Author's Note: I do not own Elisabeth, nor I will never. The characters belong to history and to themselves. And as for the musical, I do not own that. It proudly belongs to Michael Kunze & Sylvester Levay. And they should be proud of their work. Also, if you, the reader, wish to get a mental image of whom I used as my models for Death and Elisabeth, why, the original two, of course! Pia Douwes & Uwe Kroeger (ha), respectively. The setting is also taken from the Essen version in which they starred in. I do hope you enjoy, and if you have any problems with the story, feel free to contact me.

Is this love, hate or pain? For me it's all the same.
These are the last words I say,
because I really don't care
If you will come with me in there,
where the sun never shines.
Oh, would you share this world with me?
Oh, nothing compares to this beautiful dream!
Make love with me,
on the bed of dead leaves.
Through the anguish and filth,
together we wander.
In the sea of your tears, so come with me,
and the torment will be complete.
If you will come with me in there,
where the sun never shines...

Bed of Dead Leaves -- For My Pain

Dark Tempest

"Please, leave me alone," Elisabeth said softly, hurt evident in her eyes. I kept to the shadows, observing the scene that took place within her chambers. Her husband stood at her side, in his hand was the paper she had given him. An ultimatum detailing what she wanted of her relationship with him.

I focused on the Kaiser, watching him reach out to Elisabeth. She turned her back to him, clearly a rejection! I could not help but smile slightly at this. Their marriage is soon coming to the end, as well as I foretold. It won't be long now. He straightened his posture, and nodded.

"If that is what you wish, Elisabeth," and with those words he turned on his heel and exited the room silently, closing the large doors behind him. Leaving her alone, but not quite alone. Of course, Elisabeth has always been alone. Her soul was confined to a body, which no longer had the will to live.

I have regretted not taking her; I was the one who subjected her to this life. I, the schwarze engel of darkness! I should have taken her; I give no second chances to anyone. But I did to her. And why was it? I never knew what love was, I had heard poets, scholars, and mere mortals speak of love. But one look upon her, the lifeless soul in my arms, I then knew…Angels bring joy, demons bring pain. So people think that love must be the same. Was I the angel or the demon? It was impossible for me to tell.

Elisabeth had retreated to the bed, sitting on the edge, her back to me now. She brought her hands around her arms and lowered her head. I stole from the shadows, slowly approaching her.

"Is it despair that overcomes you, Elisabeth?" I asked her gently. Her head raised just a fraction at the sound of my voice. I took one step closer, my eyes drifting to the door.

"He is gone, for now," I said, "but let us talk of better things."

She continued to remains silent, yet I took a step closer to her. There was a feeling in the air, the feeling I knew all too well. The feeling I sensed in people that were willing to take that risk, to join me.

"Do you fear me?"

"No," she said, "you are just a man to me…I fear no man, not even my own husband." She fell back into silence again. She was shaking ever so slightly now. I raised myself up onto the bed fluidly, and she stopped shaking. I could hear her breath and the beat of her heart quicken. I raised my hands to cradle her head, but I found myself too frightened to touch her.

If I must have her for my own, the only way is for her to willingly succumb to me.

"Come, rest in my arms…I want to comfort you." I spoke those words to her truthfully and honestly, for I did wish to. And to my surprise, very slowly, she lowered her arms and they fell loosely at her sides. I inched my face forward, dipping my head to her neck to smell her perfume. The smell of raspberries and cream plagued me and my mind was invaded instantly by thoughts of her naked upon the sheets, my tongue making a slight path from her ear to her neck.

My fingers made a light path from her shoulder blades to under her arms, lifting them up like a bird in flight. I raised my head, and I then came to realize that my reflection was in the mirror across from us. The human form that I possessed was good looking, indeed. Blonde hair that came to my chin, wavy and just right for a woman to thread her fingers through it. Physical body dressed casually in a long dark blue velvet coat. My eyes strayed to the reflection of Elisabeth, with her eyes closed and her lips parted slightly. God, did I want to kiss those lips! Her breath was still, yet her chest was pressed high in the air, her back arching slightly. Her breasts pushing farther against the thin white fabric of her nightgown.

"Fly away with me Elisabeth, you will be free of everything," I said, sliding my hands underneath her outstretched ones, and entwining my fingers with hers. "I will take you anywhere you wish to go, life will mean nothing as long as we're together."

"I want to fly," she whispered, her eyes opening and shining brightly. "I want to travel, I want to be free."

"Then be not the caged bird Elisabeth," I said strongly, dragging her arms gently down against her sides. I raised my right hand and hooked it underneath her chin, turning her face to look up into my eyes. Her eyes gazed back, enthralled by me. I remembered the look all too well.

