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

“I’ll be fine. I heal fast, remember? Let me take care of you. You should be sitting.” Danny placed a hand on Mal’s less bruised and swollen cheek, touching him every chance he could and seeking comforts Mal didn’t usually offer. But then, Mal had been doing the same thing, like he needed to feel Danny’s skin to remind himself he wasn’t a reflection that would vanish. 


“Danny…” Mal backed out of Danny’s touch. This was a bad idea. Danny needed more than just him tonight. He needed more than just him


But Danny followed after him and reached for his neck tentatively with a cringe on his face from remembering how he’d clenched his hands there earlier. “Please, can I stay? I don’t want to go home yet.”


“They’re going to wonder what happened to you.”


“I’ll call them later. Later. I’ll tell them I’m okay, I just… Please,” his voice caught on a sob, “don’t make me leave.”


Mal sighed. He’d never been able to refuse Lucy when she was crying either. “You can stay. If you’re sure?”


Chapter 103