Free Micah's Calling by Donya Lynne

little, but don't tell anyone." Micah sat
down on the sectional and dug into his chili as Sam settled in next to him,
tucking her feet up under her.
    Trace glanced over at her. "This is fucking awesome,
Sam." He pointed his spoon at his bowl, which was half empty already.
"I want the recipe."
    "You cook?" Sam took a drink of her beer then set
it down next to Micah's.
    "Sometimes. Surprised?"
    "Surprised you're talking when you were the one who
told me to shut up," Micah said, throwing him an amused look.
    "Eat me." Trace shoved a spoonful of chili in his
mouth.
    "I don't do dark meat, bro."
    "Micah!" Sam smacked his arm and he flinched and
laughed.
    Trace chuckled and grabbed his crotch. "I've got your
dark meat right here, brother."
    Micah grinned. Fact was he wasn't sure what Trace's lineage
was. He didn't look African American, and he didn't look Caucasian. His skin
was darker than everyone else's, but his features were unusual. Those pale
green eyes of his were a startling contrast to his dark complexion. Was he
Cuban? He thought he had heard that Trace's mom had been a Jamaican witch, but
that just didn't sound right. His look was more Cuban than Jamaican. Or maybe
his father had been Cuban, which would make sense since his father had given
him his vampire blood and Trace's human side had come from his mom. Any way
Micah sliced it, Trace was an enigma. A melting pot of physical traits from
multiple cultures. At least, that's how he appeared.
    Sam shook her head and stirred her chili. "I swear you
two are like adolescents."
    Micah leaned over and kissed her cheek. "We're as horny
as adolescents, too. You'd better watch out."
    Trace chuffed. "As if you'd even let me get close to
her, Micah." He took a bite and chased it with a swig of beer. "I'd
probably lose an arm or my head if you even caught me looking at Sam like that.
Not that I would, but I'm just sayin'."
    Micah sat back and looked at Trace, then at Sam before
dashing his gaze into his bowl of chili. What Trace said held merit, but for
some reason, the idea of Trace looking at Sam like that didn't bother him. How
strange.
    He looked back up and caught Trace's eye for just a second
before glancing toward the flat screen. But his mind didn't register what was
going on in the game.
    Why didn't the thought of Trace looking at Sam with lust
bother him? If it had been anyone else but Trace, Micah would have already been
up and off the love seat, beating the holy living shit out of him for even
joking about such a thing. Male vampires didn't take to their mates being
looked at, touched, or coveted by other males, and yet Micah was as cool as a
cucumber about the idea of Trace giving Sam surreptitious glances of interest.
    Whoa!
    This was a first.
    Trace frowned curiously at him. "What? No snappy
comeback there, stallion?"
    Micah looked at Sam, who grinned as she ate another bite of
chili, and then he looked back at Trace. "Not this time, bro."
    Trace's frown deepened, and Micah looked back down into his
bowl of chili as if he'd find some answers in there. All he found was culinary
bliss.
    What had just happened here? Was this part of what he felt
between him and Trace? Was this part of the inevitable collision course they
were on with one another, showing itself in his willingness to accept Trace in
every aspect of his life, even where Sam was concerned? If so, what did it
mean?
    Micah turned his attention back to the game and ate. He had
a feeling that all would reveal itself soon enough. And when it did, their
lives would change forever. He only hoped it was for the better. Micah couldn't
take another dose of bad news after what he had just been through. Sam and
Trace were the two people he cared about more than anything in the world, and
he wouldn't let anything harm them.
     

CHAPTER SIX
    Sam noticed the change in Micah's demeanor when Trace
mentioned looking at her with more than friendly intentions, but after a while,
he and Trace had returned to their