The same group of people that had gone to the warehouse the day before went today – minus one dead mage. It was still troubling thinking that someone from this world wanted me dead. It made me wonder what sort of problems I was causing back home too that I was crossing dimensions like that. Alec’s siblings, Clary and Simon all started their search around the perimeter while Magnus went inside to look around, Magnus insisted I come with him for the extra insight into my magical world, and neither Ant nor Alec were going to leave us alone. Not that either of us couldn’t protect ourselves. It was a protective thing. And honestly Ant was going to be more help in the magic realm. I knew mine, he knew his but he was far older than anyone here and that included Magnus.

Alec and I were party to listening to the old timers talking about things that happened centuries ago on both worlds and how our histories differed. It could have been very informative if I cared to listen to the history. I didn’t in school and I still didn’t now. It was the reason I had advisers. So Alec and I snooped around outside the room with the big magic drawing on the floor while Magnus did his thing. We weren’t out of ear shot when the building started to vibrate.

And not a good kind of vibrate, I may have made that comment out loud when I next looked at Alec he as blushing from ear to ear but his bow was drawn and we were walking towards the source of it. Another portal opened up, this one much bigger than the one they had seen earlier. It wasn’t purple, nor was it golden. It was so black I wouldn’t even call it that it was empty of everything, more like a black hole. Demons poured through and the warehouse shook harder and faster and the beams above were giving way. The roof was going to come down on us.

I could think of only one thing to do to keep us from being flattened and swarmed at the same time. Patterns of fire and earth spread across the beams. I could strengthen them. I could weld the rivets and bolts in place without much thought. But it was going to take everything I had to cover a structure this big.

Alec was pegging demons the moment they fell through the portal but they were coming faster than even he could keep up. I heard the deafening crack of the whip his sister wielded. The remaining shadow hunters were soon picking off those that came in.

I couldn’t do anything other than keep the roof from falling. Ant looked at me and frowned, he couldn’t help with that, he was an elementalist but he couldn’t do what I did. He opted to fight and keep things from reaching me. He didn’t step into the foray anymore than Magnus did. He stood by me and behind Ant, expecting the same protection from Ant, and when Magnus’ hands started to glow bright blue I knew he was trying to close the portal from this side.

A voice slithered over their ears, “Kill. Kill them all.”

A mass of demons flowed through the portal and everyone but me took a step back to get some more distance, I couldn’t move. Ant yelled, “We have to hold this position, or these two will go down.” It was like they all moved in unison, well practiced maneuvers as they surrounded Magnus and I. They’d keep the demon’s away while we did our job.

My body started to strain from the over use of my ability and the lack of replenishment be it food or general resources. I was starting to lose my grip on things. I didn’t have time to spare for anyone else as I started a secondary weave. It pulled at my resources even more but I wasn’t going to let the building collapse on top of my friends. I would make sure they survived at least even if the demons over run us. I could protect them.

But there wasn’t much need for the secondary weave as two things happened simultaneously. The portal winked closed cutting several demons in half and Magnus fell to the ground. The building stopped vibrating and when I released my weaves I sank down on to my knees. We were still no closer to figuring anything out. But we had survived.

Magnus portaled us into the institute with ease. I wasn’t the only one losing my lunch. Though I had come prepared this time, my own trash can. Alec had laughed at me. He wasn’t laughing now while they cleaned up blood. He commented. “Must be your world.”

He took me down to the cage with Ant in tow. Magnus followed but we were joined by Alec’s siblings and Clary. Simon was not around. Too bad that he’d be fun with Ant. He didn’t get pop culture anymore than the Shadowhunters.

The human Mage looked even more rumpled than before. He looked more hopeless too. The cage was not really a cage more like a transparent box. I stood outside the cage and wove a pattern of fire inside the box much to Magnus’ surprise if his gasp was anything to go by.

“Wakey Wakey.” I said. “Time to talk. I’d hate to let my friend lay into you again.” Ant smiled to send home my point. I heard Jace scoff. He didn’t sound happy with my methods.

The man just stared at me with whose eyes. “You should be dead. ”

“Well I ain’t. ” I smiled a toothy grin at him. “Talk to me. I might let you live. ”

“Your reputation precedes you. You don’t kill. ” He was a pompous in his attitued.

“For you I could make an exception. You tried to kill me. ” I made sure to supply him with an evil grin.

Fear rose in his eyes. Ant laughed. “I think he should be more worried about Mr Sparkles here. I think he feels your hatred of thing beneath you. ”

The man in the cage sneered at Magnus. “Filthy downworlder.”

Alec frowned. “You know what a downworlder is?”

Magnus answered. “He’s from here. I know him. ”

I raised a whistling eyebrow. “Say what? ”

“I thought he was dead. ” magnus said. “That’s why he could make a portal in your world. ”

“The ascended must die. ” He raised his hands and blue fire whipped from his hands through the cage. Magnus was casting. Alec stepped between me and the Mage and knocked me out of the way. Ant had a sword of fire in his hand and was in the cage before anyone could react. The sword sank deep and the man screamed as the spell turned in on it self engulfing him in flames. Ant jumped back.

Jace frowned as he helped me up. “We’ll that was not productive. ”

Magnus spoke softly “We still have the Shard and the Book of the White. ”

“That doesn’t explain why a warlock from your world was in mine.” I said sadly. “There is too much we don’t know now. Too many additional questions. I’ll help you figure this out.” I looked at Alec, “While your boyfriend helps me find a way home. Do we have a deal?”

Alec smiled. “There doesn’t need to be a deal. But yes I would be grateful for your help. You and your bodyguard.”

Jace did a double take, “He has a body guard? What? Why? Huh?”

Ant grinned, “He is the most powerful supernatural being in our world at the present. My mother fears him, he fears my mother. But he rules over the Venatori.”

I interrupted Ant, “Which are like you, here, shadow hunters. People who were born and breed to patrol the supernatural races.”

And glared at me, “This is my story. Thank you. ” He looked at the large blonde with a grin and smiled. “What he said. He rules the Creed of Celestial Beings. Which is basically an organization that in the past has been hell bent on destroying the Venatori.”

It was Alec who interrupted this time. “How the hell does that even work? How can he rule to opposing entities.”

Ant grinned. “It’s not easy. But he’s doing it. The Venatori hate him for making changes. The CCB hates him for making changes. But those are the radicals. The normal people trust him. He makes friends at the bottom and lets the people at the top hate him. What’s better in the long run?”

Magnus smiled. “Alexander, that sounds very much like you.”

Alec blushed but Magnus was beaming with pride at his boyfriend. “It’s better to start at the bottom.” I said, Ant took my meaning and rolled his eyes. Alec glared at me with a look that said shut up, I hate you and oh my god I can’t beleive you just said that. I grinned at the bashful archer, “Sorry, I couldn’t help it.”

Ant made a flourish, “Can we leave this place? Nothing more here to do. We should probably check out that place we portaled into a little more throughly. Magic was used, you think you can spare Mr. Sparkles from finding our trip home Nox?”

Alec frowned, “That’s not his name.”

Ant grinned his fangs glinting in the flickering lights of the magic. “I’m well aware his name is Magnus Bane, while perfectly fitting, I like Mr. Sparkles. He reminds me of a cat Ryan had once.”

“Wait?” Alec looked back at Magnus then back to Ant, “You can see through his glamour? You see the cat eyes while everyone else sees brown?”

“It’s a shadow thing”. I noted. “Old vampires powerful in shadow can see through anything. Ant has the advantage of having the most powerful shadow vampire as his mother. So he’s learned to peirce many veils. But yes Ant, Magnus can help. Another few days or months here isn’t going to kill us.”

Magnus frowned, “I don’t know about that. You weren’t exactly yourself these past few days.”

I laughed, “Nice of you to notice, but I’ll be fine.”

“He’ll just fake it till he’s fine.” Ant frowned. “Can we leave this dreaded place now the magic is making me itch.” Ant scratched at his arms and looked at the magic box the dead mage lay.

They went up the way they came down and ran into the Lightwood parents just as they rounded a corner.

Magnus shook his head. “We need to find it first.”

Ant asked from the shadows, “What am I looking for?”

Everyone looked around for him and he released the obsfucation and was standing just behind me with a flaming sword in both hands. He continued. “I can search quickly in the shadows, if it’s here I’ll find it if I know what I’m looking for.”

Jace laughed but it was Simon who said something, “Big ugly thing can’t miss it.”

Clary interjected, “One can take the shape of your greatest fear.”

Ant laughed. “I have no greatest fear. My mother’s training burned the fear from me, as hers before her. It is what it means to be Enforcer. The ability to be immune to all vampiric powers. Fearmongers/empaths and Necoromancers are the hardest to escape.”

Magnus was studying the drawing on the floor. “It’s not a fear demon. I think it’s like a queen.”

“You mean like the one in Aliens – spewing out more demons?” I asked.

Simon laughed loudly. “See I’m not the only one who does it!”

I grinned. “I said it just for you, Simon.”

He blushed which was a first. “Nerds unite or something like that. Pop culture I get.”

Ant turned us back on topic, “Alright give me a few minutes.” And just like that he disappeared into the shadows.

“Does he do that often?” Clary asked.

I nodded. “His mother is worse.”

Isabelle smiled, “He’s cute.”

I laughed, “Ain’t he?”

Alec interrupted again, “Can he find you? If we scout ourselves?”

I nodded. “Yeah. It’s creepy sometimes.”

He waved everyone on, “Let’s go then, stick together, we don’t know what we are dealing with.”

Everyone was on high alert as we walked through the old warehouse building. We were spread out but we could still see each other as we walked. It was not hard with the space in the warehouse.

We wound up stairs approaching a room when Ant stepped out of the shadows, “Creepy thing with lots of legs spewing out more creepy things with lots of legss up in that room. I couldn’t get inside, something actually preventing that.” Ant said bewilderment clear in his voice. I’d never heard of something blocking shadows except light.

Magnus was frowning. No one looked happy. “We ready?” Alec asked.

Simon opened the door and a flood of demons came out the door. Everyone was doing their own thing, there was some coordination. Alec and Jace seemed in sync with one another. Clary and Simon seemed aware of their actions and tag teamed many of their marks. Magnus was throwing blue flames around and trying to keep them from coming through. Ant had danced into the room and was using the flaming sword and popping from shadow to shadow. Isabelle’s whip cracking around keeping the demons at a distance or wrapping around those close by.

I could see the large demon inside. I followed Ant in, the path he cleared wasn’t clear for long. There were just too many of them. “Ant.” In the two second it otoom ke to shout his name between fireballs that I was flinging around to keep the demons at bay. “Get them to stand together. Tell Magnus to protect them.”

“What are you going to do Nox?” Ant’s sword swung over my head and I ducked in time for the flames to take out another demon.

