Chapter Eleven:
Eternal
Christine screamed out as Raoul edged his hands up and ripped off her undergarments. Tears swan down her cheeks like rain as she screamed and screamed, begging for mercy and help.
Suddenly the front door was kicked open and a giant, dark, masked figure stormed in. Erik! Christine cried out in relief as Raoul turned and saw the luminous and furious lord. Erik lunged at Raoul and threw him to the ground, smashing the glass cup against his head and punching him violently. Blood begin to seep from Raoul's head injury as weakly tried to fight back. His arms and hands tried to push Erik off, but the lord was too strong. He tried to wring his hands around Erik's neck and strangle him, but Erik kicked him and Raoul cried out in pain. Christine stood and watched horrified, wondering whatever she could do. She couldn't stand watching the violence, although it was Raoul Erik was beating. Erik was merciless, however, as he continued beating Raoul violently. Raoul reached up and tried to fight back but he was defenseless. His only chance to beat the man was to stun him or surprise him. With no weapons or even glass left to fight, he turned to Erik's mask and ripped it off.
Christine heard the roar of outrage as Raoul ripped off the mask and Erik quickly went to cover his face. But it was too late. Christine gasped and put her hands to her mouth as she looked upon the massive deformity that covered a quarter of Erik's face. He stared at her vulnerable and terribly ashamed and Christine felt her heart pang with pity. Fresh tears fell down her cheeks.
Erik couldn't stand looking at her expression anymore. He turned to kill the man who had revealed him and tried to rape his woman. He lunged at Raoul's throat and began to squeeze. Christine cried out as she suddenly realized what Erik meant to do. She couldn't have him kill Raoul for her. He would surely be executed for killing another man this way.
"Stop, Erik! Stop!" she screamed as she tried to get him off Raoul and move his hands away.
But Erik was intent on murdering the scoundrel. He squeezed tighter, even when Raoul's face began to turn purple.
"No! Don't! Don't kill him, Erik! Stop it!" Christine still screamed. She beat against his chest and tried to rip his hands off.
Erik listened to Christine's screams and looked down at the viscount, who was quickly going to die soon if he didn't let go. He looked at Christine. Her hurt eyes told him to stop. Erik let out another roar as he let go of the bastard and pushed his body away. Raoul tried to catch his breath as Erik turned and tried to control his emotions.
Christine looked at Raoul struggling to regain his breath back and then looked at her lover in the corner, holding his head as he tried to breathe and settle himself. She slowly edged toward him and reached out to touch him. He flinched.
"Erik…" she whispered.
"Please," he whispered.
She cried as she realized what was upsetting him so. She had seen him without his mask.
"Don't be ashamed," she tried to cajole.
"Don't!" he nearly shouted. "You don't understand."
Christine was so afraid. She had never seen this strong and powerful man so vulnerable before. He had always been strong and courageous and in charge. He was never close to weeping or embarrassed or ashamed. He had no reason to be.
Christine slowly took his hand and kissed his palm gently. He turned and looked at her. He had put his mask back on. His shield was back, although it would never be the same.
He stared at Christine as she kissed his palm and his fingers. She hadn't screamed or turned away in disgust or flinched at his touch. She wasn't disgusted by him or afraid of him. And she had seen his face. Everyone who had seen his face before had run away in terror. But not her. She was here, comforting him and kissing him. Did she not care? Was she not terrified of him?
She looked into his eyes, which were moist with tears. "Don't be ashamed of who you are. You're perfect."
Erik sighed as her words over swept him.
"Thank you," he whispered as he stroked her cheek.
Raoul's groan both brought them back to reality and they turned to look at the bastard as he lied on the floor pathetically. Erik brought Christine with him as he stood and walked to Raoul. He glared down at the puny boy.
"You will never touch Christine again," he growled, his confident and serious tone back in his voice.
"You won't go near her. You won't see her. And you won't talk to her, for if you do, I will come after you and finish what I should have started. You're lucky Christine stopped me before I killed you."
Raoul looked at the both of them with fury in his eyes. "You still choose him, even when he turns out to be a monster?"
Erik ignored the hurtful words and knelt down next to Raoul. "At least a monster with more strength than you'll ever have, you weakling."
"Come, Christine, let's go," Erik commanded as he neared toward the door.
"I'll have a servant come to pick up Christine's things. She's to stay with me from now on, Viscount," Erik called out as he and Christine left.
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Erik hissed in pain as Christine washed his arms and his back. He stood over his washstand, in just his breeches, as Christine washed him with warm water and a cloth. He had bruises all over his upper body from the fight with Raoul. She wanted to soothe his pain and comfort him but she was tense. The fight and his bruises had set her on edge and made her wary, as well as his intimidating, practically nude body. Even though she had seen him naked before, his body still intimidated her. His back was corded in muscles and bronzed and his arms were sinewy and strong. She could see every muscle move each time he flinched in pain.
"Gentle," he hissed as she washed over a particularly painful purple bruise.
"Sorry," she apologized weakly as she tried to be tenderer. She looked at his jaw clenched and his focused eyes. He was pain and needed to something to get his mind off it. And she had questions. It was a convenient chance.
"How did you know?" she asked.
He looked up at her reflection in the mirror. "Know what?"
"How did you know that I was…in trouble?"
"I didn't. I came after you in hopes of confronting Raoul myself and telling him I wanted you with me. I was just in time when I heard you screaming."
Christine turned away and pushed the horrid memory of her almost rape away from her mind. It was too frightening to even imagine what would've happened if Erik hadn't been there in time. She looked at him.
"You saved me," she whispered so softly he almost didn't hear.
He smiled sadly to himself. Thank God he had.
She put her hand on his arm. "Erik…I did see…"
He closed his eyes as he realized what she was trying to say. He knew she was trying to be delicate but it was still too embarrassing to discuss.
"Christine…"
"Don't say anything," she interrupted. She turned him to look at her. "Don't be embarrassed. I saw you, and it's okay. I understand you are uncomfortable, but I want you to know that it doesn't bother me, and it doesn't change how I feel about you."
He stared at her. "It doesn't?'
She smiled. "No. You're still the wonderful and sensual and amazing, strong man that I adore."
"But…You don't understand, Christine. It's always going to be there. I've had it since I was born." He sighed. "I've had to wear a mask all my life."
"That doesn't matter. I don't see your deformity. I don't care about it. You're still beautiful."
He chuckled self-deprecatingly. "No, you're beautiful. You have no flaws."
"But you're still beautiful with flaws."
He smiled, despite the fact he didn't believe her, and kissed her. "You're an angel."
She smiled and put her arms around his neck while he held her hips to his. She felt her heartbeat quicken in anticipation and happiness.
"I love you," he whispered.
Christine looked at him in shock. "What?"
"I love you, Christine."
Her eyes sparkled and she held him closer. "I…I love you too."
He kissed her passionately and drew her into his arms.
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"Richmond! Richmond!" Raoul yelled as he ran into the lord's large mansion frantically, ignoring the maid's pleas.
Richmond hurried out of his office and came to Raoul quickly.
"What is it, boy? What's wrong? What's with all this fuss? Why do you look such a fright?"
Raoul quickly went to his friend and tried to catch his breath.
"Rochford…He's taken my Christine. He's taken her away from me and seduced her, He's taken her!"
"What? How, dear boy?" Richmond tried to understand.
"He stormed into my house and beat me nearly to death and took my Christine. He plans to make her his! We have to stop him!"
Richmond drank in Raoul's hurried words and nodded. "Don't worry, boy. We'll get her back."