Here's the next chapter... lots of Erik and Christine goodness for you to enjoy!

Chapter 16

For a long time I just stood there, leaning back against Erik's body and feeling him near me, surrounding me. His fingers lifted from the keys of the piano and slipped around me, holding me gently to him. I couldn't withhold another soft sound to express the strange and wonderful pleasure his embrace was evoking inside me.

Eventually his arms moved to my waist and he gently turned me around to face him. I was still half dazed by what was happening… not entirely certain if this was real life or just an extremely vivid dream. I stared up at him through a strange euphoric haze, feeling almost drugged with emotions and experiences. His fingers traced little patterns against my cheek as he looked down at me and smiled in return.

"So this is home?" I asked quietly, half teasing him.

The smile on his exposed mouth broadened slightly. "Yes."

"It's beautiful," I said, aware of the absurdity of the conversation we were having. It wasn't as though I was standing outside, admiring some great mansion. But it was true… it was beautiful. For an abandoned church in Rome's catacombs, this place seemed to echo an era long since past. It was like I had walked through a time warp into some place that existed centuries ago... I looked down at my clothes and had to contain a laugh at how out of place I was in my pyjama bottoms and vest top. "It's so Gothic," I said, glancing around the large chamber again and half expecting to see stone carvings of angels and gargoyles, but there were none visible, although I could see some mounds of stone covered in large cloths that may well have been statues.

Erik nodded, but kept his gaze fixed on my face. "Yes… I've always found such things strangely appealing."

Yes… I imagined it would appeal to his particular taste. The dark and brooding shadow that hung over that period in time, it seemed in keeping with Erik's own mysterious character.

"I'd never think something like this existed down here."

He nodded again. "That was what I had in mind," he said with a mixture of irony and sullenness.

I stared at him… wondering about the meaning of his words. "You actually made this place?" I asked, sceptically.

"'Made'… not exactly. It has been here for a long time… I simply restored it. It wasn't exactly an ideal dwelling at first."

I could well imagine. This place could well be centuries old, for all I knew. It couldn't be healthy to live down here. And yet I felt perfectly at home. Apart from the lack of windows it was hard for me to remember that we weren't in a church somewhere aboveground. Even the air down here felt good. What would it have taken to make this place look so magnificent and feel so comfortable?

"A bit of a fixer-upper?" I said with a wry smile, one that Erik took with a lot more good humour than I might have expected. In fact, he smiled in return, which gave me a wonderful lift inside. It was good to know that I could tease him now without fear of provoking his anger.

"You could say that a little vision was required," he agreed, then looked around him, thinking to himself. "But it was ideal for me. Down here there are no disturbances… no visitors." He smiled warmly as he looked down at me. "Up until now, at least."

Blushing, I lowered my head, only to receive a light kiss on my brow from Erik. In a way, I felt honoured to be here now, especially knowing that he wasn't exactly the kind of person who liked visitors. Even if he hadn't said so himself, it was plain to see that the whole purpose of this domain was to be alone. Down here, in his underground home, Erik seemed to have created an entire world only for himself… to conceal himself from everything that lay above the surface. It was so sad to think that he lived here alone… so far away from the rest of humanity. What kind of person felt the need to go to such lengths?

Something must have shown on my face, because Erik grasped my chin in his fingers and gently but firmly forced my head back up to look at him. He was very serious now… but I could still feel the warmth of his concern.

"What's the matter?"

It would be useless to avoid answering, or worse lie to him. He would know. Deciding it would be best to simply tell him exactly what it was that I was thinking I gazed up at him and directly into his worried grey-blue eyes.

"How long have you lived down here?"

At the question he gave a tiny, almost imperceptible shrug, but I caught the look in his eyes… the pained look that he seemed so desperate to conceal… a hint that maybe this life he led was not what he wanted at all.

"A long time," was his only answer, and it only made me feel worse for him. I stared up at him, aware that suddenly he was uncomfortable… less sure of himself than usual. He seemed to want to go on, but hesitated. "I've… always preferred solitude."

I couldn't help but wonder why. This was so much more than solitude. It was more like a prison sentence… one that I didn't understand and couldn't help questioning.

"Why?"

