Chapter Four
Lovers seemed to be everywhere and even with the urge to go and drink from them, I held back. My passionate desire for Christine consumed me. I found it the only thing that could stop me from my nightly feast. I knew my way to the Victome's house. I had memorized it so that I could go there blindly if need be. But I was not blind. My eyes were wide open.
The three story home stood dark and my eyes burned into the window above where I knew the newly weds would be. Christine. I was torn. I loved her. I wanted her to be happy. That is why I had let them go. But didn't I deserve a bit of happiness, damn it? Didn't I deserve to know what it was like to hold the woman I loved in my arms? That handsome, rich, arrogant boy had never done anything to earn the love of my fragile flower. My mouth opened in a silent scream of angst and agony.
Christine was utterly naïve. So trusting to the beauty of the world, never looking beyond the surface. Raul would love her for the first couple of years and then abandon her for a fresh new opera star, just as naïve. Christine would learn the bitter truth of the world. But she shouldn't have to.
My hand pulled a pin from my pocket and I began to pick the lock on the door silently. This was a trick I had picked up from Peter when I had made my first "house call", as he called them. The lock clicked and I went inside. It was perfectly silent, with the faint scent of jasmine in the air. A lengthy stair-case stood in front of me, leading to the second and third stories. I took a breath and headed up.
Their room was on the second floor. I knew this from a previous visit I had made ages ago. The door was a dark wood with bright brass fixing. I hoped the hinges had been oiled and slowly turned the handle. I let out a sigh upon seeing them both still in their bed, fast asleep.
Christine lay with Raul's arms wrapped around her naked body, hair gently behind her on the downy pillow. It was more than I could bare. I sank to the floor in a wave of silent tears. There was no denying they were beautiful together. Two fleeting youthful angels, asleep as in a painting. Everything was perfect, except for me. For the first time since I had met Christine I know longer felt love or jealousy. I felt hate.
She had caused this pain. She was blind. She did not know what it was to suffer. But she would. My hand slid over Raul's mouth, and although he awoke, my body on top of his did not allow him to move.
"Goodnight, sweet angel," I whispered in his ear right before I sucked the life from him. I kissed Christine one final time, leaving a bloody imprint on her white cheek. As silently as I had come, I was gone.
Peter was still entertaining our guest when I returned. He was now in a robe and she was down to her bloomers. Peter played the piano and they sang some happy little duet, both breaking out into hysterical laughter at odd moments. Feeling light hearted, an emotion that I had never before had, I kissed the young maiden's pink breast. She giggled in delight.
"You seem changed, my dear Erik. What ever did you do?" Peter asked, ceasing his piano playing and grinning even more brightly.
"Something I should have done ages ago, friend. But now I will finally know what it is like to be with a woman. Another thing I should have taken advantage of long ago, but felt too much," I picked Victoria from the floor and headed to my room. "We must make sure scandal is made from this!"
Such ecstasy I had never known to exist.