"Where are you going, black prince, why don't you stay with me? I felt so safe in your arms. And I felt a longing that I had never known. Like a bird that is proud and alone…"

"Elisabeth," I whispered to her, my left arm hooking behind her back, lowering her gently so that her head rested against the pillows. She opened her mouth to say something, but I placed a finger to her lips. I then lowered my body closer to hers, picking up her left hand I raised it to my cheek. "I long for you, to hold you against me, to make love to you like other men do."

She stroked my cheek, gently, her eyes closing. I then lowered my head, inches from her face, my lips hovering over hers.

"I love you, Elisabeth," I rasped, completely undone. "Is it a crime for Death to be in love with such beauty? Is it a crime that a winter frost should freeze the prettiest of flowers? It is life. But this, this is love. I feel love, and I yearn for it." I paused, then continued. "Let me make love to you, Elisabeth, so that I may know love…so that I may see why mortal men fear being separated from it."

Her eyes opened, and her hand upon my cheek slid into my hair, her fingers pressing against my scalp. Her other hand brushed the back of my other cheek and I closed my eyes, and then I felt her lips press against my forehead. It was warm to me, yet it made me shiver. I could not wait, I had to have her and now.

I pulled her hand, having her body rise off the bed. I didn't know where to touch and where to kiss. But my instincts lead me to her breasts, and I set my hands there. They were warm, and I watched her nipples strain against the fabric. I lowered my thumbs to them, stroking them. Her head rolled back and she pressed her chest against my hands. I continued to stroke the hardened buds, my fingers closing around them, pinching them, making her moan and slightly writhe.

I then lowered my lips to her neck, hesitant to kiss her there. Would she die, was I allowed to make love or kiss any part of the living? I decided to take my chances, so I kissed her neck. Nothing happened. So I nipped at her neck, darting my tongue out, soothing her skin. I gathered her against my body, my hands leaving her breasts. Anxiously I pulled down the sheets, wanting to remove her of her clothes and of mine as well.

I delicately removed from her her lacy robe, dropping it at the side of the bed. My fingers then went to the hem of her nightdress, smoothing the silk. I then pulled it up, over her head, and deposited that as well. I was now looking upon her only in a thin garment with ribbons. I looked up at her, and she gave me a pointed look.

"So many layers" I then set my fingers to the ribbons, undoing them and slowly parting them. There I gazed at her breasts, the nipples red and taut. I brushed my cold fingertips down her breasts, watching her from my lowered eyelids. "You strive to live, yet you fall victim to Death." My eyes wandered down to the tapes of her drawers. I could see that she was becoming wet, her heartbeat was quickening. I had to hold in a grunt, wondering how long my slow seduction would break and we would be making love quickly and harshly on the bed.

"Death," she said softly, huskily, "what stays your hand?"

Nothing, nothing stayed my hand. A dark eyebrow of mine quirked up in response to her question as I undid the single button holding my coat together, flicking it out behind me as to not get in the way. My hand reached up to cradle her jaw and pressing a curl of her long hair behind her ear. "Nothing," I said softly, wanting to kiss her more than ever.

"Don't," she said sternly, raising a hand over my lips. I narrowed my eyes, taking her hand away from my lips, staring down at her curiously.

"Why ever should I not?"

"I want you to be a normal man this one night," she said quietly, "your kiss will not be used on me." I hesitated, turning my head away, confused. But she turned my face so that I may look upon her again.

"Please, continue," she said quietly, "make love to me."

I replied simply by pulling at the tapes of her drawers, and yanking off her undergarments. She was naked now, unbarred to me. I ran my hand down her body, making it's way to her dark curls. Softly she moaned as I brushed over her maidenhood. I then set my fingers to her curls, parting them to find the small part of her that ached if I touched it. And when I found it, she instantly bucked.

Then, her hand cupped my member against my trousers. My eyes widened at the touch, looking at her quizzically. Her lips held a small smirk and in response, I thrust a finger inside her warm sheath. I bent my head and kissed her throat, her pulse beating wildly underneath my lips. I then spread my lips to her breast, my teeth grazing a nipple. Her hand immediately left me, and now both hands wrapped tightly around my skull, holding me there and not wanting to let me go.

She was enjoying this, enjoying the thrill of pleasure I could give her. Death gave not a person pleasure except for those morbid or old that have lived lives and suffered greatly in the end. Elisabeth, however, was far from it. She may seem dead to the world, but she was vibrant and alive in bed.

" The Kaiser is weak also in bed," I scoffed quietly, my lips leaving one nipple and attending to another.

"If you would know," was her labored reply and I shot my head up.

"I was not blindfolded, Elisabeth," I replied smoothly, "I know you were unsatisfied at his touch. For," I lowered my head and licked a path from her navel to her curls, "you were thinking of me all the time."

When I raised my head and sat up, she followed pursuit, though a bit weakly. She reached out and grasped the lapels of my long coat, pulling at them. I let her pull away my coat, shrugging it off instantly. She ran her hands down my torso, her lips close to my ear.

