Home Sour Home

Robert and Rachel landed on the port of Los Angeles and Robert looked around to see if there was someone or not. The place was quite foggy with the vapor from the sea emerging slowly from the surface of the sea. Robert quickly caught Rachel's hand and walked briskly towards the road and then waited for any car to arrive. Unfortunately, the port was not that famous and at that time of the night, the surroundings are basically a ghost town. He looked around and saw that an old model pickup truck was there. A middle aged man who was mostly bald was fucking a prostitute in it. Robert closed Rachel's eyes as it was a nasty reminiscent of her troubled past. He took out his gun and knocked on the door of the truck. Soon, the man and the prostitute ran away from the truck and Robert and Rachel sat inside the truck and started to drive towards Rachel's house. Robert looked around and saw a nicely wrapped hamburger inside a plastic bag. He asked, "What obsession do you Americans have with eating all this unhealthy junk?"

Rachel said weakly, "Once you start eating it, the taste won't let you go back again." Robert smiled, "Yeah. I have heard this saying before. We all have our delicacies and we are guilty of devouring it all the time." Rachel asked, "How am I gonna face my daughter after all that happened to me? Will she ever forgive me or even worse, will she start loathing me?" Robert said, "Sometimes, hiding the truth is better than telling the truth. Facing your problems isn't a bad thing, but sometimes avoiding it is in the best interest for everyone. We cannot determine our faith because it's in God's hands, but we can always try our best to change it or if possible, try to lessen our problems." Rachel smiled, "How come a guy like you got in the trafficking and prostitution business?" Robert said grimly, "Family pressure and mostly, the poverty. My brother, Robin never liked to bow his head before anyone and therefore he indulged himself in criminal activities and soon he was visiting prisons, casinos and soon brothels. I wanted to stop him, maybe I wanted to rebuke him too. But, the money was good and I got to fuck some girls I liked at that time."

Rachel asked, "Then, why did you revolt then?" Robert said, "Partially because I always wanted to and partially because of you. I don't know why but you have a certain kind of aura around you. An aura that makes people see the good side and question their deeds. It may sound exaggerated, but you look like you have come on the earth to guide the bad and sinful people towards the path of righteousness and virtue." Rachel laughed, "If I really had that power, your brother would have changed instantly." Robert said, "He did change a little. He chose to sell you instead of killing you for your bad behaviour towards him. Something, I have never seen from him ever. He showed mercy on you, at least in a less gruesome way." Rachel said grimly, "It still doesn't change the fact that he pushed thousands and thousands of innocent women into prostitution. A monster like him should be punished." Robert said, "My brother never cared about anything except money and influence. I have seen him ruthlessly killing people for even the minimal offences. A complete dictator and maniac he has been to all the people who chose or were forced to stay loyal to him."

Rachel said, "You hate your brother just because he is more powerful than you and treats you like his bitch. Isn't your hatred unjustified?" Robert said, "Nothing is unjustified when you have to choose between two evils. I just happened to choose the romantic evil." Rachel said, "I have a life out there, Robert. I cannot stay with you always. It will be better if you just leave me at my home and get out of my life forever. It's a request." Robert said grimly, "Your request sounds very selfish to me. I would have liked to do that happily if my brother wasn't after my ass. As you already know that my brother will not leave me or you alone until he kills us both. So, I have to stay with you in one way or another." Rachel sighed, "I hope Alice and Ethan will try to understand my situation and cooperate with my decision." Robert asked, "Who's Ethan?" Rachel said, "My husband. I didn't give birth to my daughter being unmarried." Robert asked, "So, he's your daughter's father?" Rachel said, "Step father. My first husband Marcus was an archeologist and so is Ethan. In fact, we first met each other though Marcus only. Good guy, loves me and Alice. Only God knows how much worried he has been since I have gone missing."

Robert asked, "What happened with your previous husband, Marcus? Why did you two get divorced despite having a child together?" Rachel said grimly, "Fate is cruel, Robert. It destroys a happy family in an instant and makes the humans take difficult decisions. Marcus and I didn't get a divorce. He was brutally murdered by a wild animal in one of his projects. Many say that he was alone and many say that the animal killed all of the three members that were with Marcus at that time. Marcus's death was quite terrifying for us and you know how the society sees a young widow with an infant child. I started to get sleazy love letters from strangers and many of my own family members started sexually harassing me. I was about to kill myself and Alice, when Ethan came in our life and decided to marry me and adopt Alice. Ethan proved to be a brilliant father to Alice and soon they made many happy memories together.

But, as adolescence came Alice started to distance herself from Ethan, mostly because the girls in her college started teasing her and even called me a "slut" as I so easily agreed to marry another man just after two months of my husband's death. I just hope that things will turn normal again one day and we will live as a happy family once again." Robert smiled, "Happy? Happiness is very expensive, ma'am. Your whole life will end buying it." Rachel smiled, "Happiness cannot be bought but can only be created. If I had not hoped for happiness, my life would have ended years ago." Robert said, "I don't know what our relationship is? And to be frank, I don't even care. As long as I am here, I will try to save your happiness for you." Rachel said, "I really can't give you the love you are asking for. I simply can't. That love already has an owner and that owner is my husband, Ethan." They stopped before Rachel's house and Rachel went outside the car and walked towards her house.

