“Henry”, was all they both said as they sprinted to his room. Magnus got there first and blasted the door open with a shower of blue sparks, rushing into the unlit room and sending another wave of magic against a dark shape Alec could not identify clearly. It seemed to waver at the edges and there was a flash of burning yellow spots somewhere between the blue flames attacking it. An Iblis demon.
He dashed into the room himself, both daggers ready, frantically searching for any sign of Henry. Magnus attacked the bulky shape again and it got thrown against the bright yellow wardrobe, crashing the wood with its weight and the force of the magic charge. Where it had stood before, on the other side of the bed, Alec could now see a bubble of golden sparks on the floor and Henry’s piglet a few inches beside it.
Trusting Magnus to keep the Iblis demon at bay long enough, Alec jumped and rolled across the bed, landing in a low crouch right next to the cocoon.
“Henry! I’m here, it’s going to be ok. Let’s get out.” Another crash and an ear piercing screech behind them, accompanied by a colourful stream of curses from Magnus, told Alec that the fight was moving closer to them again. He shot a glance behind him, only seeing Magnus’s silhouette against another massive shower of blue flames. A second later his attention was caught up by his son, who had dropped the protective spell and instead thrown himself at Alec. He could feel the boy shiver as he dropped one dagger, put an arm around him, pressed him tight to his torso, and got up to head for the door. “Magnus! I got him”, he yelled and scrambled back over the bed.
“Get cover”, Magnus shouted in reply and Alec knew better than to argue. He made for the door, rushing to the side and ducked behind the kitchen counter, Henry still pressed against himself with one arm, as the room behind them exploded in blue fire and an unearthly scream. Pure instinct made Alec curl around his son to cover him as much as he could, pressing Henry’s head against his chest.
The silence and dimness that followed made Alec’s ears throb with his rapid pulse and he had to fight down the wave of fear that threatened to wash over him. What had Magnus done? Was he alright? Why did he not hear him? Did Henry move?
“Henry, are you hurt”, he whispered and carefully untangled him from his embrace, ran a sweaty hand through the boy’s hair. Henry looked up at him, eyes wide and tears streaming down his face but shaking his head. “Stay here. Stay behind me”, Alec instructed him and turned around, creeping to the corner of the kitchen on his knees, remaining dagger at the ready. He could now hear the low crackle of fire and smell the sharp tang of magical discharge. Another noise caught his attention, scuffling, erratic steps coming closer. Alec changed his grip on the dagger, the tip now pointing to his elbow, and gestured for Henry to be quiet and stay where he was. Then he rolled out of the cover, sprang to his feet and at the shape in front of him, aiming where he suspected its throat. Only a split second before crashing into his opponent he recognized a flicker of golden eyes and stopped dead, the blade within an inch of Magnus’s rapid pulse.
“It’s dead. It’s alright”, Magnus whispered and very gently placed his hands on Alec’s shoulders, who dropped the weapon, buried his hand in his husband’s messy hair and pulled him close. Magnus smelled bitter, of burned sugar and smoke and demon but he was alive and seemed unhurt.
“By the Angel. I nearly killed you”, Alec sighed against Magnus’s neck. He felt the other man’s arms slide around him, pressing Alec against him just like he had held Henry just seconds before.
“You didn’t”, Magnus assured him and just as gently pushed him away. He had ash and splinters in his hair and grime mixed with his destroyed makeup around his eyes. “Is Henry ok? We need to get out of here. I think there are more of them near.”
“I’m ok”, they heard Henry’s muffled voice and turned around. The boy was still sitting on the floor but had somehow gathered up Chairman Meow, who looked uneasy but held still, and had buried his face in the cat’s fur. “What kind of demon was that?”
“They are called Iblis”, Magnus explained as he picked up both of them. “And they usually hunt in groups. We have to get out of here.”
“You blew up the whole room because of one Iblis?” Alec looked at him in confusion but Magnus just shrugged, placing a gentle kiss on Henry’s Hair.
