her eyes to narrow on Jace. "Will he turn into a vampire or...?"
"No," Jace confirmed. "you have to drink vampire blood for that." He explained. "Even then, there's more to it. It's an overly involved process, if you ask me."
"What if a vampire bites him?" Malia asked.
"They won't drain him right away." Malia questioned wether or not that was supposed to be comforting, but then Jace never had quite the intention. "They like to take their time. Vampires are real gourmets."
"He's going to be freaking out." Malia concluded.
"Actually," Jace corrected as he turned to face the brunette. "he'll feel kind of high, kind of like he's in love."
Malia's brows furrowed. "He'll be in love with the one who bit him?" She asked. "Well, that sounds a bit desperate."
"Yeah."
"And it sounds pretty awful too." Malia commented.
Jace's brows arched. "It's awful?" He questioned, which made Malia nod in reply. "Guess I wouldn't know."
"Lucky you, you've never been bitten." Jace's face had hardened and Malia's face only softened as she realised what the blonde had meant. "Y-You've never been in love?"
Jace dismissed what the teen had said, not wanting the look of sympathy from her. "The point is it wears off. Just like love."
Malia's head bowed as she was prepared to follow after Jace. "Hey, wait," The blonde slowed to a stop. "where's Clary and Ben? Aren't they supposed to meet us?"
"We'll meet them again." Jace reassured. "The suns gonna come up soon." He pointed out as soon as his eyes adjusted to the night sky beginning to turn brighter. "Remember how to use the blade?" Malia slowly nodded her head as she gave him a fake smile. "Keep your arm steady and don't overestimate what you know. They can be tricky. We'll try and keep them off you as much as we can."
"So if we're meeting Clary and Ben 'again' which is vague by the way, what about Alec and Isabelle? Where are they?" Malia asked as she shifted on her feet with intrigue.
"Being distracting."
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MALIA STUCK TO the side of Jace, but he made sure he was stuck behind her, he kept her arm reached out, hoping to feel her underneath his skin to make sure no vampire had gotten to her. The brunette walked quietly and slowly, being of ease of the moves they made around corners or further within the Hotel DuMort. From when she had stepped through the doors she had felt a shiver run down the spine of her back, coldness, and the representation of whitish believed death would feel like within one place.
Noises within the distances of footsteps passing and snarls that had caused her to tap Jace on his shoulder to pull his attention towards it. "I hear something." She told the blonde.
"Hold up." Jace had pulled out his seraph blade which glowed underneath his touch, and what he held up for his defence as he came round the corner. His eyes narrowed on the vampires streaking past heading in the direction to where Alec and Isabelle were being distractions in order to allow not only Malia and Jace to get close to Simon but the same for Clary and Ben.
Malia was hoping to come across Simon and Clary, but neither came into vision which had caused her to worry. The brunette kept close to Jace whenever he stopped or ran ahead so they never were caught by the vampires who could sniff them out. The girl's heels echoed throughout the living area of the DuMort, only to meet the awful taste of leather, and soaked gelled hair that stalked forward. Brad.
Jace ran ahead of Malia planning to block her away from Brad who no doubt had the intention and nature to kill. "Malia!" The blonde warned.
"You!" Brad pointed directly towards the Adams who's eyes widened at the sight of him, not expecting it to be so soon for them to reunite. Jace had been tackled to the ground by vampires who were happy enough to tackle him to the ground after the invasion. Brad had managed to get a grip around Malia causing a gasp to escape her lips as his grip had tightened. "Just ran 30 blocks to get here before I freaking burned to death in the sun! You missed your ride, angel doll." Brad had turned Malia around to face him, gripping her tightly by her wrist with a glare on his face. "Why'd you go with him, huh? You really know how to hurt a guy."
Brad's hand raised believing he could get her back underneath his trance as his fingers moved. But the shocking response of a chuckle had made him think maybe he didn't have impact on the teen no longer. "I hear that a lot." Malia commented before she brought her knee up to the groin of Brad, sending him to the ground in pain.
As a groan escaped his lips whilst trying to gather his strength up from the area that hurt even when having strength, Malia believed she could get to Jace and help him. The blonde rolled about on the floor with the vampires, and as his back smacked against the ground, his eyes trailed to Brad who had rose to his feet. "Malia, look out!" A shriek escaped Malia's lips as soon as a hand wrapped tightly around her throat, and she was carried, the tip of her boots dragging across the floor until she was slammed against the wall.
Brad had pulled her away from the wall, before heavily slamming her back into it. "Bitch, you're finished!"
"The blade!" Jace called out for Malia to use.
Malia tried to reach for her only weapon she carried on her, but before she could Brad had caught her wrist forcefully pulling her hand away. The tight grip had caused her to gasp before her eyes flickered towards him, finding him licking his top line of teeth. His fangs were inches away from embedding into the Adams' neck before an ear piercing scream had erupted through the Hotel DuMort, and Jace was positive it had rattled the place. The wailing ran through the entire building, catching hearing of not just the vampires but Clary, Ben, Alec and Isabelle.
