The Last of the Monsters Read Online Free PDF Page A

their most important resources.
    Maeve was one of the last of her kind. Where once each clan had been a race unto itself, as their numbers dwindled they’d had to band together, forming the Great Clan in a place that had, at the time, been open and easy to hide in. Now their home in the Rocky Mountains was smack in the middle of the United States, and Maeve was the last American banshee.  
    Earlier tonight Henry had met with the other monsters in Griffith Park, their go-to meeting place because they could hide in the vast urban wilderness and move around in their own bodies. This had been the most grim meeting they’d ever called. They were staring down the barrel of a worst-case scenario. The movie was too far along to scrap—the crew and human cast all knew the truth, and if they walked away now the rumors would spread and they’d be vulnerable. Maeve had arrived just then, in their darkest hour, and though they could use her help, Henry knew the fact that she’d arrived when she did meant that the situation was as bad, if not worse, than they understood.
    The terrible part of it all was that Maeve would be staying with him. She’d done more to help their people than anyone, but she was a serious pain in the ass. And it was his job to keep her under control.
    “I’m going to go. The kitchen is in there. It’s human, but you should be able to figure it out.”
    “My kitchen is human-sized.” Maeve wandered through the living room.
    “Right. That makes sense. Just, uh, don’t burn anything down.”
    Maeve rolled her eyes. “I am not the one you need to worry about.”
    He didn’t believe that, but he’d deal with Maeve later. First she needed some clothes. A naked, crazy banshee wasn’t inconspicuous, even in LA.
     
     
    Henry slid into the car with a sigh. He carefully put the key into the ignition. He hadn’t been driving for long, and he wasn’t licensed. There was no way for him to get a California license when, as far as the US Government was concerned, he didn’t exist.
    There was a tap on his window and Henry nearly came out of his skin—which for him was really saying something.
    Akta was standing outside his car. She was dressed casually in a flowing top and leggings, with her hair in a braid. Henry took a moment to let his nerves settle, then rolled down the window.
    “Akta, what are you doing here? Did something else happen?”
    “I wanted to talk to you.” She walked around the front of the car to the passenger door. Henry unlocked it and she slid into the seat. “Lena said I shouldn’t go up to your place, that you had a new person there.”
    “A new person…that’s close enough. I was going to get her some clothes.”
    “I’ll go with you; we can talk on the way.”
    Though Akta was smiling, there was steel in her words that he’d never heard before. Henry carefully backed out of the parking space and drove around to the gated entrance of the condo’s parking garage. As the gate rattled open, he looked at Akta.
    “How did you get in here?”
    “I stayed in one of the condos when I had my kitchen redone. The garage access is still keyed into my car.”
    After that, Henry couldn’t think of any other small talk. He pulled out into traffic as the tension in the car thickened.
    “Why are you here?”
    Akta’s question took him by surprise. Henry looked over at her as he stopped for a red light.
    “What do you mean?”
    She picked up her braid and played with the end. “I mean, why are you here, in LA?”
    “You know why. This movie is our best hope of controlling how humans find out about us and also making sure that they understand more about us than what we look like.”
    “I know that.”
    “Then why did you ask?”
    “That’s why Michael and Luke are here. I want to know why you are here.”
    “The same reason.”
    “I don’t think so.”
    “What? Why do you say that?”
    She didn’t answer. Henry stared out the front window, furiously thinking. The way she was