As he opened the door to the hotel room, Alec felt his eyes widen. He reached up, absently brushing his hair from his forehead. It was messy and windblown, warm beneath his fingertips from where the brilliant sun had kissed it outside the Prado.

Stepping through the doorway was like stepping into another world, a world a century or two ago, filled with heavily carved furniture and velvet and gilt. It was, he decided, like Magnus – power and luxury and old-world charm somehow made modern. At the thought of Magnus, he smiled and glanced over his shoulder, only to find that he was alone.

With a heavy sigh, Alec shook his head and closed the door. After travelling with Magnus for so long, he'd gotten used to the random disappearances – and the equally random reappearances. Most times, he returned with something he thought Alec just had to have – a handkerchief with a border of what Magnus called fairy lace from a market in Belgium, a hand-carved wooden angel threaded on a leather necklace from a street artist in some small town near Kiev. Each gift was given with an earnest look that made it impossible for Alec to refuse – and a kiss that made him forget the gift altogether.

Confident that Magnus wouldn't be gone long, Alec took the time to explore the suite his boyfriend had secured for them. It was opulent and rich, so much so that Alec felt out of place with his calloused hands and dirty boots. He was all too aware of the seraph blade stuck behind his belt and the stele at his side, both hidden by his black leather jacket. He had almost abandoned his weapons several times, but he felt worse than naked without them – and after that Drevak demon in the alleyway in Paris, he had given up the idea.

The thought of Paris brought other, more pleasant memories, and Alec bit his lip to hide a smile as he moved toward the intricately carved doors of the wardrobe. Mechanically, he removed his jacket, draping it over one of the wooden hangers before closing the wardrobe. He wasn't really seeing the room, though. He was remembering a tent in a field of wildflowers, somewhere in the French countryside.

Magnus had muttered darkly at the rain pouring down, annoyed that it was preventing the grand view of the stars he'd promised Alec. For a time, Alec had watched him, amused by how much the disruption seemed to be affecting Magnus, but as time passed, he'd grown bored and had climbed into the warlock's lap to distract him. It had worked – better than expected. That was the first night Alec had felt Magnus's mouth over every inch of his body.

A delicious shiver up his spine brought Alec out of his memories, and he flushed. The heat of remembered kisses trailed over his body, and the thin black sweater he wore suddenly seemed stifling. His gaze fell on the massive bed against the wall, easily large enough for four people, and his flush deepened as he remembered their stay in Paris the night after the activities in the tent.

Magnus had understood Alec's stammering explanation, which was a wonder, since Alec himself had barely been able to follow his own logic. He didn't quite understand how he could want Magnus so badly but still balk when it came to sex. Of course, that had been then. After so many nights spent sleeping beside the enigmatic warlock, so many mornings waking up to him, it was growing harder to remember why he'd resisted.

Maybe he wouldn't anymore.

The thought put a grin on Alec's face as he pulled his sweater over his head. He felt vaguely guilty as he tossed it onto the couch – like his mother was going to appear at any moment to yell at him. He reached up to smooth his hair and jumped when his hand met another doing the same thing.

Spinning around, he reached behind his back and felt the cool metal of the seraph blade in his palm just as he realized his stupidity. Magnus, his hand suspended in the air, stood inches away, his eyebrows climbing toward his hairline as an amused grin spread across his face. "I missed you, too, sweetheart," he said dryly.

"Where did you go?" Alec demanded.

"Now, now… a warlock has to have some secrets," Magnus murmured, his kohl-lined cat eyes glimmering. At Alec's flat look, Magnus sighed dramatically and held up a paper bag. "Turrón," he said by way of answer. "Must you ruin every surprise?"

Alec ignored the jab. "Why didn't you just whisk it up here like you usually do?"

Magnus put the bag on the empty table and stepped closer, trailing his lips over Alec's jaw before whispering in his ear, "Because, beautiful boy, gifts should be hand-picked with care."

Trying to ignore his body's reaction to Magnus, Alec said bluntly, "You were gone about three minutes."

"I have very quick hands," the warlock replied, pulling back to grin at Alec. "Besides… I was hoping to catch you in a state of undress."

"Your hands should've been slower then. I'm afraid you came a little prematurely," Alec retorted.

Magnus bit the inside of his cheek, a look of delight in his eyes. "A Lightwood with a sense of humor… never thought I'd live to see that."

"But you live forever," Alec noted.