I smiled. “Gonna go super nova. Alec said I needed to vent a little.”

Ant rolled his eyes. “Boy you get me killed I’ll haunt you.”

“Can’t wait duckling. Now go.”

Ant popped around the room in shadows not warning the others as he gathered them around Magnus. They formed a circle and fought what came after them until Magnus had a blue shield around them and I grinned as I let the elements go out. I formed a ball of fire inside of my body and knew if I fed it enough it would go super critical. It could kill me. But I’d die for this. I knew I wouldn’t explode. My ability protected me just as it did when I let the fire grow around him. It was seconds. But it felt like hours as I watched the power flow and grow more powerful.

The light was bright. I felt the flames incinerate everything flesh like around me. I felt it scorch the barrier around my friends. I could feel Magnus magic weakening under the bombardment of the elements.

As quickly as it had grown. It was gone. There was nothing but the blue bubbled that winked out as I fell to the ground and the world went dark.

Alec stood up and made me as well in one swift motion. “Go get something warmer to wear.”

I looked at him but the one the blue eyed archer returned was one I wasn’t about to back talk. He had that I am leader hear me roar look on his face and I did as I was told. Magnus chuckled as I left, “My little nephillim the leader.”

I grabbed a hoodie that I stole from the Institute coat room. No one seemed to mind, I’d been wearing it for a few weeks now with the chilly weather.

Magnus was standing near a wall waving his hands magnatimously and I watched as a purple portal opened and Alec turned around with his mouth open, he started to yell, “Nox…” He smiled, “you ready?”

I nodded. “As I’ll ever be. Not sure what kinda help I’m going to be after what I did out there.”

Magnus shook his head, “I still feel it coming off you in waves. Whatever you are, whatever it is you do makes me shudder inside from cold, over heating, like I’m drowning and suffocating all at the same time.”

I cocked my head to the side and closed my eyes and reigned my power in. I hadn’t realized anyone in this world could feel me. I opened my eyes, “That better?”

Magnus nodded. “What did you do?”

I shrugged. “I didn’t realize you could feel me. I let my control drift in my depressed state. It’s one way Jace knew to call Margo and tell him I was bad off.”

“Is that dangerous?” Alec asked.

“For most yes, but my control is second nature, I don’t have to think about it. I just let it drift around me so I don’t have to hold on to it.”

“Why doesn’t everyone do that then?” Magnus sounded confused.

“Because control wasn’t beaten into them. Their ability isn’t part of them, it’s extra. Venatori are super strong, super fast, killing machines, the magic in us is used for support not battle. It’s the way it has always been. But when you are weaker and slower you use everything in your aresenal to keep up.” I sighed just as Maryse walked into their living room and I frowned.

Alec took my elbow and directed me through the portal before his mother said anything to me. If she said anything after I had entered the portal I didn’t get to hear it as I landed on the other side and my stomach tried to empty it’s contents onto the floor but I’d not eaten anything that day for it to empty.

Simon was kneeling next to my bent form. “You alright?”

I nodded through dry heaves trying to catch my breath.

I felt the portal wink out and Alec’s hand on the small of my back holding me steady so I didn’t fall over. Everyone was staring at me, I could feel their eyes on me. Magnus waved everyone away, “Give him a moment. It’s been a rough day.”

I finally got control of my stomach and caught my breath, the only one still in the room was Alec who was watching me as I stood up. “Better?”

“I will never get use to that.”

Alec smiled, “You are the only person I know of who gets sick. You okay to move now?”

I nodded. “I think so.”

I followed Alec out of the room we came in, he stopped in their armory and tossed me crossbow with bolts. “Just in case.” He smiled.

I laughed. “How did you know?”

Alec shrugged, “Seemed appropriate.”

We left the Institute by the elevator which made my body roll with panic attacks which thankfully only Magnus and Alec actually noticed. My entire equillibrium was off and I was beginning to think it wasn’t my normal issues but more the displacement of being in the wrong place.

I didn’t bother trying to hide myself, I only veiled the crossbow so I didn’t look like a maniac walking through New York City with it. No one bothered me, no one spoke at all, lost in though, or the upcoming fight. We ended up at the same place I’d dropped into this world. It was crawling with demons. But what caught my eye was the glowing golden portal hanging in the same spot I’d fallen.

I wasn’t the only one who noticed the glowing doorway home. Magnus was there in a blink before it winked shut. He was alone, or so I thought when the shadows turned on him and collapsed on him. Everyone was sprinting, but I stood still as I saw a familiar shape rise out of the shadows with a glowing sword and take out the first that were about to crash into Magnus. I smiled. Ant!

I grounded my feet and I sent two razor sharp waves of air out from my hands in front of me. Each one strattling Ant and Magnus position like a ready lover. I yelled, “Down!” I didn’t wait to see if the other’s complied as I swept my hands away from my body cutting the demons and anything else in my path in half. Cutting a swath towards my friends.

I saw Jace and Clary running towards Magnus and soo Isabelle and Simon followed, Alec was hanging back with his arrows back on his feet pegging anything that even got remotely close to any of his friends. He looked at me and I smiled with a nod. The question being unspoken, I knew the new comer.

I noticed that Ant had a rumbled human by the scruff of his neck as he fought with the other hand. The battle raged around us and the demons were soon dispatched. I was covered in ichor as was everyone else. The shadow hunters turned on Ant with his flaming sword, their weapons at ready except for Alec who was offering him his hand.

I watched as Ant took Alec’s hand and shook with elegant grace. He smiled at Alec and Alec frowned as Ant’s fangs glinted against the dim light.

I formed a soft glowing orb of white light above us and Ant looked up at it with a smile then back at me. “Love, you are a sight for sore eyes.”

Magnus chuckled, “Love?”

I laughed, “A term of endearment from a very good friend.”

Alec was still frowning, “Vampires can’t do magic.”

“Primeval ones can – ones that were born vampire or embraced. Ant was born a vampire. His mother was not.”

“That’s not even possible” I heard Simon exhale.

“Normally no, but Ant’s mother was created to be unequal. Embraced by all 10 bloodlines plus Ant’s grandfather. She is Il Cane.”

It was Magnus who translated, “The Hound.”

Ant nodded. “My mother is feared by all vampires, and most supernatural creatures. She’s what you tell your children will come after you if you don’t brush your teeth. She is the vampire enforcer and Nox’s master.”

“I wouldn’t put it like that.” I whined. “We made an agreement.”

“You would come when she called no matter what and in return she’d protect your pack. She has held her end of the bargain.” Ant smiled. “Not that Izzy needed her help. But no one will stand against Isabel Setanta again – no vampire, no Venatori. Mother was so proud, she actually smiled.”

I laughed. “How did you get here?”

Magnus nodded, “By portal of course.” He held up a golden shard that looked almost like a mirror. “And we have your way home.”

Ant tugged the human he’d been holding between he and I. “This is the rifraf who sent you through. I have finally persauded him to open it again. He says he can’t open another one for a few days. Power drain.”

I looked at the ragged human Ant was holding and made him kneel with my power pulling him from Ant’s strong grip. I knelt down in front of him. “Why?”

He spit at me and I grinned at him letting the danger show in my face as I wove a tiny string of fire in front of me. “I will not ask again.”

Ant pulled the man up and shook his head. “He won’t speak. He only obeyed because I took his free will from him.”

I looked up at my friend and sighed. “Alright. Magnus does that really help?” I turned and looked at the sparks flying from his fingers.

He nodded. “Yes, but let’s finish this. We’ve a summoner to stop. I think the two events might be tied together now.”

I took the man and pushed him up against the wall and wove a wall of air around him as a prison. “If the demon’s get him I won’t cry.” I looked to Ant, “Want to kill demons with us?”

He smiled and I knew what his answer was. He shifted into the shadows and disappeared behind his shadow magic. “I think that was a yes.”

Alec nodded, “This level is clear. Upstairs we go.”

Jace went first followed by Clary and Isabelle. Simon and Magnus were next, I followed them with Alec at my rear. I could only assume Ant was somewhere with us. Alec fell in step with me, “You look better seeing your friend. He’s more than that isn’t he?”

I heard a soft chuckle in the shadows and Alec looked around for the voice. “You won’t find him. Yes, he’s more than that. Has been more in the past but at the moment he’s my bodyguard. His mother assigned him to my safety so her pet Cesari would remain safe with assassination attempts on my life.”

Ant’s voice echo’d in the shadows. “She was not happy when I failed you.”

I rolled my eyes. “You didn’t fail me. You couldn’t have done anything any differently.”

Jace held up a hand to stop and silent and we all did as instructed. He used hand signals to direct us all and everyone followed suit surrounding the room that was currently opening up in front of us. I felt a particular humm against my skin I didn’t know what it was.

Inside the room it was lit with fires and blood was everywhere, in the middle was a drawing on the ground. I heard Magnus gasp and he paled. The Shadow hunters were all staring at the drawing, Simon whispered, “Greater Demon.”

“Great!” I sighed. “What we have been fighting I assume are little baby things compared to whatever is making Magnus afraid.”

Alec nodded. “Yeah, that’s an understatement.”

“What can I do to help?” I asked.

Days crawled by. Everyday pretty much the same – reading dry books, waiting on Magnus’ friends to finish the translation only to have to get another reference piece to move forward. At first, Alec did his best to distract me, but there had been more demon attacks, and each one for no apparent reason. The Shadow hunters had little time to actually help with my problem, having one of their own.

I stayed at the Magnus’ and Alec’s loft with Max. It felt good to be useful, but I was growing weary. My nights were restless, I was running on empty. I woke sweating and panting from my nightmares – golden portals and the loss of my family weighing heavy on my mind. With each passing day I feel deeper into my own darkness. Anxiety and depression hiking up a notch nearly every hour.

Days turned into weeks and Magnus started sending me with Alec in the mornings hoping that a change of scenery would be good. I went through the motions. I spent more days in their training room running myself through form after form of every weapon they had in their arsenal I was proficient with including every martial arts I could remember.

Jace would join me in the morning and toss me around before they went on patrol. Simon and Clary took their turn around lunch time. Isabelle had the dinner shift and Alec stayed with me well into the night before he’d drag me back to his place where I’d crash in exhaustion and still wake up the same way.

Weeks turned into a month when Magnus came back from the Spiral labyrinth and flopped down in one of his spangly couches with a look of disgust on his face. Alec was in the kitchen when his boyfriend arrived and I’d been lying on the floor with Max held above me faking being happy which I already knew they saw through but it was what I did when my life through shit at me.

Alec asked from the doorway, “What’s wrong?”

Magnus waved his hand and an overly large white leather book appeared in his hand. “All signs point to this stupid book I’ve had all along.”

