It's a Dangerous Game
Summary: Erik knows he is playing a dangerous game with Christine, but he cannot starve himself of her any longer, not when she wants him too; Erik/Christine, smut. Songfic to 'Dangerous Game' from Jekyll and Hyde.
A/N: If you have seen Jekyll and Hyde, you'll know how the scene in the bedroom with Lucy and Hyde goes, and this is kind of what I wanted to portray in this story, although Erik is not as rough as Hyde. But I warn you, there will be full smut here.
Lyrics: Erik is bold, Christine is italics, both are bold italics.
-x-
Chapter 10
Two months later
Two blissful months passed in the little house in the woods but Christine found, in the recent weeks, she had become ill. Many mornings were spent spilling the contents of her stomach in the bathroom. She tried to keep her worries from Erik, knowing that he would fear the worst. Christine left the bathroom and slipped quietly back into the bedroom, her throat feeling raw from bringing up last night's supper. Christine tiptoed back to the bed, dropping her shawl down onto a chair before sliding under the sheets once more; trying not to disturb Erik's sleeping form.
"You are ill again," Erik's voice suddenly said, gently. Christine tensed up. How long had he known?
"Again?" she asked, feigning innocence.
"Every morning, this past week, you have been ill. I have impeccable hearing, Miss Daae," he said, opening his eyes. Christine's eyes met them, feeling as though he was staring into her very soul. She quickly looked away again and sat up in bed.
"I didn't want to worry you," she whispered, playing with a stray thread on the sheets. "I don't know what is wrong with me." She got out of bed, grabbing her shawl once more and wrapping round her shoulders before moving to look out the window. Erik grabbed his mask from the bedside table, slipping it on before he got out of bed too, pulling on his shirt.
"It may be serious, sweetheart. You should see a doctor," he said, moving to Christine and running his hands down her arms, pressing a kiss below her ear. "I just need to know that you are well. I'd rather die than something happen to you." Christine shrugged off his hands.
"Please, I beg you, stop fussing. I don't need you to be fussing over me. We are already on the run, in hiding, I don't need to be a burden for you," she said before a sudden wave of nausea came over her and she pushed Erik out of the way in her rush to get to the bathroom. Erik rushed after her, only to have the door slammed in his face before he could catch up to her.
"Christine, please, are you alright?" he asked, rapping on the door with a knuckle. Suddenly an idea came to his head, a notion he had not had until now. It was a possibility, a definite possibility. "Christine?" There were a few moments of silence before the door clicked open and a pale looking Christine stood there, beads of sweat on her forehead.
"Oh Erik, I can't take this anymore. I feel awful," she said, almost falling into his arms. Erik held her close, kissing her hair.
"Christine, you could ..." he began before stopping himself. His fiancée looked up at him, a confused look on her face.
"Erik?"
"Christine, you could be with child. Did that occur to you?" he asked, softly, his fingers stroking her curls gently. "I have read enough books in my time to know the symptoms. You have had many mornings of illness and that is common for pregnant women. But until we can get you a doctor, we won't know for sure." Christine laid her head against his chest, her hand suddenly against her abdomen. What if there was another life within her? A life she and Erik had created together? A small smile crept onto her lips. How wonderful it would be. Of course she shared Erik's fear of any child they created together being disfigured like its father but she knew that she'd love it no matter what. Erik's arms tightening around her made her look up. "You've gone quiet, my love. Are you well?"
"I am now," she said gently. Placing a kiss on his chin, she removed herself from his arms and moved back into their bedroom, moving to the wardrobe to retrieve a dress. Suddenly a banging on the door downstairs made both occupants freeze, their eyes locking. Christine felt the fear build up inside. "Erik, who knows we are here?" Erik shook his head.
"No one, I am certain," he said quietly. Erik moved downstairs quickly and almost silently. It was still early and the sun was only peaking over the trees, leaving the woods slightly darker. Erik opened a drawer nearby, pulling out a knife. He slid over to the door, sliding in to the darkness before reaching out for the handle and turning it slowly, letting the intruder in. The sound of heavy boots on the wood floor let Erik know it was a man. Erik suddenly slammed the door behind the intruder, who whirled round only to be pushed up against the wall, the sharp tip of a dagger against his throat. "I swear ..." Erik whispered. "I will kill you where you stand. Show yourself." The intruder lifted shaky hands to pull of the hood, only to reveal the face of a man he had known for almost a lifetime it seemed.
"Nice to see you too, Erik," the man said. Erik gritted his teeth and he pushed the man into the lounge area.
"You imbecile, Nadir. I could have killed you," Erik said. "What in the name of God are you doing here?"
"Erik?" Christine's voice came from the staircase. Both men turned to see her standing there, looking slightly confused by the other man's presence. Erik looked back at Nadir before he moved over to Christine, taking her hand. Nadir's facial expression turned from surprise to disappointment.
