2. Roar
(Clary and Sebastian Morgenstern)
2. Roar
13 years later
“If you move, you are going to ruin the make-up.” Warned Magnus, holding her chin up with one hand and the eyeliner with the other. He was eyeing her face critically, tilting it to the side to see if the eyeliner was even on both sides. Satisfied, he put it down and took the mascara with the other hand.
The girl sighed. “You know, that’s not what I had in mind when I agreed to you doing my make-up today.” She told him, and huffed when the man trapped her again.
Magnus rolled his eyes. “You will thank me, later. If there is a later.” He added, looking a little gloomy. The girl chuckled.
“Oh come on! It’s my 16th birthday! Tessa will understand.” She told him, and he huffed.
“You haven’t known her for as long as I have. She and Ragnor are convinced that they are your actual adoptive parents, and she will lynch me if something happens to you. And I will have the blame if you suddenly die at the party.” He reminded her, with a grimace. The make-up looked great so far. “They already think I’m a bad influence for both of you.”
The girl pulled out when he finally let her chin go, and ran a hand through her fierce red hair. Magnus tutted and took her hand with his ring filled and polished one. “Nail polish.” He decided, taking a pretty transparent one from the cabinet. “Another coat won’t really hurt.”
The doorbell rang then, and Magnus frowned. “It might be Catarina. Or Tessa. Which means, I’m officially dead. She will kill me. Clary, do something.”
Clary looked at him with a fond and exasperated gaze. They heard the sound of the front door opening, and a few seconds later the door of Magnus’ bedroom opened. Two boys were standing there, peering inside curiously.
The boys were almost the same height, one with hair so blond it looked like platinum and pretty green eyes, and the other with brunette hair and chocolate brown eyes framed by a pair of nerd glasses. The blond one was wearing a pair of tailor fitted dark trousers and a white shirt with a dark waistcoat on top. The shirt had rolled up sleeves that showed an almost translucent skin, devoid of any scars.
The other boy was wearing a printed shirt and tight black jeans, with a jacket on top. He looked at the Clary with shining eyes. “Wow, Clary! You look great!” he told her, admiring the way the blue dress fell to her knees. Her hair was held up in a bun, and she had a simple necklace on her neck: a chain with a ring on it. Other than that, she had a silver bracelet on her wrist that looked the same as the one on the blond boy’s wrist.
She smiled at him, and pulled him in a hug. “You’ll ruin my masterpiece!” complained Magnus, and the blond rolled his eyes at him.
“Thank you, Simon.” She said, and the brunette beamed.
He pulled out of the hug and reached for a bag that lay abandoned at his feet. “Happy birthday, Clarissa.” He said, as he handed it to her. “16 at long last.” He added, and she punched him gently on the arm.
She looked inside the bag, already knowing what she would find. Still, the set of colours and art supplies was a nice thought from Simon. She was so going to oil paint him and Magnus one day.
“Are we going now or…?” asked the blond boy, leaning on the doorway.
Magnus sighed. “I wanted to add a coat of nail polish…” said the man, wistfully, and the boy rolled his eyes again. It seemed to be his standard answer to anything Magnus said.
Magnus lit up then, as Clary stood up and did an experimental twirl. She looked petite and exquisite like this, but they all knew how actually capable she was of protecting herself. He reached behind him in his jewellery shelf, and held out a necklace with a big sapphire on it.
“Happy birthday, Clarissa!” He announced, and put the necklace on her. Clary smiled, and then the blond boy walked up to her.
“One last touch.” He decided, and let her hair down on her shoulders. He smiled at her. “You look great, little sis.” He told her, and she held up her hand. He put his bigger one on hers and gave her a gentle squeeze.
“If you’re done with your brotherly bonding, we could start making our way to Pandemonium.” Called out Simon, and now it was Clary’s turn to roll her eyes. She grabbed her brother’s hand and together, they walked out of the room.
