Chapter Summary: Erik returns Annalise to Andrew and extracts answers from Michaud. Erik finds he cannot take his revenge and realizes why as he discovers what Annalise has done to him.
(A/N - First official approval of mouth-to-mouth resuscitation came in 1740 when The Paris Academy of Sciences officially recommends mouth-to-mouth resuscitation for drowning victims.)
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
"No," Erik breathed as he quickly crossed to Annalise's side, lifting her gently into his arms. He rested a hand on her chest and could not feel it moving. "No!" he cried. "Not now, not now."
There was a low chuckle from behind him.
Erik willed his fury for the creature on the floor to the back of his mind; there would enough time to make him painfully pay for what he had done later but at the moment there was urgent work that needed to be done. Erik moved a gentle hand up to Annalise's throat to gently stroke it. "Breathe, little one," he whispered, "please breathe."
There was no response.
"Not now," Erik fumed through clenched teeth as he placed Annalise flat on the floor. He tilted her head back, pinching her nose shut. Erik drew a deep breath before placing his mouth over Annalise's and blowing. He watched as her chest rose and fell and then nothing. "Breathe, my little angel," Erik begged as he stroked her throat. He gently patted her cheek, noting the bruises for later. "Annalise, you need to breathe!"
It was barely a minute or two but it seemed like an eternity to Erik as he stroked Annalise's throat, waiting for any sign of life. He prayed to God, bargained with Satan, trying anything and everything to get the girl on the floor to breathe. Erik was bending over to try breathing directly into her lungs again when there was a loud intake of breath. Annalise arched her back, before falling back to the floor, her eyes slowly blinking open, her chest rising and falling. Erik laid a gentle hand on her cheek and was crushed when she tried to draw away from him.
"Let me die," Annalise said as she tried to roll away from the person next to her. "Let me die."
"Annalise," Erik began as he touched her face, trying to get her to look at him.
"Don't touch me!" she tried to yell, her voice hoarse and barely above a whisper.
Erik placed both hands gently on the bruised face that turned from him, moving it back so that he could look into it. His heart broke as he noticed the empty eyes that had once twinkled so brightly at him. "Annalise," his voice seemed to bounce off the walls and even stilled the squirming man behind him. Erik exhaled slowly as Annalise stopped fighting him. "It is Erik. I am here to take you home."
The head he held shook back and forth. "No home. No family. No one loves me," Annalise told him, her eyes closing. "Not real. Not real."
"That is not true," Erik told her as he reached for her hand, raising it to the deformed side of his face, watching as her eyes opened. "It is Erik and I am here to take you home to the family who grieve your loss." He looked into Annalise's eyes. "It is Erik and I would never lie to you."
Erik watched as Annalise slowly focused on his face. He held his breath as one of her fingers began to gently trace the ragged skin beneath his eye. Her hand moved slowly over the marred landscape of his face and up into his scalp. Erik found he could not draw breath as he felt those fingertips slowly search for reassurance. They were warm and trembling and so gentle, the kind of human touch for which he had searched all his life. His breath returned as he noted the light begin to flicker in Annalise's eyes.
"Erik?" she whispered. Her fingers wandered back to the taught skin under his eye. "Erik? Real?"
"Yes, I am real," Erik told her, struggling to keep the tears from his voice as he wondered just what had happened to break Annalise like this. Erik reached up to his collar, pulling out the locket she had sent him a little over seven days ago. "It is Erik of the woods and quiet afternoons. Do you not remember sending me this token as a remembrance of the bond we share?"
Annalise took her eyes from his face and looked at the little gold locket that was held between his fingers. A tentative hand reached out for it, the fingers lightly touching the shiny metal. The fingers left the locket and returned to Erik's face. Annalise kept her hand on themarred side of his face, her eyes never leaving his. "Real," she breathed and suddenly her arms were around his neck, holding on for dear life. "Do not let me go. Do not let me go," Annalise kept repeating.
"I will never let you go," Erik said as he scooped Annalise into his arms. He stood in one fluid movement, moving out the door of the bedroom, ignoring the snarling, growling man on the floor. Erik stood motionless in the hallway for a brief moment before turning left and kicking open the nearest door, the girl in his arms jumping at the sound.
"Don't hurt me!" Annalise cried.
"You are safe, little one," Erik tried reassuring her as he scanned the room. There was a small bed sitting beneath a window and he crossed the room to sit on the edge. His heart fell as he finally noticed how little the girl in his arms weighed - what had been done to her? Erik took note of the bruises he could see and wondered at the ones he could not. Annalise was resting her head against the crook of his neck and Erik lowered his head to rest against hers. He felt a blackness growing in his heart as he looked down and saw the bruised ankles peeking out from beneath the hem of the night dress. Erik had already noted the bruises about Annalise's wrists and could think of only one reason for there to be matching marks about her ankles; he felt his fingers begin to curl in anger.
