His lips dance over mine, softly, in a slight kiss, before pulling back, leaving my lips warm. The heat and friction behind the kiss caresses my senses into a buzz. It sends doubt shooting through me as well.

Does he really love me, or is he just making me a fool? Why does he want me to kiss him? Could my feelings of attraction be returned? How could he love such a worthless creature?

I back off slightly and he looks a little hurt.

I touch my lips and whisper, "How could you love me enough to do that? To want to do that?"

He looks at me helplessly, "I don't know. But since the first day that I left you I missed your presence and after I came back it was all I could do not to stare at you. You might not seem it, and it may not be clear to you, but we are a lot alike."

I try to hide my feelings, because unlike him, I see how wrong this is, "So what if we're alike? That makes no difference in the natural order. We are not meant to be together."

His head bows, "I know. But I can't help it. I find myself drawn to you."

I remain silent.

He takes this as something good and continues, "Besides, if you really felt the way that you speak, you wouldn't have let me kiss you."

I consider that. It has to be true. I know that this is wrong, but do I really care? No, I don't, and that scares me.

"My heart, viscount, has steered me wrong before, and I won't let that happen again," I growl, knowing I speak the truth.

He takes my hand, "Then let me show you that your heart can't be wrong all the time! Have I not proven myself, even more than Christine, just by wanting to be with you? And possibly further when I stayed by your side, despite your face, despite your yells? And have I not proven that I love you by asking to kiss you?"

I lower my eyes, knowing how true his words are, and yet still not able to trust myself.

He turns in one last plea, "Please, if you give me this chance, just this one chance, and I don't prove to be truly in love, than you can forget me, I'll leave and you'll never see me again. Just please, give me this one chance…"

I turn to look into his eyes, and they plead more than his words, and my heart breaks. My voice comes out choked, "Alright, you have your chance."

He smiles, but seems hesitant to do more, so I pull him closer to me, our lips nearly touching. I don't know what to do, I've never really kissed someone, only been kissed, and that was far from anything like this. My lips part slightly as they brush against his, hesitantly, and I can taste his smile. I let my hand gently cup the back of his neck, pulling him slightly forward. To do so, I feel him inch toward me on the bed, letting us both sit straight as his hips settle inches from mine. I let my other hand find its way to his back as both his hands move to press against my chest. I let my mouth open wider, tasting more of him in the kiss. My mouth opens and so do my teeth, allowing myself to suckle and bite his bottom lip, earning a pleased whimper from deep in his throat, and a moan from deep within my own. Instincts take over and my tongue slides past my teeth and gently begs to be let in. To my delight his lips part and my tongue plunges into the depths of his mouth. I let my tongue move smoothly through the cavern of his mouth, his taste pleasant and inviting. Finally finding my lungs about to explode I pull back, leaving only centimeters between our mouths.

Gasping for air, I lick my lips, savoring the remnants of where he was.

He looks at me in mild surprise, then claims my lips in a small, quick, kiss before daring to place a hand on my face.

The embrace is strangely inviting and I lean into his hand. He hesitantly wraps a hand around my waist and slowly pulls me to him. I gladly comply, having never felt the gentle brush of a lover's touch. He gently places my head on his chest and as I lean toward his warmth, he smiles and lays back on the headboard-like swan. I smile and let my hand reach for his.

This he protests to, "Erik, you shouldn't do that. Your wrists are in no shape to be moving."

I frown at him and he sighs, taking my hand in his own. I smile and so does he. I never really had time to look at his smile before. It's so perfect, the way it shines, the way it seems to live. My smile is dead.

I look away and he quickly starts, "What's wrong?"

Sadly, reluctantly, I meet his gaze, "How could someone like you, so alive, so bright, want to be near a dead and decaying creature like me?"

He holds me tighter, "What are you talking about? Dead? I've never met a more brilliantly alive person."

"You must be talking about the wrong person," I comment.

He shakes head, "Not unless you're an imposter."

"Oh yes," I joke, "didn't you know?"

He laughs, "I never would have guessed."

Smiling, I continue, "Perfect, my plan is working, the humans are quite oblivious."

Giving me a fake hurt look, he then grins, "Hey, what's this about us humans?"

Just then an alarm goes off, ruining our fun.

He jumps to attention and I put an arm up on his chest, "It's just an alarm. Someone's coming."

He gently lays me back down and stands at attention, ready to fight if he had to. No one's ever done this for me before, no one ever cared about protecting me.

When I hear the steady footsteps approaching, I take Raoul's hand. He gently sits beside me once more, still at attention.

When Madame Giry comes in he looks to me, feeling like a fool.

Madame Giry smiles at me, "How are you feeling?"

I wince as I let go of Raoul's hand, "Like shit."

"Erik!" she scolds.

"What?" I shrug, "You asked."

She turns back to Raoul, ignoring me, "There's a letter here for you."

"From who?" he asks as she hands it to him.

She doesn't answer.

After he reads the note though, I'm almost afraid of the furry in his eyes.

Dropping the note she clenches his hand and it seems to take all of his strength not to pound the wall into gravel.

I take the note and read:

Raoul,

I know that this is not the way to end things, but this is how I must do it, in fear of what might happen if we were to meet face to face again. I apologize for the inconvenience, but the wedding is off. I also think that it would be best if we never saw each other again. I understand that you might still wish for us to remain friends, but I fear that this would be impossible. Good bye.

Christine

The ring was attached to the bottom.

When I look back to Raoul, he's almost in tears.

I understand that he may not love her, or maybe he still does, but I definitely know that they were friends before, and that she probably hurt him worse saying they can't be friends. I reach out to try to comfort him, but in his furry he stands and leaves the room. I want to follow, but I know my place. He needs time.

I whimper slightly as he leaves, but show no other signs of hurt. That would be selfish. I think, though, when he comes back, it will be my turn to try to help.

RAOUL POV

How dare she? How dare she! That little bitch!

A tear escapes my eye and I angrily wipe it away. She's right, I had wanted us to remain friends, I had wanted us to still be able to talk and comfort, and I wanted to be able to smile when I saw her face, if only for one last time. This, though, can never happen, not after what she wrote, not after what she's done.

I scream in pain and furry and listen as it echoes off the walls. The sound reminds me of an animal and I start to cry. I drop to the floor and start to cry. How could she? She doesn't know what she's done.

If that's how she wants it, though, then that's what she'll get. If she hates me enough to want to leave me, then let her. I don't need her anymore.

I don't love her anymore.