The Last of the Monsters

by Lila Dubois

  “I’m dying of curiosity. Will you read me your list?” Akta had rarely acted out any fantasies or kinks greater than a bit of light bondage. She had a box of toys under her bed, most of them presents from the girls, and in the dark of night loved to fantasize about wild and elaborate sexual escapades.

  “I’ll read you the ones I marked as ‘willing to try’.”

  Akta lay back on the pillows, one hand on her belly, just below her navel. “I’m ready.”

  “The first one is anal.”

  Akta sucked in a little breath as a punch of arousal settled in her gut. “Oh.”

  “Do you not like that?”

  “I don’t know. I’ve never tried it.”

  There was silence, then he said, “Akta, I don’t want to scare you, and I would never, never, do something that you didn’t want.”

  “I know that. I’m not scared—well, maybe a little. I’ve never done it before because there was never anyone I trusted enough.”

  “But you trust me.” It wasn’t a question.

  “I do.”

  “So…anal is a yes.”

  Akta gasped in laughter. Henry was nothing if not direct. “Yes, yes it is. But we’d both be virgins for that one.”

  “Now there’s some subcategories under anal. There’s ‘anal plugs—large’, ‘small’ and ‘worn publicly under clothes’. I like all three.”

  Akta shivered and let out a little groan. Just hearing him say these dark things, hearing him admit that he wanted them, wanted to do them to her, was enough to have moisture flooding her pussy. Akta pressed her legs together. “All three…”

  “You don’t like any of them? I admit that I’ve only seen pictures—and some video—of plugs, but I do like the idea of putting one in you and then fucking you.”

  Akta gasped so loud he stopped talking.

  “Akta, are you all right?”

  “Do you have any idea what you’re doing to me?”

  Henry’s breathing deepened. “You’re aroused.”

  “Oh yes. I’m afraid to move I’m so on edge.”

  He growled. “I’ll be there in five minutes.”

  “Henry, no, we have to rest, to get some sleep. We’ll just stop talking about this.”

  “I don’t want to stop talking about it. I want to tell you that the next time I see you, I’m going to bend you over the bed and put a nice thick plug up your ass, then I’m going to fuck you.”

  Akta shoved her hand into her panties, fingers sliding through the thick folds to touch her clit. “More,” she begged. “Tell me what else you’d do.”

  “The next one on my list is blindfolds. Then bondage. Maybe I’d combine them all, tie you up, blindfold you, then fuck your ass with a plug, then with my cock.”

  Akta cried out as she came, her fingers twirling around her clit. Her back arched, her toes curled, and yet it wasn’t enough. She wanted it to be his fingers on her clit, wanted his cock inside her as she came.

  Henry was panting into the phone. He groaned. It was a low, raw sound, almost primal.

  They didn’t speak, just listened to each other breathe as they came down from their orgasms.

  “Akta?”

  “Yes.” She was tired now, her body relaxed.

  “That was hot.”

  “Agreed.”

  “But not enough. I want my hands on you.”

  “And I want that too.”

  “Soon,” he promised her.

  “Yes, soon.”

  “Goodnight, Akta.”

  “Goodnight, Henry.”

  Putting her phone down on the bedside table Akta forced herself to get up and go to the bathroom. She caught sight of herself in the mirror—she was smiling. Her virgin monster wasn’t wasting any time improving his sex playbook.

  Henry rose and stretched as the reporter was escorted out of his room. They were in a hotel in Beverly Hills. The main ballroom had a screen playing footage from the movie and the newly completed trailer on an endless loop. He and the other actors, including Akta, had each been set up in their own little rooms. Huge copies of the teaser poster—a black monster with red claws and red-tipped wings silhouetted against a blue sky. Tattered script spelled out The Truth.

  There was a partner poster—copies of which Runako and Luke had in their rooms—that showed a black monster with blue wings silhouetted against a red-tinted sky. That one said The Darkness.

