Eyes that Threaten and Adore by GoldenLyre
Previous disclaimer applies.
Chapter 3: Shaking
Christine
Later that night, I had tossed and turned restlessly in bed. I heard Erik shift in the dark. He wrapped his arms around me protectively and whispered against my earlobe, "My love, at least try to sleep… Monsieur le Vicomte already said that there was nothing else we could do…"
I looked sharply at him, slightly panicked. "Erik, didn't you see the way he looked at me? He seemed so… I don't know, I cannot even put my finger on it." I broke eye contact, and chose to gaze at the smooth alabaster skin of Erik's built torso instead. I leaned into the crook of his neck and traced imaginary lines over his collarbone and downwards. He gathered me closer in his arms and replied to my earlier enquiry.
"I did see. And I cannot say that I liked it, either… But you can hardly blame the man, Christine. I'm quite sure he is the kind of man who's used to always getting his way. I can only imagine how much it hurt his pride for his affections to be rejected to mine…"
He paused, gathering his thoughts, it seemed. Softly and carefully, he added as though it were an afterthought, "How can he? When I can scarcely believe it myself…"
I looked up at him; his eyes were misty with a faraway gaze as he sank into memory. His hand crept into my messy chestnut curls and wound a few around his finger. I sighed as he kissed my forehead tenderly. "Everyday I start wondering if there really is a God out there, having an angel beside me all the time like this." He smiled wistfully against my skin. "I feel rather guilty about keeping you from heaven."
I giggled a bit and met his brilliant blue eyes, a navy shade in the night's moonlit glow. I kissed his lips softly and replied, "This is heaven. And I don't ever want to leave." With that, snuggled in my Erik's warm, possessive embrace, merciful sleep finally claimed me.
Erik
I awoke the next morning, momentarily blinded by the gentle sunlight pouring into the room through the clear, glass window panes. My angel of a wife was sitting at her vanity frustratingly trying to brush out her sleep-mussed curls. A slow smile crept across my face as I simply gazed at her, marvelling in the simple fact that she had chosen me.
My thoughts darkened as I recalled the way the Vicomte had looked at my wife during our amorous display. Suspicion clouded my mind – surely he would have moved on with his life after finding that Christine had wanted to be with me? On the other hand, he might not have. I can sympathize with that, of course, having to be rejected by a person you loved. It was certainly not the most pleasant feeling in the world.
My reverie was broken when I felt a pair of lips plant a kiss on my scarred cheek. I looked up into the shining chocolate eyes of my angel. She was smiling radiantly at me, looking more beautiful than ever in her now-tamed chestnut curls. She tilted her head thoughtfully and asked, "Love, what were you thinking about?"
"About how I'm the luckiest man on earth, darling," I replied lightly.
"The feeling's mutual… Now, what were you really thinking about?"
I laughed and shook my head. She knew me too well for her own good. "Fine. I was just thinking about how I can relate to the Vicomte's lack of ability to… move on from his love for you. On the other hand, you might not think of me as fair, darling, but there's the slightest fibre of a chance that he may have a hand in all this note business."
Christine did not say anything. She merely looked at me blankly – which was even more frightening than when she starts throwing a tantrum, which she hardly ever does. But whenever that flighty occasion comes, it proves itself to be a force to be reckoned with. Then she finally spoke. "Surely you don't honestly think that? Raoul just isn't capable of going to such extremes…"
I absorbed her comment attentively. Of course, my opinion was not shaken. Indulgently, I smiled. "You're right. It's silly, really. You have known him longer, after all."
My wife grinned and kissed me lightly on my mouth. "You know I love you, right?" She whispered against my lips. I shivered with delight at the proximity before answering her.
"I think I need assurance," I teased her.
She pulled back and looked sincerely at me with her enchanting doe-like eyes. Her innocence still seemed to glow within her depths despite our sometimes-stressed marriage. She brushed a lock of my dark hair behind my ear. Then she whispered, "I love you."
I smiled. "I love you too."
Our moment was broken when a knock sounded at the door. "Sir, a message for you," Alexander announced, his voice slightly muffled behind the door. Christine rose gracefully, the mattress shifting after being relieved of her weight.
She went to open the door. She greeted our butler cheerfully and accepted the note he brought on a silver tray. He then bowed his way out, leaving us in peace once again. Walking over to me again, she was tearing off the seal. The seal I recognized to belong to the de Chagny family. Christine sat again next to me, her eyes gazing at the note's contents intently.
I pulled her closer so I could read it as well. It was rather short and vague:
Erik & Christine,
We may have found a lead. Please come to the estate as soon as possible.
Raoul.
My wife and I exchanged slightly nervous glances before we stood from the bed to change into proper day-clothes. Anticipation welled up in my chest – If the threat were eliminated, all would return back to normal. The Vicomte's face flashed through my mind again. I bit my lip at the thought hat just crossed my mind: Everything will be back to normal… Right?
TBC
A/n: Hmm.. I bet all of you are guessing that Raoul's behind it all. Well here's something – I'm not making Raoul OOC. Bwahahaha! Now, be a good reader and review, ok? Much luves! PS: No time to reply to reviews as I lack time. However, I'll try the email function of the thngy yet. So if ya wanna ask (or demand) something, review or email.