Here Be Monsters [2] Read Free

kept his voice even. Abyssinian knew Oberon had been trying to create an elixir that would allow the vampires to walk in the day—he knew this because his brother had taken his blood to create it.  
    Siobhan had been successful at convincing Oberon it was still an elixir she'd drank mixed and magic'd by Abyssinian. She'd told no one that she'd drank directly from Aby's bleeding neck.  
    Had Aby known it would heal her instead of kill her?  
    Yes.  
    How had he known?  
    Because Oberon told him it would. Had he believed it?
    No. Not until he believed her life was in danger. And then he'd have risked anything to save her.  
    Thom watched Aby, though his brow was knitted together. "Are you sure you don't understand, Abyssinian?"  
    Aby wasn't happy with the regent's tone. He lowered his hands from the tomb and removed his shades. "Thom—why did you want to see me?"  
    "How," Thom said abruptly and turned to pace, his hands locked behind him. "How much do you know about the caste of the Seleighe and the UnSeleighe?"  
    Know? Aby shrugged. No more than anyone else. "There have always been the two—opposing opinions of the same race."  
    "Any other differences?" Thom said and stopped. "Aby—what makes you UnSeleighe and your brother Seleighe?"  
    "You mean physical differences?" Aby grinned. "I'm better looking?"  
    Thom also smiled, but it vanished quickly. "No other physical differences?"  
    "You mean in general? The UnSeleighe seem to possess a greater magic in the mortal realm. My magic was always stronger than my brother's. But as for anything evident at a glance? No. We look the same."  
    The Regent rubbed at his forehead. He looked to Aby to be…unsure. "Has it always been sunny in Underhill?"  
    The question seemed incongruent. "Yes."  
    "No," Thom shook his head. "That's not true. There was a year when snow covered these grounds. When the leaves fell from the trees and did not regrow. When the crops died, when the animals suffered, when Underhill almost fell in the war with the Fallen."  
    "The Fallen?"  
    "The elves were once a united people, Aby," Thom said as he turned and strolled along the wall in front of a row of tombs. "There was no distinction between the Seleighe and UnSeleighe as they are now. But there were, the Fallen. They were the original Dark Court. And they were…twisted. Immoral creatures. They lusted after all things that gave others terror. And they loved humans. Not in a cherishing way—but in a toying sense. They were the first to drag them into this realm. The first to change them, claim them, and make them theirs."  
    "You mean like Changelings?"  
    "Not like me—but before then. They used their blood to make small monsters. Humans that needed to feed on the blood of others."
    "Thom..are you insinuating that these Fallen…were vampires?"  
    "Aye," Thom nodded. "They were the first." He gave a small smile. "Ironic isn't it? That the very race the vampires fear, is the race from where they were born?"  

    - 3 -

    "How in the hell did she get out?"  
    Siobhan ran a long fingered hand through her dark hair. It was late—an hour past midnight—and already things had gone from bad to worse. Really worse. She fixed Captain Mike Miller with the hardest stare she could muster. She was hungry—and now she was scared.  
    And if there was one thing Siobhan hated—it was being one or both of those things.  
    Captain Miller, the temporary replacement for the recently incarcerated Captain Oberon Geld, leaned back in his chair. It creaked beneath him in the small, cramped room he used as an office. Four walls of glass, cheap dark-painted pine, and used blinds. "Look—I'd say we did pretty good. You gave us ten names—all of them working with Oberon on his little blood-letting operation and we caught all of them."  
    "All—but one got away," Siobhan held up her hands. "And that one is the worst of the bunch of them. She was Oberon's right-hand woman. Elf. Whatever."