The instant the question was out of my mouth I felt the change in the air. Up until that moment the chamber had felt pleasantly warm, no doubt from the presence of all the candles around us. But now it was as though the warmth had been sucked out of the air… as though Erik were so attuned to this place in which he lived that he controlled the atmosphere within it… that it somehow reflected his mood. His eyes glared coldly about him, steely grey and frightening. If my back hadn't been pressed against the piano I probably would have taken a few steps away from him.

"A lack of any other choice," he said, his voice as chilly as the air. He pulled away from me, his arms slipping from my waist, tense and stiff with angry bitterness. I bit my lip, knowing I had made a mistake and wondering desperately how to rectify it.

"Sorry," I murmured, hoping an apology would have some effect.

It didn't.

"Why should you be?" Erik snapped irritably. "It's hardly your fault."

A tiny thought at the back of my head said "then why are you getting angry with me?" but I knew he was angry at the world in general, not at me in particular. I wish I had some idea why, but he was in no mood to share anything now. It was a good thing his back was now turned to me, because I wouldn't have liked him to see the expression of nervousness on my face. I was never sure what to do when he was this way… and this black mood seemed worse than any other before now. I hated that it was so easy to make him angry… yet so difficult to make him his normal self again… but there had to be something I could do.

Tentatively, I took a step closer to the black shape. It was like edging closer to a wild animal that might turn around and attack if one wrong move was made. With infinite care I reached out and placed a hand against Erik's back. He barely made a move… just a slight stiffening of the muscles along his spine. When he didn't turn and strike my hand away, I placed my other hand against him, twisting my fingers around the fabric of his coat, almost massaging his back. Gradually I felt some of the tension lessen, and smiled, even as I acknowledged with a hint of revulsion the feel of the protruding bones of his ribcage and spine through his skin. But it didn't completely disgust me to feel these things… it was more worrying than anything else. I didn't understand how anyone could care so little about their own health to let themselves get to this stage… to the point where they were little more than a skeleton.

This thought disturbed and upset me so much that I stepped right up behind Erik and pressed my face into the deep groove between his shoulder blades, nuzzling into him like a little cat seeking attention. I wondered if he had his eyes closed… if he was savouring this experience… if he was smiling. I wanted to say something that would bring him back to me, but nothing came to mind that didn't sound horribly cliché and melodramatic.

So I just held myself against him, slipping my arms around so they completely encircled his waist and clasping my hands against his stomach. My heart was thumping almost painfully inside my chest, hoping desperately for a reaction of some kind, but Erik still didn't move or speak, until I couldn't stand it any longer and spoke his name very quietly.

"Erik?"

Still nothing. Even an angry dismissal would have been better than this cold, emotionless front he had put up. It was if he was dead… the only thing to indicate otherwise was the fact that he was still standing and I could feel his breathing coming slowly and steadily.

I couldn't bear it a second longer. I released my grip and came round so I could see him face to face. Or, nearly face to face. I had no idea what expression he hid behind that mask now, and even his eyes were no clue, because he had shut them tight. All I could gather was that, inside him, some painful battle was being fought… his mouth set in a thin, hard line. He was so caught up in his thoughts he didn't even appear to notice that I was standing there in front of him.

My lips pressed together and then I nervously ran my tongue over them, preparing myself for something. Slowly I allowed myself to take that final step, so I was right up against him, my hands now on his chest. Now his eyes did open, finally registering my presence, and I tried to smile bravely for him, even when I saw that there was no emotion in those eyes. Then, instinctively and because I couldn't see any other way out of this stalemate, I raised myself up on the tips of my toes and pressed my mouth against his. He was so tall, and I had to stretch up so far that I nearly lost my balance and practically fell against him, but he stayed upright, supporting me, and I remained, kissing him… but feeling nothing in return.

Then, miraculously, I felt a softening around his mouth, and then the sweet sensation of his hands on my bare arms, daring to bring me that little bit closer to him. Something had broken through, and I felt an unusual sense of triumph at having brought him back from whatever dark place he had retreated to inside his own mind.

The passion grew… intensified, until I thought I would drown in it like a swimmer lost at sea. Erik's hands slipped up from my arms, tracing along my shoulders and neck, leaving shivers across my skin so cold they were burning. Until finally he held my face, his palms against my cheeks and his fingers curling into my hair and round the back of my head, pressing against the scalp as if he couldn't kiss me deep enough any other way. His heart was throbbing under my fingers, but I wanted my body against his.

