The Mortal Instruments | Morgenstern Blood

Ingredients:

Once we've finally left the stupid supermarket, we walk further down the busy market street. I stop outside an old fashioned shop. There's a wooden sign outside with a carving of a potion engraved into it. The window has a display which is filled with a cauldron and some vials with coloured liquids in. Everything in the window is coated with a thin layer of grey dust and I notice a few cobwebs in the corners of the black frame.

I nod to Jace then walk in through the front door. He follows a step behind me, his hand on his sword like my brother, ready to defend me at a moment's notice.

Everything about him says that he's very suspicious, as he should be. The hand which isn't by his sword is clenched into a tight fist. His legs are rigid and tense. His eyes are scanning the room secretly, trying to take in his surroundings and mark his exits.

I, of course, have already done all this. There are 3 options for an exit. One, the door we came in. Obvious but probably the most effective. Two, the window. There is a large window on the left side of the room which looks like it just slides open. A little harder but still simple. Three, a trapdoor. This is least preferable as it is likely to lead deeper into the building rather than out of it but as a last resort it may save us.

I walk over to the counter at the back of the room and feel Jace's anxious gaze track me. Behind the counter is a stack of shelves. Each shelf is stocked with potions, powders, creams, ingredients. I bunch my hand into a fist then knock twice on the wooden counter.

A person appears instantly. I know they're not human though from the stench. Only a demon would run a place like this anyway.
"What do you want nephiliem?' The demon snaps in a very deep, gruff voice. It doesn't quite match the lanky male figure it's taken on.

I ignore it though and refer to the list in my mind. I tell him the 3 items I need and he goes behind his counter to the shelves, picking up the items regrudgingly. He shuffles back over and puts the items on the counter. I get out a few coins- a generous payment, or at least what I think it is and pick up the items.

"That's all? Morgenstern, that's all." The demon frowns and I turn back, a crease in my forehead evident. "Son of Valentine and all he gives me is 4 measly coins!"

A low growl builds up inside me. "What?" I reach for my blade and my hand hovers above it. "Are you questioning me?"

It takes precisely 0.25 seconds before the demon is pushed up against the wall, my seraph blade glowing against his throat. "You know the recipe called for ichor. Maybe I don't need to buy any..."

The demon whimpers.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Take everything and leave."

"Here's a lesson for you, little demon. Tell this to your friends. You don't ever question Valentine's son." And with that I pulled away the blade and started to turn away. But I spin around quickly and drive the blade in the demons chest grinning.

He splatters to the ground in a mix of ichor and purple goo.

"We need to go." I say to Jace as I grab the items. "People don't like it for some reason when we kill the shopkeeper next door... They call the police."

I flash a grin at him then I run outside and down the street. He takes a second to catch on to my fleeing and then he chases after me until we're safely blended into the crowd. I take a grip on his shoulder and then I twist the Morgenstern ring on my finger so we both land on the wooden floor of the moving apartment.

_
This chapter was inspired a lot by Nina who I love so much. She's such an inspiration to me and a lovely person and so kind and best of all... She's Italian. ❤

@merryfangirl