Sweet Intoxication
Chapter Thirteen: The Phantom's Passion
Author's Note; Hello! First,I want to thank eveyone that has reviewed so far! I love 'em! Keep 'em coming! This is my favorite chap and has been a ton of fun to write. I love the PONR scene in the movie, and I added some twists of my own to this scene:). So sorry, but I can feel the end of the story drawing closer and closer with every chapter. There will probably only be an epilouge to this story, I don't really think I'll be able to wring a sequel out ofit. But, I have another Phantom story in the works, and I'm probably going to write a Titanic story too. Please, read and review this chapter. Once again, reviews make me want to update faster :)
Disclaimer: I don't own the Phantom of the Opera. But I DO own Titanic! No wait, that isn't right either. Oh well...
JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT THE NEXT PERSON THAT REVIEWS MAY BECOME MY 100TH REVIEWER, AND WILL GET A SPECIAL SHOUT OUT! SO HURRY UP AND REVIEW! Okay, enjoy the story
Christine was feeling horrible and confused. Horrible, because of the way she had just deserted Erik like that, and confused. She thought she was completely, undoubtedly in love with Erik, but now all of her feelings and emotions for Raoul came rushing back to her in a flood of concern. She felt so horrid and sad at the points during Erik and Raoul's swordfight, when she thought Erik was going to kill Raoul and vice versa. But, a new side of Erik had been unveiled to Christine. She couldn't believe he was actually going to ruthlessly kill Raoul, just like that, without a second thought as to how it might affect her. She hated to admit it, but she was frightened of him. He frightened her even worse than that night, so long ago now it seemed as if it happened in another lifetime, when she unmasked him and he threw her down and cursed her. It seemed as if he had changed, but now she knew that he must have still have some sort of devil remaining inside of what seemed to be his angelic soul. And, his icy cold words he uttered when she left him replayed over and over in her head, his cold, hard voice torturing her and frightening her. "Now, let it be war upon you both!" Christine didn't know what she had done to deserve that. Well, running off with Raoul probably didn't help the situation much, but what should she have done? He was so strong and comforting, guiding her, while it had appeared like Erik was ready to kill her. And she had just saved his life!
She was even more confused about what Raoul was doing now. The minute they returned, he had helped her off of the horse, practically dragging her inside, making sure she was unharmed, drying her tear-streaked face with his handkerchief. He escorted her to her dressing room, and briefly told her the plan he was preparing to propose to Firmin and Andre about tonight's performance of Don Juan. She couldn't believe it. She remembered Raoul's words over and over in her head as she changed into her blouse and black skirt in her dressing room. She had went down to the chapel, and lost track of how long she'd been down here. She couldn't believe what Raoul was thinking. He was planning to have her perform as Aminta in tonight's opera instead of Carlotta, so she would attract the Phantom to appear, and when he did, he would be captured by swarms of police officers that were coming to the Opera tonight. Christine knew every hope, every shot of making this plan succeed depended on her. Raoul was using her as bait! As bait to attract a man more powerful than he knew! Didn't he even know or care how dangerous that was? She was so confused. On one hand, if Erik was captured, all her problems and fears and worries would be over. There would be no more killings of innocent people, or threatening notes, and she could live a long, happy life with Raoul as the Vicomtess de Changy. But, on the other hand, how could she betray her angel like that? How could she say she loved him and wanted to be with him, and then just hand him over to the police? She was so upset. She kneeled by her father's candle, and tried to relieve the horrid pressure in her head she was having from all this stress and worry. She saw Raoul enter the chapel out of the corner of her eye, and wondered who was going to speak first. Finally, she decided too.
"Raoul, I'm frightened" she said. Those three words couldn't even begin to describe what she was feeling and going through right now. Fortunately, it was enough for Raoul, and he drew up into a sweet embrace.
"Raoul, please, don't make me do this. Please, don't put me through this ordeal by fire"
"Christine, I know you're frightened and upset, but just say the word, and we can end it, tonight, for good. He'll be gone forever, and he'll never haunt us again."
Christine looked at him, then broke away from him, and sat in the small alcove. She didn't know how she could possibly express all her thoughts and worries, except by singing, so she did:
Twisted every way,
What answer can I give?
Am I to risk my life
To win the chance to live?
Can I betray the man who once
Inspired my voice?
