Murder Me Not

Battle of Hearts

 Alec was the first to arrive at the warehouse, the first to see the broken windows and desolate street. He was also the one who realized the warehouse was empty.

He pulled out his phone and called Luke, his heart close to exploding in his chest. "He's not here," he gasped.

Luke sighed. "We know. After you left we received a call from Asmodeus. He said he would only release Magnus if you took his place. We don't know what he wants from you but you don't need to worry. The team is already here; we're about to storm the place."

The world around him was tainted red. "That hell, Luke! Where the fuck are you?"

Luke disconnect so Alec called Jace.

"I can't tell you where we are, Alec. I know you, you'll do anything to protect those you care about and I can't lose you again. I'm sorry," Jace said immediately.

"Jace, please," Alec pleaded.

"No, I'm sorry. Magnus will be fine, trust us." Jace hung up too.

"I can't," Alec muttered. He activated the tracker on Jace's phone—something that Alec had put in place several years ago after Jace went missing for a week.

He was about twenty minutes outside of the city.

***

"Magnus, my boy, you can make this stop," Asmodeus said, crouching in front of him. Magnus spat a wad of blood out of his mouth, splattering on Asmodeus's black shoes.

"You're the reason my mother killed herself," Magnus muttered. "I've spent my life running away from you! I've done everything to make sure I would never need you."

Asmodeus laughed. "And look how well that worked. You think Camille Belcourt just found you one day? I told her where you were, told her to offer you a job. The romance wasn't expected but it didn't ruin my plans."

"What plans would those be?" Magnus asked, groaning as his father placed a hand on his knee, setting the wound in his thigh on fire.

"You'll never be happy, Magnus. You'll always be alone. I wanted to teach you that through experience, and Camille breaking your heart did just that," Asmodeus explained, standing.

"I'm not alone," Magnus muttered.

Asmodeus raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

"I have friends, family. I have people who care about me, unlike you," Magnus spat, his head becoming heavy with the blood loss.

"If you mean that Lightwood boy, then I'm so very sorry," the man drawled.

Magnus's head jerked up. "What? What did you do? What did you do to Alec?" Magnus's heart shuttered, his breath coming in short gasps.

His father grinned. "I haven't done anything. Not yet."

Asmodeus left and Lilith was called back in.

***

"They're on the main floor," Luke said, pointing at the blueprint he had acquired from the city records. "Men were spotted patrolling these hallways but the large central room has been left alone. I think that's where Magnus is being kept."

Jace frowned, crossing his arms over his chest. "I still don't understand why Asmodeus wanted Alec. Why go after a detective?"

Maia peered around his shoulder, staring at the blueprint. "I think it has something to do with Magnus. Asmodeus may know about their relationship and want it to end."