Laying It Bear by Lynn Hagen

After nearly dying, Sherman flees Maple Grove to start a whole new life in Fever’s Edge. He wants to put his past behind him, and applies for a job at the local diner. Little does he know how drastically his life is about to change when he spots a table filled with sexy firemen. One in particular catches his eye. Fire Chief Dalton Knowles. The guy is right up Sherman’s alley—big, muscular, and built like a bear. He just doesn’t know that Dalton has his own set of problems that will put Sherman in a life-threatening situation.

Years ago Dalton worked for the Ultionem, chasing down rogue nonhumans. Now he’s settled into a simple life. But he can’t escape his past, and when a vampire hell-bent on revenge comes after Dalton, the stakes grow higher. Dalton is infected with a slow-acting poison that is killing him, but he risks everything to save his mate from the deranged vampire.