Tragic Beauty

The Beast within howled, claws ripping at the shadows that threatened to consume me. Yet I pressed on through the village, following the beacon of light that was her. Bella. A woman I barely knew, and yet was inexplicably drawn to with a desire beyond reason. What magic did she possess to make me defy the curses of my monstrous nature? I had to know. Had to have her. Make her mine, no matter who tried to keep us apart.

So I set forth, hiding myself beneath a cloak, journeying through the gloomy day, to the village bookstore where I knew she'd be. Would she see past the façade? Could she ever love the monster I hid within? I had to try, had to see her again. Feel the power of her light penetrating my darkness. The need consumed me, drove me onward despite the risk. For she was my obsession, my salvation. And I would make her mine.

Revised with a second edit as of August 2025