Deftly, I tried to slip my arms up and around his neck, so I could press myself more fully against him, even entwine my fingers in his black hair. I felt bold enough to do so now. But just as my hands slid over his collarbone I felt a sudden panic seize him, his entire body tensing up. But this time he controlled it, and steadily took one of his hands from my face, using it to clasp both of mine, immobilising them.

His mouth had never left mine even as he did this, but my confusion briefly eclipsed my passion. It was the second time he had refused to allow my arms to go around his neck. What was he so afraid of? Didn't he trust me? And if so, then why not? Had I ever done anything to make him distrust me? I certainly couldn't think of any instance when I had.

Whatever it was, I soon lost my train of thought as Erik's kisses began to flow over my cheeks, down the curve of my jaw and then down my neck. My head tilted back to allow more room for him to kiss my throat and I sighed as his lips travelled further and further down until I felt their cold touch on my collarbone. In spite of myself I broke into a little giggle. It was so inappropriate, given the seriousness of the moment, but his mouth was so light it was like someone brushing a feather against my skin. When he pulled back, staring at me to see what exactly I found so funny, I flushed.

"Sorry… it tickled," I murmured. I very nearly let out another giggle, but it was arrested by the look in Erik's eyes. He was not smiling, but he didn't look angry either. Just deadly serious… and I felt a worried lump rise in my throat. But he didn't say anything… he only pulled me to him again and kissed me… only now it was so fierce and heated it almost hurt. I could feel my lips swelling from the pressure of his mouth until I had to pull away, breathless and, in a way, frightened.

"Sorry," I said again, as if it was my fault. Managing to tug one hand free from the iron grip he held over them, I began raising it to my mouth to touch my swollen lips, but stopped when I saw just how white the fingers had gone… starved of blood by Erik's grip. I'd been so caught up in the passion of his kisses I hadn't noticed the numb tingling there.

Erik seemed to notice it for the first time too, because he lessened his grip on my other hand and began to knead it gently, massaging the blood back into it.

"I should probably go back," I went on, not knowing the exact time but aware that it was late and, if I stayed with Erik much longer, I would probably end up spending the night. And as much as the idea excited me, I knew it was too soon for such a thing. After all, I had spent two months with Richard and in that much time I hadn't come even close to the amount of passion I felt for Erik now. I suppose it should have frightened me, feeling so much so soon.

At the opening into the basement, I stood on one side, and Erik on the other. For so many reasons I didn't want to leave him, but I knew I had to tonight. All I could hope was that he understood… that he wouldn't think of this as me backing away.

I squeezed his hand tightly.

"I'll see you soon, right?"

I put as much hopefulness into the question as possible, wanting Erik to know that I did want to see him again, more than anything. So it was a relief when I saw a small smile flicker across his mouth, and he nodded slowly from his place in the darkness.

"Of course," he whispered, raising my hand up to his mouth and, gripping the fingers tightly, placed a soft, lingering kiss there. I couldn't contain a shiver at the feel of his cold lips, but I smiled through it, letting it course through my body with a delightful trembling that remained inside me long after we said 'goodnight'. Even as I went up the stairs I still felt his kisses all over my face and neck. I climbed into bed with an eerie feeling that I wanted more from Erik… more of his touch, more of everything.

Another shudder went up through my body so that I squirmed restlessly and turned on my side to face the wall, pressing my forehead against it as if it would help cool me down… calm me down. I felt so strange… as if I no longer had complete control of myself. Things had been out of my hands enough recently, why couldn't I at least get things sorted out in my head?

It took a long time for me to get settled enough in my body and in my mind to sleep. And even then my dreams were filled with vivid images that had me constantly waking up breathless and trembling. It was like a dream when you're falling… only this was a fall unlike any I could ever have imagined.

Finally I was starting to come to terms with the fact that, for the first time in my life, I was falling in love.

I hope people are enjoying Erik. Up until now the focus has been mainly on Christine and her problems. This chapter... and probably the next few, will be more about Erik as seen through Christine's eyes. We've seen his dangerous side... now I'm hoping to open him up a little, because, as we can see, he is opening up to Christine slowly. If someone thinks it's not working, or it could be handled better, then please god tell me... I want to get it right. You guys have been great so far... keep up with your reviews. You know how much they help.