Page 21 of The Succubus's Song

“Not kill you?” Emmett looked up from his notes. “Yeah, it changes everything. I’ve never heard of this happening.” He tapped his pen on his chin a few times, looking off into the distance. “What happened after?”

Finley grimaced. “She was horrified for the same reasons you are. She was terrified that I didn’t want it to happen.”

“Did you?”

“Of course,” Finley scoffed. “I would’ve told her if that wasn’t the case. Like I said, I was definitely tripping balls, but I knew what was happening.”

“Inteeeresting,” Emmett mused, making more scribbles in his notebook. “Let me guess, she left this morning, and you haven’t heard from her since?” Emmett looked up at Finley, and he could see the sympathy in Emmett’s face.

“Yeah,” Finley groaned pitifully. “It seems so clear to me. The reason she turned me down was because she was worried she couldn’t be herself around me, but we’ve just learned she can. For whatever reason. I want us to try.” Emmett opened his mouth to speak, but Finley kept talking. “I don’t care what I’m risking either. That’s my choice.”

Maybe you should consider the fact there’s just no way Mara wants to choose you, hmm? Finley’s intrusive thoughts popped up in the back of his head, and his inner voice sounded a lot like Lauren. Nausea began twisting in Finley’s gut as he tried to avoid reflecting on yet another rejection—for reasons he couldn’t comprehend.

Emmett sighed deeply but didn’t respond. They were quiet for a few minutes, both sipping their pints until Emmett finally cleared his throat.

“Do you know why Mara has such a complicated relationship with her family?” he prodded gently, licking some of the beer foam off his lip.

“No,” Finley admitted. Emmett looked like he was at war with himself before finally nodding as if he’d made up his mind about something.

“I’ll tell you but only because I think this will help shed some light on things. If you want to know any more details, you’ll have to ask Mara. Do you understand?”

“I get it,” Finley leaned forward, eager to finally get some semblance of clarity as to why everyone around him was on high alert.

“Mara’s family is one of the oldest baobhan sith families in Scotland and Faerie. They’re incredibly traditional, which means men only exist for two things,” Emmett held up two fingers, “fucking and food. Pretty much always at the same time.”

“So her family would be disappointed about what happened last night?”

“Let me finish,” Emmett reprimanded Finley like he was a student. “Before the Battle of Culloden, when our magic was bound and we were trapped in Scotland, the baobhan sith roamed between both worlds. Mara fell in love with a mortal man and swore to never feed from him.”

Finley’s heart dropped in his chest. “She never…” His voice was barely a whisper.

“Never,” Emmett confirmed. “She was in love, but the risk was too great. She switched to hunting animals and took him to meet her family.”

“Why would she do that?” Finley murmured. “Especially if she knew they were so old-fashioned?”

“Because,” Emmett sighed sadly, his shoulders drooping, “she wanted to make sure her sisters would never accidentally prey upon him. Mara needed them all to promise he was off limits.”

Finley shivered. “I’m going to assume they weren’t pleased.” Emmett rubbed a hand over his face.

“Mara’s mother commanded Alice to kill him, and Alice did. Right there in their home, in front of Mara.” Finley cursed and pounded his fist against the table. Emmett continued. “They intended to punish Mara too, but she was stronger than them. She fought them off and ran. Mara escaped Faerie and made it to Scotland just as the curse fell.”

“Fuck.” Finley buried his head in his hands, trying to comprehend the shock and the sorrow Mara had been carrying around for centuries.

“Mara found Calum, and we’ve been a bit of a family on this side of the veil ever since. The baobhan sith have managed to survive in Faerie, likely feeding off other fae and animals, and now they want to return to Scotland.”

“Which is what Mara doesn’t want.” Finley remembered her sentiments in Emmett’s office.

“Exactly,” Emmett sighed heavily. “They don’t need mortal prey. They want it, and Mara doesn’t want them murdering humans here. She sort of…” Emmett trailed off like he was choosing his words. “She sort of picked up the mantle of protecting the human world after her lover died. She does it in his memory.”

Finley was quiet. He didn’t know what he could say.

She couldn’t possibly ever love you, Lauren’s voice filled his thoughts again. No one does. I agreed to marry you, and I didn’t.

“So,” Finley chewed on his lip, “she never tried feeding off her lover?” He didn’t know if he wanted the answer, but he needed to know. Emmett shook his head.

“Not that I know of. She was too afraid. You’ve got to understand that seeing her sister brought all of Mara’s territorial nature to the surface, including her more beastly aspects.”

“She’s not beastly,” Finley muttered petulantly, and a soft smile crossed Emmett’s face.

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