  They were into their fourth hour of the movie junket and Henry was starting to enjoy himself. It was rather entertaining watching the reporters grow frustrated by his sidestepping and refusal to directly answer their questions.

  As the last media outlet—cable channel, if he remembered correctly—disassembled their camera and mic setup, the next one came in. Though the interviews were only five to ten minutes, it took at least fifteen to get ready.

  The reporter, a slim blond man with features so regular he was almost bland, came in. “Hi, I’m Dan Marks from TMDT—Twenty Minutes Depending on Traffic?”

  “It’s nice to meet you. I’m Henry.” They shook, but Henry could see the disappointment in the other man’s face that he hadn’t reacted to who he was or whom he worked for. Henry liked movies. He didn’t keep up with human pop culture.

  “It’s a gossip and entertainment show. Pretty popular. Have you not heard of us?”

  “Of course. I just don’t watch much TV,” Henry half lied. He really didn’t watch much TV.

  They paused while Henry was handed a mic to clip to the collar of his leather jacket. He held out his arms as they tucked the cord out of sight.

  “We’re ready,” the cameraman said.

  Henry took his seat, the reporter across from him and outside the frame.

  “Henry, thank you for meeting with me. What can you tell me about Truth in Darkness?”

  “It’s a great movie. The people who come to see it are going to be very, very surprised.”

  “What exactly is it about?”

  “It’s about monsters.” He pointed to the poster over his shoulder.

  “Gargoyles.”

  “Gargoyles are stone statues—modeled after monsters—but they’re not the same.”

  “Can you say more about that?”

  Henry just smiled.

  “Okay. Why don’t you tell me about yourself? This is your first movie.”

  “It is my first movie, but it’s not my first time acting. I’ve done a lot of stage work.”

  “What have you been in?”

  Henry smiled slightly. “I doubt you’d have heard of any of the plays.” Henry knew he wouldn’t have—all his acting had been among his people, playing roles that sometimes resembled those in human tales with the same elements, but which had been passed down through the various clans for centuries.

  “You’re not really saying much. No one is. Why the secrecy?”

  “This movie is about the truth—revealing the truth. We don’t want to spoil that.”

  “Is there anything you can tell me?”

  “Only that I did all the acting for my character. No CGI.”

  Dan jumped at that. “And what is your character’s name?”

  “My character’s name is Ebon. He falls in love with a human woman, played by Akta Patel.”

  “And what is your character, your monster? Is he an alien or a mutant?”

  Henry evaded—per the guidelines, he couldn’t say any more about the plot, how they were making the movie or his character.

  Dan was growing frustrated, especially when one of the women from the marketing company popped her head in to give him the one-minute warning.

  “Can you talk about what it’s like to work with Akta Patel?”

  Henry clamped down on his reaction. Their phone sex of two nights ago was still fresh in his mind—especially since he hadn’t been able to get his hands on her in the days since.

  “Akta is a wonderful actor. It’s been a pleasure working with her.”

  “Did you know that she was voted one o
f the most beautiful women in Hollywood? There are a lot of actors who would love to be in your position.”

  “I’m sure there are.” Henry kept his voice level, but he wanted to change forms and rip Dan’s head off. He didn’t like the way he was smiling as he talked about how beautiful Akta was.

  “And is there anything going on between you and Ms. Patel?” Dan’s eyes were narrowed, and Henry realized he must have picked up on some of Henry’s reaction.

  “No. There’s nothing between us. Akta is wonderful to work with, but it’s strictly professional.”

  Dan looked deflated. “Oh. Well are you seeing anyone? The gossip sites have already flagged you as one of the hottest new male actors.”

  Henry just smiled.

  “Time’s up.” The organizer was standing just inside the door. “I have Akta here so you can do your promo bit.”

  Akta was behind the other woman. Their gazes met and Akta looked away quickly, but not before Henry saw the hurt in her eyes. What was that about?

