We went up Magnus's stoop, still arm in arm. We had passed a group of faeries--that was all, but no one noticed us, except for one smaller faerie, tinted with lilac hue. He turned, his black eyes huge and intelligent, and he finally smiled at us with very sharp, blue teeth.

Magnus unlocked the door with a flick of his finger and pressed the door open, slightly unlacing our arms. I let mine fall away, and I stepped away from him in the dark foyer. My heart had begun to thrum hard and loud and fast. I wondered if Magnus could hear it.

It was dark--I could only see faint smudges of glitter on Magnus's walls from the moonlight trailing in through the open door. I suddenly felt alone--it was dark, and I couldn't see nor hear Magnus. Where had he gone?

With hands in my pockets, I nudged the door close. I swallowed, my blood hot in my cheeks.

I nearly cried out when something brushed my leg. I stifled my gasp when I heard a long mewl from below. A small tinkling noise followed--the bell on a cat's collar.

"Chairman--" I began, my breath shaky. My nerves were frazzled enough as it was. I heard footsteps, and I brought out my hand like a blind man uses a pole.

"Magnus?" I whispered, taking a step forth. It wasn't long that my hand collided with something. At first, I believed it was a wall--it was hard and smooth. I bit my lip, wishing to find Magnus, when a hand came from the wall's directions.

"I'm here, my little Shadowhunter." His voice was soft. His fingers surrounded mine--two of his around my one. They flew across my hand, over my palm, as quick and soft that I could have imagined it. I realized that the 'wall' I'd bumped into had been him--his chest had been that hard and smooth! I took a moment to process that, my heartbeat quickening.

"Oh, Alec." Magnus's voice was suddenly mixed with concern and humor. "Your heartbeat." His finger dug softly into my wrist. "It's faster than a hummingbird's wing. What is it?"

Before I could stammer a reply, he brought my hand close to him, until my fingertips brushed his chest. It was silky, not the texture of a wall. It was warm, not cold.

My knuckles were loose, my fingers splayed out over his body. He was silent, as was I except my vicious heartbeat. I laid my palm flat to his chest, and I could begin to feel the soft, steady thrum of his own heart.

Something soft and moist touched my temple--Magnus's lips. I shivered slightly, pressing my hand to his heart harder. My other hand met his torso, sliding around to hold him close. He came to me easily, enveloping me in his arms as well.

I sighed softly after several beats of silence. I counted Magnus's breaths. "What now?" I whispered thinly. Magnus chuckled, his chest vibrating.

"Whatever you please, blue eyes."

He'd pulled away, and my eyes were becoming tuned with the dark. I could see Magnus's faint outline, could see his dark pants and bone white bare skin. I could see his dark hair and eyebrows, and the faint glow of his cat eyes. His hands went to my shoulders, and I watched his mouth curl, like a thin pencil line on blank paper.

I swallowed. My heart was loud in my ears. "Umm…"

I hollered out, breaking the quiet mood when Magnus flung me into his arms. I became as stiff as a board, cradled next to his bare chest. He held me like a child, and as I looked up, he smiled even wider.

He brought me into a room, and I couldn't tell what was going on or where we were once again. Magnus carefully let me down. I was shivering as I listened to Magnus's footsteps.

Suddenly, I found he was opening the curtains of the room. I blinked at the harsh light--it was soft, only moonlight, but it had been so dark. Outside, it was grayish blue, a fog that was making it lighter. I was surprised to see it was raining--really rather hard, too. It splattered on the window like steady drumming skeleton fingers.

Magnus still stood at the window, a curtain in each outstretched hand. His arms flexed outwards, and the light gave him a black silhouette. I couldn't help but stare for a moment as his fingers unfurled from the curtains he'd so abruptly turned back.

My eyes danced along the smooth curve of his sides--how narrow his hips were, billowing out to a broad upper torso. Under all that glitter and layers of neon cloth, who would have known? His dark hair fell from his face, streaked with light like black feathers. Slowly, his arms fell to his sides, almost with uncertainty. No, that couldn't be it. Magnus was never uncertain.

His shoulders rose in a slight laugh. "You are staring again, Alec." I blushed and turned my eyes away. I stared at my feet, nervous with the gaze I felt upon me. I looked up at Magnus. He'd turned halfway to me, his face different than I had ever seen before.

His legs hadn't moved--only his torso swiveled around so his eyes met mine. His arms hung at his sides. A slash of black came across his face--a piece of ebony hair. My fingers itched to brush it away.

His eyes were huge--vulnerable. His mouth was a thoughtful line. The light glistened off the whites of his eyes, burrowing bright gold into his normally venom-colored eyes. I studied his cat-like pupils--simple black slashes in orbs of green-amber.

"Alec." he whispered. I watched with intent eyes. "Remember…my story? My life? I was never…" he struggled for words. "loved by my family. Not like you are. Trust me when I say that everyone loves you, Alec. Don't worry about your parents, because I know you keep thinking about them. They'll love you…no matter what." His voice tapered to a thin whisper, so that I had to strain to hear.

He looked so suddenly sad. His eyes were downcast, his face loose with confused melancholy. His arms were lifeless, his hair hiding his eyes as he pointed his chin down. The rain tinkled hard against the window pane all around my distressed Magnus.

"Magnus--"

"Alec, I might let on how much I feel for you. Don't ever think that I'm using you for something, and I know you aren't using me. I've never…" his voice wavered again, making my skin prick from his discomfort. "really, truly been loved. Not by anyone, even if I have been alive for eight decades. I've always been used, thrown out. Forgotten."

