The Last of the Monsters (3 page)

“I enjoy watching Joanna.” Tokaki nodded once and then ambled off. Henry shook his head. There was no way that anyone who hadn’t seen it happen would believe it if he told them the tall Asian man turned into a twenty-foot-long white tiger.

Akta and Cali walked over, Cali talking to Akta in low tones. He could tell by the focused look on Akta’s face that Cali was helping her get into character, trying to get her to the right emotional place. Henry knew what his character wanted, what he needed. But those were so very different from Henry’s own wants that he couldn’t get himself to give in to Ebon.

The set came alive around him as Cali called the shot. He got into position and watched Akta prepare.

Akta, as always, was beautiful. Her wardrobe was simple, jeans and a hooded jacket, both of which hugged her trim figure. Her hair was in a braid that hung over her shoulder. Henry tried not to look at her hair. He’d had far too many fantasies about that hair.

They stepped up to their marks, waiting as the cameras were rolled to their starting positions.

“Henry,” Cali said, drawing his attention, “what’s something that makes you angry?”

There were plenty of things that made him angry. He focused on Blackwolf, his people’s nemesis, and let the anger take him. He felt it flow over him, coating him in a layer of emotion that was both powerful and rancid.

With Henry, anger didn’t show just in his eyes or the tone of his voice. His anger was right on the surface—his skin color.

While he was normally blue, when angry his skin turned black, his wings and eyes red. It was a secret he’d kept from the humans until a few months ago, when a new woman, Joanna, joined the team. She was in charge of how the movie looked, and Henry had realized that sooner or later he’d have to show one of them. Intellectually he knew that in a visual medium like a movie his ability would be an asset.

In the movie, they were carefully not associating his changing color with emotions, but instead using it to signify when he was dangerous.

“Henry, I want you to hold on to that feeling,” Cali said as she backed up out of their way.

Akta stood at the mouth of a wide alley, arms up, palms in front of her in a defensive, frightened pose. He waited in the alley, hidden in the shadows cast by the buildings. There were two cameras covering the scene, one on a track behind Akta that would circle around her when he lifted her for the kiss.

“Action.”

Akta recoiled a half step.

“Padma,” Henry said, trying, and failing, to see her as her character and not Akta.

“You’re here.” Her voice trembled, her eyes were wide and beautiful.

“I said I would be.”

“Let me see you.” Need was thick in her voice and Henry had to focus on his anger to keep his skin black.

He stepped out of the darkness, moving slowly. Little by little he came into the light, letting it reveal him. As he did, he released his anger, focusing instead on a complex math problem. It was a way to keep himself focused, to keep from feeling anything powerful as skin faded from black to its default blue.

Akta—no, Padma—looked him up and down, her hands falling to her sides.

“Ebon.” There was relief and joy in her voice. “I’ve missed you.”

She took a step, arms open, ready to be swept up in the kiss. Henry reached for her and saw that Akta was not as immersed in her character as he’d thought.

Anger burned in her eyes. Anger at him, anger at what she thought he felt and believed.

If only she knew the truth.

But the truth wasn’t something he was willing for her, or anybody, to know.

He couldn’t tell her, but maybe he could show her just how much he wanted her. And if he did it here, in front of the cameras and crew, it would be Ebon, not Henry. Only he would know what his real motivations were.

Henry dragged Akta to him. Lifting her with a hand under her ass, he brought his wing around to cradle her back and to hold her in place. She let out a little gasp, a soft, needy sound that made him want to do outrageous things to her.

Their gazes met, and sparks jumped between them. Henry could see her surprise a moment before he brought his lips to hers. The kiss was not the soft celebration the script called for, but a fierce claiming. Akta clung to his shoulders as Henry used his free hand to cup her head. Her skull felt small and delicate in his hand, her whole body did, and yet she kissed him back fearlessly.

It was Akta who pulled back, gasping for breath. Her lips were shiny, eyes wide and surprised.

Desire sparked to life in his belly.

Shit.

Henry shifted his gaze to her shoulder, hoping it wasn’t obvious on camera, and started a long division problem in his head. He couldn’t,
wouldn’t
, lose control.

“Cut. That was perfect.”

Henry lowered Akta to the ground. A grinning Cali ambled over.

“That was really great, both of you. Let’s do it one more time.”

Henry retreated into the shadows. He’d almost lost control there. He had to be more careful.

Over the next few days they shot scenes that included running, hiding and talking about what their characters had been through while they were apart. Though the backstory scenes, most of which would be overlaid with flashback footage, were emotional, they didn’t test Henry’s control the way the kissing scene had, and it was a welcome break.

The worry that he wouldn’t be able to keep his feelings for Akta hidden gnawed at Henry, but it was the worry that once he admitted those feelings his secret would be exposed that kept him from sleeping.

The reprieve ended today. They’d come to a new location where they’d stay for a week or two. It was a construction site, complete with a ten-story building that was nothing more than steel and concrete. The floors were there, but there were no walls yet, making it look like a massive backless bookcase.

The climactic scene that propelled the movie from the first to second act would be filmed here. It was also one of the most emotional scenes. Ebon must rescue Padma, who’d been kidnapped by Seling’s character and held as bait by Runako. In the battle, Seling is killed before he could reveal that he’d had a change of heart about humans. The battle ends with Henry and Runako fighting their way up the outside of a building, where Ebon is caught on video by news helicopters. Having killed one of his own people and exposed himself to humans, Ebon forfeits any chance of ever returning to his home.