The trip to Pandemonium wasn’t too long. Magnus was sitting in the cab with them, looking a little sick. His make-up was still startlingly good. “I am going to die. When Catarina and the rest find out, I am going to die. They will kill me. How will I explain to Tessa that I let you convince me into renting the Pandemonium, allowed you to write the guest list and let you have- horror- fun?” he asked, looking at Simon for some sort of help.
The brunette shrugged. “I don’t know. Don’t slip?” and then he turned to look at Clary, sitting next to him. “This is the day, Clary. Today is the day I will conquer Raphael’s heart.” He told her, visibly jumping in his seat.
Sebastian looked back at him from where he was staring out of the window. “He doesn’t have a heart.” He pointed out, and Simon shrugged.
“He will finally love me.” He told him, and Sebastian shook his head.
“He doesn’t even like you. He barely stands Clarissa and Magnus. The only people he likes that are not vampires are me and Ragnor.” The blond said smugly, and Simon scowled.
“Get your grabby hands off my man. He does like me, and he’s just shy.” He told him, confidently. Clary huffed a laugh at the idea of Raphael being shy, and Simon nudged her. “You are supposed to be on my side! I made you this friendship bracelet!” he said, pointing at her naked wrist, and Clary giggled.
“Now, children… could we go back to the important matters? Like my upcoming death?” asked Magnus, and Sebastian rolled his eyes and looked out of the window in answer.
Finally, their car stopped outside Pandemonium, the biggest club of the place. The place looked the same as usual, except for the larger than usual group of people standing outside in line. Magnus looked at them irritated, and seized Simon’s hand. The boy looked alarmed. “Wait, what…?” he started, but the warlock was already dragging him through the sea of people standing.
Sebastian and Clary walked behind them, hands together as they strode after Magnus. The bodyguard recognized them and opened the door for them. He smiled warmly at Clary. “Happy birthday, Clary.” He called, and she beamed at him.
And then they were inside. The party was already in full swing, many people that Clary recognized from school dancing around. There were a few of Magnus’ friends too, werewolves and vampires alike. Maia Roberts, a werewolf friend of her with a long crush on Simon stopped in front of her and smiled. “Clary! Happy birthday!” she called, enveloping her in a hug.
Clary had to stand on her toes to hug her properly, but she didn’t mind. Sebastian grinned at her and pointed to where a group of his friends were clearly waiting for him, and made his departure.
Magnus took that as his cue to leave and sat down at his usual sit, looking away at the people standing around. And that’s when he spotted him. A boy with striking blue eyes and dark hair, striding through the room. He was clearly looking for someone, his dark clothes almost making him blend in with the surrounding.
He didn’t notice Magnus looking at him, at first. And when he did, his eyes widened and he looked ready to bolt. Except he didn’t. He stayed there, and when Magnus waved at him, he waited a second before waving back.
Magnus forced his eyes away from the boy, pretending not to notice the way the blue eyed beauty’s gaze lingered on him. He took a deliberate sip of his drink, his heart almost giving a flutter. That boy, with his striking looks and bashful behaviour had sure caught his attention.
He noticed then Simon, dancing not too far away from where Raphael and his group were. The vampire clan was looking at him intensely, but Simon pretended not to notice, although his flushed cheeks gave him away.
He was dancing with a taller boy whose name he didn’t remember. He could feel Raphael looking at him, but the vampire made no move to approach him. After a while, he stopped and made his way towards the bar, too thirsty to function.
The man he was dancing with, followed him wordlessly, and Simon gave him a wary glance as he ordered. He couldn’t help but flinch when he put a hand on his shoulder, pressing tighter than he should have for no reason and growling at the barista.
A werewolf. Dandy. He looked at the man in what he hoped wasn’t a threatening manner. “Uhm… you can… leave if you want to?” he asked, and winced when he felt the werewolf’s grip tightening on his shoulder.
“He dismissed you.” A familiar voice said from behind them, a voice that Simon would recognise from anywhere. He looked behind him to find Raphael, arms crossed staring at him with his eyes narrowed.
