Chapter 10

"Angel!" I screamed as I tripped through the mess that was once the peaceful concert hall, to get to my dressing room.

Tonight had been a disaster. The chandelier had crashed and I am afraid my angel was underneath it. He promised that he would be watching in the audience, and when the chandelier came down- oh! I couldn't even bear to think of the possibilities.

Shouts of terror filled the room, and people ran to see who had become victims. My heart broke for them, but I could only think of my angel. Had he been killed? Was he hurt, had he even come?

I dashed into my dressing room and locked the door before hysterically calling out for him, but no one answered.

"No. No, no, no!" I cried out.

"You're alive. You're an angel!" I continued to yell at the air.

"Come! And believe in me! Whoso believes in me shall live! Walk! Whoso hath believed in me shall never die!..." A voice sang out.

I'd recognize that voice anywhere.

"Angel!" I let the word escape my lips.

My breathing calmed as the harmony that was the Voice and his violin surrounded me. I allowed myself to fall into the music, and let it catch me. The angel played only for me.

The music captured me. It was like it could control me, and I was willing to let it. The sound beckoned me, calling me closer to its source. I found myself gliding towards my mirror as it led me.

The music continued, but my room was spinning. My room circled around me in a hurried frenzy as the music reached its climax. It lengthened and stretched itself out of shape, pulling the room around until it looked as if a storm had just blown through.

Then, it stopped.

I looked around myself to see what had caused the strange phenomenon. However, I was no longer in my small dressing room, but in a dark tunnel.

My hand clumsily felt around for something familiar, something to let me know that this wasn't a dream, and I found it. I felt the shape of a man, but could not see him.

A hand that felt like a bare bone brushed against mine and started leading me towards a dim red light at the end of the passage. I attempted to break the stranger's grasp, but he wouldn't let go. We reached the light and it illuminated the area, and I could see where I was.

The floors were made of cold, hard bricks and the dank stone walls were covered with small candles to light the passageway. I looked up to see where the light was coming from, only to see what I had felt just moments ago.

A man, dressed all in black, stood in front of me, holding my hand. A cape was draped over his shoulder and black gloves covered his hands. But what captured my attention most was the black mask that covered his entire face. Two yellow eyes, burning like a candle, were the only visible features on his face.

My eyes widened in shock and I opened my mouth to scream, but nothing came out. The hand that wasn't holding me, covered my mouth to keep me silent.

I inhaled too deeply and my nose was filled with the smell of death. My hand flew up to remove his cold hand from my face, but the darkness consumed me before I had the chance.

EPOV

I shouldn't be doing this.

Christine had fainted before my eyes and fallen into my arms. I don't deserve this. A demon shouldn't have an angel in his arms. I hardly deserved to touch her, but I couldn't stay like this forever.

Though I wish I could.

I cradled her small frame to my body and started to walk down the road to my home. I took a slight detour and stopped at the small well I had built on the side of the passageway.

I gently laid Christine on the ground with her head propped against my leg. I dipped my hand into the cold water and patted her forehead with it. My hand traced the gentle outline of her face, her pale face seemed to glow against the dark surface of my underground kingdom.

Her golden curls became wet from the water that had splashed out of the well and found her to be the perfect target for its icy water. I growled at the well, and scooted Christine away from it.

Christine's eyes fluttered open at my movement and her blue eyes met mine.

"Who are you? Where is my angel!" Christine gasped at the sight of me.

I sighed at her foolishness. Did she not recognize my voice? Oh! I had not spoken, no wonder she didn't recognize me.

I scooped her back into my arms. She didn't fight me, or scream in horror, she is such an angel. I scouted out Cesar and called him over to me. He obeyed, and I climbed on him, supporting Christine up against me as I did.

"Home." I commanded the white horse.

He strode through my labyrinth, slower than usual due to the extra weight. His nostrils flared at the familiar atmosphere of the lake, and he halted. I carefully lifted Christine off of him, and then I set her down onto the damp shore. She wobbled, like a child learning to walk, towards me.

I pulled my boat to the shore while Christine watched with wide eyes. I helped her into it and began to row through the light mist. She gazed at her new surroundings, until her eyes found me.

The boat hit the shore, and she whipped her head around to see where we had stopped. I leapt out of the boat and helped her out. I led her across the shore, and stopped in front of my front door.

I clicked the door open, letting Christine see inside. She leaned up against me, and I savored her touch.

"Welcome home, Christine."