Blood Trinity (7 page)

“So…did your dad do anything about it?”
Audric
asked around the thumb nail he was currently chewing on.

Haig reached across the table and gently moved
Audric’s
hand back to the table.
“Not that I know of.”
Haig’s jaws tensed visibly. “We waited around for a couple of years, but nothing was ever done to
Lasair
. The writing was on the wall, and I knew the only way to do something about it was either split with Kern or challenge my own father.”

Audric
glanced down. Although he doubted Haig was aware of it, the bigger man’s thumb was softly rubbing circles across the top of
Audric’s
hand. He returned his attention to the conversation. Maybe if he didn’t draw attention to the affection, Haig wouldn’t end it. “I know the two of you finally left Ireland, but what about the pack? What happened to them?”

Haig shrugged. “I don’t know much. My cousin Flick told me my dad lost a challenge for the Alpha position. And shortly after that, a portion of the pack moved to America.”

“So why are we going to Ireland?”

Haig must’ve realised what he’d been doing and quickly released
Audric’s
hand. He sat back in his chair and stretched his arms above his head. “Galena was just a pup when I left. She was too young to voice her opinion about anything my family did. Although she probably hates me, I just can’t leave her with a mate who’s hurting her.”

Audric
nodded. “I don’t remember my parents, but I’d like to think they were nice people.”
Audric
propped his chin on his hand. No matter how many times he tried to pull images up from his childhood, it was always a sea of black he saw in place of memories.

Haig took a drink of his whisky. “You mind me asking how you became a
vampire?
”

“No, I don’t mind. It was a long time ago.”
Audric
did a quick calculation. “Seven hundred and twenty-something years ago, I guess. Like I said before, I don’t remember much of my life before
LaMont
kidnapped me. Just that I was young. I was hunting, I think, when I came upon
LaMont
in the
Ardennes area of France.”

Audric
shrugged and began to study the room once more. He didn’t like to dwell on his capture and subsequent torture. “I don’t really remember anything else. I guess seven hundred and twenty-something years of being abused and raped at the hands of twisted vampires erased all the good memories.”

A low growl sounded from across the table.
Audric
turned his attention back to Haig. “Did I say something wrong?”

“No wonder you jumped at the chance to help Neo put an end to the rest of
LaMont’s
coven. Why did you stay for so long?”

Audric’s
bark of laughter surprised even him. “You say that like I had a choice in the matter.”
Audric’s
gaze went to Haig’s massive upper body. “Then again, I guess you wouldn’t know what it felt like to always be the weakest one.”

Suddenly it was Haig who broke eye contact. “So, you
gonna
pick someone out and feed or not? I have to be up and on the road in six hours.”

Whether it was thinking and talking about his past or something else,
Audric
wasn’t sure, but he had no desire to feed. “No. We can go.”
Audric
stood and pushed his chair in. “Sorry that I wasted your time.”

“You didn’t,” Haig answered, finishing off his drink in one swallow.

Audric
waited for Haig to go first. It was much easier following in the big man’s wake than to try and push through on his own. While following Haig, an arm shot out and grabbed him around the waist.

“Hey there, pretty lady, where’re you off to so early?” the drunk man asked.

Used to being referred to as feminine-looking,
Audric
tried to ignore the remark. “I’m on my way home. Please remove your arm.”
Audric
could easily snap the man’s arm in two, but after so many years of violence, he wanted to handle things in a civilised manner.

“Juan over there said you were a real good suck.
Thought maybe I’d try my luck.”

The man finished the sentence by cupping the front of
Audric’s
jeans. Before
Audric
had a chance to correct the man’s assumption, Haig pushed his way back through the crowd and lifted the human off the floor with a single hand around the back of the man’s neck.

“
It’s
okay, Haig. I can take care of him,”
Audric
was quick to say when a circle of people started to form around them.

Haig’s blond eyebrows shot up in question. “Did you change your mind about feeding?”