Annalise felt the movement in the arms that held her so close and she tightened her arms about Erik's neck. "Do not leave me alone!" she pleaded.
"Just leave me alone," Andrew said through teeth clenched in pain.
"But ..." Tomas said as he reached out for the young man.
"If you touch it, it will just make it worse," Andrew warned. "I have had this happen before. I know what to do. Just help me get to my feet and do not touch my shoulder." He fixed Tomas with a determined look.
"Aye," Tomas said as he moved to Andrew's left side. He put a hand behind Andrew's back and another on his left arm. "Ready?" he asked and Andrew nodded. Tomas lifted him to a sitting position, wincing at the sharp intake of breath.
"I need to get to a wall," Andrew muttered as he slipped his knees beneath him so that he could rise to his feet.
Tomas kept hold of him, helping Andrew to get to his feet. "Are you sure?"
Andrew swallowed, breathing deeply, working through the pain. "It has happened twice before when I have been thrown from horses. I have learned how to fix it." His chest heaved with the effort of breathing through the agony radiating outwards from his dislocated shoulder. "I just need a wall and a moment."
"This way," Tomas said with a shake of his head, still unsure the young man knew what he was doing. He helped Andrew to turn around and moved him against one darkened wall.
"I need to do this alone," Andrew warned Tomas and watched as the older man stepped back. "Right," Andrew breathed. "One." He closed his eyes. "Two." Andrew leaned his right side into the wall. "Three."
Tomas blinked in astonishment as Andrew slammed his right shoulder into the wall, a sound between a scream and a groan escaping from between clenched teeth. Tomas was at his side as Andrew slide down to a sitting position on the floor, his head bent to his chest, left arm still cradling the right. "Mon Dieu," Thomas exclaimed. "Are you all right?"
Andrew raised his head and looked down as he tentatively moved his right arm. He and Tomas both heaved sighs of relief as the arm and shoulder moved freely. "Help me up," Andrew asked, taking the hand that Tomas offered. "I have to get to Annalise."
"Be careful," Tomas reminded him as Andrew moved quickly up the stairs.
"Care be damned," Andrew muttered to himself as he ran down the hall and into the door from which came the glow of candle light. He paused momentarily looking around the room and not seeing Annalise. Andrew turned his attention to the figure trussed up and lying on the floor.
"You bastard ..." Andrew said as he entered the room.
Erik heard the familiar voice and called out. "Andrew, no!" he ordered, that strange voice once again bouncing off walls, commanding attention. "Next door, quickly!"
Andrew turned, quickly leaving the room, standing confused in the darkened hallway.
"The door to your left, Andrew," Erik's voice came.
Andrew looked to his left and saw the open door. He sprinted in, his heart returning to his chest as he saw Annalise cradled in Erik's arms. "Annalise," he breathed.
"No Andrew," Annalise cried. "Dead. Does not want me. Does not love me." Her sad little voice could be heard in the silence of the room.
"Quickly," Erik told Andrew and turned his attention to the girl in his arms. "Annalise, I need you to listen to me." He touched her chin hoping that she would look at him.
"Don't hit me," Annalise said as she flinched away from his touch.
Erik bit down his anger; he did not want the girl clinging to him so desperately to see anything but compassion. "Annalise," he said softly, "please look at me." He watched as she slowly raised her head. "My little angel, Andrew is right here waiting for you."
"No," Annalise sobbed as she shook her head. "Said he was dead. I saw."
Andrew reached out a hand to stroke Annalise's hair. "I am not dead," he said, his heart breaking for the girl that he loved. "I am right here and I love you." Andrew's voice broke. "I love you so much."
Annalise listened to the voice speaking to her and turned her head from Erik. She looked over her shoulder at the man standing there. "Andrew?" she whispered.
"Oh God," Andrew breathed as he finally saw the bruises that discolored Annalise's skin, his soul crushed as his mind played horrible images of what she must have had to endure.
His reaction caused Annalise to once again bury her head in Erik's neck. "Does not want me. Does not love me."
Erik glowered at Andrew as he sat down on the bed. Andrew touched a hand gently to Annalise's shoulder. "I do want you," he told her, "and I do love you and I am not leaving this place without you." He leaned over, placing his head against Annalise's. "I love you. I love you. I love you."
The sobbing of the girl in his arms slowed, diminishing into silent tears. Erik watched as Andrew moved a hand to hold onto Annalise's arm. He did not realize he was not breathing until he sighed as Annalise took a hand from around his neck to place it over Andrew's. Annalise drew back from Erik in agonizingly slow motion. He saw as she turned to face Andrew whose tears matched her own. Erik smiled inwardly as recognition and wonder passed through Annalise's eyes, lighting a small fire.
