Free Blood Trinity by Carol Lynne

shirt up to the interior lights of the clothing store. “You can see right through it. I may as well not be wearing anything.”
    “Exactly. If only they had pants to match.” Michael started looking through the rack. “Maybe I should get one in white.”
    Audric imagined Kern and Haig wearing one of them. The shear fabric would allow their amazing tattoos to show through. Fuck. Audric’s cock began to fill. He put the one in his size back and searched for two in a much larger size.
    “What’re you doing?” Michael asked.
    “I think I’m going to get one for Haig and Kern.”
    “So why’d you put yours back?”
    “Because no one wants to see my skinny chest on display,” Audric reasoned.
    With the white shirt in his hand, Michael cocked his hip and shook his head. “You’re kidding, right? Guys like Kern and Neo love to see our skinny chests. I think it makes them feel even more…manly. I know Neo’s crazy about my body, and I can almost guarantee Kern feels the same about yours.”
    “If it makes them feel manly, it’s because they see us as weaker,” Audric reminded his friend.
    “So? Being coddled and pampered by the man you love isn’t necessarily a bad thing.”
    “But I’m stronger than Haig and Kern. Unfortunately, all they see is my size, and because I’m smaller, they think I can’t take care of myself.”
    Michael’s head tilted to the side. “Stop me if I’m wrong, but weren’t you the one who asked me and Neo to help you get away from LaMont’s coven?”
    “Yes. So?” Audric didn’t understand what one had to do with the other.
    “So maybe having two strong weres around to ensure you never get put into a position like that again isn’t such a bad thing? After all, Neo can believe he’s in charge all he wants, but I know the truth. There’s only one man alive who can challenge him and walk away with his head still on his shoulders.” Michael pointed towards himself. “So tell me, what does strength have to do with power?”
    Audric shook his head. “But I’m not talking about power. I’m just saying that Kern and Haig don’t believe I can take care of myself.”
    “So that’s your secret weapon. The important thing is you know you can take care of yourself. I have to say, you’ve come a long way since the day I first met you.” Michael put a hand on Audric’s shoulder. “How do you feel when Kern’s fucking you?”
    Audric’s eyes rounded. “Wow. You really want an answer to that?” The thought of describing how Kern’s cock made him feel embarrassed him.
    Michael chuckled. “Not what you feel physically. What do you feel emotionally when Kern’s holding you in his arms?”
    “Safe,” Audric answered automatically.
    “Exactly. Feeling safe has nothing to do with strength.”
     
    * * * *
     
    By the time Audric walked into the pub, Kern was ready to crawl out of his skin. “It’s about damn time,” he said, charging across the room to reach his mate.
    Audric lifted the bags in his hands. “Sorry. I told you when you called I still had another hour or so of shopping to do.”
    Kern ignored the bags and pulled Audric against his chest. The moment he covered Audric’s mouth with his own, some smartass behind him cleared his throat. Kern broke the kiss and turned around to punch the guy’s lights out when he noticed Haig standing there with his hands on his hips.
    “Way to keep a low profile,” Haig said.
    Kern shrugged and led Audric to the table with an arm around his waist. “ Audric , I’d like you to meet Flick, Haig’s cousin.”
    The moment the two men shook hands, Flick’s gaze shot to Haig. “He’s vamp. I thought you said he was human.”
    Haig shook his head as he settled in the chair. “Nope. Never said that.”
    Kern situated Audric between him and Haig and rested a hand on his mate’s knee. He’d noticed the tension in Audric’s body the moment Flick called him out as being a vampire. Trying to put Audric at ease, Kern gestured