hihi guys!! 

so as you all know I havent been updating for a while because I needed a break, and to catch up with my studies so on. I will be even busier now, because now I have council stuff and more to cope with! and i cant let my grades drop so I had to gave up writing.

But today when I was doing geometry I thought of this quote to use in my book so BAM! I started writing again. However, I still will not be able to update regularly :(

Please understand and dont unfollow. Im truly sorry to all readers, but thanks for the Wattpad messages that asked what happened and all that stuff (it told me people actually read this)... sorry :(

26 days left

Chantelle screamed, waking up from yet another nightmare. Nightmares all about Ares. She panted, fiddling with her blanket, a hand pressed right above the rune on her collar.

Her scribe beeped beside her, and she groaned as she read the message that the Consul wanted to have a ‘chat’ with her.

“Great. How fun.” She mumbled, getting ready.

***

Zachary put his hands in his pockets. The Shadowhunters were asleep for most of the day, but the privilege would surely be only this once. 7pm, and the place was quiet. In Los Angeles, there was a curfew. The curfew was not an official one, but everyone knew better than to explore such a place late at night. Being a Shadowhunter, Zachary didn’t bother, even when he knew there were people following him.

They were terrible at their job. Their footsteps were heavy, obviously not properly trained. Their shadows not hidden well.

Five people were right behind, ducking behind Dumpsters as they went. If Chantelle was here, she would be able to know the entire situation—who was behind, how many, build, whatsoever. Chantelle was an expert at analysing. And Laressa would be able to predict there movements, and know whatsoever route to take. The two girls were smart, while Zachary was the kind that would randomly lash out. When he strikes with strength, Chantelle and Laressa knew how to outsmart their opponents.

He took a turn to an alley. It was dangerous, but he couldn’t care less.

Sure enough, he saw the shadows of his followers appearing.

“7pm, our hour.” One of them said as Zachary snorted.

“Great. It matches my killing hour. Care to do me a favor, gentlemen?” Zachary turned, blade already in hand long ago.

He let them launch first, and two headed straight for him. Their movements too heavy, Zachary sidestepped. Another grabbed him from the back and Zachary raised his legs, knocking one of them down. Another headed for him, and he stabbed him.

“Filthy little bloodsuckers.” He said. They must have been hunting while the Younghunters attacked their hideout. One nodded a little to the other, and they both came rushing forth. They put too much effort as they ran, and Zachary grabbed one by the collar and threw him at the other. He ended their lives swiftly.

Two were left. One hung at the back, probably afraid of Zachary now. The sight caused Zachary to laugh, and he ended the vampire’s life immediately. A blade caught him in the ear, skimming off most of his ear. “Dammit, I needed that.” He cursed, but he hid most of his emotion with his hate for the Children of the Night. A gunshot sounded. He had a gun, which was totallycheating.

Zachary smirked as he ran forward. “Fine, play it your way.”

***

“Consul Whitelaw. What a pleasure.” Chantelle said, and the Consul could sense her venom and defiance in every word uttered.

Chantelle will never be the same after the scar Ares left behind. The Consul thought, confirming the Clave’s thoughts. The Clave considered this horrible, as it would affect the future Consul, and endanger her position.

The Consul nodded, gesturing for Chantelle to sit.

“How are you, Chantelle?” He asked, making them sound like friends meeting for a casual cup of coffee.

Well, I just had the people I assumed were my family—or even friends-- betray me, have my parabatai having to go through things worse than death soon, have my friend Turned after we broke into a vampire lair, and lost pretty much everything I have. I’m not sure if ‘bad’ covers it. Chantelle thought, but she beamed. “Fine, Consul. Just… fine.”

“I would like to know what caused your foolish actions.” The Consul clasped his hands together.

Which one? Assuming everything I do is foolish to you? Chantelle almost laughed at that train of thought. The most interesting conversation she had with the Consul.

“You know, when you all burst into New Hotel Dumort?”

“I always assumed what I did was right.”

“Right? If it was just Laressa and Zachary, it’s be fine alright. But this is concerning the Blessed Nephilim. Losing you means affecting all of the Nephilim. Do you have any idea what lies in your hands?”

“Blah blah blah. What would you do if you were in my situation?”

“Save the world of course.”

Chantelle leaned back, folding her arms. “Oh, of course. I forgotten that you were a heartless man.”

The Consul was not at all pleased at this. “Chantelle, this needs to stop. You have gone too far, becoming too snarky and disrespectful a girl of such great future position should be.”

Chantelle groaned. “She’s like a mother to me, all I wanted was to save her…”

The Consul jabbed a finger at her, taking Chantelle by surprise. Almost instinctively had she wanted to reach for a weapon of some sort. “You are the emblem of the Shadowhunters. You die, we lose hope. That’s why we all need you. And someone of such a position should think twice about the effects of her actions. That’s the Chantelle I used to know. You need to wake up, because everything you do will affect us—you can deepen and be a heroine for us all, or cause the Shadowhunters to turn into a lifeless, or extinct race. You say you want to save your family? We are your family too. You may just be a teenager, at your reckless stage, but a girl like you can’t afford to make careless mistakes. Blessed or not, I will not hesitate to remove your position if necessary.”

Boy, it hurt when the Consul had a point. At that point, Chantelle would prefer it if he was drunk or something. But Consul Whitelaw was sane and right, so Chantelle nodded. “Okay. I’m sorry.”

The Consul relaxed his shoulders, withdrawing his elongated finger (maybe that was an exaggeration). “Will you think twice in future?”

Chantelle nodded. “Yes.” She hoped she would stop breaking promises then, for she knew there would surely be more trouble in the future.

***

Zachary raced and used the wall as a jumping point. He knocked the creature sideways. It changed, and it was a… a werewolf? Sure enough, this one lacked vampire fangs and reached to bite Zachary, but the boy rolled off sideways. Werewolves and vampires used to dislike each other, both kinds fighting together was unnatural, unless they had an unsteady truce, aimed to kill him.

He hit the werewolf with his blade. If they were attacking together, he must be a steady and wanted goal. Not some random pick off the street.

He struck another werewolf that raced onto the alley. All the more he could not be captured. He must be seriously wanted. A drop of water dripped onto the werewolf as he wrestled the creature off him. “Mutts.” He cursed, ending the werewolf’s life.

Another vampire headed forward, werewolf at the side. He twisted out of the vampire’s grasp, but the werewolf knocked him hard into a corner. More came. He was outnumbered.

Grimacing, he got off, only to get shot in the leg. He came crashing down. “Damn, guns!” He yelled, throwing a knife at a nearby vampire. It missed by a longshot, due to the wounds that covered his right, throwing arm.

One at the back threw a blade that missed him, but on purpose. It trimmed off a little of his hair. “I was thinking you needed a haircut, brother.” The voice boomed, causing the attackers to be silenced. Panting even slowed.

Marks were on the weapon, marks carved for steady grip with the fingers. He looked at it, recognizing the weapon. Special imprints carved from Pablo himself. They were suited for left-handers, and there was only one left-hander in the Institute.

“Missed me?” The voice rang out as Zach’s eyes widened with shock. “Step back.” He commanded, and the attackers stepped away, leaving the alley, and only one vampire remained.

“It can’t be.” Zach said, panicking.

But even with the red eyes, he recognized the vampire.

Andre.