Chapter 25- The Perfect Birthday
On the nineteenth of January, Christine was behaving very curiously, indeed. Erik had never seen her so excited. I wonder if eighteenth birthdays are this thrilling for other girls.. He could only assume they must be.
To his utmost disappointment, Erik couldn't even get a good voice lesson in on the eve of her birthday. She absolutely could not concentrate or stand still. Oh well, I suppose. She is well prepared. He stood, closed the piano lid, and looked at her. For the first time in a while, she stood still and looked at him ashamed.
"I'm sorry, Erik. I just can't concentrate enough to sing right now."
"Yes, I see that. What would you like to do?"
She answered with the first word that came to mind. "Dance."
He raised an eyebrow. "Dance?"
She blushed and replied, "Yeah, dance. I haven't in such a long time. I used to take some classes as a kid, like ballet and tap. But I stopped when I was thirteen. I hated it. I wasn't any good.."
"But, my dear, if you are not good and you dislike it, why do you wish to do it?" he asked feeling quite puzzled.
She giggled and said, "That's not the only kind of dancing there is, Erik." She saw the look of questioning in his eyes and sighed. "Do you have any music in this house?"
"As in, CD's?" She nodded. "Yes, actually, I do. But, I am not sure if you can dance to it."
"You mean, it's all classical stuff?"
"No, that is not what I mean," he replied with a smirk. "One can certainly dance to it. Actually, two can dance to it."
Curiosity was coursing through her body now. "What is it?"
He smirked and replied, "It takes concentration, ability, and feeling."
"What is it?" she repeated with anticipation.
Softly, he asked, "Christine, have you ever performed the tango?"
There was a pause. "No. No, I haven't."
"Would you like to learn? I can teach you."
Another pause followed before she shrugged. "Well, you teach me everything else. Why not a dance?"
"This is not just any dance, Christine. As I said, you must concentrate, which you have not been doing today. You also must have a great amount of coordination." He gave her a quick once over with his eyes. "Do not worry, you have coordination. And, you must feel the sensuality of it." He noticed the blush that permeated her cheeks. "Yes Christine, this is a very sensual dance. So, would you still like to learn?"
Determined and excited, she replied, "Yeah!"
Sweet relief flooded through him. He found it necessary to intimidate her with the frame of mind she must be in to learn the tango, but he was inwardly begging her to want to learn, for he was longing to dance this particular dance with her. "Good. Now, allow me to get the CD and CD player."
He left the music room with Christine feeling very awkward. Of course I've heard of the tango.. I never thought I'd do it, but I guess we'll see how it goes.. Erik returned holding a CD and a small stereo. He placed it on the piano bench, plugged it in, inserted the CD, and turned it on so that a slow, powerful beat filled the room.
Erik proceeded to stare intensely at his love and slowly said, "Now, my dear, come to me." With a curl of the fingers in her direction, he ushered her forward into his arms. She obeyed, and in an instant, he pulled her close, their left hands held out to the side, and his right hand on the small of her back.
His quick motions left her breathless, yet incredibly energized. "Follow my lead, like this," he instructed. On beat to the rhythm, he took a long side step to the left still holding her close, and she followed. "Now, I go forward with my right foot, you go back with your left." They did, though Erik was more graceful than Christine. The duo proceeded to repeat the footing inverted before he kissed her temple. "You are doing well, Angel, but you must move with a certain edge in your step. It calls for sensuality." He looked into her eyes and commanded in a low voice, "Show me the sensuality you possess, Christine."
Her heart fluttered. Then, fully determined, her eyes darkened and pierced into his in response to his command. Erik's breath caught in his throat, and his heart pounded painfully in his chest. As suddenly as it happened, the look vanished into her innocent smiling face once more. "Like that?" she asked.
He blinked a few times and nodded, becoming a bit timid. She kissed his lips, and that made his confident, powerful behavior return. "Very good, Christine. Now, apply that sensuality to your movements." He whispered in her ear, "Become like a seductress," so that his tongue flicked against her earlobe enticingly.
Her eyes widened, and her lips suddenly felt very dry. "A-a seductress?"
He kissed her deeply, which sent shivers down her spine, and replied, "Precisely," against her lips.
Christine gasped and shakily said, "Keep that up and my lack of concentration won't be due to my birthday excitement."
