A/N: Sorry that this chapter took longer to post, been a bit busy lately and I had writer's block on how to do this chapter. But here's the next chapter and I'll try and post the next one shortly. Enjoy...
Chapter Fifty-Two: The Beauty Underneath
Her eyes thought for a second that it wasn't real, but it was. He was standing, partly in the shadows, but it was still him. Within seconds, the distance between them closed as she jumped into his welcoming arms. They wrapped tight around her body, not letting go. She felt safe in his arms; she felt at home in his arms. His arms loosen a bit so he could look down at her. She hadn't changed, but he did notice she had a glow to her. Though he was curious about her glow, right now he just wanted her in his arms.
"Make me yours again…" She said to him and he planned on it.
"Yes..." He said just before he lifted her up off the ground. Her legs instantly wrapped around him as he carried her to his room. Her body jumped a bit as he kicked open his door and then kicked it shut once they were inside. Once inside, he pinned her against the nearest wall, claiming her lips with his. Her lips returned his lips as her hands tugged at his shirt. "Patience…"
"I waited five years, I no longer have patience." He chuckled as he kissed her again. Her hands went back to tugging at his shirt. As the kiss deepened, the passion rose. Christine's hands managed to unbutton Erik's shirt and push it aside, letting her hands roam his bare chest. Feeling her hands on him, he knew the bulge in his pants was growing. Pulling her away from the wall, he walked over and sat down on the edge of the bed. His hands took a handful of the fabric of her shirt and began to rip it off of her. Her mouth gasped at his actions and he took the opportunity to move his tongue inside her mouth. He threw the ripped fabric to the floor as she pushed his shirt off of him and also tossed it to the floor. Her bra quickly joined the small growing pile of clothes. Her arms snaked around his neck as their skins touched. A low moan left her mouth as she slowly pushed Erik down to lay back on the sheets. She broke the kiss to sit up, looking down at him as her hands went to unbutton his pants. She pulled them off, along with his boxers; leaving him naked. A wicked smile came to her face as she slowly and torturously removed the remainder of her clothes. Now fully naked as him, she joined him back on the bed. Their bodies joined in one quick movement of Erik's hip and Christine let out a loud moan. Her body moved with his as they became one once more. The room filled with their moans as he claimed her again. Her body moved with his as he thrust into her. Their cries of release echoed through the castle. Tired and spent, Erik rolled off of her and lay beside her. Christine curled up next to him, making him smile. Within minutes they drifted off to sleep in each other's arms.
Christine woke early the next morning to a wolf tugging at the bed sheet. Opening her eyes, she saw Ranger tugging the sheets. A smile came to her face as she sat up to pet the wolf. She made sure to cover herself with the bed sheet as she petted the wolf. She missed Ranger and was glad to see him.
"Where's Erik?" She asked the wolf. He walked towards the door, indicating that she should follow him. Looking around, Christine spotted a shirt and boxers for her that Erik left her for. Smiling, she quickly put them on and got out of bed, following the wolf out. She ended up in the dining room where Meg, Nadir, Isabella, Tristin and Sasha were having breakfast.
"Morning, mom." Isabella greeted her mom with a smile and hugged. Meg glanced at Christine's outfit and smirked.
"Good night with Erik?" Meg asked, making Christine's cheeks blushed.
"Who's Erik?" Isabella asked, not knowing Erik.
"Um well he's…" She really didn't know how to explain Erik.
"He's right behind you." She jumped a bit when she heard his voice and turned to look at him. Isabella glanced at the masked man, slightly curious about why he wears a mask. She also noticed how he has the same exact eye color as her and hair color. "Morning everyone…" He glanced over at Isabella and then to Christine.
"Oh…um Isabella, come here dear." Isabella followed her mother and walks over to her, standing in front of the masked man. "Isabella, I like you to meet the composer and owner of the castle, Erik Dracul…Erik, this is my daughter, Isabella."
"Daughter?" He asked quietly, but she was still able to hear her. She nodded, a bit worried.
"Y-You own this castle?" Isabella asked him. Christine watched to see how Erik would response.
"Yes I do…would you like a tour of it later while your mother is at rehearsals?" He offered. Christine watched as her daughter's face light up and she nodded in excitement. "Good then." Isabella skipped back to the table as Christine and Erik left the room.
"You didn't have to do that…"
"I know, but I wanted to. She seems sweet and if she's anything like you, she'll like this place." He paused for a moment. "I see a lot of you in her."