Do I become his prey?
Do I have any choice?
He kills without a thought!
He murders all that's good!
I know I can't refuse
But yet, I wish I could.
Oh god, if I agree
What horrors wait for me,
In this, the Phantom's opera?
Raoul looked at her pleadingly
"Christine, Christine don't think that I don't care, but every hope, and every prayer rests on you now!"
Christine looked at him nervously "O.K. I'll do it. I'll perform as Aminta tonight, and hope we catch this Phantom once, and for all." she said softly, but persistently.
Erik felt extremely confidant tonight as he stalked along the rafters, heading backstage. He was more excited than he had ever been in his life. It didn't matter that there were hundreds of policemen positioned everywhere, just waiting to capture him, or that he had a horrible fear of being around people, and was about to appear onstage. This was it. He was finally going to win Christine over. He was going to sing so passionately, so emotionally, she'd know how deep his love was for her. He finally knew that this was the moment. That old, fat fool Piangi had just slipped backstage, getting ready to put on his jacket and mask for the big song at the climax. But, Erik wasn't going to give him the chance to wear it. He swooped down, ignoring the startled gasp from Piangi, and making sure Piangi was taken care of, (thanks to his Punjab lasso) took his jacket, and placed it over his own shirt. Peeking out from behind the curtain, he grinned to himself. It was show time.
Christine was standing backstage, waiting for Piangi to finish singing. She looked up in the rafters, but there was still no sign of Erik. She had felt nervous and anxious the entire evening. Every few minutes, she glanced at every possible place she could she from the stage, hoping Erik wouldn't be there. She had come to regret the horrid decision she had made, agreeing to perform tonight to lure Erik to come. She didn't know what he was planning on doing, but she hoped he would stay away from here. It was too dangerous. Christine realized that it was her cue to come onstage, and began slowly walking out, singing
No thoughts within her head but thoughts of joy.
No dreams within her heart but dreams of love!
She sat down on the side of the stage, waiting for Don Juan to appear.
Erik walked out from behind the curtain. This was it. It all came down to this, he told himself. He was ready to sing.
Passarino - Go away for the trap
Is set
And waits for its prey
He spied Christine sitting at the edge of the stage, picking apart a rose. He continued to sing in his most mysterious and seductive voice:
You have come here
In pursuit of your deepest urge
In pursuit of that wish which till now
Has been silent
Silent
Christine suddenly got chills. That voice. No, oh god, no, it couldn't be him! But, only his voice could make give her body chills and make her blood race like this. She looked over in his direction. Erik brought his finger to his lips, desperatly hoping Christine would get the unspoken message to remain silent and keep herself from alerting the Vicomte that his little plan had worked and the Phantom had arrived. He continued singing, watching her body slack and her eyes shut:
I have brought you
That our passions that may fuse and merge
In your mind you've already succumbed to me
Dropped all defences
Completely succumbed to me
Now you are here with me
No second thoughts
You've decided
Decided
Christine stood up, her dress straps falling off her shoulders. Erik continued singing, in an intoxicating, seductive voice, hoping Christine would realize how every word in this passionate, emotional song would affect her much more than she could ever know, and how this moment in time could affect the rest of her life.
Past the point of no return
No backward glances
Our games of make-believe are at an end
Past a thought of "if" or "when"
No use resisting
Abandon thought and let the dream descend
Erik drew closer and closer to her. He felt the swell in the music coming, and he couldn't control himself any longer. He raced over to her, grabbing her neck with one hand and wrapping the other around her waist from behind. Her eyes shut and her arms almost instinctivly wrapped themselves around his as Erik sang:
What raging fire shall flood the soul?
What rich desire unlocks its door?
What sweet seduction lies before us ?
He proceeded to release his arms from her neck and waist, touching his hands to her cheek and mounds of dark,curly hair. He felt her warm body, every sweet inch of her while dragging arms down, past her shoulder, all down her deliciously long, bare arm, finally to her warm, moist hand, finally kissing it, as he finished:
Past the point of no return
The final threshold
What warm unspoken secrets
Will we learn
beyond the point of no return?
