The next morning came comfortably for me but fearfully for my heart. I awoke to him laying next to me, simply watching me sleep. I wished he had not seen me wake, so I could have savored our resting in each others embrace, and pretended to sleep a little longer. To my relief he didn't instruct me to move or prepare to leave, so I let the tension that had taken over, leave my body. He smiled at me gently and I could not do anything but smile back. It was obvious that he enjoyed my company by the way his eyes glistened. It was beyond my reasoning of why he would wish me to leave and even more difficult to think of what would happen once I did have to leave. Tears began to irritate my eyes and I closed them so he would not see. Somehow he had noticed my tears. I imagined the pained look that had infested his once glowing eyes as I felt him reach over and caress my cheek with the back of his hand. I opened my eyes and nearly gasped at how close his face was to mine. The pained look I had imagined seemed magnified as it truly did appear in his eyes. He placed a soft kiss on my forehead and then started to get up. I grabbed his wrist and he sadly looked back at me.
"It is time…come…," he uttered.
The tears began to flow steadily as I made to follow him. Once up, I straitened my skirts that hadn't changed much in appearance despite a few wrinkles. After running my fingers through my hair I trudged after him. We remained silent until we reached the mouth of the corridor. It was here that we were to part, I could tell. He turned to me and took me in his arms. His strength was startling but I clung on to him with equal force, fearing his release of me. As he pulled away, he kissed me on the lips lightly. I was stunned and let my grasp on him weaken to the point of letting go. He turned his back to me and pointed to the stables. I ran out of the corridor, through the stables and onto the main street. Tears had blurred my vision and I ran directly into someone. I mumbled an apology as I raised my gaze to the person's face. A fear like no other consumed me as I looked into the eyes of the murderer that had infested my dreams. My husband smiled at me coldly. He spoke in a voice so soft that I couldn't imagine anyone else, had there been anyone around, could have heard.
"You know, I have been searching for you…you were the last thing linking me to my murders…and here you run into me…ironic, is it not?" I froze and before my instincts for survival could take over he had a bone crushing grip on my wrist. He pulled me along behind him and shoved me into his awaiting carriage. I wanted to scream, but found I couldn't. I wasn't sure who could save me, but I had hoped someone would. As I looked out of the carriage window for anyone who would help, I saw a barren street. I refused to look at my captor as he climbed in next to me. I let out a small cry as he nuzzled his head into my neck and placed open-mouthed kisses along the length of my throat. This infuriated me beyond words and I abruptly turned my head, hitting his jaw accidentally while doing so. His eyes blazed into mine as we stared at each other.
"You are my wife by law and mine to do what I like by right… Legally, no one can keep me from treating you anyway I like…if you wish me to be merciful toward you, you might consider letting me have my way," he growled fiercely.
"I would rather die…"
"That can be arranged, my sweet…"
I was shocked into silence. I had known he killed my parents, but I didn't truly think he would kill me. After all…I had loved him. My mouth opened slightly in astonishment that he actually would, which turned out to be a mistake. He took my mouth with his forcefully. His tongue thrashed inside my mouth violently and he viciously angled my head with his right hand. I suddenly felt his left grabbing my chest. I yelped but my cry was lost inside his mouth. I broke my mouth away just long enough to speak.
"PLEASE, Christophe…Don't do this!…I…" but I was silenced by his tongue flogging it's way down my throat. He groaned into my mouth huskily but didn't lessen his force. My mouth was sore and my breasts bruised when I finally decided I couldn't take this violation any longer. I bit down hard on his tongue. Blood filled my mouth as he screamed and pulled back. I smiled at my success but by glee didn't last long. He soon had his hand around my throat with an iron grip.
"I TOLD YOU TO LET ME HAVE MY WAY, YOU MEDDLING BITCH! YOU WILL LISTEN TO ME NEXT TIME OR IT WILL BE THE DEVIL TO PAY!"
He let go and turned to look out the window as I gasped for breath. My wheezes didn't calm as easily as I had hoped they would. I felt my head lighten and a darkness take over. How I despised the cruel trick of unconsciousness. I knew that when I awoke this time, I would not find my self in that soft velvet bed I could still see in my mind's eye and I WOULD NOT wake to find love there. Quite the contrary, I may not wake at all. In my last, fleeting moments of consciousness I made a vow to Erik. I will love you until the day I die, and should that come too soon…I will love you for eternity.