To say that my temper flared was an understatement. I could feel the fire boiling around me. Magnus and Max both stared at me as I set the little blue warlock down and rolled over and stood up with a quickness I rarely displayed. I wasn’t sure if it was the movement or the building power as I stepped out on to their balcony that pulled their attention to me.

I wrapped a wall of air around me in every direction and surrounded it with a viel so no one saw. I heard a gasp from the room I’d left as I let the power I was holding back go. It felt like it was pouring out of my pores, fire burning my skin but nothing touching it as the earth smothered it. The wind whipping around me inside my make shift box. Water elusivly slipped around finding purchase on the walls fogging my view.

I fell to my knees on the cement floor and curled in a ball as my power faded and winked out. My father would have said I lost control, but I hadn’t. I controlled every aspect of it. I felt the fire burning, knew it wouldn’t hurt anything. The water obeyed my whims as did the earth and the air. It was controlled chaos.

I sat in the cold Brooklyn night alone until the full moon was high in the sky and I could feel the pull of the night around me. I heard a wolf howl in the din of the city and tears fell that I hadn’t known I was holding back. I wanted to go home.

I felt a pair of strong arms wrap around me and pull me into his lap as he leaned agains the rod iron railing. A panic attack encroached and I pulled away from Alec and backed away from the edge bumped into a pair of legs. I looked up with fear in my eyes, I could feel it on my face, feel it coursing through my body. I curled up against the wall and felt the tears slide down.

I heard Alec say softly to Magnus, “I swear I did nothing.”

Magnus nodded. “Heights. You are too close to the edge.”

I didn’t hear the rest of their conversation as the lithe archer lifted me like a child and carried me into their living room. My heart was racing at the new height, the position of my body against his, it didn’t know what to do as it skipped a beat and as soon as he put me down I moved away from him. I heard Alec sigh as he sat down. “Will he be alright?”

Magnus nodded. “Probably. Just give him time. He’s stressed to the point of ripping apart. I remember the feeling well.”

There was a soft knock on the door. I felt a pull towards the door and turned to look as Magnus got up to answer it with a questioning look on his face, he hadn’t been expecting anyone. The little she-wolf was on the other-side. I could feel her presence before she walked into the room with a gasp as she felt my power. I tried to reign it in, but her power called to mine and it wouldn’t listen. She asked, “Are you sure he’s not a wolf? He feels like one who is about ready to rip something apart.”

Alec moved to sit down next to me again, he’d gotten up when he saw Maia. The girl stepped towards me with an outstretched hand I moved away, towards Alec. I heard him whisper, “It’s probably not a good idea Maia. He told you not to touch him again. He’s freaking out right now.”

“I can help.” Maia said.

I whispered. “You can’t. I can’t change you can’t control me. I can’t pull it back in with you here. It wants home, you feel like home.” I whined, “I just want to go home.”

Maia murmured softly, “I can help.”

She reached out to touch me, I pulled father away from her as I croaked, “If you touch me my power will overwhelm you and you’ll change.”

Maia didn’t listen and she closed the distance quickly between us and I felt the ripple in her body as she touched my arm and I watched as fur covered her body. Her wolf head lifted from croaked position she’d entered when she shifted the golden amber eyes of her wolf stared back at me. I put my head to her’s and felt my tears fall on to her fur, “I told you. We learned the hard way on the full moon if I don’t spend my energy somewhere my whole pack will change on another night. It’s been building for too long.”

Maia shook herself and ran towards the balcony doors and she sailed over the edge and I knew she’d land perfectly and sprint off to join her pack wherever they were. I whispered, “I’m sorry.”

Alec hugged me against him. “Nothing to apologize about. You going to be okay?”

“Probably not. But I’ll fake it till I am.” I said flatly.

Alec shook his head, “Izzy says that’s never good. Bottling it up.”

I smiled weakly up at him, “Your sister is wise. But there is nothing else to do but fake it.”

Magnus sat down next to us, “What can we do to help?”

I shook my head. “Nothing. If there is nothing in that book then there is nothing you can do.”

Magnus smiled, “Well, we’ve not looked yet, so there is still hope. Chin up.”

Alec’s phone rang and he fished it from underneath me. I moved away from the tall archer feeling uncomfortable being that close to him. When the hell did I start feeling uncomfortable about being close to another person?

Alec answered his phone. “Mother?” He listened. “Alright we’re on our way.”
There was a long pause as I strained to listen to the conversation. “No, I’m not leaving him here, either of them.” I felt the anger rise in the room. “Mother, this is not your call. Magnus and Nox are coming with me. You can watch Max here.”

Alec hung up the phone with Magnus looking wide-eyed at his boyfriend. “What was that all about?”

Frowning on Alec was disheartening when his blue eyes faced with it, “Portal the three of us to the Institute, please. My mother will be coming here to watch Max. We’ve a demon summoner to take down, and your expertise is a good addition to the team and Nox needs to throw some of that power you felt at things.”

Alec was off in the bedroom as I heard Max starting to stir. I went in to start getting the little blue man ready for his day. I assumed he’d be going to the Institute with his grandparents but I really had no clue. He squirmed as I pulled clothes on to him and changed his diaper. I still couldn’t get over how blue his skin was.

I grinned down at him. “Your dads are pretty cool. You are lucky. I can only hope Dakota is not missing me too much. Or too jealous I’m not there taking care of her instead of us.”

The little one cooed at me as I hitched him on my hip just as Alec was standing in the doorway. I smiled and handed him off to his father who took him quickly and tossed him in the air that sent his son into fits of giggles. I missed my family. The pain and fear and the resulting loss of seeing them again rose in the back of my throat. I fought the anxiety down, put on a smile and walked past Alec and his son and pretended to be busy in the kitchen while Alec finished getting his son ready. He stepped inside, “You alright?”

I nodded my head but it was about all I was going to manage coherently. I heard a soft sigh, “We have to go to the Institute, drop Max off then we can wander the streets looking for demons or rogue downworlders. I already told Jace to go with Clary and let let Izzy and Simon go their own way. Which means there will be little to no patrolling done today anyway.”

I turned around with my fake smile and knew he didn’t believe it. “Let’s go.”

Alec lead the way down the stairs and out through the streets of Brooklyn to the subway station. It was the same uneventful trip that I’d taken twice already. We sat in the same row and I could feel the warmth of Alec’s leg against mine and two little feet kicking me softly which drew my attention to the little boy who was no longer blue.

Alec smiled when he saw me look up at him, “Sometimes he manages it on his own. It’s like Magnus knows what days those will be. He forgot this morning and I figured he’d be bundled up. But he has it. May not last, but it’s there.”

I smiled. “Talent runs in the family.”

Alec grinned at me even though he was still blushing. I leaned back against the chair and waited for our stop in the City. I waited outside the building again as Alec went inside and dropped off his son. But I didn’t miss any drama as Robert Lightwood walked up the sidewalk and stopped directly in front of me. “Where in the angel have you been? We’ve had scouts out for you all night.”

“With your son.” He gave me a look that said so much more than words. I read the disgust on his face and I bit back my biting comment. I didn’t think Alec would appreciate my sarcasm at this moment. And he was my host at the moment and I rather liked sleeping in a bed. Robert Lightwood clearly did not like the fact that his son was gay, and used me as an excuse to show his dislike of it.

I felt Alec more than saw him when he came rushing up behind me. “Father.”

Robert looked at him, “Why did he leave the Institute?”

Alec stood up straighter, “Because I didn’t tell him he had to stay.” Which was only a partial lie.

I sighed, “Even if he had I wouldn’t have listened. You can ask my own father. I hardly ever listen to anyone at any time. It’s such a bad trait.” He tried to grab me by the arm and I dodged him quickly which surprised me, I started walking down the sidewalk away from Alec’s father. Alec caught up and glanced back at his father with a pained look. “I’ll be back to get Max later. Mom has him.” Alec frowned as he turned around, “I don’t know why he won’t just go back to Idris.”

We walked in silence for several blocks before I stopped in front of what was supposed to be the AU building across the street, even Bonnie’s little diner across the street was different, it was still a diner, but definitely not Bonnie’s.

I grabbed Alec’s arm and tugged as I headed for the building. I opened up the glass doors and we slipped inside no one noticed. I wasn’t glamoured like he was, but no one noticed as I headed for the stairs. I started up them and Alec frowned, “Where are we going?”

“To the top.” I said.

He looked at me, “All 55 floors?”

I grinned at him, “Come on. You are stronger and faster than I am and I can do it.”

“This building doesn’t exist where you come from.” Alec said as we rounded the third landing.

“But I can run the whole set of 55 floors where I am from. I lived here – remember.”

Alec sighed and we climbed the rest of the stairs with only the sound of our breathing and foot falls echoing in the stair well.

The door to the roof was locked, and Alec etched a symbol on the door and it came unlocked without any damage to the door. I whistled, “Good thing Shadow hunters don’t rob banks.”

Alec looked at me like I was crazy. “Don’t tell me Shadow hunters don’t go bad.”

“On occasion. But robbing a bank?”

I smiled as a gust of wind tugged at my shirt. “Dragons like to rob banks for their treasures. Even Venatori have been known to taken on humanities worst qualities a time or two, no race is impervious to the easy way of the dark side.”

Alec frowned, “You aren’t alluding to some geeky reference are you?”

“Only a little. Star Wars – I’m sure Simon has told you all about it.”

Alec nodded and then changed the subject, “What are we doing up here?”

“I’m going to jump.”

Alec paled. I added, “I need some stability in my life. I can’t control the pain of missing my family or the nightmares, but I can conquer my fear of heights. I’ll feel better. You don’t have to come.”

Alec sighed, “You expect me to walk all the way back down? By myself?”

I grinned, “You could jump with me. I promise you you will be fine.”

Alec looked lost in thought. “Alright, how is this going to work? Details…”

“We can go down one of many ways. You and I can jump together and you trust that I have you with out any physical contact. Usually only experienced jumpers do that.”

“You do this regularly that people jump with you?” Almost all of Alec’s color had left his face when he asked that question.

“People don’t normally jump with me.”

“Why not?” Concern riddled his voice.

“Because most people know I don’t want them to.”

“But you’ll do this with me? Why?”

I laughed, “Does it really matter? I brought you up here. I need to do this Alec. You can walk back down or jump with me. Either way is fine. I will see you down at the bottom.”

“Why did you bring me up here?”

“Because you look like you could use the 8 seconds of free-fall too. It’s freeing, it’s a rush. It’s unexpected.”

“Won’t someone call the police?”

I threw up a veil all around us. “No one can see anything. Not you. Not me. Not anything falling from the sky.”

“You mentioned less adventurous ways down?” Alec sounded resigned to do this.

