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Laid on the soft silk bed in Raphael’s bedroom, Magnus was blissed out from overexertion. The magic he wielded and physical effort he forced on his out-of-practiced body to help save the vampires from being overrun had caused him to go into a deep sleep.
By his standards, it was too early to be knocked out; the moon had barely begun shining brightly. As it was, he was dead to the world, dead even to Raphael’s none-too-gentle shoves at his shoulder or, indeed, his loud voice calling for him to rouse.
In what was perhaps a last ditch attempt, a bucket of ice water was upended over his slumbering form and Magnus immediately sat up in alarm. “Fuck!” He cursed.
“Finally!” Raphael threw the bucket on the floor.
Magnus threw the Spanish boy his most venomous glare and snapped his fingers to dry himself, his scarcely renewed magic depleting.
“Your Nephilim has been captured.”
The warlock did a double take. “I’m sorry – what?”
“Alec has been taken. The prisoners were gloating saying it wasn’t just overthrowing me they were after. They wanted the Shadowhunters to pay for killing Camille so rashly.” Raphael explained.
Magnus shook his head. “Where have they taken him?”
“Lo siento, amigo, but I couldn’t get it out of them. Perhaps you could track him first?” Raphael suggested. “Or call the rest of them. They might know.”
Immediately, Magnus slid out of his jacket and ran his hand through his arm where a tattoo of an Ouroboros was. In reality it was his phone. (He had gotten the idea from Isabelle’s whip inked into her skin.) The device rose up from his skin and materialised. The screen lit up showing him a list of notifications. He tapped the first one of Isabelle Lightwood’s missed call and dialled her.
Click.
“Oh, Magnus!” Isabelle cried. “Magnus, Alec’s been taken. I don’t know – We tried to follow but – We’re at the pier by the river where you were with Raphael before.”
Magnus stood up and opened a portal.
“We can’t get through. Something’s blocking us.” Clary’s voice came through sounding stressed.
“I’ll meet you there.” Magnus made his phone sink back into his skin and shrugged his jacket back on.
“Amigo,” Raphael grabbed his hand. “I’ll send my vampires. You have used up too much magic already.”
Magnus stared at him for a while. The words made sense, they were logical, they were true but he couldn’t. He couldn’t let others save the boy he’s falling in love with. He couldn’t. “I’ll be back.” He took his hand from Raphael before stepping through the portal to arrive by the front of the pier gates. Indeed, there was a block but it was designed only to keep Shadowhunters out. Curious. Surely the vampires knew he would come? Or maybe they thought he would be easily disposed of? They’ll regret ever underestimating him.
To his right, he heard footfalls and soon the girls arrived by his side with tear-streaked faces.
“Magnus, can you get us through?” Izzy pleaded.
Magnus looked at her. “I’ll take care of it.” He entered through the gates.
*~*~*~*
Alec shivered in his seat, his head hazy and the cold cuffs tying him down to the chair were cold as ice. His clothes had been torn seemingly just to show off his skin. He could feel faint throbbing coming from his neck and grimaced. One of the vampires had most likely snacked on him whilst he had been unconscious.
He stared at the closed doors to the Hotel Dumort, disbelief and shock coursing through him. Along with it, he felt betrayed. Betrayed that Magnus had shut them all out from the Dumort. Betrayed from the lack of trust Magnus displayed on his abilities to fight and protect. After the talk he thought they had come to an understanding. Why? What changed?
Alec kicked at the door, banging on it in slight desperation. “Magnus! Please!” He couldn’t take it. With Jace gone… He wouldn’t stand by when another person important to him was sacrificed in front of his face. “Magnus!”
“Alec, Alec, stop.” Izzy pulled on his shoulder but he resisted, throwing her hand off to keep pounding at the door.
It must have been magically shut. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid warlock. How could Magnus believe he would be fine staying outside whilst the warlock was in danger inside? He kicked the door one last time then stalked off to round the Hotel. There must be another entrance.
“Alec! Where are you going?”
“I’ll call Simon and ask if he knows of a secret entrance. Or maybe the roof?”
Alec chanced upon some vampires lurking outside the side entrance to the Dumort and approached them. “Is that door open?”
