A Malec Story

Chapter 70: The Sun Into Hell

Alec

So far the plan worked. They'd been able to enter the Dark Gard and fend off a demon attack. Inside they decided to split up in search for the prisoners. Jace and Clary to the east. Simon, Isabelle and Alec to the west. There were Endarkened Shadowhunters chasing them, Alec could hear their footsteps echo in the halls of the Gard.

The three of them reached the end of the stairways and entered a long hallway with multiple doors on each side. Alec threw himself on the first door, it flew open but the room inside was empty. Isabelle was already on the next door.

"I hear voices!" Simon, with his vampire hearing, jerked his head to the other end of the hall. Alec broke into a run and heard them too, very faint at the other end of the farthest door on the left. He turned the doorknob and the door burst open.

His eyes scanned the room and fell on Magnus instantly.

He was lying down on the ground, his hands bound with adamas chains. He looked incredibly pale and ill. It shook Alec to the bone, even though he felt an immense relief at the sight of him, knowing he was alive.

"Magnus," he said.

Isabelle moved into the room behind him. "Here they are," she said to Simon, "Magnus, Luke!"

"Simon?" Luke, who was standing near the window stared at them in wonder, as Simon entered the room.

Alec didn't pay attention to any of it but moved through the room in a few strides and knelt down in front of Magnus. Magnus's eyes were open and he was staring at him. Staring in pure wonder and amazement. And Alec stared back, intensely worried.

Magnus's face was sunken, the spaces under his cheekbones fallen in, and dark rings like bruises under his eyes. He'd been suffering, Alec knew and his heart ached because of it.

Magnus breathed out slowly, his eyes shining as he reached up and brushed his hand against Alec's cheek. "Oh, my Alec," he said, his voice sounded hoarse and weak. "You've been so sad. I didn't know."

Then he dropped his hand and sunk back to the floor, his eyes closed, seemingly exhausted by the mere effort of speaking.

Magnus

"Magnus," Magnus heard Alec's voice calling his name. "Are you all right? Are you hurt?"

Magnus was vaguely aware of the noise of the people in the room but acutely aware of Alec's hand touching his face.

"Hold still," Alec said. Magnus looked up at him, still not totally believing that he was really there. He saw how Alec drew a seraph blade from his belt and opened his mouth to name it. Magnus reached out his hand and slid it around Alec's wrist.

"Call it Raphael," he whispered, glancing to the blade. He wanted to honor Raphael, now that he was dead, even though Raphael had betrayed him, in the end he hadn't killed him and he'd paid for that with his own life. If Alec was going to cut Magnus's chains, he wanted it done with a blade named after the vampire. "It is an angel's name," he said.

Alec nodded. "Raphael," he said and the blade blazed up. In a swift movement Alec brought it down on the chains. They fell away under the blow and Alec reached down, grabbing Magnus's shoulders with both his hands.

Magnus assumed he wanted to lift him up, but before Alec could do so, he had his hands on the collar of Alec's gear and pulled Alec against him. He slid his hands around him and in his hair, reveling in the silky feel of it. He felt his heart soaring because Alec was here. Alec was here! Alec was here!

Everything was going to be okay now. He could lay back and sleep, and Alec with him. But before he could do that he needed to kiss him. To feel his soft mouth against his own. So he pulled him close and pressed his lips against the Shadowhunter and kissed him hard and determined.

He felt Alec freeze above him for a second, but then his mouth moved against Magnus's and Alec was kissing him back, his hands sliding up from Magnus's shoulders to his neck. Magnus felt all the ardor and eagerness of Alec in the kiss as he parted his lips and slid down his tongue in Magnus's mouth. Alec, only Alec could make him feel like this while he lay dying in a demon realm. Everything Alec brought with him was new and exhilarating. He brought the sun into hell and love back in Magnus's life. He never ever wanted to let him go.

He did draw back eventually, too exhausted to continue, his head fell against Alec's shoulder and Alec wrapped his arms around him, holding him close. "Alec..." he whispered against his shoulder, he could hear his heart beat and was overwhelmed with the steadiness of that sound and the peace it brought him.

"Yes?" Alec sounded anxious.

"Are you being chased?" Magnus asked.

"I—ah—some of the Endarkened are looking for us," Alec said slowly.

"Pity," Magnus said, as he closed his eyes, breathing in Alec's scent. "It would be nice if you could just lie down with me here. Just . . . for a little while."

"Well, you can't," he heard Isabelle say behind Alec, she sounded worried. "We have to get out of here. The Endarkened will be here any second, and we've got what we came for—"

The rest of the conversation was lost to Magnus as he nuzzled his head against Alec's chest, trying to find the energy to move.

"Can you stand?" Alec asked with gentleness in his voice. Magnus nodded and let Alec lift him to his feet.

It was too much. He felt weak and nauseous. The world seemed to be spinning and he collapsed on the ground, coughing violently.

"Magnus!" Alec was next to him then, a hand on his back. Magnus waved a hand at him to indicate that they should leave him behind. He fell to his knees, heaving breaths. It was pointless, he was too weak.

"You should go without me," he said in a hoarse voice. "I'll slow you down."

"I don't understand." Alec sounded torn and worried. "What happened? What did he do to you?"

Magnus shook his head, unable to answer. He heard Luke speak up. "This dimension is killing Magnus. There's something about it—about his father—that's destroying him."

Magnus shook his head again, as he saw Alec looking at him incredulous. He didn't want to talk about his father, especially not now. He saw a short flash in Alec's eyes, a flash of frustration, and he knew why. Alec didn't like it when he kept things from him, he knew that. But now, right now he couldn't do it. Couldn't talk about his father. He was too weak.

Alec took a deep breath and turned to Isabelle. "The rest of you go find Jocelyn," he said. "I'll stay with Magnus. We'll head toward the center of the keep. When you find her, come looking for us there."

"Alec—" Isabelle said.

Magnus sat back on the floor, catching his breath.

"Please, Izzy," said Alec, and she nodded, turned and walked out of the room, Simon and Luke following her.

Alec turned to him then and reached out his hands. "Here," he said gently. Magnus put his hands in Alec's and he pulled him to his feet. Magnus fell against him and Alec took his arm and laid it around his neck. Magnus felt his strong arm slide around his waist as Alec steadied him

"Hold on to me," Alec said, and Magnus smiled at him then.

"I always do, Alexander," he said. "I always do."

Alec was here.