“We are, actually.” Kyle sounded like he was trying to keep his voice neutral. “We intervene before the new Downworlder can get violent and hurt themselves or other people. I know what would have happened to me if it hadn’t been for the Guard. I’ve done bad things. Really bad.”
“How bad?” asked Jace. “Illegal bad?”
“Shut up, Jace,” said Simon. “You’re off duty, okay? Stop being a Shadowhunter for a second.” He turned to Kyle.
“So how did you end up auditioning for my crappy band, then?”
“I didn’t realize you knew it was crappy.”
“Just answer the question.”
“We got a report of a new vampire—a Daylighter, living on his own, not with a clan.
Your secret’s not as secret as you think. Fledgling vampires without a clan to help them can be very dangerous. I got dispatched to keep an eye on you.”
“So, what you’re saying,” said Simon, “is not just that you don’t want me to move out now that I know you’re a werewolf, but that you won’t let me move out?”
“Right,” said Kyle. “I mean, you can move out, but I’ll come with you.”
“That’s not necessary,” said Jace. “I can keep a perfectly good eye on Simon, thank you.
He’s my neophyte Downworlder to mock and boss around, not yours.”
“Shut up!” Simon yelled. “Both of you. Neither of you were around when someone tried to kill me earlier today—”
“I was,” said Jace. “You know, eventually.”
Kyle’s eyes shone, like a wolf’s eyes at night. “Someone tried to kill you? What happened?”
Simon’s gaze met Jace’s across the room. A silent agreement not to mention the Mark of Cain passed between them. “Two days ago, and today, I was followed and attacked by some guys in gray tracksuits.”
“Humans?”
“We’re not sure.”
“And you have no idea what they want with you?”
“They definitely want me dead,” said Simon. “Beyond that, I don’t really know, no.”
“We have some leads,” said Jace. “We’ll be investigating.”
Kyle shook his head. “Fine. Whatever it is you’re not telling me, I’ll find out eventually.”
He got to his feet. “And now, I’m beat. I’m going to sleep. I’ll see you in the morning,”
he said to Simon. “You,” he said to Jace, “well, I guess I’ll see you around. You’re the first Shadowhunter I’ve ever met.”
“That’s too bad,” said Jace, “since all the ones you meet from now on will be a terrible letdown.”
Kyle rolled his eyes and left, banging his bedroom door shut behind him.
Simon looked at Jace. “You’re not going back to the Institute,” he said, “are you?”
Jace shook his head. “You need protecting. Who knows when someone might try to kill you again?”
“This avoiding Clary thing of yours has truly taken an epic turn,” Simon said, standing up. “Are you ever going home?”
Jace looked at him. “Are you?”
Simon stalked into the kitchen, retrieved a broom, and swept up the broken glass from the smashed bottle. It had been his last. He dumped the shards into the trash and walked past Jace into his own small bedroom, where he stripped off his jacket and shoes and flung himself down onto the mattress.
A moment later Jace came into the room. He looked around, his light eyebrows raised, his expression a mask of amusement. “Quite a space you’ve got here. Minimalist. I like it.”
Simon rolled onto his side and stared at Jace in disbelief. “Please tell me you’re not actually planning on staying in my room.”
Jace perched on the windowsill and looked down at him. “You really don’t get this bodyguard thing, do you?”
“I didn’t even think you liked me all that much,” said Simon. “Is this one of those keep-your-friends-close-and-your enemies-closer things?”
“I thought it was keep your friends close so you have someone to drive the car when you sneak over to your enemy’s house at night and throw up in his mailbox.”
“I’m pretty sure that’s not it. And this protecting me thing is less touching than creepy, just so you know. I’m fine.
You’ve seen what happens if someone tries to hurt me.”
“Yes,Ihave,”saidJace.“Buteventuallythepersonwho’s
tryingtokillyouisgoingtofigureoutabouttheMarkof Cain. And then they’re either going to give up or find some other way to come at you.” He leaned against the window frame.
“And that’s why I’m here.”
Despite his exasperation Simon could find no holes in this argument, or at least not one big enough to bother with.