Hell's Angel✗ // JACE WAYLAND

XXVIII

"Attacked by what?" Alec was already walking out of Magnus's apartment, the Warlock and I right behind him.

"The Boogie Man." Eli deadpanned, rolling his eyes as he yanked open the door that lead to the stairs.

"Try to be more serious?" Alec hissed, trotting after the brunet. "This is Jace we're talking about."

"Not as if I like him." Muttered Eli.

"Will the two of you shut up?" Magnus huffed, trying to match our pace as we continued to race down the stairs. "You're giving me a headache, and, Athena, you're not wearing any shoes."

I shot him a look. "Oh I'm sorry, Magnus. My two friends were just attacked and the first thing I thought about was grabbing shoes."

"Well if you plan on running, like we are, shoes would've been a good idea."

I huffed, grabbing the two Shadow Hunter's arms to pull them back. They gave me furious looks, but I ignored them, holding onto the edge of their jacket sleeves.

"No one said anything about running. You have those portal things. Use them."

Magnus rolled his eyes but obeyed my orders anyway and not even 10 seconds later, there was a purple portal that glimmered like stars in front of us.

Smiling, I patted Magnus on the back and stepped forward. "Comin' in clutch, Magnus."

The trio shot me odd looks and my word choice into which I rolled my eyes and muttered to myself, "Uncultured swines."

Stepping through the portal, I was somewhat shocked when it didn't lead to the institute or anywhere near it.

"Magnus, I think you're magic has gone sta–"

My voice left me as I turned and saw the plain, dirty, brick wall behind me. No portal, no trace of magic. It took me a few seconds to realize that I was in an alleyway. On the left side of me was a gate that was twice my height and lead out towards a road, and on my right, I couldn't tell where it went. It was pitch black, not a single hint of light illuminating it. Not even the moon–

How was it nighttime?

"You look like a lost puppy."

My heart rate picked up at the low, guttural voice sounding from behind me. I slowly turned around, scared of who or what I would find. My breath hitched as I came face to face with a tall, blond haired man paired with pitch black eyes.

"Who..." I trailed off as I spotted a very familiar face behind him. My blood froze. "Daniel."

The dark haired, blue eyed man placed a hand over his heart, feigning hurt and he slowly made his way to stand beside the blonde. The two seemed to compliment each other standing together. They could've been brothers with the same sinister looks in their eyes and their same body types. They even stood the same.

"It pains your old man that you don't call him 'Father.'" Daniel sighed. "I thought we were doing better."

Despite my fear, I almost snorted. "That's it? That's your million dollar one liner that's supposed to enact any emotion in me after all of these years?"

Daniel's small smirk widened. "I don't need a one liner to make you scared, Thea." He screwed up his face as he pronounced the name gifted to me by Henric. "What a disgusting name if I do say so myself."

"And Azel is any better?"

"No, I suppose not. Although, I had nothing to do with that."

But Magnus said I was named by h–

"Are you done yet?" My eyes snapped to the blonde who was seeming to get annoyed. "You two are wasting my time."

"Oh, shut it Val." Daniel hissed. "I told you that you didn't have to come."

Val?

"You wouldn't be here if not for me."

"I've been tracking my daughter for weeks; I think I could–"

"Valentine." Both heads snapped towards me as the name rolled off my tongue and I put the pieces together. "Wait, you're Valentine? The one that the institute is so worried about?"

His black eyes narrowed. "You almost sound disappointed."

"It's just..." I looked his tall, somewhat built body up and down. "I thought you'd be this giant ogre or something."

"And you're not relieved that I'm a normal, six foot man?"

I smirked, a devilish look taking over my eyes. "I'm relieved that you had to use my father to help you capture me. You can't be that powerful after all if that's the case."

Daniel snickered at that. "Oh we have a lot more in plan for you than to simply capture you. You really think I spent my life trying to find you to just hole you up in a box in the end?"

I scowled. "You did a shitty job. It took you a little over 10 years to find me."

"Well, I needed a little time for...certain matters. And of course, once I found and told Valentine about you, he was eager to help me out."

The blonde smiled, trailing a hand down my cheek, making me shiver. "You have no idea what I have in store for you."