In the Shadows (Shadowhunters, Jace Wayland)

Chapter 6

My brush slid easily over the paper, leaving a dark mark behind. It blended in with the rest quite nicely. My professor was giving commentary here and there, music playing in the background.

I could feel Jace standing behind me , his eyes boring in the back. I grabbed a pencil, writing a small note on my canvas.

"Stop hovering.", it read. I heard Jace scoff and felt him move away a little, as I continued painting.

A few minutes later, the professor came to me.

"Very good, Lia. Your style is very rich.".

"Thanks, Mrs. Julians.", I put the brush down. "I wanted to tell you that I unfortunately won't come to the rest of the term. There is a ... family matter that needs to be taken care of.", I lied.

"I hope everything is okay?", the middle-aged woman asked. "It's a shame really, you are so talented. I hope you come back next semester?".

"I hope so, too.", I said, starting to feel awful about the decision. But I knew it was what I had to do. I had to sacrifice a few things. Everything was changing.

"Well, the best of luck to you, Lia.", she said, as the bell rang to the full hour.

"All right everybody, don't forget your assignments for next week, now get out of here!".

I packed up my stuff, and walked over to the cupboard of folders, grabbing mine. Jace was watching me, I could feel his eyes on my back. I didn't say anything, everything about this situation bothered me. I was practically giving up what I wanted to make my future.

"Let's go.", I muttered shortly, passing by him.

"Yeah.", he let out, his voice quiet.

Walking out, the massive folder tucked under my arm, I was stopped by my name being called. Tina, a girl from class was walking towards me, a take-away coffee cup in her hand. I let out a quiet groan. I despised her.

"What is that I hear about you dropping out? Calling it a family matter -can't handle the pressure, huh?", she asked, her nasal voice incredibly irritating.

"Yeah, I don't really have time for that high-school drama you're trying to pull me into here.", I pushed past her.

"Family matter, what a lie.", she said, making me turn around.

"Excuse me?", I hissed, feeling the heat rising to my cheeks.

"Well, your parents are dead, right? How proud would they be of their little University drop-out.", she taunted, her voice dripping in sarcasm. I felt my body tremble in anger, until I felt Jace's hand on my shoulder.

"Lia.", his voice was cautious, somehow warning me not to do anything stupid. I calmed down slightly, taking a deep breath before speaking, somewhat calmly.

"Your style is weak, trying to copy Peter Howson's work in every single stroke. That doesn't make you creative, honey, that makes you a fake. So quit calling your miserable excuse of doodles 'art' and go back to beauty school, where they think your nail stickers are extraordinary.", I hissed, giving her a smirk and walking away. A few steps further, I heard her curse and hiss loudly. Glancing back, I chuckled as I saw her covered in brown liquid, the take-away cup empty on the ground. Jace, who was walking away from her, wiped the coffee off his hand, chuckling.

I let out a laugh, as he walked beside me.

"Thanks for that.", I grinned.

He gave me a wink. "Any time.".

I dragged Jace to my apartment after class, and he gave in, but only after I spoke about the lack of tampons in the Institute, and how I absolutely had to pick some stuff up from home.

After seeing that I was going to take ages, he excused himself, mumbling something about waiting outside.

I packed a large bag with clothes, some Art supplies, my running shoes, some weed, and my laptop. I grabbed an old black leather jacket I still had from ages ago, happy that it still fit me. Putting it on, I heard a noise outside my apartment. Frowning, I went to look.

I was confronted with Alaric, one of Luke's colleagues, and another guy.

"Yo, Alaric, what's up?", I asked, acting normal, and quickly closing the door, hiding the destruction in my apartment.

"Lia, you need to come with us. Right away. If you resist, we're going to have to detain you.", he said, his voice stern.

"What? Why? What did I do?", I questioned, backing up from him.

"Just come with us.", the other man said, grabbing my arm.

"Alaric, what the hell?", I resisted, and the next thing I felt was cold metal against my wrist. He was seriously trying to handcuff me.

"We have some questions.", he just said, and the other guy started pushing me down the hallway.

Their car stopped in front of a run down Chinese restaurant. There wasn't anything else there, just warehouses surrounding us. They had seriously kidnapped me. Assholes.

"What the hell, Alaric?", I shouted as he opened the door, pulling me out. I was still handcuffed, and he wasn't being very gentle. Without a word, he shoved me inside.

Seconds later I was sitting at a diner table in front of a man I'd never seen before.

"Let me go! What do you want!", I shouted, panicking.

"Lia Wallace.", the man let out, chuckling. "Word on the street is you are... special?", he raised an eyebrow.

I huffed.

"I'm gonna get right to the point: Where is the mortal cup?", he asked, leaning forward, his stance threatening.

"How the hell should I know? I don't know anything about it.".

"We can do this the easy way, or the hard way.", he said, crossing his arms.

"The hard way? What? I don't know anything about any fucking cup!", I almost shouted again. The man leaned back, motioning to the others. "Take her in the back.", he ordered, and I was pulled up from the chair. I cursed loud, but it didn't help, as I was shoved through a few doors, and pushed into some sort of cell.

"Let me the fuck go, you bastards!", I screamed after them, but the loud bang of the door closing shut me up. The cuffs cut deep in my skin, hurting like a motherfucker. My shoulder already began aching. Letting out a whimper, I sacked to my knees, before raising my gaze.

"Fuck.", I let out, getting up, and started to look around. There must be something here to help me. I couldn't really look around the lockers much, with my hands being tied, but I got a good look from the window. There were piers there, a lot of water. I could even make out some of the names on the boats. Sighing, I finally plopped down on the bench on the wall. I leaned back, my shoulders really beginning to hurt.

I hoped Jace had found some sort of clue as to who took me. How could he though? They didn't leave anything behind. But I knew they were amazing trackers. They found me already once today, what was a second time?
Sighing, I leaned back. I was actually exhausted. Come to think of it, I hadn't really slept much in the last few days.

It had only been 3 days since that night in the parking lot, but it seemed like weeks away. So much had happened. Me being ambushed by a fake Peter in my apartment, blacking out and waking up in the Institute, with crazy talk of demons and warlocks being thrown at my head, and then actually fighting demons at a Warlocks mansion. I sighed. And my "abilities"? What the hell was that about? I could kill monsters by touching them? What? I hadn't really slept, and it all felt like a dream to me.