Zane frowned. “I didn’t kill him.
“Are you sure of that?” He tipped his head. “As sure as you are that youlikethe Imperial Heir?”
“What kind of bullshit trick is—”
Pavel cut him off by pointing toward one of the trees near Samuel’s body, waiting while Zane cautiously moved closer to it.He chuckled the second the other guy saw what he was referring to. Rolling his shoulders while Zane had his back to him.
The change always came swiftly, his bone structure breaking down and reforming with ease in less than ten seconds. He’d heard stories that it hurt for some, but that wasn’t the case for him. The rush of dopamine and adrenaline was almost intoxicating actually, his brain pumping him full of fun chemicals as a defense mechanism while his body altered.
“You filmed it?” Zane clucked his tongue. “I fail to see how that’ll help you pin this on me when there’s definitive proof that—” haughtily, he spun on his heels. And came to a halt.
“Can you see it now?” Pavel asked, flinging his arms out, presenting himself. “Well? How do I look, Doctor?”
He was identical right down to the sound of his voice and he knew it. This was a visage Pavel had spent weeks perfecting over the years. The one he cherished even more than his own.
“You…” Zane stumbled over his words and then finally managed, “How?”
“Genetics, obviously.” What a dumb question. He’d forgive him for it though. Poor thing was in shock.
“…Does Kelevra know?”
“That I’m a shapeshifter?” Pavel dropped his arms. “Of course. But it’s only him and Ledger who do. And now you. Which is to say…”
Zane was fast on the uptake. “No one would believe me if I told them the video was fake and you wore my face while you murdered Samuel.”
“Precisely.”
Pavel wanted to ask what it was like, but he kept quiet, allowing Zane to peruse him and collect his thoughts. It must be strange, in any case, seeing himself but knowing that it was someone else wearing his face and form.
This wasn’t the first time Pavel had shapeshifted into the other man. On the days when he was the weakest, where he felt like he might cave, he’d resort to this instead. Turn himself into the object of his affection and fuck himself in front of the mirror, wondering if he got the expressions right.
Wishing he could hear what Zane sounded like when he was close to release.
“I can’t think of a single thing I’ve done to wrong you,” the medical student said then, seemingly perplexed.
“Is that what you think this is about? You think you’ve wronged me?”
“Well, clearly I’ve done something to piss you off.” Zane motioned toward Samuel’s body. “People don’t go around framing guys they’re on good terms with for murder. Especially not one of this caliber. If Lyra finds out and thinks I did this—”
“I’m not mad at you,” he stopped him. “And she never has to know.”
Zane eyed him and then asked, “So long as?”
“So long as you run for me.”
He scowled. “What?”
“You heard me.”
“I’m not going to run off and let you hunt me down like some kind of animal. If you want to kill me too, you’re more than welcome to try.” Despite his words, Zane didn’t reach for where he kept his hidden dagger, one arm remaining down at his side, the other keeping the flashlight aloft. “I’d say it’s strange for you to want to bother after claiming you aren’t angry, but then again, this is Vitality. People don’t really need a reason to want to get their hands bloody.”
“I do like that last part,” Pavel admitted. “But you’re wrong about my intentions. I don’t want to kill you, gorgeous. I want to own you.”
Zane blinked at him. “What?”
“The video will certainly keep you in line because if I release that to the press you’re screwed, Royal Zane Solace, and not in the way I want you to be.”
“You think I give a shit if—” Something seemed to occur to him and he came up short. For reasons still unknown, Zane had always wanted to be named the Royal Doctor to the Imperial family, it was a role that would turn him into both their primary physician as well as their surgeon should that ever be required. It was a difficult thing to achieve, and there was only ever one given the title at a time, so despite the prestige that came with, most people weren’t interested in wasting their youth putting in the work.
