6. Monsters
6. Monsters - Ruelle
Raphael looked down at the body in his arms, a lump in his throat. Simon. Stupid attractive mundane, that just walked into a Vampire den as if it was something he did all the time and wasn’t a big deal.
Raphael had been in his own room, reading, when the door of Hotel Dumort opened. Clary had told him that he’d never manage to finish a manga series before her, and of course he couldn’t simply let go. She had actually said “I might be the fastest manga reader on Earth” but Raphael recognised a challenge when he saw one. So he had asked her the titles of the books and bought them. He was currently at the 3rd and Clary at the 4th, but he was still going strong.
He didn’t give any attention to the open door at first. It was pretty usual for Sebastian or Clary to come barging in, no invitation needed and no question asked, to just ‘hang out’. Which usually meant Sebastian hooking up with one of the others and Clary ganging up with Lily and Elliot against him.
But then he didn’t hear anyone greeting them, so he paused and listened in. He could hear it. A human heart beat. For a moment he continued to read. It wasn’t against the law for a vampire to attack a human if he walked in vampire territory and that was what the fool had done. But there was something familiar about the heartbeat. Something that set alarm bells in Raphael’s brain the moment he heard the sound of someone sucking blood. He froze, then dashed down the stairs, his fangs outstretched. His vision went red.
Laying on the floor, with three vampires on him, was Simon. His glasses were sitting broken on the floor and his eyes were closed. His brown hair as untidy as usual, and he looked so peacefully asleep. The jacket Raphael had lent him the day before was laying on the floor under him. Knowing the brunette, he had probably come to give it back to Raphael. The fool.
In a moment Raphael was on him, pushing the other vampires out of the way. Lily, who had appeared after Raphael had made his entrance, shook her head at the offended vampires. “You idiots! This is Clary’s best friend!” She hissed, and the vampires recoiled. Of course they knew who Clary was. Her and Sebastian were famous among the Brooklyn downworlders.
Raphael wasn’t listening. All he could think of was that Simon didn’t deserve it. If there was someone in the world who deserved good things, then it was Simon. Simon, who acted like an overeager puppy most of the times. Simon, with his nerdy shirts, and stupid band names, and obsession with Downworlders. There was still a low heartbeat, but Raphael was no fool. Simon was not going to wake up from the floor. At least not like he was before. He reached for Simon’s phone and dialled Clary’s number. It was not his choice or hers, but she was closer to him.
He tried to keep himself detached and professional, but his long frozen heart keep contracting in pain at the pitiful sight of Simon. Simon who was so beautiful even when on the brick of death.
‘You’ve reached Clary Fray’s number…’ Raphael threw the phone to the wall, with fury. What was he to do? He couldn’t let Simon die. He just couldn’t. With his fangs he cut his wrist and let a few droplets of blood fall into the boy’s mouth. Simon’s hand twitched, and Raphael grabbed it. The human held on his hand like a lifesaver, and Raphael noticed with surprise that he was crying. There were tears and blood in his eyes. He remained there, unmoving, waiting for the sun to fall down. The rest of the vampires, even Lily, Elliot and Vlad left, leaving him with Simon alone. He found that he hardly cared. If he had had a heart, it would have been broken. And when Simon’s heart finally stopped, it was like his own heart had stopped beating again.
Raphael walked slowly towards the Jewish cemetery. He had called Sebastian with his own phone afterwards and told him concisely to wait for him at the cemetery. Simon was Jewish, after all.
He spotted them, standing uneasily at the gate of the cemetery, looking lost. Clary was shivering in the night, her short white dress and red hair making her look a little like a ghost. Sebastian looked more like the angel of the dead. His clothes old looking and dark and his so pale complexion made him stood out. Sebastian was the first one to spot him. His frown turned into a horrified expression at seeing Simon, dead in his arms. He swore, and Clary turned to look.
“Simon!” Screamed the girl, before making a move to him. Sebastian’s hand shot out to hold her and Raphael was grateful. Just how many times was his dead heart going to break in one day?