The vampires looked at him and one of them inhaled. “Hm. Nephilim and warlock. Bane’s boy.”
“It’s open.” The other one confirmed.
Alec nodded and grabbed the handle but before he could push it down to open he felt a sting in his neck. Careless was the last thought that crossed his mind prior to falling into darkness.
Fuck. Alec looked around him, his head lolling around as he did so. Where were Izzy and Clary? Shit. Was Magnus alright? He jerked his chains, trying to use what was left of his rune-enhanced strength to aid his attempt but found that his body wouldn’t obey him. He had barely twitched.
“Stop struggling, it’s useless and we aren’t stupid enough to have used handcuffs that wouldn’t withstand Nephilim strength.” A rough female voice scoffed.
Alec looked up and narrowed his eyes, trying to make his vision stop blurring. He could make out three vampires who looked too much alike to each other. They must be siblings. An odd occurrence for vampires. The female seemed to be in the middle of the two males in terms of age.
“He’s here.” A male voice announced in an almost awed voice. “Magnus Bane is here.”
Magnus? What did it mean that they were so excited and honoured for Magnus to arrive? They couldn’t be in league. He wouldn’t let his mind go there. These vampires… Logically, they would target him for killing Camille but if they liked Magnus, wasn’t he off-limits? So why..? He had no answer.
Alec bit back a groan. Thinking was making his head want to split into half. His vision swam and he realised with horror that tears had started to gather. What did they give him?
“I see you have Alexander.”
Alec drew in a breath of chill air and nearly sighed in relief when it alleviated some of the pain from his headache. He blinked away his tears in time to see Magnus. The sight was enough for a rush of emotions to suddenly shoot through him, his stomach fluttering. It left him disoriented and wanting to vomit. He felt sick. But as he started truly seeing the warlock, his worry for Magnus started to drown out everything else until all he felt aside from concern was his mind revolving.
Magnus looked tired – exhausted. He seemed to be running on adrenaline or some other form of emotion that was powering him through. Alec felt a pull in his chest, knowing Magnus was only here because of him, to save him.
“We do.” The woman confirmed uselessly. “And we were waiting for you so you can have the privilege of killing him. Prove that you haven’t forgotten who you are.”
Alec froze in the unbearable silence that followed. His mind whirled and he dry heaved, nearly upchucking. Terrible thoughts started clawing at him and he did his best to push them away, knowing Magnus wouldn’t hurt him, but his mind wouldn’t cooperate. A hot tear slid down his cheeks and he closed his eyes, swallowing convulsively. He couldn’t control his body or his mind.
The quiet was broken by Magnus’ laugh and the sound washed over his skin, making him feel teasing prickles all over. He so desperately wanted to wrap himself in it.
“You three must be idiots.” Magnus insulted. “Who hired you?”
A sort of calm washed through Alec as he registered that the warlock didn’t sound as tired as he looked.
“I take it you aren’t going to kill him then?” A younger male voice asked.
Magnus sighed. “What was your first clue?” The warlock asked, his words dripping in sarcasm.
“We aren’t the only ones looking for retribution.”
“Are you really going to risk your life for a Shadowhunter?”
Alec saw Magnus flinch, saw his face harden like a blizzard tearing through a city without mercy. The warlock’s face was so cold and devoid of emotion it shook Alec to the core. Unbidden, cold drips of fear started to take over him and his head throbbed, back with a vengeance, causing him to wince and a series of tears fell.
This wasn’t the Magnus Bane he knew. Not even the Magnus Bane he saw back at Camille’s. This was yet another side to the warlock he had not seen before. Those eyes he could only just see were not loving or amused or worried for him. They weren’t even tracking him. Magnus wasn’t registering him – or anything – at all.
He wasn’t sure he was going to survive it. No. It was his mind feeding him lies. Alec took a deep breath and fought himself, frustrated. “Magnus?” He called out weakly. Hear me. Listen to my voice. Come back to me.
*~*~*~*
“Are you really going to risk your life for a Shadowhunter?”
Magnus flinched.
“Are you really going to risk your life for a Shadowhunter?” He asked in disdain at Dorothea. My, how this warlock had truly fallen. She looked a mess, tired out from using too much magic no doubt. She would die soon if he didn’t help. And he had a duty to try to do so.