  He wanted to shove the other people out of the room and ask her what was wrong. Through force of will he kept his smile on as Akta was miked. They were positioned standing next to each other, smiling and acting like nothing was wrong, as they said the TMDT tagline. When that was done, Akta handed back the mic and left the room without even looking at Henry.

  Before he could go after her, the next reporter was ushered in, the next set of questions asked. He forced himself to concentrate, but in the back of his mind all he could think about was Akta and the look on her face.

  Chapter Ten

  Akta ignored Henry knocking on her patio door. She crossed her arms over her belly, pulling her frumpiest sweater more securely around herself and went into the kitchen. Grabbing a pint of low-calorie sorbet from the freezer, she took it to the couch.

  Plopping down, she picked up a remote and pressed the button to close the drapes.

  “What the hell, Akta?” he yelled as the floor-to-ceiling panels slid closed, blocking his view of her living room.

  She flicked on the TV, turning the volume up. It was an entertainment news show—and there on the screen was Henry, looking sexy and a bit aloof, his hair just messy enough, his handsome, lean face the epitome of movie star.

  In disgust, she turned off the TV.

  “Akta, let me in or I’ll break down the door. I don’t care if the alarm goes off.”

  “If you do, I’ll have you arrested,” she yelled back.

  She used the remote to open the curtain enough so she could see him. Standing, she went to the glass. He was still in his monster body, so she had to crane her neck to look into his eyes.

  “I don’t want to talk to you.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because you’re a jerk.”

  Henry opened his mouth, closed it. “Wait, I thought you said I wasn’t a jerk.”

  Damn it, she had said that. “Well, that was before.”

  “Before what?”

  “Before you were a jerk. Go away.”

  “Open the door, Akta.” His skin was silvery blue in the night shadows, but as he stood there it darkened, headed toward angry black. His eyes, which were solid blue, were tinted with red.

  “Oh no you don’t, don’t get all monstery at me.” Overexposure had muted her natural and healthy fear at seeing an eight-foot-tall, pissed-off monster.

  “Monstery? That’s not even a word.”

  “It is now. Buh-bye.”

  “Damn it, Akta.” He braced his hands on either side of the patio doors, his claws clacking against the walls. “I don’t understand. What did I do?”

  There was more than anger in his voice now, and she took a breath, reminding herself that she was a mature adult who could talk through her feelings. “I heard you with that reporter.”

  “Which one?”

  “TMDT.”

  “Okay.”

  They stared at each other.

  “I heard you tell him that you weren’t interested in me,” Akta prompted.

  Henry’s expression didn’t change. Akta raised her eyebrows.

  “I still don’t get it.” He dropped his arms and wrapped his wings over his shoulders so the membrane settled around him like a cloak.

  “What do you mean you don’t get it? After everything we’ve done and been saying, how do you think I felt to hear you tell someone you weren’t interested in me?”

  “You’re angry…” Henry’s voice deepened to a growl, “…because I lied to protect you?”

  “Protect me. Right.” Akta turned away so he wouldn’t see that she was getting more upset by the second. His reaction was not what she’d anticipated—or hoped for.

  “Open the door or I will break it open, and fuck the consequences.”

  There was something in his voice she’d never heard before. Something that reached past rational thought to a place of instinct. A creature greater and stronger than her was threatening her, and she needed to obey or run.

  Akta disarmed the alarm.

  She kept her back to the door as it opened.

  “Akta.”

  “No.” She didn’t know what she was denying.

  “Akta, look at me.”

  She shook her head.

  Henry grabbed her, his massive claw-tipped fingers long enough to circle her waist, forcing her to turn around. Akta planted her hands on his chest, the skin rubbery under her fingers, and shoved. Henry didn’t move.

  He held her by the waist, his wings folding in around them until they were cocooned in blue membrane that was rapidly darkening to black.

