Moonlight glittered and danced across his damp coat, slick with a sheen of sweat. There was a new sort of wildness in his eyes as his mind constantly brought up the image of brilliant blue gems set with a jeweler's fine touch in a bed of silver. Everywhere he looked seemed to manifest into her features; a pond rimmed with silvery grasses was her alluring gaze, the whisper of the night wind was her sultry voice of seduction, the reddish dust of dawn on a knoll was her generous hip. Even far away from him the damned girl wouldn't leave him be.
He had himself to blame. In a moment of weakness, the beast in his mind had taken over. Were it any other female, she probably would have been damaged, harmed and taken advantage of. But no, instead of fighting it or fearing it, she'd welcomed it, returned his starving touch with a surprising eagerness. His face flushed at the memory. Damn her for consuming his mind. He could think of nothing without her looming presence on his thoughts, that wicked smile playing at her delicious lips. He groaned inwardly.
Damnit.
And like a monk fasting so long then gifted with a sweet treat, his body craved her with intense hunger, realizing with painful clarity the gaping lack in his life. He needed more. Her, or maybe anyone. He'd gone so long without, that the lack of intimacy was unnoticed and normal. Now that he'd been sated, his entire being ached to feed again. His mouth dried and opened slightly, like a prideful lion-king easing into a swift lope with wide, hungry eyes. Hunting.
He no longer saw the image of his daughter, now he only saw her. With such clarity, he could even smell her again, the spicy tang of the firey woman making his mouth water. It teased him incessantly, agitated his senses til he was wild once again.
The monster in his mind had always been a separate being, tucked away, or let loose with dangerous freedom. With deep frustration his feral eyes were proof of a change taking place, the beast slowly melding with the man. Far too much intelligence remained glinting in the liquid gold gaze for him to believe he was not becoming this sick creature. Whatever she'd done to cause this, he desperately wished he could make her undo it.
Her haunting image was everywhere, and then with a rough shove and a surprised yelp he tagged her hard, colliding with what he'd thought was only his hallucination toying with him again. A sharp pain shot through his shoulder at the impact, further damning proof that she was a solid being and physically here.
He cursed, and retreated a few steps with a hard glare. The beast delighted in their reunion, but they were becoming one and the same and he held a better control over it. Barely.
Get the hell away from me, he spat, eyes glittering with malice.
His whole body seemed to cry mutiny and leaned toward her magnetic pull, wanting nothing more than to feast on her again. Or maybe any woman. He locked his gaze to her face and refused to let himself peruse her luscious curves as he seemed to want to do, already knowing full well what intoxicating delights lay there waiting for him. He would master this damn beast if it killed him.