Vrauma's Menagerie (The Coalition Prequel Universe #1)

Gaia is a simple college student: a weekend relaxing in the woods, a pile of books, and a distinct lack of adventure are all she needs to be happy. Never mind the worries about the future that keep creeping in.

Thrander wriggles its tentacles at its umpteenth animal wrangling expedition; the Ukoid captain is no stranger to finding new creatures for its employer’s menagerie, but after so many times of the same thing, it’s a bit bored. These creatures don’t really vary that much from world to world... right?

Bhosla, a young Ukoid zoologist, is overjoyed when Thrander invites it to join on its very first visit to an extraterrestrial planet — not just its first visit, but an actual expedition to find a human. Books can only teach you so much, after all.

When two horrifying creatures emerge from the woods hell-bent on capturing her, Gaia has choices to make — all of them revolving around what will keep her alive the longest. And are those... tentacles? Perhaps there are a few more decisions than she thought there were...

Vrauma's Menagerie is a sci-fi alien romance with a HEA. See the author's website for content warnings.