Raphael stopped in front of them and spoke. His voice surprised him too. It was toneless and completely dead. “Simon came into Hotel Dumort and was attacked.” He said, and Clary’s eyes filled with tears. She looked at Simon like you would look at a brother.
Sebastian’s expression was more detached. His eyes were on Raphael. “Is he dead or did you turn him?”
Raphael looked up at him. “I-I tried to call Clary. To ask. B-but she didn’t answer. I turned him.” His voice shook this time, and Raphael blinked away the tears. He had cried enough times already. Sebastian nodded and moved Clary out of the way. The red head went limp in his arms, gaze fixed on Simon’s figure. When her brother put her down and Raphael lay down Simon in front of her, she stared crying again. She held Simon’s head on her lap like a broken doll, calling his name softly as Raphael and Sebastian started opening a grave for him. Clary put a hand on his forehead, unnaturally cold to her touch.
She started speaking out loud without thinking. “I promised him that we were going to watch Lord Of The Rings this weekend. We had plans.” She gave a sharp laugh, that sounded wrong on her. “Coffee, then go hang around with Maia and Jordan. Maybe hit the mall. Watch a movie together. And now…” Her face changed, and it would have been comical if not so heart-breaking. “He’s d-dead.”
Her brother looked at Raphael, but the man didn’t look up from his work. Clary took a deep breath. “Simon… I love you so much, Simon. I’m so sorry. It’s my fault.”
“It’s not your fault, Valentine’s daughter. It’s my fault.” Interrupted her Raphael.
Clary shook her head. “I told him about Hotel Dumort and about how me and Sebastian go there all the time-”
“I gave him my jacket and he thought-”
“There is no point now to decide who’s to blame. It won’t do either of you any good.” His voice turned soft. “Just remember him as he was. Happy, joyful, kind… Annoying as fuck.” He dropped, and Raphael looked up at him in surprise.
Clary blinked away the tears. “He was a nerd.” She put in, wiping her tears.
Raphael licked his lips. “He had awful taste in jackets.” He said, and he and Clary shared a faint smile, remembering the same thing. Her shopping with Lily, Simon, Jordan and Raphael himself. It had dragged for hours because Simon wanted to stop every 10 secs because he found the perfect jacket for Raphael. The vampire had acted annoyed, but had been pleased by Simon’s constant attention.
“Remember when I was sick and Magnus appointed you to look after me?” said Clary, and Raphael smiled.
Clary had sat on the bed while Raphael stood at the door, bored. She had tried to convince him to let her go out, and when he had refused, she had blanked him out and started texting on her phone. That’s when Simon had appeared, coming in from the open window.
That had been the first time he had ever met Simon Lewis. The boy had landed in the room with a crash, and Clary had started laughing at the sight. Raphael had remained speechless, staring at him with his dark eyes.
Simon had stood up and grinned at Clary. “I heard my best friend was sick…” he trailed off when he finally saw Raphael. “Hot damn.” He almost whistled, and Raphael’s eyebrows shot up to his hairline.
“Clary, who is this?” he had asked, and she had grinned at him.
“Raphael, this is Simon, my best friend. Simon, this is Raphael, my nanny.” She had explained, and the vampire had glared at her.
Simon moved closer to Clary and whispered in her ear. “Is he… you know… different? Like you? Or like Magnus?” he had asked, and Raphael shuddered.
“I am neither like Magnus nor like Clary.” He wasn’t at all surprise that even though it was against the Law, Simon seemed to have some sort of knowledge about the Downworld.
“Have you see those killer teeth? He’s a vamp.” Told him Clary off handily, and Simon had grinned.
“That’s so sick, dude.” And that had been it. He had sat down next to Clary and forced, almost physically, Raphael to watch the movie with them.
Clary looked a little lost as they lowered Simon in the grave. She couldn’t do it. She couldn’t look at Simon, dead and being buried. She knew that it was hard for Raphael too, and for her brother. For all they joked and laughed, they were well aware of Raphael’s feelings for Simon. Only, Simon had been a mundane, and Raphael a vampire.