“There are a few intimate ways to do it which are probably our best option since the third is using a harness, which I don’t have, but could easily make. But that isn’t easy to do and I don’t think you want to worry about my magic holding out as we fall.”

“Can it fail?”

“It never has before.” I smiled. “The remaining ways is one of us holding on to the other. Most beginners choose the harness and facing up and the jumper facing down. It’s easy enough to just hold on without the harness.”

“We can do it facing each other, facing the same way, direction doesn’t matter for me, so whatever you feel comfortable with. One of us has to stretch out their arms to help slow us down. Like skydiving.”

Alec sighed. “I don’t know.”

“You can walk back down.” I frowned, “I’m sorry I dragged you up here. I should have told you, but you look like you need something to help with freeing you, helping you let go, to just be you.”

“And this is you? This helps you?” Alec asked as he leaned over the edge of the building looking down at the drop.

“Yeah. It helped shape me.”

He sighed. “I don’t think I can look down and do this.”

“How’s this? We go over backwards, I’ll go first, you don’t have to do anything other than let me pull you with me. Stretch out your arms and legs like you are a starfish and let me do the rest?”

He nodded looking over again. “Okay.”

I didn’t wait for him to chicken out, I climbed up on the top of the ledge and Alec took a deep breath and followed me up. He stood directly in front of me and I wrapped my arms around his waist. The height difference was negligible which was oddly strange for me. I spoke quietly in his ear. “I have already softened the ground with earth and water, and I have wings of air to catch us the moment we lean backwards. It will be about 8 seconds from that moment to the ground. You ready?”

Alec nodded and I adjusted my grip on his waist locking my hands around him. “1…2…3” And I fell backwards on three. I felt Alec’s body tense but he fell with me backwards over the ledge. I felt the drag of the air on my body as the wind whipped past my ears. I closed my eyes and trusted in my ability. My anxiety fell away, there was nothing but the feel of falling in a controlled state and the man I had a death-grip on, not for my sanity but his.

I counted down the seconds to myself and waited for the soft pillow like landing that I expected. Except we landed in a squish instead of semi-bounce.

I sighed as I felt the mud seep into my clothes.

I wasn’t certain but I was sure I heard laughter coming from the man who was now standing up and staring down at me. I sighed, “Normally it’s not so messy. I think I overcompensated to reassure you.”

He was smiling – not a shy hidden smile – really smiling and I couldn’t help but grin back at him. “Now that is a smile you should show to others more often.”

He blushed but the smile never faded. I pulled the water and as much of the mud off of me with my ability but I knew it was going to look gross until they were properly washed.

He put an arm over my shoulder and whispered, “That was fun. But let’s not do it again.”

I laughed. “Dorian would agree with you.”

“You miss him, don’t you?” Alec tugged me into walking and when I complied he dropped his arm back to his side. The added warmth was missed, but I wasn’t here to become attached to him. I’d done what needed doing and I think it did both of us some good.

“I’ve missed him for months, a few more weeks added to it won’t change anything. Except this time he really thinks I’m dead without really knowing deep down I’m alive.”

“Magnus will find a way to get you home.” Alec reassured me.

“I appreciate the thought, and I hope you are right. But this place isn’t so bad to be stuck if I have to be stuck somewhere.”

We stopped by the Institute and picked up Max. I waited outside the run down cathedral as I didn’t really want to run into Alec’s parents. Magnus came out carrying a few books and Alec the little boy wearing his favorite glamour. I grinned as Alec played with his son as he carried him. I took a few books from Magnus to lighten his load so he could at least hold Alec’s hand easily.

I followed in their wake and gave their little family space on the train. Though we all sat together, but I pretended to be off in my own little world. I didn’t want my envy to show. I missed the pack which surprised me for all my complaining that they never left me alone. And sleeping alone had sucked last night – not that I expected anything less than nightmares, nor did I expect things to change tonight.

I watched as the New York City skyline faded into the darkness and we rattled across the surface of the Brooklyn rails. It was an excellent ride, and it proved to be a great time to think. I flipped through the few books that I’d taken from Magnus. Unfortunately I could only read one of them, and I had already thumbed through it once before. There was mention of some white book, all capital letters in the Latin book, but I could only read those two words on the whole page, so I had no idea what any of it was talking about. I closed it and resigned myself to watching Max sleep in Alec’s arms while Magnus and he spoke in hushed whispers. I didn’t even bother trying to listen in.

I closed my eyes and drifted. I started awake when someone touched my shoulder just as a tentacle of air from my own personal demon was about to strike. I hated my nightmares. I knew the look on my face showed the fear, I could feel my pulse racing and knew I was probably sweating overly much. But it was just Alec letting me know it was time to get off the train.

I stood slowly and slowed my breathing as we got off the train and started walking to their loft.

Magnus walked in front of me but Alec fell in step with me, “Magnus could probably make you something to sleep.”

I shook my head. “It doesn’t stop the nightmares. Only puts me in a state to which I cannot wake up. They were supernatural in creation and I’ve only found one thing that keeps them away.”

“And that is?”

I grinned. “Dorian. It’s about feeling safe and loved and knowing it continually while sleeping. We’ve tried to replicate the phenomenon, I do better in our bed, when it smells like him, but I still dream and still wake up just not as harshly. It’s his physical presence, maybe part of us own aura that keeps me safe. We don’t really understand why.”

Magnus was pushing his door open as he spoke, “Must be hard living a life when you can’t sleep well.”

I shrugged, “Been that way since I was 5.”

“If you know it’s supernatural in nature, you know who caused it? Or is that some side effect of being you?” Magnus asked curiously.

“Honestly. I don’t know if it’s a side effect. But yeah, I know who caused it, he’s dead now. Sanctioned kill under all laws in my world.” I sighed, “The only kill I’ve ever performed that wasn’t in self defense. There was no challenge issued, I just killed him when he threatened me.”

“But he did threaten you.” Alec muttered.

“No one but I could see that at the time. He was given to me because the leader of the CCB knew he’d hurt me, and hurting children is highly unforgivable in any supernatural culture.”

Magnus asked, “Was their proof he hurt you? Why couldn’t you take action earlier?”

“It was his word against mine. The proof was on my body for years, but it was self inflicted. He was a dream walker. He inhabited my dreams to help me control my ability and since the only thing that he could find to make me use my ability uncontrolled was physical violence, so he beat me in my dreams, and when I’d spark, he’s manipulate me to hurt my sleeping self in the real world. A rare gift among my people. The scars are gone on the outside – my body didn’t know to recreate them when I was burnt to near death and rose again from the ashes.”

“The Phoenix.” Magnus smiled. “How many times have you near died?”

“I would postulate three times. Once that enabled my ability when I jumped off a 55 story building to catch a bad guy.”

“That was stupid.” Alec said as he got back from putting Max down. “He would have been dead anyway.”

“Not really.” I grinned. “I jump off building regularly. Using my ability like a parachute. I accidentally showed the kid the feat and he tried to use it. But he didn’t know the mechanics, he would have died without my assistance, but I didn’t know that at the time. I followed him to bring him to justice. Broke every bone in my body and internal injuries. I should have died but I didn’t.”

“The second was when my doctors were poisoning me directly there after to prove I was immortal. Or at least my healing ability made me near immortal. Whether or not I age has yet to be seen so it could just be an extraordinary healing ability but the main genetic researcher claims it’s immortality.”

“And the third was a fire?” Alec asked.

I nodded. “I stepped between my father and his target, he didn’t like it. He threw fireballs at me until my shield broke and one landed. He left in despair but my vampire friend helped me and I healed quickly.”

Alec yawned and Magnus stood up taking him by the hand. “We are going to bed now.”

I nodded and picked up all the books Magnus had brought back. “Goodnight. I’ll see you in the morning.”

Magnus shook his head, “You sure you don’t want something to sleep?”

“I’m good, thanks.”

I wasn’t good. I did try to sleep but the nightmares came, fueled with threats of demons and magical portals and my own personal demon leading the way. Even though I knew he was dead, he haunted my every sleeping moment. I finished off the night by looking through the books. 6am rolled around and I was showered and dressed and had done too many sit ups, pull-ups on the door frame and push-ups that my arms ached. It had been a while since I’d been so vigorous in the morning. My schedule had been hectic since Ascending.

I made breakfast. Their kitchen was fully stocked with everything I could possibly want. Coffee started. Bacon in the oven, Eggs scrambled and waiting the fresh vegetables to soften in the pan before making the frittata.

Alec walked into the kitchen stretching above his head, the bottom of his shirt lifting above his boxer line and I had to avert my games or the boy might die of embarrassment. He smiled. “It’s okay.”

“What’s okay?” I looked back at him and offered him a cup of coffee.

“That you were looking at me.”

“Not really. Looking doesn’t hurt. But .. I’ll not tempt myself.” I smiled and prepared a plate of the finished food and pushed it at Alec. “Will Magnus get up for food?”

As if by magic, Magnus stood in the doorway with his nose in the air. “Did someone cook … bacon?”

I pushed a second plate towards Magnus and he sat down promptly and picked up bacon with two of his glittery fingers.

I ate from a third plate, which I had already been nibbling from as I made the food.

Alec mumbled through the food he was chewing around, “This is good.” Or at least that’s what I think he said. When he’d finished chewing he looked at Magnus, “Can we keep him?” He turned the shade of a pretty rose and Magnus laughed. The pair exchanged a look and I knew it too well. I left the room to pick up the books in the spare room I’d been flipping through and sat down on their couch.

I looked up and Alec was watching me from the kitchen door way, Magnus had slipped back off into their bedroom I assumed. His glitter and flamboyance were no where to be seen.

“Did I make you uncomfortable?”

I laughed, “Duckling you will find it hard to embarrass me. I was giving you two space.”

“Why do you flirt with me if you know I’m with Magnus?” He asked with a straight face.

“I flirt with everyone.” I grinned. “Dorian asked me once, even the ugly ones. I told him especially the ugly ones.”

“You didn’t flirt with Maia.”

“I didn’t want to get my hand bitten off, or worse my head. Don’t think I can regenerate that. Though who knows.” I curt laughed.

“Do you want me to stop? Seriously.”

Alec shook his head. “I…Uh.. No. It’s not that.”

“You and Magnus do this so easily. Magnus takes care around me. Never pushing my limits too far too fast. You don’t have boundaries.”

“I’m not pushing you anywhere. I’m just flirting.” I sighed. Insecure was so much work.

Alec nodded, “I know. But no one flirts with me. It’s always Jace and Izzy. Magnus was the first and only until you fell out of that portal.”