Erik grinned, very aware of her meaning. "Fine." Without warning, he gently, yet forcefully, brought her leg up to wrap around the back of his waist. He then dipped her slowly so that her hair reached the floor. Reveling in the amount of power he seemed to have over her, he just as slowly brought her up and gracefully turned her so the back of her body was meshed against his front.
Christine's eyes closed in ecstasy when Erik placed both of his hands against her stomach, and their hips began moving together to the evasive beat in the background. Soon, the music faded into nothing, but Erik and Christine continued to sway in place for quite some time.
Finally, Christine opened her eyes when she felt Erik kissing her neck. "You're amazing," she whispered.
Erik huskily whispered back, "You're amazing," before swiftly picking her up and carrying her into the music room. He reverently placed her on the couch and propped himself on top so his arms were braced on either side of her body. "I cannot get enough of you," he whispered honestly between passionate kisses.
"I know what you mean," she replied and wrapped her arms around his neck so that her fingers were in his hair.
After a while, both let their passion subside. Somehow, neither of them wanted things to go too far at that moment. Christine inwardly wished to talk more than kiss, and Erik was busy thinking about what the following evening would hold. The tango was good preparation for tomorrow night. That, I know for sure. I cannot wait much longer… He looked into her eyes and found his heart beginning to pound madly once more. I always appreciate a challenge, though. Keeping my distance until tomorrow will prove to be just that. At least she does not seem to be upset…
He sat up and stared down at her without speaking. Curls muzzled, face flushed, and lips parted… She had never looked more beautiful in his eyes.
Christine copied his actions but sat looking less proper than her fiancé. "Erik," she began, about to approach an awkward subject. "I've been thinking about children a lot lately, and, well, I'm not sure if I want to have them."
The change in subject was not what he expected. He looked away trying to conceal his uncovered face. "Of course you wouldn't want my children."
She reached over and turned his face back to hers. "It's not that at all. It's just…" She sighed and continued, "What if I turn out to be exactly like my dad? I don't want to, but what if I do?"
Erik grasped both of her hands in one of his own and gently cupped her chin with the other. "Christine, darling, I do not believe you would be like your father. As you said, you do not want to be. If you choose not to be like him, then you won't."
"How can you be sure?"
He let go of her hands and stroked her hair. "Well, for one thing, I will not allow it." He seriously continued, "No child of mine will be abused in any way. My dear, have you ever hurt anyone before?"
She thought about it, but nothing came to mind. "You're right... I'm sorry. I could never imagine myself abusing our child." She shook her head, feeling disgusted with herself.
"Even if it looks like me?" he asked softly.
"Erik, I would never mistreat our child if it looked like you! You don't look bad! I would love my baby because it would still be beautiful, just like you are! I would love my baby no matter what."
He smiled at her proudly. "Christine, you will make a fine mother." There was no doubt of it.
"And you will make a fine father."
If ever there was a person who should be afraid of being abusive, it was him. But, as he told Christine, he had the ability to choose not to be. And, he had every intention of making the right choice. "A father… It sounds so strange and foreign to me."
"I know." She felt the same way. They were silent for some time before Christine changed topics with, "Erik, I didn't know you could dance so well."
He was glad for the change of atmosphere. "Well, I have had plenty of time to practice. You were phenomenal."
She smiled at his compliment. "As always, you were a good teacher."
"Would you like something to drink, my dear?"
"Hmm... I'll have a glass of red wine, please." Christine giggled adorably.
"Alright then. Two glasses of red wine. I will be right back." He left before she could admit she was just kidding and returned carrying two wine glasses and a bottle with red liquid inside.
"Erik, I've never actually had wine before."
He sat next to her on the couch and asked, "So, am I to assume you do not want any?"
She quickly shook her head. "No, I want some! I mean… please?"
He smirked at her teenage urge. "Well, since you will officially become an adult tomorrow, I do not see any harm in it." He opened the bottle, poured a glass, and handed it to her.
Christine carefully sniffed it before hesitantly taking a sip. She cringed as the bitter taste ran down her throat but tried to regain a casual demeanor when she noticed Erik watching her intently. "It's good," she boldly lied.
Erik let out a chuckle knowing she was only trying to impress him. Going along with it, he said, "I'm glad you like it," before pouring his own glass and taking a sip. "Ah, the divine taste can certainly cleanse the senses."
She took her own small sip and tried not to cringe. "So, Erik, about my birthday.. Will it just be you and me, or will Nadir come?"
"Daroga would like to arrive around noon tomorrow, if that is alright with you."
