Clutching the costume to herself, Gia asked him, "Do you want me change here, in front of you?" She was afraid to do that. It was silly, she told herself, he'd seen her naked many times, but the thought of undressing, and then re-dressing into something revealing all while he watched made her uncomfortable.
As much as Erik would have enjoyed watching her change that was a game he would save for another time. He retreated once more, drawing the heavy red velvet curtains around the room, leaving her shielded from his prying eyes. He waited outside for her to bid him enter. He could hear her undressing, making all sorts of small noises; some of them of annoyance at him, others grimaces of pain for her feet would be very tender for the next couple of days. He had been picturing her in that diaphanous confection of a costume ever since she had shown it to him. His instincts told him she would enjoy what he wanted to do to her, but doubts still niggled at what remained of his conscience.
Her voice wafted huskily through the curtains, "Come in, Erik," and he pushed the curtains aside hurriedly, wanting to see her as quickly as possible.
She was a vision that would stir wanton thoughts in a eunuch. He noted she had not touched her hair, leaving it half unbound. Her arms were completely bare, and the bodice barely covered her front. Although there was not a deep neckline, if anything it was rather prim, but the sheerness of the fabric, combined with the fact Gia was not wearing anything underneath it made the outlines of her breasts visible to his hot gaze. Her nipples were already poking out, waiting for his touch. The skirt fell to just below her knees, but had slashes up the sides to give a dancer more room to move. As she stood before him, she had stuck out her left leg slightly. The long pale length taunted him.
"Is this the lesson you wanted to teach me? I look terribly foolish in this outfit, may I change so you can take me back to my room?"
In response, Erik removed his ivory waistcoat, cravat, and gloves as he walked toward her. He put his right index finger to his lips, and said, "From this point Gia, you will not speak to me until I give you leave to. You will not do anything that I do not give you permission to do. You must remember who is master here. In this place, you are nothing but my slave."
His voice was low and seductive, and she opened her mouth to speak, then remembered he had instructed her not to. She was not sure what Erik was about, and she found it somewhat frightening. Gia did not think he would ever hurt her, but she was rather dismayed he saw her as his slave. She had hoped he saw her as an equal. Despite all her misgivings, she would do as he said. Her body wanted him and he had barely even touched her. She wanted him to touch her, and yet he was keeping his distance.
He circled around her, looking her up and down. Having her before him dressed so provocatively was almost more exciting than having her nude. The costume concealed just enough, it was shame he was going to ruin it.
"I am most disappointed in you, my dear. You really should have a greater care for your person. There is no need for you to punish yourself. I will do that for you," he drawled as he made his way to his wardrobe. Gia watched, unable to move as drew out a few of his black silk cravats.
It was eerily like her dream. She had never imagined that people actually did that to each other. In her dream, she had enjoyed his attentions, but the idea of letting him bind her to the bed and blindfold her without a fight seemed wrong. This was a most dangerous path they were going down. She had heard whispers of decadent sexual games but she never imagined she would ever willingly participate in one. But looking at him, with his shirt half open, cuffs loosened, with the ties in his hands, she could refuse him nothing. Gia bowed her head meekly, awaiting his instruction.
"Cross your hands in front of you, right over left," he murmured into one of her ears. Erik was pleased she complied so swiftly. He took the tie and wound it around her wrists, securing them firmly. He was careful not to make it so tight that it would leave marks on her skin. Abrasions would only lead to difficult questions for her to answer.
That task completed, he guided her to his bed, leading her by pulling on the wrists. He sat her down and commanded, "Lie back, and position yourself in the middle of the bed, and then raise your arms."
Gia did not speak, but shot him a look that silently said, "You know this would be easier if I could use my HANDS!" He nearly chuckled, but suppressed it by saying firmly, "Now, Gia. I should not have to wait for you. Or will I have to punish you further?"
His eyes were so fierce, she could not look away from his face, even as she squirmed into position. Satisfied she was in the center of the large bed, she slowly raised her bound hands above her head. To her intense mortification, the bodice of the costume rode up, exposing a vast expanse of skin. The contrast between the fair skin and deep purple fabric was striking.
Seeing she was exactly where he wanted her, Erik climbed onto the bed and straddled her hips while he stayed on his knees. He leaned over her, being sure not to touch her, knowing he would lose his nerve if he did so. He looped another tie around part of the headboard and then tied that to her wrists. Her movement would be restricted but he would have complete access to her. Initially he had intended to bind her ankles to the bed, but that was not a good idea given their current state. He used one final tie to wrap around her eyes to she could not see.
He sat back on his haunches to look at her. She was twisting against ties, testing to see if they would hold her. To still her, he ran his right hand down one arm, gently hooked his fingers on the costume's neckline, pausing just a moment so she would know what he was about to do. His left hand joined the right, and in one stroke he tore the fragile material, savoring the sound it made. He discarded the now useless material, and feasted his eyes on her torso.
