Chapter 29
"Oh, beautiful maiden... Oh, how sweet your face looks,
It's beauty softly kissed by the gentle moonlight.
In you sweet maiden, I see the dreams of love
I have dreamt about forever.
Ah! Love, you alone guide us!"
-Rodolfo and Mimi, "Ah! tu sol comandi, amour! (La Boheme, Act I)
Erik quickly slipped on his clothes and headed downstairs with Julianna. He too was relieved that their untimely guests were finally leaving. Not that he wouldn't miss them, especially the children. He wasn't afraid to admit that he had enjoyed their company, if only for a little while. These people actually treated him like a man; they treated him with respect... even kindness, despite the fact that he was different, he was deformed.
Perhaps it was only because of his fake title, Lord Erik La Vivion. He knew well that power demanded respect. Even as the Phantom of the Opera, he'd had the people's respect, if only a result of their fear of him. Noblemen, on the other hand, only had to use their money to gain power. But not even money could fully buy the respect of the people, only those naive enough to believe their deception.
Yet, somehow Lord Erik had achieved both power and respect with much less effort than the Phantom, and without the sinful acts he was forced to commit. Erik looked at Julianna and held her hand lovingly, as they descended the stairs. But then again, he thought, it could all be because of this amazing woman that chooses to stand by my side through the good times and the bad.
Julianna smiled at him and gave him a quick hug before they reached the bottom of the stairs. She knew he was relieved that William and Elaine were finally leaving, but she also knew that he would greatly miss the two children. It was easy to see that in the short time they'd had together, they'd become very attached.
She felt a warm, tingly feeling in her heart, knowing that Erik would make an amazing father someday. And if things went as she hoped, he would be the father of her children. Suddenly, she realized that she could already be carrying his child. She smiled at the thought, secretly hoping but knowing only time could tell for sure.
As Julianna and Erik stepped into the entrance hall, they found William, Elaine, and the two children, dressed in their traveling clothes and waiting to say goodbye. Elaine ran to Julianna with tears in her eyes. "I'm going to miss you so much, Julianna," she said, giving Julianna a violent hug. "You'll write to me, won't you?"
Julianna returned the hug, much more gently, of course. "I'm going to miss you too, Elaine," she said. "Of course, I'll write to you. You'll have to send me your address first though."
"I will," Elaine said. "I promise." She gave one final embrace to Julianna, and then she turned to Erik. "I'm going to miss you, as well, Erik," she said, giving him a quick kiss on the unmasked side of his face.
Erik's visible cheek reddened slightly, and he look over at William, with a surprised look on his face. William gave Elaine a stern - yet, somehow tender - look, knowing his wife was only trying to be friendly. Then Erik looked at Julianna, who looked like she was trying her hardest not to burst out laughing. Finally, he brought his eyes back to Elaine, who just smiled at him.
Erik smiled back, patting Elaine's arm cautiously. "I'll miss you, too, Elaine," he said, no longer embarassed. He just wasn't used to other women showing that kind of affection to him. No one really had except for Julianna... and Christine. But Christine had only kissed him to save Raoul's life, he reminded himself.
Then, Elaine allowed the children to say goodbye. Lewis and Adora immediately ran to Erik, both giving him affectionate hugs. It seemed amazing to Julianna how much those children adored Erik. Of course, who wouldn't adore Erik? she thought. He's absolutely incredible. Then to Julianna's utter surprise, the children offered hugs to her as well. She wasn't expecting them to show her the same adoration they had for Erik. She'd hardly had the chance to play with them at all. She returned the embrace happily, and for the first time in her life, she truly wanted children of her own.
As the children returned to their mother's side, William approached Julianna, giving her a kiss on the cheek and Erik a friendly pat on the back. "Thank you both for everything," he said. "We couldn't have made it without you." He looked at Julianna. "And thank you, Julianna, for helping Adora when she was sick. If either of you ever need anything, all you have to do is send for us..."
Julianna smiled her appriciation. "Thank you," she said.
William smiled and then looked at Erik. "I've really enjoyed your company, Erik," he said. Suddenly, his eyes open wide, and he looked at Erik's wrists. "What happened?" he asked, seeing the raw marks where Erik had been tied up the previous night.
Erik quickly glanced at his wrists, surprised to find that there were indeed marks left from the ropes. He hadn't even realized. "I... don't know," he mumbled, looking a little flustered.
William smiled a little, giving Erik a knowing look. Elaine hadn't been the only one that heard what went on between Julianna and Erik that night. He vividly remembered all the naughty things his own dear wife used to do to him before they had children. "You're a very lucky man..." William said, in a low voice so that the others couldn't hear. "I do hope we meet again, Erik," he said, shaking Erik's hand.
