Chapter 3

The afternoon dragged in, and my room had gone quiet as a graveyard. None of the three would meet my eyes.

Cassius spoke first, trying for gentle. "You can't truly mean all of us, Elise. You'd keep one, wouldn't you?"

I met his eyes. "Who wants to stay?"

No one moved. Asta studied the floorboards. Belial turned toward the window, arms crossed, jaw set.

There it was. The last question I'd ever ask them, and they'd all answered the same.

Before the sting could land, Belial was at the door, all smiles, sweeping into a low bow.

"Lady Cecilia," Cassius said, dripping honey. "Our new mistress."

That word should have cut me. It barely scraped.

My sister stepped in like she owned the room, her white dress trailing over my floor. She inspected the three of them the way she'd inspect horses at market.

"You've outdone yourself, sister," she said. "Three gorgeous incubi." Her eyes slid to me, full of pity. "Though you could never afford to keep them properly."

I kept my mouth shut.

"At my villa, you'll have silk sheets and real wine," she told them. "Not... this." She wrinkled her nose at my cramped walls.

The three preened. Cassius and Asta traded glances, already drunk on the life she was painting.

They had no idea what my sister did to creatures that displeased her. That was no longer my problem.

Cecilia turned back to me, her voice going sweet and sharp in one breath. "You really should come home, Elise. The Duke is still waiting. Refusing him was foolish, and look where it's left you."

Asta glanced at me then. For half a second, something flickered behind his eyes. Concern. Maybe guilt.

It was gone before I could name it.

"I could leave one behind, to keep you company," Cecilia said, feigning kindness. "Sisterly charity."

Silence again. All three looked anywhere but at me.

I laughed, short and cold. "Don't bother. Take them all. I'll sweep my own floor."

Cecilia shrugged. "Your loss."

She waved a hand, and the three filed out after her like trained hounds. At the threshold, Cassius glanced back. Once.

Then he was gone.

That was when they wheeled in the cage.

Two of Cecilia's servants pushed it through my door, an iron box so tall it nearly scraped the ceiling. Inside sat a man, motionless, arms chained above his head. Dark hair fell over a face too sharp and too pale and far too beautiful. Even locked in iron, he made the incubi look cheap.

Cecilia just wanted one last look at him, but the second she got close, the guy coldly turned his head away."This is the snake. Cold as stone. Won't speak, won't let anyone near, barely eats.I won't miss him."

The servants unlocked the cage and left without bothering to unchain him.

The door shut. The room went still again.

I turned to face him.

He lifted his head slowly, and his eyes found mine. Gray. Flat. Empty as the cage behind him.

Then they changed.

His pupils stretched, thinning into two dark vertical slits. His whole body went rigid, the muscles coiling under that pale skin. The air turned heavy, thick with something sweet and strange that rolled off him and filled my lungs.

The guy my sister was talking about— with two thick cocks who’s super cold—right now he’s wrapping his black snake tail around my waist.

I gasped, grabbing for the iron bar. "You—what's wrong with you?"

He didn't answer. Those slit eyes stayed locked on my face, his chest heaving, the strange sweetness pouring off him in waves. His tail tightened, just enough that I couldn't step back.