Chapter 23 | Fuck It
Dominic
S ince Dad died, the twins and I tried to make it a habit of having one meal together per day. With all the demands that come with running an empire, I’m worried that if I don’t do this, I could go weeks without seeing them at a time. Where would that leave me? In the same place as Dad?
As much as I loved him, I want to do things differently. The twins are the only family I have left, and that means something to me. Even if I have to work longer hours, sometimes these meals together are the highlight of my very shitty days.
It’s always those moments where everything feels normal, good even, where we tempt fate, and everything goes to shit. When the twins surprised me with a homemade dinner, a chicken Alfredo, I set aside additional time in my schedule to listen to their progress on the complex spell work they’ve been working on. Hearing them explain it is a good reminder of what I’m fighting for. But my phone keeps lighting up like a Christmas tree. Normally, I keep it around for emergencies, but I make a point of not answering calls while I’m having meals with the twins.
And Sebastian definitely doesn’t qualify as an emergency .
It’s only when I see a text from him after the latest missed call that I start thinking I’ve been too quick to dismiss him. Calling him back, I say, “This better be important, I’m with the twins.” He gets straight to the point as he responds, “It’s time for the families to go into lockdown.”
Looking at the twins' concerned faces because they know the rule I have, my only response is, “Understood,” as I end the call. “Hold on, let me get Amelia. She needs to be here for this.” Getting up from the table, I call for her to join us. It's been raining the whole day, but now the thunder starts, and it’s an effort not to flinch at the ominous tone it sets. Turning to face the girls, I try to give them a crash course in lockdown protocol.
“When our families escaped Europe, they recognised the need to have a long-term plan in place in case they were ever faced with a similar situation.” I pause, taking a sip of my drink before continuing. “Dad mentioned it to me before he passed, but we never went into detail because we thought we had more time. After his death, I went through his notes, and they said the lockdown happened every time there was an event which threatened our secret, our lives, or our money. The Salem witch trials were one case, and I believe there was another witch trials case in Germany somewhere in between.”
Remi interrupts me, “We’re going into lockdown, aren’t we, because of the murders?”
With a grim look on my face, I confirm her suspicion. “We are. From what I’ve been able to piece together, each family presents a plan to solve the crisis moment we’re in. It usually includes their connections, influence and abilities in some way. We then each vote, until we find a solution that works for us all. The point is not to leave the sit down until we all agree. I’m going to call the other Sorcerer families to convene here urgently, and then the rest of the Supernatural families will follow soon thereafter for the sit down to begin.”
Concerned about how Amelia will take this development, because it’s not exactly in the assistant job description, I’m impressed to see how well she’s handling it, and taking to our life. She may have started with no experience, but she acts like she was born for it. Addressing her, I add, “It's not traditional to have a human assistant. Humans are usually reserved for…other parts of our lives. You may get some flack from the others for this. After you’ve checked everyone is here, stay out of sight as much as possible. If I’m not around, stay close to the girls. They will protect you if trouble starts while I’m not around.”
From the tension in her body language, I can see she’s not impressed with this, but she accepts my direction. The twins take the news better than I expected, and I quickly make five successive phone calls to each of the Sorcerer families so they know they should be here soon. Amelia tries to clear our dinner plates while I plan, and I wave my hand at her, indicating she should leave it.
Amelia speaks up, “Dom, do you need us to prepare anything for the families?” Shaking my head, I tell her everything has always been ready, and she just needs to do her part while the rest of the heads of the empires and I come up with a plan.
As I say that, I suddenly realize that all traces of what we’ve been doing with Remi’s spell work need to be hidden from the company we’re about to receive. Relieved that I remembered in the nick of time, I turn back to the twins and say, “We don’t have long before everyone arrives. You need to hide all the notes and elements from the tracking spell we’ve been practicing. We can not have the families knowing we’re trying to do good with magic. Get to it.” Wide eyed, the twins race off to cover their tracks, and it’s not long before the doorbell rings.
Dammit. I thought we had more time.
Seeing Amelia is close to me like I instructed, I murmur, “stay close,” as I answer the door. The twins are nowhere to be found yet, which tells me they’re still busy, so I show the first family into the waiting room, trying to buy them as much time as possible. Even if their reception to Amelia is frosty, they tolerate her, and I’m comfortable letting her take over from me after I’ve welcomed them. My presence should be enough to keep everyone in line while she does her thing. I hear the next family arrive, and it's all happening so fast now. I underestimated how efficient we could all be when it counts, and I’m proud of my people. Shooting off a quick text message, I confirm with Sebastian that the lockdown is in motion.
“It’s happening quickly. Exactly like we wanted it to.”
His response comes quickly afterwards, and he lets me know it's the same for him, and we’re the last empire to go into lockdown. It won’t be long until the rest of the families join us. I’m about to respond when a commotion on the other side of the large room catches my attention.
