Chapter 14

"Sometimes I remember the darkness of my past

Bringing back those memories I wish I didn't have

Sometimes I think of letting go and never looking back

And never moving forward so there'd never be a past."

-Linkin Park, "Easier To Run"

Back at La Maison La Vivion (Julianna's house)

The moment Erik stepped into Julianna's beautiful house, he was in love … with the house, that it. It was delightfully haunting, as much on the inside as on the outside. There was magnificent antique furniture and statues and sculptures from countries all around the world. And the biggest chandelier he had ever seen, aside from the one at the Opera House.

Even with the electric lighting and the many candles that Julianna lit throughout the house, it still seemed gloomy and dark. But Erik found that rather appealing, actually. This was the perfect house for someone like him, who hid in the shadows. Someone who was known as a Phantom. He decided he liked this house. A lot.

Julianna observed Erik for a while, allowing him time to take in the splendor of her home. "Erik…" she said, after a few minutes. "Let me show you your room."

He nodded and allowed her to take hold of his arm and lead him to the room she picked for him. Though the house appeared to be much bigger, it actually only had three floors, plus a basement and attic. But the ceilings were high, probably twenty feet or more in the parts of the house that Erik had observed.

Julianna led Erik up an exquisite staircase, and then down a long, mesmerizing hallway. After much walking, they finally arrived at the door to Erik's room. "Well, here it is," she said, opening the door.

Erik looked around, stunned, at the beautiful room before him. It suited him perfectly. How had she known? Perhaps she was much more perceptive than he at first thought. He'd hardly told her anything about his life. Yet she knew that he would fall in love with this room. He silently cursed himself for being so vulnerable, and then silently thanked her for being so observant of him.

The walls were a deep shade of red, resembling the color of blood. And they were decorated with beautiful paintings that must have been originals, worth thousands. The bed was absolutely huge, brilliantly handcrafted from the finest mahogany, with exotic and intricate carvings. The comforter was the same color as the walls, with little jewels adorning the edges. A simple, yet very striking addition to the grandeur of the room. The many pillows that ornamented the bed had the same design as the comforter, and underneath, the sheets were a lighter shade of the blood red color. A bed truly fit for a king.

Erik stepped further into the room, with a little push of encouragement from Julianna. He immediately noticed a breathtaking organ in the corner of his huge room, and he was immediately drawn to it. He had to resist the urge to touch it, much less play it.

"Do you like it?" Julianna asked.

He didn't know whether she meant the room or the organ, but he was greatly pleased with both, so he answered, "Yes very much."

"Good," she said, leading him to the closet. She opened the door to reveal a wide arrangement of men's clothing, both formal and informal. "You can have them," she said, nodding toward the clothes. "They should fit you fine. They used to belong to …" She shook her head at the memory of her former lover, long dead. "Well, that doesn't matter. Anyway, he was about the same size as you, maybe a little shorter, but they should fit you well all the same."

Erik couldn't help but wonder who this man was that she spoke of – rather didn't speak of. Obviously, not her father. She'd easily spoken of him before. Perhaps, a brother or maybe an old lover, he thought, admiring the fine quality of the clothing. "Thank you," he said, smiling.

She smiled back at him and led him to yet another door inside his room. "This is your bathroom," she said, opening the door. "Everything you need should be in there. If not, all you have to do is tell me."

"Yes, of course," he said. "Thank you, once again. This is all so divine. I've never lived in a home so magnificent."

"You'll get used to it after a while," Julianna said. "Well, I'm going to go make dinner. Why don't you get cleaned up, put on something nice, and meet me downstairs in an hour."

"Of course," Erik said. "One hour it is then." He quickly kissed her lightly on the cheek, and then held his breath, not knowing how she would react. Why did I do that? he thought to himself. She doesn't want you. No one could ever want you, he told himself. To his great relief though, she smiled warmly and cupped his face tenderly in her hand.

Neither of them moved, for fear of ruining that perfect moment. Erik shivered slightly. The warm feeling of her hand on his flesh was intoxicating. He was tempted to return the touch, but he felt he had no right. Of course, he didn't really have any right to kiss her either. Such beauty shouldn't be touched by a monster like him.

That exact moment, Julianna saw all of the longing and loneliness in his eyes, and her heart went out to him. How could a creature so beautiful harbor so much pain? She longed to ease his pain, to fight away the demons that tortured his soul. But she couldn't. All she could do was show him that someone cared. That she cared.

She pulled him into a tight embrace, hoping her warmth would wash away his pain. She saw the look of shock on his face as she held him, and then felt his body become tense. At this, she let her hands skillfully massage his back, helping him to relax.

He let out a soft moan of pleasure, and the breath of air that he didn't realize he'd been holding. The very second she touched him, he felt his loneliness and pain dissipate, and was replaced by a blazing fire of bliss. He hesitantly let his strong arms embrace her small form, completing their hug. He tried to be as gentle as he possibly could, not wanting to scare this beautiful angel away.

He didn't know what to do, except continue to hold her and try to breathe. He couldn't think clearly. All he knew was that this woman had seen beneath his mask, seen his gruesome visage, and yet she still held him, unafraid and not the least bit appalled. Suddenly he thought of Christine. He still loved her, yes, but even through his love for her, he longed for companionship, someone to burn away the cold loneliness of his life.

Julianna felt his heartbeat quicken and his breathing become ragged, and she knew hers had probably done the same. If it weren't for Christine, she would have used other methods for helping Erik relax, but she knew she couldn't. She was a woman of her word. She wouldn't let Christine down. She couldn't. Not after living with the memory of all the people she'd let down in her life. For once, she was going to do something for someone else, not herself.

She slowly pulled away from Erik, hoping he wouldn't think she was rejecting him or that she didn't want him. To her horror, she saw the pain in his eyes return. She had to do something. She couldn't bear to see her beautiful Erik in such pain.

Without thinking, she pressed a hard, fierce kiss to his soft, inviting lips. She closed her eyes at the incredible feeling of his lips on hers. Pure ecstasy. After a few moments of their passionate kiss, she suddenly realized her mistake. What am I doing? she asked herself, slowly removing her mouth from his, breaking their violent kiss.

"I'm sorry," she said, backing away from him a little. Being close to him was too tempting. He was just so incredibly beautiful. She would have given him the world that moment, if he'd asked. She would have given him anything he desired. "Je suis désolée. I shouldn't have."

"Quite alright," he said, huskily, desperately trying to regain his composure.

A smile formed on her lips as she gazed into his captivating, blue eyes. "I'll see you in an hour then…" she said, squeezing his hand, gently. She turned and walked out the room, closing the door with unintentional forcefulness, leaving a very stunned Erik alone in his room. God, what have I got myself into this time, she thought, the heavenly taste of Erik still lingering on her lips, and his blissful scent clinging to her clothes. Her heart pounded heavily and her body ached for him, for his gentle touch. What am I going to do? she asked herself, desperately.

There's Chapter 14. Wow. Two chapters in one night. LOL. Oh my dear God, it's really late. LOL. Anyway, hope you liked the chapter. PLEASE REVIEW.