Love and Leather [Alec Lightwood x Reader] + gifs ✓

12. Vampire Issue

You were walking along the corridors to get to the Hall. There were reports of a couple of vampires going rouge which made the Institute busier than usual. Many Shadowhunters have been sent in the last couple of days to take care of the "issue" but came back injured and with an unsuccessful mission. Maryse was currently back in the Institute as the Clave felt that Alec was not in full control of whatever was happening in New York. They decided they needed a stronger hand for a temporary time. 

As you arrived to the hall, Maryse was already explaining what they knew about the vampires. Which was basically none. Other than attacks on mundanes, the Shadowhunters were unable to gather much information. 

"What did I miss?" You asked as you walked up to Izzy and Jace. Alec was standing next to Maryse on the top of the stairs, while Clary was looking at something on the computer.

"We were told that two more teams will be sent out to eliminate the vampires." Izzy explained. "But if it doesn't go well, then it's our turn." You looked at her frowning.

"If they fail, Maryse said we have to go. The five of us have to find a way to complete the mission. But they seem damn strong." Jace took over Izzy's words.

"Oh well, we just have to face them then. It's not like they are any different from other rouge Downworlders." You shrugged your shoulders.

"19." Jace started. "They have injured nineteen of our people. Six of them are already dead. The infirmary is basically full. They are so severely injured that even the Silent Brothers are having difficulties healing them. And if that wasn't enough, they were basically drained of their blood and left to dry out when we found them. All nineteen of them." I frowned at his explanation. 

"They are just vampires though." You stated. You didn't mean to degrade vampires, but you have fought so many of them already that it didn't seem any special anymore.

"That's the problem, you see?" He looked straight at you as Maryse finished her monologue. "There is something about them." Jace frowned. 

You were thinking hard about what you have just heard. You knew vampires very well, you had so many encounters with them. They were indeed very strong, but not as much to cause such a mess in the Institute and the City. Especially because it was usually demons that you had to fight with, not Downworlders. Although it has happened in many occasions already as they tend to lose control around anyone with blood. You felt like you were unable to think properly, so you decided to just go and grab something to eat. You were hungry, and when you were hungry, you couldn't use your brain as it was intended to. 

You went to the cafeteria and took some carbonara which was on menu for the third time that week. You were getting bored of it, but a hungry stomach is definitely not a picky stomach. You just sat down and started stuffing your face without a care. You started looking around, reading people. You liked to do that. You loved to pay attention to other's body language. It was fascinating for you. You loved the fact that even without words, you could read how people connected to one another. 

Like the guy who was sitting in front of you. You weren't sure who that was, but you were sure he was not interested in what the girl was saying as his head was falling backwards and his arms were crossed in front of his chest. However the girl, Libby, if you remembered well, was elbowing on the table, leaning towards the guy, almost getting lost in her own story. They were on such different emotional level, you just had to laugh. 

You couldn't enjoy people's behaviour so long as your phone started vibrating. Alec's name flashed on the screen as you have received a message. You opened it excitedly, but as always, you had to get disappointed. There were only three words in it. "Hall at 10pm." You looked at your watch which showed 9.48pm. You decided to put your tray on the tray holder and head towards the hall. It didn't take you more than five minutes, but you had nothing better to do. 

Of course you were not the first one. When Alec messaged, everyone jumped. You were actually the last one to arrive even though you had more than five minutes left. You walked next to the table which was surrounded by screens, and took your place on Alec's side. 

"Missed us already, huh? Sweet." You teased but he just rolled his eyes and gave you a deadly look. You didn't take it seriously though. It was just like him. "Playing hard to get?" You continued while the others tried to hold back their laughters. 

"Y/N..." He started in a warning tone. "I do not have the time for this right now." He hissed in annoyance. But you didn't just stop there. You knew better. Or not.

"You seem frustrated, darling." You stated innocently. "Let's talk about your problems." You smirked. You knew you were annoying him. That was the only way he ever gave you his attention, other than when you took care of each other on missions or when you needed help. He hissed in anger. You wanted to continue, but Jace elbowed into you. "What?" You looked up at him. He nodded towards Alec and when you looked that way, you also realised that you might not have chosen the best time. "Fine." You gave in. Alec didn't waste time though. He started his monologue. 

"So, I asked you to come here to discuss how we want to go on about this mission." He opened some files on the screens for us to see. "Don't get me wrong, I do not think that the other two teams are any less powerful than us, but I want us to be prepared." It was just usual from him. Always in work mode. "As we know the attacks usually happen around central Brooklyn. If we go in teams first, and then individually canvass some of the areas, hopefully we can find them before they could find us." He zoomed in on some of the photos that have been take on the scenes." As you can see they don't just drink the blood and drain out mundanes, but they also attack them. It makes me think that it isn't just about the thirst for blood. The Shadowhunters who have been attacked have also said the same things." He has opened the reports taken from the missions. "They tortured them every single times. In conclusion, it could be revenge of some kind." Even without his explanation, you were thinking the same. It didn't just seem like normal vampire attacks. If that could even be normal. Alec was going on about which area to start, what time you would arrive there, what formations you should be using, how you would communicate while individually investigating. Alec had an idea for everything. He seemed like he has been studying the case for a while. That's one of the reasons that made you not understand why the Clave thought that the New York Institute was not under control. In your eyes, they were useless. People sitting around doing nothing, just giving orders. They don't even look at how well Shadowhunters and Institutes performing until there's an issue. It made you angry. You didn't hate the Clave, but you weren't happy with them either. "Is everything clear?" Alec asked, waking you up from you thoughts. Everyone nodded and decided to leave for their rooms as it was almost midnight already. 

You looked back at Alec and was thinking of going up to him, to talk to him, to calm him down. Stress was clearly showing on his face. But you decided otherwise. You weren't the right person for this. He never thought you were one to rely on, other than in action. You turned around and walked back to your room.