A/N: A short chapter, I know, but I wanted to get this much up since I didn't post yesterday.
Note: For purposes of my story, I have decided to go back and change Christine's stage name to "Signora" Angela de Renoir rather than "Signorina" Angela de Renoir. So just know that in the past, she always had herself referred to as "Mrs." rather than "Miss". I had used it the other way around before, but it makes more sense to me that she would have wanted everyone to think she was married to avoid unwanted male attention. Erik will continue to call her "mademoiselle" because he knows she is no longer married and neither wants to be reminded of the time when she was. I hate having to go back and change stuff, but in this case, it was necessary. Forgive me.
phantomann: Hurray! She is back. Did Jema tell you that my muse went along with you on vacation? It was terrible. I was museless the entire time. But then I heard you were coming back and "Voila" – immediate fluff! So don't ever leave me again, seriously. And I am really hurt you would accuse me of plotting to "flatten" the fluff as you put it. Lord woman, when will you ever learn that I always leave readers with a happy ending? Are you familiar with the Elvis tune, "Suspicious Minds"? Well you have one.And you will have your proofed fic chapters tonight at last. I am going to email you shortly. Jema is busy writing me a life right now, so I think I have sufficiently slowed her down in her fic so we can concentrate now on yours.
lafemme540: Yes, it was time.
XCiel: Yes, yes he is, my dear.
Kagome1514: Sorry these last chapters haven't been coming as quickly. I have been spending all my time on MSN chatting with JemaModa. (Slaps own wrist - Bad author, bad!) And my life has been getting busier by the day, so be forewarned. Glad our sexy masked hero could "sate" you. I liked the Moon and tide thing too. To me, E and C's attraction is something very natural and intense.
xo-little-lotte-xo: Sorry about the wait. I did make Erik's shirt see-through. I would think that would be better anyway. And besides, they wore so many heavy undergarments in those days below those poofy dresses; I doubt he would have been able to see much anyway.
Pertie: I did drag it out a bit to torture you all, but you will forgive me now, won't you? And two thank-yous this time – you must have especially enjoyed this chapter. (Hee Hee Hee )
draegon-fire: Well, Christine will not be able to resist dropping her bombshell for much longer, although Erik does have a delicious way of distracting her. Glad you like it so far.
erikfan: Wow! What compliments! You have left me speechless. But I don't think I am quite in Danielle's league or anyone else's for that matter. This has just become a really fun hobby for me. Once again thank you, so much for all your kind words.
Wilting Angel: I am so glad you didn't think it was trashy. I wanted it to be erotic without being smutty, as you say. I am glad you thought I succeeded. PS – Thanks for the cookie, but I will have to frame it rather than eat it since it is Erik-shaped.
eternalcelestial: I am happy I could make you smile. Sigh. E and C are together at last. Nothing could ever possibly go wrong now! (Bwoohoohahah)
Madame OG: You are welcome. Do you need a cigarette or something?
Mz. Kelsi: Love you too, babe. You must be a Midwesterner like me, judging from the "holy cow" thing. Thanks for the compliments!
darklady5289: Thank you. I do usually try to be tasteful in my EC love scenes, but sometimes my Erik phantasies take over. So I am very glad I did not cross over into the smutty/trashy category. Happy you liked it!
Hearts Aflame: I LOVE THE CAPS LOCK BUTTON TOO AND I LOVED YOUR LAST POST! You seriously made me laugh out loud. I thought you would enjoy those last two chappies.
Twinkle22: Oh, more twists and turns to come, as always. And yes, unfortunately our Fop-free days are numbered.
Orphelia-Rose: (Hands OR a tissue for sobbing.) Glad you liked it!
xxphantomphanessxx: So happy to have you back, my dear, despite my recent idiocy. I try never to do graphic stuff. This one was quite a bit edgier than my last one because this story seemed to kind of demand it. But I am never quite comfortable writing love scenes at all. And while E and C have a powerful sexual component to their relationship, they also are soul mates, so any love scene between them should address both aspects of their union in my opinion.
