Page 27 of Hooked on a Demon (Leeside Witches #3)

Declan

B uckley bounds down the hall, a big bear of black fur bouncing as he runs to meet Declan at the front door. It’s been a long day. The extra hours at the theater mean that poor Buckley has spent more time on his own lately than Declan would prefer.

“Hi, bubba,” Declan says, leaning down to ruffle Buckley’s fur.

The beast’s head tilts, and his sizeable pink tongue lolls out of his mouth happily as his tail thumps loudly against the wall.

“Let me shower quickly, then we can go outside and play for a bit,” he says, as if Buckley understands reason.

Declan tosses his keys on the counter before making his way to the ensuite and hopping in the shower.

Feeling clean again, he dresses and heads outside with Buckley.

The giant ball of fur gallops around the yard, chasing after and catching the ball each time Declan throws it, bringing it back again and again.

As Declan tosses the ball for what feels like the hundredth time, he hears the sliding door close behind him.

Buckley charges toward the new guest, their arrival more important than the slobber-covered tennis ball.

“Ooomph.”

Declan turns to see Everest on his ass, Buckley standing over him with his paws on Everest’s chest, holding him in place while licking his friend’s face with fervor.

“Care. To. Call. Off. Your. Hound?” Everest says in between licks, turning his head to avoid accidentally making out with the dog.

“Depends. What’s your purpose?”

“Dec!”

Declan laughs, amused at the image before him. “Alright. Fine,” he says between laughs. “Buckley, off.”

Buckley looks at Declan pleadingly as he climbs off Everest before flopping on the deck only far enough that he can quickly return to Everest if given permission again.

Everest pushes himself up on an elbow, turning his body to prepare himself to stand up. His other hand juts out and points at Declan, “Not cool.” His tone says he’s annoyed, but the smirk on his face confirms he’s as amused as Declan.

“I love that oaf of a dog of yours, but man, it doesn’t matter how prepared you are when those paws hit your chest; there’s no staying upright,” Everest says, laughing and doing his best to brush the dirty paw prints from his chest.

Declan gestures toward Everest. “Sorry about that, by the way.”

“No worries. It will wash. And if it doesn’t, well, I’ll send you my cleaner’s bill.”

Declan huffs his amusement, knowing full well that Everest would absolutely send him a cleaning bill. “What brings you by?”

Everest brings his hand to his chest and leans back dramatically, feigning insult. “Does a best friend need a reason to stop by? Do I need to announce my intent to visit ahead of time?”

Yes, because I may be here with your sister and don’t want you walking in on something… Should we ever get to that point.

“A best friend? No. You? Yes.”

Everest scoffs. “Rude!”

“But true,” Declan laughs, bouncing out of reach of Everest’s playful punch to his arm.

“You know, I could go anywhere else and get this kind of treatment—” he raises a hand to stop Declan’s next verbal spar, “but I choose to come here, to spend time with my supposed best friend . But I see how it is,” he pouts, turning away, making to leave.

Declan quickly slings his arms around Everest’s stomach, hugging him from behind. “I’m sorry, best friend . Won’t you please forgive me for my heinous treatment of you?”

“That’s better,” Everest replies, perking up. “Now get off me!” His hands pull at Declan’s in an effort to pull them apart to be freed from his grasp.

“Never!”

Everest squirms and manages to break free, putting distance between them, and holds his hands out in front of him, ready to karate chop Declan should he get within reach.

Declan waves him off and laughs as he moves over to the cushioned wicker sofa and sits.

Keeping his hands out ready to defend if needed, Everest moves to the other couch across from Declan and takes a seat.

Declan’s smoke unfurls from him, venturing into the house. It returns a moment later with two beers held aloft, depositing one in front of each of them before retracting back into Declan.

“I always love when you do shit like that.”

“It is a fun party trick. Also helps when I’m being super lazy,” Declan replies, popping the cap and taking a swig. “So what actually brings you here?”

Everest takes a sip before answering. “I haven’t seen you in a while. Seems like you’ve been super busy lately with the stuff for Ellie’s dance thing.”

“Yeah, between that and stuff at the shop, it’s been a busy couple of weeks.

But we’re nearing the end of the prep for the showcase, so it should slow down soon.

Which I’m sure Bucks will be happy about.

” Hearing his name, Buckley raises his head.

When no treats are offered, he dramatically drops it and goes back to sleep.

“I get that. How has everything been with Ellie’s dance group thing, anyway?”

“It honestly hasn’t been too bad. The shop helpers have been loving it. We’ve got a good crew, and Eliana has been great. She checks in on us every day and has been a wonderful guide through the project.”

Everest narrows his eyes at Declan as if trying to determine if he said something out of place. After a moment, his features soften, and he relaxes back into the couch, laying his arm along the back while his feet go up on the small table between them.

“Yeah, she’s had a rough go after that surgery of hers. She’s so stubborn, though. Did you know she didn’t tell any of us what was going on until well after it happened? She insisted she had everything under control and made Mom promise that she wouldn’t go out to help her.”

Eliana may have told him about Sam, but he didn’t know about this.

That she didn’t get help. Or at least not from her own family, who would have been more than happy to assist her in her time of need.

The strength it must have taken to go through all that with everything that was going on with Sam at the same time.