She rambled on about the war, how it affected them all and he smirked smugly. “Valentine can’t kill what he can’t find.”
He ignored what she was saying next and offered a hand, backing into his portal as he did so. “Last chance to save yourself.” He saw her hesitation and twisted his lips into a half-smile. She would die but he wouldn’t force her to go with him. His last step back engulfed him in the portal leaving her alone.
“Magnus?” Alexander’s voice called out to him and he wrenched himself out of his thoughts.
Magnus shifted his gaze from the vampires in front of him to the boy, his hands tied and his neck bleeding. He catalogued every inch of the body he found so enticing and the urge to run his hands on the soft skin threatened to crash him. His Alexander bound and gagged and oh if he never had that kind of dream before he would surely have them now.
“We’re Downworlders, High Warlock. They,” The older male vampire gestured to Alexander rudely. “Imprison us, insult us, belittle us – curse us. Why help them? Why risk your life for them again and again when they give you nothing in return? What is money to you?”
Magnus slid his eyes back to the vampire and felt his demonic side rear its ugly head. He’d have to succumb to it again sooner or later. His magic was running too low and controlling his attacks would cost him. Not to mention, he wouldn't be able to kill them if he didn't. “That’s right.” He agreed evenly, not sparing a glance when Alexander whimpered in shock. “They curse our very existence. Throw plates out of windows because we ate off them. Look down at us while we help them. Pay us like we’re petty whores.” In the corner of his eyes, he saw Alexander sluggishly shake his head in denial.
He walked round the vampires slowly, stalking like a panther. “You’re right. We are Downworlders and we help each other before we help the Nephilim.” Magnus stated silkily. He laid his hands on top of the chair Alexander was sitting on. He could hear the boy breathing raggedly and wondered angrily what the hell the vampires did to the normally strong and stoic boy. “Truly, money is nothing when in the end, I have everything I could possibly want within my reach.”
Magnus reached down and tilted Alexander’s face, baring the bloody neck. Hot tears slid down from the boy’s rosy cheeks to his hand and dripped off his fingertips. He was fairly certain Alexander was drugged now. There’s no way the boy would ever cry in front of others if sane. “Look,” He ordered the vampires who were looking at him rather reverently. They must have looked up to him and found his association to the Nephilim as a betrayal. “At this pale boy and his beautiful crystal snow skin and tell me you didn’t feel the need to mark him.”
He allowed his magic to sizzle away the blood stains to reveal two neatly punctured marks. He desperately quelled his rage at the sight; not yet. “You say they give nothing in return? Why, I have him.” Magnus leaned down and nuzzled Alexander’s black curly hair, revelling in the boy’s shudder despite the situation making it far from appropriate.
“Magnus,” Alexander’s voice came out raspy but the pleading in his tone was evident. It made Magnus’ chest ache. The pain helped him concentrate as he let his magic pulse out of him in invisible rivulets down the boy’s body to discreetly ease the edge off of whatever drugs was invading the Nephilim’s blood stream. “Magnus.”
Magnus drew in a sharp breath. Was Alexander begging because he thought Magnus wouldn’t save him? What had he been doing these past weeks with the boy if the trust between them was so easily broken by his acting? He felt discouraged but continued on nonetheless. If anything, his pride wouldn’t allow these vampires to take what they thought was his. “But indeed, am I really going to risk my life for a Shadowhunter? I asked Dorothea the same thing and you know what?”
He let go of the chair and sauntered over to stand in front of Alexander. One push and the cuffs holding the boy would release but he didn’t need the boy to run from him. Not before he cleared the air between them. Magnus smiled predatorily at the vampires and started rubbing his fingers together, emitting sparks. He allowed his demonic side to override him and his smile morphed into a dark glee when the vampires’ faces turned into those of shock. “She died for one.”
The female bared her fangs and lunged first but Magnus was too quick. His magic flared and he lifted her up, curling his fingers into a fist as he crushed her heart. The male ran at him, then, trying to save her. He took just one step and Magnus already had him in his hold as well. The third took his time snatching up a weapon as if it would save him.