There was a part of her that couldn’t help but think that perhaps Raphael was happy now. Simon was going to become a vampire too, so they would never be separated again. But she knew better. She knew that for Raphael being a vampire had been a curse, and that he would never willingly turn another person into one. He would rather let them die.
But of course, he couldn’t let Simon die.
Sometimes, the decision we make under stress, are guided more from our hearts than out head.” Said a voice next to her. Clary looked up to see the man from her dream, standing not too far from her. He was looking at the tomb with a wistfull expression.
Clary looked at him. “I don’t suppose you can save Simon?” she asked, and he shook her head.
“I, myself, am cursed. My curse is a terrible one for a terrible sin. I understand the pain that vampire is going through.”
“Raphael.” Said Clary, and the man looked up to her, mildly surprised. “His name is Raphael.”
The man smiled. “Addressing a vampire with his Christian name. That’s unusual. But also, that’s the beauty of having a mind like yours, Clary.” He patted her hair. “You are destined to do good things, Clary. You and your brother.”
Clary blinked, and the man disappeared. Raphael was walking towards her, while Sebastian buried Simon inside. The vampire sat next to her. “He sent me away.” He explained, mechanically.
Clary shivered a little, and he shrugged of his jacket, handing it to her. She smiled a little and wrapped it around herself. “Thank you.” She whispered. When his face didn’t change, she inched closer to him, and put her head on his shoulder.
They stayed like that for a while, until Sebastian walked back to them. He didn’t ask them if they were alright. He just sat down on Raphael’s other side, and held his sister’s hand in his.
“What happens now?” asked Sebastian, and Raphael looked grim. “We wait.”
They remained sitting, silently waiting for hours. Sebastian and Clary weren’t sure what they were waiting for, but they trusted Raphael. The vampire hadn’t said a single word for a while, content with being sandwiched between the two Morgensterns.
When a breeze of cold air ran through the cemetery, making Clary shake at the contact with her naked legs, he finally rose. “You should go.” Said the vampire, and Sebastian stood up.
“Not a chance. You are not…” Raphael turned to look at him, daring him to say one word. Sebastian raised his chin in challenge. “You are obviously not ready to face-”
“I am the leader of the Vampire clan in New York.” Said Raphael, looking at his icily. “I am quite capable of handling a fledgling.” He answered.
Clary looked up to them, hugging her knees to her chest. “Good then, since we are not leaving.” She answered, and Raphael looked down at her in frustration.
“A new born vampire is bloodthirsty. He won’t even recognise you. The only thing that will matter to him is blood. I have bags of blood with me, of course.” He started, and then gave Sebastian a patented look. “But, if you are too close by, he might attack you.”
Clary knew that Raphael was right, but the idea of Simon- herSimon- attacking anyone, seemed too unrealistic to contemplate. A thought ran in her head. “You had been injured once, and starved. I was in a room with you while you were starved, and you didn’t lie a finger on me.” She said, and Raphael rolled his eyes.
“Because I’ve had more time to get used to it, to control it, idiota.” He said, in his usual condescending tone. “Simon will be a nene’, a fledgling. He won’t be able to control himself.”
“Which brings to the question, why are you doing this.” Said a voice behind them, and Clary was on her feet in a second. Raphael made to move forward, but Sebastian pushed his friend behind him, hand on his sword already.
Two familiar figures stepped out of the shadows. Isabelle and Jace. Jace looked at them and spoke conversional, as if it wasn’t a rare occurrence running on them after midnight in a Jewish cemetery. “You do know that it is against the Accords, killing a Mundane, right?” he asked.
Sebastian handed one of the swords he took from the Institute to Clary. “Well, Simon walked in the vampire den, so Raphael didn’t actually break any rule.” He told the blond, his posture not wavering for an instant.
Isabelle smiled at Clary. “Hey, Clary! How are you?” she asked, as if she everything was fine and they had just run into each other by accident.
