A Malec Story

Chapter 67: When Things Get Worse

Magnus

"You must tell us, warlock," Raphael's voice sounded blurred, "if there is something that we can do for you. I have not seen you so sick."

Magnus shook his head. His eyes closed. He had difficulty thinking straight. He knew his father was doing this to him, making him sick so he'd call on him. He wondered how much longer he could last. He conjured up the beautiful face of Alexander Lightwood in his mind's eye. He no longer fought the urge not to think about him. If he were dying, let Alec be on his mind then. His beautiful blue eyes shining, his mouth quirked up in a smile, that little lopsided grin that was so cute. Of course he was wearing an awful gray hoodie and a simple pair of blue jeans underneath. How was it possible that someone so gorgeous could buy such ugly clothes. "I don't care about clothes," was what Alec would say and then he'd shrug. Magnus loved that about him. Truth be told, he loved everything about him.

Alec

"Izzy, please. Not after Max. Izzy, please, stay with me." Alec buried his head in his sister's hair. She was still unconscious. The demon had sliced her leg to shreds. Clary was able to portal them back to the cave where they'd spend the previous night. But even though they were relatively safe there, there was still no way to heal Isabelle. The healing runes faded into her skin as soon as they set the stele on her. Nothing seemed to help and Alec could feel the life seeping out of her.

His sister.

She was the woman he loved most in his life, and he knew he'd never love another woman like he would love her. And he couldn't lose her. He'd made his peace with dying himself in this cruel and haggard land. He'd sacrifice himself for the others if necessary. But why did Isabelle have to pay the price now? Alec was despairing.

Isabelle gasped as Clary tried another iratze. It didn't work. "I can't do it," Clary whispered. "I can't make one strong enough."

"It's not you; it's the poison," Jace said. "Demon poison. In her blood. Sometimes runes can't help."

"Try again," Alec said, he felt his eyes burning as Isabelle trembled in his arms, her breath came in rasps. "With the iratze. Or with a new rune; you could create a rune—"

Jace fell on his knees beside him as Simon suddenly pushed him away. "Move," he said harshly. It rubbed Alec the wrong way.

"Leave her alone," Alec snarled at him. "You're not her family, vampire—"

"No," Simon said, "I'm not." And his fangs snapped out, and he tore open his own wrists, and let his blood drip into Isabelle's leg.

"What . . . are . . . you . . . doing?" Alec ground out between his teeth, but Jace flung up a hand, his eyes on Simon.

"Let him," Jace said, almost in a whisper. "It can work, I've heard of it working. . . ."

And it did. By the Angel it did. The wound started to knit itself together. The venom in the vampire blood was healing her. Alec stared down into his sisters face as her eyes fluttered open and she stared at him and then at Simon, still bend over her leg. Simon didn't seem to notice as he lifted his mouth to his other wrist, to add more blood on her wound. Alec felt Isabelle move as she sat up against Alec's chest. "Simon, no!" she said.

Relief flooded through Alec like a wave as he tightened his arm around her. Clary drew Simon away then as both Jace and he hovered over Isabelle.

"Izzy, Izzy," he whispered, pulling her hair back from her face. "How do you feel?"

Jace sat down at his side and took her hand. "It was my fault," he said softly, "I'm so sorry."

Isabelle waved him away as she sacked against Alec. "It's okay, Jace."

"You should get some sleep," Alec said, "Lie down. Jace, get a blanket, and an extra sweater for me, please? It's freezing cold here."

Jace got up to get a sweater and a blanket from one of the packs. He handed them to Alec and started making a fire. Alec wrapped the blanket tightly but carefully around his sister, before laying her head in his lap. Then he put on the sweater and softly he stroked his hand over her forehead. He remembered suddenly how Magnus would move his hand over his forehead and his eyelids, and how immensely calming and peaceful that had felt. He repeated that movement now with his sister. Her eyes fluttered shut as he stroked her softly, and within minutes her breathing evened out and she was asleep.

Clary and Jace went to check the tunnels as Alec stared into the flames. Simon was sitting at the other side of the fire, not saying anything.

"Thanks," Alec finally said.

Simon startled, "For what?"

"Saving my sister," said Alec. "I know... I mean, I knew, when we came here, that this could be a suicide mission. I know it's dangerous. I know I can't really expect us all to survive. But I thought it would be me, not Izzy. . . ."

"Why?" Simon said, seemingly surprised.

"Because I'd rather it was me," Alec said. "She's—Isabelle. She's smart and tough and a good fighter. Better than me. She deserves to be all right, to be happy."

They talked a little more, about having sisters and what they'd do to someone who'd made their sister unhappy. Then Clary and Jace returned. Isabelle was sound asleep. But Simon suddenly doubled over in pain. Healing Isabelle had made him weak from blood loss and it turned out his food supply was gone, too. Alec thought back at the joke Simon had made back in Alicante. There's always you four.

Isabelle was too ill, Jace was lit with heavenly fire and he wouldn't let Simon near Clary. As Jace and Clary were bickering about whether Simon should drink Clary's blood or not Alec stood up, carefully laying Isabelle on the ground.

"Oh, for God's sake. I'll do it," he said as he tucked the blanket around his sister. He walked towards Simon then and bared his throat for him. But Simon refused to drink his blood in front of everyone. So they walked away from the others and Alec offered him his wrist when Simon said the neck wasn't absolutely necessary. Alec braced himself as they discussed his dislike for vampires. Simon had noticed it, saying Alec thought Simon was less than he was. Alec felt ashamed to admit it, and he was trying really hard not to think like that. It was unfair for Simon, and other vampires too. They weren't born a vampire, like Magnus had been born a warlock, but still, they didn't choose to be vampires either, he knew that.

The whole conversation made him extremely uncomfortable and he wanted it to be over already. "Go ahead," he said, as Simon took his wrist in his hand. "Just—do it."

"Brace yourself," Simon said, and lifted Alec's wrist to his mouth. Alec saw his vampire fangs snap out and couldn't help but flinch a little. And just before Simon sank his teeth into his wrist he heard the vampire say, "I'm sorry about Magnus."

"Me too. Now bite," Alec said, and Simon did. The pain slid through him like a knife as the vampire's fangs sunk in his skin and Simon tightened his grip on him. Alec felt his heart beat faster in his chest and he closed his eyes.

I'm sorry about Magnus. Simon's last words resonated in his ears and hurt him more than his fangs hurt his wrist. That pain subsided and in its stead Alec felt a pleasant tingle through his veins. But the pain in his heart didn't subside. With each passing hour it seemed to grow stronger. He missed Magnus. He ached for him, longed for him and he was so afraid for him. So afraid.