The price (Malec FF)

Prologue- The choice of a mother (Updated)

"Magnus! ", a loud knock on the door ripped Magnus away from his daydream. Opening the mahogany door with a hand wave, he eyed the woman, who was obviously pregnant with a frightened little girl clutching her hand, from his seat.

They looked deplorable, were dirty and seemed out of breath. Magnus noticed that the once straight nose of the woman now had a crook which in his opinion was truly a fashion nightmare. But who expected anything good from the children of the angels who loved to bathe in the blood of innocent people? So much for angels.

"Maryse. To what do I owe the pleasure? ", Magnus asked sarcastically. Silence. For a few seconds the shadowhunter at his doorstep just stared, trying to get some air into her lungs. The woman looked like a deer that knew it was just about to be killed. Even with her baby womb which she held with a trembling hand, Magnus could see that she was way too skinny. Starvation was a way to punish a submissive like she was. One that by now almost only the Nephilim used. The downwworld had started to punish such acts of violence. A pinch of pity ran through Magnus. The woman in front of him was not the reason Magnus hated her kind, she was just one of many who lived under the banner of their old laws. A child of a kind he despised, treated like the vermin. The Nephilim saw in women who had failed in satisfying the ones who owned them.

"He found me. Please, I'm begging you hide us.", the woman sank to her knees and looked with pleading eyes at Magnus. Magnus himself was dominant blooded and knew the consequences if he took a submissive from its owner. He himself had taken care of more than one who had dared to touch one of his past lovers. But he also knew that if Robert found the woman, he would kill her and her children, and Magnus didn't want the end of innocent lives. He was not that cruel after all. But he was no good man either.

"If I do this it will cost you Maryse, I put my life in danger if I do this." He stated, not even bothering to get up.

"Name your price Magnus, I'm willing to pay it.", the warlock chuckled. It was exactly what he had wanted to hear. It was just the best sentence to hear when doing business. Even though he didn't want the death of the children, he didn't care about the heartache he could cause. Magnus got up and approached the woman, grabbing her chin and forcing eye contact, which made her wince. At the very same moment Magnus noticed a little boy a few feet behind her. The ran towards his mother and stood in front of Magnus, his tiny hands clawing at Magnus' in an effort to remove it from Maryse's chin. The boy's blue eyes were filled with anger as he clawed at the hand, all while staring Magnus down.

"You do not hurt mommy! Do not hurt Mommy!", he yelled so surprisingly loud, that Magnus let go. The little boy was so protective towards his mother; he was clearly a dominant blooded child. Magnus smiled for a few seconds at this brainless action from a kid who loved his mother unconditionally. The boy deserved to live, as did the small girl next to Maryse and the child she was carrying. He hated shadowhunters, he hated all that Maryse represented. But he didn't hate the children. And the children needed her. For now.

"Hey there pup, I won't I'm here to protect you.", the boy looked at him, all anger vanishing and walked towards Magnus to hug his leg, which Magnus found really funny, as the boy wasn't higher than his knee. But it wouldn't be that he didn't hate the children that he felt no need to put a price upon his magic and protection. He thought for a few seconds. Maryse had nothing he would like to possess. He could see a few stolen daggers, a family ring, nothing that had any value to a man like Magnus. But Maryse had brought things that had value to her. And if he couldn't have something that he wanted for its value, he would take something that she loved and cared for. She would have to give away the thing she loved the most if she wanted to live. Magnus' eyes swept over the woman and her children. A smile made a way to his lips, wicked and bitter.

"The price is your first son. When he gets eighteen, he'll join me and become my servant. I do need a new animal to do some experiments on after all. And he's too young for that now. However, he wonm't be forever.

He'll only know about that the day I'm coming to get him, in exchange I'll protect you and the other children until their eighteenth birthday. Tell him about me and I take all your children. Tell anyone about this and you'll all see Robert again. Are we clear?" Magnus watched as Maryse's face twisted with horror. Teary eyes stared at the boy. Then Maryse looked at the little girl before stroking over her belly. The woman whispered a word too silently to be heard but Magnus read it on her lips. Okay.

"What's his name?", Magnus asked pointing at the boy who was still hugging his leg and looking at Magnus with wide eyes.

"Alexander Gideon Lightwood, but he prefers Alec", the woman whispered through her tears.

"How old are you little boy?" Magnus asked Alec, who immediately let go of Magnus' leg in protest.

"I'm four, I'm no little boy!" Magnus smiled and held out his hand to Maryse. The second their hands touched, the deal was magically sealed.

"Of course. We'll see each other again, Alexander but until then be a good boy and take care of yourself." Without another word Magnus opened a portal and took Maryse with her son to their new home.