Into The Flames (Sebastian x Reader)

Unexpected Visitors

"You bitch."

Those were the first words that left my mouth before I could stop them, anger instantly beginning to swirl hotly in my stomach at the sight of her, fingers digging into the material of my cloak so that my knuckles turned white.

"Oh, come now. Is that any way to greet a friend who just came back from the dead?" Clary faked a look of slight disappointment, as she crossed the room to stand behind Lord Beauxgard, hands moving to rest on his shoulders, before her lips pulled back to reveal her teeth in a cocky looking grin, her gaze flickering between Sebastian and I. "I'm surprised. It took you longer to get here than I had first imagined. Were my puzzles too difficult for you?"

I shifted in my seat, every muscle coiled, ready to attack the woman in front of me, her face bathed in smug pleasure, and my hand dropped down to my thigh, almost unbidden, to finger the dagger that as hidden there.

Sebastian, who must have noticed the slight movement from the corner of his eye, or rather, probably felt the hostile, impatient energy rolling off of me in waves, rested a hand on my arm, his gloved fingers going around my wrist in a limp hold, as if to tell me to wait, before he offered Clary a hint of a smile, bowing his head politely as he said, voice calm, "I will admit, my lady, your puzzles were quite...challenging."

Clary, releasing her hold on the man in front of her, clapped her hands together almost gleefully, before saying lightly, "High praise indeed, coming from one such as you, Sebastian."

"Enough chitchat." I growled out, annoyed as hell with the flippant attitude Clary was presenting. I glared at her darkly, the feel of Sebastian's grip growing heavier on my skin as a precaution, but I didn't move, as I said through clenched teeth, "I watched Sebastian snap your neck. How did you survive?"

"Ah." Clary smiled at me once again, her lips pink against pale skin, long, blonde hair tumbling around her face, almost effervescent in the moonlight coming in through the window behind her. "You see, that was a simple trick of smoke and mirrors, my dear (F/N)." Her fingers fluttered over the collar of Lord Beauxgard's shirt, fixing the lapel, as he remained, silently obedient, sitting, unmoving, before her small form. "Just, as now, this is not the real Lord Beauxgard you see before you." At the slight look of surprise that flashed across my face, she laughed, a light, tinkling sound, before waving a hand toward the door. "I killed the real man weeks ago. He was one of the first. Like I said, smoke and mirrors." She sung out in a teasing voice once again, before tapping the man at the desk on the shoulder, and when she spoke again, her voice was commanding, cold, "Get out. Leave us."

Without a word, the large man stood from the desk and exiting the room on quiet step.

When he was gone, Clary sighed, a soft, feminine sort of sound, that belied her true nature, and sank into the large chair behind the desk, delicately crossing one leg over the other as her gaze once again fell to Sebastian and I. "Now. I believe you have questions for me."

"Sebastian...." I muttered under my breath, my fingers, still held firmly in his grip, itching to reach for the ornamental dagger, pressed against my thigh, that he had given me that morning.

"Not yet." He returned firmly, his lips barely moving, his eyes never leaving the face of the woman sitting across from us.

I followed his gaze, and noted something, almost like surprise and then realization, cross Clary's delicate features as she watched the two of us, before she cleared her throat and motioned to us, one hand palm up, as if noting that she was still waiting for our questions.

"Tell me, my lady." Sebastian said, his voice soothing, his words not missing a beat. "What led you to the drug business in the first place? And why Funtom?"