"Yeah, that sounds great! You know, I feel bad for never getting him a present. He didn't have to give us presents for Christmas."
"True, but he wanted to. Trust me, Daroga does not expect anything in return. That is not the way he is."
"Well, that's the way I am. I feel like we should do something for him."
She was such a good person. "That is kind of you, but what can we do for him? There is nothing here that he would like." He continued to drink his wine with quiet complacency.
"Well, umm.. maybe we can cook something that he likes? It would be good practice for me. Do you know what his favorite food is?"
Erik smiled at her idea, for it was a good one. "Actually, he does quite like Ash-e Reshteh."
"Aw- shay- Resh- who?"
He laughed loudly. Christine was adorable. "It's a kind of soup" Erik explained. "The man loves it, and I suppose it does taste good. But Angel, it is your birthday. Wouldn't you like to choose the food we eat?"
"No. Erik, we owe this to him."
He knew there was no way to sway her. "Alright, my dear, we shall do as you wish."
"Thank you!" Christine put her wine glass down and reached over to hug him.
"We will begin preparing it after we finish our wine." He smirked knowing she didn't really want to.
"Umm, well, I don't think I like this kind of wine too much," she admitted. "Do you want the rest of mine?"
Erik appreciated her honesty, even if she was embarrassed by it. "I suppose so."
She poured the rest of her glass into his almost empty one. "I'm going to get some water." She left the room, and Erik finished his glass quickly to join her.
Hours later, the soup was finished and resting in the refrigerator, and Erik and Christine were sitting in the library. Christine was writing in her beloved journal while Erik was watching curiously. He noticed the Grandfather clock read 11:00 PM. One hour before her childhood comes to a close. One hour… No going back… No return… He shook his head lightly and turned in time to see his angel yawn. Softly, he asked, "Christine, would you like to go to sleep now?"
She yawned again and said, "Five more minutes…" Then, she looked up from her writing and noticed Erik watching her with a small smile. "Well, ok. I am pretty tired, I guess. But before I go, do you think you could play the violin for me?"
He walked over to the couch and leaned down to kiss her forehead. "Of course, Angel." He then picked her up as he would a baby and basked in the way her body seemed to mold against his.
She laughed lightly into his chest. "Erik.. I can walk."
He grinned and replied, "There is no need for that. I enjoy taking care of you."
"You mean, you enjoy spoiling me."
"That, too." He placed her on a chair when they reached the music room and proceeded to bow politely to her lounging form, which caused her to giggle. "Mademoiselle, I will now perform a piece called, Allegretto Ben Moderato. Enjoy, my dear." He removed the Christmas present Christine gave him from its case and played the romantic, peaceful melody with breathtaking feeling and passion.
Before the song was complete, Christine fell asleep. Erik lay the instrument aside and approached her sleeping form with soft eyes. She was so precious, and he gently carried her to bed and tucked her in. "I love you," he whispered before quietly leaving the room.
Erik walked to his bedroom and began getting everything ready for the following day. It has to be perfect…
The next morning, Christine awoke to the sound of the piano playing downstairs. She blinked a few times to focus and gasped when she realized it was her eighteenth birthday. Sniffing the air, the smell of breakfast reached her senses. She turned her head and noticed a tray on her bedside table. On it was a plate of eggs, sausage, and toast. Accompanying the plate was a glass of milk, a glass of orange juice, and a single red rose without thorns. A black ribbon was tied around it. She smiled at the consideration put into it. Assuming Erik wanted her to eat in her room, she did so silently while listening to the music coming from downstairs.
Afterwards, she got out of bed and noticed a bouquet of a dozen roses on her dresser. A black ribbon was tied around each rose, and every thorn was removed. With wide eyes, she crossed the room, brushed a petal lightly, and breathed in the fresh scent before going into her bathroom. What her eyes saw made her breath catch in her throat. Surrounding her sink were at least a dozen more thornless roses with black ribbons. But, her bath tub was what caused her to blush. It was filled with water and completely opaque due to a thick covering of white bubbles and two dozen roses. "Good lord…" she whispered astonished.
"What was that, Darling?" Erik asked, suddenly right behind her.
Christine jumped and turned to him. "Erik! You scared me!"
"Happy Birthday, Angel," he softly said before embracing her with a chaste kiss.
"You did all this?"
Smirking, he asked, "Who else?"
"Whoa… It's just, no one's ever done anything like this for me before."