"Christine, this is an old friend of mine, Nadir Khan. Nadir, Christine Daae," Erik said, watching Nadir carefully. Nadir held out his hand for Christine's, who took it and smiled when the olive skinned man pressed a kiss to the back of it.
"A pleasure to meet you, mademoiselle," he said. Erik pulled Christine close to his side.
"You have not explained your presence here, Nadir. We are supposed to be in hiding. Did you not receive my letter?" Erik snapped. Nadir nodded.
"I did indeed, my friend. I have been keeping watch on the house these past few weeks to ensure your safety. But Raoul de Chagny will not stop until he has found you. Daily, he gets closer to finding you and I needed to alert you that he has been in the woods these past few days and is closing in on your location," Nadir said. "But in your letter, you had not stated that you had taken his fiancée, only that he was after you." Erik's eyes narrowed at his friend.
"Have care how you speak, Persian. Christine is here of her own free will," he said, Christine moving closer to his side as she listened to the two men. Erik looked down at Christine and smiled gently. "She loves me." He pressed a small kiss to her forehead.
"What Erik says is true, monsieur," Christine said, her voice small in the presence of these men. "Erik has been nothing but a rock for me, my angel of music. I love him dearly." She laid a hand over his heart gently.
"Am I right in thinking that is not the Vicomte's ring still upon your finger, mademoiselle?" Nadir asked gently, spotting the familiar ring on her wedding finger.
"You are indeed, monsieur," she said, smiling up at Erik once more. "I am going to change. I won't be long, darling." Christine kissed Erik gently on the lips before she made her way upstairs, Erik almost reluctant to let her go. Both men waited until the bedroom door closed before they looked each other in the eye.
"Erik you are mad having her here. De Chagny will stop at nothing until you are dead," Nadir said. Erik moved past Nadir to the kitchen area, grabbing two glasses and some brandy he had Christine get from town. Nadir watching him curiously before Erik poured the two glasses and turned back to his friend.
"Sit," Erik instructed and Nadir obeyed. Handing Nadir a glass, Erik sat down in his armchair across from the Persian. He took a gulp of brandy before he looked at his friend once more. "Nadir, we have been friends for a long time; you helped me in my times of need and I helped you in yours. You know I will not give Christine up without a fight. De Chagny can come for me and I'll be ready."
"And Christine? Surely you'd want to protect your soon-to-be wife?" he said. "Has she given herself to you, Erik?" Erik watched his friend for a moment before lifting the brandy glass to his lips, smiling into the glass before he took a drink. "Erik?"
"Yes, she has. No one has ever loved me the way she has," Erik told him.
"Then you have to leave here. I told you, he gets closer every day. He'll be here before you know it and you will be killed and Christine taken from you. There is a ship in the docks, leaving tomorrow morning; it's going to America. Be on it, Erik. For Christine's sake," Nadir said. He drained his glass of brandy in one. "And for your own. Please, my friend. Do not lose her to him. You can both start a new life, have a family." Erik looked up from his glass to his friend.
"I've never had a proper family before," he said, his voice a mere whisper. Nadir placed a hand on his friend's shoulder.
"Then here is your chance. Keep her out of danger," Nadir said. He put his glass down on the table by the armchair and he stood, tightening his cloak around him. "I must go. I haven't been watching for a while. I'll be your eyes Erik as long as you promise me you'll think about what I said. Promise me?" Erik stood too and looked his friend in the eye.
"I give you my word, Persian," he said with a small smile. He held out his hand to shake Nadir's, who took it with a smile of his own.
"I shall see you soon, Erik," he said and turned when he heard footsteps on the stairs. Christine entered the room smiling at the two men.
"Monsieur, are you leaving?" she asked. Nadir nodded.
"That I must, mademoiselle," he said, taking her hand in his and kissing her knuckles. "We will see each other again, I'm sure of it. Good day, my friends." And with that, Nadir was gone. Christine looked up at Erik, who was staring at the door Nadir had left through before he sat down in his armchair. Christine turned to him, her brow furrowed in confusion.
"Erik ..."
"Not now, Christine," he said gently. Christine sighed gently and moved upstairs once more, Erik watching her as she went. Would he lose her to Raoul? He would fight until his last breath to keep her safe and marry her, the love of his life. "Christine?" The soprano turned back to him, her eyes hopeful.
"Yes?"
"We're not safe here."
