They do some research

After taking a few minutes to freshen up, Vanessa walked back in and sat down beside him, glancing at half-dozen tabs he had opened, forums, folklore archives, digital scan PDFs of books that hadn’t seen daylight since the 1800s.

It was all surreal. Vanessa wondered why stuff like this was on the internet to begin with.

Sienna waltzed in a moment later, carrying a tray with pristine presentation: cucumber sandwiches, fresh fruit, two glasses of lemonade, and a cup of soup with a delicate sprig of parsley floating in the center.

“There we go,” she beamed. “Something light for lunch, just to tide you over.”

Nate didn’t miss the way she lingered behind him, her fingers brushing lightly along his shoulder before she went back to humming in the kitchen. Vanessa, meanwhile, sat perfectly still, hands folded, eyes flicking toward the silverware like she was debating if one of the knives might be useful in an exorcism.

“Okay,” Nate said quietly, scrolling, “listen to this.”

“Selene, known in older texts as ‘Saal’neth’ena’ is a lesser succubus originally bound to the dreams of mortal men. Not powerful on her own, she draws strength from attention, desire, and especially identity erosion. She doesn’t steal souls, she hollows them, reshaping hosts into living fantasies to keep her presence fed and hidden. Her magic doesn’t corrupt like a virus, it rewrites narratives to corrupt the host and those around them.”

Vanessa leaned in. “So she… edits people?”

“Exactly. She doesn’t force her way in, she makes you want to become the role. And once you believe it enough… you’re stuck.”

He clicked to another page. A forum thread from years ago, buried deep.

Warning: if you encounter Selene, do NOT engage in any of your fantasies with her. The moment you accept the role she offers, mother, lover, maid or toy, she starts making it real. Even observing passively is risky. Distance and denial are the only early defenses. Once she’s anchored? It’s too late.

Vanessa sat back, pale. “So we’re already screwed.”

“Not entirely,” Nate said. “There’s mention of a way to unseat her.” He tapped the screen. “It says that if the possessed host is bound and forced into a situation out of Selene’s control, we can loosen her grip. But the tricky part is overpowering a reality altering succubus without playing into her hands.”

“Easier said than done,” Vanessa muttered.

Sienna appeared again, wiping her hands on a dish towel, smiling like the perfect sitcom wife. “The custard I made for you guys is almost ready! I hope you still like caramel, Vanessa. I added a touch of cherry on top. Nate loves cherry, don’t you, sweetie?”

“Uh… yeah,” he murmured. “Thanks, honey.”

She beamed and retreated again.

Vanessa waited until she was out of earshot before leaning in. “She’s terrifying. I can’t even dream of the rebellious Sienna acting so out of character”

“She thinks she’s playing her part.” Nate’s eyes were tired. “That’s the worst thing about all this. She’s not even pretending anymore. This is her now.”

They ate slowly, quietly. Every bite of food felt unnervingly good, neither Cassandra nor Sienna were ever good cooks.

“We need to hit this hard,” Vanessa said, dabbing her mouth with a napkin. “Before she gets back. Before any more... roles are reinforced.”

Nate nodded. “I’m going to pull more info on the succubus. Rituals. Maybe something from her past. Something Selene wouldn’t see coming hopefully.”

Vanessa looked toward the hallway.

And for a moment, she felt it, the house breathing around them. Watching. Shifting.

Selene was listening.

And she didn’t like being researched.