The Mortal Instruments: City Of Bones *Jace Wayland*

Valentine Has Risen

    "Alec's getting worse," I murmured while walking down the steps toward Hodge.

    "I know, I've already sent for someone, did you get the Cup?" he asked instantly changing the topic.

    "Yes," I pulled out the card and set it on the table beside us then reached my hand inside it and pulled it out letting Hodge get a good look at it then cradling it in his hands.

    He walked over to the portal and opened the door, "You have no idea what it's like living with the Clave's curse...unable to set so much as a foot outside, afraid to even open a window. Try not to judge me too harshly, Ryder."

    "What did you do...?" I started at the portal as a figure stepped out of it covered in runes...I could just tell that this was Valentine by the way Hodge handed the Cup to him.

    "I always knew you would bring me the Cup, it was only a matter of time," the figure said holding the Cup to his forehead.

    "Where is she?" I asked as my heart raced inside my chest.

    "She's fine."

    "You got what you want, now let her go," I pleaded when he walked past me.

    "I have to make sure you gave me the real one, everybody wants the Cup for the wrong reason," he placed the Cup on the table beside me and stabbed is hand with a knife that was sitting on the table letting his blood spill into the Cup.

    "You don't...?"

    "With this Cup I can cleanse our bloodlines...save our race."

    "That's why my mom spent her whole life hiding it from you, it never goes well trying to save races."

    "No, she wasn't hiding the Cup...she was hiding you," he claimed putting the Cup up to my lips trying to make me drink it but I stepped away.

    "Drink," he demanded making me shake my head, "Why are you so afraid? You've been drinking this since before you were born. I fed it to your mother while you were in her womb," I knew what he was trying to say, "Come on, Ryder, you must have guessed by now. These amazing talents that your mother so desperately tried to suppress. Where do you think they came from? You're my daughter, my blood runs in your veins. Now...drink."

    I shook my head, I didn't believe him at all, I looked nothing like him. He pushed the Cup in front of my once more and commanded, "Drink!"

    I took the Cup pretending that I was going to drink out of it but threw it on the card making it go back inside.

   "Take it out!" he screamed, "No!"

    I ran for the portal and the next thing I knew I was in the middle of the street, I knew this street, I looked over to see Kyle's shop to my left.

    I saw a gigantic dog run across the street in front of me which made me jump, it jumped into a glass window of the store next to Kyle's. I walked up to the window and saw a hand grab the clothes off of the manikin and the shoes laying in front of it.

    Kyle walked out from the broken window, "Sorry, I got a bit carried away."

    "Kyle, you're a..." I trailed off with my eyes wide.

    "Ryder, listen to me, don't be afraid," he tried to touch my arm but I moved away, "We are not safe out here."

    We walked in his store and I waited for him to lock the door for me to speak, "I jumped through the portal to get away from Valentine, I thought I'd wind up with my mom. Instead, I end up here..."