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chapter sixteen. . . army against the clave
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BEFORE MALIA HADN'T taken much notice of what filled the walls and rooms of the Hotel DuMort as she wasn't interested before as her thought was on rescuing her best friend from vampires who still caused their damage towards him. The pieces of art that hung on the walls were captivating, beautiful masterpieces, and every wall was somewhat filled with a painting that was clear to be from the past and kept safe and well kept for the 21st century in order for it to look vintage. Malia raised a brow at the painting, framed in gold, as the woman posed within the painting just as Raphael's hand smacked against the wall, pressing a button that split him and three up by a metal fence, creating a cage for Malia, Clary and Simon.
Malia couldn't help but scoff at the vampire on the other side of the gate. "So this is your idea of protection?" She pondered before raising a brow at the vampire who believed it was the best form of what they had asked for.
"It keeps you away from my people, and my people away from you." Raphael replied, before his eyes shifted towards Simon. "Give a shout when you're hungry. Of course, you do have a pretty decent snacks right here, no? Oh, silly me. I forgot...you three are such great friends. Or has that changed?"
Simon glared over his shoulder at Malia as Raphael's torment had stopped as he moved away. Malia rolled her eyes at the vampire, just as Simon clenched onto the fence, trying his best to bare through the hunger. But the hunger was impossible to ignore when Malia and Clary stood around him, both good sources go food for him to have. "Guys, you do not understand how this is." Simon told. "I can hear your heartbeats. I can smell the blood in your veins. And I want it."
"Simon, I would not blame you if you--"
"What? Killed you?" Simon questioned as Clary had settled into the chair within the cage. "Don't you understand anything?"
"No, I don't. And I can't. But there has to be a way for you to stay in this world." Clary couldn't imagine a life without her best friend, and thought of it actually happening because of what she had done was unbearable. "Maybe what..."
"I did was wrong and selfish, but..." Malia let out a shaky breath whilst fiddling with her fingers. "my heart was breaking. I-I thought I was strong. But what I did doesn't change anything, Simon. you're still Simon Lewis, my best friend who I love. I don't want to watch you die again, so if you need to feed on us then--"
"Raphael!" Simon called.
Malia's brows furrowed as the vampire crept back towards them. "Are you ready now?" Raphael asked as he grinned at the Lewis.
