XX
"Have you gorged yourself at last in your lust for blood?" she demanded, "am I now to be prey to your lust for flesh?"
"That fate which condemns me to wallow in blood, has also denied me the joys of the flesh," he replied, absently stroking a strand of her hair, "this face-the infection which poisons our love…"
He paused there and took the bridal veil from the mannequin's head, "This face which earned a mother's fear and loathing…a mask, my first unfeeling scrap of clothing, he sang darkly, then placed the veil roughly on her head, "pity comes too late-turn around and face your fate: an eternity of this," he snarled, pointing at his face, "before your eyes!"
Christine shook her head and moved away, pulling the veil off and putting it down. He still didn't understand, so she slowly drew the cover from the closest mirror, "This haunted face hold no horror for me now…its in your soul that the true distortion lies."
There was a moment of stunned silence, in which he considered her words. Then his eyes trailed towards the portcullis that barred entrance to his home. Standing there was Raoul, and a cruel smile formed on his lips.
"Wait! I think, my dear, we have a guest! Sir-"
"Raoul!"
"This is indeed, an unparalleled delight!" he continued, giving a mock bow and moving towards Christine, "I had rather hoped that you would come. And now, my wish comes true-you have truly made my night!" he laughed, putting his arm around Christine.
"let me go!" she said, pushing at him.
Raoul flung himself at the bars, "Free her! Do what you like, only free her! Have you no pity?"
Erik rolled his eyes and turned to Christine, "Your lover makes a passionate plea."
"Please Raoul it's useless," she said sadly, not wanting any more trouble.
"I love her!" he continued desperately, "does that mean nothing? I love her! Show some compassion…"
"The world showed no compassion to me!" he replied viciously.
"Christine…Christine," he said, seeming to calm slightly, "at least let me see her."
"Be my guest, sir," Erik replied mockingly, pulling down a lever which caused the gate to rise.
Raoul stumbled through, pausing when he saw him moving towards him.
"Monsieur, I bid you welcome! Did you think that I would harm her? Why would I make her pay for the sins which are yours?" he snarled,.
Like lightning the Punjab lasso shot through the air, capturing a confused Raoul as he looked back at the closing gate. Before he had a chance to move Erik pinned him against the wall and wrenched one of his hands up, while pushing the other down.
"Order your fine horses now! Raise up your hand to the level of your eyes!" he snarled, tying him to the gate, "nothing can save you now, except perhaps-Christine-Start a new life with me-buy his freedom with your love! Refuse me and you send your lover to his death! This is the choice-this is the point of no return!"
Christine stared at him, bewilderment and anger in her eyes, "The tears I might have shed for your dark fate grow cold and turn to tears of hate!"
"Christine, forgive me, please forgive me…I did it all for you…and all for nothing," Raoul cried.
Christine watched as the Phantom moved past her, but seemed to be talking to herself, "Farewell my fallen idol and false friend…we had such hopes, and now those hopes are shattered…"
"Too late for turning back," Erik snarled, snatching up a lasso from the table "too late for prayers and useless pity…all hope of cries for help: no point in fighting…for either way you choose, you cannot win!"
He slipped the noose over Raoul's neck and tightened it before looping it through one of the holes above, then he started towards Christine again, tugging the rope menacingly.
"So do you end your days with me, or do you send him to his grave?" with that he pulled hard on the rope.
"Why make her lie to you to save me?" Raoul choked, taking a strangled breath of air.
"Angel of music, who deserves this? Christine asked, "why do you curse mercy?
"For pity's sake," Raoul cried, "say no, Christine. Don't throw your life away for my sake.
"Past the point of no return, the final threshold…his life is now the prize which you must ear!"
"I fought so hard to free you," Raoul said, more to himself than anyone else.
"You've passed the point of no return…"
"Angel of music…you deceived me," Christine said sadly, "I gave you my mind blindly. Why are you doing this?"
"You try my patience," he snarled, pulling hard on the rope and causing Raoul to choke, "make your choice!"
Christine turned to look at Raoul, whose breathing was by now becoming laboured with the pressure of the rope on his throat. Then she looked back at the Phantom, once her angel.
"Pitiful creature of darkness…what kind of life have you known?" she asked, slipping the ring onto her finger and moving towards him, "God give me courage to show you you are not alone!"