"My point exactly," Magnus said, and then Alec forgot his response as the warlock pulled him close, wrapping his arms low around Alec's waist as their mouths met. Alec's hands fisted at Magnus's hips as he tilted his head up, parting his lips and welcoming Magnus in. The kiss deepened, that magnificent blend of teeth and tongues and lips that made Alec weak in the knees. He moaned softly, losing himself in the sweet, salty taste of Magnus's mouth.

Too soon for his liking, Magnus pulled away. To cover the look of disappointment he was sure was on his face, Alec turned away – and then froze when he saw the table. The turrón was there, but it was arranged neatly on a plate beside a bottle of wine chilling in an ice bucket and a glass pitcher filled with sangria.

Knowing that Magnus expected him to comment on his whisking all of it up to their room, Alec instead said, "That's a lot of alcohol. Are you trying to get me drunk?"

"Do I need to get you drunk? Isn't my charm enough?" Magnus countered.

At that, Alec stepped back and put his hands on his hips. He swept an appraising eye over Magnus, beginning with the platform black leather boots that made him several inches taller. They were covered in glittering metallic buckles that stopped at his knees, where the remainder of his legs were sheathed in skin-tight black leather that made Alec inhale sharply as his gaze drifted higher. He smiled slightly, shaking his head at the ridiculous white matador jacket completely obscured by swirling golden embroidery and sequins. Alec ignored the smirk on the warlock's beautiful face as his eyes finally met Magnus's spiked black hair, colored with rainbow sparkles today.

Unable to deny his racing heart and growing desire, Alec answered the only way he knew how - honestly. "No."

"No?" Magnus said in a voice torn between amusement and annoyance.

"No, you don't have to get me drunk," Alec clarified.

Magnus's cat eyes gleamed with a warmth that was becoming less rare. "Come here," he ordered in a soft voice, reaching out to take Alec by the elbows.

As Alec closed the distance between them, Magnus's right hand slid up the Shadowhunter's arm. His fingertips grazed Alec's neck, making him shiver, before coming to rest on his cheek. Alec tilted his head just as Magnus's thumb brushed his ear and their mouths met. Sliding his arms around his lover's waist, Alec ran his palms up Magnus's back beneath his jacket, relishing the way it felt. Magnus was only a little taller normally, but the boots made him tower over Alec, leaving him feeling somehow safe… sheltered – which was hardly typical around a warlock.

With a sudden urge to feel more of Magnus, Alec shifted his hands to the front of the jacket, intent on removing it. His palms flattened, his fingers feeling out the spaces between the sequins, looking for any sort of zipper or clasp, but he found nothing. Consternation knitted his brow as his lips slowed, and Magnus broke the kiss with a chuckle.

Caressing Alec's cheek, he murmured against his lips, "Why don't you let me do that while you pour the sangria?"

Feeling an uncharacteristic pout forming, Alec tried to hide it by moving to the table to do as Magnus had asked. His emotions had been all over the place since he met Magnus, and he was still sometimes surprised by the sheer force of them – and by the way he could flash from one to another so quickly. Magnus had a hold on him that he wasn't able to deny, though he still wasn't sure what to call it.

Pondering questions like that wasn't really his thing, so he pushed the thoughts aside and lifted the pitcher of sangria, filling the two glasses that hadn't been there only moments before. He picked them up and turned to give one to Magnus, only to find that the warlock had succeeded in removing the matador jacket. He was standing with his thumbs in his pockets, dragging down his already low-riding pants. The black t-shirt he was wearing had the Batman logo picked out in rhinestones, and it stopped just below his ribs, exposing several inches of flat, caramel-colored skin unmarred by a belly button.

"By the Angel," Alec breathed, taking a gulp of sangria.

Magnus smirked and licked his bottom lip briefly, reaching out to take the second glass. "Thanks," he said, the gleam in his eye leaving Alec to wonder if he meant for the drink or for the obvious approval.

Lifting the glass to his lips, Magnus crossed to the couch, where he settled into the plush cushions with a content groan that made Alec take another pull from his glass. Then Magnus put his sangria down on the end table and leaned forward to work at the buckles on his boots. Finishing off his drink, Alec put his empty glass beside the pitcher and strode across the room where he knelt in front of Magnus, who looked up with an amused smile.

"Is there something you want, Alexander?"

Alec smiled at the husky sound of Magnus's voice – he knew that tone intimately. Blunt as always, he answered simply, "You."

