“I can defeat it.”
“In a practical way? Like enough to keep a combat pack safe?”
Josh grinned with the most adorably goofy expression. “Yes. It’s cooking now, so we’ll need to wait eight hours—”
“Awroooo!” Joy exploded out of Nero in a howl. Finally he could kill that fucking demon. Finally he could use the damned mulligan and save his team. Finally he would close the chapter of his life that had been hanging open like a raw wound. Revenge, closure, and the end of an evil that was about to suck up Wisconsin—he’d have it all. And most of all, he’d have his team back, healthy and whole! He could be with them again. They’d have a barbecue, they’d run in the snow, and he’d tell them everything—
“There are some details that need to be worked out.”
Of course there were. Didn’t matter. Josh would figure it out.
“And we’ll have to construct a framework for the compound.”
No big surprise. “But… it’ll work?”
“I think so.”
“Then you’re a genius.” He surged forward and kissed Josh hard. He wrapped the man in his arms, and he ravished his mouth in the most primal way he knew how. And when they broke to catch their breath, he gasped for a few seconds before going in for more.
Forget food, he thought as he hauled Josh into his bedroom. He was going to thank the man in the best way he knew how. And after he had wrung as much pleasure as possible from their bodies, he was going to gather his lover into his arms and break his heart.
Their time together was done, perhaps as soon as tomorrow.
Because while Josh spent his time constructing his magical-plasma-fire-defeating weapon, Nero needed to work out a new attack plan. One that he could tell his team in the short minutes they had before the attack. He wanted nothing left to chance.
And nothing—not even more time with Josh—would stop him from saving the lives of his pack.
Chapter 21
JOSH CAMEawake slowly. His body felt languid, and his heart sang with happiness. He smelled Nero on the sheets, on his body, and in every part of his soul. Nero was part of him now, and he opened his eyes to find the lover who so pleased him.
He wasn’t disappointed. The man was sitting at his desk, and as Josh watched, the guy popped the last bite of a sandwich into his mouth and grinned.
“Any left for me?” Josh asked, his voice rusty.
“You want a ham sandwich?” He held out a plate obviously set aside for him. “Or I could make you a burger.”
“Sandwich.” He’d actually prefer a burger, but he knew Nero would go make it, and he didn’t want his lover to leave. So he sat up and grabbed what was offered while Nero stretched his feet out onto the bed.
Josh took the cue and snuggled against the guy’s huge foot. In the five and a half weeks they’d been together, he’d learned that Nero might pretend to be standoffish, but he liked connecting somewhere: a foot, a hand, or the “accidental brush” against his back. Since Josh loved touching the big man, he wasted no time in snuggling against whatever body part was nearest. Even when they were out in the main room, they managed to bridge the space between them somehow so they felt each other, even when it looked like they were just sitting near each other on the couch.
Nero waited while Josh started gulping down food. He even had a water bottle nearby, which he tossed to Josh with practiced ease. And though Nero’s expression was calm, Josh knew he was impatient. He spun the empty plate on his lap around and around. And he watched Josh eat like he was counting the bites.
“You don’t have to stare at me,” Josh said. “Ask.”
“The weapon,” Nero said almost right on top of Josh’s words. “Tell me about the weapon that’s going to destroy that bastard demon.”
Josh frowned. “I didn’t design a weapon.” He polished off the water bottle and tossed it into the recycle bin. “Is that what you thought I was doing all this time?”
“You made something to defeat the plasma fire.”
“I didn’tmakeit, I designed it. There’s still a lot of testing involved, but it’s a beginning.”
“It’s the whole enchilada, Josh. What did you make?”
Josh stretched out his arms, clearly proud of himself. “I created a compound that will concentrate the fire away from the attack team.”
Nero’s eyes brightened. “Tell me how to deploy it, where we need to be. Everything.”
