What are twins for? (Book 1) (Mortal Instruments)

Dead Man's Party

After a while we finally make it to the party and a small smile plays on my face as a few memories play in my mind. Izzy raises an eyebrow and I give her a small smile causing her to roll her eyes. I'm about to go up to the front door and knock when I hear Alec's raised voice. I turn to see what they're looking at and give a wicked smile at what sits before us. Simon starts back at the smile and Clary glares at me for startling him. I shrug before looking closer and letting out a low whistle.

"What's that?" Jace joins Alec and me; Clary obviously hears him laugh. I see her finally come over to look at what we were staring at: several motorcycles, sleek and silvery, with low slung black chassis. Oily-looking tubes and pipes slithered up and around them, ropy as veins.

"Vampires," Jace says.

"They look like motorcycles to me," says Simon, joining them with Isabelle at his side. She frowns at the bikes.

"They are, but they've been altered to run on demon energies," I explain. "Vampires use them—it lets them get around fast at night. It's not strictly Covenant, but..."

"I've heard some of the bikes can fly," says Alec eagerly. He sounds like Simon with a new video game. "Or go invisible at the flick of a switch. Or operate under water."

I walk away from the group and open the door easily knowing they won't think of this. I walk up the stairs and throw open the door causing a few people to look my way. I give a mischievous smirk and a few of the regulars remember me from other parties. I hear Magnus sigh and turn giving him a playful smile. He shakes his head before I walk over to the open bar careful not drink any faerie drinks once again. I have a few drinks without them effecting me causing me to get a few respectful looks from the others around. They know what I am and don't care because I've never stirred up any trouble for them while they were here. I grab another drink since there isn't much I can do without the others in here with me.  I'm sitting on a stool when I hear the doorbell ring twice and Magnus looks over to me. I give a smile and a sarcastic wave causing him to roll his eyes before going to answer the door. I see them come up, but none of them are looking for me causing my heart to clench up. Magnus walks away and I hop up from my stool finishing my drink in one swig. I leave the glass before walking to stand against the wall next to Magnus.

"So, is my favourite vampire here or did he decide to skip your party again?"

"He had something at the Coven he needed to deal with. You weren't kidding when you said a group of you were coming in a few days. I wasn't expecting it to be at my party though."

"Blame the person you gave flyers to. He handed one to Izzy and told her the party would be amazing which of course made her interested. She loves parties as much as any one person can."

Magnus unhitches himself from the wall looking at Clary standing alone. I hiss before making my way over to her in case anyone tries anything with her. The guests here know that they aren't supposed to try anything with people who come with me. With me next to her it should limit the risk of something happening to her, but not everyone is afraid of me. They sometimes like to test me and tonight would be an easy time to try with my mind going all over the place. I stand next to her just as Magnus leans against the pillar next to us.

"You like the party?"

I ignore Clary looking at me as I try to find the others. Only it seems as if the crowd had swallowed them which is never good. These are not the parties you get lost in the crowd in because there's no telling what will happen.

"My cat's birthday."

"Oh." You glance around with Clary trying to find the familiar cat. "Where's your cat?

Magnus unhitches himself from the pillar, looking solemn. "I don't know. He ran away."

"No! Say it isn't true Mags. Little Chairman is missing?"

He nods and I frown feeling a bit upset at the news. Chairman always cheered me up when I came here upset for whatever reason it was at the time. I've known the cat longer than I've been speaking to Magnus and I'm upset at the possibility of not seeing him. In the few minutes it's taken me to think this Alec and Jace have come over. There's also been an argument with a vampire who apparently has a wrecked motorcycle because of Jace. A sigh slips through my lips as I follow the four to Magnus' bedroom. Once in the room I slip over and sit in the middle of Magnus' bed crisscross while watching the conversation unfold. When they mention Valentine his eyes flicker over mine and I shake my head not knowing anything of Valentine's plan.

"You signed my mind?" Clary asks in disbelief.

Magnus raises his hand, tracing the fiery outlines of letters against the air. When he drops his hand, they hang there, hot and golden, making the painted lines of his eyes and mouth burn with reflected light. Magnus Bane.

"I was proud of my work on you," he says slowly, looking at Clary. "So clean. So perfect. What you saw you would forget, even as you saw it. No image of pixie or goblin or long-legged beastie would remain to trouble your blameless mortal sleep. It was the way she wanted it."

Clary's voice is thin with tension. "The way who wanted it?"

Magnus sighs, and at the touch of his breath, the fire-letters sift away to glowing ash. Finally he speaks- and I can tell Clary is not surprised, and knew exactly what he was going to say, she still feels the words like a blow against her heart.

"Your mother," he says.