A knot of dread tightened in Kate's stomach as the apartment door creaked open. In the dim light, she saw Deimon, his face flushed, his hair disheveled, a far cry from the composed figure she knew.
Before she could even process the scene, a loud voice echoed from the doorway.
"Kate! There you are! I was just…" Gandal's voice trailed off as he took in the scene. Deimon, swaying slightly, glared at him with bloodshot eyes. The air crackled with a hostility that sent shivers down Kate's spine.
"Gandal?" Kate stammered, bewildered. "What are you doing here?"
Gandal, his initial surprise turning to concern, cleared his throat. "I just wanted to see if you'd like to go out sometime. Maybe catch a movie or…"
He didn't get to finish. Deimon, fueled by a cocktail of alcohol and jealousy, lurch