"She is also like her father is a lot of ways." She tried to give him the hint.
"Ronald must be proud." Christine sighed as she realized that Erik thought Isabella was Ronald's child. Though she knew that after he'd spend the day with her, he'd realize that Isabella was his daughter. "You should get ready, rehearsals start in a few hours and you still have to learn the lines." She rolled her eyes.
"You know how to ruin a moment." He chuckled and pulled her into his arms, kissing her lips. She kissed him back as he backed her into the nearest wall.
"Please get a room, there are children here." They heard Meg scolding them. Erik broke the kiss to look at her as Christine's cheeks blushed.
"And yet I've told you many times to get a room with Nadir since you can't keep your hands off each other."
"You're just jealous that you can't touch me."
"Oh I bet to differ." He made a move towards and Meg knew his intensions.
"No, no, no…" She kept repeating before she squealed and ran. Erik darted off after her, making Christine laugh. She watched as they ran down the hallways before returning to the room to get dressed for rehearsals. Before she left, she said bye to her daughter and told her to behave for Erik. As she travelled to Bucharest, she worried about Erik's reaction when he finds out.
Isabella wondered through the castle with Erik for a few hours as he showered almost every room. Her eyes were wide the entire time, amazed by it. He showed her many of the room that he would show the public, but debated on showing her his music room. However, he decided to show her. As they entered the music room, Isabella gasped as she started at the organ in the middle of the room. Immediately, she ran to the large instrument and looked at the keys.
"May I?" She asked, asking if she could play it.
"Do you play?" He asked back. She nodded and sat down on the bench. She started to play a song without needing a music sheet. "What's this?" He asked her, curious.
"A song that I remember hearing…" Isabella answered, playing still. Erik recognized the song as one of his arias from his operas. He listened as she played the entire song without a mistake.
"I think it's beautiful…don't you agree?" She asked him.
"This girl…this music…she plays like me…" He said to himself, wondering. Isabella continued to play another song, this time a song he only used to sing to Christine. "My God…my god…" He now realized what Christine meant by how Isabella was a lot like her father...she was a lot like Erik. He whistled and Isabella looked up to see the wolf pack coming into the room. She stood up as one of the wolves started pressing the keys of the organ as if playing it. She watched in amazement while Erik walked over to her.
"Have you ever yearned to go
Past the world you think you know?
Been enthralled to the call
Of the beauty underneath?
Have you let it draw you in
Past the place where dreams begin?
Felt the full breathless pull
Of the beauty underneath?"
Suddenly a Griffin appeared right behind Erik and spread its large wings out. She thought those creatures didn't exist, yet here was on right behind the masked man.
"When the dark unfolds its wings
Do you sense the strangest things?
Things no one would ever guess
Things mere words cannot express?"
She heard one of the wolves howl a low howl.
"Do you find yourself beguiled
By the dangerous and wild?
Do you feed on the need
For the beauty underneath?"
Another wolf howled as one of them turned in a man she recognized as Nadir. He's a werewolf! Her mind was screamed at her. All the things she thought about the supernatural world were being proven wrong.
"When you stare behind the night
Can you glimpse its primal might?
Might you hunger to possess
Hunger that you can't repress?"
She turned towards a window and almost screamed as she stared into the eyes of a dragon. She gasped, but felt no fear as she reached out to touch its scaly skin.
"Yes…
It seems so beautiful
So strange yet beautiful
Everything's just as you say"
She sang as she petted the large beast. Its eyes closed and lowered its head more for her pet. Erik watched as the large beast became like a large puppy as Isabella petted him.
"And she's so beautiful
Perhaps too beautiful
What I suspect cannot be
And yet somehow, we both see
The very same way…"
Isabella quickly ran over and grabbed Erik's arm, pulling him to her.
"Is the music in your head
Have you followed where it led?
And been graced with a taste
Of the beauty underneath?
Does it fill your every sense
Is it terribly intense?
Tell me you need it too
Need the beauty underneath"
He smiled, knowing exactly that it was now true: Isabella was her daughter.
"When it lifts its voice and sings
Don't you feel amazing things?
Things you know you can't confess
Things you thirst for nonetheless"
Erik watched as she climbed onto the back of the griffin as if it was hers. The large beast reared up and spread its wings again, making her giggle in excitement.
"To her it's beautiful
My world is beautiful
How can this be what it seems?