Lying like this, it was stretched as long as possible and her breasts sat high on her chest. His trousers were becoming uncomfortably tight, but he didn't want to remove them just yet. He did, however, tug off his shirt, leaving them both stripped to the waist. Without any further preliminaries, he began to draw on one of her nipples, which caused her to shudder. After he bestowed the same honor on the other, he began to kiss and lick his way down to her center. She was wearing a pair of very sensible cotton drawers beneath the skirt, and he tugged them off, tossing them aside, leaving her wearing only the flimsy skirt.
"You've been very good so far, my darling, and now I want you to bend those legs of yours and pull them up." Gia hesitated, particularly at his use of that endearment, but slid her legs along the satin bedcovers as he asked. Now she was truly wide open to him. She was moist and ready, and she could feel him slipping between her legs. He nudged her thighs open with his nose, and placed an open kiss there before he tasted her.
He marveled at how the moment his tongue touched the sweet pink flesh at the most intimate part of her, the way her entire body surged in reaction to it. Her lungs emptied, her legs locked around him, and her hips pushed up at him, willing him to continue.
"You are so eager, so greedy. Did I not say this was to be a lesson? You must behave yourself, or I will not give you what you so desperately want." At this, Gia whimpered. How could he tease her and stop like that? She was throbbing, panting for him.
"Erik I need you!" she exclaimed without thinking.
He pulled away, and hissed, "If you do that again, I will gag you!" She did not have to see his eyes to know he did not lie. His tone made clear his intentions.
Suddenly she felt him turning her onto her stomach and she turned her head to the right so she would not be smothered by the pillows. He was no longer on top of her, and she felt bereft until she felt him return. From the feel of him, he had removed his pants. She wiggled her bottom a bit and thrust her hips into the mattress, hoping that would bring her some relief if he would not.
Erik watched for a few moments as she writhed beneath him, but he could no longer deny himself. He placed his hands at either side of her, and began to lay kisses on her neck, along her shoulder blades, and finally down the center of her back, along the spinal column. His hands drifted down to grasp her hips, and a moment later he had thrust himself into her warmth. He had not been inside her in quite some time, and the sensation nearly made him release. She was so wet and tight she felt like a vice around him.
He realized this could not be the best position to take her in, at least for her. He had been enjoying the view of her heart shaped rear, but he wanted her to experience the same pleasure he did. He unwillingly withdrew from her, but only long enough for him to turn her back over onto her back. When she felt him fill her again, she sighed and wrapped her legs around his waist to urge him on. Up until that moment, Erik had avoided kissing her mouth, but seeing her worry on the bottom lip with her teeth, reminded him of how much he enjoyed nibbling on those lips. As he ground against her, he brought his mouth to hers in a searing kiss. He laved at the tiny marks she had made on her lower lip by biting down to prevent herself from speaking.
Gia felt so alive despite the fact she was pinned beneath him and unable to hold him as she wished. He felt so big inside her, everything was heightened by the loss of her sense of sight. God help her, it was better than her dream! It thrilled her as she realized that even though she could not see she could feel that he had removed his mask before he kissed her mouth. She could picture him in her mind's eye, his pale gold tinged skin covering her as she twisted against her bonds. He had her wrapped in his strong embrace, his hands at her back as he kissed her. All she could feel was him and the fabric of her skirt bunched around her hips as they moved together.
His mouth was a wonder of its own. The way it could alternately bring her pain and pleasure, sometimes simultaneously caused her to expel a moan from deep within her. If she could not speak, she could at least let him hear how he made her feel. Anything so he would not stop touching her. She could feel the familiar pressure building inside, and she purposely contracted her inner muscles around him which caused him to stroke deeper and harder.
Erik could tell she was not far from release. She was making the little noises that he had come to associate with her being close. He thrust forward again and she came apart in his arms, but he was not yet satisfied. He stilled as she shuddered around his cock, and he considered what to do next. He thought of releasing her, but she seemed to be enjoying the restriction as much as he thought she would. Instead he merely removed the blindfold, so he could look at her eyes. They fluttered open and took a moment to focus on him. He could get lost in those strange blue eyes of hers. The irises were dark blue, but shot through with a lighter shade and speckled with tiny yellow flecks that sometimes made her eyes look green.
"Now my dear, you may speak if you wish," he said as she began to come to her senses.
"Let me go Erik! I want to touch you," she implored him.
"No. This is not about what you want, but what I want. And what I want most is for you to stay just the way you are, helpless beneath me."
She would show him she was not as helpless as he supposed. She was certain he had not released yet, and she decided to remind him of that fact by grinding her pelvis against his. His eyes flashed at her, she had his full attention now.
"You traitorous little vixen, trying to use your body against me! I see I shall have to show you the error of your ways," he said as he began moving with her again, purposely thrusting at her as hard as he could. She threw her head back and groaned with each of his movements.
"Tell me who is master here! Tell me!"
"You are Erik! Only you," she cried as he continued to assault her senses.
"Tell me what you're feeling right now," he ordered. He wanted to hear her voice so he could listen to the way it changed as he brought her to another release. The last time, he had been denied that because he told her she could not speak.
Given the leave to say whatever she liked, Gia could not stop herself from saying, "I feel everything! I feel you and me moving together and that is all I could ever want. I don't want you to ever stop doing this to me." Her voice hitched as she could feel another orgasm coming on, "It's going to happen again Erik. You're going to make it happen again. Oh God I can't get enough of you!"
