First published 2025
Crane has discovered refuge among the alien hives that now populate Appalachian hollows. These writhing masses of insects and worms demand corpses and absolute devotion in return for giving desperate humans new lives. For Crane, the bargain feels like salvation. The hive community has allowed him to transition and find his voice as a man. He has even found love with Levi, a former Marine whose violent nature serves the hive's needs. Levi sees Crane as he truly is, mostly. But when Crane becomes pregnant and the hive insists the child must be born regardless of the consequences, his world fractures. Crane's frantic attempts to prevent the birth will tear apart the very community that rescued him. The cost will be measured in blood.
Genres: science-fiction, fantasy, horror
Vibes: dark, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: Appalachia
336 pages · Hardcover · Titan Books
Content warnings: body-horror, pregnancy-loss, violence