Magnus's eyes flashed before he said, "I'm afraid you'll have to be a little more specific. There's a lot of me."

"That's what I want," Alec said, and Magnus tilted his head to the side. "You. I mean…" He trailed off, feeling suddenly shy again. His hands were resting on Magnus's leather-clad knees, and Alec glanced down, watching them slip up his thighs. "Do you remember what we talked about in Paris?"

Magnus cupped his cheek, urging Alec to look up at him. When their eyes met, Magnus looked serious, all signs of teasing gone. His eyes darkened to malachite as he brushed his thumb across Alec's lower lip before murmuring, "Of course I do."

Facing Magnus's obvious desire bolstered Alec's confidence, and he inhaled lightly. "I'm ready."

For a protracted moment, Magnus didn't move. His gaze pinned Alec in place as his feline eyes, exaggerated by the cosmetics he wore, searched for something. Apparently satisfied with what he found, he gave a wicked half-smile and pulled Alec closer, kissing him hungrily.

Alec's hands shifted up Magnus's thighs until his fingers found the warlock's hips. The studded leather belt felt cold and rough beneath his fingertips, a sharp contrast to the heat of their kiss. Alec pulled away breathlessly, and Magnus opened his eyes, watching Alec's every move. Alec felt a heady rush of confidence as he moved to unbuckle Magnus's boots – this, at least, he had done before.

As he reached for the first buckle, all the clasps came undone at once, leave the leather boots gaping open. Alec raised his eyes to find Magnus watching him with a look of wide-eyed innocence. "What?" he asked without a trace of guile.

Alec laughed softly and muttered, "A little eager, hmm?"

With a thin finger under Alec's chin, Magnus urged him to look up. When their eyes met, he whispered, "Always for you."

Alec's cheeks flushed, and he ducked his head, grinning like a fool as he pulled off the boots. The warlock's socks vanished before he could reach for them, and he shook his head, deciding not to comment. He reached for Magnus's belt, wondering if it would unclasp itself as well, but it held firm. As he slipped the leather through the metal buckle, he looked up to find Magnus watching him with obvious desire. His chest was rising and falling heavily, his eyes darkened and his lips parted.

Alec found he couldn't look away as he loosened the belt, followed quickly by Magnus's pants. The warlock lifted his hips automatically, his hands brushing against Alec's as they worked together to push the leather away. Finally tearing his gaze from Magnus's face, Alec glanced down, and his breath caught in his throat. A thrill he still hadn't grown used to shot through him as he looked at his lover's body, thin and toned and covered with taut brown skin that Alec wanted to lick. His mouth watered at the thought, and he did just that, lowering his head to run his tongue along the ticklish place just inside Magnus's hipbone.

"Alexander," Magnus admonished in a breathy chuckle, squirming in a way that made his hard length brush against Alec's cheek.

Alec gave a low groan and opened his mouth, spreading hot kisses along Magnus's thighs and over the planes of his abdomen. A soft hiss escaped Magnus as one of his hands moved to grasp Alec's shoulder while the other cupped the back of his head tenderly. Peeking up, Alec saw his head thrown back, his Adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed. Smiling as he always did when faced with evidence that Magnus wanted him – for whatever reason – Alec's desire to tease him crumbled, and he licked a slick trail from the base of Magnus's cock to its head.

Magnus shifted his hips, a needy groan escaping him as his fingers threaded through Alec's hair. Alec closed his eyes, inhaling lightly as he sucked Magnus's shaft between his lips, his tongue relishing the twin feelings of soft and rigid flesh tinged with the taste of salt. He took Magnus deeply, trying with every lick, every caress to show him exactly what he felt. His hand wrapped around the base, meeting his lips in a soft kiss with every pass.

The noises coming from Magnus were animalistic – grunts and groans and whimpers mixed with human words of pleading. His nails scratched Alec's scalp, his fingers tugging the fine strands of hair on his crown. His hands encouraged Alec, spurring him on to suck harder, move faster.

Then Magnus hissed and pulled Alec away roughly. At the hurt look on Alec's face, he was instantly contrite, taking his face between his hands and kissing his swollen lips. Before Alec could speak, Magnus gave an uncharacteristic rueful smile, and Alec noticed that his cheeks were tinged pink. "The fun was about to be over all too quickly," he said. Alec's eyes widened as he understood the implication, and then a proud grin spread across his face.

