Chapter Eleven
Necessary EvilThey thought they had all but made a clean getaway when Ariella heard a a familiar voice behind them saying with menacing good humor, "Why Ariella how rude. You were planning on leaving without so much as a good-bye. Without so much as an introduction to your friends, Shameful behavior. I shall have to think of a suitable punishment my dear."
Laughter from another man sounded gruff. His voice sounded even more so with the thick accent. "I can think of ways to punish her while pleasuring myself with her. I'll even let you keep my share if you let me have first crack at her. I am finding I like her quiet attitude. Perhaps she won't be so quiet when I take her. Show her what a real man can do. Hey Entienne? What do you say?" He nudged Entienne in the arm as he spoke.
Entienne stood quiet with his brow furrowed as if indeed he were considering the proposition then he said with hateful mirth in every syllable, "What do you say Ariella?" Me or Gregore? I can not guarantee how gentle he would be as he does tend to leave his women a bit marked when he's done. I on the other hand am the perfect gentleman."
The two men holding pistols in their hands were overconfident. Neither realized just who they were dealing with. Erik's hand had been inching toward his lasso. Grasping it in his hand he used both hands to uncoil it. holding it in his hands he looked at Ariella. He motioned with his head for her to step closer to Raoul. Moving just little at a time she inched her way to Raoul's side. Giving Raoul a hard stare erik silently entreated Raoul to keep Ariella safe. Raoul nodded his head reaching his arm around Ariella pulling her into the protection of his body. He turned slightly so that if the unthinkable happened she would not catch a stray bullet.
In less time than it took to blink an eye the rope spun through the air with a slight whirring in the quiet night. The noose flew over Entienne's head settling down around his neck. With a swift hard jerk Erik had tightened the rope. Giving another hard jerk, this time to the side, he knocked Entienne into the man beside him throwing him off balance.
The man fired a shot in reflex to the sudden attack. Luckily the ill aimed shot into the dark night sky where it might hit a star if it could travel that far. Growling in anger, Erik again jerked the rope bringing the man inside the noose to his knees. All the while Entienne scratched and clawed uselessly at his throat.
By this time the other man had recovered. He stepped behind Erik wrapping his arm tightly around his neck. Raoul handed Ariella to Nadir. His adrenaline was pumping through his veins. If he did not expend some of it he would explode. It had been over a year since he had felt such a rush of power surge through him. Then it had been the fear for Christine's life and his own. Now it was the thrill of battle. Combat against an opponent of equal or greater skill. The challenge to test ones mettle that every man seeks at some point in their life.
Handing Ariella into Nadir's care he instructed, "Take her to the horses. Wait there for us. If we do not come within the next few minutes leave without us. Take her back to the opera house."
Ariella objected at first. Nadir was quick to tell her Erik and Raoul could defend themselves more easily if they did not have to worry about her safety. He didn't know Raoul's skills but he was more than confident Erik could hold his own. He would not allow anyone to remove him from the life he now had. His life with Ariella.
Only God would be able to have victory over Erik as he defended the life he so badly wanted and needed. This time he fought for something that was real. Not something invented by his own feverish crazed mind. This time his life had real substance.
Quickly Raoul wrapped his own arm around the neck of the man behind Erik. Before he could lock his fingers in a firm grip the man elbowed him in his stomach. The result while painful to Raoul did force the man to let go of Erik. Erik used that release to allow him to drag Erntienne to the ground where he placed his booted foot squarely in the middle of his chest pulling tightly on the rope.
Glancing over at Raoul and the man while he kept his foot firmly on the chest of Entienne, Erik saw the third man advancing on Raoul who had been winded. The briefest of glances between the man under his boot and Raoul and his opponent then with a growl of frustration Erik released the rope but not before he slammed his fist in the soft flesh of Entienne's nose. Erik felt the satisfying crush of Entienne's nose. He was not so pleased to see the blood dripping down onto his favorite pair of leather gloves.