He arched an eyebrow. She could not get enough of him? She could not get enough of his monstrous flesh? The thought was an exciting one, and he gave her that much more that made her call his name just before he erupted inside her. He withdrew to discard the French letter, then he reached up to release her arms. Once she was completely free, he pulled her on top of him as he lay back. He held out the ties to her.
Gia seemed puzzled about what she was supposed to do until he said to her, "Turnabout is fair play, my sweet. Your turn."
A smile spread slowly across her lips and lit her eyes as realization dawned. Gia began the not unpleasant task of securing him in place. It was not a lesson either would forget in the near future.
Christine watched as the fire crackled and consumed the letters that Erik and Madame Giry had sent her. Now that she could be certain her husband would not find them, she sat down at her writing desk to compose a letter to her former tutor. It was difficult to be sure what to say to him. She tossed several drafts aside in disgust. They either sounded too childish or overly formal. She had to strike the correct tone. He must see that she had grown up in the intervening years that he could no longer hold the same sway he had in the past. However she wanted to let him know that she still cared for him.
He had said in his letter he wanted to meet with her, but that was something she could not allow. It would be too difficult to conceal something like that from Raoul, and she did not want to lie to him any more than necessary. With a huff and a sigh, she forced herself to concentrate on the parchment in front of her. A few minutes later she had a letter that she deemed acceptable.
Dear Sir,
I thank you for your kind wishes toward my child. He is quite well, as am I and his father. I am pleased to hear that you are also well. There is no need for you to ask my pardon. I forgave you long ago. I could not allow that unfortunate night to color all my good memories of you. Without you I would not be the woman I am today, and for that I shall always be in your debt.
I regret that I cannot meet with you personally, but that is not possible at the moment. My duties to my family must take precedence over any personal desires I may wish to indulge in. It would be too difficult for me to see you without my husband learning of it. I am certain that would not be acceptable to you.
Erik, you must know that I have missed you over the years we have been separated. Do not think this means I am not happy in my marriage to Raoul. I love him far more than I can ever say. You were always the one with the way with words. I regret anything that I may have done to ever cause you any pain. I wish you every happiness in the world.
Always,
Christine de Chagny
She read the letter over a couple of times before she folded it closed and sealed it. She placed it with the letter that she intended to send to Meg. On the outside of the letter she addressed it to Madame Giry as he had instructed her to. Christine knew she would see it safely delivered to him. Just as she was about to ring for Piquet to pick up the letters, she noticed the discarded drafts, and thinking it would be prudent to dispose of them, she added them to the fire.
She did not hear her husband enter for he trod so lightly and the carpets muffled his progress.
"Christine, whatever are you burning?"
She was startled, but replied, "Just these ruined parchments. I was having some difficulty deciding what to write to Madame Giry. I know it's a terrible waste of stationary, but would you have a viscomtess sending letters with ink splotches and spelling errors? Someone might think she was of less than noble birth."
Raoul saw the two letters sitting on her desk and fingered them a moment before he asked, "Would you like me to deliver these to Piquet to be mailed today?"
"Thank you my love. By now the Metropolitan will be starting its newest production, and I'm sure Meg will be anxious to tell me of it. I would hate for her to think I've been neglecting our correspondence."
"Speaking of that, I received invitations for us both to attend the opening of the next production from Monsieur Dupoix, the owner and manager. He was so pleased to see that we attended The Magic Flute, he is hopeful we shall return soon." He took his wife in his arms, and added, "I think, my dear, he is trying to woo us. A theater can never have too many wealthy patrons."
"Are you thinking of extending him a line of credit?" she asked inquisitively.
"Not at the present. The de Chagny's have not had much success in that area recently. For now I am content to let him try to convince me otherwise."
Christine did not look happy at the prospect of seeing her friends again so soon, and that was rather odd. "Is something wrong? I thought you would be excited to see Meg and Madame Giry again. You have been out of sorts ever since those letters came, is there something you want to tell me?"
"It's nothing Raoul. I just don't like leaving Philippe. He changes every day, and I feel like I miss some things when we go away," she said with a touch of melancholy in her voice.
He gave her a teasing, quick kiss on the cheek, and said, "My love, you are the best of mothers. Far more attentive than I remember my mother being. For the longest time I thought my nanny was my mother, she so infrequently darkened the door of the nursery. He can spare us another short trip to Paris in a month. I must admit, I enjoy having you all to myself while we were away. It was almost like being on our honeymoon again."
The memories of those marvelous weeks following their marriage brought a smile to her face. After the initial awkwardness the first time they had made love on their wedding night, they had spent most of the time in bed. At first he had been very gentle, afraid he would hurt her, but once she stirred up the courage to urge him on, everything had changed. They hardly did any of the sight-seeing Raoul had planned for them, instead spending long hours driving each other mad with pleasure.
Christine needed some of that wildness now. She reached up and let her hair down and tugged him toward their bedroom. Raoul followed after her, leaving the letters on her desk, momentarily forgotten. Piquet would pick them up later.