Chapter 12

Author's Note:

So as usual I'm going to make a sucky author's note because I have nothing to say (Shut up Paramore!) and I'm also going to give credit to the amazing Cassandra Clare who owns everything. That's right. She owns. (That was terrible) Here's the story!

Magnus POV:

He backed up subconsciously as Valentine took a few slow steps toward him. The man chuckled darkly before continuing his story. "You see, after that angel destroyed me completely I was sent not to hell, but to the demon world. It seems that I am seen as a demon in God's eyes."

"Then was when I understood why it takes demons so long to regenerate as it is. That place is one of constant pain, terror, and insanity. That's why the only way to escape it is to find someone to take your place." Valentine turned his back to Magnus as if sensing that the warlock was too stunned to attack, and walked over toward the table where Alec lay.

He sat back in a small wooden chair painted pale gold. It reminded Magnus of a miniature throne. Valentine was casually lounging in the chair as if there wasn't a body of a teenage boy within inches of him. Magnus would not say lifeless…..he couldn't.

"Of course no one would willingly agree to that sort of torture. That's why my followers kidnapped your little shadowhunter here. They realized that while they could force him to partake in the proper ritual which would result in me being brought back to life, I wouldn't be fully restored until he either succumbed to the torture which I'm sure he's too pigheaded to do, or he takes the place of a loved one willingly." Valentine smiled evilly, his grey eyes full of malice.

Magnus wished he could yell at him. He wished he could scream that he'd never let him hurt Alec. He wished he could incinerate Valentine that very second. He wished he could die alongside Alec on the table. But all he could do was stand dumbly and stare at the man that should be dead. That deserved to be dead.

Valentine chuckled quietly. "Won't you come over and help? It won't take but a moment." He looked expectantly at Magnus who glared at him with hatred. "No?" Valentine asked. "Pity. I was sure you would have cared about…..now what was that name? Well it's not important I suppose-"

"His name is Alexander Lightwood and he is more important than you or your pathetic thing you call a son could ever even dream to be!" Magnus was breathing deeply, hatred coursing through his veins like poison. Valentine had at first looked stricken, but quickly regained his composure, simply letting hostility pour off of him through his piercing gaze.

After taking a deep breath, Valentine responded, "That's very nice to know. Alexander….very beautiful name. Tell me, does he go by Al? Alec? Alex- ah it is Alec isn't it." A vicious smirk came onto his face. He stood up and walked to the back of the metal table where Alec laid. "I hope he won't mind me calling him something so personal." As he said this, Valentine reached out with a pale hand and trailed his long fingers through Alec's sable curls. Magnus stopped breathing

"It makes sense he is a Lightwood. They always were strikingly attractive for such horrid people." His hand moved down to Alec's still, pale face where he gently touched his cheek in a tender and loving gesture.

Valentine yelled as he flew across the room and collided with the wall, knocking a hole in the plaster. Te man slid down to the floor, crumpling in a pile. His pale blond hair streaked with grey was now coated in white powder and flecks of scarlet blood.

Magus's hands were coated with swirling blue sparks, and he fought the urge to release them upon the pathetic man. But Alec needed him and the Clave would deal with Valentine. He wasn't going anywhere at the moment.

The warlock ran to the table where Alec laid. "Alec," he whispered. He raised his hands but simply held them in the air. Alec looked so breakable. His normally pale skin was near translucent and he looked sickly thin. There were purplish bags under his eyes and his lips were almost blue. Magnus couldn't understand. It had been a few hours, and it looked like Alec had been neglected for months.

Finally, the warlock reached out a hand and gently touched the shadowhunter's throat, checking for a pulse. He gasped and fought the urge to jerk his hand back at how cold Alec's skin was. It was colder than a corpse. Magnus closed his eyes and focused on finding a pulse. He waited a minute and felt nothing. Fear started edging into his heart as he tried again….and again. Nothing.

Magnus sobbed as he realized Alec must be gone. He fought the urge to curl up next to him on the cold table and never truly live again. But Alec deserved a better burial than this place. Magnus peeled open his tear filled eyes and looked at Alec's face. His breath caught as he saw Alec's eyes open.

"Alec!" he exclaimed preparing to embrace him and never let him go, when he realized something was wrong. Alec's eyes were staring at him but they were no longer that deep blue Magnus loved. They had no color at all. They were completely white. Before Magnus could react, Alec had grasped him around the throat.

The warlock couldn't breath. He clawed at the hand of the boy he loved, but it wouldn't loosen its hold. Magnus watched in horror as Alec sat up on the table and then swung his legs over the side robotically, all never lettinggo of Magnus throat.

He was thrashing wildly, desperate for oxygen. While Alec marched him over to the wall where he shoved him up against it so hard his teeth rattled, Magnus had a flash back to when he was young. Water had burned his nose, his throat, filled his lungs. He tried to fight the hand that held him down, robbed him of oxygen and almost of life but his father had been too strong.

Magnus was brought back to reality by a insane, evil laugh. He mustered enough strength to turn his head to the corner. Valentine was rising from the ground, completely unharmed save a cut above his right eye which leaked blood down the side of his face almost like a scarlet tear of joy, racing to meet the maniac grin adorning his face.

"Bravo Mr. Bane, Bravo."