Dropping the rope he turned his attention to the man who by now had grabbed Raoul drawing his fist back ready to smash it into Raoul's unsuspecting head. Erik grabbed the man's closed fist by wrapping his own fingers tightly around those clenched fingers beneath his own. Whirling to face this new opponent the man gave a devilish grin. Reaching behind his back he brought his hand around in front of him. In his hand he held a knife with the blade glinting in the pale light of the lantern at the back door.
"Come comrade. Let us test your skills. I hope you are more of a challenge than the boy." All the while Erik and the man circled each other waiting for an opening to make the first attack. Each man seeking to find some small advantage.
"You have no idea of what skills I have. I have forgotten more ways to relieve a man of this world than most ever learn. If the mask did not give you a clue then perhaps you will recognize the names I have been given over the years. Some once called me The Devil's Child. Later The Angel of Death was how I signed my correspondence. More recently I have had two names of notoriety. The Opera Ghost or The Phantom of the Opera." Noticing the man's eyes widening in recognition Erik continued with a menacing purr, "Ah, did one of those strike a cord of remembrance? Now you will know just what hell fire you have brought down around your head."
Barely had the last word left his mouth when in fear the man swung out. He swiped at Erik with the knife. Erik stepped back just out of reach of the blade. The man's fist shot out directed toward Erik's face. At the last second Erik moved slightly. The fist connected with his shoulder instead of his face. He was knocked off balance. Recovering quickly Erik's own fist shot out hitting the man on the jaw causing him to stagger back.
Taking the two steps forward toward the man allowed Erik to reach out grabbing the arm that had the knife clenched in his hand. Bending his leg Erik brought the man's wrist down on his knee. Twice he repeated this before the man's grip finally loosened and the knife fell to the ground. Giving a grunt in satisfaction Erik drew back his arm smashing his clenched fist firmly in the man's face. He staggered back, shook his head then advanced with an animalistic growl of his own toward Erik. The blow hit Erik just below his left eye.
Cursing Erik drew his arm back. Generating as much force as he could he hit the man squarely in the face. Erik's opponent staggered on his feet for a few seconds then dropped to his knees. Swaying like a tree in the wind he fell forward hitting the ground with a thud. Kicking the man in the shoulder to make sure he was unconscious Erik then returned his attention to Entienne.
That cowardly man crawled backwards using his hands and the heels of his feet to propel himself. He scrambled away from Erik's menacing form standing over him. Bending down Erik grabbed one of Entienne's ankles to impede his progress.
Pulling the man back into the light Erik wanted him to be able to see his every menacing grimace. He hoped to frighten the man enough that he would be willing to leave without Erik having to take his miserable life even as his inner self clamored for just such an outcome. Erik knew the less bloodshed the better. Ariella would understand he was sure if it had to be but he would rather not have her see that part of him. He did not want the image of him taking a life imbedded in her mind.
Dropping the foot he held Erik went to stand over the now completely prone man. Bending at the knees Erik rested his elbows on his knees allowing his gloved hands to dangle in front of Entienne's face. He saw the man's eyes go to his gloved hands seeing the blood that even now soaked into the inner lining at the seams of his gloves. Head wounds always bleed profusely. The man Erik had rendered unconscious might look dead but he was alive. Entienne didn't need to know that. From the amount of blood it looked as if a slaughter had taken place.
"I am feeling in a charitable mood. How long my charity will last who can say?" Nonchalantly Erik shrugged his shoulders as if he were merely making comments on mundane topics of discussion not matters of life or death. Waiting for Entienne to look into his eyes he grabbed him by the collar pulling him up close to his face then hissed with menacing clarity, "You can leave. Now, tonight, unharmed. Well at least with nothing more than what has already been done. I will allow you to go free to leave Paris never to return. If you refuse then things will become quite unpleasant for you. What I have done to you so far will seem a loving caress."
Conversationally he asked, "Did you know there are ways a person can be cut so that it takes hours sometimes days to die? The person can feel the life slowly drain from them while being totally unable to help themselves. The insides can be laid bare for a man to see yet he still lives." All the while Erik ran the blade of the knife he had picked up over Entienne's chest from just under his chin down to the waist of his trousers.