Christine stepped away from him, pulling her dress strap back up onto her shoulder. She knew her part in the song was next. She had never, in her wildest dreams expected Erik to show up playing Don Juan instead of watching him. She knew Erik had a passionate, strong voice, but she never expected him to sing this sexy love song with her. How on earth would she ever be able to turn him over to Raoul and the police now? Momintarily pushing all her confused thoughts and emotions aside, she looked straight out into the audience, resisting her urge to look at Erik now, and began singing:
You have brought me
To that moment when words run dry
To that moment when speech disappears
Into silence
Silence
Hardly conscious of what she was doing, Christine looked up at Raoul as she sang their code word "silence", realizing she had just sprung a trap on Erik that he couldn't escape from. She knew now how wrong it was of her to agree to perform tonight, and vowed that she wasn't going to let Raoul win this. She continued singing:
I have come here
Hardly knowing the reason why
In my mind I've already imagined
Our bodies entwining
Defenceless and silent
Now I am here with you
No second thoughts
I've decided
Decided
She looked at Erik hoping she could somehow tell him through the music how much she longed to be with him. She took a deep breath, hoping Erik would understand the silent promise she was making to him through this song, and continued:
Past the point of no return
No going back now
Our passion-play has now at last begun
She began climbing the spiral staircase on her side that led up to the bridge at the top of the stage, looking at Erik doing the same. She continued, hoping she could attract Erik to her with her voice. She knew she was supposed to sing as passionately and sexy as she could, and distract Erik by pretending to love him, but suddenly, Christine knew she wasn't pretending anymore.
Past all thought of right or wrong
One final question
How long should we two wait before we're one?
She sang, reaching her arm out to his direction. She knew Erik was concentrating on nothing but her, and that this was it, and suddenly, Christine lost all sense and control, and sang more loudly and passionately than she ever had in her life:
When will the blood begin to race?
The sleeping bud burst into bloom ?
When will the flames at last consume us?
By now, she was belting it out, and was at the top of the staircase, standing on the bridge. Erik threw his cape over the rail, and they slowly began to walk towards each other, both singing
Past the point of no return:
The final threshold
They both could resist each other no longer. Erik swung Christine under his arms and put his hands up against her, feeling every inch of her small, womanly body he could reach as they loudly sang the final lines:
The bridge is crossed
So stand and watch it burn
We've passed the point of no return
Both of them were concious that every pair of eyes were upon them. Suddenly, Erik just lost all sense of control and presense. He forgot he was on a stage in front of thousands of people, that he was playing Don Juan, that he was the Opera Ghost, everything. He was sweetly intoxicated by Christine's radiant beauty, and couldn't help himself. Christine was finally his! She finally loved him! Him! He felt like weeping for joy. Instead, he stroked her hair gently, and forgetting himself completley, he sang to her softly:
Say you'll share with me
One love, one lifetime
Lead me, save me from my solitude
Christine was in a complete trance, intoxicated by her love's sweet voice.
Say you'll want me
With you here
Beside you
Suddenly, Christine snapped out of it. She knew what she had to do.Turning himself around to face her, Christine felt her heart break into a thousand little pieces as Erik pleadingly, lovingly sang:
Anywhere you go
Let me go too
Christine that's all I ask of…
But he never got to finish his vow of love, for at that moment, Christine threw her arms around his neck, and kissed him, passionatly and deeply, not even concious or caring of the fact that anyone else on earth existed. She kissed him again, so enchanted that she was not even aware of what she was doing as she gently slipped his mask and wig off over his head. Only when she heard screams or terror did she and Erik break apart.The right side of Erik's face was covered with scars and red boils, and one eye was horribly largerer than the other. Christine screamed and covered her mouth with both hands, not in horror of his face, but in horror of what she had done, unmasking him like this. Erik looked around, and knew what he had to do. He forced Christine up against him tightly, and whispered in her ear "Please, Christine, I beg you, forgive me for what I'm about to do"
She looked at him oddly, but understood when he scooted over a few steps, and cut the rope holding the chandelier above the audience. She starred in open mouthed horror as it began to sway and swing back and forth wildly. But, she didn't have time to gaze upon it too long, because at that moment, Erik kicked a switch with his foot, and Christine held onto him tightly as the hot air rushed past her face as she quickly plunged downward with Erik from the stage into what she thought had to be the fires of hell.
Author's Note 2: Hello! Sorry for the weak cliffhanger. Please review, and hope you enjoyed reading this chap as much as I loved writing it! Check back soon to see who will be my 100th reviewer!