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I'm in a dark room, my wrists tied to the arms of a chair. Jocelyn stands to the side, with a man I don't recognize beside her. 

"Mom, I don't want to do this," Clary says, her voice distraught. Glancing beside me, I notice Clary in the same position as me, her wrists tied to the chair as tears stream down her face.  

"Mom, what's going on?" The fear in my voice is evident as my vision blurs and I hate it.

"They won't be kids forever, Jocelyn," the strange man says. Getting a better look at him, his orange cat-like eyes bore into mine, and my breath hitches. I would be lying if I said he wasn't handsome, however, I sense a dangerous aura around this man.

Whoever he is, he's powerful.

"For now, I don't want them a part of this world," Jocelyn explains, never taking her eyes off of me. The man with strange eyes sighs, before glancing at Clary and me. I watch in horror as his hands are engulfed in bright blue flames before he makes his way over to us.

The strange man stops short of me, his eyes flickering around my face, taking in every detail. "Are you sure about this Jocelyn? This one is special. It might be beneficial if she remembers."

"Mom, what is he talking about? Remember what?" I'm beyond scared, as the man with blue hands comes closer to me. "As I said before, I don't want them apart of this world. At least not yet."

"Don't say I didn't warn you," the strange man says, before closing the distance between us. "This is going to hurt, cupcake."

Strangely enough, the soft voice he uses calms me down as I watch him put his blue hand on my forehead. Instantly, pain sears through my head as he forcefully takes memories from me.

Screams echo in the small room as the pain intensifies. "Just remember, Jocelyn, she will be very important to shadowhunters when she gets older. I just don't know why yet."

And just like that the pain stops. My mind becomes numb as my past slips away. I watch with wide eyes as the strange man takes his hand away, no longer in blue flames. "Take her away so I can do the same to Clary."

Jocelyn quickly bounds over to undo my restraints. "Mom, what happened?"

"What had to be done," Clary's screams can be heard behind me as we travel deeper into the dark building, not once looking back.

↬•↫

Jolting awake, my breaths come out in deep pants as my eyes flicker around the room. My mates' heads shoot up and wide grins spread across their faces from right beside me. They both have one of my hands, their thumb rubbing against their corresponding mark. 

 Tiny sparks lick up my arm from their touches and I instantly relax. Looking around the building realizing I'm in the infirmary at the institute. 

Jace reaches out, lightly brushing my cheek with the back of his hand before flipping my wrist over and kissing the dagger mark. "You're okay."

My eyebrows crease slightly as I regard Alec's statement, trying to ignore the pleasure that runs down my spine. "Of course I'm okay. Why wouldn't I be?" The oldest lightwood glances at Jace, both of them having a silent conversation with their eyes.

"You've been out for 36 hours." It was Jace who said that, pulling my attention from my handsome archer. "36 hours!"

My mates smile sadly at me. "You almost died, Valerie. If Jace didn't activate your rune in time, you would have bled to death." My breath hitches in my throat, and my hands lightly shaking. 

Just then, I can hear Clary scream, causing me to jump. The boys are quick, Jace wrapping his arms around me, pulling me into his arms as Alec jumps up, positioning his body in front of me.

My cheeks heat up when I realize my head is buried in Jace's shoulder, with my legs on either side of his, straddling his hips.

Releasing me from his death grip once he realizes there is no immediate danger, I sit back, looking into his bright green eyes. "Are you okay?" He rubs my back soothingly, his eyes never leaving mine. I nod my head, biting my lip as I watch his eyes become darker.

His arms wrap around my waist as he brings me closer to his body, his fingers sliding under the shirt to caress my bare flesh. We lean into each other, our lips barely meeting before I hear Simon's voice.

Breaking apart, I look behind me. Alec's eyes are darker than before, his gaze locked onto Jace and me. I gulp.

"Hey. It's okay, I'm here. You're safe." Pulling back the curtain, I see Simon sitting on Clary's bed, her eyes glazed over as they widen. "Jace..."

My eyebrows crease as I look behind me. I'm still seated on Jace's lap so I don't know why Clary said his name looking at Simon.

"What?" Simon has his eyes wide as he stares at Clary. "You all right? You still seem... kind of freaked out."

Clary glances around the room, her eyes narrowing when she spots me on Jace's lap. My lips twitch in a small smirk as I lean onto him, resting my head on his shoulder. 