"So what is your decision Monsieur? Do you wish to leave or do I tie you up, take everyone home then come back for my entertainment? Be quick I have a lovely woman waiting for me. My patience as you can imagine has never been my strongest virtue." As he said this he ran the knife along the edge of his mask.
Gulping loudly Entienne stammered out, "I wish to go, I will leave. I will even leave papers for Ariella so she can reclaim her home. Please let me go. Do not kill me." He flinched as Erik stood over him for all the world looking like some dark avenging angel. The black cape fluttering behind him only reinforced the illusion.
"As I am still in the spirit of the season you may have until the day after Christmas before I come back to assure myself you have truly gone. Make no mistake. I will know if you are still here. If you are I can only say that your next few days will not be of the pleasant sort. Please convince your friend it would be detrimental to his health to stay in France as well."
Raoul had finally regained his senses. His breathing was returning to normal. He had stood listening while Erik had threatened the man. It gave him shivers to hear those threats. To know that if Christine had not made Erik see reason he could have suffered the same fate Erik promised Entienne if he remained in France. Could Erik do the things he described? More importantly had he done so before? His voice had the ring of truth in it.
They left the two men walking into the darkness to rejoin Ariella and Nadir.
"Erik? What you said to that man. Have you ...could you...What I mean to say is..." Erik cut him off mid sentence.
"You have no idea of the things I have done. Things I wish to forget. Just know I spoke only the truth and leave it at that. I have more pleasant ways to spend my time than in conversation with you."
Once rejoined with Ariella and Nadir they remounted then headed back to the opera house. Erik got one of his fantasies fulfilled that night. Ariella riding in front of him on Caesar.
After unsaddling the horses they gave them an extra pail of oats and some fresh water. Not wanting to waste time lingering outside they made their way back to Meg's room. While they had been gone someone had brought the children to Meg's room. Both lay sleeping the sleep of the innocent. After much discussion it was decided to carry them back to Erik's home. They would be upset not to wake up in what they considered their home. Antoinette would not hear of Christine and Raoul going back to their lodgings. They would spend the night in one of the vacant rooms. She had already sent a note in explanation to the wet nurse. She had only said the play ran longer than expected and the couple would be spending the night with her.
Having waited until the last minute to mention something that should have been obvious to them all she said, "Erik we must all gather in your home for Christmas tomorrow. I will hear no arguments. I can come early to help Ariella prepare things. Are you up to the challenge Ariella?"
"I think it would be a splendid idea. Why doesn't everyone come for a late breakfast. Say around nine? That will give everyone time to open presents. By then we will all be ready to eat. Oh this is marvellous. Erik our first guests in our home for a real sit down meal."
Faced with her excitement what could he say but agree that yes it was simply the best thing ever to happen? It did sound wonderful for her to refer to his home as theirs. To have her with him he would suffer a few unwanted guests. Unwanted by him at least.
Erik started edging Ariella toward the door as she spoke of the turkey, pies, yams and a list of other things too many to mention. He wanted to get her home so he could assure himself she was unharmed. He had seen people appear to be fine after some traumatic experience then collapse for no apparent reason.
Nadir and Raoul helped them carry the children down. Erik made two trips in the boat. Erik had been going to show Raoul where to lay the children when Ariella interrupted him by leading Raoul and Nadir into the spare bedroom Since the second night their had been two beds in the room A child's bed for Matthew and a double bed for Erik. Nadir knew very well there was only one other bedroom. If he dared comment Erik was prepared to cut his tongue out before he would let him have Raoul think any the less of Ariella. Not because he worried himself with anything Raoul might have an opinion about so much as he knew Ariella wanted Raoul's respect for some reason known only to her. He himself cared not a thimble's worth what that young noble thought about anything so long as it did not happen to be about Ariella or her siblings. Anything else was open season.
