Deviator

Turned

2039
Alec

I wipe the sweat from my forehead as I place the shovel back inside the shed. I know it is risky to be outside in the garden, but I couldn't leave the men like that. I had to bury them.

Maeve has calmed down a little since I told her, but she is still huddled up in a ball on her old bed. Simon is with her. Talking to her. Comforting her. He is good at this. Always has been.

I enter the house and clean my hands in the kitchen sink. The rest of The Hunters has changed their clothes, so they look like the Privies. I need to change too. And Simon also. After drying my hands, I go to Maeve's room and gently knock on the doorframe. Simon is now sitting on the bed with Maeves head in his lap. She seems to be sleeping while he is caressing her hair.

Like I said, he is good at this.

"You need to get changed. We both do. We have to move on."

"In a minute." He whispers. "She just fell asleep."

I smile at him, but he doesn't notice. He is not taking his eyes of her. I haven't seen him look at someone like this since... Well since Izzy...

"Boss...?" one of the Hunters gestures for me to come with him. He guides me upstairs to a window facing the other side of the street. "Take a look."

I look out the window and the sight baffle me. The entire street is filled with dead people. Privies and Protectors. Its completely surreal. In the midst of it all a single figure is kneeling down over a body.

"What the hell?" I squint my eyes to try and see what the person is doing and that's when I see the blood dripping from its mouth. It's an Anthro. I jump down the stairs and run to the front door. In seconds Simon, Andrew and a few others are right behind me.

"Andrew, is that one of yours?" I ask as I run towards the Anthroe feeding. "How the hell did he get here before us?"

"It's not one of mine. Don't you smell that?" Andrew grabs my shoulder and stops me from running. "It's different. Very different."

Form a distance I look over the kneeling man. I can't smell what he smells, but I do see something that knocks the wind out of me.

His clothes are shredded and his body covered in cuts and bruises, but it's him. No doubt about it.

It's Jace.

***

"Jace..." I mumble as I begin to walk closer, but Andrew grabs my arm again.

"Don't. He is not the man you knew."

Simon joins us and I can see in his face that he has recognized Jace too.

"No..." Simon falls to his knees with his eyes locked on the creature that once was his best friend.

Suddenly Jace sniffs into the air and with a low growl he turns towards us. He bares his teeth at us but doesn't show any signs of attacking. Suddenly another man steps out from the shadows and walks closer to Jace. He doesn't seem to show fear at all. Jace's attentions turns towards the man, and he growls once more, but still doesn't attack. The man speaks to Jace. I can't hear what he is saying, but it looks like Jace is listening to him. Then he stands up and look back at us again. The look in his eyes is wild and foreign.

"Slowly back away. Don't break eye contact." Andrew whispers. "He seems to be newly turned. That means he can't control his bloodlust. He will attack if he feels he has the upper hand."

I do as Andrew says, but something is still bothering me... why isn't he attacking the other man? Andrew slowly pulls Simon up from the ground and drags him with us. Jace's eyes darts from me to Simon and then back to me. Then he stops growling.

"Wait..." I say and take a step forward, ignoring Andrew's warnings. Jace blinks a few times as he keeps looking back and forth between me and Simon. "Jace? Its me. Your brother... And Simon. Your best friend. Clary sent us. She needs you, man. Your baby needs you."

"Clary..." his voice is ragged, but it is his voice. His words.

"Yes. Clary... she is waiting for you." My heart beats fast and adrenaline rushes through my body.

"Alec?" finally his eyes look like normal again. "Please... help me..." he begs.

"Of course, Jace. I'm here for you."

"Please..." he drops to his knees and looks around, dwelling on each and every single body before him. "Please brother. Kill me."

"NO!" the man from the shadows screams. "Not yet! We are not done yet! You haven't revenged my Angel yet!"

Jace screams in pain and falls forward. One hand clutching something around his neck while the other is solidly placed on the pavement.

"STOP IT!" I shout and run to me brother, disregarding every precaution I was supposed to take. "Please stop hurting him!" I scream as I throw myself down next to him. Now I see the collar on him. Shocking him.

"I will stop when he gets my revenge!" the shadowman shouts.

Jace growls and hisses at me but I'm not moving. Simon is now by my side too.

"Please sir. Stop torturing him." Simon begs with tears in his eyes.

"He must revenge Angel!"

Angel... suddenly I remember her. The girl that broke Jace's heart.

"Wait, Angel? His girlfriend?"

The man stops sending electricity through Jace's body and looks at me instead.

"Yes, did you know her too?" the man asks but doesn't wait for my answer. "Valentine killed her. And now I will make sure Valentine and every last one he knows dies!"

I stand up and move closer to him. Instantly his finger is on the remote again.

"Don't come any closer." He warns me.

"We want Valentine dead too. Release my brother and we will take care of it."

He snorts at me and shakes his head.

"No. I won't release him. Once Valentine is dead, Jace has to die too. He never deserved my daughter. He is an abomination!"

Another growl sounds behind me, this time a lot closer than before. Expecting to see Jace, I turn around and look straight into Andrew's eyes. But they are not really his eyes anymore. He has turned once more. He sniffs me a few times before he turns his attention to the man instead. Thank God he still doesn't like my scent.

Andrew growls again and then attacks the man. He sinks his teeth into his throat and the blood splatters all over Andrew's face, but he doesn't notice. Instead, he starts feeding. The man struggles to get away, but it's a loosing battle. Silently, I sneak closer and take the remote he lost in the process. Once I have it, I hurry back to Jace and Simon. Jace is fading in and out of his Anthroe state, so we keep the collar on him. Just in case. I look back towards Andrew and my heart drops. This time he is gone. I can tell. We have lost him completely. I can even feel the bond between us breaking with every bite he takes.

"I will get your revenge for you, my friend. I promise." I whisper as I put an arrow on the string. "I will not let you suffer. It is time for you to find peace." Then I let go and the arrow glides through the air and drills into the back of his skull. His body collapses on top of the man with one last breath. Tears start to burn in my eyes as we hurry back to the house. Back to safety.