Prince - Secret Identities Book 2 (On Hold/Major Workshopping)

Chapter 2

Virgil's POV

When I woke up that morning, I hadn't expected to find a complete stranger standing in my kitchen.  His appearance had been appalling, and his attitude was even worse. He looked like a clone of my boyfriend gone wrong; his hair was streaked with a stripe of gray, and he had the mustache of a children's T.V. show villain.

Lying on my back, questioning my sanity, my ass hurt, my head hurt, and I was too fucking sick and tired to be out of bed, let alone deal with anything like that mess.  I glared at the ceiling and uttered, "Fuck me."

Remus, the psycho that had broken into the apartment that Roman and I shared, stepped forward, clearing offering himself up.

I sat up quickly, getting a little light-headed.  I clarified harshly, "Figuratively." Too much of that, I thought, and I'll turn into Logan.

Roman was in the apartment now, and he slammed the door shut behind him, drawing our attention.  His eyes glowed.  "Don't you dare lay a damn hand on him."

"Where's the fun in that?" the intruder questioned.

Roman—Princey, as I'd come to call him—walked over to me, helping me up.

"You got here quick," I whispered, clinging to the blanket coiled around me like it could protect me.

"I flew.  Fast."  He asked quietly, "Do me a favor and go to the bedroom."

I tried not to look at him like it was the dumbest fucking thing I'd ever heard.  "Yeah, that's not happening, sweetheart, but good try."

His eyes dropped.  "If he is who he says he is, it's gonna get loud; if he's not, I—I might kill him."

"Roman!" I grabbed his arm like it would do something—like it would snap him out of whatever trance he was in and he would go back to the good-hearted man I loved who knew violence was never the right answer.

But, his hands were clenched into fists, and he wouldn't look at me.  "I know.  I—I just...  I'm sorry." He sounded so defeated.

I would have kissed him or comforted him in some way if we hadn't had company.  "It'll be okay," I reassured him instead.  I backed up and leaned against the back of the couch.  I knew I wanted to see this to better understand the relationship the two had—to better understand why this "Remus" made Roman act completely unlike himself.

Roman's POV

I stayed where I was even after Virgil had stepped back, still staring at the floor.  I took a shaky, infuriated breath.  "You—You're not him."  I finally looked up and really saw the supposed Remus for the first time.  "You're not him, and this is some sick joke," I tried to convince myself. "I'm only going to ask this of you once: Put an end to it immediately."

He smiled widely, and it was so familiar it hurt.  "I'm glad you finally grew some balls, baby bro."

He'd always say that when we were younger: "Baby bro."

"You don't get to call me that.  Remus was only fifteen minutes older than me, and he's dead, so cut the bullshit."

The man's grin only grew.  "I could prove it."  His eyes shifted to Virgil for a split second.

My heart dropped.

"You know what I can do.  Whatever you want, I can make him do it."  His eyes glowed silver as he looked to Virge again.

I whirled, but I knew I was too late. I always managed to be too late.

Virgil's eyes were bright purple and glowing as well.  His breaths came in short gasps, and he collapsed into a heap of blankets.