I laughed. “Jace is not my type. Sure he’s good looking, he’s got the physic most girls like, but he’s got too much bravado for me. We’d clash. Your sister is hot, but she’s dangerous. I like my women a little more needy except for my Isabel who is not needy in the least, but it wasn’t about loving her at first. We fit and we worked. I needed a strong mate to rule the pack. You, on the other hand, remind me of Dorian right down to the coloring of your hair, your eyes and even your skin. Put you in a grand suit and tie and I could almost forget I wasn’t home from a distance.”

Alec gave me half smile, “Do you want to go on patrol with me? Be better than sitting her reading that crap. Magnus said there were promising leads yesterday but he wants more info before he tells you. He needs those books anyway.”

Magnus stepped into the room wearing a purple suit with the shirt baring his chest and layers of necklaces, the highlights in his hair matched his outfit as did the nail color. I laughed softly to myself. “Is purple your color?”

He glanced down and smiled, “I suppose today it is.”

“Looks good.” I stood up and reached the top of his head and gave him an extra color. “There that’s better.”

Magnus glanced in the mirror at the blue I’d added against the purple. “You are right.”

Alec rolled his eyes, “You two are the same you know that?”

I smiled. “I don’t dress like your warlock, maybe in the Academy for days I really wanted to play the gay up. But those days usually resulted in a beat down too.”

Magnus picked up the books and smiled as he formed a portal. “You two have fun patrolling. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t.”

Alec blushed and I followed Magnus out with a questioning look. He turned with a grin. “I trust you’ll take care of my nephilim Nox. Don’t get him killed.”

“I’ll do my best.” I let the prior comment go. Nothing undue was going to happen.

The music flowed through me keeping the best of the depression away. I was grateful for the distraction when a woman sat down next to me despite the look she was giving me. It wasn’t friendly, but it wasn’t aggressive either. She leaned over and spoke loudly. “What do you think you are doing?”

I raised an eyebrow and hoped this was a case of mistaken identies. “Pardon?” I asked.

“I don’t know you. You need to declare yourself to the pack leader!” She informed me rather rudely.

“I’m not a werewolf.” I turned back to the bar and tried to ignore the proximity of the woman next to me.

She stood closer to me and I could feel the power of her wolf trying to overpower mine and I looked at her like she was crazy. “I told you I’m not a werewolf. You can’t force me to change no matter what I feel like to you.”

She looked confused and put her hand on my arm and I felt the jolt of power as she tried again with contact. I sighed and put my hand on her shoulder and pushed her away from me and let my power flow thru here and I felt the ripple of her wolf giving over to me. “I told you, you can’t make me shift. I’m not a werewolf.”

Her mouth dropped into an O, “What are you?”

“Nothing you’ve ever heard of.” I sat back down and nursed my water.

“Who are you?” She demanded.

“My name is Nox.” I said flatly staring off into the mirror behind the bar. I saw Alec rushing this way with Magnus only a few steps behind.

Alec put his hand on the female wolf. “I’m sorry Maia, I should have said something earlier. He’s with me.”

She looked up at his blue eyes pleading his apology and smiled. “Alec, why do you have an undeclared wolf?”

He blinked at her and sighed, “It’s a long story. But he’s not a wolf, not really so I forgot about it. I’m sorry.”

Alec waved his hand in my general direction. “Nox, this is Maia, the Alpha of the New York pack. Maia, this is Nox. He’s kinda out of place, we need to get him home.”

Maia asked, “What is he? He feels like a wolf.”

I grinned at her. “It doesn’t matter what I am. I’m not a wolf.”

“But…” she stammered.

Alec put his hand on the little wolf and smiled. “It’s complicated. Trust me it’s better this way.” He turned to me with a sad smile, “Do you promise not to hurt another wolf or to try to take the pack away from Maia?”

I shrugged, “Why would I want to do that? It won’t get me home.” Alec gave me that look. The one that says humor me, please. Yes the please I could see in his eyes. “Fine. Yes, I’ll follow the rules. You have my word.”

“What good is his word if I don’t know him?” She was asking Alec.

He looked at me. “You have my word.” He looked at the little she-wolf, “That good?”

She nodded at Alec then looked at me with a sneer. “Don’t try what you did before again!”

I smiled at her, “Duckling, I didn’t start it.” I leaned forward and whispered in a loud voice so everyone could hear over the loud music, “You don’t touch me. I won’t touch you.”

She stalked off and I frowned. Sipping at my water. Alec tapped me on the shoulder and waved towards the door. It was time to go.

Alec fell into step with Magnus and they entwined their arms around each other and I felt like a third wheel following descretely behind them out of the club and into the chilly night air. I at least had a good view.

I saw Magnus turn around to see if I was still following, and once we were well past the noise of the club he nearly shouted, “I think our friend is checking us out.” to Alec.

I grinned as Magnus looked back, “And he doesn’t even deny it.”

I asked, “Should I?”

He shrugged his shoulders with flair, “Most people do when they get caught.”

“What’s the point in denying what you clearly saw? It’s not like you two aren’t cute together, or highly attractive men. I’m sure you’re both used to be stared at from time to time.” I waved away the thought that I should deny I was looking at them. “Besides, looking don’t hurt anybody.”

Magnus laughed. “Poor Alexander, is going do die from all the blood rushing to his poor face.”

I snickered. “I’m sure that’s where all the blood is rushing.” I knew that the archer boy’s face grew redder without having to even see it as he shifted uncomfortably under his boyfriend’s arm. I added, “Alec, if I bother you speak up. Or punch me, either way I’ll stop.”

Alec stopped and wound up his arm with a grin plastered on his face and I winiched when he let it fly and stopped with a gentle tap against my arm. He started walking off.

“Was that your way of telling me to knock it off?” I asked curiously.

Alec hung his head and shook slowly as he continued walking without saying a word. “I think he was being playful.” Magnus said. The colorful warlock put his arm around my shoulders. “You seem to be contagious.”

“I’ve been called worse things.”

Isabelle nearly dragged me through the crowded streets and subways of New York City. It wasn’t until I recognized some stares that I realized all five of the others were hidden from view. I looked like I was talking to myself. I veiled myself and I heard Isabelle gasp. I grinned and released it, “I can do it too.”

Isabelle smiled, “Sorry didn’t realize you weren’t glamoured. Can you hide from everyone or limit it to everyone but us.”

I shook my head, “I can veil us all which is pointless but you could see me.” It’s what I did so that I wasn’t quite so standoutish. “It really doesn’t matter how big it is so I can just make it large enough to encompass us, but in a fight I will be visible. Unless I hide from everyone.”

Jace nodded. “That’s good to know. You are crazy.”

“I am. But usually I don’t talk to myself.” I agreed with a smile.

We walked up outside of a club. “The disturbance is in the club?” And as if my question heralded the mass of people fleeing the club under pretense of fire we snuck in. “Okay then.” I added having my question answered for me.

The five Shadow hunters – which I thought was an apt name since they hunted demons who were shadowy creatures. They also called their world the shadow world. I supposed it was better than the underworld or the underground like we called it. The five Shadow hunters called out words I barely understood. “What do you say to make your swords glow?” It was an innocent question.

“Angel names.” Simon said quickly. “You don’t know the angels?”

“Uh. No. I’m not even slightly religious, the human religion as they know it is only part of what we believe. And most of it’s wrong because we made so – we as in the supernatural world.”

“You don’t have angels?” Clary asked.

“We do, but they are nothing more than good aligned demons in comparison, -taking over human hosts so they can live a life. Demons, angels and ghosts are all the same class supernatural of creatures – we called marionettes.”

Simon laughed. “Puppets.”

I nodded. “Precisely.”

Alec shushed us and I stuck my tongue out at him and he rolled his eyes. Simon grinned and whispered, “He’s never any fun.”

I spoke loud enough for Alec to hear but made it seem like a secret. “I’m fairly certain he is a lot of fun in certain circles.” I saw red creep up the archers neck and brighten his ears even in the dim light of the club entrance. He didn’t look my direction again but he waved us all into position and we spread out. I went with Isabelle, Jace and Alec went up the stairs to left and Clary and Simon headed off into the club to the right. Isabelle and I went straight down the middle. Isabelle grabbed my hand and she bumped into a person who I could have sworn had green skin, but I didn’t have time to gawk as I dropped my veil and Isabelle and I danced our way through the crowd. She waved to me as she saw a commotion at the far side of the club.

The music thrummed through my body and I could feel the waxing and waning of the music pull at me. It was hard to stay on task with the throng of bodies around me and a beautiful woman whom I was dutifully following. I didn’t think her boyfriend would appreciate my thoughts. But he can’t get in my head so I was more than fine with looking. Cause that’s all I’d do my heart and hands had other things to occupy themselves – if I ever got home.

The group we were encroaching upon had started pushing the smaller group around. I didn’t think this looked like a demon attack until one of them shifted their face into something Alien like or maybe it was Predator type – didn’t matter, it wasn’t normal. An arrow flew threw the air and landed in the shifted demon’s eye and it shattered into a burst of fire and sparks as Jace landed just feet away from it from above.

Isabelle had her whip out and people in the club looked at us with disdain, some fled, but most that remained all stayed, just away from where the fight started to break out. I saw Clary and Simon near the bar coming up behind the demon horde that looked like a bunch of drunken men and women, but they hissed through weird faces and when they attacked it was a blur of motion. I stood and watched as the Shadow hunters carved their way through the demons. They hadn’t needed my help but one demon was flanking Alec and I threw a razor sharp flow of air just in front of Alec and it split the demon clear in two as they both dissipated into fiery sparks. Alec spared me a glance and a nod of thanks as he let more arrows fly across before he pulled his sword out and recited another angel name Nox didn’t know and it began to glow that eerie glow.

The fight was over before it began really. None of the Shadow hunters were hurt, not even a small injury as they gathered in the center of the area they’d been fighting collecting whatever remained. The group that had been attacked was looking at Jace with frightened eyes. They were flowery and pretty and very dangerous looking. Isabelle scowled, “You need to leave here now. The Cold Peace hasn’t been broken we were doing our jobs. Go now!”

Isabelle looked up at my querying look of confusion. “Long story.” She smiled. “You didn’t throw any fireballs.”

I shrugged, “You didn’t need my help.”

Alec added, “He got one that I didn’t see.”

“You would have gotten it. I just saw it first.” I smiled. He shrugged it off like he had everything else I had notice. Alec only seemed confident in himself when Magnus was around and what a shame.

The music had never stopped thrumming, and now that the disturbance was over the club was filling up again. The throng of people was pooling around them. Isabelle smiled happily, “Well, we are already here.” She grabbed Simon’s hand and dragged him out into the dance floor. Jace shrugged and offered Clary his hand and she took it with ease and they danced their way out on to the dance floor. Which left me with Mr. Archer and his shy self.

I nodded towards a table big enough for all of us and a tiny waitress came over and asked our order. I smiled, “I’ll just have a water, Duckling.”

