Garner working as a waiter at an upscale restaurant with a growing attraction to a man named Alonzo, who always asks to be put in his section for dinner. One night after work, the man is assaulted while trailing Garner. Garner goes to his aid, but is shot for his trouble.<br><br>Taking time off from work to recover, Garner is resting on a park bench when Alonzo suddenly appears at the other end of the bench. Garner never saw him approach. He asks why Alonzo is trailing him.<br><br>After some hesitation, Alonzo explains he wants to recruit Garner to help fight against others who systematically hunt people like himself. Garner isn’t inclined to get involved in anything dangerous, but he does finds Alonzo more and more attractive, so he agrees to consider the idea. As he learns more about Alonzo’s bizarre and dangerous subculture, what Garner really wants to know is whether Alonzo is romantically interested in him at all.

Call to Love

She helped him to his feet, and they set off again.


The three blocks to the hospital seemed much longer to Garner, and though it had not been bravado that had made him insist on walking, by the time they reached the hospital’s emergency entrance, he was struggling to do this, even with Vera’s help. She maintained her grip on his good arm, however, to steady him. The pain had increased, so much so that he had to grit his teeth to keep from crying out.


I’m reallyout of shape, he thought bitterly—and felt a slight comfort. Self-loathing aside, being in shape was something he could deal with. As for the rest of what was going on—he had noidea.


In the emergency room his bleeding condition produced quick service. After getting his insurance information and determining that he wasn’t going to faint right away, the triage nurse took his vitals, and in a short time he was being examined by a doctor.


Chapter 22