A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed! Ok, I'm giving this an R rating now... it's getting kind of dark. I hope you all like the next two chapters... be honest.
Chapter 5
"I had planned on speaking with you on an entirely different matter tonight, but something has come to my attention that I must address. I came across something today that greatly surprised me. I thought you could explain it." I try to remain calm, "Perhaps, if I knew what you spoke of." I hear him walking towards me. He stops behind my chair; "I shall enlighten you. You received a note today, Christine." My heart skips a beat. Raoul. I had forgotten to check. "The peculiar thing about this note is that, rather than sending it care of post, it was tossed carelessly into the bushes in the garden. Do you know who would have sent you a note in the most strange fashion, Christine?" I can tell by his voice he's playing with me. He already knows who sent the note.
"Maybe if I read you the letter that would refresh your memory." I stand up, "No, Erik, I… I'll take it, thank you." I'm panicking. A cruel smile plays his lips, "No, no, Christine. Please, allow me." He reaches into his vest pocket and pulls out a piece of paper. I recognize the handwriting that spells my name. It was Raoul. He unfolds the paper and clears his throat, "My Dearest Christine," He begins. I put my hand on the armrest of the chair beside me, "Please don't do this." I beg him. It was all I could do now.
He ignores me, "Please accept all of my best wishes for your birthday. I do have a gift for you, which I will give to you tomorrow. Meet me in the normal place between the rose bush and swan fountain at three in the afternoon. I must confess to you… Our secret meetings frustrate me. I wish I could take you out like a normal courtship. I suppose the only thing that really matters is seeing you, Christine. I send my love and will look forward to having you in my arms once more. Yours forever, Raoul."
Erik folds the note calmly, so calmly that I take a step away from him. "Christine." He says darkly. I try to explain, "It's nothing, Erik. He's just a friend, really." He reaches out and touches my face with the tips of his fingers, "Nothing." He says softly. His fingers trail down to my neck and he says his voice shaking, "Only nothing?" His hand closes around my neck. I grab his wrist with my hands, 'No, Erik. Please, don't." His eyes flicker dangerously as he steadily backs me into the wall, "Don't do what, Christine? This?" His hand tightens around my throat. I plead, "I was going… I was going to tell you. I swear, I was."
"But you didn't. You lied. By not telling me, you lied." He starts gently stroking my throat again, "Why did you lie, Christine? Why did you betray me?" His voice is soft now. I unsuccessfully try to stop myself from trembling, "It just happened, Erik. I wasn't trying to hurt you." He says, "But you did. Very much so." He says quietly, "Does he touch you, Christine? Do you let him caress you?" He leans closer to me. I can feel his chest heave against mine; "Can you still feel his lips on yours?"
He has me pinned against the wall. I know I'm not going anywhere. "Do you like it when he touches you?" His hand runs slowly up and down my side. "Does it feel good?" I turn my face away from him. His hand touches my face softly, "Look at me, Christine. Answer me. Do you like it?" I whisper trying not to cry, "Yes." I feel him tense. "You do?" He moves even closer until he's completely pressed up against me. My face is buried in his shoulder. He whispers in my ear, "Tell me, Christine. Tell me how he touches you." I hear myself whimper. "Don't be frightened now. Do you think I'm going to hurt you?" Hmm?" His lips brush my cheek then he whispers, "I can make you feel as good as he does." I shiver and try to push him off me "Please don't, Erik. You're scaring me."
His solid body doesn't move, "What have I always told you, Christine? Who do you belong to?" I close my eyes and whisper, 'You." I feel him move away, his hands cup the sides of my face, "Say it again, Christine." I open my eyes, "You. I belong to you." He leans forward and presses his lips into my forehead, "Yes. You belong to me. Me. No one else, not Raoul, me." His hands slide down and grip my arms tightly, "Why do you make me do this, Christine? Why do you have to me angry?" I shake my head, "No, Erik. It's… I… Please don't be mad. I'll do anything you want." His grip tightens even more and I cry out. "Anything?" He asks darkly.
I bite my lips as a tear rolls down my face, "Yes." His voice is soft again, "Oh… Raoul has made you cry. No one makes me angel cry. Don't worry he won't make you cry anymore." I gasp, "No, Erik. Please, do what you want with me, anything. But leave him out of this, please, I beg you." He pulls me away from the wall and roughly pushes me to the door, "You feel for him? How kind of you to show compassion." I stumble into the door, using my hands to steady myself. I turn around. He's walking slowly towards me. His face shows no kindness, no pity, only a look of complete despise.
I try the door handle. It's locked. He had locked it. He's in front of me now, glaring down at me. "Going somewhere, Christine?" I sound braver than I feel, "Let me out of here." He smiles, "You'd like that wouldn't you? You could go warn your young friend." I don't even try to keep myself from crying now, "I won't see him anymore, I promise you." "I know you won't see him anymore, my love. I can promise you that you won't see him again." He almost growls the words. I scan the room looking for another way out. There are none. "Please, Erik. Leave Raoul out of this."
I feel a flash of intense pain in my face, and it takes me a moment to realize what had happened. He had struck me. "Do not say his name again!" He roars in my ear. I grasp my throbbing cheek in my hand, "I… I'm sorry." He had never hit me before. My vision blurs and clears then blurs again. I back into the door and sink to the ground. "Stand up." It's a command. I try to rise but fall to the floor again. "Stand up." Louder this time. I whisper, "I can't." I look up at him. His expression is unchanged, no compassion. He kneels down before me. His hand goes to my face. I flinch, even though he only touches lightly.
"Kiss me, Christine." I cry harder. "Look at me Christine." He lifts my chin up so that I'm forced to look at him, "Kiss me, Christine." He says again. There's nothing soft in his voice, only cold hard sternness. I shake my head, no. His grip on my chin tightens, and I know I'm only angering him. He leans in closer. I try to back away, but there's no where to go. "Do it, Christine. I won't ask again." I bite my lip, and shake my head no again.
"There's nothing as simple, my darling. Nothing that says more. And you deny me this?" I close my eyes. "Please…" I beg him, "Please don't do this." He drops his hand from my face, "But you make me do this, Christine. You can only be mad at yourself." Opening my eyes, I shake my head, "You don't have to do this, Erik." He takes my hand and brings it to his face. I try to resist him, but he's too strong. The white mask is cold under my touch. He moves my hand to the uncovered side of his face. His eyes are closed as he whispers, "But I do."
He rises and pulls me up with him. He holds me to him, my back against his chest. Slowly he lowers my hand from his face. With one arm wrapped around my waist he unlocks the door. He hisses in my ear, "You beg for me to stop, yet you don't ask for forgiveness. You shudder when I touch you, yet you let that ignorant boy put his hands on you." He throws open the door, and drags me out of the room and down the hallway with him. "Must I make you beg for forgiveness? Is that what you want?" I nearly trip as he pushes me forward, his hands gripping my arms tightly.
He stops at my room and roughly pushes me inside. I catch myself on a chair and stumble to my bed. He closes the distance between us and pulls me up to face him, "I gave you everything. All that you asked for was yours. You only had but one thing to give me in return. Yourself. And instead you betray me." I grit my teeth, "I'm not yours!" My words hit him like a slap in the face.
He backs away from me, unbelieving. For a long moment he stares at me, then turns and strides away from me to the door. He slams it shut behind him, then opens it again, "Know this, Christine. You are mine. You can never escape from me. I would think, Christine. I would think a lot. Because the day comes when I will claim you. So, I would think a lot about how you want that to be!" He slams the door, and I hear him lock it. I collapse on my bed, and let myself cry.
