The Aberrations of S.I.D.E.

No. 32: Kiki

Janus froze, his breathing cutting out. "You---you---"

"I lied, Janus," Isabelle said, putting a hand on her hip. "It's not exactly novel. I had to talk to you alone."

"No---no, you couldn't have," Janus whispered, looking away. "I'd have known if you---my power---you can't lie to me, it's not... it's not..."

Horror settled in as he realized what must've happened, quickly followed by fury.

"What did you do to me," he hissed, balling up his fists.

"Hang on, hang on, don't get mad!" she said, backing up a little. "I just put something in the punch that'd shut off your powers for a little bit. It's not permanent, but I knew you wouldn't talk to me alone, so I needed to find some way to get you to trust me, right?"

"You dare talk to me about trust?" Janus spat. "I can't believe I was so idiotic to think that you'd actually be sorry! You've never apologized for anything, not in your entire life!"

"Hey, I am sorry for kissing you, but I really do have feelings for you, Janus," Isabelle told him. "You don't have to settle for other boys, and you definitely don't have to settle for Remus." She said his name as if it were poison. "I mean, seriously, what do you even see in him? He's an embarrassment to the De Luca name---I would say the Sanchez name, but, well, we all know that it's already tainted, so."

"You don't know what you're talking about, you---"

"Oh, come on, you don't need to keep on defending him," she sighed, her voice becoming sickly sweet. "You can't enjoy being with him, Jannie. Just give me a chance, and---"

"Shut UP!" Janus shouted, covering his ears. "Don't you dare say another word! And don't call me that!"

"Why not?"

"Like I'd tell you anything, you twisted little harpy!"

Isabelle's face reddened. "Hey, you should be grateful!"

"Grateful for what?" Janus snapped, waving an arm around. "That I've got you as a stalker? That I'm dumb enough to fall for your little ploy? That you cut me from my powers just like---"

"Grateful that Uncle X knows that I like you!" Isabelle yelled. "Otherwise he'd have you killed! Just like that skinny little emo that turned Roman!"

This time, Janus actually felt his heart stop.

Uncle X... Xavier.

I knew he wouldn't agree to this---there had to have been something---

Oh, gods, not this. Please not this.

"What?" he rasped.

"Why do you think he let you back?" she sneered. "He only let Aunt Fran invite you so he could have the two of you taken care of. And if he didn't know that I was interested in you, you'd be dying tonight."

Janus shook his head. "No. No, I'm not going to let Virgil die---I'm going to warn him---" He started back to the ballroom, but Isabelle yanked him back.

"Don't. You. Leave!" she growled, pinning him against the wall.

"Let go!"

"There's no way that you could be happy with Remus," Isabelle said in an undertone. "He's a demented, sick, psychopath, and he can't be treating you well. I, on the other hand, would treat you like a king."