JemaModa: Yeah, you know all about my "darker side", don't you woman, or lack thereof in this case. Aren't you supposed to be writing me one as we speak? So what are you doing reading this? You don't have time for this sort of stuff anymore. And yes, I will just this once allow you to bow down to her highness (Darkest) for the "inspiration" (hint, hint, nudge, nudge) that my story gave you the other night. You know what I mean, you saucy little vixen. And thanks as always for your kind reviews. Of course you are now obligated to give me good reviews since we are officially friends now. (Tricky, ain't I?)
Ch. 21 – Wings To Fly
The next morning dawned clear and sunny. The early daylight held the promise of heat later in the afternoon and the moisture from the previous night's storm still hung heavy in the air. Erik stirred as the morning sunlight crept along the wooden floor and finally touched his unmasked face, piercing the hopelessly inadequate barrier of his eyelids.
Erik opened his eyes. The day seemed far advanced, although he couldn't be sure exactly what time it was. Christine had almost certainly missed her morning rehearsal, but if she hurried she might make the afternoon session. He knew he should wake her. Still, as he lay stroking her curls which were fanned out over his chest, he was loath to disturb her. Last night had been perfect and he was enjoying immensely the feel of her snuggled happily against him.
He lay contemplating all the twists of Fate that had conspired to bring them together at last. Their paths had indeed taken many unfortunate turns along the way, but perhaps Destiny's intent had been to ensure that he and Christine would always appreciate and never take for granted the gift they had been given in the end.
Erik wondered briefly what would happen now. He had purchased a ring the previous morning before Christine's visit, but he had resolved to wait and see where the day led before offering it to her. Considering all that had occurred since then, he decided that perhaps the time had come. They had already wasted far too much time as far as he was concerned. After all, he was no longer a young man, nearly forty-three, and he wanted as many years with Christine as possible before his life was ended. Besides, if Christine desired children as he did, it would probably be best to hasten their efforts. He grinned. Last night was certainly a good start to that, he thought.
Trying hard not to disturb Christine, Erik reached his free arm toward his coat hanging over a nearby chair. As the garment fell to the floor, he was relieved to find it already dry. Reaching his hand into the inside pocket, he withdrew a tiny velvet box. Smiling, he opened the lid and gazed with satisfaction upon its inhabitant: a platinum band entirely encircled in several brilliantly cut diamonds with beautiful artistic designs etched into the precious metal forming its top and bottom borders. Though in flawless condition, it had an antique look about it, and the quality was clearly that of a different era.
Erik snapped the lid shut and tucked the box carefully beneath the edge of the blanket. He took hold of Christine's hand which had been resting on his chest and began to kiss each finger, steadily making his way up her arm. When he reached her shoulder, he looked up and found her velvet brown eyes were watching him, desire already evident in their depths and a knowing smile upon her lips.
She looked even lovelier than the night before. The morning sun ignited her curls, causing them glow with hints of amber and mahogany as they lay tousled about her face. Her skin appeared warm and flushed from sleep and her expression was one of lazy satisfaction. With a mischievous grin, she lifted her head and began to first kiss the contours of his chest and then the flat of his stomach just above the blanket draped enticingly low across his waist.
Despite his noble intentions, Erik let out a low growl of immediate need and rolled her over to once again cover her body with his own. It was as if the release of the previous night had never been; rather than being sated, if anything, the pleasure of the evening before had only served to wet their appetites for each other. Immediately their mouths found each other hungrily once more, their bodies straining against one another. With a groan, Erik reached for her arms and slid them above her head, pinning them there with his own, their fingers intertwined.
He was no longer patient, but rather urgent in the demands he placed upon her body. Although careful not to hurt her, his movements were raw and aggressive, with one purpose clearly in mind. Christine moaned softly, finding his lack of restraint even more thrilling than his careful, slow seduction. The sound of her submission only seemed to urge him onward and without warning, he entered her once again, forcefully this time. She let out a soft cry of surprise, and the two once again slipped off into another dimension, one where sensation and emotion were heightened, spiraling together in a marvelous crescendo until the ultimate explosion of bliss brought them gently back to earth.
They lay for a long time afterward saying nothing. Christine's head was once more against Erik's chest and his hand had returned to stroke her hair. Both were awed and frightened by the intensity of what had transpired between them.
Before the events of the last three days, Erik had been certain of his ability to live without Christine, but now he felt that his heart would shrivel and die if she refused his offer of marriage. Christine, in turn, now knew without a doubt that she could never return to her previous existence before Erik. Even the magnificence of La Scala dimmed in comparison to the exhilaration she felt in his arms.
