Disclaimer: I own zilch. No POTO. No songs by The Corrs. Zilch. Thanks for the fabulous reviews. :) I love dedicated readers.
Where Angels
Christine
Erik smiled sidelong at her and set his fingers to the keys. "Only if you sing to it as well. Quid pro quo, as the Romans would say."
She smiled. "Fair enough." And, under the moonlight, the sound of city traffic faded away under a strange new melody, dark and tender.
"Nighttime sharpens
heightens each sensation
Darkness stirs and wakes
imagination
Silently the senses
abandon their defenses"
Her eyes were on him, his were immersed in some uncharted world, distant and dreaming. The side presented to her, the unmasked side, was vibrantly alive, music seeping through the luminescent eyes, skin glowing under the moonlight, an aura of misty light around him. Christine almost expected him to fade away and leave only the linger of his caressing voice. In that moment, Erik was something more than mortal. A part of something ageless, infinitely powerful. A rush of energy coursed between them, almost tangible. She had never felt so absorbed, so joined, with another's psyche.
"Slowly, gently night unfurls
its splendor
Grasp it, sense it,
tremulous and tender
Turn your face away
from garish light of day
Turn you thoughts away from
cold, unfeeling light
and listen to the music of the night"
She felt a tear make its lone way down her cheek. What she cried for, she could not name. It was less than thought, and more. It was the emotions so deep that none had yet dared to define them. His eyes were closed, he almost smiled. Erik's face was serene, one with the music and the night.
"Close your eyes and
surrender to your darkest dreams
Purge your thoughts of the life
you knew before
Close your eyes,
let your spirit start to soar"
His eyes flew open, blazing like an oriflamme in the darkness. His head turned toward hers, or hers toward his. The intensity in the brilliant eyes, like watching the birth of a supernova, eclipsed the watery light that entered through the glass. The last note seemed to echo around the chamber, inhuman. Her blood raced as his voice lowered, nearly whispering the next words.
"And you ll live
as you've never lived before"
His voice dropped, gently for a moment. He seemed lost in thought. Was it regret in his voice? Longing? The blue eyes were upon her, with a message to be read. If only she dared to learn to speak the language once again.
"Softly, deftly,
music shall caress you
Hear it, feel it,
secretly posses you"
The world had ceased to be. Outside of this room, there was nothing. No death, no life. Only the music. Only them. She felt the faint strains of seduction in the music, was swept up in the intoxication. How long had it been since she had let herself feel this way?
Far too long.
"Open up your mind,
let your fantasies unwind
in this darkness that you know
you cannot fight
The darkness of the music of the night"
She sensed something new in his voice. In hers. Intuition told her that change was coming. Beyond these words, beyond this music, they were changing. Something different was being forged with every note, every glance, every moment that passed. The connection was growing stronger, spun like silk under the moonlight. The music swelled around them. A rebirth.
"Let your mind
start a journey through a
strange new world,
leave all thoughts of the life
you knew before,
Let your soul take you where
you long to be"
Her breathing quickened. A power unknown to her had entered their combined voices in the crescendo of the song. Raw emotion washed over her, something overwhelming and almost frightening. It hypnotized her, transfixed her. She looked into Erik's eyes, saw the emotion spilling over as it never had before. It was fierce, untamed, unexplored. It was the promise that would bind soul to soul, a dare to step into worlds unexplored. Then it softened, with a soul-shuddering sweetness.
"Only then can you belong
to me"
His hand strayed to her hair, lingering. She covered it with her own. His eyes were on her and her alone. They sang not for fame, or fortune. They sang for each other. For the feelings running rampant between them. The music had become a crucible, forging them.
"Floating, falling,
sweet intoxication
Touch me, trust me,
savor each sensation
Let the dream begin,
let your darker side give in
to the power of the music
that I write
The power of the music of the night"
The smile spread slowly across his face in the triumphant notes pounding from the piano. Sweet, heartbreakingly tender. Affection gleamed in the sky-colored eyes, clear and shining like water. Christine felt the gentle smile mirrored on her own face.
"You alone can make
my song take flight
Help me make
the music of the night"
The last notes hung in the air, vibrating through them before fading. She closed her eyes, recalling the sweet echo of the soft music. Opening them, she saw Erik's closed as well, something that transcended euphoria in the uplifted face. Seeming to sense her eyes upon him, they opened in a shocking burst of color.
It was inevitable, perhaps, with the strange currents of emotion flowing around, through, between them. They had bound themselves to each other with the music, now they were drawn to each other, something blossoming like fire coaxed out of dead, brittle wood. Blossoming, unfurling tender petals to burst into heavy bloom. Something raging, consuming them and leaving wildfire in its wake.
His arms encircled her, she reached for him, knelt on the bench, arms around his neck. His eyes gazed up into hers, illuminated by something brighter than moonlight, bright and flaming. She felt one hand sift through her hair, cradle the back of her head and bring her lips down to his.
They met with a jolt, shock waves coursed through her body. Christine felt her physical body go up in flames in the wake of the rush of bliss that swamped her soul.
It was an epiphany. An awakening. A realization that shuddered her and threatened to shatter her.
Don't let this end. Don't ever let this end.
They parted, ragged breath like music in the eerily still room. Frozen, they simply stared at each other for a moment. Sky-colored eyes to autumnal eyes. Christine pressed her forehead against his and let out a shuddering breath. He pulled her down gently to lean on him. Curled up against his body, she laid her head on his shoulder and looked up to study the face so attentive on hers. Again there was that sense of revelation, of belonging. She breathed in the warm scent of wood smoke and cinnamon and closed her eyes. His heart was pounding against her ear in sync with her own. He twined long fingers in her hair lazily, she shivered against the caress. His sensual mouth was curved in a gentle arc, his body relaxed against hers.
"Erik?" she said softly.
"Mm?" his eyes moved back to hers, equally soft. His fingers stilled.
She reached up and brought his head down to hers.
Fluff, fluff, fluff. I am drowning in a sea of fluff! But very important, very crucial fluff. Turning point fluff. cough Besides, what (in)sane phan ever says no to a bit of E/C fluff? Mm. I advise you to read this while listening to the 'Music of the Night'. It helped me a lot- and it's just that much better if you do. :)
So whaddaya think? Click the little review button. You know you want to click the button.
cookies n' hugs
Lee