Since runing the arrows and preparing, Alec had received a text from Izzy to meet her at an address and to drop me off on the rooftop of some random building Clary and Jace were at.

"This is the building" Alec points out, "Just use this side door to get to the stairs and up to the roof"

I pull on the door but it doesn't budge, "How am I supposed to get through this? It's-"

I stop speaking when Alec pulls his stele from his pocket and draws a rune in front of the door, I hear the lock click and pull the door again, to which it swings open.

"Right, runes" I nod, "I forgot"

Alec nods and turns to leave but I grab his arm, a sudden influx of anxiety sweeping over me. Alec looks at my hand, then back at me, a confused and expectant expression on his face.

"I'm scared" I admit, dropping my hand, "I don't know what's happening or where you're going or what the plan is and it's freaking me out"

Alec looks at me for a minute, an internal battle in his eyes, before he places his hands on my shoulders, "Hey, if it helps any, I don't know the plan either"

"It does. A little" I chuckle, before slamming into his chest and wrapping my arms around his waist. Alec stiffens, his hands holding air, before he slowly wraps them around my shoulders, hugging me back, "Please be careful. Whatever this plan is, I'm not stupid enough to think it's not dangerous"

"I always am" Alec assures me, pulling away from the hug, "Now, go"

I nod, reopening the door and stepping into the stairwell, choosing not to look back. Whatever came over me that compelled me to run into his arms like that, I didn't know.

The only thing I knew is that I was terrified that I would never see him again.

***

By the time I arrive on the roof, I spot Clary and Jace, his stele pressed to the skin of her collarbone, drawing a rune on her...and then I spot the motorbike.

"Oh, hell no!" I shout, running up to them, "You so did not take my baby sister on a motorbike through these streets!"

"Does it help if it was in the air instead of on the road?" Jace chuckles

"Not even a little bit" I say through gritted teeth before looking down at the newly drawn rune on Clary's neck, "And that is?"

"A rune that protects me from encanto - some kind of vampire hypnotist stuff that makes me susceptible to their charms. I was encanto'd earlier, Jace wanted me to know what I was up against." Clary explains, side-hugging me, "Then Jace stole his flying motorbike and took me for a joy ride, which I'm old enough to do, Cami, so stop mothering me"

"Yeah, well, in the circumstances..." I trail off as Jace draws another rune into Clary's arm, "Why another rune?"

"It's for silence" Jace clarifies, "So the vampires can't hear us coming, especially with you two in those heels. It doesn't disguise the scent of our blood from them, though"

"Should I not have these runes then?" I inquire and Jace looks at me, considering

"No way!" Clary yells, "Runic energy at the City of Bones almost killed you!"

"Yes, but the healing rune didn't" I remind her, "It worked on me"

"Yeah, until you went near runic energy!" Clary protests, "No way, not happening"

"Clary, when I went near the City and the training room, it was almost like the effects of the rune wore off, my wound just came back, it's not the runes that hurt me, it's the concentrated form of their energy"

"She's got a point, Clary" Jace admits, "We're not likely to run into any rune energy in a vampire lair, and she'll need these runes to stay protected. Besides, her healing rune has vanished now, they don't seem to last long, so if worst comes to worst, the rune just won't work."

"I agree" I nod, extending my wrist to Jace, "Draw them"

"We really need to get some answers about what you are, and soon" Clary huffs as I wince through the stinging pain of the stele on my skin, "I don't think I can take this much longer"

"You and me both"

"Ok, let's go" Jace instructs, finishing with my runes. I pull the sleeve of my jacket down, wincing lightly at the dull aching pain from my freshly drawn 'protected' rune on my wrist and 'soundless' rune on my forearm.

What a charming way to empower someone, through burning marks into their skin.

"Once we enter the building through there" Jace says, gesturing across the rooftop, "They'll know something's up, but if our plan works, we'll have time to find Simon"

So we were standing on top of the vampire lair...how comforting.

"How will we even find Simon?" Clary questions as we crunch through the gravel roof of the building

"He'll be in the most secure room in the building" Jace voices, "Trust me, we'll know it when we see it"

"What if they do this...encanto thing on him?" I inquire, worry seeping through my veins, "Will he turn into a vampire?"

