The heck can he do?

Nathan swallowed. His mother’s voice, her body, her face was beckoning him but he knew it wasn’t her anymore.

And she was looking at him like she knew something. Like she’d been waiting for him.

Nathan didn’t even hesitate. He stormed into the kitchen, jabbing a finger at Cassandra—or whatever was standing in her place now—before whipping around to face his sister.

"What the fuck did you do?"

Sienna flinched, blinking at him like he’d just barged in screaming nonsense. "Huh?"

Nathan’s eyes darted back to Cassandra. She was still standing there, but everything about her was wrong. That knowing smirk, the slow, deliberate way she shifted her weight from one hip to the other, the way she was watching him. His stomach twisted.

"Mom?" His voice was sharp, demanding. "What is happening?"

Cassandra let out an amused little hum, tilting her head. "Oh, honey, it’s no use asking her." She gestured lazily at Sienna, who was still staring between them in confusion. "She doesn’t remember a thing."

Nathan’s jaw clenched. "You did that."

"Obviously." his mother sighed dramatically. "She had this whole little plan, you know. Summoning a demon to help her put Mommy Dearest on a leash? Adorable, really. But it wasn’t going to work."

Nathan’s fists clenched at his sides. "Why?"

"Because, darling," she drawled, stepping forward, "someone was messing with her. That little summoning doll? Not a demon. A beacon. And guess who answered?"

Nathan stayed rooted to the spot as she closed the distance between them. His mother’s black heels clicked against the tile, slow and deliberate, like a predator toying with its prey.

She stopped just inches away. He could feel the heat rolling off her skin, could smell the faint trace of her perfume, now tinged with something richer, something decadent and sinful.

"Selene," she murmured, placing a hand against his chest.

Nathan stiffened.

"That’s my name, sweetheart." She dragged her fingers down, slow and teasing, over the fabric of his shirt. "And now, thanks to your sister’s little stunt, I get to enjoy a brand-new body."

Before he could react, she leaned in—her lips grazing the side of his cheek in a featherlight kiss.

Nathan inhaled sharply, every nerve in his body on high alert.

"You’re going to love having me around," she whispered.

"Yeah, bullshit."

Sienna’s voice cut through the moment, sharp with disbelief. "This is some kind of prank, right?" She crossed her arms. "Mom—"

Selene barely spared her a glance before waving a hand dismissively. "Ugh. You’re an annoyance."

Sienna jolted as if hit with an invisible command. Her arms dropped to her sides, her expression briefly going blank before she snapped back to attention—except now, her movements were strangely automatic, like a doll on strings.

"Take off your T-shirt and finish cleaning the dishes," Selene said, voice laced with amusement. "Like a good girl."

Sienna’s hands went straight to the hem of her T-shirt.

Nathan’s stomach dropped.

Sienna’s lips parted, her voice barely above a murmur.

"Yes… I’m a good girl, Mommy."

She peeled off her T-shirt without hesitation, the fabric slipping past her arms in one smooth motion. Nathan barely had time to register what the hell was happening before she turned toward the sink, completely unfazed.

The wet plates clinked softly as she wiped them down with her removed tee, her movements eerily relaxed, like this was just another part of her morning routine. She put them away one by one, humming lightly to herself.

Selene, lounging in Cassandra’s body, just sighed.

"Kids these days," she mused, shaking her head.

Nathan swallowed thickly, his heart hammering in his throat. The fuck had he just witnessed?