Heya!
Sorry I haven't updated in a while, I've been exhausted so please bare with me, I may be updating slower these days!
Anyways, I hope you enjoy the chapter <3 I updated the cover.
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'I need to get back to the institute, talk some sense into my brother.' Izzy notified us as we stood outside Hotel Du Mort. 'Take care of him.' She looked from Meliorn to me and I nodded, 'we will.' The two shared a not-so-PG kiss and the dark haired beauty disappeared into the shadows.
Meliorn's soft voice broke the silence, 'Isabelle told me it was your idea to rally the Downworlders,I hear you spearheaded my rescue, thank you Ebony Morgenstern.' He smiled lightly towards me. I blushed, 'you give me too much credit, your girlfriend made this happen, we just helped.' I blushed under the collective attention of the mysterious Seelie, Jace and Raphael.
'She's being modest.' Raph's velvety voice gave me goosebumps and I fought back another blush. He hadn't spoken to me since the City of bones and it made me feel a little uneasy. 'She blushes,' Meliorn smiled teasingly at me and traced my flushed cheek with his finger in a curious manner, more friendly than anything else. Izzy told me he could be like that so I simply shrugged it off, Raphael however did not dismiss this action, a low growl resonated from behind me where he stood and Meliorn's devious eyes lit up with amusement but he said nothing.
'I have been surprised by more than one shadowhunter tonight.' He spoke to Jace this time and Jace nodded blankly, 'you risked everything to unite us.' His eyes darted back to mine.
'Right after you tried to sell her out.' Jace snapped, Meliorn's smile turned apologetic, 'not my finest moment. Which is why I'm offering you a gift...for your sacrifice. If you're ready, I can help you find your father.' He proposed calmly as if he hadn't just offered to help me find my father...Valentine.
I looked to Jace for reassurance, he shared my shocked expression.
...
'I wish I could come with you.' Raphael told me with a pained look, well mildly pained...he always looked so composed, that was, if he wasn't kissing me. Expectedly, thoughts of kissing Raphael invaded my mind and I scolded my hormonal girliness. But who could blame me, look at the guy; his deep black eyes that looked like the entrance to the universe, his sharp cheekbones would put Chuck Bass himself to shame and his amazing full lips, well, they were just daring me to kiss them. Beyond that though was the perceptive, thoughtful aura that made me feel like he was watching everyones moves, totally in control and it was so sexy.
'I'll be fine.' I reassured him as he stared down at me intensely in the empty alley way; Jace and Meliorn were waiting for me a block away.
Raphael pulled me into his chest and kissed my temple, inhaling deeply as he sniffed me as if to take all of me in. I pushed away from his chest a little and he looked down at me with confusion and hurt but these emotions were soon replaced with affection as my lips made contact with his. Our lips moved in sync and his palms made contact with my neck. It was soft and caring, I used the kiss as a means to reassure him, relax him, tell him that I would be alright. He pulled away though, 'I should go.' He whispered, biting onto his plump lip. My ovaries melted, 'just kiss me.' I begged him in a whisper and something that looked like lust flashed in his eyes. He took me roughly by the waist and suddenly my back was pressed up against the street wall. He pressed his flexing chest against my giddy one and I was sure he could hear heart skyrocketing as desire consumed me, I wanted more.
His lips tackled mine and I moaned a loud and shameful moan. The kiss was urgent, pleading. 'You're killing me señora.' He whisper moaned against my lips and it was my undoing...well it would have been, only Jace's footsteps sounded, rounding the corner and I pulled away politely, if he did like me, I wasn't going to rub it in his face, not that he hadn't seen Raph and I kiss before but I didn't want to hurt his feelings. Raphael pulled me back in an instant, though and I didn't resist; I couldn't even if I wanted to, he had me in the palm of his hand and I was thriving off it. I immersed my hands in his thick hair eliciting another moan or two from him and he pressed his hands up against the stone wall. I suddenly forgot all about Jace, about the cup about Valentine and everything else but Jace cleared his throat, snapping me back to reality. Raphael's head snapped in his direction and he didn't bother hiding his glare. I slapped Raphael's chest and gave him a scolding look and his eyes softened when they met mine; he sighed, letting the scowl fall.
'Take care of her.' He spoke curtly and I internally winced at the blanket of tension falling over us.
Jace gritted his teeth, 'I always do.'
...
Entering the portal, I found myself in a kitchen...our old family kitchen opposite two figures; a bald man and...my mother. It was them. It was my parents! 'Now tell me about this new boy...where does he live?' Valentine's voice was calm and curious but his eyes held a devilish look that caused my Mom to look at him suspiciously, 'oh Val! Give the girl a break!' She hit him over the back of the head and rolled her eyes. Valentine laughed and shot me a cheeky look, a look I tried to avoid...he was Valentine...alternate universe or not, he was a murderer. I froze up. He was right there. How could I trust him?
As time passed, I loosened up a little, reminding myself that he wasn't a threat here and that I had a mission. My parents looked content and peaceful. If I had ever dreamt of what the perfect family would act like, I guess it would have been like that. It was easy to just be, everything seemed calm and happy. There was no danger, no hate, no murderous father...no Shadow world.
...
'Where have you been chika! I've been texting you like crazy!' Isabelle practically yelled at me from the picnic table everyone gathered round. I scanned the gathering; Izzy looked like an adorable nerd in her big glasses and Star Wars T-shirt, Alec looked like an ordinary guy with his messy hair and loose hoody...Nora would melt...but wait, who was that sat on his lap? The blonde beauty herself turned round and grinned at me, 'hey babe! You better still be coming to mine tonight to get ready?' She told me, in more of an order than a question, as usual, 'urm...ready for what?'
