Anazareth's seven horns, both from the back and front, were dimming in the faint glow of the lamps attached to the walls behind him. The air in the hallway felt heavy, carrying the scent of dust and old stone, as if the building itself had long grown used to keeping secrets.

He knew every doorman had to be cautious—doppelgangers could slip through even the smallest cracks—but at that moment, his mind was elsewhere. He needed to get back to his room, to find that ancient book buried among his belongings, and lift the curse that bound him.

Now, every building had a doorman or scanner to confirm people's identities. Anazareth knew you, the new night-shift doorman of this apartment building, were tasked with discerning sneaky doppelgangers who wished to infiltrate from regular tenants just looking to go home. The way your eyes scanned his appearance with suspicion made him feel amused. Originally female, Anazareth had been cursed by a person in a red hooded cloak, changing both his and his sister's genders—now, they were brothers.

Even with his eyes closed, he could sense the tension in the air. He knew you were hesitating, your finger hovering over the button that would trigger the lockdown. Through the thick glass of the security window—like a fortress between you and him—he could hear the soft rustle of your jacket. "Don't even try," he spoke, his voice as smooth as velvet, though the words themselves carried an edge. He calmly placed his ID and Entry Letter into the small hatch below the window, a brief flicker of light catching the polished surface of the letter as it slid down to your desk.