Page 46 of A Very Monstrous Desire

“No. Not in the way your world does.”

“I’m trying to figure out why you’re here on this mission alone instead of with a whole squadron,” Theo said.

Baku shrugged one of his huge shoulders. “We have dozens of projects all aimed at finding a way to stop the nightmares. This is just one of them, Theo, and I am just a volunteer.” He paused. “In truth it is one of the wilder projects and its success ranking is low.”

Theo almost laughed. “That fills me with confidence!”

“But I volunteered for it because I believe it can work,” Baku replied. “It is quite perfect in its simplicity. Disguised we can destroy her before she even knows what is happening! Imagine it, Theo. Every time one comes through and settles in to eat through the dimensional walls we will know. We can get there from my side and stop her before she can manage it. Her kin will welcome us thinking we are one of them. And then, when she is dead, they die. We stop them before they can eat everything in your world or eat through to another. We close the rip they created and any others nearby that might have formed as a result.”

It was perfect in its simplicity. There was no denying that. And yet… “Why haven’t you told my people what’s happening so they can do something about it?”

“We have told them.”

“Then—”

“Their solution is to continue to attack the nightmares as well as any other monsters that come through, eventually destroying the queen.”

“If they had the serum though…”

Baku shook his head. “It is not something we would share, Theo. Its base could be used to mimic other creatures and we would not trust your people with that technology.”

“You haven’t shared the tech that opens and closes rips either?”

“No.” Another shake of his head. “We fear they would use it to rip through to our world. Perhaps even to the lands where we live.”

Theo couldn’t even argue against that because some of the governments probably would! “But you’re willing to trust me?” he asked.

“You are different,” Baku said.

“I’m not, Baku. I am just the same as any other human.”

“No, Theo, you’re not.” He paused for just a moment. “In my original plan, Theo, I was simply going to give you the serum without your knowledge, explaining everything only when it was too late. I told myself it was for the greater good and the deception on my part would be something I would have to live with.”

“What changed?”

“I told you that I began to want you,” Baku said. “And far sooner than I have ever wanted another before. I began to feel it and act on it before I thought to do otherwise. You were affected and then it was too late.” He shrugged again. “We have been close now. I cannot deceive you.”

“Thinking with our dicks,” Theo whispered, and Baku laughed.

“Yes. A common failing in both our species.”

Theo took the serum from Baku’s hand and held it once more in his own. “The serum works only for a short time?”

“Shorter than we would have liked but we can only take so much before the effects become irreversible.”

“The more you take, the more it alters you?”

“Exactly. My calculations suggest you will mimic with less serum and for longer than I can,” Baku said. “And as things stand, I cannot mimic for long enough. My calculations are all based on the fact that the queen must move far enough away from the first rip to be able to create another, and that is generally a distance of fifteen minutes.”

“That’s a time measurement,” Theo said. “Not a distance.”

Baku waved the words away. “It is the same thing. Regardless, the serum needs to work for at least fifteen minutes to ensure we can reach her.” He paused. “She seems to know when there is danger close by and moves to a safer distance.”

“How long does it work for you?”

“Twelve minutes at most.”

“But you think it will be longer for me? How do you know that?”

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