Page 6 of Grave Danger

“You said gross twice.”

“That’s because they’re that fucking gross.”

Cody’s voice had gotten louder, and Demetrius resumed rubbing his back. “Let’s not think about it anymore tonight and go inside. You get cleaned up, and I’ll make us a snack and we can sit and watch whatever you want.”

“I do want to get cleaned up, but I’m not hungry.” He sounded sullen and distant.

“Not even for steak nachos?”

Cody lifted an eyebrow and gave him a side-eye. “There’s steak?”

“Left over from Amelia’s.”

Cody’s smile, small, a bit timid, but a smile nonetheless, relaxed Demetrius. Not much, but he would take what little feeling of relaxation he could get.

“Amelia grills a decadent steak,” Cody said.

“Imagine it over crisp chips, with green peppers, olives, onions, melted cheese, and guacamole.”

Cody leaned over and kissed him softly. “You’re giving me a chub.”

“Good to know I haven’t lost my touch.”

“I might need more than nachos to get over my experience.”

“However I can help, I’m happy to lend a hand.” Demetrius kissed him, lingering a bit. “Or whatever other body part you may need.”

“You’re a very dirty man.”

“Learned it all from my handsome and even dirtier husband.”

“Smooth talker.”

“Go clean up, and I’ll put the nachos together.”

After another kiss, Cody got up then helped Demetrius to his feet. They entered the house and Cody went down the narrow hall leading to the bedrooms and only bathroom. Demetrius walked through the dining room into the small but clean kitchen, with white tile countertops and white tile backsplash with a thin line of pink tile at the top. His Aunt Amelia owned the house outright and had gifted it to him and Cody a few years ago when she had moved into a condo with her boyfriend, Otis. The house was outdated style-wise, but it was comfortable and came with no mortgage payment, so they really couldn’t complain.

Well, they could complain, and they did, but kept it between themselves. And those complaints focused mostly on the cramped bathroom with the pink tile walls and the pink porcelain sink, tub, and toilet. Cody considered it similar to what it would be like to step inside someone’s stomach, and Demetrius had to agree.

He set the oven to preheat and grabbed a large cast iron skillet from a lower cupboard. As he assembled the nachos, Demetrius contemplated Cody’s experience.

Cody wasn’t drunk, but he was shaken up. There was, of course, no doubt in Demetrius’s mind everything happened as Cody had described it. They’d been through enough weird shit that it really didn’t even surprise him. Things had been quiet in Parson’s Hollow for a while now; they were due for something weird. Though a zombie, or the undead, or whatever people wanted to call it, was more than a little beyond what they were familiar with. A few weeks before, they’d worked with Cody’s brother, Dave, and his boyfriend, Oliver, who happened to be Demetrius’s friend—okay, ex-boyfriend turned friend—to rid a rundown motel of a vengeful ghost, and that had been a big step outside of their comfort zone. It had also been much more dangerous than either of them had expected.

But the motel had been several hours away from Parson’s Hollow. This new threat had happened here in town, and he felt a quiet sense of dread that things were about to spin out of control.

Again.

He thought about Wayne Zellmer, who had given his life as he’d protected his town. Their town. And, as always, felt the usual pang of guilt that came with the memories. They hadn’t been directly involved in the deputy’s death, but Demetrius couldn’t help feeling responsible for him, as well as the sixteen other lives lost during those awful days when Nicolae had been running through town exacting his vengeance. Vengeance he’d harbored against them. Well, against Demetrius specifically, for putting a stop to the blood-soaked rampage of one of Nicolae’s “children” as he called the werewolves he created.

Which made Ryan Zellmer’s resentment completely understandable. No less easy to deal with, of course, but understandable in a certain context.

Demetrius heard the shower cut off, and he hurriedly put finishing touches on the nachos. It looked pretty damn good, if he did say so himself. He added more shredded cheese, then another handful just because it had been a crappy night and Cody had definitely earned more cheese. He slid the pan in the oven as Cody entered the kitchen wearing a V-neck T-shirt and a pair of boxers.

“We’ve got twenty minutes,” Demetrius said as he set the oven timer. “What do you want to do?”

Cody smirked and took him by the hand. “I’ve got some ideas.”

Demetrius chuckled as Cody led him into the living room and pulled him down to the sofa beside him. They kissed, Cody’s lips and tongue familiar but still so arousing. He didn’t think he’d ever get tired of or used to kissing Cody.