  “Don’t you understand? Do you know what’s going to happen?”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “This is all we’re ever going to get—this time together. We all want this to work, but it’s not going to.”

  Cold settled in her gut. “Henry…”

  “We came here, came into your life, and we doomed you. If I could, I would go back and make sure that we never met.” He touched her cheek with one long, razor-sharp talon. “I would protect you from what’s going to happen. I would protect you from me.”

  “I don’t need to be protected. Everything is going to be fine.”

  “No. It won’t. My Clan and I will be captured or murdered outright by humans who fear us. You and Margo and Lena…you will all be crucified by your fellow humans, shunned and tried for endangering them by bringing us out among you. Why do you think Michael doesn’t change, that he hasn’t let many know he too is a monster? Jane’s pregnant and the most at risk. It will be a miracle if they can keep the baby a secret long enough for the child to survive. I—”

  “OH MY GOD, JANE’S PREGNANT?”

  “Uh…”

  “I can’t believe she didn’t tell me! Hold on, I have to call her.”

  “Now that I think about it, that might have been a secret.”

  “I mean, I suspected, of course. I haven’t seen her with a glass of wine or a cup of coffee in weeks, but you never know, she might have been doing a cleanse or something.”

  “We’re both speaking English, and yet I have no idea what you just said.”

  “Where’s my phone?” Akta pushed his wing aside.

  “Akta?”

  “Have you seen it?”

  “Your phone? No, but Akta, listen.”

  “I can’t believe she’s having a baby. That’s just so real, you know?”

  “Woman, please stop talking.”

  “Found it!” Akta picked her phone up off the coffee table.

  Henry snatched it out of her hand and held it above her head.

  “Give me that.”

  Henry caught her by the waist with his free hand and curled his wings around her once more. “Listen to me, Akta.” His tone was dark and serious once more.

  “Okay, sorry, I’m listening.” Part of her wanted to run away, didn’t want to hear what he had to say. She was good, very good, at pretending everything would be okay, even when all indicators sa
id otherwise.

  “We thought we understood what we were doing. Michael and I each thought Luke’s plan was good. We were ignorant, and desperate. We shouldn’t have come to you.”

  “Calypso Productions made a business decision, and one I stand by.”

  “It’s not Calypso Productions that will suffer for what we’re doing. It’s you.” He released her waist but his wings tightened, drawing her forward another half step. I can’t go back, I can’t undo this. But I will do what I can to protect you now—and that includes never letting anyone know about us.”

  Akta couldn’t breathe. His words cut through her, made her both afraid and angry. She wanted to deny every word he’d said. They were doing everything they could to make sure that this didn’t end in slaughter.

  But she couldn’t, because some part of her was afraid this wouldn’t work. She’d avoided thinking what would happen to her friends and family if this all went south. Akta gritted her teeth, but she couldn’t stop the tears that fell.

  “I didn’t want to make you cry.”

  She closed her eyes as he kissed her cheeks.

  “Akta, I’m sorry. Don’t cry.”

  His gentle words only made her cry harder. She reached up to hug him, but he was too tall. Henry bent so she could wrap her arms around his thick neck, then lifted her, cradling her as he whispered softly.

  Akta woke hours later in bed beside Henry. He was still in his monster body, which explained why she was so hot—he radiated heat like a furnace.

  Sliding carefully out from under his wing, which was draped over her blanket-style, she went to the bathroom. Standing under the light, she looked at herself.

  Her hair was a mess, having come out of the long braid to tangle around her face—the remnants of her makeup was smeared under her eyes, but worst of all was the haunted look on her face.

  Stepping under the shower, she turned it on as hot as she could stand. Water beat down on her head and shoulders.

  “May I join you?”

  She’d heard the door open, so she wasn’t surprised by Henry’s voice. She nodded.

  The next moment his arms were around her, his human hands sliding over her wet flesh.

  “I don’t want to be scared,” she whispered.