All of my most secret dreams
Somehow set free…"
For a moment, he thought about revealing his secret. He watched her embrace the darkness and supernatural, making him decided.
"You can face it
(Yes)
You can take it
(Yes)
You see through to the beauty underneath
To the splendor
(Splendor)
And the glory
(And the glory)
To the truth of the beauty underneath
(The beauty underneath)
You'll accept it
(Yes)
You'll embrace it
(Yes)
Let me show you the beauty underneath…"
To the splendor
(Splendor)
And the glory
(And the glory)
To the truth of the beauty underneath
(The beauty underneath)…."
Now all the wolves were howling, the griffin roaring while the dragon roared as well. Erik felt himself turning in the creature he was. He turned so she wouldn't see.
"You'll accept it
(Yes)
You'll embrace it
(Yes)
Let me show you the beauty…"
She watched him as he turned back around, this time with blood red eyes and two sharp fangs. He's a vampire…her mind told her. This time, she screamed in horror and ran towards the door just as Christine opened it. Isabella ran into her mother's arms, crying.
"Don't make him kill me, please…" She begged her mother, making Erik's heart sink. Christine quickly looked up to see all the creatures vanish. The dragon disappeared while the griffin flew away and the wolves ran out of the room. She glanced at Erik whose back was turned.
"Nadir, could you please Isabella?" She asked her friend. He nodded and led her out of the room as Christine walked towards Erik. "I'm so sorry, Eri-" She stopped when he slammed his hand down on the organ, making her jump.
"How could you think I wouldn't guess?" He asked her. She could tell he wasn't happy and when he turned around to face her, it was confirmed. His eyes were still red with his fangs sharp. She knew that when Erik got mad, he would become a vampire.
"W-What do you mean?"
"Do you have something to confess?" He asked her again, making her mouth dropped.
"Oh, no…" She realized now that he found out. "Please don't make me…" He moved to her and pinned her against the wall like he would a prey. For the first time in years, she was truly afraid of him.
"I want the truth right now!" He demanded. She nodded, shaking a bit.
"A-After that night…you thought you left me alone, but you didn't." She paused. "Isabella is your daughter…" She confirmed. Erik's face went from harden to shock. His eyes slowly turned back to normal as his fangs vanished. "I wished I could have told you, but I didn't know how without putting you in danger. I-I'm so sorry, Erik…" She wanted him to forgive her for lying to her. Erik stepped back from her, no longer in shock.
"My own daughter…and yet even she recoils in horror from me…just like you did." She remembered the time when she found out that he was a vampire and how she reacted, just like what Isabella did. He turned and walked towards the organ.
"She sees me and shuns me
As you did once
Take her now, take her and go
You'll now be free
But swear one thing to me
She will never, never now…"
Christine felt tears coming to her eyes as Erik sang those words to her. She knew it was hurt badly.
"Forgive me, I beg you, if you can
I've brought you nothing but woe
Opening night, I'll sing with all my might
Sing for you again, then we'll go…"
Realizing that Erik wouldn't accept Isabella hurt beyond repair, but she understood why. Erik saw how Isabella reacted to learning his secret and that hurt him beyond repair as well. His own daughter was scared of him and that was something Erik couldn't handle.
Christine started to leave, knowing it wasn't worth staying here. However before she could walk out, Erik stopped her. She turned to look at him, seeing his face softer. She quickly wiped the tears away from her eyes as she looked at him.
"From out of ugliness, such light
From out of darkness, such a flame
In him, my wrongness is made right
And yet he loathes me just the same
So let her shun me in disgust
Let her flee this cursed face
If I must hide from her, I must
Yet shall she be my saving grace…"
A slight smile of hope came to her face as she realized what he was meaning. She walked up to him, wanting him to continue what he was saying or singing.
"Oh, Christine, my Christine
If it's true, She's my reason to live
Then, Christine, then our girl
Shall have all I can give
Ah, Christine
All I create on this earth
All that I'll never be worth
All shall be her!"
Christine's face lighted up at his words and she jumped into his arms. She knew now that Erik accepted Isabella as his daughter. She felt tears of happiness come to her eyes. Her eyes gazed up at his, smiling big. He leaned down to kiss her lips, not knowing a pair of childish eyes were watching them before they turned to run down the hallway.
So obviously the song is the Beauty Underneath and also the Phantom Confronts Christine from Love Never Dies, but I re-did the lyrics to go with the story. So now Erik knows everything and so does Isabella too, let's see what happens next...