"Well, I should hope not," he replied, moving a strand of curls behind her ear.
She looked up at him with shock still in her eyes. "Erik, seriously, I never expected anything like this…"
His confidence wavered. "Am I to believe you do not like it?"
"No! No, I love it! It's incredible! I just didn't know you could be so…"
"'Romantic'? 'Suave'?" he asked, the smirk returning.
"Yes… Yes, all of that. I really didn't expect this, but wow! I must say, I love it. You're wonderful."
"Really?"
"Yes, really," she replied, kissing his cheek. "How did you know roses are my favorite flower?"
"I remember you saying you would like roses in our wedding, so I only assumed the obvious."
Christine smiled and proclaimed, "I really am marrying such a smart man!"
Erik smiled while admiring her. "Are you happy, Christine?"
"Happy is definitely an understatement." She eyed the tub curiously with a huge smile.
"Would you like to bathe? Then, if you would, join me in the music room?"
"Ok." Without a hint of warning or hesitation, she closed any sort of distance between them, brought her hands to the back of his neck, and kissed him with every ounce of love and passion she felt. "Thank you, love," she whispered.
He blinked and hesitantly backed away looking down at her with a mixture of lust, hunger, wonder, love, and amusement in his eyes. "As I have come to realize, you are easily pleased, are you not?"
She playfully flicked his arm. "Yeah right, you know this wasn't easy! I mean, my gosh, you removed the thorns from every rose!"
He only smiled mysteriously in her direction and headed for the door. How he longed to stay in the bathroom, though.. Watch her bathe, help her bathe… But no, he knew there would be plenty of time for that in the future. "Take your time, Angel," he said before closing the door and returning to his music.
An hour passed before Christine appeared in the music room. She looked stunning in fresh clothing she'd never worn before that was dressier than usual. Her curls were flowing freely, and the smile, which he loved so much, was displayed on her face.
Erik couldn't help but stare at her while sitting on his piano bench. He felt frozen in time and wished to gaze at her forever. But wait, no, interacting with her is even better. He stood and walked towards her slowly. "You look absolutely stunning."
"Thank you," she replied, blushing shyly.
"How was everything?" he asked while devouring her body with his eyes.
She couldn't help but notice, and her blush deepened. "Umm.." Her mouth felt dry due to his stare. "It was amazing. I've never had a more relaxing bath. I feel very clean." She was finally able to avert her eyes from his and began to walk past him. "So, are we going to sing?"
Before she could get past him, however, Erik gently grabbed her wrist and huskily said, "Not quite yet," before bringing her body to his to kiss her. He allowed his hands to move slowly and suggestively down her sides and over her hips while their mouths and tongues connected. He repeated the process with his hands once more, enjoying the moans that escaped her mouth and sent vibrations through his, before bringing his hands to massage her curls. He whispered, "You smell heavenly," and allowed his mouth to nibble playfully on her left earlobe and tease her neck, which caused her chest to heave against his. Instinctively, they both meshed their bodies closer to allow further access. Their mouths crashed together again, but, before the situation became too heated, which was to say, right before they moved upstairs, Erik pulled all the ability within him to the surface and backed away from her.
Why do I have to enjoy a challenge so much? If I dropped my defenses, I could easily enjoy this pleasurable experience even more. His eyes surveyed her lustful eyes. I believe I am torturing her. Tonight, though. There is tonight. "Now, we can sing." He turned and moved to sit on his piano bench, his back facing her.
Christine just stared at him in shock. He's just teasing me! He expects me to sing after that? Her fists clenched.
"Christine, dear?" Erik asked without turning to look at her. He knew, if their eyes were to connect, that would only drive his passion further. But wait, her singing is bound to ignite my yearning, too… I will just have to try to control myself.
She decided to act maturely, as if she could handle his games. As if she, too, wished to proceed no further than they had, she walked forward and stood next to the arch of the grand piano, determined to sing. "Fine, let's sing, Erik."
The way she said his name alone sent shivers down his spine, but soon, the music produced from both the piano and themselves were enough to make even angels weep. 'Divine' was the only word to describe it.
Noon came quickly, and so did the doorbell. Erik wasn't even aware of the noise, as he was too immersed in their song, but Christine stopped and looked towards the foyer.
"What is it, Angel?" Erik asked.
She laughed. "You didn't hear the doorbell, did you?" Without another word, she walked to the foyer. Erik quickly followed.
