Chapter 1

Alec sat in the war room of the Institute trying desperately to ignore Magnus Bane. Whenever the warlock was around he found it impossible to concentrate. Now was not the time to be thinking about the way Magnus, even in a room full of angry shadow hunters, made his skin prick with heat. He shook his head as if he could clear the fog that seemed to follow him around these days. He needed to be thinking about Jace.

The moment Jace had stepped through the portal with Valentine, the whole Institute had gone on high alert, and no one seemed to agree on the next course of action. Izzy and his mother had been yelling at each other for the past hour. The argument bouncing between blame and strategy until Alec thought he could hear his pounding head even above the raised voices. He rubbed his temple and tried to tune out the conversation. Alec wasn't sure what had possessed his brother to go with Valentine. But none of that mattered. None of THIS mattered. He would find Jace. With or without the approval of the Clave. It was his duty.

He could still feel his brother ever so slightly down the parabatai bond inside of him. Ever since they had been linked as children, he had carried around this strange energy in his chest that was Jace. He could feel it's insistent tugging when he breathed even now. When he closed his eye's he pictured it as a crimson swirl of electricity sparking around his heart. Though he couldn't have explained that feeling to anyone if he tried. He pushed back at the rising flutter of panic that threatened to choke him when he attempted to use the connection to contact his friend. Because now that bond had gone dark. Ever since Jace had learned that Valentine had raised him, the once bright amber energy inside him had become like a whisper of shadow. And he felt it fading every minute.

Struggling with the strange feeling of loss, he finally turned his gaze to Magnus who was standing halfway across the room in deep conversation with Clary and Simon. The warlock wore his standard tight leather pants and a deep purple shirt that matched the highlights in his hair. As he gestured adamantly at the pair, Alec could just see the blue fire of his magic spark from his fingertips as he spoke. Suddenly, Magnus's paused and his dark eye's immediately met Alec's as if he had sensed the weight of his stare. Alec felt his breath catch in his chest like it always did when Magnus looked at him. Despite years of practice, he struggled to keep the neutral look on his face when Magnus smiled ever so slightly in his direction. The small smile felt intimate, like a promise of things to come, and Alec looked away.

What the hell was he suppose to do with this doomed relationship in the middle of this crisis? Every ounce of him wanted to cross the room and—he wasn't sure what happened after that. He just knew that he wanted to see Magnus everyday. To hear his voice. And more. Much more.

A sound interrupted his thoughts, and he realizing that his mother had been speaking to him. "What was that?" he asked.

She snorted in exasperation and stood up, pushing her chair back violently with a screech. "This is happening because all of you insisted on not following Clave orders. You thought you knew better," she hissed. "Now Valentine has the cup, and Jace is lost to us. The whole world is at risk because of your incompetence. The law is hard, but it is the law—for a reason." It was silent as she stalked to the door, but pivoted back to them at the last minute. Alec could practically feel everyone's guilt hanging in the air like a black cloud. "I will speak to the Clave. We will decide the best course of action moving forward. You will stay out of it," she demanded, pointing toward him. "All of you."

He kept his face stony, almost bored. "Fine," he said. "I know when to stop." She narrowed her eye's at him and then strode back toward him with her hand out. He felt his jaw tick with anger, but then Magnus moved into view behind his mother and Alec's shoulders relaxed a fraction. He reached into his jacket and removed his stele. He gently placed it into her hand but didn't release the breath he had been holding until she walked away down the hall, tucking his stele into her side pocket.

The room was like a silent tomb in her wake. They all stood frozen in place staring into space. He realized that they were lost without Jace. Arrogant, careless, insufferable Jace always seemed to move them forward. Alec was the oldest, and therefore, in charge but Jace was their natural leader. Now he was gone and the truth was, they had no ideas. Alec felt like he was picking up the shattered parts of himself as he stood. Despite being held together by nothing more then empty prayers to the Angel, he forced his shoulders back and lifted his chin. They turned to look at him.

He assessed his small army with a twinge of panic. Never would he have imagined leading such a hodgepodge group. Clary eye's were bright with with tears. She was broken by the loss of Jace, but her gaze met his with fierce determination. He momentarily marveled at what the new shadow hunter had been through in the past few months. It was a miracle she was still standing. Simon, bless him, stood at her side. He was a hot mess as a new vampire, but Alec was aware that the boy would sacrifice anything for his friends. Thank the Angel for Izzy, who touched the tip of her seraph blade with her finger and smirked at him as if to say, what now big brother? Alec knew she was nearly as deadly as Jace, and when her family was threatened she was a force all her own. Finally, he glanced toward Magnus, the high warlock of Brooklyn and indeed an asset in any battle, who was observing him with a wry smile and a lifted eyebrow.

Alec picked up his bow from the table. "We all know that is bullshit," he said quietly but firmly. "We made the best decisions we could at the time. Our intentions have been pure. Things do not go in a straight line in times of war." He paused, swung his arrows across his back and tighten the strap. "And that is what we are facing. This is a war. Not just for the survival of the world, but for our way of life. It is time for down worlders and Nephilim to step out of the shadow of their parents rules. We can not fight Valentine alone. It is time for us to join together-Vampire, Warlock, Seelie, Fae, Werewolf." He searched their young faces. "We are the same. We have all sacrificed. We have all lost things. We have loved." He forced himself not to look at Magnus again. "And it is time to fight together."

