Unleashing Chaos

Chapter Two

I blow out a breath that rattles my lips and place my hands on my hips. The two-story brick townhouse standing in front of me had so much potential, with its cute flowerpots full of yellow blossoms and a balcony that looked out over the historic district. The inside was clean and furnished with a mixture of rustic and elegant pieces. But the white appliances in the kitchen made it a hard pass. I needed a home for the next ninety days that embodied tranquility and would give my suitors a glimpse of the type of demon girl I am.

"This is the fifth house you've looked at. Between house hunting and your overly specific description of the type of town where the medium should open the portal, you are down an entire day," Mandis says from beside me.

"I didn't think it was too much to ask for a place where it snows, but that it is currently autumn. I want to wear sweaters and scarfs and drink those pumpkin coffees."

"You want to be a basic white bitch," Grub adds, biting into an ice cream cone.

"No! It was important that it have a town feeling while still being the city. I wanted to be somewhere rich in art and that has buildings with character. I want the hustle and bustle of a fast-paced life but with mountains and lakes. And it was a requirement that I'm close to a mall. I am working with a time constraint and everything needs to be perfect—the town, my clothes, and the place I call home."

"And so here we are just outside the beautiful Rocky Mountains in Denver!" Grub crams the rest of the cone in his mouth and unwraps another.

"Where did you get that ice cream from?" I ask Grub before glaring at Mandis. "You didn't conjure it in front of anyone, did you?" My brother's "divine power" is pretty simple but one that comes in handy for him—he can make any food he wants come out of thin air at any time. But we are not supposed to flaunt our abilities in mixed company.

"What do you take me for, sister? It was in the freezer in the house. I thought it was a welcome present, like a candy dish," Mandis says.

I roll my eyes and snap my fingers, the other cone disappearing out of his hand and into mine. "You don't just take things from people's freezers, Mandis, for fuck's sake!"

"Hey, what are you going to do with that?" my brother asks, eyeing the white wrapper gripped in my fist.

I look down at it and glance at the trash can on the sidewalk. "Well, I was going to throw it away, but..." Both Mandis and Grub's eyes widen at the idea of wasting food, and I can't help but laugh. "I mean, as long as we already have it, I might as well eat it."

Before Mandis can grab it from me, I peel off the wrapper, toss it in the can, and take a swift and large bite from the top of the cone, making sure to catch any loose peanuts that fall off.

Mandis scowls. "Damnit, Desi. I was hungry."

"You're always hungry," Grub and I say in unison, and my brother-in-law slings his arm over my shoulder.

"This is why I consider you my sister," Grub says as we stroll down the sidewalk.

"Why don't you just stay in a hotel? You have the money to pick the best one in the city," Mandis says.

"I want all the luxuries of home. What if my future partner wants me to cook him a meal? Besides, I want to prove that I'm a reliable choice and staying in a hotel says I'm here for the short term."

Grub thrusts the phone my father acquired for me into my hand. "Here, I found one more place that might work. It's fully furnished, has a pool, no white appliances, and it's clean, like hospital grade clean."

I peer down at the screen. The house on the HomesForRent.com app is right up my alley, and just seeing the outside is enough to pique my interest. It's modern, sleek, constructed with dark cherry wood, limestone and an abundance of large windows, making the home look sunny and open. I grin up at Grub and say, "Let's go."