“No, but I’m strong enough to protect myself against a human.”

Haig grunted and released the man, giving him an extra shove as he did so. The man fell to his knees and immediately covered his neck with his hands.
Audric
bent over and spoke directly into the man’s face. “Here’s a lesson for you. When a Blessed Creature tells you no, listen to them. Because next time you try to force yourself on someone, you may just end up limbless and bleeding to death in the alley.”

Audric
straightened and smiled at Haig. “Okay, let’s get home to Kern.”

* * * *

As soon as they climbed into the pickup, Haig’s phone rang. “How does he do that?”
Audric
asked.

Haig smiled. “It’s a wolf thing.” He opened his cell. “We’re on our way.” He pulled the phone away from his ear and passed it to
Audric
. “He wants to know what just happened.”

Audric
threw his hands up. “Someday you’re going to have to explain the ‘wolf thing’ to me.”
Audric
took the phone. “Nothing happened that wasn’t handled. Just an over enthusiastic human who needed to be put in his place.”

“I hope Haig re-educated the asshole with a swift kick in his ass.”

“He tried, but I insisted on handling it myself.”

“You what?
The reason I sent Haig with you was to watch your back. Let him do that.”

Audric
sighed. “You know, I was feeling really good about the way I handled it, now you’re trying to bring me down. Let me have my moment, will you?”

He glanced over at Haig who was grinning from ear to ear. Evidently Haig had been on the other end of Kern’s tongue a time or two.

“I’m not trying to take anything from you. I just don’t think you understand how dangerous it can be for someone of
your
…”

“Size?”
Audric
finished for him. “I’ll tell you what. When I get home, the two of us are going to arm wrestle.”

“Come on, I didn’t mean to make you mad. Haig and I are just bigger. It stands to reason humans would be more intimidated by us,” Kern tried to reason.

Without another word,
Audric
hung up the phone and handed it back to Haig. As soon as he did it he wished he could take it back.

Haig chuckled and shook his head. “Did you really just hang up on him?”

Audric
nodded.

Haig whistled. “You’re a braver man than I am.”

Slinking down further in the seat,
Audric
turned his attention to the side window and began chewing one of his already short fingernails. Why had he done something so stupid just because Kern had questioned his ability to protect himself? His hopes for a more peaceful future had been shattered in the span of a phone call. He readied himself for the blow that was sure to come, it always came. Maybe not in the next minute, but sooner or later Kern would lash out with his fists or a belt to teach
Audric
a lesson.

Haig pulled onto the vineyard and drove down the winding road towards the row of cottages. He parked in the communal parking lot and turned off the engine.

Audric
couldn’t seem to move from the safety of the truck.

“You
coming?”
Haig asked from outside of the vehicle.

Audric
shook his head. “I think it would be better if I went back to the dorm,” he mumbled.

“What?” Haig sighed and climbed back in the truck. “What’s going on?”

“I talked back to Kern. I hung up on him.”
Audric
shook his head. “I’d rather just walk away than be hurt again. I wanted this life to be different. But it’s only been a couple of days, and I’m already doing the same stupid shit I did with
LaMont’s
coven.”

Haig leaned one arm on the steering wheel and turned in the seat to face
Audric
. “What is it you think you’ve done?”

Audric
felt tears burn his eyes. He wiped them away before they had a chance to fall. “I talked back. I hung up. I should know better. I got too comfortable.”
Audric
took a deep breath. He had to get himself under control.

Haig’s hand shot out and
Audric
flinched, closing his eyes against the expected blow. When nothing happened, he opened his eyes enough to look through his lashes at the man beside him. Haig appeared even angrier than he had before. Sometimes it was waiting for the punch or slap that was the worst part. “Just do it,”
Audric
finally said.

“I—” Haig cleared his throat. “I’m not going to hurt you.”

Still pressed against the passenger door,
Audric
opened his eyes fully. “But you’re mad. I can see it on your face.”

“You’re damn right I’m mad, but not at you.”

