The viper described here is VERY loosely based on the saw viper Echis Carinatus of the middle East. I have taken great liberties with the effects of the venom and treatment here and after. Nothing you read should in anyway be misconstrued as medical advice. I have very limited knowledge of anti-venin knowing only that it first came to use in this time period. If you are bit by a poisonous snake seek actual medical advice not the assistance of a middle eastern friend.
Chapter 4
The noose was out before Erik fully comprehended who he was even looking at. How dare Nadir bring the boy to his home? WHY would he bring the boy to his home? There could be only one reason. Nadir meant for him to kill the boy. A gift. He would happily accept and thank his friend later. So why was the Daroga placing himself between him and his target? "Erik no, Erik stop. You need to hear him out, you have been mistaken about so many things".
"Perhaps, but I am not mistaken in how slowly I can make a man die. It can take days if done correctly". Was that fear he saw in the boy's eyes? Good that was a start. But he noticed the fear was not directed at him, it was over his shoulder. Raoul finally spoke, and what he said next was probably the only thing that could have save his life in that moment "While you two argue MY life or death, my sister is bleeding to death"!
Erik turned to Christine his worst nightmares realized as blood was pooling from her eyes, nose and mouth. Nadir shouted at Erik "Morphine NOW". Raoul did not even want to know why the drug was being kept here nor why Monsieur Khan believed it would be effective, he just knew he did not want to lose Christine. He ran to the bed and took her hand.
Erik came back with a filled syringe and injected it into her hip. "Another" said Nadir "We need to slow her heart or she will bleed out". Erik did as instructed, worried that the morphine alone may kill her. He had no familiarity with STOPPING a poison from killing, however and Nadir did, so he deferred to his judgment. "More"? Erik asked his eyes wide. "Give it a moment, ami, a moment to settle" they watched as the bleeding slowed, her blood pressure returning to normal. "It is a good thing you did not throw out all of the poison last time I visited Erik. We will visit your reasons another time". Erik just glared at him.
Christine slowly became aware of Raoul's presence as he held her hand and wiped the blood from her face. "Oh Raoul, do not weep for me, please. I am at peace. Look, no Korrigan, just like I said, this is a safe place". He smiled at their childhood games, but remembered how serious she had been about them not so long ago. "I cannot lose you little Lotte, you are the only sister I would slay dragons for" Christine froze. "Why… I quite think of you as a brother as well Raoul … thank you." Raoul rubbed her hand with his thumb. "I have told Mr. Khan the circumstances of our birth and your friend here will soon know as well". Christine went pale. "What have you done Raoul?! We do not know these men! I will be dead soon, it is no matter but you! You have everything to lose. Oh Raoul…" He was shocked at her words "I don't understand Christine, certainly you know…" Erik stood up "She does not. She has no idea who I am". Raoul glared at him, "You were awfully cozy with my sister when I walked in for someone who does not know her". Erik fingered his lasso again, surprised when he boy did not flinch, he was in fact surprised that the boy had not once looked intimidated the entire time he had been here. Surprised and annoyed. "I did not say I do not know HER, she does not know ME. Glaring at Christine he nearly shouted and you are NOT DYING"!
Irritated by Erik's insistence that she live against her will, but also frightened by this exchange, she spared a glare for him and clutched Raoul's arm, "Do not argue, please, Erik has been very kind, he carried me all the way here, he helped me get comfortable so I can die peacefully where my Angel died".
Finally understanding, Raoul sighed. The nightmare. The trauma her father and the priests had inflicted on her was so deep she would need help pulling through it, and God help him the killer in the room may be the only one who could help her. She had to see that she had not killed him. He must get through to her. Raoul could not deny there was a connection between them. She may deny she knew him but he had never seen Christine allow anyone to touch her and he had certainly never seen her show the kind of emotion she was showing to this man. Of course it was mostly annoyance, but underlying that was a protectiveness towards him that she showed no one else. She had yet to tell her pet killer to stop threatening him with that lasso for instance. And there was no doubt the man cared for her in a way that was borderline obsessive. And he seemed hell bent on obliterating that border.
Lost in his thoughts he had missed some of what she was saying, "And I saved the dragon for you to slay! Such a shame though, it is such a tiny thing, and very pretty" to humor what was clearly her morphine fueled ramblings he asked "And where does this dragon live, Lotte"? She raised a hand to her bosom "Here beneath my corset see," she lifted her corset away a bit "Oh, he is getting more comfortable" and to Raoul's horror a viper curled from beneath her corset around the top of her left breast.