She smiled at the endearment and looked to Alec, “Same.”

The table was round, and the bench curled around it, both of us had chosen to sit near the middle so the others could pile in around us. I moved closer so I didn’t have to yell. Alec looked at me in confusion and he blushed. I grinned across the small space between us. “I’m not going to hit on you or make a move. At least not unless you want me to. I don’t want to yell so you can hear me.”

Alec nodded. He was a man of few words. I leaned closer, “Call him.”

“What?”

I repeated myself with a little more detail. “Call Magnus. I’m sure he’d join you.”

“He said he’d text me when he got home.” Alec glanced at his phone and showed me the time stamp of his last text. “He’s not home yet. He’s trying to help you. I’m fine. Besides that would leave you alone.”

I grinned at Alec, “Duckling, I can entertain myself. Girls and boys aren’t so different here as they are at home. If I wanted to get laid I could.”

I watched as the blush light up his face and he didn’t look at me. I smiled. “Am I too much?”

He shook his head. And his voice was low, embarrassed. “No one talks like that to me – other than Magnus.”

I leaned back and draped an arm around Alec, resting it on the back of the cushioned bench, “Then they are missing out.”

Our water arrived and Alec hastily pulled it to his lips and swallowed the whole thing in two gulps. I pushed mine to him and he took it gratefully but drank it a little slower and leaned back against the chair. The ends of his dark hair tickling the bar skin of my arm. We sat in silence watching the throng on the dance floor.

I pointed out Simon and Isabelle and Alec giggled softly to himself as I commented, “He’s such a nerd. Not sure how Isabelle handles all that – it sure isn’t dancing.”

Alec jumped as I heard the small vibration in his pocket. He pulled out his phone and looked at it with a bright smile. “Magnus is home.”

“Invite him here.” I said with a smile.

Alec was busily texting with Magnus as the waitress brought us more water. I sipped at mine as I watched Jace and Clary dance. They were clearly in love, and very clearly they moved well together. I was almost jealous.

I didn’t think I’d been staring off into the crowd too long but I felt another person scooting across the seat and looked up to see Magnus grinning at Alec. I moved my arm and Magnus winked as Alec threw his arm around the warlock’s shoulders. “I’m going to go find someplace else to be.” I said as I started moving to the side. Magnus grabbed my arm “You don’t have to. We’ll behave.”

“No, by all means misbehave, break the boy out of his shell. He blushes too much.” Which of course had Alec deepening in color. “See.”

Magnus just grinned knowingly as I pulled free of his glittery grip and made my way out onto the dance floor. I turned to see the two men kissing tenderly in the booth and went about my own business. Actually I took it upon myself to help out Isabelle with her boy-toy.

I stood behind Simon and he nearly yelped when I grabbed Isabelle from the short distance and pulled her against her boyfriend. She grinned up at me. Simon was trying to break free of the sandwich I’d created of him. I bent his knees and Isabelle danced against him. Simon eventually picked up on what I was trying to do as I put one of his hands around her neck and the other on her waist. He moved more fluidly with Isabelle against him and smiled a nod to Isabelle and turned to move against another nearby person. They leaned against me.

I let the music thrum through my body. It had been a good long time since I’d been on a dance floor that didn’t cater to slower dancing. I felt someone up against my back side and smiled as I raised an arm around me and leaned back against them. He was taller than I was. My fingers ran through the back of his hair and found it full of product. I looked back over my shoulder to find Magnus pushed up against me. Alec was behind him blushing. I pulled away from the warlock. He was grinning as he pulled me back and whispered, “Alec wants you to do what you did with Simon.”

I looked back at the archer and his blushing seemed to deeper even though I knew he hadn’t heard. I nodded and Magnus turned to take Alec in his arms and Alec nearly melted into his boyfriend. He didn’t need my help, but he didn’t move either. He let Magnus take the lead and followed without any additional advice. But that wasn’t what he wanted help with.

I took a deep breathe and placed myself at Alec’s backside and felt him tense. I whispered in his ear, “Relax. I’m not going to do anything more than guide you. Even if I want to very badly.”

I knew Alec was blushing deeper but I pulled away from him – he was tempting. Such allure to the inexperienced. But he was taken, and I had my own rules and my own loves. I pushed my knees against Alec’s and he loosened up his posture a little falling more into sync with Magnus’ movements. The glittery man moved with precision and grace that only a dancer could have. I wondered if he had had lessons. Once Alec was relaxed enough I put a hand on his hip and moved him against Magnus which garnered yet another blush and Alec leaned against Magnus chest and buried his face in the crock of Magnus’ neck.

Alec looked like he belonged there. Magnus mouthed “Thank you!”

I nodded. And I left the dance floor before being accosted by another couple looking for dancing advice. My heart was aching as I took a seat at the bar and with a water and waited till my friends were danced out.

Clary muttered to herself as she translated the Latin. She didn’t sound like she had found anything important either. I pushed the books away. “This is going to take forever.” I whined.

The door burst open and the nerd that was Simon came in waving shrieking, “We gotta go Clary, there is another attack and it’s in progress.”

The boy was wearing an Avenger’s t-shirt, at least some things remained the same, he looked at me and frowned. “Maryse said you need to stay here. She wants to talk to you – alone.” Simon smirked and Clary hit him in the arm. “Sorry, it’s never good to be alone with Maryse.”

I sighed. “Fine. I didn’t want to fight no demons anyway. Ugly bitches.”

Simon grinned and pointed at me, “I like him.”

Clary pulled Simon after her, she spoke softly, “You could pretend that Simon didn’t tell you.”

I grinned, “And get your little nerd friend in trouble. I’m game.”

Simon started snickering until he realized what I said then belted out, “Hey!”

I followed the pair out into what I’d found out to be the Armory. Alec and Jace looked up when I stepped in and Jace smiled but Alec frowned. “Um. You…”

Clary put a finger to Alec’s lips and he looked down at the little red-head. “We aren’t saying anything.”

The archer with his bow and quiver continued to frown down at her and sighed when Isabelle hooked an arm around my waist, “He’s with me.”

Simon looked from Isabelle to me then gave me that, she’s my girlfriend look and I wrapped my arm around Isabelle’s shoulders with a grin. Simon walked up to me and held up a finger. “That’s my girlfriend. She gets hurt it’s on your head.”

I grinned down at him and smiled before I reached up and ruffled his hair, “He’s so cute. You must be so proud.” I said to Isabelle.

She grinned. “I am. Though I don’t understand 80% of what he says.”

“That’s nerd for you.” Simon beamed up at me.

Jace waved at the weapons case and I shook my head. “I’m good.”

The big burly blonde frowned, “I can’t let you go without being armed.”

Alec interjected, “Would you offer Magnus a sword?”

Jace shook his head and Alec continued, “So why the frilly human shaped alien friend here? He uses magic.”

I grinned, “Frilly?”

“I figured alien might have gotten a comment.” Alec was being playful which I hadn’t seen with anyone other than Magnus around. “But you choose frilly.”

“I’m not frilly. Eccentric, colorful, enigmatic, but frilly. I’m not wearing ruffles and skirts.”

Simon guffawed, “I’d not put it past you.”

“Shush up nerd boy.” I raised a fireball with a playful grin on my face, “I can fry you like marsh-mellow in the fire.”

“S’mores sound good now.” Simon frowned, “Thanks for that!”

I laughed softly. “Don’t you have demons to fight?”

Jace pushed the weapons rack back into place and nodded. “We do – let’s go.”

I did only a little wandering before the sounds of fighting drew me towards the training room I’d passed earlier. I stood below the platform and watched Jace and a few other’s I hadn’t met yet sparring with staffs. Nothing glowed like when I had seen them fighting before.

They moved quickly but not faster than a Venatori – faster than me though. I watched as the blond moved through the other three. He was faster and smarter than they were, even outmatched as he was.

A felt a bump against my arm as the red-head stood staring up at me. “You should join them.”

“I’d get the shit kicked out of me if I didn’t cheat. They are faster and stronger than I am.” I was honest.

“I’ve seen you fight. I doubt it.” A second voice sounded from behind me, the little brunette with stalked up behind us in seven inch heels and up on to the platform. She offered me a hand like we were to dance and I rolled my eyes and took it.

She went off to the side and grabbed a staff and threw it at me. I caught it as it came into reach and took up a stance to fight the short brunette. Her name was Isabelle, I couldn’t forget that name not even if I wanted to. I smiled at her, “An Garde.”

Her laughter was musical as she started circling me and I followed her around, but I wasn’t going to play games. I struck out with the stick and she quickly moved sending my balance off as she wasn’t where she was supposed to be. “See. Fireballs and demons don’t move like you.”

“So don’t play fair.” Isabelle teased.

I tossed the stick to the side of the floor where the other weapons were housed and it rolled a little ways before stopping. I wove a ball of air and tossed it at her and she dodge easily. She abandoned her staff for her whip and I frowned but nodded. The dynamic had changed.

She unfurled the whip and the sound of it cracking in the air sent a shiver down my spine but I tossed another ball of air at her and she slashed it in two. The wipe came down close to me and with a twitch of her wrist Isabelle sent the whip my direction. I dodged out of the way with the whip curling around a bar of air that I used to block as I went under.

I threw blast of air at my opponent and she took a few steps back with the force of the wind and started trying harder. At least that was the impression I got from the look on her face.

We played cat and mouse for a good while, the entire platform had become or playground with everyone stepping to the side who was there to watch. I heard the tell-tale sound of an arrow being loosed and I turned in time to see it arcing its way towards me. I batted it out of the way with a gust of air and it landed with a peircing sound into the floor to my left.

“Hey big bro this is mine.” Isabelle shouted at Alec.

“It looks like fun.” He shot another arrow and three more followed in rapid succession and I rolled out of the way throwing a weave of air across the ground towards Isabelle and watching her fall backwards as I threw an air ball at Alec who was bounding down from his high perch. He fell backwards as the ball of air landed against his chest. I threw a wall of air behind Alec so he didn’t go over the edge of platform and he smiled in thanks as he thudded against it.

Jace laughed, “Well done.”

I shrugged. “That was fun. Venatori like their guns.”

“But not you?” Alec asked as he collected his arrows from the ground.

I shook my head. “No. Guns don’t work to well against vampires, or werewolves. Silver bullets are expensive, when I can throw a fireball and burn them alive, or slice of their heads with a razor sharp thread of air. But I try not to kill them unless I absoultely have to.”

I stood up with a slight sheen of sweat running down the side of my face. “I should probably get back to those books.”

Clary, the red-head, that was her name, she joined me in my walk towards the library, “I’ll help you. Alec said you needed help with translations. I could use the practice.”

“What you don’t know the ancient languages?” I teased.