"You are breathtaking," Magnus murmured, the rapid pace of his chest emphasizing his words. He ripped his shirt over his head then, letting it fall to the floor, and stood, so that his pelvis was once again in Alec's face.

With a mischievous grin of his own, Alec leaned forward and grasped Magnus's hips in his hands as he teased the head of his cock.

Magnus cursed in an unfamiliar language as Alec stood, half-proud and half-intending to apologize. He never got a chance to do either because Magnus threw him over his shoulder and stalked toward the bed. Alec watched bemusedly as the warlock's backside flexed and relaxed just in front of his face with each step.

He realized, a moment too late, that Magnus was speaking – and punctuating each word with a light slap on Alec's thigh, which was somehow exposed. "...have been a very naughty boy," Magnus was saying as Alec watched his own dirty black boots fall to the floor. "I am not at all sure," Alec's pants joined his boots just as his shirt pulled itself over his head, "what to do with you."

At that, Alec felt himself falling through the air, only to land flat on his back on the bed. He was nude, and the covers had been pulled back so he was lying on the sheets, his legs sprawled toward the gorgeous man standing at the foot of the bed with his hands on his hips in mock-annoyance. Alec saw the delighted gleam in Magnus's eyes that matched his very evident desire. "What are you going to do with me?" he asked, surprised by the breathless quality of his voice.

Magnus's lips curled predatorily as he crawled onto the bed, every movement exaggerated so that his cat eyes looked as though they belonged on a sleek tiger. He didn't stop when he reached Alec, straddling him as he crawled. When their faces were even, he paused, arching his back and rocking his hips like a cat stretching in the sun. Alec moaned as the movement brought their most sensitive parts into contact. He wrapped his arms around Magnus's waist, reaching down to squeeze the firm flesh of his ass as he pulled him as close as possible. Magnus gave in, covering Alec's body with his delicious weight as he kissed his neck.

"First," Magnus whispered as he nipped Alec's ear, "I'm going to get a little payback…" Alec's jaw clenched as he groaned, rolling his hips against Magnus's body. "And then you are going to be in for quite a workout…"

Alec blinked in confusion and pulled back slightly, trying to catch Magnus's eye. When their gazes met, Magnus gave a brilliant, wicked smile. "You heard me, sweet boy… for that little stunt, I deserve to get what I want." At Alec's obviously confused look, Magnus leaned in close, his lips brushing Alec's ear as he breathed, "And what I want is to feel you… all of you."

"Holy…" Alec began, his voice trailing off as he let his head fall back onto the pillow with his eyes closed. He let himself imagine it for a moment – feeling Magnus tight around him while they were chest to chest, their bodies slick with sweat. A small whimper escaped him as Magnus took advantage of his incapacitated state and began kissing along his chest, working his way down.

When he reached Alec's belly button, he paused, teasing it with licks and kisses that made Alec squirm and laugh, bringing him out of his daze. He lifted his head and then fisted the sheets at his sides when he saw the top of Magnus's head drifting ever lower. Magnus stopped for a moment, his breath hot against Alec's shaft as he looked up and whispered, "Touch me."

At once, Alec's hands released the sheets and moved to Magnus's shoulders, his neck… the smooth skin of his face. Fascinated, he traced the warlock's eyebrow with his thumb, letting it drift naturally along the curves and lines of his cheek. Just as it met Magnus's lips, they parted and then closed around Alec's aching cock. Alec shuddered, overcome by heat and wetness and the expert movements of Magnus's tongue.

The first time Magnus had enjoyed his body this way, Alec thought his lack of control was because it was all so new to him, but now – after knowing Magnus's touch so intimately many times – he knew it was simply impossible to fight the way he made Alec feel. The gentle scrape of his teeth brought a pleading hiss as Alec spread his legs wider. He felt Magnus's smile against his abdomen as the warlock shifted smoothly out of the way, never breaking contact with Alec's skin. Long moments were given to a sort of torturous heaven of pleasure and teasing as Magnus brought him to the brink again and again.

It was only when Alec let out a plaintive whine that Magnus raised his head, licking his lips as his hand stroked Alec leisurely. He took in Alec's desperate, flushed face and arched one eyebrow as he flicked his thumb experimentally over the tip of his lover's cock. When Alec shuddered and rose half-off the bed, Magnus relented.