As I listened, that word stung me. I actually flinched, then regained posture--more so than before, from Magnus's wide eyes. I vowed to never let him be forgotten again.

~*~

I pressed my cool cheek to Jace's naked back. I remembered long ago when we rode a vampire bike--maybe it hadn't gone as smoothly as I'd liked, but I remembered being with Jace. I pulled closer, my arms wrapped around his slender torso like a piece of rope.

It didn't seem like me not to protest to stealing a vampire bike, but it seemed that after all that has happened, it was hardly an issue even if the creature did come after us. With Jace now, I felt invincible. I could even look down from our amazing height and feel safe, just as long as Jace was right there with me.

The fierce winds whipped my red hair around my smiling face. We sped past the moon, and it looked so close, like an illuminated balloon, tied to the earth with only a string. The stars glittered like flecks of unfallen snow, like I could reach out and brush my fingers through the glowing flakes. My fingers rose, twitching with the urge to feel the long billowing ribbon of midnight.

Suddenly, a loud clap of thunder hollered through the cool, crisp night. I snatched back my hand to my chest, cradling it between Jace's back and me. I grasped to him, gasping quietly. I felt a cool pang on my arm, and looked down to see a crystalline droplet there. Another on my cheek--then on my neck.

"We got caught in the rain." I whispered to Jace's ear, his golden curls tickling my chin as the cold air fingered it. He chuckled softly. I felt my skin becoming damp.

'I'll find us some shelter, then." he suggested. I bit my lip.

"Take your time." I finally whispered, as loudly as the wind. He stiffened in slight surprise, but soon chuckled a little louder. He revved the vampire bike, spurting us forth in a quick jerk. I cried out happily, tightening around Jace's warm, wetted body.

The rain was so nice on my skin. The night was still warm, so the water sloshed down my face refreshingly. I leaned forth and placed my cheek back to Jace's shoulder. His skin smelled clean, and felt warm and silky. My fingers trailed up his spine, then to the nape of his neck. I lazily twirled a fine, dark tendril of damp hair in my fingers. Jace's spine shuddered, and I smiled to myself. Both arms retreated back to wrapping around his long, lean body.

'Wow." I breathed as we rode over Idris. House lights were burning bright gold, and the plains looked deep emerald blue. We disrupted still cat-tail plants as we blew past. They quivered in the rain and from our ride.

We blew through a field, the bike lowering. The rain was heavy now. My hair clung to my bare back, and Amatis's dress also clung tightly. I flushed and hid my front with Jace's body, wondering how much the rain was revealing.

I hissed out an awed breath when Jace slowed over a waterfall. It was gentle and not so tall, and very, very beautiful. The night painted in a bluish color, and there were a couple of torches around it, still burning with witch light, not fire. I wondered if Jace had set it up.

He slowed down and began to descend steadily. The bike coughed, and I clung closer. Jace chuckled and braked, and we fell the last few inches to the grass near the waterfall.

I made an 'oof' noise and unlaced my fingers as Jace swung a leg over the bike. I drew my hands back, and quickly covered my chest by crossing my arms. I carefully dismounted, but it wasn't that easy when my arms were wrapped around myself.

I slipped on my dress, the soft, wet fabric skidding under my heel. I cried out, but Jace caught me. My fingers clawed for him in desperation, and he pulled me close to his chest. I quieted when my nose skimmed his collarbone. My arms were tucked between us, and I was silent as he held me. I stared at the runes on his chest. They were fading to a gray, the tan of his skin peeking through. I brought up one finger and traced one thoughtfully.

Jace's body jerked in the slightest way. I smiled to myself, under my ropes of red, wet hair. I pressed my lips to the rune softly. It was so soft, that I barely touched him at all. It could've been a wisp of my hair tickling his chest, for all he knew. But he did know.

He sighed and buried his hands into my hair, gently. He wasn't urgent now. I pulled close, letting his brush through my hair with moist fingers. "Did you do this?" I asked into his chest.

He laughed quietly. "No. I'm not that creative. I don't really know who did do this, but I knew you'd like it here." His hands went to my face, caressing little circles into my cheeks. I pulled up to meet his gaze.

His golden eyes watched me thoughtfully as he carefully touched me. His eyebrows knitted together as I shivered when he touched my lips. He hesitated, his forefinger over my mouth.

I reached up and pulled his fingers close. I kissed them, and Jace let out the thinnest moan. I closed my eyes and whispered into his fingers, "You don't need to be hesitant anymore, Jace."

I looked up, curiously, and he looked down at me, a little unsure. I let go of his hand, wondering if he was now deciding that he only wanted a forbidden love. A dangerous one that made his blood run hot. Now, we could do anything in front of anyone. Did he not want that?

"Clary." his dropped hand quickly took my chin, bringing my downcast eyes to his. I watched as rain fell on his face and ran down the plains of his tawny skin. They dripped down his temples and his cheeks. They beaded in the tips of his darkened hair. I watched the droplets sluice down his lips, which were parted open in questioning. They looked so warm and pale pink. They looked innocent, yet like I could fill my desires with their touch.

I grabbed at a shirt that wasn't there. My palm slapped over his naked collar, so I simply tossed an arm around his neck and drew close. Our bodies touched, and I could feel his hard, flat chest against my own.

I brought my lips to his, drying them off the best I could.