“I’ve not been a Shadowhunter since birth like everyone else. My mom tried to keep the Shadow world hidden from me for as long as possible.” Clary spoke as if it didn’t matter now, but it had at one time.

“Parents do what is best with the resources they have.” I added.

Clary smiled, “So I’m told. But it’s over and done with. You were good with our little blueberry.”

I grinned. “Have one at home – though it’s complicated.”

The red-head smiled at me as I opened the door for her and let her pass into the library and we sat down with the books. She picked up a book in Latin and started thumbing through it slowly. I wasn’t exactly sure this was what I wanted to be doing. But it was the only way I could think of how to get home. I hoped Magnus had better luck.

Alec was finishing up getting the baby ready, I wondered how that worked. The boy was blue and it wasn’t something you could hide, but Magnus stepped into the nursery bleary eyed and waved his hand over his son with affection and the child’s appearance flickered. I stood outside the nursery watching them while I waited for Alec to finish up. Magnus smiled with sparkling eyes still undone from sleep. Golden-green cat eyes flashed quickly before he covered them up. I smiled, “I still saw. I’m not going to judge.”

He gave me that knowing grin and waved blue sparkling flames at me before he slipped back into the bedroom. Alec was carrying a perfectly normal looking child. “My mother wants to see Max. And it frees the babysitters up with us both gone today.”

I shrugged. “I have permanent care givers living with me.”

“Must be nice.” Alec commented as he walked past me down the hall.

I shrugged. “Not really. Sure that they are always there is nice, but it’s also not so nice. My living arrangements went from just me to about thirty people and not always the same people.”

We chatted a little about kids and arrangements for care giving as we decended the stairs into the Brooklyn air. Everything looked rather normal, but I knew it wasn’t. I could see small differences in the atmosphere of the streets.

The train station however smelled and the air tasted just the same as any I had ever been in. We easily got on a train into Manhattan proper. It wasn’t until I saw the City skyline that my jaw dropped. The Apex Unlimited buidling in all it’s curvy glory was not even seen.

Alec leaned over and glanced at the building I was looking at. “That’s the Bank of America Building.”

“That’s where I lived most of my life. But the building isn’t that one.”

Underground I couldn’t see anything different, though I was certain I saw shadows moving but I wasn’t about to jump of the train to hunt demons I knew nothing about.

Alec stood up with his son on his hip and I followed him out onto the platform and we went up into the City proper. I could see many differences. I could get lost here, nothing really looked the same if I looked down deep. The patterns were all similar, but things were just that different.

We headed for an old run down building and I blinked when it flickered much like Max’s appearance had before. Alec pushed on a ornately carved door that hadn’t been there moments before, at least I hadn’t thought it was beautiful at first glance, but now it was.

I looked around the santuary wide eyed, it was nothing like I expected. We headed for the altar and a door that I knew hadn’t been there until I approached opened and an elevator stood before us. I paused a moment gathering my strength and stepped inside. I hated elevators, but I wasn’t going to let strangers know how much. But I felt my body tense when the elveator started it’s ascent and I knew my heart was racing. It was all I could do to keep my breathing steady.

Alec looked at me with concern. I waved him off, “Elevators…”

He nodded but said nothing more. The doors opened into a high tech looking headquarters area. I was impressed. It looked similar to something the Venatori might use, except they didn’t openly rely on computers, they had manual eggheads doing most of the world. Old school – the ruling families liked it that way. Though I doubted it would stay that way much longer – not if I had anything to say about it anyway.

A woman with black hair and green eyes strood this way, her heels clickingo n the tiled floors as she walked quickly and took the normal seemigng child in her arms and wisked him away without so much a word. Alec turned to look at me with a smile. “You might as well have been invisible. I thought that might work.”

I laughed. “You planned that?”

“Magnus actually. He said, Take Max with you – distract your mother from the flamboyance of the stray you are bringing home.”

“I don’t sparkle like he does.” I said in mock offense.

Alec blushed and I couldn’t help but smile. “Alright. Where to?”

But we didn’t get more than 20 feet inside before a large man looked stood in front of us. Alec spoke clearly, “Father.”

Alec’s father looked back at me then back at his son. “This the not-a-warlock Jace was speaking about?”

Alec nodded, “Yes, Father. Nox. This is my father Robert Lightwood.”

I offered him my hand and he looked at my painted nails and back up to my face and then looked back at Alec. “Was he involved in the demon summoning?”

Alec shook his head, “Not unless he was using them for target practice.”

I grined, “Could I do that?”

Alec groaned and Robert glared at me but spoke to his son. “I expect a full report, and that you figure out what he has to do with the recent demonic activity.”

Alec nodded and sighed after his father went past him. “He shouldn’t even be here. I don’t know why he is.”

I didn’t want to comment on the apparent strained relationship. “Sorry. I didn’t think your father would take that as anything but a joke.”

Alec waved it off and I followed him as he started walking down the hall. Sounds of fighting trickled through the hall as we passed a room where the blonde, Jace, was sparring with Simon and Clary. He seemed to be instructing them, but I didn’t stay long enough to see anything more than that.

I followed Alec down the hall into a room that looked like a large library. I stood in awe. It wasn’t as grand as the Archives, but it was grand. It was like walking into home. I ran my fingers down the spines of a few books trying to get a feel for things in the room.

Alec walked towards the back corner. “Back here are more obscure books about portal magic. Or so Hodge use to say.” There was a slight hint of sadness in the words he spoke. I didn’t want to ask, sorry was best left alone when it wasn’t grief. Greif could soon well up and Alec didn’t look like he was in the mood to be sad.

I grabbed three or four books from the shelves he’d indicated with titles like Portals and Time, Multiple dimensions, and some other obscure things. Alec set a couple of books down that were written in other languages. I laughed, “Hope you can read them, cause I can’t.”

“They don’t teach you the ancient languages?” Alec asked.

I shook my head. “Only if that’s your thing. Hunters don’t learn languages, Scrin do – Dorian might be able to read Latin or Greek. But we have Scrin who’s sole purpose is to traslate languages for the hunters. Everything is separated at home.”

I sat down with books and started flipping through them. Alec joined me for about an hour before his eyes started glazing over, “I’ve got a report to write, which is actually more fun than this. I’ll have someone bring you some coffee.”

He was up and gone before I could even answer.

I wasn’t learning much. Other than the fact that yes it was possible to travel through dimensions, but nothing ever mentioned golden portals. But Alec had been true to his word and coffee arrived in pots for another two hours before even that ran dry.

I had to get up. I was falling asleep and drooling on books before my own thoughts had me starting awake. I took a walk down the halls.

I wasn’t going to sleep, but I made my way to the offered bedroom. I was pretty certain they wanted alone time. And I completely understood that. The room was still extravagant in comparison to what I was used to myself. The curtains on the windows were probably more expensive than anything I owned. Every bit of the house I’d seen so far spoke of Magnus’ tastes and I wondered if Alec lived here full time or not, the two men were completely different in style and taste.

It brought me a twinge of pain that Dorian had no idea I was still alive and breathing. I flopped down on the bed and tried to sleep, but that wasn’t going to happen. I stared up at the ceiling and counted the shadows. This world was foreign and yet so very similiar. It was a strange sense of deja’vu.

But I knew better than trying to sleeping. Nightmares would plague my mind. I pulled my phone out and had no signal, which was to be expected. I sighed pulled my ear buds out of my hoodie pocket and started up a playlist and tried to rest, I knew what little sleep I’d get would be fitful.

And I was right, I woke with a start my heart racing and decided wandering around and picking things up for the two new parents was something I could easily manage. It wasn’t really an issue in my residence, Dorian insisted that we have a house keeper – he was a neat freak. But I was the one who kept everything organized. I had no clue where things went but I did my best at trying to make sure the baby’s things where in to their respective places.

There was still a mess where they had patched up Simon earlier that night. Blood soaked couch. A pile of used rages. Bottles of whatever it was. I straightened up the best I could without making noise. But I must have made some as Alec came out sleepily rubbing his eyes. I grinned at him as he stepped around me as I set the empty flasks and vials and various other things in the sink.

He asked me groggily, “Can’t sleep?”

“Nightmares.” I said flatly. I didn’t really want to get into it.

He nodded knowingly, “This life makes you see things you can’t unsee.”

I shrugged. “My nightmares still come from my childhood issues.”

Alec started a pot of coffee. “I’m sure this didn’t help that.”

Laughing felt good, “This is really nothing in comparison. Golden portals, a completely different world. What’s that compared to running around for 10 years fighting dragons, were creatures of all variety, demons, angels who’ve decided they want to do more than live a human life for a while. This is just another day. And now, I am the leader of a pack of werewolves, the high and mighty leader of a race of supernatural beings who live to hunt monsters, and the leader of an organization who’s primary goal was to undermine the other group.”

Alec whistled through his teeth as he poured a mug of coffee and handed it to me.

I took the cup. “Oh my god, thank you. Coffee is universal”.

Alec smiled and sipped at his. “How did that happen?”

I sighed and took a seat at the bar stool against the island in the middle of the grand kitchen. “It’s a long story, but the short of it is. I challenged the leader of the CCB for leadership of the organization to prevent them from hurting my friends back at home. After three fights I was the only one left standing.”

“Three?”

I laughed. “The first was my tormentor who thought he could control me. The second took offense to my even thinking I could challenge his friend and leader, so he challenged me for my pack.”

“I assume you killed for that one too?”

I nodded. “Paul was a friend. It was either him or me. He would have challeneged me to get rid of me. I was stealing young back members, and he was afraid I’d take more. I didn’t want to do it.”

Alec nodded knowingly. “That’s how it works here too – at least from what I gather with the wolves I know. Our current Alpha is a woman – completely not usual.”

I grinned. “With me gone, right now, my wife – Isabel, is in charge. But she has vampire back up if anyone challenges her. But I doubt she’d need it.” I picked up the story again, “I finally got to challenge the leader. I beat him fair and square and the CCB fell to me.”

I sighed. “That would have saved my people. But they decided that they would challenge the leader of the CCB. So they burst into our building making challenges before they know what they are doing. He tried to back out, but rules are the rules and I could not let it slide or my place would be compromised. I accepted. But I was tired, though to be fair I asked him if he wanted any stipulations on the match, he waved me away like it was nothing. I snapped his neck with air before the battle even started.”

“That was hardly sportsman like.” Alec was grinning over his cup of coffee.

I shrugged. “You fight one Magnus who taught you, a werewolf, and a weretiger and tell me what you’d have done in my place. Oh did I forget to mention, that weretiger venom was coursing through my veins, and I had been shredded to pieces before I managed to kill James. I wasn’t really in any shape for another physical altercation. I’ve been at it for three weeks and have been accepting a challenge every other day. All I can say is that I’m glad it was human magic that took me out of play – they have no claim on thrones in the supernatural world. Izzy will reign with the help of my family and friends until I return.”