"Hello, Nadir!" Christine greeted when she opened the door.
"Good afternoon, Christine," Nadir returned while entering the house. "And, Happy Birthday." He handed her a small wrapped gift.
"Oh wow, you didn't have to get me anything. Thank you."
He smiled, nodded, and looked at Erik who was leaning casually against a wall. "Bonjour, Erik."
"Ah, Bonjour, Daroga."
"You both look well. Are you having a good birthday so far, Christine?"
She looked at Erik and smirked. "Yeah, I am."
Erik grinned knowingly, and Nadir smiled unknowingly. "Well, that is good to hear."
Erik was still watching Christine and softly said, "Yes..." He then snapped out of it and announced, "Nadir, we have prepared a meal for you."
Christine added, "Yeah, we made this soup-.. I forgot what it's called…"
"Ash-e Reshteh," Erik said.
Nadir's eyes brightened considerably. "Are you serious? I am quite taken with that soup."
"Yes, yes, we know, Daroga. That is why we made it," Erik explained impatiently.
Christine decided to try to make up for Erik's rudeness. "It's a sort of 'thank you' for the Christmas presents you really didn't have to get us."
"Well, that is the purpose of presents, is it not? They never have to be given. It is the thought and desire to give them that counts," Nadir pointed out, looking from one person to the other.
"I suppose you are right," Erik said with a shrug. "Well, it really doesn't matter now. The Ash-e Reshteh is prepared, so, let's eat." He was already heading towards the kitchen. Christine and Nadir chuckled and followed him, and the three ate their delicious meal, Nadir complimenting it every so often.
Afterward, Christine opened her gift in the library. To her surprise, it was a nice silver watch. "Oh, wow! Thank you, Nadir!" She put the new present on her wrist and gazed down at it.
"You're welcome. I noticed you did not have one, so I thought you would like it," Nadir replied, looking at her left wrist with a satisfied smile.
"It's great! You always give me the most useful presents."
"Have you gotten anything else today?" Nadir asked curiously.
"Well.." Christine grinned at Erik.
Immediately, Erik intervened. "Yes, she has, Daroga. And, she will be receiving more at a later time."
"Ah, I see," Nadir said smirking, while Christine looked at Erik with questioning eyes.
Erik looked at her with eyes that seemed to say, "Patience, dear one," and a reassuring smile. He then turned back to his Persian friend. "So, Daroga, how are you liking the city?"
"I am doing quite well in the city, actually. I have obtained employment as a contractor." He chuckled and continued, "Can you imagine that, Erik? I have received the very occupation you used to have over me."
Erik only smirked and said, "How very ironic."
Christine felt the urge to speak then. "So, Nadir, are you single?"
Erik's normally casual and dominating conduct suddenly turned stiff. Why would she ask that? Just as suddenly, his normal demeanor returned as he realized his thoughts were completely ridiculous. Of course she is only asking out of interest. I am paranoid.
Nadir laughed loudly at the blunt question. "Yes, Christine, I am single. But, since you seem to be interested, I did come across an intriguing female at the grocery store the other day."
Christine echoed in confusion, "An 'intriguing female'… So, I guess that's a good thing?"
"Yes, it is," he replied with amused eyes.
They talked for about an hour more before Erik could stand it no longer. This incessant talking is getting on my nerves. I need to be alone with her! Rather rudely, but entirely like himself, he ushered Nadir out of the house. Luckily, Nadir knew fully well his masked friend's intentions, and he took no heed to the rudeness of his dismissal.
When he was gone, Christine stood awkwardly in the foyer while Erik gazed at her. "What is it?" she finally asked.
"Do you recall me saying I have more gifts for you?" he asked still watching her.
The way he acted towards her versus the way he acted towards Nadir was so odd, but Christine was used to it. "You didn't answer my question, but yes, I remember." She tried unsuccessfully to suppress her growing curiosity.
"Come, let's go for a walk." He held out his hand for her to take it.
"A 'walk'? Is this going to be like Christmas was?" She couldn't hide her smile.
"No, it will not be like Christmas, my dear. Will you accompany me?" His hand was still held out, and she finally took it.
"Sure." He led her outside after both put on coats, and they began a walk through the woods hand in hand. "So, where to, Maestro?"
Erik only chuckled. There was really no need for talking. He certainly didn't want to divulge their secret destination, and Christine knew from experience that questions would get her nowhere.
