Ok, I know it's been a ridiculously long time since my last update but I basically took the summer off to relax and read loads.

I've been writing this chapter for a few days, around the six essays I'm currently trying to write for college in a week.

I meant to update this on Friday but stupidly left it on my college computer so couldn't update it :/

I apologise if this isn't as good as or a bit shorter than my previous chapters, as it's been three months since I've written a story so bear with me as I get back into the flow.

There was a review on the last chapter from an anonymous reader that I would like to address. They were confused about the timeline of the story, so this story is a continuation from my pervious one 'Easy is the descent' which itself was placed after 'City of Lost Souls' which I started before 'City of Heavenly Fire' came out. If you are at all confused with what had happened so far please read the last chapter of the fanfic mentioned above that should fill you in.

The next chapter should be up sometime next week. As always I would love all of your reviews x

With a single mirthless laugh he said in a disturbed whisper "Lilith?"

The small girl, even more dwarfed by his tall frame, began to laugh hysterically as her pupils bloomed out again. But instead of stopping at her eyes the darkness spilled over her lashes, with the thickness of oil paint, and made its way down her body covering every square inch of flesh, hair and cloth. Until it melted away her body and only a puddle of the putrid black liquid was left, the ringing laughter still echoed in the ears of the watchers.

Johnathan stared at the spot in fascination for a split second before a scream that must have broken the sound barrier erupted from the girl he had not previously noticed.

On and on it went with no sign of stopping.

The sound was cut off abruptly when she caught sight of the look of annoyance on his face.

That look alone, with the demon shining through the black orbs barley concealing the thing within, would have been enough to start off the screaming again had the front door had not begun to open.

In a split second Johnathan transported himself back to his apartment, the last thing he needed right now was to have a faceoff with, who he assumed would be Jace.

Fuck! Johnathan thought to himself everything had been going so well How is she back? What does she want? Is she angry?

The haunting laughter filled his mind again as a chill went down his spine, Of course she was pissed! Why wouldn't she be? I effectively betrayed and killed her, hadn't I?

And then there was Clary. He had failed to take her, what an idiotic thing to do! He had made sure that the rings magic was specially altered so that anyone sharing the same blood as him would transport automatically. He should have just used that connection to get her out and then gone and investigated!

A frightened intake of breath behind him made him snap out of his thoughts.

Turning at blinding speed he spotted her. A girl, not much taller than the one who had melted before him only moments before, stood shaking. She looked up at him with those oh so familiar golden eyes that finally reflected the fear that he had failed to put in their older version.

Flashing his teeth at her with a terrifying grin, that caused the look of fear on her face to escalate as intended, he had a single wonderful thought.

Brilliant!

Pushing the door open Jace was greeted will the smell of pepper and sulphur. Before he could process this he step right into the puddle of sticky black liquid.

"What the…?" he said loudly.

Finally taking in his surroundings he felt his stomach drop.

The door that led to his and Clary's room had been wrenched almost off of its hinges, and a full bloody hand print sat on the surface surrounded by fingerprints. The liquid that he was currently standing in was letting off the smell that he associated with demons and magic.

"Clary. Simone." he whispered harshly before yelling it and running into the room.

The scene inside was so much worse than the one outside. The orange wall opposite him was splattered ceiling to floor with blood. That same blood covered the floor, which now bore his own black footprints. A gymnastics baton lay next to a blade, which he was pretty sure was made of demon metal.

A foot, wearing a familiar black converse, stuck out from behind the bed. He rushed nimbly to her side and felt for a pulse.

Relief flooded his system as the little beat jumped against his fingers.

She looked bad. Really bad, her arm stuck out at a funny angle and there were bloody footprints on her ribs. Blood covered the right side of her face, it had congealed in her hair and bruises were beginning to form over most of her face.

Gathering her up against him as she began to stir Jace began to rock slightly. Anger rose up like flames in his chest.

"Simone?" Clary whimpered softly.

There had been no one else in the house when he entered, Jace knew instinctively.

His mind went blank as horror set in.

Far away from the apartment in Brooklyn and even further still from the one in Alicante the laughing continued as a small Asian girl, in a long white dress, sat cross legged in front of a full length mirror watching.

Always watching.