Demon Host

CHAPTER ELEVEN- In Rome

      He looked at me. The dark brown of his eyes staring at my green ones a little surprised. His lips curved up into a wrinkled smile.

"How are you?" My father asked, taking a step closer and i took one back.

It had been four years since i had last seen him and five years since the divorce. Back then he had been so hell bent on getting custody of me but mum would not have it and he did not want a fight so he let her have at least half of everything he owned except me. That is until i decided i wanted to stick with mum and told him that i never wanted to see him in my life again.

I could see the obvious lines of aging all over his face. A lot of things can happen in four years you know. Looking at the man i once looked up to for everything i did, i realized that. For starters, the slight slur and dryness in his voice when he spoke, that was different. And the way he dragged his left leg with every step he took, that was also different.

I wanted to ask him what happened, why he was walking like he had dislocated a joint, but i did not. Instead i simply flashed him a shallow smile that did not reach my eyes.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bother you, i just needed a place to crash for tonight" i said.

"No, it's completely fine, i'm actually happy you called, and you should know you are welcome here any time, any day." His eyes held a spark that i had not seen for so long.

At first when he answered the phone, he sounded and i'm pretty sure he also looked like he was about to murder someone for interrupting his beauty sleep. But now he sounded like he had just seen an angel fall from the sky to redeem him and grant him eternal salvation.

By 'here' he meant his house that we were both standing in front of. It was just somewhere in the middle of town. Unlike Randall, Sharelake is much bigger with a higher population and in general, a much better place.

The walls were painted an alluring shade of white, there were little vases of flowers arranged at the corners of the front door. It was the not so classy but push kind of home, even without going in, i could tell that this average sized duplex was the kind of push home that anyone could easily get comfy cozy in.

I was not surprised in the least bit. Despite how wealthy he is, my dad is not the type that likes to go overboard on anything at all. He liked to live low key and i am pretty sure if it were up to him alone he probably would be living in a little flat apartment in a calm and quiet neighborhood.

I can understand why he would want to leave Randall to come live here. The place was beautiful with a lot of amusing places. I mean...they even have an amusement park! something that i always wanted to visit as a kid, and a few Chinese /Italian /French restaurants! Not to mention they have much better employment opportunities here than in my town and it was a much better place to start afresh with a new family.

"Come on in" he said opening the front door for me to go in. I looked carefully between him and the entrance.

"Are they...? Are they up?" I asked lifting a brow.

I did not want to cause disruption on them of any kind by walking in on them unannounced. I had never met dad's new family, and i had no intention on ever meeting them, which is why i was going to be leaving their home first thing later in the morning.

"They are all asleep" he confirmed and i let out a sigh of relief.

Stepping into his home, i took in a deep breath as i inspected the new environment. Just like the exterior, the interior was also painted the same shade of white but with additional blue designs.

The living room was impressive just as i had expected. The couches were a dark shade of navy blue you could easily mistake for black, the clean tiled floor, covered in a navy blue feather rug just below the center table facing opposite to the large plasma TV hung on the wall.