KYLE ROSE
I came back to Montrose with a smile tugging at my lips, one that hadn’t left me the entire trip home. Ylarc had been amusing enough, though hardly worth the noise of its streets or the blandness of its humans. Still, the city had served its purpose. I had gotten what I wanted, my objective complete, and after that… well, what else was there to do but indulge?
Humans were easy prey—desperate to be touched by someone who pretended to see them. I played the part of the charming stranger, whispered all the right words, and by the time they realized the danger, it was too late. They weren’t worth remembering, but the look of betrayal in their eyes—ah, that I savored. I fed on that as much as I did on their energy.
By the time I arrived at the estate, Montrose was draped in its u