"No, you have to drink vampire blood for that" Jace iterates, "Even then, there's a lot more to it, it's an overly involved process, if you ask me"

"We didn't" I snark and Jace rolls his eyes at me, descending a small three-staired ladder onto another roof, where a door sits, ominous and heavy.

This must be the entrance.

"I don't get it" Clary sighs, "What if a vampire bites him?"

"They won't drain him right away. They like to take their time" Jace informs and I feel my skin crawl, he spoke about it as if it was fun to them, "Vampires are real gourmets"

"God, he'll be terrified" Clary cries

"Actually, he'll feel kind of high, kind of like he's in love"

"With the one who bit him?"

"Yeah."

"That's disgusting" I cringe, wrinkling my nose

"Disgusting?" Jace questions, looking mildly offended, "Guess I wouldn't know."

"You've never been bitten?" Clary asks and Jace looks at her pointedly, telling her it wasn't that but something else

Suddenly it dawns on me, "You've never been in love."

"The point is, it wears off" Jace shrugs, his eyes magnetically stuck to Clary's, "Just like love. What's the deal with Clary and Simon, anyway? He seems kinda..."

"Be careful what you say" I warn him

"Unworthy of her?" Jace offers, "How's that?"

"You really think you have it all figured out?" Clary snipes

"I do" Jace scoffs

"You don't even understand friendship"

"Really?" Jace challenges

"You have a parabatai, right? Alec?" I speak up, remembering Alec's word for Jace earlier, "What is that anyway?"

"A parabatai is two Shadowhunters who fight together, but as lifelong partners. Our souls are bound together by oath and angelic bond" Jace illustrates, "Alec would die for me"

"Now you understand Simon and the two of us" Clary snarks

Jace inhales loudly, "Sun's gonna come up soon. You remember how to use that blade?"

"Yeah, about that, should I not have a weapon or something?" I suggest, frowning

"Take this" Jace demands, shoving the old seraph blade into my hand, where it glows dimly and pulling another from a sheath at his waist, "I never leave home without at least two"

I nod, taking it in my hand and swishing it around again, nerves revving up inside of me.

"Remember to keep your arms steady and don't overestimate what you know. They can be tricky. We'll try and keep them off of you as much as we can."

"Speaking of we..." I gulp, my anxiety over Alec kicking into high gear, "Where is Alec...and Isabelle?"

"Being distracting"

***

We creep quietly through the upper levels of the Hotel, watching through an open door as a flock of vampires shriek and blur away from where we are, clearly distracted.

Before long, we find a grand and opulent room surrounded by gold and luxurious items.

"Clary!" Jace warns as he spots a vampire in a blue jacket

"You!" the vampire roars

I guess that's the guy who's bike Jace stole.

Suddenly, a few more vampires smack into Jace, toppling him over as the blue-jacketed vampire takes a hold of Clary, hissing into her ear, "I just ran 30 blocks to get here before I freaking burned to death in the sun!"

Suddenly, something snaps into place as I watch the vampire trap Clary in his arms, restricting her from moving and I lower back into the same fighting stance I'd used against the Circle member at the Institute, a haze settling over me as I grip the blade in my hand.

Jace continues to try and battle the vampires, but I don't pay attention to him, all I can focus on is Clary.

"You missed your ride, angel doll" The vampire teases, pulling her to face him, her arms trapped in his clawed hands, "Why'd you go with him, huh? You really know how to hurt a guy"

Clary manages to pull back enough to knee him in the groin, "You're right, I really do know how to hurt a guy"

Immediately, I stand from my crouch, the haze disappearing as Clary sets herself free from the vampires grasp, "Jace!"

"Clary, look out!" Jace shouts but it's too late, the vampire had sprung from the floor and slammed her into the wall by the neck, "The blade!"

Clary reaches behind her back to retrieve the blade but the vampire gets there first, gripping it tightly. As he does, the sword burns into his hand and he drops it, gasping in pain. But he doesn't release his grip on Clary.

Instead, he throws her to the floor and, once again, the same haze comes over me. I'm momentarily confused by the change but the confusion eradicates from my mind as I pick up both Clary's blade and mine.

All I can focus on is saving my sister.

I don't notice Alec and Izzy arriving, nor do I notice Alec's bow propped up, an arrow set in place.