He moved to the doorway and took a deep breath. Turning back he continued, "This is not a decision to be taken lightly. We will be going against orders. Following me could lead to exile or worse. But I took an oath to stop people like Valentine from destroying the world, and I plan on keeping that oath. And I need Jace to do it. If you decide you're with me…you know where I'll be."

xxx

Magnus stood in the doorway of Alec's bedroom, watching his back as he sorted his meager amount of belongings into a small duffle bag. Of course, one by one the whole group had visited Alec and pledged to help save Jace. They were a reckless lot but loyal, and Magnus had not been surprised by the ferocity in which they were determined to save their friend. Regardless of the consequences. Now he took a moment to admire the way the white button down stretched across Alec's wide shoulders, thin enough to show the faint outline of the many rune scars that ran down his back. The permanent one on the side of his neck was particularly intriguing, and Magnus allowed himself the briefest moment to imagine running his tongue—

"Are you just going to stand there or are you going to come in?" Alec said without turning around.

Magnus leaned against the doorway and examined his purple fingernails absently. "That was quite a speech shadow hunter. I don't think I've ever heard you string so many words together at a time." He sauntered casually into the room, running a finger along the large desk that took up the majority of the space. He huffed out a quiet laugh as he looked around. The room was sparse, clean, and lacking any charm at all. Totally Alec. How could someone so repressed be so damn attractive, he mused to himself.

"Yeah, well, I'm exhausted from it so…" Alec responded.

Magnus spun and raised an eyebrow at the young man. "Was that an attempt at a joke Alec Lightwood?" He deliberately moved closer as he continued to inspect the room. He heard Alec shift impatiently while he examined the bookshelf in amusement. All non fiction. He shook his head and smiled to himself. He was looking forward to corrupting this one.

Behind him, Alec moved next to the bedroom door. "Magnus," he pleaded. Magnus, however, had no intention of leaving just yet. As he studied Alec from across the room, he noticed the dark circles under his eye's for the first time. His shirt was uncharacteristically rumpled, and his black hair was practically standing straight up from worrying it with his fingers. On impulse, Magnus flicked his wrist, and the door swung closed with a sharp bang. Alec jumped as Magnus strode suddenly toward him. The shadow hunter tried to move back when he invaded his space but was stopped short by the wall behind him. Magnus stopped a foot away, his stomach fluttered at the proximity.

He tilted his head and said in a rough voice, "First of all Alexander, you never have to ask me to join you. I'm with you. No matter what crazy idea you and your friends have come up with." He smiled up at Alec, who was visibly squirming at his closeness.

"Okay…" Alec said.

"Second," Magnus closed the distance between them until their lips were a breath away. Alec froze, his face an unreadable mask. Magnus reached out and twisted his fingers in Alec's belt loop, tugging their bodies firmly together. "This time…I'm going to kiss you," he finished.

Heat instantly pooled in his stomach as he felt the shudder that ran down Alec's body. Alec licked his lips nervously, and Magnus almost groaned at the way it left his lower lip glistening. The green specks in his hazel eye's seemed to glow as he regarded Magnus. His gaze was wary as usual, but Magnus saw the flicker of hunger behind them as he leaned forward and captured Alec's mouth with his own. Magnus jolted with surprise as the hunger roared through him with more heat then he had expected, but he forced himself to keep the kiss light. Alec practically thrummed with tension under his hands. But for just a moment, Magnus felt him soften as he ran his tongue along his bottom lip trying to gain entry. Magnus's heart stuttered as Alec's lips parted slightly but then he groaned, brought his hands up to clench both sides of Magnus's arms, and pushed him away.

Magnus gasped at the suddenness of it as Alec stumbled across the room and sank down on the bed. He put his head in his hands and pulled at his black hair with his fingers. Shocked, Magnus tried not to shiver at the sudden chill that ran through him at the absence of Alec's body. Warlocks did not feel the cold, he reminded himself.

"Magnus." Alec said softly. The sound of his name, said with such sad resignation, nearly knocked Magnus off his feet.

He held himself completely still as Alec continued, "I can't. There is too much happening. I know at the wedding…I mean…I might have let you believe that-" He stopped with a frustrated sound and then stood up again in determination. "You confuse me. You've always confused me. You and I…you're immortal. It will never work. And things...it's just a mess right now. I don't have time to deal with this…" he trailed off, his hands out.

Magnus felt like he had been punched. But he had been in the relationship business way too long to let Alec see how much his words hurt. Two people could play the Alec Lightwood poker face game.

He cleared his throat, willing his voice to be steady, "Well. It seems like you've got it all worked out then." He moved quickly to the door and opened it. He turned back for just a moment, trying not to drink in the appealing sight of Alec's flushed cheeks. "Just so we are clear, I'm still with you. I'll be at the meeting tonight since it's at my loft, of course. But don't worry, I won't be bothering you with…" he gestured between the two of them, "whatever this was." And as Alec started to respond, Magnus snapped his fingers and vanished.