Clay frowned. “I’ve been better.” She answered, and Isabelle smiled again.
“You’ve left quite a ruckus behind you.” She told them, playing with her bracelet. “Magnus was quite calm, but the other woman, Catarina, she was furious.” She told them, and Sebastian groaned.
Raphael smiled for once. “Catarina? She’s back? Does this mean that Ragnor is back, too?” he asked, and Sebastian threw him a venomous look, before nodding sourly. Raphael’s smile wavered. “I’m glad.” He said, before turning to look at the tomb where Simon laid.
“Give us one reason why we shouldn’t report you to the Clave.” Proposed Jace, and Sebastian looked at him with a guarded expression.
“Snitches get stitches?” he asked, and Jace laughed. Sebastian looked pleased for a second, before shaking his head. “That’s my sister’s best friend. And Raphael’s… Raphael’s Simon.” The vampire didn’t look at them. “He would have died or remained forever in a state of burning non death if Raphael hadn’t rescued him. No one deserves that.” Said the blond, and Clary held the sword tighter.
Jace shrugged. “We are not actually here to catch vampires.” He pointed at the two of them. “We’re here for you two.”
Sebastian grinned. “And why is that?” he asked, but he shifted slightly, ready to attack.
Isabelle noticed and showed that she wasn’t armed. “Hey, calm down. We’ve been sent by Magnus. From what I’ve heard, the Clave set out some sort of deadline, and he wish you home so he and his crew can speak to you about it.”
Clary glanced at him. “This is a code for Please, get home early, or Ragnor and Tessa will kill me and sell my spoils to other Shadowhunters.” She explained, and Sebastian nodded gravely.
Before he could answer, a quake came from under their feet, making all of them almost fall on the ground. Clary turned to look at the tomb.
The soil they had put over Simon’ body was shaking. Clary turned to look at Raphael, but the man was moving away from the tomb, to retrieve the blood bags. “What if he can’t get out?” she asked, eyeing the ground carefully.
“He will. He has to.” Said Raphael, and his expression was sure even if his voice shook.
Sebastian put a hand on his sister shoulder, while he kept both Jace and Izzy as far from Simon as possible. “Simon is a fighter, Clary.” He told her.
The earth shook again, and a bloody hand appeared from under it. Clary took a step back, as the hand pulled the body it was attached to out, revealing a dirty and mud covered Simon.
It was Simon, yet it wasn’t. His mouth was curled in a snarl, the points of his fangs showing and his eyes were looking around him with maniacal frequency. “Simon…” whispered the girl, and took a step forward.
Many things happened at once. Izzy shouted something at her; Raphael ordered her to get out of the way; Simon sprang at her, his entire aura feral and out of control; and Sebastian pushed her out of the way, getting in between Simon’s fangs and his sister.
“Fuck!” swore Sebastian, as Simon’s fangs sunk into his neck. The vampire was holding him with more strength than he had ever possessed, and Sebastian could feel his body going a little limp. The vampire venom.
“Sebby! Simon, stop! Simon!” shouted Clary, ready to attack. Jace held up his sword, ready to approach, but something moved faster.
Raphael sunk his own fangs in Simon’s neck and the new-born vampire howled in pain, letting go of Sebastian. The blond boy fell on the ground, one hand shooting up to his neck, while Raphael let go of Simon’s neck and pushed him away.
Clary scrambled to her brother, worried. “Are you okay?” she asked, and he smiled weakly at her.
“I’ll have a sick scar.” He told her.
Simon was crouched, hissing at Raphael, eyes devoid of any trace of recognition as he stared at him. The vampire leader just snapped open one of the blood bags and threw it at him. First Simon moved out of the way, but then the smell of blood got to him, and he drained the bag in mere seconds.
Raphael had another one ready, that he threw at him seconds later. “Cuidado, Simon. Mas lentamente.” Warned the boy, and Clary looked helplessly at him.
