Not by Blood - BEING REWRITTEN IN SEPARATE STORY

Chapter Thirty Eight

EDITED 5/30/2020

"Breaking and entering?" Clary asked as she followed Jem through the rooms of the Ice Rink. "I hear that's the best way to get to know someone."

"Hey," Jem laughed. "At least this way we don't have any of your bodyguards breathing down our necks."

"Bodyguards?" Clary asked, a smile in her voice.

"Magnus, Alec, Wesley, Raphael, even Simon and Isabelle." Jem informed her.

"I think they're just worried." Clary said softly as they came up to the skate desk. "I could still be connected to the maniac that kidnapped me."

"And they have every right to be worried," Jem nodded. "They do not need to wrap you in bubble wrap, though. I am going to be your brother's Parabatai. I wouldn't ever hurt you; you are safe with me."

"I know that." Clary told him honestly. "Everyone knows that, Jem. They are just irrational and worried right now."

Jem smiled and nodded slightly. "What's your size?" He looked around at the skates.

"Uh, six." Clary replied.

"Okay." He looked around some more and grabbed the right size. He then grabbed his own skates and rounded the desk, handing Clary her skates.

Together they walked over to a bench and slipped their shoes off. Clary laced her skates up and stood, Jem not long after her. They made their way to the rink and slid onto the ice.

Jem grabbed her hand and pulled her out further onto the ice. "My dad - Magnus - he used to take me out to do this."

"Really?" He started taking them around the perimeter of the rink, setting a comfortable pace for the both of them.

"Every other Saturday for a long time." Clary nodded. "Occasionally he'd get Raphael to come with us. I think Tessa did once or twice, as well."

"Makes sense." Jem commented. "Tessa's the one who suggested this."

"Why did you want to do this anyways?" Clary asked, looking over at him.

"Well, I'm obviously going to stick around now that Alec and I are making this commitment. You are important to him, and to Magnus. And I haven't seen you since you were two years old when my wife and I performed a protection spell on you. I guess you can say my interest is piqued and I want to get to know the girl that's so important to my friends and that I protected for the better part of sixteen years." Jem shrugged and turned the pair, making them skate down the middle of the rink.

"Fair enough." Clary sighed. "And thank you. For protecting me and making my brother happy."

"It's my pleasure, Miss Lightwood." He smiled at her. "I'm going to go snag a snack from the snack bar. You want something?"

"Sure."

Jem skated on out of the rink and made his way out the door towards the snack bar. He was almost there when all of the sudden he was pinned against the wall with a dagger against his throat and a hand fisting his shirt. He looked up at who had attacked him, it was a young man, probably in his twenties with red hair. It took him a minute, but he recognized him. It was the man that Clary had been arguing with in Paris. This was Jonathan Morgenstern.

He struggled against the grip on his shirt and the blade against his neck.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Jonathan said snidely. His voice grated Jem's nerves. "You hurt me, you hurt Clary. Remember?"

Jem stilled instantly, glaring at the man. Sure, they had no idea if the connection had survived, but Jem wasn't willing to take any chances. Jonathan wrapped his hand around Jem's neck and Jem had a brief moment where he wished he and Alec had already had their Parabatai Ceremony, then Alec would know that something was wrong. His vision was blurring, and he knew that he wasn't going to make it out of here conscious and Jonathan was after Clary. Clary was in danger.