"Real?" Annalise said as she put a finger out to touch the tears on Andrew's cheek. She closed her eyes for a moment. "Real," she breathed as she opened them again. "Andrew," it was the voice of a small child.
Erik withdrew his arms from the girl in his lap as Andrew extended his own. Erik helped Andrew shift Annalise to his own lap as she wrapped her arms about him, resting her head against Andrew's heart. Erik stood, placing his cape around Annalise.
"Hold me, hold me," Annalise was whispering.
"Forever," Andrew whispered back and looked up at Erik.
"Andrew," Erik whispered, "I need you to wait here a few moments longer. There are answers I need and that her family will need. I do not want her hearing anything I am about to say." Andrew nodded and Erik laid a soft kiss on the top of Annalise's head. "My sweet little angel," he said softly. "I shall return in a few minutes." Erik swept out of the room.
"Did the perfect little boy keep his promises?" Michaud managed to choke out as Erik re-entered the bedroom, walking over to kneel next to him.
Erik glared at the bound man on the floor. "You have much for which you must answer," he snarled as he moved to kneel next to Michaud.
Angry, evil eyes stared back at Erik. "You cannot make me."
Erik reached out a hand to the knot at the base of Michaud's neck and slipped fingers under the rope. He pulled on it gently and relished the look of pain that he received in response. "Understand this," Erik breathed as he leaned close, "I can and I will make you do anything and everything I desire." The two forces of nature glared at each other, neither willing to be the first to back down. Erik yanked on the rope in his hand and smirked at the choking response.
"I am going to ask you a question and you will answer me," Erik stated. "Did you touch her?"
"What do you think?" came the answer.
Another yank on the rope. Another choke. "Did you touch her?"
"Ask her!"
Erik drew a deep breath and released a bit of the tension on the rope. His eyes caught the gaze of the man on the floor and held it. "I am going to ask the question one last time," Erik said in a deadly tone. "I am going to ask it bluntly and you will be bluntly truthful in your answer."
"Or what?" came the question from between curled lips.
"Or I shall flay you alive." Erik said simply. "I shall make it a long and painful process whereby you retain consciousness while you watch yourself slowly bleed to death." Erik waited a moment as his words sunk in. "Now, did you rape her?"
There was a potent silence in the room.
"Answer me!" Erik demanded, his voice dangerously soft; its power filling the small room.
The anger and the evil that controlled Michaud were no match against the power of a man who once held all of Paris in a terrifying grip. Michaud exhaled through his nose, the anger giving a bit of ground. "No," he said simply.
Erik studied the look in those eyes, knowing it well for it had been his so many years ago. He roughly patted Michaud's cheek. "Such a good little monster," Erik said. "Has she had anything to eat?"
"She did nothing to deserve to be fed!" the anger spat out as it tried to regain control of the situation.
"Watch how you address me!" Erik warned as he yanked on the rope and Michaud choked. "I hold your wretched existence in my hands." He leaned close. "And there is nothing I would like more in this world than to kill you in as slow and as painful a way as possible." Erik drew back. "What drug have you given her, how often and when was the last time?" He gave another yank on the rope. "Be a good little doggie and I will stop pulling your chain."
"I think he gave her this," Tomas said from the doorway where he had been watching.
Erik looked to him, surprise on his face, not realizing that he had been standing there. Erik saw that Tomas held an almost empty apothecary jar in his hands.
"Quickly," Erik said as he held out a hand towards Tomas. The other man took the few steps towards Erik and placed the jar in his outstretched hand. Erik passed the jar under his nose, sniffing it quickly. His tongue reached out and gave a tentative taste to the lip of the jar. "Laudanum," he breathed before placing the jar on the floor. "Well done, Tomas," Erik said and turned his attention back to his captive. "How often?" he demanded.
"Whenever she awoke," Michaud spat out.
Erik closed his eyes, holding his anger in check for a few more minutes. "When was the last time you drugged her?" There was no answer. "When!" Erik shouted, the man under his hands vibrating from the force of the emotion.
"Several hours," Michaud replied before his anger returned to seething at the intruders in his domain.
"Tomas," Erik said as he took the other man's hand, placing it on the rope at the base of Michaud's neck, "if he so much as twitches, pull here and consequences be damned."
"Gladly," Tomas replied as Erik stood. "I can manage the likes of him."
"I doubt it not," Erik said as he walked out of the room and turned to his left.
"I love you, I love you, I love," Andrew was whispering as Erik walked into the darkened room. He noted that Andrew had his arms wrapped protectively around Annalise, his head resting on the top of hers. Erik walked over and touched Andrew's shoulder causing Andrew to raise his head.
"No, don't go," Annalise cried.
"Sweet little angel," Erik said as he placed a kiss on the top of Annalise's head. "It is just Erik. Andrew and I are still here."
Erik could sense the girl's panicked breathing slow and he turned to look at Andrew. "Did you hear anything?" he asked and saw Andrew shake his head.
