Chapter 26: Overture
"I can't live with out you, can't breathe without you. Christine…I love you." Erik's tears fell unnoticed behind his mask.
He could have sworn he had heard her voice…no, impossible.
Then why did he have that feeling, that feeling when his heart soared from her nearness?
He needed to get out of here. Her soul tortured him here.
He eyed her trunk wearily. It sat on the bed in complete innocence, yet begging him to open it. Christine was his weakness. He moved from the windowsill to stand in front of the case. He breathed deeply and undid the clasps.
It intoxicated him and blinded him.
Her scent, her dresses, her everything was right in front of him. The beautiful purple silk dress she had worn to the Gothic Tower lay slightly torn but neatly folded on top of everything. Erik carefully laid it to the side as if it were glass. The red velvet dress was next, the soft fabric tantalizing Erik's touch. Her jewelry and perfume lay under that, sparkling in the light of a candle nearby. He searched through it, not really knowing what he was looking for. Then he realized something was missing, the most priceless piece of jewelry. Their love. His twisted silver around her diamond. She still had it. But why? Erik slammed his fist into the mattress, sending a perfume bottle crashing to the floor.
Lavender.
They say that scent is the greatest thing tied to memory.
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Christine rushed to her dressing room, closely followed by Giselle and Meg. No words were needed; they immediately began to help her out of the black dress and into her first costume. It was a pink and silver can-can dress, layers and layers of shimmering ruffles fanning out around the hem of the dress. An eye catching rhinestone corset of course replaced the bodice. Giselle left the room for a few minutes and returned with a steaming tub of lavender water. Christine scrubbed herself all over behind the screen while Meg stood ready with her dress. Giselle held the angel wings she was to wear on her back. Christine dried off easily and Meg began to lace up the corset.
"Come here so I can do your hair." Giselle motioned to a chair in front of the vanity.
Christine sat in a swift movement as if impatient and waited on the edge of her seat as she waited on edge to feel her voice rise and entwine with her beloved's.
Her curls were teased and toyed with until they were in perfect form. Giselle pinned white feathers in her hair to match with the wings that Meg had just attached to her dress.
"Five minutes!" The stage manager called down the hall of dressing rooms, which many girls rushed out of, in the next moment.
Christine began to pull on the rest of her costume and was quickly assisted by her two friends. She applied a bit of shadow to her eyes, giving off a smoky composure, pinched her cheeks and ran down the hall. She quickly donned her black heels, which she had grown accustomed to wearing while doing the thrusting movements of the can-can.
The second she arrived to her starting position, her cue came.
She rushed onstage into the swirling skirts of all the other can-can dancers. She found her spot easily in the middle of the madness and began the dance, which she and Erik would end up making love whenever she performed it.
Twirling through sick lullabiesChristine spun around, around her world becoming hazy. Then she stopped dead and dropped down onto her back along with three other girls. She performed a scissor leg movement and rolled over, dragging her upper body along the floor of the stage.
The music took her soul and thrashed it around inside her body, giving her extreme shivers. She spun around, her arms graceful compared to her vision. She stopped abruptly; facing the musicians. All the girls formed a line and walked forward with cat-like movement.
A distinct sound and a pair of piercing, icy blue eyes caught her gaze from behind a white mask. He was sitting at the piano, watching her, never breaking eye contact.
Her soul yanked her in his direction, and she went so he could have a view but the audience wouldn't.
She slid her hand up her leg, dragging the skirt with it. Creamy white flesh caused Erik to hit a wrong key.
Only thirty more seconds until the violin solo.
Christine smirked and lifted her arms, spinning back into position. She did her ballet move, jumping into the air and twirling very much like an angel
This introduced the violin solo and she snuck backstage.
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Erik watched as Christine taunted him only a few feet away. He remembered how she had tried to save him, he remembered everything. Her love, his passion, everything. He looked again as she leaped into the air, the silver and diamond shard swinging off it's chain. Her smoky, sensual eyes met his as she ran backstage and he was there in an instant.
He grabbed her and she let out a shaky breath, which was twisted with a moan of relief. He just relished the feel of her against him smelling her curls and caressing her skin. She pulled away and looked up at him, he looked as if he were to perform. A red suit jacket over a black, silk shirt and black trousers.
She ran her hands down his chest, begging him to seal their existence together.
It burned, her touch, and it would continue if he did not give in to his urges.
Erik pushed Christine into a dark corner, kissing her with dangerous and raw passion. She responded fully, taking his face in her hands. His tongue ventured inside her mouth and she welcomed him with her own. His hands roamed her hips, her breasts, her neck. He kissed her eyes and pushed her harder up against the wall so she could wrap her legs around his middle. She was so good.
"Costume change!" The stage manager yelled and Erik pulled them into the shadows as hundreds of girls rushed past.
He gave her one last kiss and gave her a little push in the direction of her dressing room.