The werewolf growled, but he seemed more scared than threatening. Raphael flashed his fangs, and the werewolf was gone with a wail. Simon let out a sigh, and Raphael gave him a flat look. “Your jacket is ruined.” He told him, and when Simon shrugged, he took off his own and handed it to him. “It’s cold. Put it on.”
“Uh, bossy. I like it.” Announced the brunette, and he could have sworn that Raphael’s lips twitched. He put on the jacket, and threw the other on the counter. He sighed at the two long claw marks on it. “Mum will kill me.” He confided, and Raphael rolled his eyes at him.
Clary appeared then with Eric in tow. Simon loved the girl, but she had terrible timing. She glanced at Raphael and pursed her lips. “Raphael.” She said.
Raphael smirked. “Valentine’s daughter.” He replied, and she scowled at him.
“Don’t say that.” She said through gritted teeth, as she shoved poor Eric to Simon. “Have you seen Magnus?” she asked then, frowning.
Raphael pointed at where the warlock was standing, talking to a blushing dark haired boy. Magnus seemed pleased. Clary arched an eyebrow. “For someone apparently on his death bed he seems awfully happy.” She commented, and then she spotted a familiar head not too far away. “Lily!” she called, rushing to her vampire friend.
Raphael watched her ran to her friend, and then turned back to Magnus. He was watching the blue eyed boy with a rapt attraction and Raphael tensed. Nope. Not a mundane. Last time Magnus had crushed on a mundane, he had spent about twenty years moping trying to forget him.
Simon was looking at him with insistence. When Raphael looked at him, the brunette smiled. “One dance?” he asked, offering. This was a bad idea.
He nodded, and looked at the way he lit up. A very bad idea indeed.
Sebastian spotted the demon with no trouble at all. He had seen him walking in the room, his human façade not fooling him for an instant. He had made sure of catching the demon’s attention, and had smiled when the dark haired girl finally looked at him. They crossed eyes, and he arched an eyebrow.
He put down his drink and looked at his friend Lucas. “Tell Clarissa that I’m putting down my claim.” He ordered, before walking slowly and purposefully toward the necessity room of the club. He could see the girl following him and he didn’t pause as he slid in the room.
The demon slipped in a few seconds later, and looked at him with a smile on his human face, twirling her hair. Sebastian grinned back, as he moved to stand before her. “Hi.” He breathed, and the demon shuddered with a pleased smile. Then, the blond took a kindjal out of his waistcoat, and cut the necklace on the demon’s neck.
The change was instantaneous. Where first stood a pretty girl, now where two grey masses of good that looked like crocodiles. If crocodiles had a human face and their tails were any similar to scorpions’ tails.
“Rhapsody demons.” Realised Sebastian, scowling at the beasts at his feet. They hissed, moving at opposite ends of the room.
The boy moved forward, a blade in his hand. It was long and sharp, disguised as a cufflink. There was a red M on the handle, that showed the family it belonged to. Morgenstern.
He moved fast, almost as fast than vampires did, and obviously faster than the demons. He kicked one away with his leg and slashed the second, sending his blood splashing on the floor.
He had underestimated the demons, he thought, as the first one slashed at him, sending his bracelet flying away. Sebastian bared his teeth, and hit him again, before burying the blade in it. Before he could even triumph at the death, the second demon attacked him.
It pushed the boy on the floor and pushed the blade off his hand, roaring at him. Sebastian was ready to push him off when a blade suddenly appeared, falling deep into the monster’s body. The demon bursted and disappeared, leaving the blade a few millimetres away from his face.
It wasn’t Clary. It was a boy, around his age, with blonde hair and eyes so light blue that they seemed ice. He was looking at the boy under him with a look of annoyed curiosity, his blade not wavering. “And who are you?” he asked.
Clary was talking to her friend Bella when she noticed her brother walking away, towards a service door. She then rolled her eyes as she saw a pretty girl following him. Trust Sebastian to find a way to hook up even at his sister’s birthday party.
She then noticed them. A girl and a boy, with dark hair the first and fair the second, walking purposefully slow towards where her brother and the girl had disappeared. She noticed, even from a distance, their runes. Shadowhunters.
