Kill. Kill. Kill.

Daidhl licked his lips. The woman, Laura Nybo, came out of the yoga studio––her face glistened with a shine, her top hung loosely over shoulders, and her pants hugged defined legs. Her red hair was clipped into a neat bun, and she had a yellow scarf around her neck. She slipped into her car. Attractive, but she was a human, and a designated mate for one of those Zalarians.

Today she would die.

The Kamtrinians wanted all of the designated mates wiped out, so the Zalarians would die. But they weren’t the only ones who wanted the humans dead. One of his own kind had been murdered by mere humans. Revenge would be his––sweet and savage.

He started the motorcycle and grinned at the sound––a dragon’s growl. The name of every mate, their address, and how they would perish were engraved on his black heart. He licked his lips, and shuddered with anticipation of listening to their screams. But tonight would be Laura. Would she gasp, scream, shriek, or freeze? The guesses nearly drove him to attack now.

But he was patient. He could wait.

Laura parked her car in front of her building, then headed to her apartment, which was on the fourth floor. A security guard was in the front of the lobby, and the door was locked. She probably felt safe, but he’d no intention of going through the front door.

No, he’d be waiting for her.

He carefully parked his precious blue motorcycle away from the other cars. If anyone nicked it, they’d wished they’d never been born. He walked over to a nearby tree, spread his arms wide, then closed his eyes, drawing on his power. His body tingled. He dropped his arms and changed into a dragon, his bones crunching, and his muscles stretching and constricting. Wings flared out, and smoke puffed out of his nostrils.

He easily flew up to the balcony and waited for his prey.

From the balcony he could see through the living room to the bedroom. Keys jingled, and he smiled. Laura quickly shut the door, then locked it. She tossed her keys onto a dusty coffee table. She entered the bedroom where clothes, books, and magazines were scattered across the floor. Blankets sat crumpled on the bed. She shut another a door that he suspected led to a bathroom.

He transformed into his human form, then he grabbed the handle and pulled. The glass door was locked, but that wasn’t a problem. He drew on his dragon strength, then yanked. A crack ran up and down the lock, then the glass shattered into the shape of a sparkling star. He easily walked through it, and shards flew across the carpet.

“Oh, shit!” Laura raced out of the room, only wearing a bath robe. She wrinkled her nose. “What’s that smell?”

“You’ll pay for that remark.”

She stopped and took a couple steps back. The terror in her eyes made him moan in greedy expectation. He inhaled. Her fear smelled like dead crumpled leaves.

Her eyes widened. “Who are you? How did you get in here?”

He gestured with his arm. “Isn’t it obvious?”

Rather than cowering with terror, she glared. “Get out, or I’ll scream.”

“No, you won’t.” He pulled out his machete, then rushed her, ready to slice her throat.

He expected her to run, but she swung. His blade sliced through her arm, blood squirting into the room. She screamed. He punched her in the throat, immediately silencing her annoying shriek. Tears welled in her terrified eyes, but she didn’t turn tail and run. She kneed him in the groin.

He snarled, then raised the blade. He swung.

She held up her palms. The blade easily cut through her flesh. Blood gushed from the wounds onto her fluffy white bathrobe, then onto the floor. She staggered, lowering her hands for a fraction of second before the blade slashed across her throat, nearly decapitating her. She collapsed onto the floor, dead.

Killing her wasn’t enough. He wanted terror.

He wiped the drenched blade onto her robe, then lay it across her gut. He lifted her left arm and placed it across her left breast. He spread her legs wide and bent her knees so her bare feet were resting on the ground.

A message needed to be sent to the Zalarians that mating with these women would not ensure their survival. He’d murder their mates one-by-one.

He picked up the blade, and in a few quick cuts, removed her womb. He turned her head so she could watch him leave. He wrapped her womb up in a towel from her kitchen.

Drawing on his power, he turned invisible to wait for the person who would find Laura so he could feed on their horror.