Page 4 of The Succubus's Song

Finley did his best to plaster a winning smile on his face. “You know me. I’m always all right, man.”

Ronan didn’t look convinced. “Okay…” Ronan trailed off and looked like he was about to say something when he stopped. The coach yelled something at Ronan, and he gave Finley a sympathetic shrug. “We’ve all had a bad stretch or two, mate. If you want to grab a pint just…let me know.”

“I will,” Finley flashed a thumbs-up and ducked into the tunnel before anyone else could stop him. A familiar sense of frustration washed over Finley as he navigated towards the locker room on autopilot.

He knew he’d been off his game since Fern, his sister, and Calum, the Seelie fae prince, restored Scotland’s magic.

Magic didn’t frighten Finley. The world was full of it. When they were children, before their parents died, they took a family vacation to an Elven settlement. The revelation that Scotland also had a magical community didn’t shift his worldview; the fact that their family was descended from a magical bloodline did throw him for a bit of a loop, however.

Finley had been processing a lot over the past few weeks, and since the magic returned, he’d felt unnatural.

After Fern joined him in Edinburgh to finish her doctorate, she fell in love with Calum. They broke a centuries-old curse, effectively freeing all of the country’s magical inhabitants.

Still, nothing messed with Finley’s head like Mara Parker.

Mara worked with Calum and Fern at the university, which meant she was now part of Finley’s extended circle. He wasn’t surprised to learn she wasn’t human. As soon as he laid eyes on her, some part of Finley knew she wasn’t ordinary.

There was a wildness to Mara that hooked him in from the moment he’d laid eyes on her. He’d been suffering through a series of failed attempts to forget her, especially after she spurned his advances at Fern and Calum’s Christmas party.

It’s probably the magic messing with you, Finley tried to assure himself, angrily kicking off his cleats and grabbing a pullover from his locker. Fern and Calum were still in Faerie, which meant there were only a few people that Finley could go to with his questions. If his game suffered any more, he’d be benched before the season even started.

Surely, if I’m from a magical bloodline…the return of Scotland’s magic would…mess me up in the head, yeah? Yeah.

Finley did a pathetic job of convincing himself his woes weren’t related to his borderline obsession with Mara. He shoved the rest of his gear into his gym bag and stomped out towards the parking lot, hoping to slip into his car and drive back to his apartment without seeing anyone else. As the engine turned over and Finley headed home, he yawned and forced himself to keep his eyes on the road.

It wasn’t only his football skills that were suffering—for the first time in his life, Finley was dealing with a nasty case of insomnia.

On a positive note, my afternoon just freed up for a nap.

Finley winced as he stole a quick glance at his tired expression in the rearview mirror. Something was going to have to change, and soon.

Finley lived in Edinburgh’s Old Town, minutes away from the city’s biggest attractions. His teammates had poked fun at him for choosing the location when he first moved, pointing out in jest that only an American expat would want to live in the middle of a tourist haven. Finley had merely shrugged and smiled, replying that he was an American expat.

He arrived at the apartment building in one piece, and in his first taste of good luck that day, he managed to find a street parking spot close to the entrance. Finley greeted the doorman with a raised hand and a small smile but pushed the button to shut the elevator doors as soon as he stepped inside.

The apartment had been recently renovated, with polished dark hardwood floors and white walls. The kitchen had dark countertops and white cabinets. The bathroom had dark tile and white fixtures. Everything about Finley’s apartment was decorated in the same contrasting, pleasant style that would appeal to anyone. He’d lived there for a few years now, and it still looked like a model unit. There was one couch, a dining table with only three chairs, and a toaster on the counter.

Finley wasn’t used to spending much time at home. He’d always preferred going out with friends and teammates. He stayed busy enough. Now, as he stepped through his front door and tossed his keys on the counter, the sound echoed, and it affected him differently.

It sounded empty.

Finley had first come to Scotland because, simply put, he had been running away. He stayed busy to forget that fact, but it was now impossible to ignore. He dropped the rest of his belongings in the hallway, vowing to pick them up later, and beelined for his bedroom.

Finley dropped onto the sheets with a heavy exhale, lying on top of the duvet with his eyes closed. He forced himself to adjust to the silence, taking a few deep breaths to calm his racing mind. At the exact moment Finley was falling asleep, his phone beeped.

He grunted, not bothering to open his eyes until he pulled it out of his pocket and blinked at the screen.

Finley, answer me. I know you miss me.

I told you I was sorry!

I miss you

The typing bubble was still going, and Finley’s stomach dropped. He sent a reply as quickly as he could to get the messages to stop.

It’s been two years. Let it go, Lauren.

Finley watched his phone screen for a few seconds, cursing when the typing started again. He typically ignored it instead of choosing to engage, but he was on a short fuse.

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