A/N: I am so very glad that the little scene change did not fool any of you wonderful readers. Indeed it is much to early for them to find happiness, but things will eventually go into that direction.
Once more I would like to thank all of my wonderful readers! I love you all so very much!
I am very sad that the most amount of views I've had were for Cold, Unfeeling light which is now completed. I know that not all of my chapters are exactly riveting, but I had hoped that they would gain a bit more readers. Hopefully as time goes on, my writing skills will improve and perhaps I will lure some more readers muhahah!
"What did you say?" Erik asked, a look of pure shock on his face.
"I said, I do not want to forget." Christine said, this time speaking louder. Where she was mustering this courage from, she would never know.
"Well, that is-that is...absurd." Erik muttered.
"It's a shame that it will probably never happen again." 'What am I doing, just trying to get him even more upset?' When Erik said nothing she felt she should explain. "I am not the type of girl to be so bold as to kiss you, and since you do not have the courage to kiss me it shall never happen again." Christine could have sworn she saw Erik's visible brow furrow.
"I have plenty of courage." Erik crossed his arms defiantly.
"You think that just because you walk around like an untamed beast and live locked away in this castle you have courage, when in fact it is the opposite. You are scared of other people and what they think of you and you are scared of me, which is why you only dared to touch me when I was asleep."
"I-there was a spider on your pillow, I was only trying to kill it."
"Which involves caressing my cheek and touching my hair?" Christine asked, finding it impossible to hide her smile.
"I am glad that you find this so amusing. Do you enjoy torturing me so?"
"Erik, I am not trying to torture you. I just cannot comprehend how a man such as yourself would be afraid of a simple girl such as I."
"I am not afraid of you Christine."
"Prove it." Christine knew she could very well be playing with fire, but what was the worst that could happen? He could yell at her and storm off, or he could actually do what they both secretly longed for and kiss her.
"I will not bend to your will!" Erik shouted before he left the room, slamming the door behind him. Of course he had done the former, she had been foolish to even consider that he would kiss her. But despite it, her smile did not falter. She had won this confrontation and they both knew it.
XXX
"So he wouldn't kiss you?" Meg asked as she and Christine took a stroll through the gardens.
"No, you would think that after what happened last night he would take the initiative." Christine's delicate brow furrowed as she said this. What would it take to make him kiss her again.
"Why don't you just kiss him first?" Meg could not understand why Christine had not just done that in the first place.
"Meg, I couldn't possibly. I would die of embarrassment." Christine's cheeks glowed a rosy red as the image of their first drowsy kiss floated before her mind's eye.
"Christine, do you honestly think Raoul made the first move? Of course not! It was I who had to kiss him. He may be a solider but he has absolutely no courage when it comes to women." Meg smiled as she recalled how she had to literally pin Raoul against the wall before kissing him. But after that first kiss, she just could not keep him away.
"But I do not have nearly as much courage as you do Meg. Besides, I doubt he will ever want to talk to me again after the things I said to him this morning." Christine knew this was probably true. Erik would not take lightly to her insinuating that he lacked courage or that he feared her.
"Then seek him out Christine. If you two are to be married you have just as much a right as he to go where you please and speak with who you wish to speak with."
"You are right Meg. You are absolutely right."
XXX
"Erik?" Erik looked up from his desk to see a timid looking Christine in the doorway. Even in the dark of night, she still seemed to radiate some sort of inner glow. He could not deny his feeling towards her and ever since that kiss, he had recalled every little detail of that evening.
"Christine, come in." Erik said, motioning her to come in. Christine entered the room, smiling at him with a twinkle in her eyes.
"Erik I just wanted to say I am sorry." Christine said, hoping that her plan would play out.
"Whatever for?" Erik asked, offering her a seat across from his desk.
"For the kiss and for what happened afterwards." Christine said, sinking down into the chair with a frown on her perfect lips.
Erik felt color stain his cheeks and he racked his brain for something to say. "Christine I-"
"Erik you don't need to explain. I realize our marriage is purely for convenience, nothing more." She said sadly, casting her eyes on the floor.
Erik felt a sharp stab of pain hit his heart at her statement and before he could control it, he was reaching across the desk taking her hand in his much larger one. Christine's eyes immediately flew to his face and a gentle smile graced her lips. Erik's mind screamed at him to let her hand go, but it seemed it had a mind of its own and his thumb began to stroke Christine's soft palm. Christine felt as if a wave of electricity went through her body, waking her senses.
"Erik-" Christine began only to be silenced when Erik placed a finger over her lips.
"Christine, do not think for one moment that I am marrying you for convenience. I want to marry you because I loved you parents and I have always admired your beauty, your spirit and your talent. Not to mention your intelligence and the fact that you're the only one who has ever had the nerve to stand up to me." Christine smiled at him as he said this. He stood and walked around the desk to stand before her, he gently pulled her up so she was standing with him, their bodies a breadth apart. Erik gently tilted her chin up, could he really do this? Could he really kiss her once more? But before he did so Christine stood on her toes and placed a soft kiss on his lips. Surely he was dreaming, for only in his dreams would Christine be kissing him. But no, it was no dream, he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her against his hard body. The feel of her was real, and alive the warmth of her body teasing his own even through the layers of clothing that separated their bodies.
