Page 41 of A Very Monstrous Desire

“How are we going to get past the rages without guns, and then, assuming we manage that, kill the hundreds of munching monsters waiting for us?” he asked.

“We do not need to kill hundreds of them,” Baku said. “We just need to get to the queen.”

“Okay,” Theo said. “Then how are we going to get to the queen without guns?”

“We’re staying in my universe for as long as possible,” Baku said, and he opened his backpack and pulled something out. “Which does mean going through the forest, but it is early daytime, and the rages will be slumbering. If we are very careful and very quiet, we will not awaken them.”

A giddy sort of relief filled Theo at those words, and he let out the breath he hadn’t realised he’d been holding. It was possible he’d been holding it since yesterday.

“We will be absolutely careful and absolutely quiet,” he said. “Though it feels like you could have mentioned their nocturnal natures a bit sooner!”

“Not completely nocturnal and we must be on alert regardless,” Baku said. “We will be walking through their territory, and it is very dangerous. Not quite as dangerous as walking through a crowd of nightmares though.”

“They’d just go ahead and eat us,” Theo said. “No need to draw us in.”

“Strength in numbers,” the monster replied. “That is one thing the rages do not have. Not yet at least.” He paused and shot Theo a look. “We will make our way through the forest and then we will use the rip that the queen herself has made to go through to your world. It is deep in the forest but will take us straight to her.”

Theo was impressed with that plan and quickly said as much. “But she’s not going to be there on her own,” he added. “She’ll be surrounded by the munchers.”

“She will be.”

“Then how the hell can we possibly fight them all without guns? The moment they see us they’ll kill us. You’re big, Baku, but not big enough to buy me enough time to kill the queen.”

Baku stopped rooting around in his backpack and looked up at Theo. “You plan to kill her yourself?”

“I…” Theo frowned because it seemed there was little choice but for him to do that, though once again he cursed to find himself in such a position! “I guess I’ll have to,” he continued. “You hold them off, I’ll kill her. Job done.”

“You are brave, Theo.”

“I’m stupid.”

“No, brave,” the monster said again. “You knew we were going to be facing the rages again today and then the nightmares, and not once have you demanded that I return you to your world.”

“You refused,” Theo said.

“Yes,” Baku agreed. “But that was before.”

Before… they looked at each other then and something passed between them. Theo opened his mouth to speak.

Was he going to demand Baku send him home? Knowing now that the monster would. Demand to return home to the regular, ordered life that he’d left behind.

Was he going to leave Baku to deal with the nightmares alone? When the monster had clearly said that he needed Theo’s help?

Theo did not know.

His heart was racing.

He felt strange all over again.

He closed his mouth.

“Your bravery will be needed before this day is through but more than you realise,” Baku continued. He pulled something from the backpack. It was a vial of viscous, purple liquid. “Here.”

“What is that?” Theo asked even as he took the vial and held it in his palm.

Baku visibly took a deep breath. “Just before we enter the rip through to your world you will need you to ingest this.”

“Yes, but what is it?” Theo asked and he began to imagine all sorts of things. A strength potion. A pharmaceutical drug. Something to make him faster and stronger perhaps. Maybe that explained why Baku’s people didn’t need guns. They just got high instead!

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