Betrayed, I Knocked Demon Lord's Door - Chapter 9: Chapter 9

Caitlyn popped into the apartment's scruffy courtyard, her face as dark as the storm clouds overhead—gray, grim, and done.
Lurking in the shadows, Patrick and Garreth froze mid-ambush. Their glowing daggers buzzed like they'd sniffed out their one true love, pointing wildly toward Apartment 101.
But the blades could wait. Their eyes snapped to the blonde who'd just appeared, hearts jackhammering like they'd wandered into a monster's den. A cold dread sank its claws into them, whispering they were about to get shredded.
Panic flooded their minds, raw and relentless.
"Who's she?" Patrick whispered, voice shaky, eyes darting away. His pulse was a runaway train.
Garreth's throat went tight, head shaking. "No clue, dude… but that vibe she's got…" His gut twisted, like he was staring down a nightmare.
Patrick's hands shook, thoughts spiraling. "Holy crap… never seen her before. She with the Demons?" Fear cracked his voice, his mind screaming to run.
Caitlyn squeezed her eyes shut, her last drop of patience evaporating. When her eyes flicked open, a crimson glow burned in them, sharp as a blade.
Arms crossed, rocking granny PJs and flip-flops, she stomped one foot. No quake, just a crushing wave of power slamming down like a meteor. Her anger fueled it, heavy and unyielding.
The two in the shadows grunted, knees buckling. Their bodies sank into the dirt, pinned by the invisible force. Sweat beaded on their brows, muscles useless.
"Get out here, you losers!" Caitlyn snapped, her voice a razor that sliced the air.
It hit like a punch, ringing in their ears.
Patrick and Garreth locked eyes, faces ghost-white. They'd just pissed off a titan, and they were way out of their depth.
Cold fear gripped them, but no way out now.
They didn't hesitate. They lunged.
Together, they unleashed hell, a blast of lethal energy roaring at Caitlyn. It was a killer move, strong enough to wipe out a city block.
Caitlyn didn't flinch. She snorted, swatting the air like she was smacking a mosquito.
BOOM!
A sonic crack split the air. Clouds above exploded, sunlight pouring down to light up Caitlyn's golden hair like a halo.
She stood like a pissed-off goddess, radiant and untouchable, her power screaming judgment.
Patrick and Garreth? Smashed into the ground like roaches.
They sank deep, dirt flying, bodies locked in place by an unseen force. No amount of struggling budged them.
Their faces twisted in shock, eyes popping. 'No way,' Patrick's mind reeled. The gap between them and a Saint-rank Adept was a freaking canyon.
They were ants.
Caitlyn's expression was ice, but inside, she was a volcano. 'These idiots think they can just show up?'
Since she'd walked away from the chaos, no one had dared mess with her. These two weren't even after her—just some dumb bugs sniffing around.
Still, it pissed her off. Weeks of bottled-up rage surged, white-hot.
Crack—
Something snapped—bones, maybe souls. The courtyard went still. Two faint pulses of life blinked out.
Caitlyn sucked in a shaky breath, her chest tight with a jumble of anger. She whipped around, eyes narrowing at the apartment entrance.
There he stood—a guy with messy brown hair and sharp green eyes, just staring at her like he had nowhere else to be.
Caitlyn scrunched her nose and shot him a death glare. 'This is all your damn fault.'
Her mind churned, irritation boiling over. Sure, she'd let him crash with her, but that didn't mean she was happy about it. Those annoying creeps hunting him? They were about to get crushed.
Leon owed her a fat stack of cash, and until he paid up, nobody was touching him.
Not a single soul.
Still, it was freaking infuriating.
Her thoughts spun, a mess of rage and confusion. 'Why am I so pissed?' That night kept flashing in her head—Leon, bruised and bloody, looking at her like a kicked puppy. It set her blood on fire.
They'd beaten him to a pulp, and now they had the balls to send goons after him.
Her fists clenched, nails digging into her palms. 'Those assholes are pure evil.'
Even she, former Demon Lord, wasn't that twisted.
Nobody else had ever left Leon this messed up—nobody but her.
And the worst part? They'd backstabbed him—literally—then had the nerve to call him the traitor.
The Human Alliance. A disgusting, rotting dumpster fire.
'Total garbage,' she cursed silently.
Across the courtyard, Leon watched her, his gaze softening as he took in the blonde girl raging at thin air. A warm flicker sparked in his chest, strange but nice. A small smile tugged at his lips.
'Being looked out for… feels kinda dope,' he thought.
Caitlyn's head was a warzone, her emotions tangled like barbed wire. She'd been at odds with him forever, yet here she was, ready to throw hands for him. The clash made her want to scream.
Just then, a lanky girl strolled by, eyeing the crater in the ground. She leaned back, eyebrow cocked at Caitlyn. "Yo, you cool? Need me to call the enforcers or something?"
Caitlyn's jaw clenched, but she forced a tight grin. "Nah, I'm good. Thanks."
"Bet." The girl shrugged, already heading for the apartment.
Passing Leon, she shot him a cheeky wink. "Hey, sir, your girl's got a temper. Hope you can keep up—she's a straight-up hottie."
Leon froze, mouth half-open, no words coming out.
The girl just chuckled and slipped into the elevator.
Caitlyn's fingers twitched, her annoyance spiking as she yanked out her phone.
She dialed Germaine, her go-to for fixing messes."Hey, Germaine, got a problem. Clean it up, stat."
"Ugh… got it, Lady Caitlyn…" came Germaine's groggy reply, laced with a faint, breathy moan.
Caitlyn's eyebrow twitched at the sound, her lips pressing into a thin line. Without another word, she hung up.
Leon eyed Caitlyn as she stormed toward him, her gaze sharp enough to cut glass. He opened his mouth, but her fierce scowl slammed it shut.
"What're you staring at? Get your ass home!" she snapped.
He blinked, thrown. "Yo, why's your face so red?"
"Mind your own business!" Caitlyn barked, then bolted inside, vanishing like smoke.
Leon stood there, scratching his jaw, his thoughts spinning. 'What's got her so rattled?' That fiery snap wasn't her usual frost-queen vibe—more like a kid caught gawking at her crush.
Shaking it off, he followed her into the house.
Inside, Caitlyn, former Demon Lord, was sprawled on the couch, arms crossed, staring into nothingness like she'd checked out.
Leon noticed she'd nabbed his spot, but it was her couch, her turf. With a shrug, he sank into the other end.
Caitlyn's mind was a mess, her fingers tapping restlessly.
'Germaine's a grown woman,' she told herself. 'She's got urges, that's normal.'
But that voice on the phone—it sounded like a woman. Her gut churned, and she shook her head to clear the weirdness.
Leon, reading the room, tossed her a peeled banana.
She caught it, gave it a quick glance, and chomped down. 'Hmph. Smart guy.'
Fifteen minutes later, Germaine burst in, cheeks still flushed. "Lady Caitlyn, shit, I'm sorry I'm late—"
"You're fine, chill!" Caitlyn cut in, flashing a wobbly grin, her hands twisting in her lap. "You don't gotta rush for me. Take care of your stuff first, cool?"
"Well, damn, when did my Caitlyn dear get so nice?" a cheeky voice teased from behind Germaine.
Caitlyn froze, her pulse spiking as she locked eyes with Germaine, who cringed. "I'm so sorry, Lady Caitlyn," Germaine muttered, head down, shoulders tight. "Lady Kathleen… she wouldn't let me come alone…"