She approached him slowly and kissed him full on the lips. It lasted barely a moment, and she pulled back, tears streaming down her cheeks. She could tell by his reaction that he was stunned. Then he leaned in again, and she followed, catching him in another kiss, this one long, deep and passionate. A true lover's kiss.
They pulled apart and looked each other straight in the eyes. For a moment Christine thought she saw a smile flicker across his features, she knew there was a small one on her lips, but then he began to cry, as if overwhelmed and devastated by her actions.
Erik couldn't believe Christine's gesture, one of sacrifice and at the same time commitment. It was too much for him to bear, so he turned away, the rope already out of his grasp and the young man's throat freed from it's vicious grip. He could hear the mob approaching, chanting as they tried to find his home.
"Take her," he said roughly, "forget me-forget all of this…leave me alone-forget all you've seen. Go now-don't let them find you! Take the boat-swear to me never to tell the secret you know and the angel in hell-go…" when they didn't move he shouted it, "go now…go now and leave me!"
Christine hurried over to Raoul and started to untie him. Once he was free she wrapped her arms around his shoulders. He was still breathing hard, and the wound on his shoulder had reopened. But other than that he seemed to be fine, if not exhausted.
"We have to go," he panted, making his way over to the boat, "where's the pole?"
"I don't know," Christine replied, "against the wall, over there, I think."
Raoul moved to get it, but Christine made it there first. Carefully she lifted it, and carried it over to him. Raoul nodded his head and climbed into the boat. The phantom had disappeared into one of his rooms.
"Here, I'll help you in," he said, climbing in first.
Christine didn't hear him, she was staring at the ring that now adorned her finger. It didn't seem right, all of a sudden, to leave him alone in the darkness. Maybe it was foolish, or maybe it was just confusion, but that kiss, it had seemed to make her realize something.
"Christine!"
"What?" she gasped, "oh, in a minute…I have to do something first."
"There isn't time," Raoul said, "the theatre is on fire above us."
"Just wait!" she said, moving towards the bedroom, "please…"
Christine entered the room to see him sitting by the bed, staring at the little monkey music box, and singing along with it. She didn't know why, but the way he sang the song made it sound sad, and it brought tears to her eyes.
"Masquerade…paper faces on parade…masquerade…hide your face, so the world will never find you…"
He turned to her then, standing in the door. He seemed so helpless, and there was a terrible longing in his eyes. Christine took a step forward and started to twist the ring from her finger.
"Christine, I love you…" he whispered.
A moment of hesitation seemed to bring hope to his eyes, and a new wave of tears to hers. Then he saw her hand as she removed the ring, and that hope seemed to die. Very carefully she removed the ring and held it out to him. When he opened his hand she placed it in it, and then gently closed the fingers.
"For you," she whispered, her voice barely audible to ever her own ears. Then she turned and left, glancing back before she left.
"We can go," she murmured, climbing into the boat behind Raoul. He immediately began to row, though he seemed thoroughly exhausted by now.
"Say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime…"
"Say the word, and I will follow you…"
Erik stared at the ring for a moment before hearing her voice drift towards him again. He got up slowly and stepped to the entrance of the bedroom, and watched as she was rowed away by the boy. As she sang though, she was looking back at him.
"Share each day with me…each night…each morning," she didn't turn away, it was almost as if she was singing for him.
"You alone can make my song take flight-it's over now, the music of the night!" he cried, picking up a candle stick and smashing the nearest mirror.
He continued around, smashing each mirror in turn, until he came to one hidden behind a heavy velvet curtain. He pushed the curtain out of the way before driving the stick into the glass. It took three tries before it broke through, and the glass fell away, revealing the passage behind it. With a final look back at the lair he dropped the candlestick and stepped through, allowing the curtain to fall behind him, hiding the passage from view.
Christine winced when she heard his cry, followed by breaking glass, but Raoul only rowed harder. Somewhere ahead a mob could be heard, and they wanted to avoid it. So they pushed forward, and towards one of the many hidden exits, Christine trusted that Raoul knew where he was going.
A/N: Whew! That was a bit of a challenge there. Why do they ahve to talk do much, so fast, adn all at the same time?I ask you.Honestly! Well, that was it, the last official chapter. There will, however, be an epilogue a little later tonight. So, tell me what you thought. Did I butcher it terribly?