Page 4 of Soft Bronze

A woman glancing over at him. Thank the gods, he’d picked up enough modern human language from the conversations he’d overheard through the centuries.

“Excuse me,” he said, testing his voice. “Can you help me?”

The woman smiled. “Sure. What do you need?” She looked down. “Besides shoes.”

“I’m looking for an antiquities store. Do you know where it is?”

She smiled again. “Which one? If you mean KGA Antiquities, it’s across town. There’s also one down by the river. Sam’s Old and New Things.”

“Ah… KGA.”

“It’s across town. Six blocks north of here on Main Street.” She nodded. “It’s not hard to find. Good afternoon.”

Zelus glanced up at the signs. He needed to get to Camden. He’d learned to speak the language of the humans, but he hadn’t learned to read the words. He’d have to do that once he found his man. He thought about the quiet guard. Camden looked so sad. If he’d learned anything while being stuck in the bronze, he’d figured out how to follow his heart and demand what he wanted—Camden. Now.

* * * *

Camden finished filling out his time card. He needed to get to class, but first he had to make sure he’d get paid. He trusted Andy and KG to cut the check. They were upstanding guys. Gus, not so much. He tended to lose Cam’s timecard, then complain about Cam not doing his job. He sighed and added up the hours. Losing his favorite statue made coming to work rough. He enjoyed having the night to talk to Zelus. The statue didn’t talk back or insult him. He shouldn’t have felt abandoned, but he did. First his mother, then an inanimate object. He was losing his mind.

Part of him wanted to barge into Andy and KG’s office and demand answers. They’d been assholes. Well, not really. They had the right to sell off inventory if they saw fit. He had no say in what they did. Hell, he owed them. They’d brought him on as a security guard when he’d had no training and nothing to his name. They were the reason he’d started back up at college. He should probably trust their plans, even if he didn’t like the course of events.

“There you are.” Andy strolled into the break room. “I see you’re filling out your card again. Is Gus fucking with you?”

“He claims he lost my card.” He signed his name on the bottom of the card, then handed it to Andy. “Now I know you got it.”

“I appreciate your thoroughness, but get used to filling those out. We fired Gus today. I’m tired of him mishandling the statues and not pulling his weight.” He tapped the card on his fingers. “Speaking of statues, there’s someone here to see you. He says he knows you. He’s up front. Why don’t you go talk to him?”

“I—talk…” His heart lodged in his throat. He wasn’t good at talking to guys. His shyness always got the better of him.

“It’s okay.” Andy grinned. “We’re here for you and listening if something goes haywire.”

“Okay.” He still didn’t feel sure enough to talk to the guy, but whatever. Camden made his way through the store to the lobby. When he spotted the man waiting on him, his breath wrenched from his chest.

The man resembled Zelus. Like, if-the-statue-had-come-to-life resembled Zelus.

“Hi,” the man said and extended his hand. “I’m Zelus. You must be Camden.”

“I am.” Camden wobbled on his feet. “I’m not sure how you … are … here.” The lobby wasn’t a small space, but the moment he locked gazes with Zelus, the room seemed miniscule. He couldn’t breathe. The statue he’d fallen in love with sure seemed to be alive and standing before him.

Andy appeared beside Cam. “Just a moment. Come with me, Cam.” He steered Cam out of earshot of the man who called himself Zelus.

“Sometimes there are things that happen that we don’t understand.” Andy gripped Camden’s shoulders. “You have to trust your gut. I know it’s hard. I’ve been through things you’ll soon understand and you’ll see how extraordinary they are. You’ll want to run and never look back. I assure you a little faith will get you through this.”

“You talk like you know what’s going to happen to me. Do you know Zelus?”

“Sort of.” Andy shrugged. “I know fate is tricky and questioning it doesn’t do you any good. I learned that the hard way. Meet my lover’s brother, Zelus.”

Camden glanced over at KG and Zelus. Brothers. He’d never realized how much the two looked alike. He’d never been attracted to KG—not the way he had to Zelus. He blew out a long breath. Andy had never steered him wrong before. He needed to put his faith on the line and trust someone. He forced himself forward towards Zelus.

“You wanted to speak to me?” He offered his hand. “Hi.”

Andy held his cell phone out to KG. “We need to handle this. Our recently fired guard is pissed and has called me every name in the book plus a few I’ve never heard. Maybe you can calm him down.”

KG smiled and took the phone. He pressed the device to his chest. “I’ll give you two some space. It’s great to see you, brother.” He grabbed Andy’s hand and strolled past Camden, leaving him alone with Zelus.

Zelus grinned. He didn’t speak, but rather simply looked over Camden.

“Okay, I’ll bite. You’re here. Weren’t you just a statue? Just a bronze taken out of here this morning?” Camden reached for Zelus, only to pull his hand away at the last moment. He feared that if he placed his fingertips on the man, he’d disappear or turn back to metal.

“I was.” Zelus wrapped his hand around Camden’s. The touch seared Cam to his core. “Now I’m not.”

He blinked. “How? Statues don’t come to life. That’s the stuff of legend and kids’ stories.”

“Legends can be true. You’ve got to believe first, but they can definitely come true. Do you believe in the impossible?”

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