Page 3 of Fated to Monsters

“The supernaturals keep their existence a secret. Ensuring the humans stay in the dark is what allows peace between them.”

“But how? That doesn’t make sense. How is it possible for them to fly so far under the radar that they are undetected? No one sees the horns or claws or fangs or the magic?”

“The supernatural living on earth make it a part of their life’s mission to keep the truth a secret. Because if the humans were ever to learn that truth, there’s no telling what they would do. It’s safer this way, for everyone involved.”

I walk next to him without any real idea of where we are going. A million questions fill my head faster than they can be answered. Supernaturals are just allowed to exist in this realm without consequence? Safely and peacefully? While we’ve been fighting for our lives in a neighboring realm and knowing no sense of freedom.

Guilt flows its way up my back and sends a chill down my spine. My stomach tightens at the thought of all the monsters I left behind to rot and never escape the hell hole I once called home.

“And it’s not like they go around with their claws and fangs and horns out in the open. Those with non-human-like traits avoid those things ever being seen. Most of the supernaturals here blend in with the rest of humanity. The witches don’t use their magic out in the open. The vampires feast discreetly. The werewolves go deep into the forest during a full moon. The others find homes in sleepy towns or long-forgotten cities where they can go undetected and live their lives without concern for being found out. Not everyone is as cautious but the majority of them are. Because they know what’s at stake if their secret comes out into the open.”

I let his words simmer before asking another question. Surely things can’t be this simple in this realm. There must be a catch. Something he isn’t telling me.

Tremont looks back at the hodgepodge group following closely behind him. “You can all pass as humans if you don’t let your magic rise to the surface and give you away.” His gaze lingers on me. “Although you may want to find some different clothing. Something that fits this realm and doesn’t make you look like you came out of a fantasy movie.”

“Movie?” I pinch my brows together.

“Mmhm. A motion picture.” He sighs and continues on his way. “You have much to learn about Earth.”

But Tremont stops after a few steps and holds out his arms to stop us, too.

Instinctually, I press the hilt of a blade into each of my hands and ready myself for the threat. “What is it?” I whisper to the man and attempt to locate the source of his concern.

“It…It can’t be.”

My sights settle on a large building in the distance. Its shape is massive, and it’s barely visible with the minimal illumination from the night sky. “What is this place?” I ask the man leading us through this uncharted territory. “Have you been here before?”

I study the way his shoulders tense, and he harshly swallows the lump in his throat.

“Yes,” he mutters. “A lifetime ago.”

“Is it safe?” Jade says softly from behind us.

“I’m fucking starving,” Bo tells us as he shoves his way forward. “This place better have some fucking food. I could eat twelve loaves of bread.”

“What an oddly specific number.” I follow behind him and hope there’s no danger ahead. We’ve already been through hell and back; we could use a little break from the chaos.

I want to believe things will be better but a voice in my head reminds me that the worst is yet to come.

2

Bo

I’d be lying if I said Arthlia wasn’t way fucking better than Prania.

Fuck Prania. That place sucks in every single regard.

The food sucks. The water sucks. The people suck. The fucking atmosphere sucks.

I don’t know what they put in the air here, but my lungs are grateful to not have to breathe in that garbage from back home.

And whoever it was that decided to invent something called a Hot Pocket, I’d love to give them a big wet kiss on the lips. It is quite literally a hot pocket of bread filled with gooey cheese and various ingredients. I am on my fifth, and I don’t see myself stopping anytime soon. There’s nothing like it in Prania. Sure, we have bread and we have cheese, and something could maybe be fashioned over an open fire but they have these things called microwaves here that blast frozen food with electricity until it’s hot and ready to eat.

Who needs hunters and gatherers when you have access to places like Costco?

“And this Costco,” I say to Tremont. “They have cases upon cases of these frozen treats?”

“Yes,” he responds. “But that’s not all. They have a whole bread aisle. All the types of cheeses you could imagine. Frozen and fresh meat. Vegetables. Fruit. Cakes. Ice cream. You name it, they probably have it.”

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