Just Bite Me Already

Chapter 17

Alec stood up, pacing the living room for what felt like the hundredth time. They had been waiting anxiously all night and it was approaching dawn, according to his watch. It was still set to New York time. Hours and hours of waiting, with no news, had frayed his nerves until he was clinging on by a thread.

"Say the word and I will make you a portal, Alexander," Magnus said. Again. He had offered many times over the last fourteen hours. And each time, Alec had deliberated, a torn expression marring his beautiful features, before refusing.

Magnus wanted nothing more than to create a portal and for all of them to take it but he couldn't leave. The mortal realm wouldn't stand a chance if he did.

"I can't," Alec said tersely, gripping Magnus' offered hand for a moment when he passed by the couch again before resuming his well-trodden path across the room. The need for information warred with his need to stay and protect Magnus.

Alec knew that Magnus wanted to go too. But neither of them could leave. He refused to leave Magnus to face Lilith alone.

"You can. Go and find out what is going on then come back to me," Magnus said, also standing. He needed to stretch his legs anyway. Crossing the room, he blocked Alec's path, taking his husband's hands in his own until Alec met his gaze. "Go and check on them. You can be there and back before the battle even starts."

They weren't just worried about Simon's fate, they were worried about all of their family. Magnus had sent messages to Catarina, Izzy, Clary, Jace. Even Luke and Maryse. Nobody had replied.

"The battle starts at dawn, Magnus. Twenty-four hours. There are no guarantees that I can get back in time," Alec said, gripping Magnus' hands tightly, searching Magnus' face. "I can't leave you here. If she finds out that you are here alone she might move against you," he said.

"The only people who will know you are gone are me and Cain. Neither of us is going to tell her," Magnus replied.

"And what if I can't get back?" Alec asked, his stomach tightening at the thought of Magnus being trapped there alone. "What if they need my help and I can't get back in time? What if Lorenzo refuses to send me back here? Or refuses to let anyone else?" he asked.

Magnus nodded. It was the same conversation that they had been having all night, going around and around in circles. Cain had gone to bed hours ago, asking them to wake him if they received any news but none had come.

Alec let Magnus tow him back to the couch, slumping down into it once more. He was torn. Should he stay, where he knew exactly what the danger was? Or should he leave and face the uncertainty of being able to return? At least he knew exactly what was happening here.

"We could always ask Cain to go," Magnus said. Again.

"We need him here," Alec sighed. "I don't trust the others. Our 'allies'. We need him with us," he said when Magnus gave him the same look he'd worn every time the suggestion had come up.

"He is a skilled fighter but his presence isn't vital," Magnus said. Every time he had suggested it, Alec had point-blank refused to send Cain.

"We will be stronger with him here," Alec said, avoiding Magnus' gaze. Cain would have been a good solution but they needed him there as much as Alec needed to be there.

A flair of light, coming from the training room, cut Magnus' reply off. He still didn't see why Cain couldn't just portal to the mortal realm and return with the information they needed but Alec insisted.

"Alexander, look. A message," Magnus said, halfway out of his seat when Alec streaked past him.

Alec skidded to a stop in the doorway of the training room, staring down at the message that had appeared.