City of Deadly Sins

CHAPTER 2: Stranger Danger

"I wouldn't do that."

Clary and Simon turned their gazes towards the source of the voice.

Simon squinted through his glasses to see three other Shadowhunters standing in a triangle only feet away.

At the head was an angelic-looking teenager, maybe the same age as him and Clary, or a year older. He had blonde hair that was just under his ear. His eyes sparkled in the misty, rainy day. They were gold against the gloomy day.

Simon didn't take notice in the other two, who were armed and ready to attack, because he was more focused on the stranger.

He was scoping Clary's body, his pale pink lips in a thin line, corners quirking up, slowly.

Simon felt Clary tense beside him and he squeezed her hand in reasurrence. He tapped her hand three times with his pointer finger asking, "You okay?"

It was their 'language' they made together.

She tapped once back. "Yeah."

"My name is Jace Herondale and these are my compainions Alec Lightwood," -he pointed to a boy on his left with a bow and arrow- "and Isabelle Lightwood." She was holding a gold whip.

"I'm Simon Lewis and this is Clarissa."

The guy- Jace -smiled more. "Morgenstern?"

Clary moved back an inch, letting go of Simon's hand. As she moved back, Jace moved foward.

The cottage door swung open and out came Valentine, being followed by a Shadowhunter that looked like Isabelle and Alec.

The Shadowhunter through a dagger and it sank into the back of Valentine's skull. Blood gushed out.

Clary paled. "Dad!" She screamed and ran foward. Simon tried holding her back, but she ran off and knelt down next to him.

She pulled the dagger out, making the blood flow, not gush.

She turned him on his back and tears were running down her cheeks. She was saying something inaudible until he moved foward next to the new Shadowhunters. "No no no no no no no. Dad, don't do this to me. Not again, not after Mom. Don't leave me!"

"Clary!" Someone croaked.

Clary turned around, craddling her father's head and Simon looked in the same direction.

Jonathan was on his knees, being held down. "His he- his he- dead?" He was shaking, blood flowing from a gash on his forehead.

"Johnny I- Yes, he his."

Jonathan's head dropped, his face in pain and started saying a ancient Shadowhunter prayer.

Simon could tell Clary was trying to pull herself together. He knew this was too much for her to bare. She always thought she was the reason her mother died.

Suddenly Simon was on his knees as well, being held by Alec. He didn't resist until Jace moved towards her.

He started struggling. "Don't touch a hair on her head." He snapped.

Alec kick him, and he shut up, but kept trying to pull free. Trying and trying and trying.

"That your boyfriend?" Jace asked Clary.

"No. He's my parabati."

Jace sat down next to Clary and pulled her father's corpse off of her. She twitched.

"Don't touch me- I'll just go." Clary said when he touched her wrist.

Jace looked towards him and Alec.

Alec shrugged.

Clary stood, shaking. She gave him a look that told him she was scared.

Alec pulled him up, as well as the unknown Shadowhunter pulled up Jonathan and they were off. Off to Idris, probably.

Clary whispered to him, "Luckily I wore my long sleeved dress that covers my back."

Jace slapped her back, than. She cried out.

Simon knew why.

Everyone stopped then, turning towards them and Jace's eyes grew big. Blood started seeping through her dress.

"Jace what in the name of the Angel did you do?" Isabelle snapped.

"Nothing! She started talking so I just slapped her back to shut up!" Jace snapped back. "Here, I'll fix this." He reached out towards Clary and she fell backwards, hitting her head.

"You bastard!" Jonathan said. He turned to the Shadowhunter holding him back. "Please let me go to my sister."

He let Jonathan go and he rushed forwards. "Clary? Clary are you alright?"

She winced as he looked at the notch on her head. It was a big pink bump, growing on her forehead, just missing her temple. "Must have hit a rock." Jonathan, Simon saw, gentally turned her over. He looked at Jace. "Give me a dagger,"

Jace thought about it for a second.

"By the Angel, I wouldn't kill my baby sister!"

He hesitantly handed him the dagger.

Jonathan snatched it and very fastly cut open the back of her dress, part-way.

"Shit." He exlaimed.

Whip marks covered her back, shoulders, and neck. Some were new, black ones. Others were old, gray ones.

"By the Angel." Jace and Isabelle were standing next to eachother now, watching Jonathan.

Jace knelt next to him, drawing a rune.

"Stop! That won't work!" Jonathan snapped.

"Why not?" Jace said.

"Our fath- Valentine used to whip Clary with a demonic whip. It hurt her so much. Valentine injected her with pure angel blood and me with pure demon blood. I used to get whipped with a heavenly fire-filled whip. It only happened twice a year to me, though. Her, everyday."

Jace rubbed his temples, looking annoyed. Isabelle gasped. Alec was cursing.

"She needs to be taken to Idris immediately for pine, mint, and lemon mixed together into a paste." Simon finally said.

"Won't that hurt it more?" Isabelle asked.

"Izzy," Alec said. "use your head."

She thought for a moment, and than her mouth formed an 'O'. "Burning helps the cut seal because it drenches away the remains of the demon blood."

"Obviously, Jace hit a cut that wasn't fully drenched." Jonathan said, picking up his sister. He glared at Jace.

Jace flinched.