In a blur, everything happens at once. Clary gets trapped by the vampire again, I prepare myself with the second sword and Alec lets his arrow fly.

In the same two seconds I slide across the floor on my knees, slicing at the vampires ankles from behind him. The vamp screams and throws Clary away from himself and towards Alec, at the exact same time that he lets his arrow fly and I duck around in front of the vampire as Jace fights the two on him.

I plunge the sword into the vampire's chest, watching as he erupts into flames and ash, falling to the floor as nothing but dust and I spin around quickly, catching the arrow in my hand, inches from my face before throwing it to the ground, breathing heavily as I search the room for Clary, spotting her on the floor by Alec, watching me with terrified, wide eyes. All within a minute.

She was scared, but safe.

The haze slips, I straighten up and drop the swords, rushing over to Clary, "Are you okay, Clary?"

"What-what was that?" she stammers, eyes fearful, "Your eyes...you almost got shot in the head with an arrow!"

"I know, but I didn't" I dismiss, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

"What in the hell was that?" Izzy asks, Alec by her side, staring at me in shock and horror, "How did you catch that arrow like that? And why did your eyes..."

"Jesus, enough about my eyes! What about them?" I ask, self consciously feeling around my face

"Cami, your eyes were black" Jace speaks up, having rid himself of his vampire captors, "Completely black"

"What?" I whisper, fear flooding my veins

"How did you do that?" Alec repeats, "God, I almost killed you trying to kill that vampire! How did you catch the arrow like that, how did you kill him so easily?"

"I...I don't know" I answer honestly, "I just...something snapped, I guess? I worked on instinct. It's weird...when I killed the Circle member, when I killed that vampire, something just...happens. It's like I go into this haze and I just...I know what to do"

They all remain silent, looking from me to each other and back again.

"But we don't have time to worry about that now" I remind them, "We need to find Simon"

***

"Clary! Cami! I'm here!" I hear Simon scream and I freeze in place, everyone around me stops, looking at me confused

"Did you hear that?" I ask them and they all look at each other, confused, "Simon! I can hear him!"

I start up at a run, the others following me and before long, we emerge into another opulent room, Simon trapped in the hands of the same vampire that took him, a knife to his throat.

"Simon!" Clary yells, running forward as the other three prepare their weapons to battle

"Clary!" I warn her, stopping her from getting to close, "Be careful, you could endanger Simon as well as yourself"

"Listen to your big sister, Clary Fairchild" The vampire hisses, "Put them away. I've had more than enough of your friend for one day. I'd love to cut his throat, so don't give me a reason."

Jace and I hover forward, blades in hand but the vampire snaps, "Put it away!"

We all sigh, but concede, tucking our blades, whip and arrows away.

"Simon" Clary whispers, "Simon, are you all right?"

"I wouldn't say all right-"

"Stop talking!" the vamp growls, moving the blade closer to Simon's neck, "Now...if you would all just follow me. Let's go!"

I look at Alec, concerned and he looks at me before nodding slowly, placing a comforting touch to my hip as he passes and it prompts me forward, following close behind Alec.

As we follow the vampire and Simon through the Hotel, Alec and I holding up the front, I notice that he's backtracking us to the entrance Clary, Jace and I had taken to get into the building...it looked like he was letting us out.

But why?

"Get down there, now!" the vampire orders and we follow suit, stepping down towards the exact door we'd entered from, "Get down there or I'll kill him, right now!"

"Look, we're not gonna hurt you!" Clary pleads, treading backwards to the door Alec, Izzy and I were stood in front of, "We just want Simon?'

"I'm glad you do! We don't" the vampire growls, "We wanted you and your sister"

"Well, here we are!" Clary hisses, pushing herself forward but, thank the lord, Jace stops her, again

"I said 'wanted,' not my idea" the vampire spits, "Now, get out! Go!"

"Not without Simon!" I protest and Alec grips my wrist, rubbing his thumb over it in a slow circle, a gesture of comfort. I smile at him weakly, it was helping but not tremendously.

"Shut up!" the vampire screams, "Open that door right now or I'll kill him right here!"

"Listen to him!" Jace instructs Alec and Alec wastes no time in swinging the door open and pulling me through, into the morning sunlight

"But Simon will die if-" Clary objects

The vampire whimpers, pushing himself behind a pole as the sunlight streams through the door and into the dark basement.

