Thunderstruck ⌲ Alec Lightwood

THE AFTERPARTY

chapter eight

"I'm sending reinforcements." 

     Alec turned his head towards Clary. "You know," he said, "you could always just put the rat in your backpack." Damien raised an eyebrow curiously. He knew Alec didn't enjoy Simon being here, but Clary seemed to agree with the idea. She shrugged off one strap of her backpack and found a safe spot for him, apologizing as she did.

     "Why mundanes always insist on taking responsibility for things that aren't their fault baffles me," Jace muttered. 

     "If it weren't for me, he wouldn't be here at all," Clary told him. Jace shook his head.

     "Don't flatter yourself, he came because of Isabelle." 

     Clary glared at Jace. "Let's get out of here. I'm sick of this place."

     Damien couldn't help but groan. "We're not even staying for one drink?" he said. Alec elbowed him in the side in response, causing Damien to jump. "Nevermind." As they turned to leave, Damien saw a group of vampires that looked deep in conversation with Magnus, one of them glaring at the Shadowhunters. Damien turned to his friends. "Guys, look."

     After eavesdropping on them for a moment, they were able to make out that the vampires were complaining about how their motorbikes were vandalized, and some of their friends were missing. "They're probably passed out somewhere drunk," Magnus said, trying to wave them off. "You lot do tend to drink hard." Damien snorted. He had partied with a few of them before, and Magnus wasn't wrong. "Probably one too many Bloody Mary's."

     "They mix their vodka with real blood," Jace whispered to Clary. 

     "I got that, thanks," Clary said. Damien shivered at the thought of drinking human blood, and for once he was glad that Simon was currently a rat so he wasn't at risk. 

     Magnus started ushering everyone out the door after announcing the party was over, and Damien didn't even realize how late it was. It was close to two o'clock in the morning, but he didn't feel an ounce of exhaustion. "Let's go, guys," Damien said, leading them out the door. 

     As they were making their way out of the door, a vampire bumped in to Clary's shoulder, causing her to jump. "Hey, pretty thing," the vampire said. "What's in the bag?" Damien stepped in between the two, glaring daggers at the vampire. 

     "Back off," he spat, making direct eye contact with the creature. 

     "Oooh, a Shadowhunter," the vampire replied sarcastically. "Scary." The vampire started to walk away, melting into the crowd. Damien started forward, rage filling inside him, until he felt a hand grab his arm. He turned around to see Magnus. 

     "If you go after him, I won't invite you to another one of my parties," Magnus told him, lowering his voice so the others wouldn't hear him. Damien scowled, but stood in his spot, wriggling his arm out of Magnus's grasp. Magnus sighed and turned to the group. "Vampires are such prima donnas. You on your way out?"

     "Don't want to overstay our welcome," Jace said, nodding. 

     "I wouldn't call it a welcome. I would say it was a pleasure meeting you, but it really wasn't. Not that you lot are charming anyways." 

     Damien began to usher everyone out, giving a wave to Magnus as he followed behind the group. Clary was about to follow him, but Magnus tapped on her shoulder. "I have a message from your mother," he said. Clary gestured to him to wait outside, which he did. It was getting stuffy in there anyways, and Damien hated being around fae. They looked too much like him, and he was trying to hide his features.