Aminta turned to look at Riquet, who was still chattering on, thinking she was listening. He hadn't seen Erik, that was for sure. Even with the mask, he was unforgettable. And Aminta was sure Riquet had never seen anything remotely frightening, and Erik as Red Death was exactly that.
Grisly. Ghastly. Grim.
Adjectives ran through her head as she realized Erik was moving: moving towards her! From her angle, she knew Riquet could not see him. Aminta felt herself quake under his gaze, and she felt both horrified and delighted he was there. She still didn't know what to think of him.
Erik moved through the crowd easily, almost as if people parted to let him through. They probably did, Aminta realized; she knew they would never want to be in his way. Riquet still didn't see Red Death, and Aminta wondered what his expression would be like when he saw Erik.
And then Erik was there, and he placed a gloved hand on Aminta's arm.
Gasping, she pulled away, both from Erik and from Riquet, who had gasped also and now frowned at Erik, still startled at his appearance. "If you will excuse us, monsieur!" he snapped, reached out to Aminta, who stared at his hand.
Erik spoke before she could. "You have had the pleasantly attentive company of Madamoiselle de Chagny for two dances now, monsieur." Aminta heard his sarcasm and biting scorn, but she did not look at him; as much as she wanted to, it would bring about death by her grandmaman should she make a scene. "It would wag tongues if you did not share." And with that, he, too, extended his hand to Aminta, daring her to refuse him.
Aminta snapped her eyes to his, and he drew her in with a small smile.
Effectively abandoning Riquet, Aminta placed her hand in Erik's, and he placed his other hand on her corseted waist just as another song began; he whisked her away from Riquet and danced with her.
Erik held Aminta gently, her pale hand within his black gloved one. He spun her with ease; it was clear he had had much more practice at dance than she. Either that, or he was a natural. He did not step on her feet at all.
Feeling his gaze on her face, Aminta looked up, glowering at him. He gave a slight smile, but she had a feeling it was more of a smirk than anything.
"It has been so long since we last saw each other, has it not, Aminta? I have missed you," Erik said.
Aminta stared at him for a moment. He was speaking like they had known each other for years, and yet she'd only met him once. Not to mentioned she had fainted twice in his presence. Recalling that, Aminta's cheeks grew rosy and she looked away from his burning gaze.
Erik chuckled. "I see you are so smitten with your sweet Erik that you have become lost for words!" Her face changed from confusion to indignation. "Do not worry, my dear, for who could blame you for being so taken with such a handsome, charming man?"
"You tell yourself that, lover boy," she hissed. Unable to help herself, she stamped on his foot, making him wince. His eyes found something over her shoulder, and he stilled.
"Come, my feisty one, before your poor excuse of a father comes to interrupt our reunion." He took his hand from her waist, and she thought she saw a whisper of regret in his eyes, but he grasped her hand all the tighter to pull her along.
Aminta realized she would have gone with him willingly, and she skipped a little to keep up so as not to trip on her uncomfortable dress. She glanced behind her to see her father and Riquet moving through the crowd towards them, struggling to reach her. Aminta saw her mother staring worriedly at her, so she turned back to watch Erik's back as he took her through a small doorway into a deserted corridor.
"Where are we going?" she snapped, wondering why she was so eager to follow him.
"Somewhere your king of the jungle won't be." Aminta raised her eyebrow; Riquet was not hers, nor did she want him to be. He was too much of a gentleman, just like she had quipped at her mother before she'd gone off to dance with him.
As he led her slowly through more corridors, Aminta realized she didn't want a gentleman at all. She was too wild, too free to appreciate the security those highbred boys offered.
And what did Erik offer?
A frightful visage, inhuman physical force, a fearful temper.
A heavenly voice, an enigmatic mystery, a passionate mouth—
God, why did I think of that Aminta blushed spectacularly just as Erik came to an abrupt halt and turned to look at her. He almost laughed at her pink face as he pressed a finger to her lips. She had half a mind to bite him, hard. But footsteps nearby silenced that urge.
"Are you certain they came this way?" It was her father, and Aminta knew he was talking to Riquet.
The duke's indignant voice rose in volume, coming closer, as he said, "Of course, viscomte. I know the masked marauder took her this way."
Aminta glanced at Erik to see how he reacted only to see him smirking as the wall behind them disappeared. Aminta took this opportunity to bite his finger, hard. Wincing, he pulled her back with him into the passage, which immediately shut behind them. Erik had pulled her back close to him, and Aminta felt the heat radiating from his body as the footsteps and their pursuers passed by their hiding spot. Even after all was silent save for their breathing, they were still for a few moments.
The short seconds standing still with Erik just behind her made her feel strangely peaceful and safe; his hand came to rest on her arm in the darkness and then he ran his fingers down it until he came to her hand.
The sensation of his fingertips running down her arm, just barely brushing her, made her tingle in anticipation.
But Erik merely began to walk in the darkness, leading her to a set of stairs illuminated by a series of candelabras. They ascended in silence, disturbing thoughts racing through Aminta's mind. Was she beginning to like this creature?
She shook her head slightly; he was human just like her, that much she knew he deserved. He certainly brought their species to greater heights than she, that was for sure.
He made sounds sprung from heaven, and she? Well, she made trouble.
---
After a few minutes, just after Aminta's legs had begun to hurt, Erik paused to peer out of climbing through a tiny crack in the wall. He pushed on a rock and led Aminta out into a small room, the wall sliding back behind them, and then through another door, where the chilly air bit Aminta's bare arms.
Erik moved away from her, back into the room, where he took a thick, warm cloak and draped it around her shoulders, his hands resting there for a moment after she had tucked the dark material around herself.
"An adventure for my angel," he said in her ear. "We are closer to the heavens now." Aminta stiffened slightly, and he pulled away.
"Quite," she got out. "Your- your foresight is admirable." They were on the roof of the Garnier, where her parents had been years before with Erik's father secretly wallowing in anguish, listening to their vows of love.
Aminta moved out onto the roof, the snow crunching a bit under her feet, and ran her hands over the statues. Horses, angels, and gods surrounded her; she felt above the clouds as she approached a statue of Apollo. A light, chilling wind played with her hair, and then she realized Erik was playing with her hair as well.
Jumping slightly, she spun to face him, sputtering since she had neither seen nor heard him approach her. But she slid on the slick roof, and cried out as she fell.
An arm unexpectedly latched around her waist and another held onto her arm, and Erik caught her in an awkward dip. He straightened her up and took his arm from her waist, and he kept a hold on her arm.
"Don't fall," he warned, but his eyes sparkled at her.
Aminta harrumphed. Everything that happened when he was around was so awkward, almost romantic in a way. But how could someone like him be romantic? Aminta blew out a breath through her lips, and Erik seemed to notice her racing mind for he began to sing.
Not taking his eyes from hers, Erik helped Aminta to sit at Apollo's feet, and he knelt before her, her hands in his gloved ones. She stared at him, realizing what he was doing, but his music won.
The song was different than the one he had sung when taking her down to his lair, but it was no less haunting or beautiful. Aminta felt it touch her soul, and she breathed in the cold air to keep from drowning in it.
Her eyes closed in bliss, and Erik moved next to her. She turned so her back was to his side, and leaned against him. Erik turned as well and wrapped his arms and cloak around her. Aminta closed her eyes, all thoughts flying from her mind except the sound of his voice.
Erik's music soared to the heavens on the frozen wind.