There was one particularly emotional scene in this shooting sequence, and they were working on it tonight. It was the one in which Ebon first tracks down Padma after Seling has kidnapped her. Emotionally, Henry’s character started out angry and afraid, then, when he saw Padma, was relived that she’s alive and realized exactly how much he loved her. It was the moment that the audience had to identify with his character and root for him, despite the bad things he would do in the course of the movie. They had to feel for him so they would mourn the loss of the life he’d forfeited for love in the next act.

Henry and Akta found a small area out of the way of the crew to rehearse. They’d done the lines in readings, but this was the first time they were working out the physicality of the scene, and the first time Henry would really have to embody the emotions.

Cali was at his shoulder, talking quietly. She’d gone into what Henry liked to call her director mode. The normally rude and abrasive woman was a brilliant director, which he hadn’t expected. He did his best to focus on her, listen to her as she helped him get to the emotional place he needed to be.

“The person you love has been missing for hours,” Cali said. “You’ve been looking for her, searching for her, sure that every minute that passes means she must be dead. Then you find her. You know it’s a trap, but you don’t care, because you can see her. She’s there, alive, waiting for you.”

Henry gave himself over to the character, becoming Ebon. Fear and anger rose within him. The need to find her, save her, clawed at him. He felt his color change, shifting from blue to black. He opened his eyes.

Padma was sitting on the ground a few feet away. She was terrified, confused.

He snarled, eyes sweeping the area around her to assess for danger. When his gaze returned to her, he jerked forward. Throwing himself to the ground in front of her, he curled his wings around them, completely sheltering her as he looked over his shoulder, scanning for her kidnapper.

“Pull one wing back.” He vaguely heard Cali’s suggestion and responded without slipping out of character.

He folded one wing back but kept Padma inside the protective curl of his body and the other wing.

She made a small sound and he looked down at her. She’d tipped her face up to his. Tears glittered on her lashes. “You found me.”

“I will always…” He paused, raising one hand to touch her face.

He froze. He could see fire in her eyes—passion and anger. He was no longer Ebon wanting to touch and comfort Padma, he was Henry, fighting a losing battle with his desire for Akta. The anger dissipated, and his hand, which hovered a breath from her face, faded to blue.

“Henry…” Cali’s voice was low, urgent. “Stay in the moment, you’ve found her, but there’s still a threat, the people who did this will pay.”

Henry tried to pull himself back, tried to touch the core of anger inside himself, but he couldn’t. His control was as thin and fragile as a worn rope. She was too close to him—he could feel her breath, smell her hair.

His emotions shifted, desire crashing through him, and Henry jumped to his feet. “I can’t.”

Before either of them could stop him, Henry bolted, cursing himself the whole way.

Chapter Three

Akta stared over Lena’s shoulder at the computer screen and felt the world crumbling away around her.

One of the Hollywood gossip blogs was featuring a story about their movie. A story claiming that the actors were real monsters. Most damning of all, there were pictures. Pictures of Akta and Henry kissing, with Henry in his monster body.

Hollywood Heartbeat

Monsters Are Real!

We were planning on showing you exclusive stills from Calypso Productions’ untitled film, but it’s not about the film anymore. It’s about the actors.

Check this: The actors aren’t human. That’s right, those hotties who’ve been showing up all over the red carpet along with the lovely Akta Patel aren’t human. They’re monsters.

Real monsters.

Don’t believe me? Think I smoked some bad stuff? Here are the stills from the production.

That’s right, you’re looking at a monster embracing, or killing, Akta. Some of you are going to say that it’s just really good effects, but remember this—no special effects house is working with them. ILM, Zoic…none of them are associated with this movie.

Maybe it’s puppets?

Nope, Jim Henson Studios has never heard of them. Handspring says no too.

AND this is a shot from the production footage. Not the post footage.

No CGI, no live action puppetry. How are they doing this?

A source on the production confirms the actors are real monsters who can change into humans at will.

MONSTERS ARE REAL.

It’s not about the movie anymore, people. It’s about these monsters. Where’s the CIA? FBI? Those people from Roswell? We want to know the truth about this movie and who these actors are NOW.

“Who did this?” Akta asked.

“We don’t know,” Lena said, voice measured and low. Akta could read her friend and knew it wasn’t just anger she was holding back, but fear. They were all risking a lot with this movie, and if they couldn’t control the truth about the guys they were in for a lot of trouble.

“It has to be one of the crew,” Margo said. “Those are production shots.”

“None of them would…” Akta didn’t finish the sentence. It was stupid to insist that it wasn’t someone on the production crew when there was no one else it could be.

Cali hissed out a breath. “Oren.”

They’d checked out Oren before bringing him on. His past hadn’t made him their first choice, but he was the best they could get. Whatever his personal issues, he was a very good editor.

“We need to know who this was, and we need to shut this down.” Lena picked up her phone. “We’ll question Oren. Margo, I need you to warn Runako and Luke and the others. Keep them from going after anyone.”

Margo nodded and left the room.

Lena called Oren, and Jane, looking sick, headed for the bathroom.

As Akta stared down at the photos, a horrible suspicion rose within her. It couldn’t be. He wouldn’t…

Keeping her fears bottled up, Akta took a seat at the conference table in the Calypso Productions boardroom. She wasn’t going to say anything to her friends until she had a chance to talk to Henry herself.

“Where are you going?”

Away from you.

Henry wisely didn’t say what he was thinking. “I’m going to get you some clothes.”