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

“You’re still wearing your boots, heathen,” he teased. 


Snorting, Mal sank back into the sofa. “Smart-ass. Those I can get myself.” But he cringed as soon as he bent over, putting too much pressure where his middle was bruised from when Danny had crushed him. He hissed and sat back up.


What brave new world had Mal built for himself that his enemy was welcome in his home and willing to get on his knees to remove his boots for him? Danny even brought them to the rug to continue the ongoing joke. Then he returned and urged Mal to his feet.


Slowly, Danny found the zipper at the back of Mal’s sleeveless, high-collared bodysuit, and drew it down, peeling the fabric from his skin. He helped Mal into the sleep pants and shirt, which Mal would have protested with anyone else and demanded to do it himself.


Chapter 104