"Erik," Christine whispered softly at last, "there is something I must tell you."
Erik's hand paused above her hair and he felt suddenly wary. There was a hesitance to her voice as she spoke the words, and from past experience he knew the near perfection of his current existence surely couldn't last forever.
"Yes, my love?" He held his breath.
"Yesterday afternoon before I came here, I was offered a temporary position as the lead soprano at the La Scala in Milan." The words came out in a long rush, as if she had been holding them back for far too long. "I accepted it." She clenched her eyes shut tightly and awaited his reaction with dread.
There was silence for many moments, as Erik considered what her unexpected announcement might mean. He was proud of her certainly. To sing at La Scala was a great honor, everyone knew that. And in truth, he had no doubts that the invitation would have come long ago had her career not been interrupted by a disastrous marriage. But on the other hand, he couldn't help but be hurt by the fact that even after the first night of their reunion she had given no thought to the effect her decision might have on their future. It was ironic. He had angrily condemned Raoul's attempts to keep Christine from the stage. But in his current position, he now found he felt a small measure of understanding for the predicament the boy had found himself in when he had married an opera diva.
As Christine's tutor, Erik had always dreamed of this opportunity for her, but if he were to become her husband, he had no doubt her new success would complicate matters. First and foremost, he had to admit he was not entirely comfortable with the idea of his wife on display for a thousand admiring eyes. He had lived in an opera house long enough to understand the life of a prima donna: countless invitations from admirers, love-struck young men in the hallways declaring their undying devotion, a dressing room constantly filled with flowers from would be suitors. How would he respond to that? After all, he had nearly murdered out of jealousy the only other serious suitor Christine had ever had. In addition, any plans for a family would almost certainly have to be postponed indefinitely, and then there was always the fact that he had made his home here in Florence and had no wish to leave it. But on the other hand, neither did he wish to be parted from her again. What could he do?
Erik closed his eyes tightly. Despite the pain it would cause him, he knew what was required of him. Christine had earned this opportunity. It was her dream, a dream that he had helped to create for her. He could not deny her it, no matter what the cost. She belonged on that stage. It was in her soul. To deny Christine her rightful place in the limelight would be like denying her the privilege of breathing.
He buried his face in her curls, clinging to her tightly for a moment.
"Congratulations, my darling. I am so very proud of you."
He whispered the words, his heart breaking silently inside his chest. As much as he longed to make her his wife, he knew that he wouldn't be the one to hold her back from her destiny. If he married her, he had no doubt she would insist upon giving it up for his sake. But in his heart, he knew she wasn't meant to belong to any one person. She had a gift that was meant to be shared with the world. The bittersweet chains of love and marriage would only keep her grounded when everything within her was born to fly.
Tears that he would never allow her to see filled his eyes. It seemed Fate was once again having her way with them both.
At his words, Christine lifted her head, her eyes shining with happy tears. "I knew you at least would understand how much this means to me." She threw her arms around his neck and rolled onto his chest, kissing his face repeatedly in her excitement. Erik chuckled at her enthusiasm despite himself.
With a lazy grin on his face and his hands intimately exploring the curve of her backside, he purred into her ear, "My dear, unless you wish to miss an entire day of rehearsals, I suggest you stop that immediately or you will once again find yourself on the receiving end of my amorous advances."
Christine returned his impudent grin with a devilish one of her own. "As if that would be such a terrible thing, good sir. When you put it that way, I may never stop." She held his eyes and began once more to move her lips against the taut skin of his chest, delighting in her ability to arouse him. But Erik immediately grasped her by the arms and set her away from him.
"As your former tutor, I feel it is my duty to remind you or yours. Go and dress yourself you wicked woman, or I shall surely lose my mind." He reached upward and handed Christine her dress. She gave him a pouting look, but turned obediently to prance up the stairs.
When she was nearly half way up, Erik called after her, "By the way Signora de Renoir, I have been meaning to ask you something. However did you come by your stage name?"
Christine grinned, but did not turn around, calling back, "I chose it because it was the role I most longed to play."
With that, she slipped up the stairs, leaving Erik staring after her, torn desperately somewhere between joy and despair.
