Chapter Text
Alec was never going to be someone who enjoyed going to clubs, admittedly, but Pandemonium, and the controlled chaos that Magnus directed there was something he was starting to grow more and more used to.
Especially since Magnus enjoyed showing off.
Alec grinned as Magnus caught his eyes from where he was sitting at his throne among the couches. Not that Magnus would ever admit it, but it was a throne, allowing him to survey his domain.
It reminded him of the first time he had met the warlock, how bright and untouchable he had been, his form drenched in magic, glitter and the promise of something intensely forbidden. It was no wonder he hadn’t been able to stay away.
Alec grinned and sipped his drink again, tossing Magnus a wink before he headed towards the VIP area on the upper level. Magnus might enjoy being the center of attention, and sometimes it was best to leave him to it. He made his way through the crowds, giving quick nods to the warlocks and werewolves he recognized.
A year ago, his presence would have caused fear and apprehension, but now, he received nothing more than nods and the occasional smile in return. It showed him just how far they had come. Alec relaxed fully and retreated into the corner of the VIP lounge that had become his corner according to Magnus. That did mean it was never taken, and he could come here whenever he was here, so he wasn’t about to complain.
“You’re as bad as Magnus, surveying your domain.”
Alec looked over his shoulder and raised an eyebrow at Simon, standing a few feet away. “His domain. Not mine.”
Simon rolled his eyes. “Yet you’re here watching over him and the rest of the club like some avenging angel.”
The description rankled, even if it was somewhat accurate. “Shouldn’t you be annoying someone else? My sister? Raphael?”
“Izzy instructed me to come bring you down to the dance floor. I told her you’d never listen to me, of course, but then again, when do I refuse that woman anything and-“
Alec tuned Simon out a moment later, his attention was caught by trouble at the front door. Magnus had seen it too, standing up in a quick flourish. Alec spared a moment to glamour his runes before he moved past Simon, melting back into the crowd behind Magnus.
His boyfriend was well-able to protect himself, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t provide some unseen backup, if only for his own peace of mind.
Magnus stopped in front of two large, muscled men that were surveying the club with disdainful looks on their faces and Alec bit down a groan when he saw the runes on their necks. Of course. They weren’t from his team (his team knew to call he or Izzy regarding any connection to Pandemonium, for damn good reason), so this meant shadowhunters from another Institute were tracking a lead here. Or they were up to something else.
Magnus raised both of his eyebrows. “ Shadowhunters ,” he drawled. “To what do we owe the pleasure of your company?”
“Get out of our way warlock,” the taller of the two sneered. “We’ll be on our way soon enough.”
Alec waited for a flash of the club lights to hide the photo he took, texting a picture of the two men to Underhill, including a demand for their identity cards and base Institute.
“You aren’t moving one foot further into my establishment until you tell me who, and what you are looking for,” Magnus said, glancing down at his nails.
“We’re with the New York Institute, here on official Clave business. Now move,” the shorter one demanded. “Or we’ll make you.”
Alec resisted the urge to step forward and give them men the dressing down they deserved, followed by a demand to speak to their superiors. Magnus could handle this, and he had no doubt that Magnus would happily turn them over to him after he was done.
“Funny,” Magnus drawled. “You see, I know the head of the New York Institute very well, and I know if there was anything he needed, he would come directly to me.”
“Move, downworlder,” the tall one hissed, stepping forward. “We won’t ask again.”
“If you insist.” Magnus rolled his eyes and twisted his fingers in a quick motion, immobilizing the two shadowhunters in front of him before stalking closer to them, watching their faces contort in anger.
Alec fought down the urge to grin and leaned against a column nearby that let him keep to the shadows, watching Magnus at work. He did enjoy watching Magnus in his element, and here, like this, power singing around him? He was at his best.
“Let us go!”
Magnus hummed, stepping forward, pressing one finger under the chin of the shorter man. “I’ll consider it. Do tell me what brings you here. And none of those lies you attempted to feed me earlier.”
They shared a look before glaring at the warlock again. The tall one cleared his throat and attempted to look contrite. “We’re tracking a hoard of Ravener demons. We traced their summoning here.”
Alec snorted. They couldn’t even come up with a good lie? There hadn’t been any reports of Raveners since last week. If there was a group being tracked within his jurisdiction he would have known about it already, and alerted the downworld council.
“Did you?” Magnus asked, his eyes widening in fake surprise. “Have you seen any fireworks here lately?” Both shadowhunters blinked at him.
“If there was someone here summoning demons, believe me, most of us would feel it. Hell, there’d be fireworks going off. We don’t have any desire for shadowhunters to descend upon here than you do to come here,” Magnus drawled. “So, last chance. Tell me why you’re really here.”
This time there was no answer. Magnus stepped closer to both of the shadowhunters and hummed in consideration, studying them, and the way they wouldn’t meet his eyes. “Let me see if I can guess,” he mused.
“There’s nothing to guess!”
Magnus’ eyes flashed dangerously, his glamour dropping, just to make them squirm more. “Isn’t there? Two shadowhunters, claiming to be from the local Institute? In a downworlder club, ready to cause issues?” He smirked and reached out to place a finger under the taller one’s chin, letting hot magic sparks dance around his fingers. “Not hard to figure out your plan there.”
“Downworlder slut,” the shorter one growled. “You corrupted the head of the New York Institute. We’re here to-“
“Ah, ah,” Magnus whispered, waggling a finger, his eyes going dark and dangerous as his magic turned a roiling red in his anger. “Insult me all you like, but Alexander deserves none of your vitriol.”
Alec took one step forward, his hands clenched at his sides as he stared at Magnus and the two Shadowhunters. They hadn’t seen him yet. But they would, as soon as Magnus was done with them.
“He’s a foolish boy. Fell for your tricks.”
Magnus hummed, tilting his head in consideration. “While I do consider my tricks and wiles rather impressive…” he let the words trail off before he blew open the front doors of the club, glad when the others who had noticed the confrontation got out of his way and tossed the shadowhunters through, following them to the doorway, leaning against the frame. “Trust me when I say that you could not be more wrong about Alexander Lightwood.”
“You-“
“Fucking-“
Magnus rolled his eyes again, waving his fingers to steal their voices before he looked over his shoulder. “Your turn?”
Alec stepped out of the shadows and up towards Magnus, leaning in to steal a quick kiss from him with a grin. “Done being a badass defending my honor?”
Magnus gave a small bow. “Darling, I will always defend your honor.” He looked back towards the two shadowhunters and frowned. “Shall I wait for you to finish?”
Alec kissed Magnus again, humming against his lips, grinning at the golden eyes that flashed at him a moment later. “Please do. I have to thank you properly for defending me, after all.”
“I look forward to it,” Magnus purred.
Alec turned back to the two men staring at him in shock. He crossed his arms over his chest and glared at the both of them.
“Now, care to tell me what you’re doing here before I report it to the Clave and your Institute Head?”