They quickly reached a dead end, at the row of old and ancient rows of books. She was confused for a moment before he reached out and pulled one out. It hinged at the bottom, and the bookcase spun, like all those hidden passageways in movies that she figured never actually existed in real life.
As it opened inward, it revealed a living room on the other side. Something that looked straight out of an episode of some BBC cozy period drama, set in a manor house in the countryside. A fire was burning low in the hearth, and tea was already set out on the coffee table.
Looking around, she corrected herself. The building was way more out of a Regency romance novel. The ones that always had an alliterative title for some reason likeThe Dashing DukeorThe Enticing Earlor whatever.
The man stepped into the room and gestured wide with his hand to allow her to walk in front of him. She did, shaking her head, stunned at what she saw. There was no way thatthishouse was attached tothatlibrary. It made no structural sense.
It was impossible.
But she’d been pulled through a book. Into a library. And into possibly another book. Sidney laughed quietly. “I hope you’ve got vodka in that tea.” The only reason she wasn’t screaming and throwing things was the fact that she really did feel safe around this guy, whoever he was. He just had a…vibe, for lack of a better word.
“I can make that happen.” The man closed the bookcase behind him, and just likemagic,it disappeared into the wall like it was never there.
Magic.
“You’re right. It is magic, to a certain extent, what I’m doing.”
“I didn’t say that out loud. I know I didn’t.” Sidney walked over to the sofa and sat down, her knees feeling weak. The piece of furniture looked like it should be an antique, but the way it felt under her, it was clearly brand new.
She felt like she was going to cry.
“I’m sorry. I’m trying not to cheat, but it’s hard.” The man walked around to the coffee table and poured her a cup of tea. Pulling a flask from the inside of his coat pocket, he poured a clear liquid into her cup before sliding it to her and tucking the flask back into his coat. “It’s tempting, when it’s right there.”
“What is?”
“Your thoughts.”
“I…” Sidney stared at him. “You can hear my thoughts?”
“No, but I can read them.” He waved his hand. “It’s—it’s complicated. Please. Just. Let’s start at the beginning.” He sat down in thechair across from her, giving her space, before pouring himself his own cup of tea. “First, you can call me Virtue.”
“Bullshit.” She snorted. “Your real name isn’tVirtue.”
“You’re right. It isn’t.” His smile was kind of sad. “I don’t have a real name. I picked that myself.”
Well, now she felt like an asshole. “What do you mean, you don’t have a real name?” Picking up the tea, she sniffed it.Yep, Earl Gray and vodka.It’d do. She took a sip. It was good. And hopefully it’d settle her frazzled nerves.
“Because I’m not…real,you see. Not like you. You were born, you were named, you grew up, you had experiences of your own.” He furrowed his brow and stared down into his tea. “I’m made up of all the things your kind have ever written down. The stories you tell yourselves and each other.”
Sidney stared at him for a long time. “You’re…fiction...come to life?” Oh, she was going to seriously need more vodka. And maybe weed. If she hadn’t just seen everything she’d already seen today, she’d have laughed in his goddamn pretty face.
“Part of it.”
There was a choice in front of her. She could either claim everything that was happening to her was nonsense, throw the tea in the guy’s face, and start screaming and crying in total hysterics. And probably get herself and her sister killed in the process.
Or she could strap herself onto the crazy train and go along for the ride. Worst case scenario, she got made fun of when all of this was revealed to be an elaborate setup for a TV show. Or a drug trip.
Letting out a breath, she committed to the latter. Just accepting the weirdness was safer. Panicking and freaking out about the impossible wasn’t going to solve anything. “What part are you?”
The smile that lit up his face was one of absolute pride. “I’m every hero of every story, all rolled into one.”
“Sothat’swhy you look like fucking Prince Charming?” That cracked her up, though she didn’t know why.
“I don’t see you complaining. Far from it!” He pouted. Actuallypouted.“I can’t help how I look, I’m just what you peoplewriteme to be! Do you know how many romance novels exist these days? A thousand more show up every day! Every hour! And some of them—” Virtue broke off in a heavy sigh and stared into his tea, still pouting. “Never mind.”
That made her laugh harder. God, he wasadorable.She sipped her tea as her laughter faded to a broad smile. Yeah. It was hard to panic around him.
But then a thought hit her that killed the smile on her face faster than a lead balloon’s maiden flight coming to a swift end. “Wait.”