She pulled the covers back on the double bed for the men to lay the children down. Settling them in she tucked the covers around them giving each one a kiss. Turning out the lights she shooed them out the door. Since coming down to Erik's home Julianna had no need for any lights at night. She told Ariella that Erik was her light. He kept the monsters away. He would slay any dragon that dared enter his castle. He was the king, the prince, the savior of children, slayer of dragons. Erik was for Julianna the perfect replacement for her father. That was the gift she wanted to give to him. She had told no one. Not even Matthew.
After Nadir and Raoul left Ariella ran around to all her different hiding places retrieving gaily wrapped presents. Setting them under the tree she stood looking on in satisfaction. Turning around she nearly bumped into Erik. Giving him a look that had his heart beating much too quickly for comfort she smiled running her hands down over his chest. With a look he could not quite decipher she said she was going to take a bath then go to bed.
Her look had been one a siren might have used to lure unsuspecting sailors onto the rocks at sea. Her look was luring Erik into uncharted waters, uncharted but he was willing to explore them all too eagerly. His hands shaking he set about retrieving his own hidden packages. Setting them under the tree he noticed much to his delight many with his name on them. Several in Ariella's neat precise handwriting and two that were not so practiced in the art of writing. The one from Julianna obviously had been written after much practice on the name tag. His name had been written several times then scratched out to form the letters again. It would seem little Julianna was a perfectionist much like himself. He allowed himself a moment of affinity with that dear sweet child. Then his thoughts went to much wickeder imaginings concerning Julianna's sister.
Hearing the bathroom door open then dainty feet pad to the bedroom then the opening of the door Erik's breathing kicked into another discordant rhythm. Dear God if this kept up he would be dead of heart failure within a week. Thinking of what might be going to occur in the next few minutes he could not care as long as the attack happened after and not before.
He had gone up the stairs getting ready to head down to that beckoning door when his less than fresh personal fragrance assailed his nostrils. It would seem a detour to the bathroom was in order. Erik took his bath in record time. If a race had been running he clearly would have been the victor.
Smelling much better Erik exited the bathroom to take those long tortuous steps to his bedroom door. His black robe floated around him. He had debated whether or not to put on his pajama bottoms. Not wanting to appear presumptuous he had put them on. Standing in front of his bedroom door with a deep calming breath he turned the knob opening the door to his personal heaven.
Only a few candles had been left burning. The room was in partial shadow. Flickering light played over everything in the room. Nothing held Erik's gaze other than the woman laying in his bed. She was on her side with her arm resting along her side. A wide welcoming smile played over her lips. The bared shoulders showing alerted him to the possibility she was unclothed. He had been in bed with her totally nude before but never with so much light. His hands had roamed over what his eyes longed to see.
Smiling still she said with a throaty purr, "You are much too overdressed for what I have in mind Erik. Come." Damned if that little temptress didn't beckon him on. Hastily with much fervor and less finesse he discarded his robe then his pajamas. Then he saw the seductive smile, the desire in her eyes. His chest began to puff. Damned if he didn't strut over to the bed like a peacock.
Her hand went to the edge of the covers then drew back revealing to his eyes what his hands learned to love with his caresses. Perfection. Beautiful perfection. This was what men died for. Fought wars to possess. Strove to find all their lives to have just a brief glimpse of this perfection.
"Come my love. Come Erik. Come to me." She held her hand out in invitation again. Placing his shaking, sweating hand in hers Erik placed his knee on the bed. She scooted over allowing him to lay beside her. From that moment on until they woke they were one. One person with one body, one soul. It was beyond anything he could dream or imagine. No book could have prepared him for the intensity of emotions or sensations he would feel when he joined with her.
Ariella gave Erik the greatest gift a woman can give a man. She gave her innocence, her heart, her love. This was Erik's greatest moment since he had been born. No longer was he a single soul wandering through the pitfalls and trials of life. He had a mate. Someone to halve his burdens. Shoulder half his worries. Love him even in a moment of anger. Love him in spite of his deformity.
