Zantem held Diana's neck with a fury that threatened to consume him.
This insignificant human, this parasite who had forced him to adopt this grotesque form...
He could end her in an instant, separate her head from her body with a simple squeeze, but that would be too merciful. His transformed body trembled with barely contained rage as he considered the punishment she deserved.
'No,' he thought while observing her pathetic attempts to break free, his enhanced senses registering every futile struggle. 'You need to understand the true meaning of suffering.'
His claws, now more like human fingers but ending in chitinous points, dug slightly into her skin, enough to cause pain but not to end her life. Each small puncture was precisely calculated to maximize discomfort while prolonging consciousness.
Diana's blows against his arm were like a small bird's fluttering against a storm.