Chapter 4(b)

Beneath the silk:A Gilded Cage

The alarm blared at 5:00 a.m., but Selene was already awake, her nails tracing slow, possessive circles on Angus's chest. "Rise and shine, love," she purred, her voice dripping with faux sweetness. "We wouldn't want to miss our train." 

Angus stirred, his body heavy with the weight of another sleepless night. Selene's idea of "preparing" for the trip was less about packing and more about marking her territory. She dragged him into the shower, her hands roaming his body with a familiarity that bordered on ritual. The steam curled around them as she pressed him against the tiled wall, her lips trailing down his neck. "You're *mine*," she whispered, biting just hard enough to leave a bruise. Angus closed his eyes, letting the scalding water mask his grimace. 

They dressed in silence—Selene in a blood-red cocktail dress that hugged her curves like a second skin, Angus in a tailored charcoal suit she'd picked for him. "Handsome," she cooed, adjusting his tie with a smirk. "But don't forget who you belong to." 

Outside, the first taxi pulled up, driven by a middle-aged woman with a kind smile. "Morning! Headed to the station?" 

Angus froze. Selene's grip tightened on his arm, her nails digging into his flesh. "*No*," he said abruptly, his voice strained. "We'll wait for another." 

The driver frowned but drove off. Selene's laughter was icy. "Good boy," she murmured, her breath hot against his ear. "You're learning." 

The next taxi arrived minutes later, driven by a gruff man in his fifties. Angus exhaled in relief. They got in and were driven off to the train station.

**The Train: Cabin 12(b)** 

The cabin mirrored Chloe and Caden's in opulence—plush velvet seats, gold-trimmed mirrors, and a bed draped in black silk. But Selene's touch was everywhere: rose petals strewn across the sheets, the air thick with her jasmine-and-iron perfume. Angus sat rigidly by the window, his eyes darting to the connecting door that led to Cabin 12(a). 

**Dining Car: A Deadly Charade** 

At 8:30 p.m., the dining car buzzed with clinking silverware and murmured conversations. Chloe and Caden were already seated, their laughter bright and effortless. Angus's stomach churned as Selene guided him to their table, her hand possessive on his thigh beneath the cloth. 

"So!" Chloe said, leaning forward with a grin. "How'd you two meet?" 

Selene's smile sharpened. "Oh, Angus *summoned* me," she said, swirling her wine. "Literally." 

Angus choked on his water. Caden's gaze flicked to him, unreadable. 

The conversation danced on a knife's edge. Chloe joked about the train's amenities; Caden deflected questions about his "work." Selene watched Chloe like a cat sizing up a mouse, her fingers tightening on Angus's leg whenever the girl laughed. 

Then it happened—Caden "accidentally" knocked his teacup, scalding liquid spilling across his lap. He winced theatrically, but Angus noticed: no reddened skin, no flinch of pain. *Vampire.* 

"I'll clean up," Caden said, standing smoothly. 

"Me too," Chloe sighed, dabbing at a spot on her blouse. "Be right back!" 

**Predator vs. Predator** 

Caden locked the bathroom door, his reflection flickering in the ornate mirror. He didn't need to turn around to know she was there. 

"Hello, *Succubus*," he said, his voice cold. 

Selene materialized behind him, her tail—sleek, scaly, and tipped with a venomous barb—coiling around his throat. "You're trespassing, bloodsucker," she hissed. "That girl is *mine*." 

Caden moved faster than she could blink, pinning her against the wall with a snarl. His fangs glinted in the low light. "Touch her, and I'll rip that tail off and shove it down your throat." 

Selene laughed, the sound like shattered glass. "Jealous? Or just hungry?" Her free hand trailed down his chest, her claws pricking his skin. "We could share him. Angus is... *versatile*." 

Caden's grip tightened. "I don't play with demons." 

"Pity." Her tail tightened around his neck, drawing blood. "But if you harm a hair on my Angus..." 

"*Your* Angus?" Caden smirked. "Funny. He reeks of fear, not love." 

The door rattled. Chloe's voice: "Caden? You okay in there?" 

Selene vanished in a wisp of smoke, her laughter echoing. Caden straightened his collar, the wounds on his neck already healing. 

"All good," he called, smoothing his expression into calm. "Be right out." 

 Bathroom Confrontation: A Desperate Plea

Angus stepped into the narrow hallway, his hands trembling as he balanced a tray of refreshments. He needed a moment away from Selene's suffocating presence, but as he passed the bathroom, a hand shot out and yanked him inside. 

Caden pinned him against the wall, his eyes blazing with fury. "What the hell are you thinking, bringing a *succubus* on this train?" he hissed, his voice low but seething. 

Angus flinched, his tray clattering to the floor. "It's not my fault," he whispered, his voice breaking. Tears welled in his eyes as he pushed Caden's hands away. "You don't understand... I didn't have a choice." 

Caden's grip loosened, but his glare didn't waver. "You're playing with fire, Angus. That thing will destroy you—and anyone else who gets in her way." 

Angus wiped his eyes, his voice barely audible. "I know. But I can't stop her. No one can." 

He pushed past Caden and stumbled back into the hallway, his heart pounding. 

**Dining Car: A Dance of Jealousy** 

Selene returned to the dining car just as Chloe emerged from her cabin, now wearing a stunning emerald-green dress that hugged her figure perfectly. The fabric shimmered under the soft light, and her hair cascaded in loose waves over her shoulders. Selene's eyes narrowed, her lips curling into a predatory smile. 

"What a beautiful dress," Selene purred, rising from her seat. She circled Chloe like a shark, her fingers brushing the fabric as if inspecting it. "It suits you... almost too well." 

Chloe smiled, oblivious to the danger. "Thank you! I thought it'd be nice for the island." 

Selene's tail, hidden beneath her dress, slithered out, its barbed tip poised inches from Chloe's neck. "Such a shame," Selene murmured, her voice dripping with faux sweetness. "Such beauty... wasted." 

Just as the tail twitched, ready to strike, Caden reappeared, his presence like a thunderclap. Selene's tail retracted instantly, and she stepped back, her smile never faltering. "Enjoy the rest of your evening," she said, returning to her seat. 

Chloe blinked, confused but unharmed. "Uh... thanks?" 

**Cabin 12(b): A Possessive Claim** 

Back in their cabin, Selene slammed the door shut, her eyes blazing as she pinned Angus against the wall. "Tell me, Angus," she said, her voice a dangerous purr. "Is that girl prettier than me?" 

Angus swallowed hard, his voice steady but laced with fear. "No way. She's not even attractive." 

Selene smirked, her fingers tracing his jawline. "You're lying," she said, her tone almost playful. "But I like it. The guilt... it turns me on." 

Angus opened his mouth to protest, but Selene silenced him with a finger to his lips. "I want you right now," she whispered, her breath hot against his skin. "Underwater. In the dark. I want to dominate you until your body burns and every ounce of energy is mine. You belong to me, Angus. Never forget that." 

Her tail snaked out, unbuckling his belt with practiced ease. His pants dropped to the floor, and Selene kissed him deeply, her hands tangling in his hair. Angus's hands moved to her back, fumbling with the lace of her dress as she pressed against him. 

"Good boy," she murmured against his lips, her voice a mix of praise and menace. 

The train plunged into the underwater tunnel, the cabin bathed in an eerie turquoise glow. The light filtered through the water, casting rippling patterns on the walls as Selene's tail coiled around Angus's waist, pulling him closer. Their moans and the rhythmic sound of their passion were drowned out by the roar of the engine, the world outside forgotten in the depths of the ocean. .