Magnus almost laughed cruelly. The two vampires crumbled into ash and was whisked away by the air then it was just him and the vampire with the dagger. He huffed in disdain. “I dislike playing with those marked for death.” He lifted his hand and his Honjo Masamune sword materialised. “But I’ll humour you.”
He grinned maniacally, euphoria rushing in his veins, making him drunk. The vampire came at him, dagger poised, and swiped. He easily blocked it with a swing of his sword. His opponent was obviously untrained and it was so pitifully easy to fight against him that Magnus let the vampire have a bit of fun before dying.
It was like a performance of sorts with the vampire in offense and Magnus lazily defending himself. He was caught up by how the glowing sword left trails of light in its wake that he nearly forgot everything else until he heard Alexander’s calling him. The sweetly rough voice violently cleared his haze and grounded him in such speed he was left disoriented.
“Magnus! Magnus!”
As he settled back into reality, his demonic instinct gone, it dawned on him that Alexander must have been calling for his attention for quite some time now if the desperation in the boy’s voice was any indication.
“Magnus!”
Magnus quickly stroke with force, knocking the dagger out of the vampire’s hand and using his magic to subdue and stop any movement. He made his sword disappear and with a snap of his fingers, made the body erupt into flames.
He watched the carnage for a while, slowly losing himself in the screams and bright flames. A constant dark part of him curled up to bask in the warmth, pleased. For just a second, Magnus felt the sudden need to declare his name but fought against it as he remembered Alexander. He turned around to appraise his – well, had the boy ever been his in any case?
He eyed the vampire bite and wished fervently that the boy was too out of it to have seen much of his face whilst he fought. It would have been a terrible sight to behold – him lost in morbid pleasures.
Magnus strode forward and knelt down in front of Alexander’s trembling form. The boy was looking at him with hooded dark hazel eyes, tired and concerned though not quite there. He gave a half-smile and touched the Nephilim’s hands, almost flinching away from how cold they were. “Alexander.” He murmured the name like a prayer. Blue sparks shot out of him, snapping the cuffs open and enveloping the boy in warmth. “I’m sorry… I’m sorry.”
Everything was his fault tonight.
His fault. It was his fault Alexander was targeted by the vampires. They would never have chosen Alexander specifically if it wasn’t for his relation with the boy. This wouldn’t have happened if he hadn’t just taken the blame for killing Camille.
“Clearly, between the two of us, I have the lesser risk with their retaliation.”
The argument no longer held true. He should have known it wouldn’t. He’d been foolish. He’d tell Raphael to inform the vampires of the truth after getting the boy home. But first, he’d have to take care of the necessary preparations vacating his position – even temporarily – would require.
Alexander released a breath. “Magnus?” The boy’s voice came like a soft warm caress in the cold night’s breeze. “Are you hurt?”
A shocked smile twitched at Magnus’ lips. “I’m fine, Alexander.” He stood up and pulled the boy into him, feeling a buzz of happiness when the Shadowhunter simply curled into him. “Are you feeling okay?” Magnus queried even as his magic washed down the body he held, healing any cuts and bruises, any pain – except for the bite. Damn the vampire that laid its fangs where he hadn’t even touched yet.
“Hazy, tired… disoriented.” Alexander replied. “Magnus?”
“Darling?” Magnus bit his lip at the slip of the endearment.
“I never once looked down on you. You – took my breath away.”
Magnus smiled foolishly upon hearing the last statement, knowing from the tone that the boy heard it somewhere and related to it. Of all the mundane phrases the boy could utter…
“You are not a whore. I don’t curse your existence. Hell, you’re probably a blessing. And – And I would never throw away anything you touch. I might even keep them.” Alexander declared, his passion and honesty evident in every word and Magnus fell even more in love.
Though the boy would probably not even admit these things if he were in his right mind, it didn’t stop the swelling of warmth and tingling Magnus felt from his very core to the rest of his body, making him want to sing. It wasn’t just that it was Alexander that said those wonderful things but because it was quite possibly the most meaningful words he’d ever heard someone say concerning him.
And because they were a confession of the beginnings of love even if Alexander didn’t know it. Even if it wasn’t as strong as the boy’s love for Jace.
This was love.
*~*~*~*
It was probably nothing…
But to me, it felt like the world.