By the Angel

Chapter 16

"Of course, I had nothing to do with your attack but you know what? I'm glad it happened to you. Your almost death was the best thing that could have happened to you, it turned you into a fighter, a warrior instead of the sniveling little weakling you used to be, had you not did a one-eighty I would have rather you be dead," he snarls as I gasp for air.

Without thinking I lash out, sending my foot directly into his groin. He sinks to his knees and I take full advantage. I spin around sending the heel of my foot directly into his face. He's out cold in less than a second and I'm already reaching for the gun strapped to his side. Once my fingers touch the cold metal I know exactly what to do. He's threatened me, everyone, I love, and he has no plans on stopping. So, I will end this once and for all right here and now.  A blonde blur is by my side, his hand coming to a rest on my shoulder.

"Clary put the gun down," Jace pleads with me, but I can't. I want him gone before someone I love ends up dead. Luke, Simon, Magnus and now Jace, they are all leverage to Valentine and I'm so sick of having to look over my shoulder.

"You don't understand Jace, you don't know what he's done!" I hold the gun steadily, aiming for Valentine's head. "He deserves a bullet right between the eyes for everything he has done."

"Clary," he says meeting my eyes," I'm not disagreeing with you, I want the bastard dead more than anyone aside from you, but it can't be like this. You pull that trigger, nobody will believe you. You will be thrown in jail," he says softly as he caresses my cheek, "and I can't let that happen to you."

I sigh as I lean into his embrace, he's right I know he's right, I just want him to be wrong. It's an inward battle, every part of me wants to end this now, pull that trigger and go on with my life.

He had everything to do with that night, I know it now as I knew it then. He hired a hitman, or I don't know got one of his lackeys to do his dirty work.
I give the gun to Jace, who freezes when his hands grasp the metal, he looks like he's fighting an inward battle himself. "What is it?" I ask.

He shakes his head, "I want to put a bullet between his eyes as much as you do." He unloads the gun with what looks like a strained effort. Then he's walking back to my closet and returning with a duffle bag, which he then shoves into my arms.

I look up at him, confused, "what?"

"You're staying with me."

"Jace, no, I can't, " I say ignoring the part of my brain that wants to scream "yes," without hesitation.

He looks at me aspirated, "you can't stay here with a homicidal maniac. "

"I won't, I can go to Luke's." Staying with Jace would be as amazing as it would be awkward. His adoptive brother Alec isn't exactly my biggest fan.

He nods at me, "okay, then I'll go with you."

"To drop me off?"

"I'm not leaving your side, Clary."

Oh yeah, I'm sure Luke would love to get a wakeup call from me at three in the morning. What would I even say? "Oh, hey Luke, Valentine tried to choke me again, can I stay with you? oh, and by the way, my boyfriend of five hours has to stay with you too." I shudder at the thought of even saying that. He's supportive of me but letting Jace stay in his house is another thing.

"Fine Jace just take me to your house," I say thinking now that I have called him on his bluff he will change his mind. Often guys want to pretend to be the hero but once called to the task they fall flat. Instead of taking it back he just looks relieved.

He lightly brushes his lips against mine, it's only a second but it leaves me yearning for more. "pack everything you need, we'll come back for the rest of your stuff tomorrow. "

He grabs Valentine's arms and starts dragging him out of the room. "Jace," I chuckle, "what are you doing? I thought we agreed we weren't killing him." I joke trying to forget about the awful events of tonight and focus on all the wonderful things that happened before I walked through the front door.

"I'm getting this sadistic fuck out of your room. I might even drop him down the stairs on accident," he says as the door closes behind him. I can hear the muffled sounds of shuffling as Jace drags Valentines two-hundred-pound frame down the hallway, followed by a loud crash.

Jace locks the door behind him as he comes back to my room. "Valentine took a bit of a tumble," he says as he shrugs his shoulders.

Despite myself, I laugh, I picture my mom waking up to see Jace tossing an unconscious Valentine, her war hero down the stairs and it's almost comical.

He grins at me showing off those gleaming white teeth, "you ready Ember?" By the angel, I will never get tired of hearing my nickname fall so effortlessly of his lips. It's perfect, just like he is to me.

I hug the duffle bag to my side and nod my head. He bites his lip as he looks down on me, his eyes homing in on my outfit. I look down and then realize I forgot to change.

"Not that I'm complaining but if your arms are wrapped around me while you're wearing that I'm going to wreck my bike."

I shake my head as I walk to my closet, selecting a black leather jacket with a quilted design along the sleeves. Jace isn't the only one in favor of leather, I have an entire section of my closet dedicated just for these beauties. In fact, I can't just leave them here, Valentine might destroy everything as soon as he regains consciousness. I take the ten or so remaining jackets and stuff them into my duffle bag. I take out a pair of jeans sliding them on over my hips as I zip my jacket up.  "Now I'm ready."

He shakes his head as he holds out his hand to me. "every time I think you couldn't get any more perfect for me you prove me wrong."

I beam up at him as I grasp his warm hand, entwining my fingers with his, "so, do you think your family will say anything about you bringing a girl home to spend the night? I imagine they're used to that sort of thing by now."

He nips at my ear, as his lips hover there, "considering you're the only girl I've brought home, yeah I'm sure they'll have plenty to say."

I smile because that's another thing we have in common. Not letting others get to close. Only Simon, Luke and Magnus have been in my house before and now Jace.  "Careful Jace, I'm starting to think I might be your favorite."

He chuckles as he brings his lips to my neck, "you're the only one that even matters Ember, the only one that has ever mattered."

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Published on March 1st