"Clary, Cami, go!" Simon encourages

"Go, go, go!" Jace chants

"Go, take him!" the vampire barks, pushing Simon away from him and over to Clary and Jace, just before the door, "Go!"

"I don't know how to thank you!" Simon thanks the vampire

"Don't thank me" the vampire hisses, "You mean nothing. This is about Valentine and the chaos he can bring."

"Come on!" Jace growls, pulling Simon by the jacket and out into the sunlight with Clary and I.

Jace lingers for a second, listening to something the vampire was saying before he, too, retreats from the door, closing it tightly and stepping into the bright sunshine.

"Shouldn't we get the hell out of here?" Simon urges

"Why, Simon?" Jace snarks, his usual annoyance returned in Simon's prescence

"They're right downstairs!" Simon exclaims

"Let them come after us" Jace shrugs, "They'll just turn into a bunch of fried eggs out here. I thought you said you watched movies."

Jace, Izzy and Alec all walk up the same stairs that led to the roof where the motorbike was, leaving Simon, Clary and I to ourselves.

"Simon!" Clary and I sigh in unison, wrapping him in a three-way hug

"God, it's over, it's finally over" I sigh, taking Simon's face in my hands, "Ugh, I've never been happier to see anyone in my entire life!"

"You know I'd do anything for you guys" Simon assures us

"You don't have to die" Clary sighs

"Yeah, I'd rather not do that" Simon agrees and we laugh, a rich and happy sound

Clary hugs him again, whispering, "I couldn't live without you"

I raise my eyebrows, standing back slightly, knowing she has no clue of the weight of what she said.

"Say that again" Simon breathes and I take a deep breath in...

Surely she doesn't...

"I couldn't live without you, Simon" Clary repeats, "You and Cami...you're all I have left. Our whole lives just disappeared and we're supposed to...live this other way, be these other things. You're my best friend."

Ouch.

There it is.

I watch as Simon's face crumples and I look at him apologetically, mouthing the words 'I'm sorry' as Clary crashes into him again, kissing his cheek fondly.

"Don't you ever, ever, let yourself get into trouble again" I scold him, hugging Simon myself now as Clary smiles at us both

"Alec, stop!" I hear Jace scream and I whirl on the spot to look at him. He was arguing with Jace...and Jace had seemed to have had enough of it.

"I'm older than you, Jace, I'm not in your shadow" I hear Alec hiss and my blood runs cold.

I knew Hodge had been talking about Jace when he'd spoken about being in the shadows before...and, clearly, it had gotten to Alec more than I'd realised.

"Alec" I whisper and he looks down at me as I step up the first stair of the ladder, "Alec...don't-"

I don't get another word in before Alec turns away from Jace, making his way towards the other door of the building, to the exit.

He's done this before and normally, I just let him walk but this time I run up the last few steps, running past Jace and grabbing Alec's arm, forcibly pulling him to face me with a strength I never knew I had.

"Alec, stop!" I urge him, "Don't listen to Hodge, okay, you're not in anybody's shadow, least of all Jace's, alright?"

"He's the best at everything, the first person everyone notices" Alec snaps, "I am in his shadow, and I'm sick of it, Hodge was right...if I keep doing this, it could get me as screwed as him!"

"That's not true." I sigh, taking a deep breath before admitting something I never thought I would, "That night, when I got bitten by that demon in the apartment, when you and Jace came for us...you were the first person I saw, the first thing I noticed. I didn't notice Jace, I noticed you. Jace is your parabatai, whatever that means, and trust me you are not in his shadow...at least not to me."

"That doesn't mean anything" Alec lashes out, "You're just some weird freak of a mundane whose eyes turn black and fighting skills come out from nowhere. What you notice means nothing to me."

With that, Alec turns on the spot and disappears through the door, leaving me standing there, frozen, tears brimming my eyes.

I was an idiot to admit that to him, to try to comfort him.

I'd thought we'd progressed into at least a friendship but Hodge's words had broken something in him and he wasn't thinking clearly anymore.

I knew, on some deep level, that the words he spat at me weren't what he meant.

But that doesn't mean they don't still sting.