Author's Note: I do NOT own Hellboy, Liz, Abe, any Karen Chance references I may make or Prince Nuada (Even though I would really, REALLY like to own him, I mean who DOESN'T?) and never will. *sigh*

Chapter One

Blackwood's Auction House

The hushed conversation of the wealthy upper class who attended the auction added nicely to the atmosphere tonight. Women wearing only the finest dresses, dripping in exquisite jewellery perched on velvet lined seats as their equally obnoxious partners bid on ancient treasures from civilizations long gone. The evening was a success from the auctioneer's point of view, with the items going for higher prices than imagined because the bidders were feeling slightly generous. Statues, vases, jewellery. Anything that they had managed to salvage from various locations across the planet, they sold today. They only the history behind them from what the auctioneer told them. They didn't know about the gruesome and violent past of the beautiful diamond necklace that the man with the Pomeranian wanted for his wife. The Gaia statue represented Mother Earth, they knew that, but they didn't know of the lives of all the slaves who were forced to labour, day and night to carve it and then were sacrificed as an offering of their fertility. And I doubt they would like to know. I could smell the perfume of everyone in this room and they mingled and joined to form a strong wafting scent that made me feel nauseous. I was in for a long night.

I sat in the back, quiet and still, waiting for the item I wanted. I held no interest in anything else and I was willing to pay a high price for it. The auction people had no clue what it was so it had a fairly low starting bid and I was hoping to be the only bidder so I could get it and get out before the idiots around me drove me insane.

"And now we move onto our next item, lot 777, a piece of the Royal Crown of Bethmoora. The origin of this piece harkens back to the saga of the Sons of the Earth and the creation of the fabled Golden Army. And here it is, our next item..."

The crown piece was magnificent. Even though I wasn't going to bid it, I could see why so many of the people in here were admiring it. The trolley it was on was getting a lot of longing gazes and I could see a few men glaring at each other as they readied themselves to start their bidding war. Suddenly, the lights flickered and then sputtered out. The muffled conversation rose in volume until I could hear all of them as if they were shouting right next to my ears. Stupid people. They are happy until one small thing goes wrong and then they are terrified of every little detail.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, please keep your seats. The auction will restart shortly. I'm sure this is just a temporary loss of power. "

I resisted the urge to scoff as some frightened women rose out of their seats in a panic and focused on keeping a straight face. These bubble-headed bimbos really did make my day so much more entertaining.

"Now, for the first time at auction, a piece of the Royal Crown of Bethmoora, coming to us from a long lost culture."

"Lost? Not at all."

I looked up at the sound of that voice. Not many creatures on the planet have voices as rich and as beautiful as the elves do, and here was the prince of elves himself. Returning from exile I presume. Whatever the reason, tonight was not going to be the night I hoped it would be.

"Forgotten by you, perhaps, but very, very much alive." As he paced into the room, he placed a heavy metal container with a seal on it, onto the floor. The soft chattering that came from inside the box worried me, I could only barely hear it with my enhanced hearing. There was something inside that box and I wasn't going to hang around to find out what it was. I looked towards the front again, and saw the auctioneer trying to reason with the prince.

"Who are you, Sir?"

Stupid creature, even in the jaws of death, it is still polite.

"I am Prince Nuada, Silverlance, son of King Balor. And I am here, sir, to reclaim what is rightfully mine."

The man's feeble attempt to call security gave me the incentive to move. I wasn't the only one but they sat down as soon as Nuada told them to. I glared defiantly at him.

I pushed past the immobilized figures of the people in my row and stood in the aisle. Slowly walking towards him, I wore my poker face. Anybody can get a decent one with enough practice. I have had plenty of time to practice.

"You, stubborn human, what do you think you're doing?"

I continued walking towards him then strode past, deliberately brushing my dress along his arm. He hissed in disbelief and drew back. I entered the holding room and grabbed lot 784, the item I had waited so patiently for before he came and ruined the evening.

I sauntered back into the room and made my way to the exit his troll had made for him.

"Filthy human, you are so hollow that you even steal from each other. You shall be punished for your crimes soon."

That was it. The final straw. He had insulted me enough. I placed my stolen treasure into my big bag that I had brought along and whirled to face him. He was a fool, like all the other elves I know. Proud and undeniably obnoxious.

"Call me human, one more time Elf and I will show you what pain means. You have forgotten it is not only you who walk the night and it would be best for you to stay out of my way."

He blinked and his posture stiffened.

"I will call you what I want, human. I shall like to see you try and harm me."

Mocking, he tilted his head back and laughed. Big mistake.

I flitted to him before he could react and had a knife pressed to his throat. Bone knives were rare, but worth it. Strong and undetectable by modern technology, I had paid a small fortune to acquire one, and it had come in handy tonight. Paranoia made me carry it around wherever I went, I had to be prepared for anything.

He was shocked, to see me. He twisted to get a better view of my face and in doing so, he nicked his neck a little causing golden blood to dribble down his pale neck.

"What sort of creature are you? Forgive me for calling you human." I tilted my head up to face him. Even with my heels, I was still nearly a foot smaller than him. In the pale light of the moon that filtered in through the heavy brocade curtains, I let my fangs elongate.

"Vampire? A creature of the night in a room full of humans and you didn't kill them?" He sounded disappointed. I shook my head, enjoying his puzzlement.

With my fangs fully out, I could talk but with a slight lisp. I wasn't used to talking when I had my fangs out anyways.

"I am no vampire, Elf. Dhampir is the correct term and that is what I am. Do not think you are the only ones out there in hiding. We are rare and we have to hide always, unlike you. Now if you'll excuse me, the night is young and I have to get going. Goodbye, Prince."

With that, I flitted out of the room, under the arms of the lumbering troll who attempted to grab me but failed, and the dazed prince, who with a small smile, released the horde of Tooth Fairies on the panicked humans.

AN: I hope you liked it! Anybody who reviews gets a BIG hug from the character of your choice XD

Tell me what you think and I will be really happy and I won't set Benny the Troll on you. Nuada is so fabulous that he needs lots and lots of fanfics so we can all bask in his awesome amazingness.

Lotsa love,

O.N