He trailed his warm hand lightly over Alec's overheated skin as he climbed back up his body. He stretched out luxuriously beside the panting Shadowhunter, giving him no time to recover as he reached out, cupping Alec's cheek and turning his face for a kiss. Alec responded just as eagerly, deepening the kiss as he rolled on top of Magnus, whose hands seemed to be everywhere. They slipped over Alec's already-slick skin, caressing and squeezing everywhere they could reach.

"Can't wait," Alec managed to whisper before breaking off to taste the salt of Magnus's lips once more. He forced himself to pause, resting his forehead against Magnus's to whisper nearly inaudibly, "Please."

"Whatever you want…" Magnus answered just as quietly before adding with a light chuckle, "whenever… however…"

Alec laughed soundlessly, a lighthearted spreading of his lips before the gravity of what he was about to do set in. He shifted back slightly to look at Magnus, and his attention was caught by the way his pale skin looked against Magnus's bronze. His Shadowhunter marks – the black of fresh runes and the white of those long faded – stood out in sharp contrast against his skin. Magnus followed his gaze and lifted his head, brushing his lips against the precision rune carved into his biceps before whispering, "You're beautiful, Alexander."

Feeling tightness in his chest, Alec met Magnus's eyes, only to find the warlock watching him with an earnest expression. Alec swallowed against all the words threatening to spill past his lips. It wasn't like him to hold back, but he wasn't at all sure what he wanted to say, and now was not the time to start babbling aimlessly. Instead, he held Magnus's gaze, willing him to understand.

With a soft smile, Magnus took his face in both hands and pulled him close, kissing him tenderly. "Are you ready?" he asked, and Alec nodded, their faces brushing.

Alec felt something settle into his palm and glanced over to find a plastic bottle. He gave Magnus a small grin but didn't comment as he sat back on his heels. Before the feeling of awkwardness could grow, Magnus sat up as well, his legs sprawled around Alec as he took the bottle from his hand. He heard the snap of the lid and saw a flash of blue before Magnus's hand, slick with a delicious liquid heat, wrapped around his cock.

Alec inhaled sharply, his eyes rolling back as he focused on the feeling as Magnus squeezed and stroked, teasing his head as he leaned forward to kiss Alec's chest. He gave himself a moment to enjoy the pleasure Magnus was offering before he opened his eyes and reached for the bottle. Pouring the liquid into his right hand, he slid his left to the back of Magnus's neck, reclaiming his mouth as he worked to warm the liquid in his palm since he didn't have any of Magnus's special tricks. He could feel Magnus panting, could nearly taste the tension of anticipation in his kiss, and a thrill of pride shot through him.

When he finally reached down, stroking Magnus's cock before dipping even lower, the warlock moaned wordlessly, nodding his encouragement without breaking their kiss. Alec felt disoriented, his attention split between the pure pleasure of Magnus's touch, the feel of puckered flesh beneath his own hand, the faint burned-sugar smell of magic, and the exquisite taste of his lover. His nerves were taut, as if one more stimulus would shatter him into a million pieces, leaving him scattered on the wind.

Then Magnus's hand left him, only to trail up his chest. He wrapped both arms around Alec's shoulders and leaned back, encouraging Alec to join him with whispered words and heated kisses. Alec followed, trusting Magnus to lead him to the place they both wanted to go.

They settled onto the soft sheets, Magnus's knees to either side of Alec's hips, and Alec inhaled sharply when he realized exactly how close they were. Feeling a sudden urge to see Magnus – to share this moment with him – he pressed up on his elbows to find his lover looking for him as well. When their eyes met, Magnus gave a sweet smile, so innocent and open that Alec felt himself smiling in response. He lowered his head to kiss Magnus chastely, and Magnus surprised him by squeezing him tighter, rubbing their cheeks together as he whispered, "You are precious."

It was such a Magnus thing to say – somehow eloquent and meaningful and ridiculous at once. Alec, naturally, was left speechless. He wanted to find the words to describe what he felt, but he didn't know where to begin to explain the growing fullness in his chest, the way his world came alive whenever Magnus looked at him. In the end, he mumbled, "You're amazing," against Magnus's jaw. It was true – Magnus was amazing – but it was also horribly inadequate.

Magnus didn't seem to mind as he turned his head to the side, his lips seeking Alec's as he reached between them. Alec felt warm pressure around his cock as Magnus guided him forward, but it was nothing at all to the unimaginable feeling of being joined with Magnus.