Robert looked at Rachel going and smiled weakly. He was clearly devastated with the harsh decision that Rachel had taken all by herself. It was not like she was wrong, but Robert's heart was crying for Rachel's love which was unfortunately not in his fate. He kept looking at her and he saw that she hugged a man who was already standing there. Robert presumed the man to be Rachel's husband, Ethan and was about to start the engine when he felt a negative aura nearby him. He wasn't completely sure that it was a reality or that he was just hallucinating, but he saw a woman walking towards Rachel and Ethan and saw periwinkle smoke coming from her body. Robert is a demon but not a full demon like Phantom and Abigail, because he and his brother were granted the demonic powers when they sacrificed their souls to Assayah and took an oath to serve the Monastery and fulfill all their commands obediently and without any questions. But, times changed and Bacca thought that having half demons will be a fatal mistake as humans are full of confusion and cannot stay loyal to one notion all the time.

He ordered Kayuba to kill all the half demons and soon the half demons started to perish, but Assayah wanted to keep Robert and Robin alive as they were being quite profitable to him and he doesn't want to lose his golden goose. Assayah managed to control Kayuba and convince him to leave the Fletcher brothers alive in exchange for thirty virgin girls. Robin considered this opportunity as an immunity for him and started ruthlessly climbing up the crime world. Assayah taught the two brothers some demonic art and soon they could properly utilise their power wisely and in limit. Identifying another demon was not that hard for Robert but fighting with them was a different thing. He could easily defeat Kenchi as Kenchi rarely takes interest in combat skills as he likes to be the manipulator instead. Robert clearly understood that whoever that demon is, is definitely way more powerful for him to handle but yet he wanted to go and stand in front of the demon and shoo it away from Rachel. Maybe that's what love is actually.

He jumped out of his car and was about to go towards Rachel, when a hand out of nowhere pulled him inside a different reality. Robert was terrified to see Kayuba standing there grabbing his collar and looking at him with anger in his eyes. He asked in an afraid tone, "Master Kayuba?" Kayuba smiled, "Yes." Robert asked, "Have you come to Robin's request, master?" Kayuba said, "Yes. Why not? All I have left to do is involve myself in this silly sibling rivalry. No, you idiot! I have come to stop you from interfering in my work. The demon you are trying to scare away is way more powerful than you and therefore it is in your good will only that you don't mess with him." Robert said, "But, that woman is innocent. You shouldn't hurt an innocent like this." Kayuba slapped him and said angrily, "Only I will decide who is innocent or not. I don't need your filthy words in my ears. Fuck off and if I ever saw you even a kilometre in my friend's way, I will roast you in the fire of the Monastery." He slapped him again and went away. Soon, Robert felt that his feet were no longer on firm ground and soon he fell down thousands of feet and crashed in the water. Robert looked around and saw that it was the same dock that he and Rachel arrived earlier.

He saw that the ship was still there and an angry voice rang in his ears, "Get away if you want to live. I won't show such mercy next time." The voice this time was different and more powerful than Kayuba. Robert was confused as he never saw anyone more powerful than Kayuba. Of course, there is Bacca and Xao Chang but they won't waste their time on a minion like him. So, who is he? Another demon like him? Or a master above Kayuba? Robert was thinking all these when a punch knocked him out.

Robert slowly opened his eyes and saw that he is tied to a chair and Phantom and Ralph are looking at him with anger. Phantom said, "So, you are the rogue who pushed my Rachel into prostitution? You don't even know what kind of torture I have in my mind." Robert asked, "My Rachel? How do you know Rachel? And why the hell have you tied me with the chair? Release me at once or you will face dire consequences." Phantom said, "Quiet! I will be the one talking. You just listen carefully. Who has sent you and you do you work for?" Robert said, "I work for no one and nobody has sent me. Why should I tell you anyway? Who the hell are you anyway?" Phantom smiled, "Pathetic kid. You are calling your death all by yourself. Anyway, if that's what your last wish is, then very well. I am the bringer of chaos and death, the legendary demon, Phantom." Robert asked, "Phantom? As in Master Kayuba's apprentice? The one who is serving sentence for his unethical relations with some mortal."

Phantom asked, "You know me? I mean, I'm famous but again so much. Hell knows no popularity than this handsome ghoul." Robert said, "Your unwanted bragging has definitely proved your identity. So, Rachel is the one who you had sex with. At least, I can't blame you for that.I myself got a boner when I first saw her almost naked." Phantom asked angrily, "You and she had sex?" Robert said, "Of course not. We have connected on a spiritual level." Phantom asked, "Like friends?" Robert said, "Yes. Like friends. She never liked me that way let alone think of me as her lover. She is a loyal woman to her husband and a caring and responsible parent to her daughter. Now, I get it. It was you who killed her previous husband Marcus, out of jealousy. Isn't it?"

Phantom said, "No. Why would you even think that? See, I won't say that I was thrilled to see my love being someone else's wife, but I never saw Marcus nor even knew about him because I was in imprisonment when he died. I have forgotten about our love story way ago and now I am more focused on the more important things. That is protecting her from my evil masters. I sensed a negative aura near her when she left you, so I thought that you are the negative person and I kidnapped you. But, it looks like I was wrong." Robert asked, "What do you have in mind?" Phantom said, "It's time for us weak demons to stand up against the injustice of our seniors. And the revolution will start with killing that negative aura." His voice started to echo as the sun started to rise from behind the horizon...