Many times she kissed each of his injuries. Each time there seemed to be more places he had received some sort of cut or bruise. Many she could not even see. Because he was her hero she did not mind this extra attention. In fact it was quite rewarding for her as well. She soon started to find places he had not even thought of where she swore she saw some little cut or nick. Who was Erik to argue with a woman willing to kiss away his hurts, real or imagined?
During the long night of loving she had finally been able to release any lingering doubts Erik might have hidden away. Without his mask, the candle light playing over each crevice and fold of his distorted skin she had loved him not once turning away. She had kissed him on his smooth left cheek then had paid homage to his marred side. Her hands traced each feature with loving care. Her fingers learned each feature as well as her lips. As he made love to her she had touched him with loving caresses all the while telling him how handsome he was how much she loved him. Her cries of his name in the most intimate of moments had been music to his ear. A melody he had never heard before.
Once in the early morning Erik woke to feel the bed dip beside him. Opening one eye he saw Ariella returning to bed. He snagged her around the waist rolling over pinning her beneath him.
"Where have you been? I thought my bed felt much colder than it should. I did not feel your warm breath tickling my neck or your warm curves aligned with mine." As he spoke he nibbled her neck and shoulders kissing her along the route his lips travelled.
"I made the bread and left it to rise. Biscuits are ready to go into the oven. I made a cherry pie, an apple pie and pumpkin. Seeing his questioning gaze she answered his silent question, "Yes Erik I made an extra apple with cherries in it just for you. It is it in the pantry. It is all for you. You are the only person I know who likes them mixed together in a pie."
"Well I could never decide which I prefer so I solved the problem by mixing the two. Now it is how I prefer my pies. Speaking of what I prefer. I think it I would prefer to kiss you rather than speak of something so mundane as food."
Before he could claim her lips she held him back to ask with just a touch of shy interrogation, "Last night when we...you and I...was I...did you...?" Flustered with him looking so closely into her eyes she stopped altogether.
Erik who had never done such a thing before teased Ariella when he said, "You want to know if I was pleased? If you were adequate? Let me see. On no. I fear my memory is fading. Quickly kiss me before I forget it entirely." Soon passion replaced laughter. Parting they struggled to regain their breath.
"You were perfect. I have never in my life reached such moments of pure ecstacy. As long as we are discussing this might I enquire as to my own prowess? It is not as if I have much to compare with. You were my first as I was yours." Remembering her moment of pained outcry when he possessed her fully he leaned down placing his lips by her ear to question softly, "I did not hurt you too badly did I? I tried to be gentle but I am afraid my baser instincts may have gotten in the way of my intention to be gentle."
"Erik, you were perfect. Any discomfort I may have felt quickly was replaced with my need for your loving touch. Truthfully I can hardly remember anything beyond the wonderful pleasure you gave me. If you had not told me I was your first I would not have known any different. You are a talented man Erik. In or out of bed. I shudder to think what will happen when you become proficient if you are a novice now. We may spontaneously combust."
"Speaking of practice. We have a few hours before anyone will be waking. I could practice a little right now. You can teach me what pleases you. I will do the same."
"Ariella?"
"Yes Erik?"
"I was going to wait until later but that was before I knew we were going to be invaded by a horde of holiday merry makers. Would you...could you ...what I mean to say is...Damn it my wits seem to have deserted me along with my nimble tongue." Leaning up so he could look into her eyes he held her face between his hands as he asked, "Would you be my wife? Could you live for the rest of your days with me?" Slumping down on top of her in an agony of waiting for her reply he held his breath.
A whisper so soft he might have imagined the sound came to his ear. A whisper of air with a hint of sound traced across the outer shell of his ear, "Yes. Yes my love. I will marry you."
"Did you...let me see if I heard you correctly...I want no mistakes. Did you say yes?"
In a much louder joyous burst of sound she said, "Yes. Yes. Yes. A thousand times yes."
After that no more was said. At least nothing that would concern anyone other than the two occupants of the bedroom. It was their wish to keep their conversation between themselves. Secrets lovers hold in the privacy of their hearts. Secrets shared with only the other half of the heart.