After the night of Hecate, I considered bringing Jax into my inner circle. Until I have a child of my own or one of the twins takes over, it makes sense to have a back up plan since Dad didn’t. But seeing him argue with Remi and Amelia quickly ends that idea. I’m impressed with Amelia’s bravery as she tries her best to diffuse the situation, something most humans wouldn’t attempt. Appreciating the irony of the situation because I’m pretty sure Remi had a crush on Jax at some stage with his dark skin tone and golden hair, I rush over to them to solve the issue.
“What’s this about?” I demand .
Jax shows me his fingers. I see charcoal residue on them as he sneers at me. “What are you doing with charcoal in your house, Dom? We all know that’s an element that shouldn’t be used in a spell. Are you trying to do good with your magic? You know how the families feel about that. Humans have always turned their back on us, so why should we bail them out of their problems? You’re not fit to lead this empire if so.”
Narrowing my eyes, I pause as I consider how to handle this. This is a very dramatic leap for him to make, especially for someone that’s just entered my house. It doesn’t matter that he’s right. It’s that intelligence he’s displaying right now that made me consider bringing him into my inner circle, I just never expected it to backfire like this.
But tonight is another matter. It’s about survival, and I need to bluff my way out of this.
Staring him down under my glare, I can see him shift on his feet because he’s getting uncomfortable. Good. Twisting my hand at my side, no one notices the blue magic coming from my hand as Jax’s hands fly to his head, trembling and scratching at his widening eyes.
“Do you feel that, Jax?” I croon. “You’re now blind. Continue like this, and I’ll sew your mouth shut and take away your ability to hear. Imagine life without senses? I think that’s a fate worse than death. But you can’t confirm that, can you? Because you can’t talk or hear me. Total. Sensory. Deprivation.” Turning to face the rest of the families, I see them watching our every move. Good. Relaxing the spell on Jax, I don’t let him go just yet as I tell him, “We’re being picked off like animals, and while I’m trying to protect us, you dare to come into my home looking for safety and have a go at my sister. You accuse me of treachery and question my leadership. Apologize, now. Consider that your one and only warning. ”
Fear is written all over Jax’s face as he apologizes and tries to make himself as small as possible and remain out of my path of wrath. Adding as much venom as I can into my voice, I turn to address the families in the room. “It would benefit you to work with me, not against me. I’ve fortified this home with a protection spell, so you’re safe here. Each empire will do the same, and when their people are safe, they’re coming here to figure out a plan to end this. Are there questions?”
I’m met with silence as the Sorcerers look at me with their stony faces, and I’m getting fed up. “Amelia, Reece, and Remi. Please show Jax to a private quarter and lock him in there, since I can’t trust him around you while I’m away. When that’s done, show the rest of the families to their rooms for the night.”
As I leave the room, I remind Remi under my breath as I pass her she can’t miss anything again, and based on the tense set of her shoulders, I can see she gets it.
When a lockdown happens, the family's house that we meet at is picked at random to keep it neutral, according to Dad's notes. Except, no one knows I altered the selection process to showcase it should be our house. I need everyone to be here.
The doorbell rings for the last time this evening, and I try to ignore the anxiety crawling up my chest again. I’ve been so good at managing it recently, but tonight, it's getting harder. There is so much at risk.
Opening the front door, I see Eric and Edie Rhodes at the front of the pack as I usher them into my home with the other Supernaturals close behind them. They don’t even question that I’m answering the door. I show them to the fanciest dining room we have, a different one to where I just had dinner. This one, I specifically prepared for the sit down.
“Please, feel free to help yourself to refreshments, and if there is something you want that you can’t see, let me know. I’m happy to have it brought in. I want you to be comfortable in my home.”
Jude puts her umbrella in the stand by the door as she joins the Druid Empire, led by her father and mother, Eric and Edie Rhodes. The Undead only have Luca De Greer as she hangs her rain jacket on the coat stand. She and I have that in common. But, despite Sebastian’s warning that she was falling apart with her mom’s disappearance, tonight, she looks poised, elegant. Ready to run her family's empire. She and I have so many things in common, especially tonight. It seems Luca doesn’t trust anyone else either, or she just doesn’t know she should. And the group is completed by Alyssa and David Vance for the Rogue Empire, but their sons, Sebastian and Clark, are nowhere to be seen.
Eric starts complaining about something, I’m not really listening because I can let him have this small moment where he thinks he’s in power. Predictable really because I counted on it. It’s what helps me get to my seat at the table, an important part of what needs to happen next. Checking the time, I know I have to start soon, but Sebastian is late, which is unlike him. Just as I’m finishing that thought, he strides into the room with water droplets running down his face and draws a gun in a fast move that’s almost impossible to track.
Aiming it at his mother's head, she has no time to react. He pulls the trigger.
The explosion echoes throughout the room as Alyssa Vance’s body collapses to the dining room table, life having left her body and blank eyes staring unseeing at the frozen, gaping faces around the room.
“That was for Kyla.”