Erik and Nadir both froze. "Christine" Erik rasped hoarsely "do not move. Please, love, please stay still" Raoul noticed both men's terror and froze, although he wryly did not miss that no instruction was given to the safety of his own life in spite of the fact that the viper was inches from his hand. "Erik, you will need to grab it quickly, but keep it alive, and do not get bit I won't be able to make enough antidote for both of you". Erik nodded "Save Christine no matter the cost". Nadir looked sadly at his friend, but agreed.
With years of practice as a musician and a magician Erik moved quickly and precisely gabbing the creature that was known and feared, for good reason, in Persia as an Assassin's Viper, behind the head pulling it from her with no damage to either her or the snake. Only then did the three men dare to breath.
"See" said Christine, almost cheerfully, "I saved you a dragon to slay" Raoul forced a smile. "Yes, princess, you did".
Nadir began preparing a jar to extract venom. "Do you know when and where she was bit"? Raoul thought "How would I … no … wait … she said as she was dressing she pricked herself with a pin. This was just before the ball, and from where it was curled I would say in a delicate place" Nadir calculated "Perhaps two hours then. I must work quickly. Keep her calm. Any more morphine and that will be as likely to kill her as the venom. We are going to have to check for signs of infection".
Raoul looked decidedly uncomfortable at the thought and Erik looked as though he might strangle anyone who went near any of Christine's delicate parts on principle alone. "Bloody… We will send for the venerable Madame Giry to perform that duty later". Both men relaxed. "Although I will allow one of you to explain why YOU kidnapped her … again… and why she has been allowed to remain drugged in the company of three bachelors".
"Again"? Raoul looked affronted, "Kidnapping my sister has become something of a sport for you, I take it"?
Christine stepped in before things could get out of hand. "Erik did not kidnap me I… well, the staircase tilted sideways, and as it had never performed such a feat before you can imagine how surprised I was, and so I fell down into the tunnels … somehow… and he carried me… OK I am fuzzy on some of the details… but I am certain no kidnapping was involved. And he could not have kidnapped me before… because… " Christine stopped looking confused and passed a hand over her eyes
"Raoul, I am very tired and I wish you would stop fighting and leave me alone to …. Sing my Papa and Mama's wedding song for me again. The one he wrote just for her. I had hoped one day I might use it at my own … no a foolish dream …" she looked at him so sad, so alone that he wanted nothing more than to make all her foolish dreams come true, but he would not be the one to do that. "I would like to hear it one last time, please" Raoul choked back a lump and started:
"Say you love me every waking moment, turn my head with talk of summertime.
Say you need me with you, now and always. Promise me that all you say is true -that's all I ask of you".
But found he could not sing another note.
Another voice picked up where his left off, picking up Christine's hand and looking into her eyes while he sang, pleading with her to see him, really see him this time. Raoul knew he was intruding on something intimate and private and let after the first verse.
Let me be your shelter, let me be your light. You're safe: No-one will find you your fears are far behind you.
All I want is freedom, a world with no more night. And you always beside me to hold me and to hide me.
Then say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime. Let me lead you from your solitude.
Say you need me with you here, beside you. Anywhere you go, let me go too -, that's all I ask of you.
Say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime. Say the word and I will follow you.
Share each day with me, each night, each morning.
Say you love me.
You know I do.
Love me -that's all I ask of you.
Christine looked at him finally. Not through him. And this time saw him for who he was with tears in her eyes she finished the song with him
Anywhere you go let me go too. Love me -that's all I ask of you.
"Angel, you didn't die" she whispered "I am no Angel, Christine, but no, love, I didn't die" she closed her eyes "You have always been my Angel. Always. And then I ruined it. I am so sorry". He buried his face in her skirts, "No, please, it was all me. I thought you would be disgusted by… this … frightened away… "He waved his hand at his face. "By what"? She asked, clearly puzzled. He looked up at her testing whether this was some sort of joke, he could see she did not know what he meant. "My face Christine" she still looked confused. "Yes… you have a face. I can see you are trying to tell me something very important Angel, but I am not certain what that is" he could not believe she was going to make him go into specifics, was the morphine making her that addled? "You took my mask off Christine, you know what I look like without it on".
