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She takes a deep breath in, and when she speaks, my chest fills with hope; it’s with a hint of the Jude I knew before. “I know what it’s like to have shit parents, so despite everything between us, I believe you. I’ve unblocked your number, and the guards will let you in. But it would be ideal if you messaged me first and came through the front door next time.”

Chapter 7 | I’m Going To Be Sick

Dominic

Icrane my neck around the steering wheel to see what the hold up is. It’s unusual to have so much traffic at this hour in Chicago, and judging from the occasional honking around me, frustration seems to bubble over from everyone wanting to get home. Briefly, I entertain magical intervention, but I know it’s not worth the energy it will cost me.

Somewhere during the 1300s, the Black Death in Europe brought the Supernatural families together, and a little over one hundred years later, the move to America cemented the bond between our four families. While our purpose has evolved over the years, one thing has never changed. We are stronger together than we ever were apart.

As the humans have adapted through the ages, so have we. At one stage, my family was the most powerful, not the Rhodes. It was back when we were still known as the mafia. But we trusted the wrong person, and my family almost lost everything, along with their position of power. Afterwards, we looked to rebrand ourselves because we realized that “mafia” was too negative. When we rebranded to “empire” change happened and wewere able to start building the influence we all craved. We found more versatility, and gained access to legitimate business opportunities while our true businesses operated from the Underworld.

Resting my forearm against the car door, I rub my temples in tiredness, and it’s a struggle to not check the time every few minutes. I’m impatient to get home and get back to a routine and see the twins. I’ve been away from home for too long, and it shows in my anxiety. First, it was the business trip, then it was Autumn’s wedding. To top it off, I thought I was done and ready to go home when I landed at the airport, but I got called straight to the Rhodes’ Estate for an emergency.

The news of Lexie’s death hits too close to home because we’re still dealing with the recent loss of our father, Dimitri Hart. Eric comforted me only a few months ago when we lost Dad, and I had to transition into my new role too. But now, we’ve switched positions as today I helped him grieve for his daughter while I listened to him rant about his revenge plans. As sad as it is, when you’re the head of an empire like I am, you don’t have time for emotions. You need to figure out what these changes mean for your people.

Even if no one wants to talk about the stages of grief, it doesn’t mean they’re not there, along with the stress that comes with an unexpected death. There was nothing sinister about Dad’s death; he died of a heart attack. The doctors told me it was stress that killed him. If I don’t make some changes soon, I’m going to end up following in his footsteps…As Sorcerers, we can perform some incredible spells and change lives if we want to. But we can’t stop death, even if we can create it.

My phone rings, and the car’s bluetooth picks up on it. With my frustration building, a brisk answer is all I offer in place of a greeting. “Dom? I justthought I should call to let you know I had a great time at the wedding,” she trails off, waiting for me to say something. Well, that’s awkward…I don’t remember giving her my number. I must have drank more than I remember.

Clearing my throat, I say, “Listen, Mary?” She immediately cuts me off. “Malin, remember?” I thank Hecate she can’t see me. “Yes, Malin. I had a great time too,” and I cringe at how false I sound with the words leaving my mouth. “But I’m not looking for anything serious right now.”

Her voice screeches to ungodly levels, “Well, you don’t need to be an asshole about it!” and she abruptly ends the call. Snorting, I can’t help wondering what she would think if she knew the truth about us. Ryder, the leader of the Human Faction, wouldn’t have approved of her, anyway.

I don’t know how Dad did it. From being a Hecate legacy, to running our empire, to raising a family, there is just so much pressure. For most Sorcerers, we keep larger families. I think that was my dad’s original plan, but Mom left when we were young, and now he’s gone, too. So it’s just the three of us left now. The twins don’t remember Mom, but I do. They look just like her, with their strawberry blonde hair and delicate features.

I didn’t understand it at the time, but when Dad explained it to me when I was older, I understood why she left. Mom couldn’t adjust to the expectations of our life, even if she was trained for it. Mom was from the Human Faction, and she was Ryder’s biggest failure. It’s something neither of us like to talk about. It’s almost like she gave Dad the children he wanted and then gave up on us. When she left, Dad had to pick up the pieces. I don’t know why he didn’t track her down and kill her as he should have, but I think he really loved her.

