Chapter Twenty

"How is Mademoiselle Daae?" Rupert asked the following evening. He had noticed that Erik had been drinking excessively since that morning and his eyes were blood shot.

"I do not care," he snapped. Rupert sighed when Erik took another shot of the heavy alcohol. This act of drinking was not something he did normally and it was another thing that proved to Rupert that he loved Christine, even if he would not admit it.

"My lord...do you think it is wise to be drinking so much?" Rupert asked. Erik turned to look at him angrily and Rupert wondered if he had gone to far.

"I will have however much I want to drink, Rupert, get out!" he growled. The other man sighed and did as he was asked.

Christine came into the room an hour later to see Erik passed out on the desk, the empty bottle next to him. She instantly became angry. Since last night she had been crying from his rejection and here he was foxed! It was as if last night she had said nothing of importantance to him!

He looked up groggily when she slammed the door and approached him. Before he had time to realize what was happening she had slapped him roughly across the face. His mask fell off from the force of the slap but he did not seem to notice, his gray green eyes suddenly boring into hers.

Christine opened her mouth to speak but she blinked and suddenly Erik had her pinned roughly to the wall. His face was livid. She had no idea that someone as intoxicated as Erik was could move so swiftly. She tried to move but his fingers were digging cruely into her skin.

"You will learn how unwise it is to strike me, Mademoiselle," he hissed, the frightening Black Wolf suddenly replacing the kind Erik she knew.

"I wish I could do it again and again, you arrogant man!" she whispered furiously. If he knew how much his rejection hurt her perhaps he would not be so cruel. He shoved her a little more roughly against the wall.

"Watch your tongue, Christine!" he hissed. She struggled, trying to get away from him.

"Why is it you always turn to alcohol when things do not turn out your way?" she asked. He said nothing.

"Did it bother you that I admited that I love you? Does the idea of me loving you put you in some sort of revulsion?" she asked, near tears.

"No."

"Then why are you so foxed?" she demanded. Erik pushed away from her and walked away. Christine was not going to let him go that easily. She grabbed his arm, forcing him to face her.

"Look at me when I am speaking to you, Erik!" she demanded.

"What do you want from me, Christine!" he growled. She stared at him for a long time. She was not going to force him to admit his feelings for her. She needed him to say them himself. If he could not do that then she could not be with him.

"Nothing, Erik...absolutely nothing," she whispered, shaking her head. Erik watched as she slowly turned and walked away, knowing that he might have pushed her away from him a little to far.

xXx

Christine desperately needed a way to get through to Erik. It had been three weeks since she had been rescued from Philippe's manor and Erik had yet to talk to her. She had no idea why he was rejecting her feelings but she knew he must feel something for her. He had to! Talking to him obviously would not work, he was always getting foxed when she talked to him, perhaps a letter would do. He kept the numerous letters his and Philippe's parents wrote to eachother maybe he would take a moment to read hers, it was worth a try.

She was very tiered of being alone.

xXx

"My lord?" Rupert said hesitantly, looking at his master who was standing by the window, looking out.

"What?" he said, suddenly sounding very tiered.

"I was to give this to you," he replied. Erik turned his head slightly to see Rupert holding a folded piece of parchment in his hand.

"Who is it from?" he asked.

"Mademoiselle Christine."

Erik felt his chest squeeze painfully in his chest at the sound of her name. He felt like it had been ages since he had spoken to her and it was all because of him. He had gazed upon her as she walked quietly through the manor, unaware of him or his longing gaze.

She seemed so sad whenever he saw her, eyes downcast and shoulders slumped. She was alone and hurting and it was because of him. But it would never work.

"My lord...please read it. She was crying when she gave it to me," Rupert pleaded. Erik sighed and took the parchement.

"Thank you, Rupert," he said softly. The other man left the room as quietly as he had come. His name was written across the front in a flowing hand and Erik's heart squeezed painfully in his chest. He opened it slowly and Christine's voice came to mind as he slowly read the words before him.

My dearest Erik,

I have seen the bitterness and hate the world can show a woman as young as I. I will not even begin to imagine what you must have gone through in your own life. Hardships have shaped the person I am today and I know it is the same for you. That is why I understand that there must be a reason you are pushing me away.

Since my fathers death I always believed that I would live my life alone...then I heard tales of the legendary Black Wolf. A man, most said, who cared not about others and was a vile creature. Then I was taken in by this so called 'monster' and given shelter in a violent storm. My own foolish actions caused me to become imprisioned here but now that I am I no longer regret if for it made me come to know the man everyone falsely accused as a monster. You are not a monster, Erik, you helped me get away from Philippe and showed me that perhaps I do not always have to be alone.

I would not hurt you, Erik, if that is what you are worried about, I love you far to much to do that. I think it will be best if I return to the village, I do not wish to become a nusance to you or your household. I hope you are well.

all my love,

Christine

She was leaving? The rest of the contents of the letter would have to be looked over later, at the moment he had to stop her from leaving. He refused to let her go.

xXx

Christine pulled her cloak further around her head as she slowly made her way from Erik's home. She knew it was rather foolish to be going to the village alone after Philippe kidnapping her the first time but she knew Philippe would probably not make his move so soon, thinking Christine still with Erik.

It was snowing lightly and Christine hummed to herself as she thought of the Black Wolf. Her lone wolf. She knew it was ridiculous to love a man who might be incapable of loving her in return. But it was not fair. She knew life had been cruel to him, but it had been to her as well. If she could find it in herself to love him why could he not love her?

"Christine!"

It was funny that she could still here his voice saying her name in this cold weather when she had just left his home! Then she heard it again and she turned slowly, realizing that she was in fact, not dreaming at all because Erik was running towards her.

Christine felt her breathing increase as he slowly stopped a few feet away from her. Christine simply stared at him for a long time, saying nothing, wondering what he had been thinking coming out here after her.

"Christine...where are you going?" he asked. Christine sighed and looked at the ground.

"Away..." she whispered.

"Away from what?" he demanded.

"You."

Erik stared at her a long time, his heart swelling painfully. He took several steps toward her and noticed the way she tensed, still looking at the ground. Hesitantly his hand reached up and caressed her cheek, the feel of her satin skin like heaven.

"Christine..."

She finally looked up at him and there were tears in her eyes. He saw the sadness there and the lonliness and he wanted to wipe it all away. He leaned forward and caught her mouth in a loving kiss.