He thought she was going to glare the soul out of his body. She nearly choked on her rage. She considered choking HIM on her rage. She tried to remember some of the crudest words she heard the stagehands use. "You vain, selfish … BASTARD"! He had never heard her use a curse word before, he was stunned into silence. "You let me believe you were dead for three months because of your FACE"?! She sputtered outraged "RAOUL, I am going to need your pistol"
Raoul entered the room with a carefully neutral look on his face, he had no desire to be shot by his sister, nor lassoed by her... whatever the hell her madman was. Nadir right behind him with a syringe. "Mon ami" Nadir said, "we are going to work on your definition of keeping a patient calm" Raoul went to Christine's side. "You called for my pistol" he said, keeping his voice disinterested "Yes, he pretended to be dead for three months, I am going to make an honest man of him" Nadir went to her side, not even pretending to keep the amusement out of his voice "Mademoiselle, I sympathize with your desire to shoot Erik, but let us make certain that you survive your tiny dragon first, and then I will loan you my own pistol". He injected her with the antidote. Erik, carefully side stepping her desire to shoot him, although he did pause to glare at both men, asked "How long until we know" Nadir checked her pulse, her pupil dilation and made certain she was no longer bleeding, "within the hour, we will know, if she begins bleeding again she will need the second injection. Come Monsieur le Viconte, I intend to abuse our host's stock of brandy, in addition to having abused his dubious good graces, I suggest you join me, and do keep your pistol out of the young lady's reach, the recoil and loud noise could not possibly be good for her in her condition".
Christine continued to glare at Erik, almost daring him to excuse his behavior. He continued to stare at his hands, clearly not knowing what to say. "Three months, Angel…" she began "Erik, my name is Erik" her eyes dared him to make this a point of contention, but he refused to back down "this is a wonderful time to become particular over a name, but fine, Erik, if you prefer. Three months. You let me believe you were dead. My grief consumed me. I stopped performing. I stopped caring. I would have stopped living if I had been left alone long enough. God knows I wanted to stop living". He closed his eyes against her pain. She whispered "Didn't you care? You were my entire world and then you were gone. Did that mean nothing to you"? He finally looked at her and she could see his guilt and suffering, but she could not back down, she needed answers. "I left you alone because I thought you and the boy…" he waved his hands towards the rings on her chest "I thought you had agreed to marry him. I wanted you to be happy…I never knew you believed me dead. I sure as hell did not know the boy is your brother". If he could be picky so could she "His name is Raoul and I will thank you to use it. And stop using swear words. It is inappropriate". He rolled his eyes.
"Why would you believe you had caused my death"?
Christine went still and pale. He could not help but notice how she hid her hands. "It is not literal it is just…"
"You meant it. You meant it quite literally".
She froze. "Why would you believe I thought myself responsible"? She asked quietly "What else has Raoul told you? About me? About our mother? My father"? She was starting to panic, he could see it in her eyes, and she looked ready to bolt, just what the hell was going on?
"Christine, Raoul has told me nothing, largely due to the fact that I have spent most of his time here threatening to strangle him. I don't know even why he calls you his sister, though I suspect Nadir knows something. You told me that yourself when I carried you down here".
She closed her eyes, of course she had. "I don't know what I said to you. All I can remember about the trip down here is that you felt ... safe. And you smelled like …" she stopped, blushing, embarrassed, he raised an eyebrow "like…"? She shrugged "Like safety, which is impossible, I have never let anyone touch me, how could I know what that felt, much less smelled like? But mostly… like home". He sucked in a breath. He wanted to gather her to him, tell her he would be whatever she needed if she swore never to leave him again he would worship her, but he knew he had to take it slow.
That blasted nightmare. The nightmares always left her … different the next day, as though she could not quite shake their grip. Unless there were candles when she woke up, of course. "I had one of my nightmares. I was alone in the closet". He buried his face in his hands. "How long"? Not wanting to make things worse she said quietly "It doesn't matter Angel, it isn't your job to lead me out of dark places any more. I am a grown woman" he thought at that moment she looked anything but, she looked small and frightened and he longed to hold her and protect her but he grippe his hands instead. "Who lit the candles, Christine"? She didn't answer, "Was Raoul there? Did he light the candles"? He was afraid he knew the answer "I am an adult now, Erik. I light my own candles". He asked the question again "How long were you in the closet Christine"? She knew he would not let it go "until morning". He moaned into his hands to think of her alone and frightened and cold all night in a wooden closet.
She reached out and covered his gloved hand with her own. "They are just dreams, Angel, they go away. They can't really hurt me". He was shocked to see how pale and thin her hands had become.
Desperate to change the subject and needing answers, "Why did you think you had killed me"? He asked suddenly "Why did you think I would be disgusted by your face"? She shot back. "Because everyone that has seen my face has been disgusted and shunned me, or worse". She nodded "At least you left them alive, everyone I touch dies, just like the priests said they would". He reached out a gloved hand and lifted her chin to look at him "I didn't die, and I have never believed what priests had to say". She gasped at this blasphemy and he knew he was going to hell for his next actions, but he no longer cared, assuming he ever had, as soon as he heard that gasp he pulled her forward into a hard searing kiss that left them both panting for breath. She never knew or cared when he took off his gloves to capture her cheeks with his bare hands.
They only broke apart when they heard Nadir's voice "I am DEFINITELY getting you a dictionary so you can look up the words "keep" and "patient" and "calm".