The honking starts all over again, the commuters in the traffic jam getting more impatient, and I finally see what’s causing the issue. Police have cordoned off an area on the side of the road, and they’re laying tarp down over what looks like a dead body. I can’t see much else other than some dark stains on the surrounding ground.

It’s odd for our part of Chicago, but not unheard of. I’ll add that to my never ending list of things to worry over and figure out. Our progress is slow as I crawl behind the car in front of me. Switching on my beams because of how dark it's getting, I check the digital clock on the dashboard. It's later than I realized. Finally, I pick up speed as I get free of the traffic jam and step on the gas to get home.

Dad started showing me some of the ropes of running our empire when I was still a teenager, but neither of us took it seriously because we always thought we had more time. No one ever plans to die. He didn’t. And now I’m stuck trying to figure this out on my own. My mind tries to go over what we could do to make the families take the Sorcerers seriously again; we need to come across as powerful.

As I near our estate, it takes me a moment to register what I’m seeing from the road. I can hear music pumping, but that’s not the issue. The twins have turned our home into some high school party, and I can see multiple cars parked on the road outside our estate that shouldn’t be there. Inside too, from the looks of it. I’m furious. They knew I was coming home today, and they didn’t care.

My hands tightening on the steering wheel, I pull over to the curb and get out of the car. I doubt any of the attendees will know about our Underworld life, so I can’t use magic to get them out, but Icanuse magic on my sisters. Staring at our home, I swirl my hand under my mouth,whispering into the wind, and I can feel its caress, cradling my words, “You’ve got five minutes to get everyone out before I do. And we all know you don’t want that.”

My magic turns yellow as the breeze carries it toward the house, the sign of convenience, and I wait for the magic to reach them. Getting back into my car, I lean back into the car seat in defeat. Here I’m stressing about our future, and the twins are fucking partying. I can’t keep doing this. I need help, and it’s time they got a reality check.

Watching the kids file out of our home, running and laughing like it’s some joke, I see my threat worked. Good. I wait until it becomes a trickle of kids before turning the ignition back on, although calling them kids is a stretch. They’re only a few years younger than me. I am the oldest out of all the family heirs, well now that Lexie is gone, but when you have the responsibility of the empire placed on your shoulders from a younger age, you grow up fast.

Pulling up into the driveway to our home, I try not to grimace at the trash left behind. My anger is bubbling during the drive, and by the time I get to the front of the house, I’m livid. Things have been tense between the twins and I since Dad died, and I miss the days where I was just their big brother and not this pseudo parent I’ve had to become.

Stalking inside, with plastic cups crunching under my feet, I shout for the twins. “Remi, Reece! Where are you?!”

Reece comes running down the stairs, and she’s wearing a dress that’s way too short. I can see things an older brother should never see. Lifting someone’s g-string off the banister with a pen from my jacket pocket, I give Reece my best impression of a glare. At least she has the grace to lookashamed for being caught. I force myself to suck in a deep breath. “Where’s Remi?”

She says nothing because she knows she can’t lie to me, and she won’t rat out her twin. Still, I suspect I know exactly where to find her. I stalk upstairs to Remi’s room and throw the bedroom door open. Reece isn’t far behind me. I find her twin half undressed on the bed with some human boy. And my blood boils. First, she ignored my warning. Now, she’s challenging me. I get acting out, but she’s taken it too far. She doesn’t understand what’s at stake here. If I lose control of this family, they die. I’m not on a power trip.

Walking over to the human boy, I grab him by the neck, and his feet lift off the ground. He’s shaking; he’s so terrified. Good. I wave my free hand in the air, and my magic weaves through it with a green hue, magic of the brain. I’m about to alter this boy’s mind.

“Don’t look at my sisters again. Every time you do, you will have an explicit urge to run. If I see you again, I will kill you. Now, forget this evening happened and get out of here.”

Grabbing his pants, I throw them at him before he runs out of the room in terror. Turning to Remi, I see her propped up in the bed, looking at me with a smirk on her face.

Her voice doesn’t waver, “Pity, I liked that one.”

She grabs her phone, and the frail hold on my temper snaps. If I had a choice, I wouldn’t care less. I was born into this just like they were. Remi is just too childish to understand that if she could abandon her petty games and prove to me she could handle responsibility, I would gladly give her our empire. She’s just never asked.