The Mortal Instruments: The Psychotic Siblings

3| The Lightwoods

The door bell rung as Clarissa finished straightening her hair. She looked into the mirror to find someone new looking back. Instead of red, curly locks she had straight black hair. Her eyes were still as black as Jonathan's and looked like pits that had no end. She had had to apply make up on any visible skin to hide the freckles that covered it. She had changed out of her gear of black cargo pants and a tank top to be put into nice black pants and a breasy white blouse.
She almost stumbled in her haste down the stairs and ran to the door, opening it without a sweat. Standing outside were the Lightwoods. Isabelle Lightwood stood tall and proud with her raven black hair and natural black eyes. Her pale skin suited her well as she wore black pants and a black tank top. She bared her marks as if she was proud of them and didn't care what others thought.
Clarissa liked her instantly.
Standing to the left of Isabelle was a boy taller then her. He had the same black hair that was a little long and his eyes were a deep blue. He wore a torn and faded brown jumper that looked too big on him. He looked so insecure and scared Clarissa almost felt pity for him. Almost.
To the right of Isabelle stood the youngest sibling of the Lightwoods, Max. His hair was brown and tossed and his glasses were much too big. He held a book in his tight grip as he stared at Clarissa. Behind Max was an older version of Isabelle with blue eyes - Mayrse. Next to her was her husband Robert who looked about three heads taller then Clarissa.
Next to Robert and behind Alexander was Jonathan, the Angel Boy, and Seraphina, the Angel Girl. Clarissa instantly recognized them from her trips out to see him and his twin. They hadn't changed much except their blonde hair was longer and both their golden eyes were hard. They seemed tougher then when they were ten and Clarissa had a doubt that maybe they weren't so pationate after all. When she looked into Jonathan's eyes she saw recognition and confusion pass his face before it was a blank canvas again. She wondered if he actually recognised her but she pushed the thought down. Her hair was a completely different colour and anyone could have black eyes. She turned to Seraphina and saw the same look in her gold eyes. God, they looked so much like each other but isn't that what happened to indentical twins even if they were both diffrent genders?
Isabelle catapulted into Clarissa's arms and Clarissa smiled but kept her eyes lingering on Jonathan's. He was perfect. His whole body was what a shadowhunter should look like. Lean, muscled, tall and graceful. He had filled out nicely from last time she had seen him which had been six years ago. He moved with a gracefulness that not a lot of people had and Clarissa couldn't help but like it on him. She wanted one. She wanted him. And Seraphina was just the same with her long legs and perfect chest.
She led them into the house and up to the bedrooms. She looked at the pictures hanging over the bed heads-each one saying a quote from the clave. She had alredy ripped and burnt hers.
She dropped the parents and Max of first in their rooms then Isabelle since she kept talking, Seraphina so Clarissa wasn't envious of her perfect body and then Alexander who had asked to be called Alec because she wanted to get Jonathan - or Jace as the others called him - alone.
She opened the sliding doors for Jace and pointed to the room.
"This is yours." She said and he dumped his bag on the ground. He looked around with a small nod.
"Thanks." He said and when she didn't move he looked back at her.
"What's it like." She asked and he blinked at her before answering.
"Being Valentine's son? Nothing much except the Clave non stops talking about or to you." He said with bitterness.
She remembered the day Father had gone out to get the Mortal Sword. He had bumped into Jace who had been being questioned by the Silent Brothers. Father told him that he was his son but didn't have time to elaborate.
"Not that. Living in New York." She said. She had sometimes traveled with Father and Jonathan but was never allowed to leave their sight.
"Oh. Most people ask about being Valentine's son." He said.
"But I'm not like most people." Clarissa said and instantly closed her mouth.
"No, you aren't." Jace whispered. Then he blinked, and answered her orginal question. "It's loud and noisy. A lot of people are here and there, it gets crowded a lot of times. It's a bright, flashy city that's always alive no matter what time it is."
"That sounds fun." Clarissa said mostly to herself. She had never gotten the chance to explore the places she had been and most of the time she was stuck in the valley where the house was.
"Sometimes. " Jace murmered. Have I seen you before?"
Clarissa looked up, surprised. She instantly wanted to say yes and tell him who she was but that could ruin her cover and she would be handed over to the Clave.
"I don't think so." She said and she felt someone brush up against her. "Oh, Sebastion, this is Jace. His Valentine's son and he lives in New York with the Lightwoods."
Jonathan nodded as he shook hands with Jace.
"Doesn't Aline just love to chat." Jonathan said and Clarissa understood the hidden message - don't talk so much.
"Nah, its fine." Jace said and the two boys started talking. Clarissa dismissed herself and walked back down to the living room where the rest of the Lightwoods were. The parents were getting ready to leave.
"Where are they going? " Clarissa asked Isabelle.
"To the Guard. There's a meeting being held there and only adults are allowed." Alec answered.
"What's it about?" Clarissa asked but she already knew the answer.
"Valentine had appeared and is asking for a deal." Alec said just as the parents left the house. "They'll be back as soon as they can."
Clarissa sat and made small talk with the Lightwoods, trying to keep away from personal questions she couldn't answer. At one point she got so bored with talking to the Nephilim and went outside to her horse. It was in a stall next to Jonathan's.
Where as Jonathan's horse was a dark brown Thoroughbred horse with black hair, Clarissa had a black Mustang horse with raven black hair. She had named it Laila, meaning dark beauty and night. She fed it and patted its head while slowly brushing it. She had had this horse since she was fourteen and had taken good care of it. She was sure she loved this horse, like how Angel Boy - or Jace - had loved his falcon so much he cried when Father snapped its neck. Clarissa was sure she would be very angry if someone snapped Laila's neck and she would hesisitate before killing it and would feel bad when and after doing it. Wasn't that love?
"You seem to like that horse." The voice came from behind her and a slow smile crept on her face but she removed it before turning around. Jace stood behind her with his hands behind his back as he stared at her.
"I've had it since I was fourteen." She said and he nodded.
"I use to love to ride a horse, now I don't because I live in the city." He said and Clarissa felt something. She wasn't sure what it was but it was there. She was sure she had never felt it before, something in between pity and feeling bad. Sympathy, thats the word. Now she was sure she had never felt this emotion before.
"Would you like to go on a ride with me?" She asked and he looked a little startled.
"What harm could it do?" He asked and looked around. He looked like he was going to go to Jonathan's horse and Clarissa knew she couldn't allow that.
"Grab that one and lets go." She said while pointing to a beautiful white and brown horse three stalls down. It could have been Aline's for all she knew.
Jace grabbed a saddle and was on his horse as Clarissa was riding out. She had a black saddle on to match her horse. Clarissa fought with her horse as Laila made it hard for her to stay on. It would swing its body around a corner and jump higher then necessary, it even went at top speeds when it was allowed. It was why she loved this horse so much.