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

It was still profoundly beautiful—indeed, it was more beautiful than ever. But there was something else, some quality, quasi-visible, which wended through Alonzo’s entire body. It was tendrils of a dark purple in color, which Garner found slightly disturbing. What it was he couldn’t guess, yet somehow it spoke of life—life of somesort, a different kind of life, perhaps—the life being of the Variant state.


Recognizing this, Garner’s heart squeezed with something that was both pity and horror. He let go of Alonzo’s hand, and stood up. Alonzo stood up as well, and was watching him. There was that fearfulness again, but there was something else—a warmth. It struck Garner that what this appeared to be was affection, a love for him


Curiously, it did not feel, perhaps, strongenough to be called in lovebut, he told himself, it was a good start. He smiled at Alonzo, whose shy smile communicated both caution and kind of hopeful appreciation. Garner found it very endearing.


Chapter 61