Blood Beast was published by Pinnacle books as an original paperback in 1988 and has been out of print since 1990.  The core story was submitted as a novelette under the title "The Gargoyle" to The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction in 1987, which was then edited by Ed Ferman.  Although Ferman didn't buy the story, he sent a lengthy letter in which he mentioned that the chief human villain, James Nicholson, was one of the most thoroughly despicable characters he had ever encountered in fiction.  That inspired me to tell more of his story and the result was this novel, which I submitted as The Gargoyle.  Pinnacle purchased it within the month, but changed the title to Blood Beast.  As it happens, I collect gargoyles.