Page 16 of Soft Bronze

Camden paused. He hadn’t expected Andy to agree so quickly. “Wait, what?”

“I agree.” Andy nodded and shuffled papers about. He pointed to a file. “How are things? Will this be temporary or permanent?”

Oh, shit. “Uh…” Camden hated stammering and sounding like he wasn’t sure, but he wasn’t. “Is this the moment I’m supposed to tell Zelus I’m in love with him?”

“You can’t.” Kratos stepped into the office. He had both hands in the air. His natural tan had paled. “He’s got a gun.”

“What?” Andy hopped up from his chair. “What’s going on?”

Gus pushed into the office. “Everyone hold still and no one gets hurt.” He aimed his gun at Zelus. “You’re mine. He broke the curse, you’re coming with me.”

“I refuse,” Zelus said. He stepped in front of Camden. “Shoot me with your pistol, but I am not your object.”

“You’re a guy who turned from a statue into a guy. Yeah, you’re going to be mine and I’m making a mint off your ass,” Gus said. “Your time is up. Let’s go so your boy back there doesn’t get hurt.”

“Camden?” Zelus glanced over his shoulder, his skin darkened. “Do you love me?”

The words were there, but no sound came out. All Camden saw was the gun.

“Jesus, you take forever.” Gus held the weapon to Zelus’s chest. “If I can’t have you, then no one will.”

Zelus offered Camden a sad smile, but did nothing else. The metal overcame him, encasing him in the dark tomb once again.

No. It wasn’t possible. He loved Zelus. According to his boss and the god, that was supposed to break the curse. False positives were possible, but not probable. He gritted his teeth. Damn it. He’d finally found a guy who liked him and the sex was beyond comprehension. He’d found a reason to open his heart. Now he had a gun aimed at him and the man he loved was encased in bronze. What crappy-ass luck.

“You were going to sell the damn statue. What do you care if I take it? I’m fired. I’m using my severance pay to buy him.” Gus waved the gun. “Fork him over.”

“You can’t have enough severance pay to afford him. We’re not forking him over. Besides, the sale was bogus and I’ve depressed the silent alarm,” Andy said. “The police will be here in seconds.”

“I don’t care.” Gus grinned as his gaze slipped over to Camden. “Oops.” He gave Zelus a shove. “Let the cops take me. They’ll want to know what the hell you’re doing here with a guy humping a statue and a guy who claims he was a statue and has come to life. I’m going to be the least of their problems.”

The mighty bronze tipped and swayed. Camden tried to reach for it, but his reflexes were too slow. He grasped, but Zelus slipped from his fingertips. The bronze toppled sideways. Cam watched in slow-motion as the side of the statue caved in. The face of his love shattered as Zelus collided with the ground.

“But I love him,” Camden murmured. He sank to his knees and placed his hand on Zelus’s shin. “I love him.” His heart splintered in his chest. He’d lost the love of his life.

“Don’t cry.”

A hand touched Camden’s face. Camden knew the voice. He opened his eyes. Instead of the shattered and destroyed statue, Zelus lay sprawled on the floor beside him.

Zelus grinned. “Hi.”

“Zelus.” Camden hugged the man he craved.

“Well, now I’ve seen this twice,” Gus said. “Holy fuck. Statues are not living things, but you’re alive. You’re also mine.” He aimed the gun at Zelus. “But this time you’ll die.”

Zelus lifted his hand. White light shot from his fingertips. “No one can take away the man I love and no one else can take me from him.” The light encased Gus, coating him in a sparkling sheen. “No one fucks with my family, either. The curse that captured me is now yours. If you have a true love, then he or she is the only one who can save you now.” When Zelus flicked his fingers, the light brightened and blinded Camden.

When the light dissipated, the gun clunked on the ground. Camden looked around for Gus. “Where is he?”

“He’s right there.” Zelus pointed to the statue. “He’s a bronze.”

Camden slid his gaze from Zelus, to the statue, then to Andy and KG. “That happened, didn’t it?”

“Uh-huh,” Andy said. “I didn’t set off the silent alarm. We don’t have one.”

“Good thing Gus forgot that.” Camden turned his attention back to Zelus. “You stopped him”

“I did.” Zelus touched Camden’s cheek. “Now, someone said something about love.”

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