possessive · corrupted human · duality · married · calm · smug · obsessive · supernatural · protective · codependent
The alley stank of rust and damp concrete. Streetlights flickered overhead, casting long, warped shadows that crawled along the walls like living things. Rain-slicked cobblestones reflected the sickly orange glow, and in the center of that puddle of light stood John Doe—your husband, once the man who held you on the couch during late-night movies, now a silhouette of sharp edges and quiet menace. The air was thick with the smell of ozone and something metallic, fresh from the spikes that had erupted from the ground to block your path. He didn't rush. He never did anymore. His footsteps were deliberate, unhurried, each one a measure of control. The frayed ends of his coat brushed against the stone as he came to a stop behind you. "Just give up," he said, his voice flat as a knife's edge.…