Inner Demon: The Dark Bloods - Book I ✓

Chapter 9 - The Demonic Stalker

9.

The Demonic Stalker

It had been a long time since he had taken one of his midnight strolls. Dante hadn't been the new kid long at school before the stories spread. They were about the strange, little green eyed boy that would sneak off at night to walk through his neighborhood streets. In the mornings, his dad would find him sleeping on their broken porch patio furniture. Was he running away from an abusive father? Was he scared of something else? Or was he simply sick in some way?

The reality had been that little Dante just wanted to escape the fresh sting of his parent's divorce. Back then, his father worked at an oil rig and was absent for long periods, making it harder for Dante to accept the fact that his parents weren't going to be around anymore. The middle-aged babysitter that took care of him was naive and trusting of the little boy, so it was always an easy feat to escape his room during the night.

The rumors of Dante's peculiar walks eventually died down but his habit had not. It would temporarily leave only to spring back up when he felt overly stressed about anything in particular. This night turned out to be one of those occasions, and it had lead him to the park.

Dante was sitting on a bench with his hands jammed in his pockets, fingers fiddling with the lint inside. He didn't understand. Through their stable friendship of eight years, Dante had seen Reyna evolve into a kind and friendly, yet somewhat shy, young woman. True his companionship with her had not blossomed to the same level as Julie's, but he had obtained a sweeter position as her boyfriend.

But there was something different about her now. Something she didn't want him to know. It was subtle, but Dante could tell something was off with Reyna. Was she having second thoughts of their relationship? Dante's stomach knotted up at the thought.

He shook his head. No, no. I hope not.

He sighed as he stood up and walked away. Though he kept his head bowed to the ground, he weaved through the park as if the area was mapped on his eyelids. He escaped the walking paths of Estronwood Park and exited onto the sidewalk of Main Street. The side Dante was walking on gave entrance to many neighborhoods. After a few blocks, he turned into one of the streets that gave way to his own.

Unlike the clean cut lawns and crisp multiple-story houses in Reyna's living area, this vicinity mostly held one-story houses that sported faded or peeling paint. Most of the front yards exhibited more weeds than green patches of grass. Occasionally a modest home with fresh colors was seen perched behind a decent cut front yard.

Dante's house was one of those modest homes along with a sturdy garage where his Firebird was kept locked away. It was also where his father was sleeping a heavy slumber only summoned by a hard day's work. As the owner of an entrepreneur mechanic shop that doubled as a car junk yard, Mr. Armour was always juggling his role as manager, supervisor, and employee. His tired body would usually drag him to the mattress on the garage floor first than to his bed inside the house.

Dante came up to his house and paused. He looked at it like he was mourning it and then continued on his way.

"This mortal fool enjoys aimless pacing," Mundus commented.

He had been stealthily stalking Dante, hiding against the walls of darkened buildings or jumping into shadowed rooftops. With his heightened demonic sight and senses, it was not a difficult task to keep hidden. Mundus was currently perched on the sturdy branch of an old tree growing on the front lawn of one of Dante's neighbors.

"Leave him alone!" Reyna hissed. "I'm serious. You better not think of anymore ways to kill him! What happened to the promise you made not to kill anyone anymore?"