MALCOLM CRANE

nothing makes a room feel emptier than wanting someone in it . HAD SHE GOTTEN SO USED TO HAVING HIM BY HER SIDE THAT A WEEK AWAY FELT LIKE ETERNITY ? the chaos of the missing instruments set everyone on edge and all shadowhunters were out looking . interrogating everyone , including her . perhaps her disagreement to one of the laws they wanted to set on vampires made her seem guilty , she would never know what shadowhunters were truly thinking other than most hated vampires along side demons and viewed them as soulless creatures that belonged in hell . SHE TOO WAS SEARCHING FOR THEM . FOR WHAT ? TIME WILL TELL . . .

listening to footsteps coming towards her doors , most in the room with her knew they belonged to and once he opened those doors , there was instant relief . as if she were holding her breath the moment he left and chaos ensued and it was just now she was able to breathe . ❝ ⸻ I am fine ... Just trying to keep everything under control on my part . ❞ Katya's hand instinctively reached for his chest . reassuring him that she was and more so worried about him . Her charges left her side and it was just them in the room . ❝ ⸻ are you ? ❞ brown eyes looked up as his .

"The mortal instruments are missing. I'm sure you've heard," she was a part of the council after all, but things had been locked down. No real way to hear the truth until things moved once more. "The institute is on high alert I'm afraid."

Katya found herself trusting him than she had ever did most that came into her life . she just knew she could and her instincts never steered her wrong . ❝ ⸻ lucky for us you came to me before anyone else could . ❞ he was right she would be summoned and questioned . As a representative of the vampires , she should know something or even a whisper if anyone of her kind killed a shadowhunter . that never stays hidden for long . NOT FOR THE QUEEN OF THE DAMNED . at the suggestions of who to falsely accuse , she did not hesitate .

❝ ⸻ BARTHOLOMEW . ❞ It would be easy to say he was the one who killed henry because of his HATRED TOWARDS SHADOWHUNTERS . the vampire was a smart and deceitful man , able to trick and manipulate others easily, as well as wealthy and proud. his pride being his downfall . Katya knew him being responsible for another shadowhunter's death and he is a very much wanted man . malcom killing him would solve the thorn on her side as well as she would be helping him in turn with it all ... and most shadowhunters would be content in learning to find the supposed killer .

most knew the vampire to be elusive and cruel but because of the constant blackmail , she knew where to find him . ❝ conveniently enough for us one of his hideout is not far from here and I could summon him ... sure enough he will come . . . blame him for the crime of henry ... and for lydia penhollow's ten years ago . ❞ she confessed . many knew of her death , found tortured and bound . batholomew was actually responsible for that .

He didn't know if she would tell him much less agree to such a thing. She was of upmost importance to her kind; trusted, surely, not suspected to give a name to someone like Malcolm. She did, however, and it made him trust her more it seemed. "BARTHOLOMEW." A name that seemed familiar to him, so skeevy almost bitter on his tongue. "I will end his existence." Malcolm spoke, a promise, sealing the agreement between two people who had a problem.

He looked back at her now, his expression sour. "Summon him. It may be best to tell your people to stay away until I'm done." Malcolm suggested before stepping away. While he had not been friends with Lydia, they had known each other. Their circles weren't as big as one might think.

❝ ⸻ I am not sure if I was seen or not . If I was . . . I know I am not . . .❞ Yet she also know she was hard to kill . No one knew what and who she truly is . Many think the first of her kind was killed more than 1000 years ago . Yet the first stood in front of the very being that killed that vampire . A death she orchestrated and manipulated history into thinking so as well . Still , she was not safe . Many shadowhunters want her dead simply because of what she is . THE ACCORDS BE DAMNED .

❝ I will protect my kind the best way I can , Malcolm . I just wanted you to know the truth . I am sorry . truly . ❞ Katya let her hand fall to her side as she watched him carefully . She was relieved in knowing he believed her . she had no reason to lie to him and despite it all , she NEEDED him to know it wasn't her kind . why ? she was not sure but at the moment she felt his pain . The feeling of betrayal of knowing someone ... his own people killed his parabatai .

