Most of you will probably want to kill me after this chapter; but there is an upside to that – you have to find me first! I love keeping you guessing (or squirming), whichever applies; it's part of my charm!

Oh, and to date, there has been no consummation of this marriage. I hope that clarifies matters, PrimaDonnaKate; and thanks for taking the time to read my story. I have gone back and corrected the wording to make the meaning clearer.

THE DAWN THROUGH THE NIGHT

Book V: Making You Mine

CHAPTER 24

He led her into the warm, sensual, refuge of his room. She immediately noted the way the atmosphere held his magnetism and the room smelled of his scent; leather, fine musk, Persian spices…the soap in which he bathed.

She breathed in its intoxicating aroma and allowed her eyes to close at the heavenly thrill that filled her being. The man completely consumed her…and she welcomed it with all that she was.

Erik used his uncanny ability to see in the dark and walked over to light the lamp by his bed. It illuminated the room in seductive shadows and created an even more powerfully erotic ambiance with its dancing flame.

If Erik was feeling the same sexually overwhelming power that she was experiencing, he hid it quite well. He moved about the room; pulling back the covers on the bed, starting a fire, and then moved into the washroom.

Christine took the few minutes that he would be in the washroom and stripped down to her chemise and corset. It was a deep, midnight blue with silver shreds of satin running through it. The corset was a gift to herself a few weeks ago, in hopes that her relationship with Erik would escalate the way she wanted it to.

She was nervous, and she had no idea why. She certainly was no virgin coming to Erik's bed; but he was. Her love for him eased her nerves and allowed her to smile in anticipation.

Erik had been in the washroom for some time, and Christine was beginning to worry that the passion from earlier had dissipated and he had talked himself out of it. She made her way over to the door, put her ear to it, and listened for any indication as to what he was doing.

She heard the water running and could smell the aroma of the wonderful soap he used wafting its way under the door and into the room. A few seconds passed and she heard him turn off the water. She still had her ear to the door when she saw the light turn down and heard him approaching.

She ran over to the bed and lay on her stomach in the middle, her legs in the air with the ankles crossed, and her chin perched atop her meshed fingers. The door opened and she beheld a half-nude Erik standing in the doorway.

He wore a white shirt unbuttoned all the way over a pair of well-fitting black pants. His hair was loose and hung around his face, creating a black halo effect. He wore his white half-mask, which only added to his majestic persona.

When Erik came out of the washroom, it was all he could do to not gawk at the woman who reclined in the middle of his bed. She had stripped down to only her chemise and the most beautiful corset he had ever seen.

He slowly approached the bed, noticing that her eyes never left him. He sat down on the bed with one foot curled under him and the other dangling off the side.

"Erik…" Christine began.

"Shhhhh, Chéri…there are no words…just let me touch you." He pleaded, worshipfully.

She started to role over, but Erik stopped her with just his husky voice, "Don't move, I just want to look at you and touch at my leisure."

She smiled seductively at his words, pulled her hair around to spray over the mattress to the side, and closed her eyes. He was in no rush…that had to be the sexiest thing she had ever known.

Erik had never seen a woman in such array. Her skin glowed in the amber light of the lamp; resembling a fine topaz gem. Its soft surface called to him much as the strands of a melody did as it longed for release through the magic of his genius.

The curve of her backside enticed the fingers on his hands to extradite pleasure from its soft, plump mounds to his ready and willing body. He moaned from the sheer joy of leisurely raking his eyes over her perfection.

Her glorious hair fanned out over the mattress to the right side of her face and her expression was such that one would think she was exacting pleasure just from being visually adulated.

Erik leaned onto his left arm and began at her feet. He reached his right hand out and took her petite foot in it. He marveled at how tiny it was in his large, masculine hand. Her toes were even perfect, at least in his eyes. He feathered his fingers over her slender ankle and began moving up her leg.

She was sleek and lithe of limb. Her calves were perfectly formed and so very slender. He bent his head down and placed a kiss at the back of her knee, causing a moan to escape Christine's lips.

Erik became bolder at the insistence of her moans. He flit his tongue over the soft skin at the back of her knee and continued his exploration of her leg. His long, agile fingers melded the flesh of her thigh as he erotically pushed the material of her chemise over the curve of her hips and derriere.

He lowered his head and kissed the velvety flesh of her inner thigh, noticing how she opened them to his touch. He felt himself respond to the musky scent of her arousal, knowing she was reacting to his touch. He groaned as his erection strained against the confines of his pants.