-x-
Erik couldn't sleep. The quiet around him unnerved him for the first time in his life. The only sign of life around him was Christine's steady breathing in the crook of his neck. He had told her what Nadir had told him, watching the emotions play over her beautiful face. He apologised for putting her in danger, apologised for his existence which had earned him some well deserved verbal abuse. They'd cried in each other's arms before Christine went off to think everything through. When night fell over the little wooden house, Erik went to Christine and made love to her, the most gentle he had ever been with her. Tears were shed once more, both realising how much danger they were in as they loved each other completely. Now, Erik lay awake, staring at the ceiling. He looked at Christine and kissed her forehead before he slid out of the sheets, pulling on his clothes. They were going to leave tonight, by the cover of darkness. Erik grabbed his satchel and began throwing both their clothes into it, picking up his mask in the process and placing it on his face.
"Erik?"
Erik stopped what he was doing and turned to Christine. She was sitting up in bed in her post coital state, hair messy, sheets wrapped around her chest, watching him curiously.
"Are you leaving me?"
Those words almost pierced Erik's heart. How could he leave her? He moved to her side, sitting down on her side of the bed. He cupped her cheek in his palm, stroking his thumb over her cheekbone. He shook his head gently.
"How can you even ask such a question?" he whispered, before pressing a passionate kiss to her lips. Her hands gripped his shirt collar, pulling him as close as possible. "I'm not going anywhere," he added as he pulled away. "But we are going to catch that boat. I will not let Raoul take you from me so we are going to leave. Come on, let's get you dressed." He stood up, letting Christine get out of bed. He went back to packing as much as he could while she dressed, both as silent as the other. Standing from his packing, Erik turned to Christine, taking her wrist gently in his hand and he pulled her into his embrace. Christine inhaled sharply, taking in as much as his scent as possible.
"We will be safe in America, my love," Erik said gently. "Now come, let us leave." Slipping her hand into his, they both left the comfort of their first shared bedroom together before moving down into the living room and kitchen. Both proceeded to gather together some food, readying them for the boat journey ahead. Erik could sense Christine's nervousness, could see it in her body language. Taking the loaf of bread she had picked up from her hand, he linked his fingers with hers, bringing up the other hand to stroke his fingers across her cheek. Her eyes fluttered closed, savouring his touch as if it would be the last time he touched her.
"Christine ..." he whispered gently, before their lips met in a gentle kiss, savouring the taste of each other as if they would slip away from each other at that moment.
"I think I may vomit," came a voice from the armchair by the fireplace. Erik and Christine pulled apart to turn to the source of the voice. There, sitting in Christine's armchair by the fire and pointing a pistol in their direction, was Raoul de Chagny. Neither of them had noticed he was there, all too preoccupied with leaving. He could have shot one, or both, of them in the time he had been there.
"Raoul ..." Christine whispered. "Please, why are you doing this?" Raoul sighed dramatically.
"Well, Miss Daae. I asked you to marry me and you left me for a monster. That doesn't sit well with me," he said. "You thought you could get away from me but, you see, I followed a friend of the monster's here just last night. My men interrogated him once I found out where you were hiding. He's lying bloody and unconscious somewhere in the woods." He laughed; a sinister sound. "I know not where." Both Erik and Christine kept their eyes fixed on the gun in Raoul's hand. Erik gripped Christine's upper arms, keeping her back against his chest.
"Whatever you want, Vicomte, it's with me, not Christine. Let her go," Erik said, suddenly stepping in front of his fiancée. Raoul cocked his head to the side slightly, a confused yet smug look on his face.
"Let her go? Oh no, sir, she will not be going anywhere, not at this moment anyway. When I have my way, and I will, she will be back at the de Chagny manor with me and you will be dead and floating down the little river and into the ocean, never to be seen again," Raoul said, standing from his chair, gun still trained on both of them.
"For God's sake, Raoul, please don't do this," Christine yelled. "Why can't things be like they used to?" Christine moved from behind Erik, who was shifting uneasily from foot to foot, and moved closer to Raoul. "Why can't we be like we were at the house by the sea? Friends? Best friends? You cannot force me to love you, Raoul. It doesn't work like that. I love Erik and if you are the same person you were all those years ago, you'll respect my decision." Raoul suddenly looked torn, trying to face the fact that Christine didn't love him. Christine took a chance and stepped closer to Raoul, who watched her for a moment. "Please Raoul; I do love you deeply, just not the way you want me to. I'm so sorry." She stood within touching distance of him, reaching out to touch his forearm. Raoul looked down at her small hand before he pulled away from her.
"You had your chance, Miss Daae, and you ruined it," he sneered before raising his gun arm and pointing the pistol at Erik.
"No, Raoul ..." Christine cried before grabbing his wrist, pushing the gun away, wrestling with her former lover. Erik could only watch in horror, frozen to the spot. Raoul suddenly pushed Christine to the floor, before turning his gun back to Erik. Christine looked up at her masked lover, who closed his eyes, awaiting the blow of a bullet to his body.
BANG!
Christine screamed loudly.
A body hit the floor.
Silence.
I'm back. Have you missed me? Been a long time, huh? Hope you enjoyed this. More soon, promise! :) xx