"By the–" Alec whispered, his voice breaking off suddenly as he shifted his hips forward. Magnus welcomed him, his body molding to Alec's as if they were meant to fit together – to be together – always. "Magnus," Alec breathed, his voice a hoarse groan that seemed to contain everything he couldn't say.

"I know," Magnus whispered in return. One of his hands drifted up to Alec's hair, clenching the strands as he kissed Alec fully. The other slipped down the Shadowhunter's back, coasting over the skin as if he could never touch enough.

Feeling his body fully against Magnus's, Alec paused, struggling against the urge to thrust wildly. He knew Magnus wouldn't mind, of course, but he wanted this. He wanted to remember this moment, to feel everything, and to do that, he needed some form of control. He threw everything into the wonder of it all – kissing Magnus, knowing him intimately, feeling him shiver and groan against Alec's chest.

"Please, Alexander," Magnus moaned, lifting his hips from the bed.

Alec let his head hang beside Magnus's as he shifted his hips back, feeling the pressure ease before he thrust forward again. Magnus gave a hiss that spurred Alec on, encouraging him to repeat the movement, driving even deeper. Magnus's legs wrapped around Alec's waist as his arms tightened around his chest. Alec felt the sting of teeth on his shoulder before it was soothed with a gentle lick.

All semblance of control left him then, and his hips began moving rhythmically of their own accord – thrusting, retreating, rocking, grinding, sending a thudding pulse coursing through Alec's body. Sweat beaded on his brow as he bit his lip in concentration, his eyes closing as he tried to hold on with everything he had. Magnus's nails scraped down his back, bringing Alec's attention to the warlock's breathless pleas. More. Harder.

"Yes!" Magnus growled, his voice breaking through the symphony of sounds in the room – the slap of flesh meeting flesh, the harsh intakes of breath, the grunts and moans and pleas.

Alec kissed his neck and his jaw before finding his lips. They kissed hungrily, competing against the jarring motion of their bodies. Magnus's legs fell away, and Alec felt him press his heels into the mattress, lifting his body to meet Alec thrust for thrust. His calls were becoming guttural, any recognizable words lost in the broken spaces between his quick breaths, and Alec himself felt lightheaded and giddy, skimming the edge of a precipice.

Then Magnus reached between their bodies, and Alec felt the backs of his knuckles graze his abdomen as Magnus stroked himself frantically. He looked up to find the warlock's eyes and jaw clenched, whimpering sounds escaping him as he rocked his body into Alec's with abandon. The sight of Magnus in ecstasy was too much, and Alec buried his face in his neck, relinquishing his last shreds of control as he focused on the way it all felt – heat and pressure and bliss before his world exploded, leaving pinpoints of stars behind his eyelids.

His limbs shook as he focused all his energy on remaining upright, gasping for breath as Magnus's hand sped between their bodies. Magnus stiffened and called out, "Alec!" as his left hand dug almost painfully into Alec's ass.

Hearing his name – the name he used for himself – on Magnus's lips in that moment warmed him in unfamiliar ways, and he found himself laughing softly in disbelief. After a few lazy strokes, Magnus's hand stilled, and he opened his eyes with a grin. "You know, it's really impolite to laugh when someone loses control," Magnus said in a haughty voice somewhat ruined by the rainbow glitter scattered across his face from his hair. "Especially," he added, "when it's all your fault."

Alec smiled and kissed him instead of answering, a choice that was rewarded when Magnus purred and pulled him down, rolling them onto their sides so they were facing each other. Apparently unwilling to let any space between them, Magnus slipped his leg between Alec's and snuggled into his chest.

"Sorry," Alec muttered, kissing Magnus's forehead.

Magnus slipped back far enough to meet his eye. "No, you aren't," he said simply and then winked before adding, "and you shouldn't be. It was exquisite. Still…"

"Still what?" Alec asked with a frown even as his hand lightly roamed Magnus's back.

"Well, I will have to get my revenge, of course," Magnus said.

"Revenge?"

"Yes, revenge. You know the delicate balance of the universe… one act is balanced by another, and so on and so on," Magnus answered airily, waving his hand. "You left me senseless and helpless for a time, so the universe demands I do the same to you – revenge. And you know, Alexander Lightwood… revenge is hell." He licked his lips, eyeing Alec lecherously. "Torturous, agonizing, sweet, delicious hell."