'That isn't the least bit funny,' Izzy began explaining the Institute's anniversary party she planned for tonight but I tuned out as I watched my best friend turn around and lock lips with Alec freaking Lightwood. The two moved in sync as they enjoyed one and others company like a young couple. I watched them, grinning a little.
'Stop staring Eb, I'm not going to hurt her.' Alec told me playfully as he tucked her hair gently behind her ear, smiling sweetly into her eyes the entire time. I grinned at the two, they looked so...perfect.
'Hey beautiful...' A deep husky voice whispered into my ear as two muscular arms snaked round my waist, Jace? I turned round in the blonde's arms, confused and he pecked me on the nose. He had a cheeky glint in his eyes. 'Why are you-' I was cut off when his lips found mine and he kissed me passionately. I couldn't lie, he was a good kisser but not as good as Raphael, whom I found myself unconsciously comparing him to. No one was as good as Raphael as far as I was concerned, he was so...ugh I don't know he just oozed sex! Speaking of, I realised that Raph wouldn't be a vamp in this dimension and would be...well, old or probably dead since there wasn't a supernatural world here meaning I guess that he would never have been turned or killed by the Vampires that killed his brothers. I saddened at the though. Whilst I always regarded Raphael as a Vampire rather than trying to make him seem human, the idea that he was killed so young with his siblings...well, it made my heart sink. It was awful.
'W-why are you- why did you kiss me?'I all but stammered in the blonde's hold, Jace laughed, 'can't I kiss my girlfriend?'
My eyes widened...'girlfriend?'
He tilted his head curiously, 'oh right! Girlfriend!' I pretended avoiding suspicion, 'yeah silly! I can't believe I'm meeting your parents tonight.' His face paled a little. 'Right, me neither.' I smiled, hoping he wouldn't kiss me again; not because it was bad or anything but because I felt like I was being unfaithful to Raphael even though we weren't dating. I knew my heart belonged to him.
...
'What are we even looking for?' I asked Magnus 2.0 as we searched the institute basement for the portal. 'I'll know it when I see it.'
'What if this doesn't work?' I grabbed his arm nervously. He turned to me, cupping my cheeks, 'it will work.' He reassured as Jace stormed in the room with a hurt expression. I looked at our embrace and realised it looked...suspicious. 'Jace this isn't what it-' I began.
'You know if you were having second thoughts, you could've just told me, instead of coming down here and hooking up with some guy.' He interjected anger all over his face.
'Jace this isn't exactly a good time-'
'Really because you know when would be a good time for me? Never. Don't ever call me again!' He hissed, face dripping with hurt. It wasn't real but it broke my heart and I was ready to reach out to him when a demon appeared and lunged for Magnus. Even though I had little combat training, I protectively jumped in front of him, I couldn't help it. Now that I was in the demon's path, it grabbed me and shoved me into the wall...I had the air knocked out of me, my whole body burned but I forced myself to stand. My side throbbed...
...
Jace's POV:
Stepping through the portal I was faced with a site I was honestly not ready for...
Ebony was lying lifeless in Magnus' arms, blood seeping from her side onto the stone floor of what looked to be the Institute's basement. My heart stopped, jaw hitting the floor. The girl I loved was a bag of bones, the deathly pale hue to her skin contrasted hauntingly with the bright red blood seemed to be everywhere. I wanted to freeze up but years of field experience and training kicked me up the ass. I moved.
'What happened?!' I yelled with a mixture of terror and fury as I rushed over to them, Magnus was bought out of his healing chants which clearly weren't working. 'A demon came through the portal and went for me, she blocked it and...well... it attacked her.' He looked horrified, 'I used my magic to take it down.' He told me shakily pointing to the gargoyle of a thing in a heap on the floor, 'but I can't seem to heal her.' His voice broke and my heart dropped. 'What?'
My body froze up. Holy shit! I wanted to break at the sight- wait what? Get a grip of yourself man! That girl is seriously screwing with my brain. Help her!
I couldn't rune her without my steele so I scooped her up and told Magnus to make the portal. Her pulse was deathly slow and I worried for the worst. I couldn't help it. I whispered encouraging things to her softly, 'you're going to be okay, I'm gonna get you better,' but I knew those words were more for me; I was reassuring myself...I couldn't- I wouldn't loose her!
Stepping through the swirly matter, I scanned the dark setting, it looked like some sort of factory...lord knows what Valentine was concocting here. I used my hearing and heightened vision runes but couldn't pick up any danger so I simply laid her on a metal table next to all the weird potions. I ripped her shirt off and used my steele to draw a new healing rune, one on the area would be most effective. She sturred a little. 'Eb?'
'Yeah?' She croaked, I sighed with relief, my heart swelling. I found myself secretly thanking a god I didn't know I believed in. I couldn't fight the smile or the waves of relief and joy that wanted to swallow me up. I stroked her hair out of her pretty face and helped her up. She was limp and out of it as her eyes fluttered about. Suddenly a banging sound resonated through the warehouse. I inspected her face, she looked like she could hold herself up now as she stared at me with those big green eyes. I set her up gently, 'I'll be right back,' I reassured and went to investigate the black cupboard from where the sound was coming.
I flung open the door, seraph blade raised and my jaw dropped yet again, 'Perle?' The brunette looked up to me, face marked with bruises and dirt. It looked like she didn't recognise me, 'its me, Jace.' I told her, helping her up, 'what are you doing here-' my words were cut off when I heard a commotion on the metal table. My head shot to Eb in an instant who had passed out again...shit.