ʙʟᴀᴄᴋᴛʜᴏʀɴs ➸ sʜᴀᴅᴏᴡ ʜᴜɴᴛᴇʀs

➝ xxviii.

•••

"Nat, you okay?" A familiar voice asked before Natalie shot her eyes up to see Alec staring at her in quite concern. Natalie was shook, she knew exactly what was going on, she had both of her hands on his shoulders as his hands rested on her waist as he was wearing a suit and his hair was quite neat. She smiled at what was going on but then snapped back into reality.

"I-I have to go." Natalie quickly said as she pulled away from the raven haired boy.

"What why?" Alec questioned.

"I have to find Jace, Angel and Clary," Natalie announced as she turned around and walked away.

The girl looked around and realized she was in the institute but it was like glamourized. Natalie walked up the small slight of stairs and saw a door that was opened slightly that she assumed led to the basement. She quickly ran into it then down the stairs as her eyes widened when she caught the sight of Jace, Angel and Clary fighting that demon that ran into the portal. Natalie tried creating a ball of fire but it didn't work so she turned her head and grabbed a metal bar then charged at the demon. She slashed at it but it dodged it. The four stabbed it with their weapons as they carefully kept it in place right before the demon's tail rose up then went into Jace's neck making Angel let out a little scream right before Natalie brought her metal bar up and stabbed the demon into it's chest as it fell down on a bunch of boxes.

"Jace, oh my god."

Natalie turned around after hearing her best friend to see Jace on his knees, holding his neck as Angel was beside him, trying to comfort him. Magnus then walked into the room then looked at the demon before walking behind Jace and bending down to check his neck.

"Where's my stele?" Jace asked.

"it didn't come through with you," Angel replied softly as she stared at her boyfriend in huge concern.

"You're gonna need more than a stele for that," Magnus stated.

"Will portaling him back to his body cure him?" Angel questioned as she stared at Magnus.

"I don't think so," Natalie said quite bluntly.

"Yeah, blood travels with you," Magnus replied as Jace looked like he was about to pass out or something,"The demon venom is in his blood."

"We have to get him back to the institute in our dimension," Clary spoke up as she stood next to Natalie.

"No, we've got to find Valentine," Jace said as he shook his head.

"Jace, you're in no condition to fight," Angel exclaimed.

"We might not get another chance, Angel." Jace stated.

"Yeah, this is too important." Natalie added as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"I found it!" Magnus declared from the other side of the basement.

the three girls shared a glance before Clary and Angel helped Jace up with Natalie walking behind them. The four walked slowly to where Magnus was as Clary gave him her necklace.

Magnus then placed the fragment of the necklace into the wall and worked his magic, creating a portal in a matter of seconds.

"You'll have to destroy the portal, after we go through," Jace informed breathlessly.

"Why?" Magnus questioned.

"To secure your dimension from all sides," Jace responded.

"If it stays open, more demon attacks will be coming your way," Natalie added.

"I'll take care of it and that monstrosity over there," Magnus said, referring to that demon the group fought with earlier.

The four were about to walk into the portal but were stopped by Magnus,"Thank you."

"I should be thanking you," Clary responded in disbelief.

"No, you gave me back a life. I won't forget it." Magnus said,"Now go."

"Think of your father," Jace informed Clary as he looked at her then looked at Angel as she was holding him before the four walked into the portal.

Before they knew it, they were in a room full of pipes. Natalie looked down at her outfit and sighed in relief, she hated wearing dresses because she's kind of insecure in those situations. She looked over at the three to see Angel helping Jace up.

The four had their seraph blades up as they examined the room they were in. Clary went over to a table that had Jars and bottles,"What is all this?" Clary questioned in disgust as she stared at the table.

"The makings of an army," Jace replied.

"There's no one here," Angel informed.

"Did Meliorn lie to us?" Clary asked,"He said that, that portal would take us to my father."

"I don't know about you guys but I can sense that someone is here," Natalie muttered as she looked around the room.

The four jumped once they heard noises behind them. They turned around with their seraph blades up and started walking towards a metal cupboard that was rattling.

"Get behind me," Jace demanded as he walked forward with the three girls behind him.

They stood in-front of it before Angel nodded at Jace. He lifted the metal bar that was blocking the metal cupboards's door then dropped it on the ground quickly. A man was crouched down with his arms covering his face, shakily.

"It can't be," Jace began to say,"It can't be." he repeated making the three girls stare at him in confusion.

"You died, I saw it," Jace whispered as he stared at the man.

"Jace?" Angel spoke up as she touched his shoulder.

"Jace? Is that really you?" The man asked as Natalie furrowed her eyebrows at him, she knew something fishy was going on here. She sensed it.

"Jace, how do you know this man?" Angel questioned as she stared at the boy.

"He's my father."