❝ ⸻ don't do anything that will endanger your life . I can help you find out who did this but it won't be easy . ❞ it was like looking for a needle in a haystack . especially if he did not know his partner as well as he thought he did : what did his parabatai knew that got him killed ? why was he killed ? why blame a vampire ? so many questions she wished she knew the answer to for malcolm .

Her words echoed in his mind. She'd protect those of her kind... but shadowhunters, even Henry's family, would be looking for the vampire who killed him. Malcolm suspect any of the shadowhunters who stood there above his parabatai's body as if in mourning. He couldn't trust them... not in the same sense HE KNEW HE COULD TRUST HER. "They'll be looking for someone to fault. They'll ask you to identify someone." Of course they would. Looking at it now, Malcolm knew they would -- the law was the law, unless you were a shadowhunter. Oh it only made him angrier.

"I cannot promise such a thing," This ache in his chest... it was enough to be rumored just enough to persuade any shadowhunter to not take the test. Parabatais could be so close... they could be magic together. "but if you wish for safety, you'll think of a name. Someone you hate. Someone who won't be missed if I deliver their head to the institute. I will clear their name as Henry's killer when I find who truly killed him but for now, it must be done."

IT BREAKS HER HEART . seeing a him whom she often saw in passing . standing so tall and now before her MOURNING . pain she knew all too well when losing someone you cared for and loved to dearly . she could only imagine what it felt like when she lost him . FELT HIM DYING . ❝ ⸻ No .❞ Katya found herself in front of him . Cold hands cupping his warm cheeks . she could not only see his pain but she could feel it . she wanted to help him but there was only so much she can do . ❝ what they are saying is not true and if it was I would know ... and I would bring you that vampire to punish him . ❞ The accords must be held and so must the peace . But when it came to his kind , she knew they were united when their own people die . Will he even believe her ?

she decided to speak the truth to only him the day she first saw him , katya was ready to take on his anger if he did not believe her . ❝ ⸻ I saw it ... I saw a shadowhunter do it . their back was turned and I knew I had to get out of there . ❞ she wanted to help but this was not her land and she was there for political issues . She had to think about the bigger picture in which the shadowhunter could lie and pointed fingers at her . THE VAMPIRES WANT WAR . a lie that could start so much death between species . a lie many would easily believe . ❝ , and now a vampire is being blamed and I know your kind will all be restless unless I bring one of mine to blame for the deed none of us did . ❞ it made her so angry . Angry of the unjustice . angry for him who wants nothing but the truth ... above all sad .

❝ ⸻ I am risking myself to tell you this . I know if I tell this truth , no shadowhunter will believe me . blame me . sentence me to burn in the sun if any of you think I am conspiring and hiding the vampire who did this . I am sorry . I truly am . ❞

Her words strummed at strings in his heart he didn't even know existed. What was worse? He seemed to believe her and it helped that he didn't think it was true either. Henry's body was not attacked with a claw, fang or otherly vampire inflicted damage. The signs were there but he needed to hear it from someone who had no reason, or even every reason, to lie. Nothing he'd been told made sense. Henry wouldn't of left him behind unless someone told him it was nessecary and even then, Henry would've woken him up to tell him that. They worked in sync, not separately. Malcolm was silent as he listened to her speak, letting her words soak into the deepest recesses of his existence. Other than his beating heart, his hand moved to grip one of hers. Not tightly as if to say no but rather to keep it there, to keep him grounded.

THE CONCERNING ASPECT WAS THAT IT WAS A SHADOWHUNTER... but that seemed to make sense to him. Who else could it of been? Finally he spoke, letting out a breath that burned in his lungs and throat, "I believe you." Malcolm admitted after his silence deemed itself needed to be broken. His expression had softened, revealing that he wasn't sure how he knew it exactly, but that it was the truth. "You will not burn for something your kind didn't do... but if it was ineed a shadowhunter who killed Henry and you truly did see it, you aren't safe." Yes, obviously, but there seemed to be a malable softness to his declaration. His training told him she was a monster, not to be trusted, and yet she seemed to be the only one he did trust in that moment. His training told him not to side with monsters.... but in this case, they weren't the monsters his training was to be used against.