It only took about five minutes to get to the anticipated place. And, there was no doubt in Christine's mind that this place was, in fact, where he wanted them to be. "It's beautiful, Erik." In front of them stood a small, quaint cottage. Smoke was billowing from the chimney.
"Quite unlike the outward appearance of our home," Erik acknowledged while nodding.
"But, I wonder, is it as beautiful on the inside?" She grinned up at him with anticipation.
"Well, let's see," he replied, winking at her. They walked inside, and the warmth alone was very welcoming. the cottage only held two rooms, one being a bathroom. The room in which they were in was huge. On the far wall was an enormous fireplace with a large painting above that portrayed the place where Erik proposed to Christine. To the right was a nice sitting area with comfortable seating and a gorgeous Persian rug, and a small kitchenette. To the left, there was a billiards table, and that was all.
"You have good taste," Christine complimented. "I like the colors. And, of course, I love the painting. Did you paint it?"
"Yes, I did. Right after I built this cottage, in fact."
Her eyes widened. "You built this place?"
Erik appreciated her astonishment. "Actually, Nadir and I did before he moved away."
She looked at him from a distance, the glow from the fire illuminating her body. "Why?"
"Well, I felt, if I needed more privacy, I could come here. I certainly did not expect to be left completely alone, although I should have. There is no need to get into that, though. Now that I have you, I do not need privacy."
She smiled at him. "I'm glad you feel that way." Her gaze drifted to the billiards table. "Are you good at pool?"
Deciding to be honest, he chuckled and replied, "Yes, I am. Are you?"
She blushed. "I don't know. I've never played."
"Never?" he asked in disbelief. "Well, would you like to see how it is done?" He watched her nod eagerly, and both of them moved to the left side of the room.
Christine watched as he set everything up and grabbed a cue stick. His gaze never left hers as he applied chalk to the end of the stick. With careful precision and professional ability, he broke the arrangement of solid and striped orbs on the green of the table. "This is usually a two player game."
She was still gawking at his power of breaking. "But, I don't know how to play…"
"Don't worry, Angel, I will teach you." She approached him and waited to be told what to do. "Now, pick up the cue stick the exact way you saw me handle it," he instructed. She obeyed and faced the billiards table in preparation. And that was when Erik slowly pressed his body against hers, which caused her to inhale sharply. He stretched his arms out on either side of her body and wrapped his hands around hers. "Your right hand should be down further and your left back slightly." He gently completed the actions for her and kissed the top of her head. "Now, lower your body so you have better vision on aim. You want to hit the cue ball, the white one, and you want to aim for a solid-colored ball. You should aim at any of the pockets surrounding the green." He spoke with such sweet softness that she almost went into a daydream. "Do you understand?"
"Yes." He backed away, and she did as he instructed. Unfortunately, the solid ball she was aiming at didn't reach a pocket, but Erik assured her it was only to be expected for a first try.
They continued to play for a long time, Erik needing and wanting to help her stance periodically. Erik won the game, which was to be expected. It made no difference to Christine, though. She still had fun and thoroughly enjoyed the close contact with him.
When they finished playing, Erik moved to the small kitchenette and made chicken fettuccini alfredo, and they ate while enjoying more 'close contact' in the sitting area.
More time passed before Erik smoothly whispered in her ear, "Darling, would you like to go home and sing?" He had been burning to ask this question all day.
She was comfortable cuddled against him, but she nodded, deciding it was time to go. They stood, made sure the fire was extinguished and the lights were out, and walked home holding hands. It was dark out, but Erik had incredible night vision and was able to lead her.
When they were standing in the foyer, Erik quickly said, "I have a gift for you. If you will, wait here while I get it." He watched as she nodded curiously before quickly going upstairs to retrieve the package from his room. Familiar nerves were attempting to consume him while he thought about what was fixing to take place, if all went well. He returned to his waiting fiancée and, luckily, his nerves subsided slightly. Handing her the gift, he said, "Please, open it."
When she lifted the lid of the box, a red dress with black lining met her eyes. She grinned, and the box fell to the floor as she lifted the dress to see it better. It was smooth and silky with red being the dominant color. The length reached the floor, but there was a slit that ended three-quarters of the way up the thigh. Black sequins bordered the neckline and trimmed the bottom of the dress. "Oh, Erik! It's gorgeous! Thank you!" She replaced the dress in the box and kissed him.
A bit timidly, he said, "If you do not mind, I would like for you to wear it now."