I watch as Clary's eyes harden as she watches us. Leaning up, I place my lips on his jawline, leaving small kisses. Jace tenses underneath me, his grip tightening on my body. 

He slowly trails his hands down my waist, stopping at my hips, and squeezes them in a warning. I pull back, satisfied with the angry look on my sister's face and the slightly flushed face of my mate.

Jace leans down, his breath fanning the back of my neck as his lips ghost the shell of my ear, "behave like that little mate, and I won't hesitate to pull you to my room and finish what you started."

My cheeks heat up and I quickly turn my gaze away from his piercing green orbs, instead staring at Alec who has a small smirk on his face. However, based on his dark brown orbs and the slight strain in his pants, I also affected him.

"Hey, I got you. You're okay. Must have been one hell of a nightmare." Simon's voice brings me out of my own little world with my mates. Seeing as he pulled Clary's attention away from me. Her eyes widen as fear flashes behind them.

"You have no idea. I was strapped to this piece of furniture and my mom was there. She kept telling this guy to protect me, but then he reached his hand into my skull and ripped out my brain."

My eyes widen at her declaration. "That's the same dream I had." Jace tightens his arms around me, pulling me slightly closer as Clary and I share a look.

"Okay, that's just weird. But after everything that has happened, it shouldn't surprise me." I state, looking between my two mates. They shake their heads, looking between Clary and me.

"It's dream sharing. It only happens when you share a strong connection with the person. It usually happens with strong or painful memories," Jace explains, rubbing the exposed skin on my ribs.

"But my sister doesn't really like me all that much," I explain, ignoring the glare Clary throws my way. "Doesn't have to be positive," Alec states, glaring at Clary who drops her gaze immediately. 

"Okay, but what does this mean then? Clary and I sharing the same memory of someone taking our memory."

"Well, we know that dreams are remnants of memories, right?" Simon pipes us, turning around to face me and my two mates. I nod as he continues. "You saw your mom in the nightmare, before the guy was reaching into your brain, yes?" Simon directs the question to Clary.

"Yeah, she... she called him Magnus. I mean, it's completely random, I never -"

"Magnus Bane?" Simon asks, wide-eyed. "Maybe. Why? How do you know that name?"

"I heard it from the vampire. You know, the shockingly hot one..." I raise my eyebrow at Simon as he flushes under our gazes. "Sorry, uh, Camille... She was super pissed at this Magnus Bane guy when I told her that someone took your memories," Simon finishes, his eyes locked onto Clary's bed.

"Could be possible," Jace states. Alec nods his head. "Who is Magnus?" I ask, looking between my two mates.

"He's the High Warlock of Brooklyn. His magic is so powerful, he can evade even the Silent Brothers. If he's the warlock that took your memories... he could be the key to everything," Alec explains, not once breaking eye contact. 

"People are risking their lives to help me and my sister get our memories back. But there might not be anything there. I might not remember anything that will lead to the Mortal Cup... or our mom."

I slide out of Jace's arms, before wrapping mine around Clary. She tenses at first before returning the hug. "Don't give up just yet. There is a chance that we will remember. It's a chance I'm willing to take."

"Valerie is right. Believe me when I tell you that finding your memories is our only shot at getting the Mortal Cup back," Jace explains, walking up behind me and wrapping his arm around my waist pulling me flush against his body.

"But -" I quickly cut Clary off.

 "Look at me... I'm willing to take that chance if you're with me. We might have been mean to each other in the past, but we have grown up. It's time to put our differences aside because our mom is still out there... If talking to this Magnus person is what we need to get our memories back, then we need to do it... But I'm not doing it without you... We are in this together, sis."

By the time I'm done talking, Clary is teary-eyed and doesn't hesitate to pull me into a tight hug. "Thank you. This is just what I needed to hear." I smile at her.

↬•↫

Hodge is behind a computer typing away on a keyboard. Clary is next to him, her hand resting on his shoulder as Izzy leans next to her, looking at the computer.

I'm behind Clary, with Jace and Alec at my sides. They both grab one of my hands intertwining our fingers together.

Hodge pulls up a picture of the strange cat-like man, his orange eyes staring into mine. Just from the picture, I can tell he's not someone you want to mess with.