"Then listen carefully," Erik said softly. "You must be sure that whatever doctor sees her knows that she has been heavily drugged with laudanum." Erik shook his head, the anger on his face hidden by the dark. "She will begin experiencing withdrawal within the next day. It is going to be a very difficult thing for her. Everyone must be prepared." His voice was quiet as he spoke directly to Andrew, his hand gently stroking Annalise's back. Erik lowered his voice even more. "She has had nothing to eat. Most importantly, you must know and you must let the Vicomte," how easily that word came, "know that she was not raped. He will know what to do with that knowledge."
"It would not have mattered to me," Andrew whispered back.
"I doubt it will matter to her family," Erik hissed, "but her father will need to know and I trust him to know what to do with that knowledge." A small part of Erik's mind was amused that he would actully trust the Vicomte with anything. "Will you do as I have asked?"
Andrew nodded. "Yes."
"Good." Erik moved so that he could look at Annalise. He reached in to gently touch her face and smiled when he raised her head to look at him. "Annalise, my precious angel, Andrew is going to take you home to your parents and your brothers."
"No," Annalise said with a shake of her head. "No parents. No family. Brother dead. No home. No one loves me. Stay with you. Please."
Erik shook his head, seeing that Andrew drew Annalise even closer. "Oh, sweet child," Erik said, his heart aching for the broken girl before him, "your brother is alive."
"Real?" Annalise asked between sobs.
"Real," Erik replied. "I would never lie to you, yes?" He stroked her cheek as Annalise nodded at him. "Your other brothers miss you very much and your parents want you back desperately." He closed his eyes briefly before opening them. "They love you beyond words and without you there they are not complete. Your family is not complete. They need you with them as much as you need to be there."
"I just want to go home," Annalise told him.
"Then let me take you home," Andrew said softly to her, placing his head against hers.
"Home. Want to go home."
Erik kissed Annalise's forehead, allowing his lips to linger there for a moment before drawing back. "Go home, my sweet little angel," he said, looking up and nodding at Andrew before reaching in for another brief kiss. He was surprised when he felt Annalise's trembling hand on his cheek.
"Thank you," she whispered.
Something stirred deep within Erik as he looked at Annalise, seeing another piece of the child he had fallen in love with return to her blue eyes. "You're welcome." He looked back at Andrew. "Get her home."
Andrew nodded and took a deep breath, hoping that his shoulder would not pop out again. He took a firm hold on Annalise and stood, his breath exhaling as his shoulder held. "I shall let you know," he told Erik.
"I know you shall," Erik replied. "Now go!" He walked out the door with Andrew, giving Annalise a final gentle touch. He watched as Andrew carried her down the stairs and towards her freedom. Erik returned to the room where Michaud lay trussed on the floor. He glared back at the man on the floor glaring daggers at him. Now that Annalise and Andrew were gone there was nothing to prevent him from doing all the things he imagined.
"Let him go, Tomas," Erik said as once again he knelt by Michaud's side. Erik waited until Tomas had released the rope he held before aggressively flipping Michaud onto his back, caring little for the discomfort it inflicted upon the man whose arms and legs were bound to his neck. Erik moved so that he straddled Michaud's chest, staring down into the eyes that held a look Erik knew and despised.
"Monsieur," Tomas started and stopped, knowing there was nothing he could do but watch.
"I am going to break every bone in your miserable body," Erik hissed at Michaud. "Then I am going to cut your skin off in small pieces over days. I will keep you alive in agony and pain that you cannot even begin to imagine. I will enjoy your suffering like I have never enjoyed anything else in my life!"
There was something in the tone of Erik's voice that cut through the nothingness and the anger and the evil that controlled Michaud. He grew still and watched as Erik made a fist, drawing it back. Michaud closed his eyes and waited for the blow.
It was a blow that never came.
Erik's fist slammed into the floor next to Michaud's head. A scream escaped Erik's lips as he stood and stumbled to sag against a wall. Erik slammed his fist over and over into that wall. He could not hurt the monster who had broken his precious little angel. He knew it and he hated it. Erik also knew why he could not destroy Michaud in the manner in which he so desperately wanted - it was because of what Annalise had done to him. She had planted it within him, white-hot and burning, and Erik finally recognized it.
"Damn, damn, damn!" he shouted and grew silent for a moment before going back to where Tomas and Michaud were still on the floor. Erik kept his eyes on Michaud but addressed Tomas. "Do you still have your friends in England?"
"Aye," Tomas replied wondering what his strange friend was contemplating.
A strange smile curled Erik's lips as he spoke to Michaud. "I think that you should experience a little of what you did to Annalise."
The raised eyebrow, the dangerous glittering of the eyes and the evilly curled smile shook the emotions and the beings that controlled Michaud to the very core.