"But, aren't we about to sing?" She looked confused, which excited him.
"Yes," he simply replied, refraining from elaborating.
"Well… Ok… I'll be back soon." She went upstairs, and Erik moved to a chair in the music room to wait. Please, if there is a God, let this go well…
Minutes later, Christine emerged at the top of the stairs. Erik felt her presence near but didn't want to look at her just yet. He wanted to take his time with it.
She cleared her throat and self consciously asked, "Umm… Erik, are you sure you want me to wear this now? It just doesn't seem like something I should sing in.."
"Christine, dear child, you have nothing to worry ab-.." His breath caught in his throat as he, without thought, stood and looked at her. She was descending the stairs. She… His goddess… His angel… His Christine was, most certainly, no longer a child. The dress was 'made' for her, in every sense of the word. His heart was hammering in his chest as he stared at her. The dress fit and suited her so perfectly, it was unbelievable. He couldn't breathe. The dangerously low neckline, the way it clung to her body, the enticing slit, the exquisite color. He couldn't move. Perfection. He couldn't speak.
It was Christine who had to make the first move. "Erik?" She approached him with confused concern. "Are you ok?"
"Christine…" he softly said, dry mouthed and dazed.
"Yeah? What's wrong?" She reached out and held his hand.
The feel of her hand was like silk.. like the feel of her dress… He blinked, and a chilling tranquility came over him. He raised her hand to his lips and kissed it slowly, as to savor the sensation. "Nothing's wrong. There aren't words to describe how astonishingly beautiful you are." Well, I suppose I am already making mistakes. My first mistake was allowing her to wear the dress before teaching her the song. How will we concentrate? No, how will I concentrate?
She laughed and blushed. "Thank you."
He chuckled while inwardly feeling that it was her who deserved the thanks. "Christine, before we sing, I would like to tell you what we are singing. It is a song I wrote for my opera, Don Juan Triumphant. You were the one who inspired me to write it. It pertains to our… feelings for one another." The way he enunciated 'feelings' sent shivers down her spine. "It is entitled, The Point of No Return." He sat on the piano bench and gestured for her to do the same. Erik then removed the sheet music from the stand and handed it to her. "You may read over the lyrics before we begin."
She read the lyrics twice, the poetic words reverberating through her mind. A strong heated feeling was cascading through her body. These words… My gosh, it's so serious… Always feeling the need to lighten an atmosphere when it became too intense, she teasingly asked, "Erik, you wouldn't be trying to seduce me with this, would you?"
His eyes darkened as he looked at her and firmly, yet softly, replied, "Yes." That one word was all that was needed to set the mood. The whole room suddenly felt like it was on fire, and Erik was forced to remove the black coat of his suit, leaving only a white dress shirt, which he rolled the sleeves of to the elbows. "Now, let us begin."
Erik found that she learned quickly. The seriously sensual mood seemed to have awakened a determined force inside her. Within no time, she knew her part, and they were ready to sing it together with accompaniment.
Erik began slowly, seductively,
"You have come here in pursuit of your deepest urge,
In pursuit of that wish, which till now has been silent… silent…"
His tantalizing tone was almost unbearable to hear. She had to wrestle the urge to jump on him. She tried focusing on his hands as they played so as not to focus on his voice and the words, but that was to no advantage whatsoever. Instead, she focused on the sheet music.
"I have brought you, that our passions may fuse and merge-
In your mind you've already succumbed to me,
Dropped all defenses, completely succumbed to me-
Now you are here with me
No second thoughts, you've decided… decided…
Past the point of no return
No backward glances
The games we've played till now are at an end…
Past all thought of "if" or "when"
No use resisting
Abandon thought, and let the dream descend…
What raging fire shall flood the soul?
What rich desire unlocks its door?
What sweet seduction lies before us?
Past the point of no return,
The final threshold
What warm, unspoken secrets will we learn?
Beyond the point of no return…"
All was silent. Christine was clutching her thigh with her left hand for control. It's my turn… I have to put a lot into it since he did… Here goes…
"You have brought me
To that moment where words run dry
To that moment where speech disappears into silence… silence…
I have come here, hardly knowing the reason why…
In my mind, I've already imagined our bodies entwining,
Defenseless and silent-
And now I am here with you,
No second thoughts, I've decided… decided…
Past the point of no return-
No going back now
Our passion-play has now, at last, begun…
Past all thought of right or wrong-
One final question:
How long should we two wait, before we're one?