"Magnus Bane. He's over 300 years old. And, as you can see, he's not exactly shied away from the pleasures of every century. His tastes are both exquisite... and quite excessive."

"He looks like the Downworlder's David Guetta." My lips turn into a small smirk. I can definitely see it. 

"Guetta's already a Downworlder. Vampire? Ever seen him in the daylight?" Izzy states, flashing my older sister a soft smile. "Can you two focus? This is not a joke."

I squeeze Alec's hand, hoping to calm him down a bit. He smiles down at me, placing a gentle kiss on my head before turning back toward the computer screen.

"Someone needs to get slayed." Izzy comments, her brown orbs flickering to me. Alec rolls his eyes, his hand tightening on mine. "Hopefully soon," he mumbles and I blush under his gaze. What I wouldn't give to climb this hunk of a man. Have his powerful hands all over my body, his tongue tasting every inch of me, and his big powerful co-

"Alec's right. Now, Magnus is one of the most powerful warlocks I've ever known. He has a deep mistrust for Shadowhunters." Hodge says, pulling me away from my dirty thoughts. 

"Well, then why did he help our mom remove our memories? Isn't she a Shadowhunter?" Clary asks. "Yes, one of the best. But 'help' might not be the most accurate word." Hodge explains.

"Now, did Magnus provide a service for Jocelyn? Perhaps. But more than likely, your mother paid Magus handsomely for his magic."

"Warlocks usually require payment before they help anyone with anything," Jace explains. "Word from the Clave is that most of the warlocks have gone into hiding since Valentine began hunting them."

"Valentine must be searching for the warlock, where did Jocelyn -" Hodge cut himself off with a groan of pain. His eyes close of their own accord as his teeth grit. "Hodge, your rune. Are you okay?" I ask, getting a nod from the older man.

"So how do we find Magnus?" My older sister asks, glancing at all the shadowhunters, her eyes staying on Jace a second too long.

"We don't. Magnus finds us. We'll set up a meeting, somewhere protected. Lure him out of hiding." Jace explains, his hand squeezing mine. I glance up at him, offering him a soft smile. My cheeks heat up with the wink he returns.

"And I know exactly where we do it," Izzy states, stealing the tablet from Hodge. After a few seconds, she shows the group the picture of a club. "A downworld rave. Nice, Izzy."

"And where'd you get that?" Alec asks, his eyes narrowing at his younger sister. "During my surveillance of the Downworlders. From what I hear, Magnus likes to party."

Alec rolls his eyes and I give his hand a gentle squeeze. "He'll never go for it. Not with Valentine trying to kill him."

"Of course he will. He'll blend in. Hide in plain sight," Jace says, pulling me from Alec's grip. I stumble back into his chest, his arms wrapping around my waist and his head resting on my shoulder. Alec sends a glare at the Wayland man, one I don't miss as he crosses his arm over his chest, huffing a bit. His muscles strain against the black tee he's wearing and I can feel my mouth become dry. Why do my mates need to be so fucking hot?

"I don't know, it seems -" 

"Trust me. If Magnus is coming out of hiding, he's going to one of the biggest parties of the year," Izzy states, cutting off Clary. "Never underestimate Magnus's hedonism. Or his greed." Hodge agrees, getting up from the chair.

"Come with me," he waves, the rest of us following behind him. 

Hodge takes out his stele, activating a rune on the ground. When the tile unlocks, he moves it pulling out a necklace with a giant red stone.

"Is that real?" Izzy asks, her gaze locked onto the necklace. I won't deny that it's gorgeous and I could definitely see myself wearing that.

"A four-karat, unheated Burmese ruby. And this necklace has special meaning to Magnus Bane as it was a gift from him to his then-lover, Camille Belcourt."

"What, Camille and Magnus were lovers," I ask, my voice dripping in disgust. Jace wraps an arm around my waist, pulling me closer and kissing the top of my head. "Warlock gets around."

"Magnus bought it in 1857 for the price of his London townhouse. Now, the jewel is enchanted by a spell that alerts the wearer to the presence of demons," Hodge explains handing the necklace to Izzy who accepts it.

"It's so beautiful." I can't help but nod in agreement. "Magnus has longed to reunite with this necklace. Offer it to him. He might just take the bait."

"I'll send Magnus a fire message to arrange the meeting. We have to get to Magnus before Valentine does."