Page 4 of With This Witch
A knock sounds briefly at the door before Daisy lets herself in. Morris runs to the door and then turns around, charging in ahead of her, meowing loudly as if to announce her presence. Daisy walks into the kitchen and immediately stops, noticing Petra’s tear-streaked face and Gammy beside her. “Who died?”
CHAPTERTWO
Lachlan
Walking to his vehicle, Lachlan spots a flash of red ahead.Petra,his demon-self breathes. He’s felt a pull to her from their very first meeting a few years ago. Over these past few years, they’ve become good friends, and he’s watched her flit from shitty relationship to shitty relationship, her sparkle fading with each new guy. As much as he’s wanted to step in and see if he’d have a chance with her, he’s been hesitant, afraid to ruin what they have as friends, and wanting to make sure she’s ready for him. But thanks to his terrible luck, by the time she seems ready for something new, she finds someone else, and he’s missed his chance again.
Instead of being with her, he stands by her. And really, she’s never indicated she wants anything more than a friendship with him. As the guy friend, he lends an ear, giving advice or insight into the male view. He might also use his demon abilities as necessary—not that she knows that. When her last dipshit boyfriend bailed on her after six months with nothing more than a text saying, “Peace out,” Lachlan absolutely did not track the douche down and give him a lesson on how to treat women better while in his demon form.
But damn it all to Hades. When she walked in last night, he would have given anything to put her up against the wall, peel off her clothing, and devour every inch of her gorgeous form. Thinking about her in those jeans and how they perfectly sculpted her curves is sending his dick to attention, causing him to readjust himself. Standing gloriously tall, she still feels small compared to him, but not so small that he thinks he would have chronic neck pain from stooping down to kiss her perfect pink lips. And he knows that her bright red hair would look hot as hell wrapped around his fist while sliding his other hand up her creamy skin.
Stop it. We got shit to do,he thinks, adjusting the growing bulge in his pants again.
Driving down the highway to his younger brother Declan’s place, he recalls the first time the fiery redhead came into the bar with Daisy. Daisy was looking for a job, and Petra was quick to tell him why Daisy would benefit his bar. After a trial run, Daisy was officially hired, and Petra continued to regularly visit the bar. Win-win for everyone. Well, except for his dick. He’s been with other women these past two years but hasn’t been able to shake Petra, despite never having had her.
“Hey, man!” Declan calls out, leaning on his crutches, as Lachlan steps out of his Jeep. “How was the drive?”
“Smooth as ever. There was a little traffic around Highway #9, but otherwise it was good. How have you been?” Lachlan says, walking to meet his brother at the door. The drive to Declan’s in Beckton is about an hour, but it can feel much longer depending on the time of day and traffic flow.
“Things have been quiet here since Mom went back to Stanmore. I start work again on Monday, which will help keep me busy and out of trouble.”
“That’s good. I’m happy Mom could come and stay for a bit to help you after your surgery. You seem to be moving well,” Lachlan says.
“I am. It was a bit slow at first because of the swelling, pain, and being drugged to high hell, but mobility is quickly coming back. Doc says I should be good in a couple of weeks.” Declan says. “So what’s brought you out here? I thought you weren’t going to stop by until next week sometime?”
“Can’t an older brother come and visit his younger brother for no reason other than to spend time together? Especially after he’s had knee surgery after fucking himself up playing a pickup football game and stupidly refusing to see a healer.”
“Some brothers could, but not you,” Declan jokes, poking Lachlan in the shoulder.
“Ha, ha, jackass,” Lachlan responds sarcastically. “Nah, there’s nothing wrong. Just wanted out for a bit and decided to stop by.”
“Fair enough. Anyways, let’s not stand out here like gossiping old ladies. Come in where we can be civilized and gossip in the backyard like normal people.” Declan gestures to the open door behind him.
Lachlan nods as he claps his brother on the shoulder. They move back into the house, Declan slowly following behind with his crutches. Lachlan stops in the kitchen to get them drinks while Declan continues through the room and meets up with him again on the patio. They collapse into the chairs beside the pool, crutches leaning against an empty chair, and sip quietly for a moment, enjoying the peace and sounds of nature as birds chirp and insects buzz around them.
Lachlan catches Declan staring at him. “What?”
“You seem… off,” Declan says.
“Off? How so?”
“I don’t know, but there’s just something wrong. How’s stuff with the council going?” he asks.
“Meh, usual council bullshit. Though we have an emergency meeting tomorrow,” Lachlan replies. As the demon representative on the supernatural council, Lachlan often has to deal with petty and annoying crap from some of the other reps. In particular, the rep for the trolls, Hegnir Grog, has a unique way of getting under Lachlan’s skin.
Lachlan was one of the youngest representatives the council had ever had. Despite having left the underworld on a semi-permanent basis, the council voted to keep him as their demon rep because of his bloodline from his father, a former demon lord. So here he is, at thirty-five, now a veteran council member, trying his best to support all community members, even though some other reps do their best to prevent that.
“Any idea why?”
“Nope. They are being pretty tight-lipped about this one. Grog called it, so it’s probably safe to assume someone looked at him the wrong way.”
Declan laughs fully, the sound bouncing away and into the trees, startling a few birds who launch into the sky. “Yeah, you never know with that troll.”
“Anyways, I’ll see what happens tomorrow, but hopefully, it’s nothing too drastic. I don’t feel like bringing out the demon.”
Declan laughs, flopping to the side of the chair. “Not the big bad demon-boy!”
Lachlan kicks at him. “Shut up. You’re such a dick. Why do I even bother to come see you?”
