A/N: Hello, my lovely readers! So, this is a new phic that I was inspired to write after seeing Phantom 25 (twice, if anyone cares to know what I do when I'm not writing), and I'm not quite sure where it's going, but I thought I'd give it a shot. Enjoy!
I was under his spell. I knew I was the moment I heard that voice ring out the first melodious, seductive notes of that song. I also knew that he had killed Piangi – otherwise he would not be here now – but the thought inflicted no emotion within me. I was already too far gone. It felt like I was falling, slowly drifting away, lost in the warm silkiness of Erik's voice, and I didn't know if I had the strength or the will to break away. I was no longer on the stage, no longer in the opera house. No one was watching us; we were alone in a world that only we could get to, a world where only his music could take us. There were only us and the music now, and the music hung in the air around us, heavy and sensuous.
"Past the point of no return –
No backward glances:
Ours games of make-believe
Are at an end…"
The lids of my eyes felt heavy and I could barely register that I felt his hands on me, running across my neck and down my arms. My mind couldn't think but my body responded for me and I leaned back into Erik, pressing my back more firmly to his chest as his hands slid across my stomach and up my chest. With his last words my mind snapped into sharp focus and I was suddenly aware of the thousands of pairs of eyes on us, of the burning gaze of my fiancé as he helplessly watched our passionate embrace from mere feet away, and I quickly untangled myself from Erik and stepped away from him. The sudden distance between us made the air around me feel cold, but it still felt as if there was electricity between us. My chest was heaving as I glanced from Raoul to Erik, but my mind was soon clear enough to remember to sing. This is only an act, I reminded myself. This is all part of Raoul's plan. Just go along with it.
"You have brought me
To that moment where words run dry,
To that moment where speech
Disappears into silence, silence..."
I allowed my voice to indulge in the passion of the song and grow intense and seductive, and I found myself once again getting lost in the music. Soon all I could see was Erik. My heart began to race as the melody became more fervent, and the music easily drew me back to Erik, as if it connected us irreversibly. But again, the feeling of the eyes on me put reality back in focus and I realized what was happening. I should never have agreed to do this, I thought, panicking. All I wanted was for this to be over. I tried to bolt, to run off the stage and into Raoul's arms and forget this nightmare, but Erik held my hands tightly and pulled me to the center of the stage as our song climaxed.
"Past the point of no return,
The final threshold –
The bridge is crossed,
So stand and watch it burn...
We've passed the point
Of no return…"
As our final note rang out I pulled back Erik's hood to expose his masked face. I took advantage of his momentary surprise to run from him, but Raoul stood to the side of the stage and motioned for me to stay where I was. How could he make me stay here with Erik? I gave him a pleading look, but still he shook his head and motioned for me to stay. So I stood still on the stage, trembling, too frightened to look back at Erik. I knew I had betrayed him before, and I knew that I had betrayed him now by revealing him, and I was frightened of what he might do – experiencing his anger once was enough for me to know that I never wanted to experience it again. But then he began to sing again, his words so strangely soft and sad that I turned back to face him.
"Say you'll share with me
One love, one lifetime...
Lead me, save me
From my solitude…"
Erik's voice was full of desperation as he approached me, and I knew what I had to do to put an end to all of this. Just the thought of hurting Erik like I was about to filled me with both fear and sadness, and I looked on him in pity as I saw the desperate love in his pleading eyes. My hands trembled as he took them in his, clutching me firmly but gently as if he would never let me go.
"Say you want me with you,
Here, beside you…"
My eyes filled with tears as he took his ring off his finger and carefully slipped it onto mine. I'm so sorry, Erik, I thought, hoping that he could hear my silent apology.
"Anywhere you go
Let me go too –
Christine,
That's all I ask of..."
Before he could finish I reached for his mask, took a deep breath and pulled it off. I heard the gasps and screams of the cast and audience, and out of the corner of my eye I could see Raoul and the police closing in around us, but my gaze never left Erik. I did not shy away from his face, and for a moment our eyes locked. His expression was completely devoid of emotion, but his eyes silently questioned me so sadly that guilt and regret rushed through me. But in a flash, the sadness in his eyes was replaced with anger. He grabbed me roughly, and before the police could fire a single shot, we disappeared into the darkness.
So there's the first chapter! What do you think? I'll try to update this phic as often as I can, but I already have another one the I'm updating, so we'll see how that goes. Please review and let me know what you think – the speed at which I will write the next chapter will be greatly increased if I get feedback on this one!