he didn't want to be here. soren was all for completing any assignment handed to him, but blending in with downworlders wasn't his strong-suit. he's too rigid, too vigilant to be considered comfortable. it's obvious he isn't here for pleasure, down to the way he's standing. it's almost painful. his drink isn't alcoholic & the bartender had raised a brow at him, but ultimately seemed to shrug off the stone - faced nephilim. soren could kill with the best of them, but gathering information, being friendly, finding a lead this way ? not happening. hopeless, he rubs a hand down his face. eyes opening to make eye contact with the warlock across from him. was he amused ? disgusted ? who knows. " what , i thought i was doing a good job of schooling my expression. "

❝ ⸻ Quite dangerous to be out at this time ... ❞ Katya signed back . Language came easy for her . Given her age and time on this earth , she had nothing but time to learn just about every language imaginable . ❝ and it's cold . Aren't you cold ? You should have at least bundled up more before coming out . ❞

Since the passing of her first love a thousand years ago , katya had never let anyone get close to her as she had let malcolm in . with katya the more she lets you in the more human she is . those who are lucky enough to see a side of her , sees wonders , beauty , amazing things ... But to let that happen , katya was always the one to pay the high price .

Still they danced their strange dance . Others saw it as malcom not trusting the vampire given how his partner died . Others saw it as him becoming soft in his time . she saw how they looked at him and how they looked at her . She lightly laughed at his comment . ❝ ⸻ actions always speak louder than words ,❞ without second guessing if she should or should not , the vampire took his arm . ❝ will you be staying or shall I expect you later ? unless you are stuck patrolling or on a mission . ❞ If anyone had heard them , they would think something was going on . realizing this , the woman lightly chuckled and just added . ❝ ⸻ for lack of better words . ❞

"I do suppose you're right." and wasn't that the truth? From day one, he seemed to know that she was telling him the truth he found lacking elsewhere. If he asked her, she told him, and for that he protected her ( a rare need, surely, but done never the less ) without a second thought. "If you wouldn't mind, I'll join you. Your zone happens to be the area I'm supposed to patrol tonight." But he didn't have to tell her he knew nothing would be happening. Not really. It's not like you'd EAT where you SLEPT. Not in the same aspect anyway.

There is no nation in the history that has not experienced bloodshed and murdering . Katya knew creatures such as herself all have committed the same atrocities in a different manners . But what she had witnessed in COLD BLOOD ? made her question everything . the accords ? shadowhunters ? peace itself and what it would mean for her species .

She knew she could not say anything regarding it . Her words against the very people who hunts them down and others wanted to get rid of for good . Still THEY BLAMED IT ON A VAMPIRE . nothing angered her more than injustice . FALSE ACCUSATIONS . yet nothing could be done ... and in the past two days she saw him . MALCOM . the pain in his eyes of losing someone so close AND FEELING IT . surely someone was bound to come to her . SHE REPRESENTED ALL VAMPIRES , AFTER ALL ... and thus she waited .

dismissing her clan for the next week until all calmed down . She wanted to avoid any more BLOODSHED . ❝ ⸻ you have no need to apologize when it was clear that you were welcomed ❞ She had no guards . no vampires in her building . She was alone . ❝ I was actually hoping YOU'D come . you are free to speak and question me on anything . ❞ .

yet Malcolm needed to hear it from her. He needed to hear her say that the vampire was either taken care of or somewhere waiting for him to end it's sorry existence. "I need to know," Malcolm began, drawn out and distant, almost drunk on grief that hadn't caught up to his brain yet. His brain searched for the words he wanted to ask. There were too many questions and even then, he wasn't sure that she could answer them. His biggest one was WHY HADN'T HENRY WOKEN HIM UP? Parabatai did everything together and even if their rooms were on the opposite floor, if it was a mission that required one, the other was always close behind. The two days standing guard of his body while he waited for Henry's parents to make it back to London meant he'd been there with him, alone, eyes analyzing and cataloguing every inch of his best friend mentally. "some semblance of truth. No vampire has claimed his life, have they?"

It probably wasn't the question she'd expected -- but he'd fought plenty of vampires before, rogue or not. Henry's body was not damaged in the way you'd expect a vampire to do.