Alec shook his head, “We’ll get you back home.”

“I appreciate it.” I looked at the clock on the coffee pot and was surprised at the time. “It’s later than I thought it was.”

Alec nodded, “Grab a shower if you want and we’ll go to the Institute and deal with whatever we have to and then we can start looking into ways to get you home. Magnus will probably have more luck, but he won’t be out of bed for several more hours at the earliest.”

“Truly amazing how much he and Dorian are alike and so very different. His dress and attire are more you, but he’s the ‘scholarly’ one.” I put air quotes around scholarly because Magnus didn’t act all that scholarly – wise perhaps but not like Dorian.

“Does Dorian get annoyed at your…” Alec pointed to the red color in my hair, the smeared make up and colored nails.

I shook my head, “No. He gets annoyed when I try to tone it down to be more professional.”

He grinned knowingly. I said, “I’ll catch that shower. Give me 20.” Alec nodded and was off back to the master bedroom and I found the spare bathroom. Showering was easy, clothes on the other hand not so much. Though I easily cleaned and dried my clothes – something I hadn’t done for months prior to ending up in the CCB but I could have. I even crafted an eyeliner pen with my gift and left it on the sink edge for next time.

There was a knock on the bathroom door. I opened it and Alec was holding extra toiletries in his hand brushing his teeth.

I pushed open the door wider so he could see the implements sitting on the side of the sick. “I can make most of what I need.”

Alec nodded and took his offering back with him with a smile but he stepped inside the bathroom and spit in the sink next to me. “Sorry.”

I grinned, “No worries.” I stood in the doorway and watched the tall archer walk down the hall admiring his assets before returning back to my progress.

I leaned against the sink and washed the used bottles and placed them in the drying rack. I felt eyes watching me and I turned around to see magic and flamboyance standing in the kitchen doorway watching me. “Bored? You can clean the rest of the house. We won’t mind.”

I grinned at him. “I likely will when I can’t sleep.”

“You assumed you were staying?”

“I assumed I’d be here till your curiosity was satisfied. Glowing orbs, not being a warlock, all that stuff.” I waved my hands and he caught my hand turning it over to admire the colors.

“Not very well done, your manicurist needs a few lessons.” He dropped my hand and waved his own in front of me, “Mine is excellent I can’t recommend her enough.”
I grinned, “Mine is 8. She does perfectly fine. And I don’t think your boyfriend wants you checking out my fingers or me flirting with you.”

He turned and looked over his shoulder at Alec who was sitting in the window staring out at the street below with a scowl on his face. Magmus smiled. “He’s pouting because he didn’t get to feed Max or put him down.”

“I’m sorry. I figured he’d be more help then I clearly was. I can go wake him up.”

Alec jumped from the window seat and shook his head, “You will not!”

I smiled playfully. “As if I’d waking a sleeping baby. I know the silence is precious. There is so little of it in my house, and we’ve only got one crying baby – the rest are crying adults who must have my attention at 3 in the morning when the moon is full and I’m fighting ever fucking werewolf’s change from overpowering my senses.”

“Now I’m really confused.” Magnus said. “You aren’t a warlock, yet you weild fire like it’s nothing. And you do something with werewolf changes?”

“The old ones call me Ascendant – a rising power. I’m a Magnus, “I grinned at the name. “specifically a Cesari – I bend all four elements at the same time. On top of that my mother was human, but carried the werewolf virus but never changed. My father is Venatori – a supernatural race designed specifically to hunt monsters. And somewhere along the path, a vampire bit me and instead of killing me like vampire venom does to most Venatori it mutated my genes into some freak of nature so when I died, I didn’t really die – immortality.”

Mangus’ eyes grew wide at the last little bit. “That seems very fairy tale like to me.”

“I’m living proof that fairy-tales are real.” I waved my hand and a shower of sparks floated down.

Alec grunted, “Show off.” He sat down on the couch, “You two are a pair.”

I laughed and stepped around Magnus. “And you love it. Don’t try to fight it.”

He looked up at me and frowned, but I saw the smile fighting back. “You like watching your boyfriend show off. Knowing he’s yours.” I laughed. “You and Dorian would be two peas in a pod.”

“Dorian?” Alec asked curiously.

“I told you my love life was complicated. He’s my boyfriend and that’s all I’ll say about that.”

Magnus sat down next to Alec and I sat on the floor. I looked around for the rest of the crew but they seemed to have vanished in the night. Magnus waved a hand, “I sent them home via portal.”

“Purple swirling hole in the world, gotcha. A human mage at home in a stupid meeting chanted some words and a golden one of those set me down right in the middle of those… shadowy demon things. Demons in my world can’t manifest like that they can only take human hosts – though half demons we do have but they aren’t warlocks, no magic really to speak of.”

“Golden…” Magnus’ painted fingernails played against Alec’s leg while the other he tapped against his chin. “Never made one of them before, do you remember what he was chanting?”

I shook my head. “No, languages aren’t my thing. But it’s human magic not natural like mine. I can’t do anything that isn’t made up of the elements, so I’m stuck wherever here is until we can find someone to send me home.” I sighed. This was going to suck, I already missed my family. I laid back on the hardwood floor of their living room and stared up at the ceiling. “I don’t want to intrude on your family. Tell me where the nearest hotel is and I’ll go there.”

“I think not.” Magnus stood up and waved down the direction of Max’s room. “There is a spare bed across from Max, use it until we send you home. Alec will take you to the Institute in the morning and maybe they will know more while I go to the Spiral Labyrinth and see what I can find there.”

I wandered down the hall towards the sound of the whimpering. No one else seemed to notice, the sound was soft and was coming from a closed door. I listened at the door as the sound of something moved on the other side. I don’t know why I was being so unease, this was a house, there wasn’t likely to be monsters in a house that had monster hunters in it.

I opened the door slowly and the first thing that caught my senses was the deep smell of baby powder. The light from the open door shown on a crib with a baby squirming inside. I smiled as I stepped inside leaving the door open so as not to create a harsh enviroment for the little eyes.

I looked over the railing and blinked in surprise. The child was blue from head to toe, his face, his little hands sticking out of the light sleeper he was placed in and his little foot that was stuck out of the buttons. I wasn’t exactly sure how kids managed to do that when they could only kick and squirm but I’d found Dakota often in a similiar situation when it was my night to attend to the squalling baby.

But he was blue…

It didn’t matter as his whimpering turned into a full blown cry. I picked the little one up and started correcting the footy problem before I started rocking back and forth. His diaper felt heavy so I did the fatherly thing and changed the child. He was blue everywhere, with little nubs above his head.

I was so not in Kansas anymore.

Clean and fully dressed I rocked and bounced the crying had stopped but the whimpering continued. I didn’t see a feeding station nearby so I took the little one with me rocking and bouncing as I hunted for the kitchen hoping that was where baby formula would be. I hope he wasn’t breastfeed… Though none of the women in that room looked as though they had recently had a baby. But I could be wrong. I made stupid assumptions many many times and many many times I get slapped for it.

I walked into the room where everyone was still busy tending their friend, and saw the kitchen across the way. I walked past everyone towards the kitchen and saw what I was looking for sitting near the sink. I didn’t know how much the little one drank so I only made half the bottle, I could easily make another. I warmed the bottle with a flick of my hand, I’d become adept at the perfect temperature with my own little bundle of joy. Though technically she wasn’t mine to tend, but we all lived together, and biologically she was my child. I felt just as much responsibility to her as I did to the rest of my pack – more so.

I placed the bottle against the little blue lips and he suckled immediately I’d found the cause of his whimpering. I looked up and saw Mr. Archer watching me curiously. His blue eyes sparkled and I couldn’t help but smile. He whispered, “You’ve done that before.”

“One at home.” I said quietly.

“I didn’t even hear him crying.” He stepped over next to me and looked down over my arm as I fed the child. “I always here him cry.”

“I heard him whimpering, he only cried a moment.”

“You heard him whimpering with the monitor in the bedroom?” He sounded surprised but his voice was still a whisper.

“Super human hearing for the win.” I grinned down at the child. “You know he’s blue right?”

Alec laughed, “I know. He’s a baby warlock.”

I nodded as if that made any sense to me. “Where am I?”

Alec looked up at me and then frowned, “At our home. In Brooklyn. You sound like a New Yorker. How do you not know where you are?”

The little one finished the last of the bottle and was gulping air. Alec started another bottle while I let the little one suck on my pinky finger, he was impatient and not happy my finger was empty. He squawked once before Alec handed me the bottle. “I can take him if you want.”

“I’m alright. You can go help your friend. I’ll put him back down.”

Alec smiled. “They don’t need me in the way.”

I rolled my eyes, “You were hardly in the way.”

He just shrugged. “I’d say where I come from warlocks are what some human’s call themselves when they can work magic – but they are fully human. He’s not.”

“He’s half human, half demon. That’s what a warlock is. Where are you from? You don’t seem phased by any of this for a …”

Alec didn’t finish his sentence he seemed to be struggling for a word. “I’m from New York City. Was born in Boulder, Colorado but I have never in my life seen magic like he’s using out there, or purple portals, blue babies, and whatever it was that attacked us.” I sounded mystified. I really had no idea what was going on.

“Those were demons. If you aren’t a warlock what do you wall yourself?”

I grinned, “I doubt it’d make any sense to you anymore than this all makes sense to me. It doesn’t matter the name. I bend the four elements – water, air, earth and fire. But I’m so much more than that – or so I’m told.”

The little blue boy was now sleeping quietly in my arms, the bottle forgotten and our voices not disturbing him. “I should go put him down.”

Alec nodded and lead the way to the baby’s room. Simon was sitting up drinking a vile smelling concoction and I saw Magnus watching me carrying the blue child across the room. I winked at him and he grinned and Alec grunted again. I turned to look at the blue eyed archer and saw a look that said he wasn’t happy. “Your boyfriend?” I asked.
He nodded and said nothing as he pushed open the door to the nursery.

“I don’t mean anything by it. My love life is complicated enough. But flirting is what I do. I can’t help it.” I laid the little one down and Alec bend over and pressed a kiss from his fingers to the baby’s temple. We slipped out of the room and walked back into the room. Simon was frantically telling a story, his hands were waving all over the place and he sounded very much like a nerd might sound while explaining some action scene in a movie.

I watched as Alec rolled his eyes and curled around Magnus and whispered in his ear. The brunette was hanging on every word Simon spoke and the red-head was clearly into the blonde. I was definitely in the wrong place. I slipped into the kitchen to get away from it all, didn’t need to watch the love fest going on out there.