Unfinished Business • Alec Lightwood

Chapter 30 {Edited}

Meet me at the corner near the hotel, need your help. – Raph

Leona sighed as she walked around Hotel Dumort toward the street corner where Raphael had texted her to meet him.

The brunette had told Isabelle to try to see Meliorn and to call her if anything came up and ran straight to the vampire, hoping to help him quickly so she could get back to her friend.

Leona could see people ahead as she walked closer before realizing who those figures were and let out a breath.

"You should put a muzzle on that mutt." Leona heard Raphael snarl at Luke as she walked towards them. She spotted Luke, Clary, and Simon as she walked up next to Raphael.

She watched as Simon briefly glanced at her bandaged hands but before she could properly look at the boy, his gaze shifted away.

"Watch it Raph," Leona said as she let out a breath, standing next to him. "It's kind of a bad time, so..." Leona flashed a smile at the other three, before glancing at her vampire friend with her arms crossed. "This better be important."

"Bad time?" Clary asked the brunette in confusion. "Is that why Jace told me to use the blocking rune and hide?"

Leona ran her hand through her hair with a nod.

"I'm not supposed to know where you are either Clare." She flashed Raphael a sarcastic smile. "But I guess that doesn't matter anymore."

"Leona–" Raphael started before Leona cut him off.

"Hide her," Leona said sternly. "If you called me to back you up, I'm sorry but I can't side with you with this."

"I'm not letting a Shadow–"

"I've been in that damn hotel plenty of times," Leona argued as her hand gestured toward the building near them. "And you need to take care of Simon."

"No, he doesn't." Simon butted in.

"Yes, he does," Leona said not even glancing at the boy as she looked at Raphael. "And we both know he won't go with you without Clary."

"She," Raphael said angrily as he stepped away from Leona and towards Clary, "...isn't exactly welcomed here after barbecuing half a dozen of my people."

Before Clary could say anything, Simon spoke up from next to her.

"Let's go, please." Leona tried to look Simon in the eyes, failing once again. "I don't want any part of this."

"Look, there isn't any place else," Clary said sharply as she turned to look at her uncomfortable friend.

"Raphael." Leona looked at the vampire pointedly. "Don't be stubborn." She shook her head. "Not now."

Seeing that Raphael wasn't going to change his mind, Leona heard Clary exhale from behind her before the redhead spoke.

"You need Simon back to prove Camille broke the Accords," Clary stated causing Leona to straighten her stance.

With everything going on at the Institute, the brunette had forgotten about what had gotten Simon into everything in the first place.

"What good will he be if he dies of starvation?" Clary asked the older vampire, knowing that he couldn't say anything back.

Raphael looked at the redhead before his eyes scanned Simon from head to toe. He finally looked at Leona, clicking his tongue.

"Fine. But the stray waits outside." The vampire says, finally sparing Luke a glance of distaste.

Leona began to open her mouth to refute before she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"It's fine," Luke said to Leona only his eyes were focused on the vampire in front of them.