Heroes aren't meant to act like their villains -- or fall in love with them. The elements touch everyone on Earth -- Fire, Water, even Light -- but every so often someone becomes more attuned to their elemental leaning and develops true power. When an evil Elemental known as Thanatos arrived in Olympus City, it saw the rise of its first hero -- Zeus. But the death toll caused by defeating Thanatos changed Zeus, who by day is young detective Danny Grant. It's been six months since Thanatos terrorized the city at the start of Lovesick Gods. Danny should be used to his duty behind the mask, but the recent past haunts him. His girlfriend left him, he snaps at the barest provocation, his life feels empty -- he needs an outlet, any outlet to pull him out of his depression. Enter notorious thief Malcolm Cho, the Ice Elemental Prometheus. There was a time when Danny welcomed a fight with Cho, filled with colorful banter and casual flirtations that were a relief compared to Thanatos. Even as a criminal, Cho had recognized the threat Thanatos posed and promised to help Danny stop him, but the day Danny needed Cho, he never showed. Cho was the reason so many people died that day -- including Danny's mother. Danny decides to teach the man a lesson and fan the fire of their attraction into something more. At worst, he'll get some no-strings-attached sex out of the deal and finally blow off steam; at best, he'll get Cho to fall in love with him and then break his heart to spite him. Danny doesn't expect to fall for Cho in the process, and he certainly can't predict the much darker threat on the horizon.

Lovesick Gods

“This one was.” Danny brushed a thumb over the scuff on Cho’s cheekbone from when he’d first thrown him into the wall. “I wanted to hurt you. I would have caused all of this without Ludgate if you hadn’t knocked some sense into me.”


“But I did…and you listened.” Smiling, Cho reached for Danny’s face in turn. “It’s okay—”


“It is notokay,” Danny bit out louder than he intended. Even as fresh tears slid down his cheeks, he held Cho’s hand to his face. “It’s never okay anymore. Why does everyone keep saying that?”


“Danny…hey.” Cho tugged him closer—closer—until Danny wasin his lap, snuggled into the open duster. “Shh…”


Sniffling as he buried his head in Cho’s chest, Danny hugged him, but not too tightly, since he knew the man’s ribs were sore. “I didn’t mean any of it. Sometimes I say these things and I can’t stop myself, but that’s not an excuse. I should be stronger than this. I have to be stronger than this…”


Chapter 98