Simon. She thought, and the boy turned his head in her direction. She knew that she hadn’t spoken out loud, but he seemed to have sensed her out there, somehow. “C-Clary?” he asked, looking around him, wildly. “What are we doing in a cemetery? What’s going on?” he asked.
“Simon, oh, Simon.” She sobbed, her eyes filling with tears. She made to stand up, but Sebastian held her back.
“What’s…?!” his voice broke and only then he noticed the blood on his hands and shirt. He shrieked and jumped back. “What the hell is this? Is this- blood? Oh my g-” His voice failed him and he closed his mouth like he had just burned himself. “My g-… Why can’t I say g-…?”
“With practice and time, you will be able to say god again.” Said Raphael, and Simon looked at him in horror.
The pain in his eyes was so raw that Clary started weeping for him. “You mean… I’m a… a…” he swallowed, and looked down at the blood again.
“You are a vampire, Simon.” Said Raphael, his tone cold and detached. He didn’t seem like the person who a few hours ago had been crying over Simon’s dead body.
Simon snarled at him. “You did this to me!” he shouted, standing up with shaking legs. “You turned me into this… thing, this monster! You are a monster!” shouted the brunette at him, and only an expert eye could have seen the flash of hurt on Raphael’s face. Simon seemed to recoil at his own words. “I’m a monster.” He said, realisation dawning. “Oh my g-…! Fuck!” he shouted, punching the earth.
“Simon, please, Simon…” started Clary, but the boy shook his head, looking at his best friend. Sebastian didn’t look any inclined to let her go. “You are not a monster…!”
Simon looked at her and shook his head. “Clary, I am undead! I feed on blood now! I’m a soulless creature, abandoned by g-…” his voice was shook by tears. “I even cry blood now!”
“Simon, you died! Raphael saved your life-”
“He shouldn’t have.” Said the brunette, before standing up and running away.
Raphael looked at the boy disappearing in the darkness and turned to look at the Shadowhunters with a poker face. “I’ll look after him.” He promised, and made to leave.
“Raphael!” called Clary, and with unstable legs she walked up to him. Raphael tensed, but she simply threw her arms over his neck and held him tight. “You are not a monster. You saved Simon’s life.” She said, simply, tears running down her face. “Look after him.” She said, and kissed his cold cheek.
Sebastian put a hand on his best friend’s shoulder. “Simon is distraught, but he didn’t mean that. He just needs some time.”
Raphael looked at them both for a second and then nodded. In a second, he had disappeared.
Isabelle’s tone was weirdly gentle when she spoke next. “Come on. You two need some time to rest.”
Clary opened the door, a soundless rune on both her and her brother as they slipped inside the apartment. They could hear voices speaking from the living room, but maybe, if they were awfully quiet…
“Meow.” Church, the devil in human form, stood in front of them, looking at them with his soulless and pitiful cat eyes. Sebastian tried to shush the cat, but he just meowed again, expecting some sort of treat, maybe. “Meow.”
“Great job, Church.” Said Catarina’s voice, as the woman appeared in front of them. She looked ready to throw a fit, but then she caught a glance of their faces and clothes. “Oh dear.” She said, snapping her fingers.
In an instant they found themselves sitting on sofas, in pyjamas, with cups of fuming chocolate and marshmallows. Clary and Sebastian found themselves sitting next to each other, Clary sitting between her brother and Magnus. The warlock seemed as nervous as they were. Across from them sat a woman with curly brown hair, who looked at the three of them with an arched eyebrow and a clipped look. Sebastian swallowed nervously. Next to her was a warlock with green skin and horns. The man was looking at the trio with a look of patented disapproval. “And where exactly have you two been?” he asked.
When they had been told that Tessa and Ragnor were coming back from Idris, they hadn’t expected them back so soon. Magnus looked like he was ready to bolt, but Catarina, still standing, seemed incredibly pleased by the turn of events. Sebastian smiled at them brightly. “Hi, Aunt Tess and Uncle Ragnor.”
The warlocks sent him a scowl.
They were fucked.