Roughing It
By Elizabeth Black
Short Erotic M/M Medical Thriller
Publisher: JMS Books, a queer small press
Part of JMS's Men At Work Series
Release Date: April 24, 2016
BUY LINKS
JMS Books (Publisher)
BLURB
When a strange outbreak occurs at a campground around a lake, Jake
Walker and Lance Cameron investigate. Not only are they biologists, they are
lovers who share a passion for science. The outbreak has terrified the locals. Nine
campers became sick. Four died. One victim reported an increase in her sex
drive so serious she attacked her best friend's husband. Is this lustiness
caused by the disease? What is the story behind the flash rain shower that fell
over a small geographic area and the strange red dust over the foliage around
the cabins? Is this outbreak a new disease or something much more dire? Jake
and Lance must find the cause before others are infected – and before they come
down with the plague themselves. A cross between The X Files and The
Andromeda Strain, Roughing It will terrify you and make you cheer
for the heroes.
EXCERPT
Lance awakened in
the dark with a start in a cold sweat. Once the chills took over, Jake stirred
at his side, and then woke up.
"I can't shop
shivering." Lance curled up into a ball, wondering what was happening to
him. He hadn't felt this sick in years. Was this how Jake felt? Did he somehow
expose himself to what the campers caught? He shook so hard his back seized.
Pain shooting from his shoulder blades to his hips brought tears to his eye. He
groaned in agony.
Jake grabbed the
blanket bunched at the bottom of the bed and brought it up to wrap around
Lance, who grabbed it as if it were a life preserver. Anything to get warm.
After what seemed
like hours, the chills passed. Lance relaxed, exhausted but wide awake. He
glanced at the clock. 4:30 am.
"I have a
scorching headache." Lance said. "Could you please get me some
aspirin?"
"Of course.
Would you like some cold medicine, too? It's only 4:30. You could sleep for a
few more hours."
"Sure. It
might help. This sure came on suddenly."
"I feel
terrible. You got it from me. We're playing volley-germ."
"You didn't
have the chills, though. And it's all in your head. Every joint in my body is
on fire, and my ears are ringing. I hope it's not the camper's disease."
"I doubt
that's what it is. Maybe it's the flu manifesting itself differently. You have
the headache to end all headaches, though, just like me. Let's keep an eye on
it. We haven't drunk anything except bottled water, and we've used gloves and
masks at the cabin. We thoroughly cook our food, too."
Jake returned with
Tamiflu, aspirin, and a bottle of water. After Lance took the medicine, he lay
back in bed, wondering how whatever-it-was could slam him down flat on his back
like this. Lance took pride in his healthy way of living. Fit and athletic, he
worked out, ate organic, fresh food, and avoided too much alcohol. He neither
smoked nor took illicit drugs. No prescription drugs, either. His body was a
temple, and he hated so much as defiling it with aspirin and cold medicine, but
now he had no choice. He rarely got sick, and when he did it was usually only a
mild head cold.
This was
different, but he couldn't let it stop him from doing his job. What if I attack Jake with a dildo? Did I
catch it from Emily Vanderness? He worried a stray thread on his t-shirt.
Damn, he'd been careful! And he had work to do. A few more hours of sleep might
be enough to get the bug under control so he could get back to the cabin.
Before he knew it he drifted off into a fitful, dreamless sleep.
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