"So cold," she whispered, and then with my assistance she removed the rest of the clothes that covered the top half of my body. She then proceeded to bring her hands down to the waistband of my trousers, her fingers brushing over my taut erection. I stiffened, grabbed her hand and looked her hard in the eye.

"I don't belong to you, I can please whom I want to please," and with those words, I knew that what she said was true. But for this one night, I was going to conquer her, make her fall victim to me. I got up off the bed and removed myself from the rest of my garments, and reached out to her. Pulling her into my arms, I let my hands wander the expanse of her back and lowered my lips to her ear.

"Death does not please all, but yet, I do please you," I whispered, my eyes ravishing her body. I then pinned her hands up at the sides of her head, looking uponher with uncontained lust. Pressing my knee between the juncture of her thighs, she opened to me willingly. I settled myself between her, my hands leaving hers and trailing down her body and finding themselves at her hips.

Lifting her hips, I then thrust myself into her. I nearly collapsed on her, overdone from the exquisite feeling of being inside her. I could feel her adjusting herself beneath me, her hips rolling against mine. This was too exquisite. It couldn't be happening, making love with the one woman who excited me and yet I feared at the same time.

Her fingers were brushing through my hair, and her hand cupped around my chin. Looking into her eyes, I saw the child that I had fallen in love with…the woman I had come to learn. Her fingertip fell to my lips, tracing over them with her thin nail. I then felt her wrap her legs around my hips, thrusting against me, wanting me to continue.

I obliged, taking over the pace as soon as it was set. My lips ravishing her body like water, trickling down to her breasts. I tugged at her nipple fiercely, and she near screamed. I snaked my tongue out, licking the hurt nub of skin. My cold lips must have been soothing for then another moan fell from her lips.

Her heart was beating wildly, I could feel it beneath her other breast that was now receiving my attention. I could feel something, something deep and powerful building up from within me. I couldn't hold it back as much as I tried.

Elisabeth moaned, grasping the arms that held her in place. My arms, strong as they were, caging her to the bed. Her fingernails digging into my skin, along with the pads of her fingertips. And soon enough, it came, passing over both of us. Slowly, I began to relax, lowering myself to her side and withdrawing myself from her. She then laid her torso over my body, her hands cradling my head and her fingers threading through my hair.

She was studying me, quite like a cat, her ministrations on my skull doing nothing to soothe me. There was something on her mind, something I had to know.

"Why did you allow me to take you?"

"Because," she said simply, her Kaisern attitude slipping into her speech, "I belong to no man. They can never possess me."

I laughed, grasping her cheek, gazing deeply into her eyes. "You may be true to yourself, but you are forgetting, I am no man…" My eyes lowered and I began to slowly pull her lips to mine. I heard a cry of anguish from her and she struggled to release herself from my grip. I opened my eyes to see her hand connecting with my cheek, a shrill slap echoing the walls. I let her go, and she stumbled out of my arms onto the floor. I sat up in the bed, looking over her naked form, a small smirk playing at my lips.

"I am not going with you," she whispered, grabbing her robe from the end of the bed and slipping it on. "I am too young to die," she said, "you cannot take me."

"That is not your choice," I said darkly, "it is mine and mine alone. You are beautiful, Elisabeth, to not have you is a sin."

There was a look of realization on he face; she stumbled to the mirror looking at her reflection. Touching the glass, she began whispering words to herself. I took this time to wave my hand and allow my garments to be redressed on my body. Getting up off the bed, I made my way to her. She turned when she saw my reflection in the mirror advancing towards her.

"I know a way I can win. You have just provided me with my freedom, Death!"

"And what would that be?" I crossed my arms, eyeing her darkly.

"I will use my beauty to win what my heart desires!" she cried triumphantly, moving past me and to her desk. I then reached for her, but she whirled around at me, her eyes ablaze. "Leave me."

"You are young, headstrong, but foolish. You will never win your husband's love, Elisabeth."

"That does not matter, my husband means nothing to me. Now, go, I will not call upon you again," she instructed of me, but I refused to be shrugged off so easily.

"I don't come when you call, I am not a pet, I am what awaits you…You will understand that, sooner or later, you will be mine."

"GO!" she shouted at me, her shrill voice making me stiffen. I turned my back on her, striding from the room into my dark realm. Turning around within the darkness, I watched her. Her hand fell to her rising chest, and soon enough I saw the tears fall down her cheek.

Author's Note: I hope you all enjoyed this one-shot. Some of you might be a bit confused, but I see it as this. Elisabeth and Death can enjoy love with one another, as long as their lips do not meet. For if they did, Death would have killed her and he would have won. He would have taken her if it were her time, obviously, so I like to think of this—as in the musical—as a struggle with her own self. She gave into the thought of Death, but at the last minute she regained her wits. So her and Death can still be playing this cat and mouse game…

Thanks for reading!