Erik nodded his head, smiling. He just couldn't get over the first thing William said. I am lucky, Erik thought. More than that, in fact. I'm truly blessed. He looked over at Julianna, who was giving Elaine one last hug. What more could I possibly want? he asked himself.
With that, William, Elaine, Lewis, and Adora headed outside to their new carriage, anxious to be finally going home. Erik put his arms around Julianna's waist, and they stood in the doorway and watched as their guests disappeared into the distance. Julianna leaned her head back on Erik's shoulder, and he let out a little breath of pleasure, kissing the top of her head gently.
"I think I'm actually going to miss them," Julianna said, turning around to face her beautiful Erik.
He smiled lovingly. "I'll miss them too," he said. "But I am glad that we can finally be alone together."
Julianna smiled and gently picked up his hands, carefully examining his wrists. "I really am sorry about this," she said, kissing each of his wrists tenderly. "Does it hurt much?" she asked.
"A little," he said, grinning. "But it was worth it."
"Oh, Erik," she said, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling herself against him. He closed his eyes and held her delicately. She brought her lips to his ear, nibbling gently on his earlobe. "There's something I need to show you, Erik," she whispered, affectionately caressing his cheek.
"Show me?" he asked, confused.
"Yes," she whispered. "Come with me." So, he obediently followed her up the stairs and down the hall... to the music room. He gave her another confused look and opened his mouth to say something, but she just pressed her finger to his lips gently. "Do you trust me?" she asked, tenderly.
"I trust you," he said, giving her a look of complete trust.
She smiled and took his hand, leading him to a chair she'd placed beside her organ. She motioned for him to sit, and he willingly complied. "Close your eyes," she said softly, as she sat down at the organ.
She looked over at him, and he had his eyes closed obediently. Then she put her hand into her pocket and pulled out the neatly folded sheets of paper she'd taken from the depths of Erik's old home. She slowly unfolded them, running her fingers over the black ink at the top of the first page. Don Juan Triumphant it read in Erik's exquisite handwriting.
She propped up the music sheets on the organ, and silently wondered if she was skilled enough to play Erik's intricate composition. She ran her hands over the beautiful, ivory keys of the organ and ganced back at Erik, eyes still closed and face holding a look of nervous anticipation. She smiled and expertly began to play the first few lines of the opera.
Erik gasped but kept his eyes shut tightly, not quite sure he was hearing what he thought he was. How could she possibly know that? he wondered. After a few seconds though, he knew it could only be true... it was his song she was playing.
He opened his eyes in shocked surprise, mouth suddenly very dry. "Where did you get this?" he demanded, almost angrily, as he spied the sheets of music at the organ. The second he asked the question, he knew exactly what the answer was. He knew she'd taken something from his old home. He just didn't know what... until now.
"Under the Opera Populaire," she said gently. "I wanted to surprise you with it."
His angry demeanor instantly vanished. He smiled, relieved that his greatest work hadn't been destroyed. "I can't believe it didn't burn," he said, excitedly. "I worked on this for so many years..."
"Erik..." she whispered, softly. She didn't know how to ask what she wanted without it sounding strange. She loved Erik so much, and her heart was warm, knowing that he loved her as well. "Will you be my Don Juan?" she asked, timidly.
"What?" he whispered, voice so low that it was almost inaudible. His mind was spinning. Be her Don Juan? God, he would be her anything. But did she mean for him to be Don Juan for her instead of Christine? Oh God, was she jealous? Then one thought came to his mind clearly. Did she wan't him to sing?
"Sing it with me," she said, confirming his thoughts. "I've never had the pleasure of hearing you sing, Erik." She sighed, afraid to look at his face. "I know my voice doesn't even compare to Christine's but... please."
"You have a beautiful voice, my love," he said, tenderly. "Of course, I'll sing it with you. I'd do anything for you."
Julianna smiled and looked up at him, surprised to find his eyes sparkling with love. They both took a deep breath, and she began playing again from where she left off. In a few short moments, Erik began singing.
"You have come here
in pursuit of
your deepest urge,
in pursuit of
that wish,
which til now
has been silent,
silent..."
Julianna gasped but continued to play. His voice really was as amazing as Christine had told her. It was truly beautiful. There weren't even words to describe it. He sang with such depth, such feeling. This beautiful creature, this incredible man sang like an angel. It's no wonder Christine thought him to be one. If Julianna didn't have physical proof that he was only a man, she too would have thought he was an angel.
"I have brought you
that our passions
may fuse and merge-
in your mind
you've already
succumbed to me
dropped all defenses
completely succumbed to me-
now you are here with me
no second thoughts,
you've decided,
decided...