“Mom wanted to go so badly. Dad and I had to keep telling her not to. That if Eliana felt she needed help, she would have asked.”

“Absolutely,” Declan says, doing his best to agree with Everest despite knowing there were likely some other factors involved in her not wanting her mom there.

Like a certain asshat named Sam. Which, reminds him, where was Sam during all of that?

Declan wonders. The anger from the conversation with Eliana begins to rise, and he has to fight his demon and power to keep them in check.

The last thing he needs is a shift for no reason while sitting here drinking a beer with his buddy.

“Anyway, she seems happy to be back at the studio, and it’s nice to have her home.”

“She is, and I bet.”

Everest tilts his head back, chugging the rest of his beer. Placing the empty bottle on the table, he looks to Declan expectantly. “Let’s go out.”

Declan starts to protest, but Everest interjects, “Nothing wild. Let’s go to the Acorn. I’ll text Tai and Joley, and we can go for a couple of beers. Well, a couple more. What do ya say?” Everest cocks his head, pouts his lips, and bats his eyes. The picture of desperation.

Fuck.

“Fine,” Declan groans. “But! Don’t try and pawn some girl off on me.”

“Why? Have you taken up a new pledge of celibacy?” Everest teases.

Yes. But only because I can’t get your sister off my mind.

“No. Not feeling it lately.”

Everest sighs dramatically, “Fiiiiinee,” agreeing to Declan’s condition. “Alright, you go get changed, and I’ll text the guys. Be ready to go in ten!”

“Yes, Mom!” Declan teases before heading into the house to do as instructed.

* * *

“Welcome to Karaoke Night!” Daisy exclaims from the stage.

“Tonight is all about letting loose and showing everyone those pipes you’ve been hiding.

So scroll through the list of songs available here—” she says, conjuring a QR code in the air for patrons to scan, “and then click the link at the bottom to sign up with your choice. We’ll get started in about ten minutes, which gives you enough time to order a few more shots of liquid courage,” she finishes, winking at the crowd.

People clap, and excited chatter picks up as she walks off stage.

Declan watches her briefly as she walks across the floor, stopping and quickly kissing the brunette sitting at the bar before going behind the counter and serving drinks.

He’s come to know Sloan over the last year or so during holiday get-togethers or casual hangouts at Lachlan’s.

She seems nice enough, and Daisy is clearly happy with her.

If she wasn’t, he knows Petra would most certainly use those infamous Premier Witch powers to dissolve Sloan’s ass into a pile of goop.

“So what song do you wanna sing tonight?” Everest asks. “I was thinking of some romantic duet. Really show the ladies how soft and sensitive we are.”

Declan laughs, but Everest’s tone suggests that he’s legitimately suggesting they sing something together.

“No.” Declan stares him down. He is not doing that.

He refuses to embarrass himself that way.

Besides, this was supposed to be a chill night, which, judging by Everest’s now wandering eye, he’s completely forgotten about as he tries to land the attention of some curvy redhead across the bar.

He turns to Tai and Joley next to him, hoping for their support. Instead, he finds traitors.

“You two are first up!” Tai says, laughing like the dick that he is.

“We figured with Declan’s range and Everest’s good looks that the song by Wicked Crew would be a perfect fit.

” Joley is in hysterics beside Tai, and as he leans back in his chair, balancing on the back two legs, one of Declan’s little tendrils of smoke happens to slip out and push him over.

Tai bursts out into further laughter. Declan and Everest join him, and even though he’s red-faced with embarrassment, Joley joins in as well.

He raises his hand, and Declan meets it for a high-five as Joley says, “Worth it.”

Daisy appears on stage, with much encouragement from the crowd.

When the whistling and hollering finally settle down, she brings the microphone up to her lips.

“Alright, our first song is ‘Careless in Love’ by Wicked Crew, to be sung by the one and only Declan and Everest.” The smirk on her face says she knows this is going to be a train wreck and that she’s here for the ride anyway. “Let’s give them a round of applause!”

The crowd claps loudly, and people nearby shout excitedly.

Declan looks to both Tai and Joley as he and Everest stand.

Letting his demon rise to the surface, he allows his eyes to flash gold while staring his traitorous friends down.

“You both are on my shit list,” he playfully growls before calming the demon within and walking away.

As he makes his way to the stage, he hears Tai say in a mock scared tone, “Oh no, the big bad demon boy is mad at us. Whatever will we do?”

Declan picks up the mic and says, “Daisy, can you be sure to add Tai and Joley next? Pick something good for them, okay?”

She laughs as she slides back behind the bar and gives him a thumbs-up. She and Sloan put their heads together as the song starts up.

Everest and Declan turn to face each other, looking at each other like long-lost lovers in a storm.

Everest’s hand extends out, reaching Declan, but he steps back, keeping the distance and imaginary tension between them as the song builds.

When the course breaks, they turn in unison to face the crowd, who roar back at them, egging them on.

Everest falls to his knees in despair, and he pleads for Declan’s forgiveness through the lyrics.

Declan closes his eyes, mentally praying for Hades to save him from this spectacle.

As the song shifts to a message of love, the protagonists, having worked through their challenges and swearing a never-ending devotion to each other, Declan opens his eyes, and they instantly land on her. Eliana.