While Haig had been talking, his attention drifted to the window over
Audric’s
head. “It looks like Kern’s come to check on us.”

Audric
turned and jumped when he saw Kern’s handsome face staring down at him. His first instinct was to lock the door.

“Don’t,” Haig said. “You need to understand that not all disagreements end in abuse.”

Audric
glanced up at Kern once more. His mate appeared to be more confused than angry.
Audric
felt the same way. Was it really possible to talk his problems out with Kern?

“What’s going on?” Kern asked through the glass.

“Why don’t I go on to the house and let the two of you talk,” Haig suggested.

“No.”
Audric
needed to learn to trust. Wasn’t that what this new life was about? “If you really think I’m safe I’ll go inside with the two of you.” It was a giant leap of faith for
Audric
, but he so wanted to believe in the goodness of the new men in his life.

“There’s not a safer place in the world for you than between me and Kern. That, I can promise you.”

Chapter Five

“Are you sure he’ll be okay?” Kern asked Haig as they waited to board the plane.

“He’ll be fine.” Haig rested his hand on Kern’s thigh. “I know it’s easy to think of
Audric
as weaker because of his size, but he was right to call us on it.” Haig gave Kern a sideways look. “How many weak vampires do you know?”

“None,” Kern conceded. Other than Gods and demigods, vampires were the strongest among the Blessed Creatures. “But if he’s so strong, why has he suffered for so many centuries?”

“I didn’t say he was the strongest,” Haig corrected. “I’m sure he was no match for
LaMont
and his coven—they were vampires, too. But out in the real world,
Audric
has the advantage, and we need to remember that.”

Kern crossed his arms. He’d spent the remainder of the night making love to
Audric
, trying to reassure his mate of his commitment. “I still can’t believe he thought I’d physically punish him for arguing with me. Sure, I enjoy a hard, brutal fuck, but you know me, I’d never purposely harm him.”

“I know, babe. Don’t worry. It may take a little time, but sooner or later,
Audric
will know it, too. There’s a lot of shit in his past. It’ll be up to us to undo centuries of abuse.”

“Us?”
Kern questioned.

Haig shrugged. “He’s growing on me.”

Kern’s heart leapt at the subtle pronouncement. He wanted to ask his mate if he’d come any closer to a decision as to whether he’d also take
Audric
as a mate, but he bit his tongue. Pressuring Haig never ended well.

The overhead speaker announced their flight to Galway. Haig stood and held out his hand. “Ready?”

“No.” Kern hated to fly. Their yearly trip back to Galway to have their anniversary tattoo session with Declan Byrne was the only exception he made to his ‘no fly’ rule.

Haig pulled Kern to his feet. “Don’t worry. I’ll keep you distracted.”

Kern rolled his eyes and followed Haig.
Distracting
him usually meant a hand job, but because they’d purchased their tickets so late, they hadn’t been able to secure seats in the back of the plane. “I’m not putting on a show for a bunch of humans,” Kern grumbled in Haig’s ear. He pressed against Haig’s back and landed a quick kiss to his mate’s neck.

Haig turned his head towards Kern and spoke out of the side of his mouth. “I was talking about discussing what we’re soon going to be up against. There’ll be plenty of time for fucking once I rescue Galena.”

“Oh.” Kern felt as though his hand had been slapped. He stepped back and resettled his overnight bag on his shoulder.

Haig handed his ticket to the attractive woman working the gate. He waited for Kern to do the same before turning around to address him face to face. “I didn’t say I wouldn’t rather get my hands on you. Just that it isn’t likely given the seating situation.”

Kern smiled as his momentary pang of hurt slid away. “Let’s get this flight over with then.”

* * * *

As soon as the plane landed, they hailed a cab and headed towards the pub. Haig had to admit he was looking forward to seeing Flick. More importantly, he was anxious for word on Juniper Cavanaugh. “How could Juniper Cavanaugh grow eight inches after reaching full maturity?”