She started moving without even noticing, grabbing Simon as she walked away. The boy complained, but she ignored him, dragging him along, her eyes on the other two. She spotted Magnus and she stopped next to him, looking as the two nodded at the blue eyed boy the warlock was hitting on and disappear inside.
She looked at the warlock with a fixed gaze. “Shadowhunters. Real ones. They followed Sebastian. The blue eyed boy is also one.” He told him, and he saw Magnus frowning. He peered at the dark haired boy and finally managed to see the runes under the glamour. He sighed, but Clary had already taken off.
“She owes me a date.” Grumbled Simon, looking wishfully at where Raphael had disappeared. Magnus nodded his approval. “And me.” He added, as he followed her.
Clary walked past the blue eyed boy, who frowned, and made to stop her. Magnus put his hand on his. “You are so cute, and I’m so sorry for this.” He told him.
The dark haired boy made to speak, but Magnus moved swiftly. He grabbed him by the hand, and tripped him, sending him falling on the floor. He grabbed the boy’s bows, who had appeared once the glamour had faded, and moved away quickly.
Simon fell on his knees next to the boy and started making a rucus. “Oh my god! Somebody help! He fainted, and fell down, what should I do! Help! An ambulance!” he called, slipping the boy’s stele in his back pocket.
The dark haired boy started shaking his head, a little dizzy, but a crowd had already formed around them.
Magnus reached Clary at the door and the girl pulled out a stele from her pocket. She drew a soundless rune on her palm, and opened the door. There was a girl standing, her back to Clary and Magnus, and a whip in her hands.
And there was a boy, standing over Sebastian, his blade glowing and a few inches from Sebastian’s chin. Clary didn’t panic.
The blonde boy was staring down at Sebastian, a lazy look. “Who are you?” he asked, touching him with the blade. “You see demons, and you are unmarked, and yet you have a Shadowhunter blade with you?” he spoke slowly, eyes never wavering from Sebastian.
The girl with dark hair made her whip hiss, and when she spoke she sounded bored. “Can we just get him and report him to the Clave?” she asked, pursing her lips. “I’m tired, Jace.”
The boy, Jace, chuckled. “Well, Izzy… we can’t really until he says something. Like his name.” he pushed the blade a little further, a tickle of blood appearing. Sebastian didn’t wince. “What’s your name, cutie?”
That’s when Clary attacked. Izzy turned, the sudden movement catching her attention, as the red haired girl kicked her in the stomach, sending her flying to the wall.
“Ah!” she shouted, more out of shock than pain, and Jace looked up, startled. That moment of hesitation was all Sebastian needed.
With a twist of his arms, he pushed up with his knees, sending Jace off himself. “Phaesphoros!” called Clary, as she threw Sebastian’s sword in the air. Sebastian leaped in the air, catching the sword mid-air and ending up graciously on his feet next to Clary.
The red head, holding Heosphoros and him holding Phaesphoros looked like two fallen angels, pure fire burning in their green eyes. Magnus looked a little nervous. “Please tell your friend that I’m so sorry.” He told them, throwing the bag with Alec’s arrows at them.
Jace looked outraged. “What have you done to Alec?”
Magnus lit up. “Alec? Is that his name? short for Alexander, maybe?” he asked, but shut up when Clary glanced at him. “Well, we’ve gotta go.” With a simple gesture of his hands, he made the light bulbs in the room explode, and Izzy and Jace flinched away. a few moments later, the sound of an alarm sounded in the room.
When they looked back up, the trio had disappeared, the alarm still ringing.
Alec appeared at the doorway mere seconds later, his hair ruffled and his cheeks flushed. “What happened?” asked the dark haired boy, looking from his sister, who was holding his arrows to his parabatai, who was inspecting an item on the floor. “My arrows! Do you also have my stele?” he asked, taking the object from Izzy’s hand.
Jace shook his head, and picked up a silver bracelet from the floor. He had a peculiar look on his face. “I bet we can find it.” He told him, confident.
He slipped the jewel in his pocket.