A Sci-Fi Monster Romance Fresh out of college, with a degree in Biochemistry and wild dreams for the future, I can’t believe my luck when I get a job as a lab assistant with the mysterious organization IMRA. But then I find out IMRA stands for… umm… International Monster Research Association, and that… umm… alien monsters exist, and now I’m not even allowed to talk about my job at home! Deep breath. I can handle this. I’m a professional, and this is a great opportunity. Oh, what’s the job description? So glad you asked! It’s… let me check. Ah, right! Collecting test samples from a recently captured green-skinned beast that’s as tall as a mountain, a bit too growly for my taste, and could certainly break out of his cage if he wanted to. An orc. I’m to collect various bodily fluids from an alien orc. Deep breath. Don’t panic, Lou. Come on! You’re a professional. \sweat drop\

I've traveled the world, put distance between me and my past, never spent too much time in one place. When the father who abandoned me reaches out and tells me I'm the only one who can help him with a top-secret project, I don't hesitate. All I've ever wanted was for him to see me; that's why I became a scientist. In the IMRA research labs, they study alien monsters. I've been passionate about snakes since I was a kid, so I'm used to being around the cold-blooded reptiles. But when Dad shows me his test subject, the temptation to run is overwhelming. This isn't just an alien snake. It's a gold-skinned naga! Sixteen feet long tail, shimmering scales, deep, intelligent eyes. And venomous beyond belief! He's already killed one lab assistant, and if I don't turn out to be the snake whisperer I think I am, I'm next.

I became a marine veterinarian because I wanted to make a difference in the world. No one gets it, because why would I want to work when I come from old money? I don’t care. I want to make something of myself, not marry well and spend my life playing tennis and throwing yacht parties. I get my chance to prove my skills when Dr. Glenda Smith bursts into my workplace and whisks me away to a secret island off the coast, where I have to save the life of an octopus. Except when I get there, I realize she’s kind of lied to me… Yes, the sea creature has the tentacles of an octopus, but the head and torso of a man. He’s a kraken, an alien from a faraway planet, and he’s been wounded in battle. I will do anything to save him. It’s my job. But then I approach him, he gazes at me, and his three hearts stop at once.