lover: a moment in time

He enters from the balcony
a shadow in a dark room
dressed in black he crosses to her bed
the moon casting a shadow across her pale features
he stares on her still form – innocent in slumber
and lovingly
gently
caresses her face

she wakes
and stares at the terrible, beautiful figure
standing before her
haloed by moonlight
“Lover” she breathes and reaches out to him

he draws her to his breast
and she melts in his embrace

they kiss
his fingers running through
the amber fire of her hair

he draws back and locks upon her
the moonlight now reveals his face
his ancient visage frozen
in a mask of self-loathing and wild desire
his teeth shine in the darkness

he hesitates
then buries them in her soft white throat

she gasps in a burst of orgasmically pleasurable pain
and parts with her earthbound existence

the man
the beast
lays her back upon the silk coverlet
and walks gracefully to the balcony

he turns and looks back longingly
upon her still form
innocent in death

and with a red tear on his cheek
he whispers “Lover”

and the darkness swallows him.