"Past the point
of no return-
no backward glances
the games we've played
til now are at
an end...
Past all thought
of "if" or "when"-
no use resisting
abandon thought,
and let the dream
descend...
"What raging fire
shall flood the soul?
What rich desire
unlocks it's door?
What sweet seduction
lies before
us...?"
Julianna shivered at his beautiful voice, much less the seductive words of the song. So this is how he would seduce Christine, Julianna decided, feeling her own intense desire growing stronger with every word he sang. She knew that she was at his mercy, and she could only give in to him. His voice is a powerful, even dangerous weapon. So beautiful...
"Past the point
of no return,
the final threshold-
what warm,
unspoken secrets
will we learn?
Beyond the point
of no return..."
Julianna swallowed hard, knowing that now it was her turn to sing. She only hoped her pitiful impersonation of an opera singer would be good enough to please Erik. She looked at him, and then slowly began to sing the part of Aminta.
"You have brought me
to that moment
where words run dry,
to that moment
where speech
disappears
into silence,
silence..."
She glanced at Erik, who nodded his head in approval, smiling widely. With a little training, she could become an excellent singer of opera, he thought. She does have a beautiful voice.
"I have come here
hardly knowing
the reason why...
In my mind,
I've already
imagined our
bodies entwining
defenseless and silent-
and now I am
here with you
no second thoughts
I've decided,
decided...
"Past the point
of no return
no going back now
our passion-play
has now, at last
begun...
Past all thought
of right or wrong-
one final question:
how long should we
two wait, before
we're one...?"
Erik took a deep breath and swallowed hard, trying to ignore his now throbbing erection. Not even Christine's singing could have made him feel so much. Erik could hear Julianna's own desire in her voice, and that made him want her even more.
"When will the blood
begin to race?
The sleeping bud
burst into bloom?
When will the flames,
at last, consume
us...?"
Erik took another deep breath, and then began to sing with her.
"Past the point
of no return
the final threshold-
the bridge
is crossed, so stand
and watch it burn...
We've passed the point
of no return..."
As the song ended, Erik got up from his chair and sat down beside Julianna on the bench. Though they were barely touching, they both felt a burning fire of passion, threatening to explode. Erik tenderly took her hand in his own and began to sing once again... this time, without the accompanyment of the organ.
"Say you'll share
with me one
love, one lifetime...
Lead me, save me
from my solitude...
Say you want me
with you, here-"
Julianna pressed her finger to his lips to silence him, and then she replaced her finger with her own lips, kissing him passionately. When they broke apart, she gently caressed his cheek, then slowly pulled off his mask, flinging it to the floor. "Erik, you do not have to beg for me..." she said, tenderly. "Not like you had to for her..." Julianna kissed the corner of his mouth, causing him to shiver. "You know I want you. You know I love you... and I hope you know that I always will."
He sighed. "I wanted so badly for her to love me, to want me," he said quietly. "I wanted her to feel the same way I felt about her. But I suppose her leaving me that dreadful night was just God's way of letting me find you. It hurt so much," he said, caressing Julianna cheek gently. "But it was all worth it. I would gladly do it again, just to be with you forever."
"My beautiful Erik..." Julianna breathed, kissing him again. "She doesn't deserve a man as amazing as you..." She sighed. "And neither do I."
Erik shook his head in disbelief. "You know, I'm really not all that you say I am," he said. "I'm most certainly not beautiful..."
"You are to me," she said, pulling him into her arms. "Other people may not agree, but to hell with them. Do you honestly care what they think? They are beneath you..."
"As long as you are here with me, I don't have to care what they think," he said. "Because I don't even know they're there. All I see is you. Promise me you'll never leave me."
"I promise," she said, gently massaging his back. "I could never leave you, Erik. I love you."
"I love you," he said, kissing her cheek tenderly. How ever did I find such an amazing woman? he asked himself. William was right... I am a very lucky man. I don't know what I would do without this beautiful woman here beside me.
Julianna smiled and kissed his neck. "Thank you for singing with me," she whispered. "You have a beautiful voice. You know, the whole time you were singing, I wanted you so bad." She sucked gently on the tender flesh of his neck. "I still do..."
Well, there's Chapter 29. I'm so sorry it took so long. Our old computer broke. It got struck by lightning or something. That's just my luck. Anyway, now I'm using this crappy old computer until we get a new one built for us. This thing doesn't even have Microsoft Word, so I'm sorry if there's any spelling/grammar mistakes. We should have our new computer in a couple of weeks though, so I'm happy about that. I hope you enjoyed that chapter. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE REVIEW: )