“I got a bit carried away”, he just said and nodded to the door. “Let’s go before more of them come at us.”
Alec nodded and brushed some debris out of Magnus’s hair.
“I’ll just get my weapons and call Jace, tell him to get the car and pick us up”, he murmured and rushed to the bedroom. He kept a stack of seraph blades, bow and arrows and a spare set of gear in a metal chest in their closet. Within a minute he had grabbed what he needed, equipped himself and was back at Magnus and Henry’s side, cell phone in hand. “Okay, we will head your way.” He hung up and buckled his second weapons belt.
“I’ll go first”, he decided and Magnus, who still carried Henry and the cat and looked slightly worn out, nodded. Alec took out a seraph blade and whispered a name to it, making the Adamas glow. He carefully opened the door to the hallway, checking every corner before he gestured for Magnus and Henry to follow. Carefully they picked their way down the stairs and to the front door.
He pulled it open just a crack to check the street for other nasty surprises. The pavement was empty and a cab rushed by on the street, stirring up the inevitable debris that collected in the gutters.
“Looks clear. Stay close to me”, Alec murmured and moved forward, feeling Magnus follow him. They hurried down the street, eyes darting around vigilantly, checking every shadow, every gap between cars or buildings before going on. They made it two blocks down the road and stopped to let a bright red truck pass before attempting to cross the street.
The second Alec set his foot down on the asphalt a figure appeared where the truck had been just the other moment. It had the stature of a bald, bulky man, clad in what looked like a mundane business suit of deep red fabric that let his skin look an eerie white. They stopped dead as the man turned to face them and fix his completely black eyes on them.
“You didn’t really think you could outrun me, did you?” His voice was deep and soft, almost musical. He tilted his head to one side, locked eyes with Magnus and grinned so wide it contorted his face into a grimace. “Oh what a wholesome little family you got yourself, brother.”
Magnus made a low hissing noise and pressed Henry closer to his chest.
“I’m not your brother. Leave us alone”, he demanded and Alec hoped he was the only one to hear the slight wavering in his voice. The demon waved his hand dismissively and shrugged.
“Brother, half-brother, whatever. Technicalities. Your father is my father, albeit in other ways.” His eyes flickered to Henry. “And I came to claim the child. My child.”
Alec stepped in front of his husband and Henry, blocking the demons line of sight.
“You’ll not get him”, he snarled and in the blink of an eye switched the seraph blade for his bow, an arrow nocked and aimed at the demon. “He did not get Magnus and he will not get Henry either.”
“You think you can stop me from taking what’s mine, little Shadowhunter?” It made an amused noise and started to saunter forward. “You think you can defeat us on your own?” On that shapes started to peel out of the shadows on the other side of the street, yellow eyes burning hungry. A low rumbling noise seemed to come from above but Alec did not dare to take his eyes off the Eidolon that still moved towards them, grinning like a maniac. “Stupid little Sha…”, it sneered but was cut off abruptly and catapulted to the side by something that dropped out of the sky.
Alec caught a glimpse of spinning wheels and chrome and a blond shock of hair as screeching wheels hit the demon and the ground.
“Jace!” Alec saw his parabatai jump as the motorcycle bucked and lurched under him, dragging the demon with it and into a parked car. He landed in a low crouch, grinning and a shimmering blade in his hand a second later.
“Yeah? Thought I’d leave all the fun to you?” Jace backed away from the crashed bike so that he was at Alec’s side.
“I told you to pick us up! We need to get Henry to the Institute”, Alec shouted as the Iblis closed in on them, unimpressed by Jace’s dramatic entrance and the knock out of their leader.
“Got that covered, don’t worry. Simon will be here any minute. He’s the better driver anyway”, Jace informed him and darted forward to dispose of the first advancing demon.
Alec had no time to be mad at him when he heard Magnus shout a warning from behind and he had to let his arrow fly. Training and instinct took over as he and Jace fought off the attacking Iblis, moving with and around each other, blocking the demon’s way to Magnus and Henry.