He had waited far too long for this, he had thought of it, dreamed about it and had fought his urge to do so for such a very long time. Now they were finally doing what they had both wanted for so long, and God help him he would not regret it nor would he stop.
But it seemed fate had different plans, for at that moment, the sound of a rather feminine gasp filled the room. Erik and Christine instantly parted to take in the vision of a rather shocked and somewhat pleased looking Marie.
Erik cleared his throat and glared at the woman. "Is there something you needed?" He growled, watching a smile spread across Marie's face.
"Not at all Sir, I just came to ask if you wished to take your supper here or in your chambers?" Marie asked.
"I-I should be going." Christine whispered, and before Erik could stop her, she moved past Marie and out of the room.
"Damn." Erik muttered, his hands clenching into fists.
"I take it you will take your supper here then?" Marie said, trying to contain the laughter that was beginning to fill her chest.
"Damn the supper!" Erik roared, and stormed out of the room to take a walk.
XXX
Christine softly closed her door behind her and leaned against her, her heart racing and her skin flushed. Had Erik really just kissed her? Had it all been a delusion of her overly romantic mind? With graceful fingers she touched her lips, and knew that it had in fact happened. With a happy sigh she twirled about her room, joy filling her heart for the first time in days.
In the darkness the death of her parents had left, it seemed that there was a light...a light that would guide her to happiness and perhaps love.
XXX
Erik grumbled, sitting before his desk with different sheets of paper spread before him. "Where was he last seen?" Erik asked, his voice shaking with barely controlled rage.
"In the next town over sir." Thomas said, trembling under Erik's angry gaze.
"How can this be possible?" Erik asked, as he paced the ground behind his desk. Thomas knew he wasn't expecting an answer and cast his eyes toward the ground. He could feel the same anger and frustration his Master did, though how to handle it he had no idea.
"He must be stopped." Erik said softly, though his voice carried an unspoken threat. "Warn my men, prepare them. We leave tomorrow morning." Erik said, Thomas nodded and left the room.
Erik sighed, he thought back to the brief yet amazing kiss he had shared with Christine not too long ago. He had hope that this marriage would perhaps be what he had wanted so long. Perhaps she could learn to love him, and maybe he might do more than kiss her-
But now it seemed all those hopes and dreams would have to be put on hold, a dark and dangerous threat was just one town away and he would not put Christine or his own people at risk. This would come to an end, even if it meant Erik must lose his own life to ensure the safety of countless others.
XXX
Christine tossed and turned that night, though her body was tired her mind was reeling. She could not stop thinking about what had happened. She had actually kissed Erik again, though it was somewhat brief it had still ignited a fire in her body that she knew would never be extinguished. She was finally about to drift off when a soft knock on her door caused her eyes to snap open. She turned to look out her window and saw the moon was still shining up in the sky. Her brow furrowed as she wondered who would be disturbing her this late at night. She slid out from under the covers and grabbed her robe, slipping it over her shoulders.
She went to the door and cleared her throat, "Who is it?" She asked, her voice sounding small and scared.
"Erik." Christine quickly flung the door open and looked at the man before her. He was frowning and appeared as if he was carrying a heavy burden.
"What's wrong?" Christine asked, looking at him and feeling her heart drop. He sighed and entered her room, closing the door behind him. Christine felt her mouth go dry, though she knew he would never take things much further than a kiss, especially when they were not married the fact that they were alone in her dark bedroom still excited her.
He took a seat on the edge of her bed and patted the spot next to him. Christine sat down next to him and took his hand in hers. "Erik please tell me what's wrong." She said, worry clearly evident in her face.
"I must leave tomorrow morning." He said, looking at her and wishing he could just take her in his arms and never let go. To get lost in a moment of perfect happiness, never having to face the cruel reality of the world.
"What?" Christine asked, dropping his hand.
"Trust me, I do not want to leave. But it seems I must, Christine...the man who is responsible for the deaths of your parents is dangerously close and I know that if we do nothing it won't be long till he attacks." Erik gently brushed a stray curl away from Christine's face as he spoke, hoping that she would remain calm.
"Are you mad, what if he hurts you?" Christine asked, standing before Erik angry and scared that he would leave her to go after some lunatic.
"Christine, if I do not stop him he will hurt you and those who have anything to do with me. I cannot allow that to happen." He said firmly and grabbed her hand, pulling her back down beside him. "I-I care about you." He said softly, Christine blinked back the tears that she felt stinging her eyes.
"Promise me you'll come back." She said, wrapping her arms around his neck, not wanting to let him go.
"I cannot make such a promise, but I promise you that you will be safe." He said softly, breathing in the soft scent of her hair. He felt her shudder against him and knew that she was crying. He held her, not sure what he could say to comfort her. He knew what must be done, and in time she would see that it was necessary. When Christine's breathing returned to normal, be brushed the hair from her face and saw that her eyes were closed. She had fallen asleep in his arms. He gently laid her back against the pillows and covered her body with the blankets. He walked over to her desk and pulled out a pen and paper. When he was done writing he left the note on the pillow next to her, along with a blood red rose.
A/N: Yes two updates in one day. I was determined to do some writing today and though these chapters are short I am hoping they will propel the stories along. I promise longer updates are on there way. Please let me know what you think, it is you the reader who keeps me motivated!