When will the blood begin to race,
The sleeping bud burst into bloom?
When will the flames, at last, consume us?"
Erik watched her the entire time- her body and her face. The challenge to control his urges was great, but he forced himself to handle it. After all, he had been waiting for this moment for a long time, ever since he finished Don Juan Triumphant. But, this was better than he ever imagined it would be. And now, they would end the song together before real passion took place. Both sang,
"Past the point of no return,
The final threshold-
The bridge is crossed, so stand and watch it burn!
We've passed the point of no return"
Erik suddenly had the urge to continue with words from a different song, so he did.
"Say you want me with you,
Here beside you…
Anywhere you go
Let me go too-
Christine,
That's all I ask of…"
Before he could continue, Christine relieved an urge of her own. She was sick of the mask separating them, and she was sick of having to control herself. The song's over, damn it, so let's quit playing games. She removed the mask from his face and pressed her lips to his own. She quickly wrapped her arms around his neck so he couldn't get away if he tried.
Erik moaned into her mouth. He wasn't expecting that, but, well, he definitely didn't mind it. The kiss lasted until both had to break away gasping for breath. But, that was not the end. No, mere kisses were not enough anymore. "Christine…" Erik whispered, his voice husky.
"Erik, how long should we two wait?" she asked breathlessly, repeating the lyric.
He finally lost all control. "No longer," he growled, before scooping her into his strong arms and carrying her upstairs. Finally… He was about to go to her bedroom, but Christine stopped him.
"No, let's go to your room."
Erik didn't care where, as long as they were together. "Of course." In no time, they were in his room. To Christine, this room was the perfect place to do what they were about to do. The bed alone filled her with desire. Anything of Erik's filled her with that strong exhilarating feeling. In comparison, her room was that for a young girl. They needed a sexier atmosphere.
He gently and reverently placed her on his bed and removed his shirt in two quick motions. He was burning up and knew that all clothing would be removed soon, anyway. He looked into her eyes, which were full of lust and yearning, and crawled on top of her awaiting form to kiss her deeply. Erik removed Christine's clothing , for he wished to savor everything.
He knew he had never seen anything more amazing as the entirety of her skin was revealed. His lips were everywhere as Christine moaned and tangled her fingers in his hair. She still had to control her urges, though. Both of them wanted to take their time. This was the occasion they had both been waiting for, after all. It had to be perfect. "Erik…" she whispered to the air.
He brought his lips back to hers in fierce passion while their hands roamed. Slowly… slowly…, they thought in accordance. This was new for both of them. New and wonderful.
Finally, it came to the point where the rest of Erik's clothing needed to be removed. "Erik, I- I've never…" Christine couldn't finish her statement, and she blushed.
Between kisses to her sweet face, he assured her, "Do not worry, Christine. I am new to this, as well. We will learn together."
She needed no more reassurance. Within seconds, there were no more boundaries, no more restraints, no more clothing. "I'm ready," she whispered.
It came to the point where Erik felt the need to warn her, even if she did say she was ready. "Christine," he panted. "This will hurt, I will not lie."
"I know," she said, chest heaving and nerves appearing.
"I will try to make it as painless as possible."
"Thank you." He pressed his lips to hers, and in a flash of pain and pleasure, they were one. True, it was painful at first, but pleasure and need eventually took over. Sweat and moans emanated from the pair as they were nearly past the point of no return. The bridge was almost crossed. The metaphoric flames were about to consume them. Then, finally, in a moment of pure bliss and passion, they were there. They had made love, and it was beautiful. Lowering himself to lay on the bed, tears escaped Erik's eyes, and Christine followed suit while wrapped in his embrace.
"Christine… Angel… Thank you…" Erik caressed her hair and kissed her forehead while holding her protectively.
She closed her eyes and whispered reverently, "I love you, Erik. I love you…"
"I love you," he returned, feeling that those words weren't enough to express what he felt for her. They reveled in one another's breathing for a while before he commented, "You are shivering, Darling." He kissed her once more before standing and covering her in a protective way.
He lay beside her again and watched as she slept. You have given me the greatest pleasure I have ever known. I will always remember this. You have shown me love. 'Love' is something I never thought I would know. He couldn't help but smile, still letting the feeling inside sink in. As he traced the outline of her face, he finally felt like a man, not a monster... And it was all because of her. He gently kissed her parted lips before enveloping her petite body in his arms and letting sleep overtake him, as well.