He continued kissing the flesh of her thigh as his hand made its way to her backside. Christine's breathing was heavy and she reacted by spreading her legs even more to Erik's wandering hands and mouth.

Erik felt a smile flutter over his face; she was as passionate with her body as she was with her voice…an attribute Erik had sensed in her years ago. She had been a rose bud in her purity, just waiting for the kiss of the sun to bring her to life. She had admitted that Raoul had not been that sun.

Now, under the ministrations of his virgin hands and novice mouth, she had found her sun; and she leaned into it for dear life. Her bare womanhood lay open to his hungry eyes. He had never seen a woman's sex before, only what was in the books he had read.

He could see the moist evidence of her desire and knew it to be the source of the musky scent he had caught on the air. He resolved himself to not touch that most sensitive of areas; not yet.

She moaned as he ran his hands over the bare flesh of her backside and skimmed them under the material of her corset. Christine yearned for him to rid her of the unwanted piece of clothing, but Erik seemed to be enchanted with just touching her.

If she had been in this state with Raoul, he would have thrown her on her back and been done with her by now; but Erik….was just getting started. She had never reasoned that it could be like this…he had her so aroused with the touch of his hands and the occasional sweep of his lips, that she thought she would burst with desire.

How did he know to do such things? He claimed to know nothing about loving a woman…but Christine had never felt more loved than she did at his moment…and he had never said he loved her – not with words.

She felt no shame at having exposed her sex to him, he was her husband, and tonight…she would truly become his wife. She felt his hand as it found the soft down of her neck and softly caressed its warmth.

He moved his fingers to the curls of her hair and tenderly wrapped one around his finger. He let it go and watched it spring back and bounce. The softness amazed him and the scent of lavender heightened his arousal even more.

He leaned his large, broad chest over her and raised a handful of hair to his nose, breathing in her scent. He moved down and nuzzled the back of her neck with his nose and lips, causing a shiver of desire to run through Christine.

"You humble me with your perfection…I feel unworthy of resting my eyes on you." Erik whispered into her ear.

Christine smiled gently at his words, "My body is merely the instrument…you are the master." Her voice was husky and full of pent-up desire.

"Turn over, my love…I want to see all of you."

He hadn't even been aware of the truth as it escaped his mouth…his love for her had been such a part of him for years, that it only seemed natural to allow it to finally soar on words into her ears.

Christine had heard his admission and could not help the tears that sprang to her eyes. How long had she waited to hear those words on his lips?

When she faced him, Erik saw the tears in her eyes and felt his heart lurch. Why did she cry? Was she terrified? Was she regretful? Or were they tears of joy? He had to know.

He reached his callused thumb up and captured a tear as it rolled down her face headed for her hairline.

"Why do you cry?" he asked, baffled by her tears.

Christine reached her hands up and cradled his face, "You called me, 'my love' – you've never done that before."

Erik realized that she spoke the truth, his true feelings had been laid out to her…what would she do with them?

He continued to stroke her cheek with his thumb, as he stretched his long frame out beside her.

"I can no longer keep it inside, my heart has spilled it from my lips…I love you Christine…God help me, but I do." He knew he could not hold his own tears back, so they ran down his cheeks, making the mask uncomfortable.

She knew his mask was causing him discomfort, so she reached up and removed it. Erik reached to cover his face, but she caught his hand and brought it to her lips for a kiss.

She lifted her wanton, sincere eyes to his and smiled, "I love you too, Erik…" she reached up and tenderly touched the deformity that had haunted him all his life.

She watched as his beautiful eyes filled with tears of joy. "I never thought to hear you say those words to me…I was prepared to live my life without hearing them, just to have you by my side."

"I will never leave your side, as long as I live." She assured him, and he saw the proof in her eyes. She placed a seductive, one-sided, smile on her lips and said, "Now, my love, finish what you started."

Erik fixed her with and innocent stare, "Are you sure you don't want to wait until the honeymoon?"

Christine rolled her eyes and sighed loudly, "If you make me wait, Erik Christoph Destler, I will die of want and I shall come back and haunt you."

His deft fingers made their way over the material of her corset; he playfully wound the string holding it together, around his index finger. His smoldering eyes captured her with their passion-filled intensity.

"Your wish is my command." He purred.

And the string began to give.

TBC