Cain stood under the flickering lights of the corridor, his reflection cast in the cracked glass of the boys' restroom. His lips twitched—not into a smile, but something more feral. He could feel the system pulse through his veins like it had fused to his soul. Each movement felt measured, calculated. Each breath he took wasn't for survival—it was for control.
This wasn't just a change.It was a rebirth.And today, Cain would make another crack in the polished mask of Serena Vale.
The school corridors buzzed with chatter. News of Cain's sudden rise in the social shadows had started to ripple. Not loud enough to draw suspicion, but deep enough to cause unease. His name was mentioned in whispers—no longer with ridicule, but curiosity.
He wasn't invisible anymore.
At lunch, he sat alone, but the air around him was charged. He didn't even have to speak. Girls glanced toward him longer than they should. Boys hesitated before passing too close. The aura he emitted—unnatural, magnetic, threatening—was slowly planting itself in their subconscious.
And Serena?
She hadn't stopped watching him.
Every time her eyes met his, her confident posture faltered. Her smile would twitch, her gaze drop too quickly. She was fighting herself. But Cain knew the truth.
The Queen was beginning to doubt her throne.
That evening, Cain activated Mask of Control again. The now-familiar rush of power spread across his skin like a suit being tailored by shadows.
He headed to the girls' side of the dorms. With the aura masked and his scent dampened, the guards didn't even glance his way. To them, he was just another passing thought, a background presence in a world too distracted to notice monsters in plain sight.
He reached the hallway. Room 3-F.
Serena Vale's lair.
He could feel her inside—her presence, her scent. Vanilla and rosewater. Her emotions fluctuated like radio signals: confusion, arrogance, unease, desire.
He raised his hand, placed it gently on the wooden door, and pushed it open without a sound.
Serena stood in front of a long mirror, dressed in a silk nightgown that clung to her like liquid gold. Her hair was down, cascading over one shoulder. She had one AirPod in, swaying lightly to music.
She didn't notice him at first.
Cain stepped inside and closed the door behind him. Locked it.
Click.
Serena turned.
And froze.
Her lips parted in surprise—but no scream came.
"What—what are you doing here?" she demanded, voice sharp but uncertain. Her fingers twitched toward her phone.
Cain didn't speak. He walked forward slowly, each step like a pendulum ticking toward something inevitable.
Serena backed up. "I'll scream."
"You won't," Cain said, voice smooth, eyes glowing faintly beneath the Mask's illusion. "You're too curious."
Serena's eyes flickered. Her breath hitched.
"Curious?" she laughed, trying to mask the tremble. "You're delusional."
But her heart betrayed her. He could hear it.
Cain stopped just in front of her. Inches away. "You've thought about me, haven't you?"
"I—"
He raised his hand—not touching her, just letting it hover near her cheek.
"You wonder why I've changed. Why your body reacts when I walk past. You pretend it's disgust, but it's not."
Serena's breathing grew rapid. She didn't move away. Didn't slap his hand.
"I could ruin you," she whispered.
"You already tried."
That hit her. Her mouth opened, then closed again.
Cain leaned forward, lips brushing her ear. "But now… it's my turn."
He didn't need to touch her. His aura, his presence—it enveloped her like smoke. She shivered beneath it.
He stepped back.
"I'll leave now," he said. "But I want you to know this—your power is slipping. And you feel it."
Cain turned.
As he opened the door, Serena's voice cracked behind him. "What… what are you?"
He looked over his shoulder.
"Everything you fear," he whispered.
Then he vanished into the hallway.
Back in his room, Cain's heart pounded—not from fear, but exhilaration. The darkness inside him surged, wrapping tighter around his soul.
[Hunger: 75%][Seduction increased to 4][Aura increased to 4][New Passive Unlocked: Hypnotic Pressure]Prolonged proximity to target causes emotional conflict, confusion, and arousal.
He stood shirtless by the window, looking out over the school campus. He could feel it spreading—his name, his presence, like poison in still water.
One by one, they would feel him.
One by one, they would fall.
And next on his list?
Amara Quinn — Serena's best friend and the girl who filmed his worst humiliation in the locker room.
He still remembered the laughter.
He still remembered the shame.
And he couldn't wait to see what she looked like on her knees.
In Room 3-F, Serena sat on the edge of her bed, heart racing. She stared at the door long after he left, her fingers shaking.
She touched her cheek—where his hand hadn't even touched her.
And yet…
It burned.
A part of her whispered to run.Another part whispered don't.
And the worst part?
She didn't know which voice was hers anymore.