The vampire had stumbled back, letting go of the teen, who landed back onto the soul of her feet. Brad had his hands pressing against his ears trying to drown out the scream, and as so were the vampires who had attacked Jace. Malia had swiftly pulled out her blade before twirling it between her fingers until she had stabbed it into Brad's stomach, he inhaled sharply before he vaporised into red ashes.
The vampire that stalked towards her, had caused her face to harden before she ducked at the fist swinging in her direction and her leg had sipped his, causing his back to connect to the floor. The tip of seraph blade embedded into his chest, and which had mimicked the red ashes that Brad had turned into. Malia flicked the loose strands of hair out of her face before hearing the snarl behind her, making her slow turn on her feet to face yet another vampire with nature to kill. With the thought of fighting it off, it had been demolished as with a shot of an arrow by Alec had caused its death.
Jace's eyes narrowed on Malia, he had watched her fight off two vampires, and he never thought she'd be able to get to that level so fast given who she was and how she was brought up. He was captivated by her, by her fast and smart movements, and that she looked like a warrior. Being a shadowhunter was perfect for her, but he knew that there was something else about her he needed to figure out.
Malia's cracked a small smile towards Jace before her head turned to look at Alec who had saved her life. "Thank you." She told him.
Isabelle had left her brother's side to stand by Jace's only amazed just the same as not only Jace was but as so was Clary. "She did great, right?"
"Yeah, you did." Jace agreed. "You should be proud."
"We have no time to waste." Malia told as she took a slow step back. "We need to find Simon."
Clary nodded in agreement from where she stood beside Ben. "Let's go." She encouraged.
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FINDING SIMON WAS a priority, and getting him out of there was one too. Malia didn't secretly blame herself for what Simon had gotten involved in and she questioned if this world was meant for him, if he was just going to get caught. If memory wipe was a thing, then maybe it'd be a good option. Her thinking deep in thought hadn't allowed her to notice that Simon stood in the middle of a living room, with a vampire behind him, and a steel blade pressed against his throat. "Simon!" Clary cried out as she ran forward, after she had her own kill of vampires, she wasn't afraid to add another to her list.
Ben had caught the redhead from running any further, as it could to Simon's death. "Maybe that's not such a good idea." He told her.
"Listen to him, Clary Fairchild." The vampire warned, before his eyes flickered to the amount of weapons drawn out. "Put it away. I've had more than enough of your friend for one day. I'd love to cut his throat. Don't give me a reason." As Jace had taken a step forward, the vampire only protested. "Put it away!" The tip of the blade then pointed towards Malia who's eyes narrowed on the vampire questioning his intentions. "You got quite the scream, Malia." He commented.
"Simon." Clary called after the Lewis who had stiffened within the hold that could lead him to his death. "Simon, are you all right?"
"I wouldn't say alright-"
The vampire pressed the blade closer to his skin, stopping him from any rambles which he had listened to already throughout the night. "Stop talking!" He warned. "Now...if you would all just follow me." Malia was hesitant as she planned to take a step forward as the vampire hurried backwards. "Let's go!" He demanded.
They all made sure that they kept to speed with the vampire and Simon, worried for whatever could happen next. "What's he doing?" Malia asked as her head turned to Jace hoping he had some answers as it seemed he did to everything.
"I don't know."
The grip on Simon didn't loosen by the vampire, as he continued to leave them through the Hotel DuMort, coming towards an exit. "Come on, let's go! Up here now!" Malia could feel her palms beginning to sweat, as the demands were continued to be barked towards her. "That's right, get down there now! Get down there or I'll kill him right now!" The vampire threatened.
"Look," Clary's silence had been broken. "we're not gonna hurt you. We just want Simon."
"I'm glad you do. We don't! We wanted you."
Clary had stepped forward just as Ben's arms wrapped around her waist to pull her back. "Well, here I am."
"Stop!" The vampire snapped. "I said 'wanted.' Not my idea. Now, get out! Go!"
Malia's head shook in protest, there was no way she was going to leave her best friend to his death. "We're not leaving here without Simon."
"Shut up! Open that door right now or I'll kill him right here--."
"Listen to him!" Jace barked, and which had caused Alec to swing open the door to their exist.
"But Simon will die if--."
Simon's head shook as the vampire hid away from the sunlight. "Malia," Her hazel eyes flickered towards her best friend with a frown. "go!"
"Go! Go! Go!" Malia had sprinted out of the door as Isabelle had gripped onto her wrist trying to get her out of the building as the worst could happen to the mundane.
As soon as Malia had turned to face the door, Simon running towards her had cause her to sigh in relief. Her hand had wrapped around his arm before tugging him away from the Hotel DuMort. But her mind wondered to why the vampire had let him go. The Lewis' arms had wrapped around Malia who held onto him tightly from relief, but the boy couldn't help but begin to panic, pulling himself away from the Adams. "Shouldn't we get the hell out of here?" Simon asked.
Ben's brows knitted together in confusion. "Why, Simon?"
"They're right downstairs." Simon exclaimed.
"Let them come after us." Ben shrugged as he came to know that it was light outside. "They'll just turn into a bunch of fried eggs out here. Didn't you say that you watch movies?"
Simon had calmed before he looked down at Malia. "We were so afraid we were going to lose you." Malia admitted before her head rested on his chest within the embrace he held for her.