The first taste of fear had settled sweetly on Cain's tongue. He didn't sleep that night—vampires like him didn't need to—but he sat motionless on the edge of the rooftop, staring at the pale city horizon as dawn struggled to pierce the veil of clouds.
The sky was grey, not bright. That was good. His skin itched faintly, but it didn't burn. Not yet.
Below, the dormitory buzzed with early risers, all unaware that something monstrous walked among them now. His fangs hadn't fully emerged. His eyes were still somewhat human. He could blend in—for now.
Cain stood and stretched, his joints cracking like dry wood. Each movement felt more fluid than the last. Stronger. His senses had sharpened overnight. He could hear heartbeats through walls, smell shampoo on students two floors down, and sense the flicker of emotions from every body that moved below.
And deep inside him, his hunger simmered.
Cain returned to his room—Room 4D, tucked away in the forgotten end of the boys' dormitory. It was barely larger than a closet, but it was his. A laptop with a cracked screen sat on the desk. A single bulb flickered overhead. This was the cell where the old Cain Morgan lived and suffered.
He stood in front of the mirror.
His reflection was pale. Not invisible, but… fading. His pupils had a faint crimson ring. His cheekbones looked sharper, his jaw more defined. Even his lips looked darker, fuller.
He stared at himself, chest rising slowly. "I am changing."
There was power in saying it aloud. The words vibrated through the air like spells.
Then came the knock.
Not on the door. On the window.
Cain turned slowly.
A figure stood outside, three floors up. She didn't hang or float—she simply stood, pressed to the glass like it was the floor.
Long hair. Black as ink. Crimson eyes. Bare feet. Her school uniform perfectly neat despite the wind blowing wildly around her.
Lilith.
Cain opened the window wordlessly. She stepped in, her movement soundless. Like a cat walking through dreams.
"You fed," she said, circling him. Her voice was honey over blades.
"Yes," he said simply.
Lilith's smile widened. "You're learning."
"I didn't kill him," Cain added, eyes narrowing.
"Oh, little flame," she cooed, running a nail along his collarbone. "You don't need to. Not yet. They must feel you before they fear you. Let their minds rot with paranoia. Let their hearts whisper your name in nightmares."
Cain shivered, but not from fear.
"I need more," he said. "The hunger won't go."
Lilith raised a hand, and the room darkened. Time itself seemed to slow. Her fingers traced an invisible rune in the air. A scarlet glow surrounded Cain.
"You must awaken the Mask of Control," she whispered. "It will let you walk among them without suspicion. With it, you may seduce, devour, and conquer without revealing your true nature."
Cain felt the mark burn itself into his chest, over his heart. His body stiffened, eyes rolling back briefly.
[New Skill Unlocked: Mask of Control]Conceals vampiric aura, manipulates facial perception, and enhances charm for 1 hour.
When he blinked again, the rune was gone.
Lilith stepped back, admiring him. "Now go," she said. "Your next flame is waiting."
That afternoon, Cain returned to class.
He walked through the doors of Class 3-B in the middle of the lesson. Mrs. Harrow paused mid-sentence, brow furrowing.
"Cain Morgan," she said slowly. "You're late."
Cain tilted his head slightly. "Apologies. I was speaking with the principal about transferring into the advanced program."
A lie. Delivered like truth. The Mask was working.
Whispers bloomed instantly.
"Advanced?""Him?""Why the hell would the principal talk to Cain Morgan?"
Cain took his seat at the back, ignoring the stares. He kept his posture calm, controlled. Eyes down, but not in submission. He watched them all from beneath his lashes.
Especially Serena Vale.
She sat at the front as usual—back straight, hair tied up in that signature silky bun, lips cherry red. She was laughing softly with her group, the same smug look on her perfect face.
But something changed the moment she glanced at him.
Her laughter hitched. Only for a second.
Cain looked up.
Their eyes met.
And he smiled.
A slow, knowing smile.
Serena's breath caught. She looked away.
Later, in the courtyard, Cain sat on the old bench under the dead tree, watching the sports field. The Mask still hummed faintly across his skin. He knew the effect it was having. He could feel gazes flick toward him, unsure, curious.
And then she came.
Serena Vale.
Alone.
She walked up to him like a storm in heels, arms folded, hips swaying with practiced grace. But there was tension in her stride.
Cain stood.
Serena stopped two feet from him. "You've got some nerve, Morgan."
"Have I?" he asked, tilting his head.
"What's with the new attitude?" she hissed. "Did you take something?"
Cain's eyes glinted. "You noticed me."
Serena's lips curled. "Don't get cocky. You're still nothing."
Cain stepped forward, slow, deliberate. "And yet, here you are. Following me."
Serena blinked. "What?"
"I didn't come to you, Serena. You walked over to me."
She faltered. Just a flicker. Her lips parted.
Cain leaned in, whispering so only she could hear. "Your heart's racing."
She took a step back, suddenly aware of the space between them. "You're weird. Stay away from me."
But she didn't leave.
Cain didn't move either.
He smiled again. This one was deeper. Colder.
"I don't think you want me to stay away," he murmured.
Serena's breath caught.
For the first time, Cain saw it—doubt in her eyes. Her confidence cracked, just a little.
Then she turned and stormed off, her movements stiff, controlled.
That night, Cain returned to his room and collapsed on the bed. The Mask faded with a soft hiss.
His body throbbed. Not with pain, but growth.
[Hunger: 85%][Seduction increased to 3][Aura increased to 3][Skill Mastery: Mask of Control – Level 1]
His mind drifted as he stared at the ceiling. He replayed Serena's expression again and again. The slight flush on her cheeks. The tremble in her voice.
Power.
This wasn't about brute force. Not yet.
It was about control. And he had just tasted it.
Elsewhere, Serena Vale sat on the edge of her silk-covered bed, staring at her reflection. Her hands trembled slightly.
She couldn't explain it.
That look in Cain's eyes… it had burned into her. She shouldn't have felt anything. But she did. A strange rush of shame and—worse—curiosity.
She bit her lip.
Cain lay still in the dark, eyes glowing faintly red.
"Soon," he whispered. "They'll all feel it."
The hunger didn't just gnaw now. It guided him.
And tomorrow, he would choose another.
Cain Morgan – Updated Stats:
Race: Lustborne Vampire (Hybrid)
Strength: 1
Seduction: 3
Aura: 3
Hunger: 85%
Skills:
Emotion Drain – Absorb energy from intense emotion through contact
Mask of Control – Hide vampiric aura and enhance influence for short periods
New Trait:Predator's Smile – Targets feel compelled or unsettled by prolonged eye contact or smiles