Chapter 11

Christine's POV

Christine stirred awake as the bright morning sun shined through the open window and onto her face. She smiled, she had had the best night sleep she's for weeks. She buried her face into her pillow, trying to shield her eyes from the sun's brightness, but found her 'pillow' was not a pillow at all.

It was Raoul, his bare arms wrapped around her and his chest rising and falling softly.

Christine's eyes shot open, Raoul was with her… but how? But then she remembered the events of last night and smiled hazily.

Last night was wonderful. She had never experienced anything like it before, something so passionate and beautiful. Christine rested her head on Raoul's chest, was about to go back to sleep, but then she heard someone shuffling around downstairs.

Christine's eyes widened, she began to shake fiercely. If Erik were to see Raoul with her, he would do something terrible. She was sure of it.

"Raoul, Raoul darling wake up." She whispered, gently shaking him. They had to get out here before Erik found them. She shook him, urgently trying to wake him.

Raoul sat up, rubbing his eyes. "Christine, wha-" But stopped when he saw where he was.

"Quick, we need to get out here." He said, quickly getting out bed and gathering his clothes from the floor and putting them on. Christine did the same, quickly running to the armoire and changing quickly, fumbling with her corset in a haste.

Then they heard footsteps coming up the stairs, they both ran to the window, looking for a possible way they could both get down safely and quickly. Christine frowned, she didn't know how she could get out through the window without hurting herself.

"Christine?" A voice called from outside of her door.

Raoul and Christine whirled around and to face the door. Raoul turned to Christine, who was white-faced and shaking. He gathered her into his arms gave her a comforting hug, "I'll come back for you tonight. Be ready to leave by midnight." He whispered, almost inaudibly, he then kissed her gently and disappeared out the window.

Christine watched him for a minute, then wiped her eyes and opened to door to Erik. He holding something in his hands.

"Christine i'm sorry about what happened yesterday, you must understand that I was not myself." Christine stared at him, not quite believing his words. It was not out of character for Erik to harm her. She did not know what he was going on about.

"And so I want to make it up to you," He continued, showing her the lump of cloth that was in his hands. Christine gazed at it, she recognised it as the wedding gown she had be forced to wear down in Erik's home. Except now it wasn't filthy and ripped as it had been when she had worn it. It was a clean and sewn back to it's former glory.

"I went out last night to get it fixed up for our wedding. Which by the way, is being moved to tonight." Erik said coolly, looking to Christine who was sporting an expression of both anger and confusion. "What, why?"

"Because I think it will be better for both of us that we just get the wedding over with. It is not best to dwell on such trivial matters as 'What's the perfect flower arrangement.' He said, making exaggerated hand gestures at that last bit.

He was obviously referring to Juliette, who was being so fussy about the perfect flower arrangement for Christine's bouquet, and how well it 'matches her complexion' and what not.

"Besides," He continued, "all we need is each other, Christine, our love will be enough to look past all the 'perfect' wedding festivities!"

Christine looked at him in disbelief. How could he possibly think that she loves him? She has given him no reason to believe she did love him romantically, she had outright even said that she didn't! He must be completely out of it to believe otherwise…

"You can't be serious!" She stated, looking at him in disbelief. "What love? I have never given you any reason to believe I love you in that way. How could you say such things?"

For a minute she couldn't read his expression, his mask was always such a hindrance to be able to tell, but it especially hard right now. Then he spoke again, "You just don't understand, Christine. You love me, I know you do! and our wedding is happening tonight and that is final." He finished, closing the door and locking it behind him.

Christine ran to the door, jiggled the handle almost viciously, but it would not budge. Christine slid down the door frame and sunk into the floor, burying her head into her skirts, and practically let out a muffled cross between a cry and a scream.

They had been so close. If they had left last night, they could've been far away right now. Perhaps wrapped in each other's arms… Christine sulked, this situation couldn't possibly get any worse.

Oh but she was so wrong…

Erik came and let her out of her room later that day to eat. After he pretty much forced her to eat everything on her plate, she noticed something odd about his behaviour, but couldn't quite figure out what it was.

That was, until he complained how it was so very hot in the kitchen, and took off his jacket.

Christine gasped, his shirt and waistcoat were splattered with a deep red substance. It was blood, she realised, staring at him in shock.

"Oh don't give me that look," He said, noticing her stares, "I just found some unwanted intruders patrolling the woods. Nothing to worry about though, I took care of them."

Christine felt as though her heart had been ripped in two. Erik had murdered some intruders, but that means…

She got up from her seat and ran out of the room, and didn't stop running until she was safe inside her bedroom.

She leapt onto the bed and sobbed into a pillow, the same pillow that Raoul had used last night. She inhaled his scent, crying even harder that she would never see him again, because Raoul was dead because Erik had killed him.

She wailed in agony. That was it, she decided, she hated Erik. She hated him! For he took away the love of her life.