He was not marked for a battle but he felt the familiar tingle of his parabatai rune, felt the additional strength that fighting beside Jace lent him. The last Iblis fell, one of Alec’s arrows already lodged in his wavering body when Jace buried his blade next to it.
Alec’s eye darted to where the bike had smashed the Eidolon into the car and was not surprised to see the man on his feet again. Talons had erupted from his arms and the pale human skin was peeling back in places, revealing blood red flesh that seemed to move in its own way.
“Tough cookie”, Jace laughed and wiped ichor from his blade. The fire of battle burned in his golden eyes but instead of making him fear for Jace it made Alec calm and gave him assurance. They had taken down worse demons than this arrogant shape shifter.
“Where is Simon”, Alec growled and since he had run out of arrows, grabbed his own blade again.
Right on cue a familiar pick-up truck turned the corner and sped past the demon in their direction. He could see Simon behind the wheel and his sister jumped from the cabin even before they came to a halt next to them.
“Come on, get in”, she yelled and Alec spun around to see Magnus wrench open the back door and push Henry and Chairman Meow inside.
A high pitched screech came from the demon that seemed to realize that his prey was about to escape. It sprang forward, raging for the truck and Alec moved without thinking, reacting even faster than Jace. He threw himself in the demons path, brought his blade up hard with both hands, screaming. It buried into the thing’s chest, ichor streaming down the hilt and burning Alec’s hands, the creature’s talons raking his back. Alec did not care. The muscles in his arms shot bolts of pain through his body but his legs kept pushing, shoving them both away from his family until the demon’s legs gave way and it fell, already turning to dust and shadows.
Alec’s knees hit the ground hard and the hilt slipped from his stained hands, the burned out Adamas shattering on the asphalt. Panting, Alec stared at the vanishing remains of the demon and barely noticed the pain at his hands and of the cuts on his back. The familiar sting of his brother’s stele on his arm cleared his head and he looked up to meet Isabelle’s concerned gaze.
“Henry? Magnus?”
“Safe in the car. Come on, get up. Let’s go home”, she answered and Jace finished the Iratze. The pain abated slowly and together they pulled him to his feet. Alec winced and leaned on his brother to walk back to the car, brushing off Jace’s arm when he saw the two anxious warlocks on the backseat, waiting for him. He did not say a word, just scrambled in and wrapped his arms around Henry, felt Magnus embrace them both.
“Stupid Nephilim”, his husband whispered and Alec’s back started prickling softly, telling him that the warlock let magic flow from his fingers to heal what the single Iratze had not covered. Alec just buried his nose in Henrys soft hair and did not answer as the pick-up started to move. He heard Simon and Isabelle talk and then the small voice of his son.
“Dad? Did it hurt you bad?”
Alec shook his head and slowly let go of Henry to look at him. The boy’s pyjama was stained with blood where Alec had hugged him and he anxiously looked up at his father.
“I’m okay, Henry. Just some scratches, don’t worry. You know how quickly Runes and magic help me heal”, he answered and cracked a smile that Henry returned after a slight hesitation. Magnus finished patching up his husbands back and gently pushed him into the seat.
“You stupid Nephilim”, he repeated. Alec met his gaze and his smile turned into a crooked grin. He knew what Magnus really meant. Thank you for saving us. I love you and I do not want to lose you.
“But I’m your stupid Nephilim”, the Shadowhunter answered and got pulled towards Magnus in return, who sealed his lips with a passionate kiss.
That brushed away the last bit of battle induced tension in Alec and he felt exhaustion creeping up on him.
“Let’s just sleep at the Institute and tomorrow we check on the loft. See how bad the damage is”, he suggested and Magnus nodded.
“We can fix that soon enough. Now get some rest, darling.”
“Once we get to the Institute”, Alec agreed and yawned. He felt Henry cuddling up to him and slid one arm around the boy, finally feeling that they were safe again.
