A/N: gasp An update! Well, yes, pholks, here it is. Kinda short, but the next one'll be up quicker, I promise. grumbles about high school

IMPORTANT NOTE: THIS IS AN M-RATED FIC, SO DON'T REPORT ME!

teehee...thanks!

Chapter 4—Pain and Passion

I was in a bad mood as I stalked through the Labyrinth. My mother had been on my back since I had gotten home on Saturday, bombarding me with things to do, while she slept or watched TV. She had also nonchalantly announced to me this morning that my father's funeral was taking place on Wednesday. I got a 59 on the social studies test, and found out that I was failing math. All in all, it had been an understatedly terrible day. I just wanted to get to my love and let him hold me in his arms and kiss my pains away.

Suddenly, I heard a clank behind me. I whirled around, and just barely leapt out of the way, as a heavy block of stone crashed to the floor and shattered. One of the pieces flew up and hit me in the face, opening a gash on my cheek. I screamed in pain, then found myself being pelted from above with hard, white objects. I tripped and fell trying to get away, letting out another shriek as I hit the cold floor. I scrambled to get up, but my hand slipped on one of those objects, and I screamed in pure terror when I saw that it was a human skull.

I was trying desperately to push myself away from the pile of bones when I heard someone's hurrying footsteps.

"Chrissy?"

"Erik!" I cried, reaching frantically for him. He grabbed my hand and pulled me into his arms, stroking my back.

"Chrissy, I'm here, my dear. It's all right."

My legs would not support me, and Erik lifted me in his arms and carried me, half-fainting, down to the bedroom.

The cut on my face throbbed with pain. Erik laid me on the bed, whispering, "I'll be right back." I waited in agony.

When he had heard her screams, Erik had dashed to Chrissy as fast as his legs would carry him. He'd been in shock to find her state. Now, he gathered a soft cloth, cool water, bandages, and a cleaning salve, and brought them back to the wounded girl. He winced in sympathy as he began to clean the gash.

A few minutes later, he was done, and she opened her eyes painfully.

"Erik, you must know who's behind this!" she said, clutching his hand.

He grimaced. "I believe I do." He proceeded to tell her about Danielle. When he finished the tale, Chrissy was staring up at the ceiling. She still held his hand tightly.

"So," she said slowly, "you think it was she that dropped the gate?"

"Yes," Erik replied, running his fingers through her hair. "And I'm afraid for you, Chrissy."

She sighed and put her hand over his. "Erik, please kiss me."

He was surprised by this, but he obeyed, leaning down and accepting her beckoning lips. Her arms went around his neck and she pulled him down on top of her almost clumsily, as though she were desperate for his love. Which, he thought, she probably was. He gave it to her, struck by how much he needed her as well. With his lips, he hungrily ate away at the fear and loneliness that had encompassed her for years. Her hands moved down to his back, and he reveled in the sensation of her touch.

All he wanted to do just then was to take her in, absorbing all her fears and depressions. She had been hurt so badly by the world, and he knew that he was the only one who truly understood how that felt. He caressed her form with his gentle fingertips, kissing her pains away. She responded delicately, reaching out with her tongue and inviting herself into his mouth. Erik allowed it, returning the favor, savoring her taste and the feel of her body pressed against his.

Her fingers, still moving lightly over him, became more persistent, pressing into his shoulders, sliding down his spine to his waist. His feelings of love increased into those of passion, and then desire as the tips of those long fingers just barely grazed the bare skin that showed beneath his loose shirt hem. She did not pull away, as though it were an accident, but instead increased the contact, until her palms were settled in the arch made by the small of his back. Almost without him knowing, his own hands had been responding to her motions, creeping their way under her tank top, massaging her stomach ever so slightly.

Now those deft hands of hers moved to his sides, and then his abdomen, tugging gently at his bloused, pirate-style shirt. It was open and sliding down his shoulders before he knew it, and his fingers parted from her skin for an instant to shed the sleeves. The air was a little cold, but her touch made warmth spread through his entire body. They hadn't broken their kiss this entire time, and Erik was beginning to drown in her love, her need for him. His knee was digging into the down mattress, positioned just between her thighs, making him burn with her heat. He was starving for her deep in his heart, and his breath came short as he finally wrenched himself away to look her in the eye.

"Chrissy—I want you!"

Her eyes were wide but accepting, and filled with the lust he felt inside. His fingers dug into the flesh of her slender waist, and he felt hers still pressing firmly into his shoulders.

"Then take me, Erik!"

He started. One of her hands reached up to pull his mask away and he barely paid attention, still staring deeply into her eyes. She was willing to give herself up to him?

"Chrissy, are you sure?" he asked her, his voice a rough whisper. She nodded ever so slightly, then drew him back into her kiss. Trembling, he slid his hand up her arm and began tugging at the strap of her tank top. She let him, never resisting, still making a constant circle over his toned back muscles with her palms. She even helped him, shrugging her arms so that they passed through the straps, allowing him to pull away the covering of her developed features. He was maddened by his own slow work, but resolved to bring this awakening upon the young girl gradually.

He gave way to a tiny bit of his desire, dragging his lips down to her neck. His teeth grazed the surface of her skin, and she twitched beneath him. His kisses moved lower, reaching her breasts, where he began to suck at her tenderly. He felt her shiver and dig her fingertips into him, silently begging him to go on. He still wondered if this was right, but the worry was crowded out of his mind by his ever-persistent libido.

His hands began to work at removing her jeans, and he heard a low moan emit from the back of her throat. He lost track of what he was doing, only knowing that his lips were covering her torso, and his hands soon rendered them both unclothed. He moved up to claim her lips again for a single moment before he pulled back just enough to speak.

"Chrissy—you've never done this before." It wasn't exactly a question, but she shook her head slightly. He cupped the side of her face in his hand. "You're quite sure about this?"

"Erik," she breathed, "there is no man in the world I would rather give my virginity to."

His lips parted. Oh, god, she wanted him to be her first lover! Now he had no excuse. "I'll help you," he whispered, and kissed her more sweetly.

He directed his hands to her thighs, and gently pulled them apart. She followed his every guiding touch, as though she had no mind of her own. "That's it," he breathed, a mere millimeter away from her lips. "Now, the next part is mine, you just relax. Are you ready?" Her eyes, reflecting the one candle that was still lit, were nearly glassy with her passion. After a moment, she nodded, and he pressed his lips against hers, preparing to claim her for good. He braced himself above her, and slid smoothly into her core.

A wracking shudder made her body seize up for a moment. Erik paused in his motion— had he hurt her?—but relaxed and continued as her hands wrapped around his waist. He ground his hips against hers, pulling back and plunging again in just the right rhythm. He burned with the ardor that their passion created, still working her with his hands. She responded, and he almost found himself questioning the fact that this was her first experience. Almost.

He had to control himself. There was no way that he could go as far as he wished to. He simply could not let the liquid fire of passion consume him—the risks were too great.

No, that would have to wait.

He ordered himself to leave her, and although it was several lust-drowned minutes before he could bring himself to do it, he managed with a great sigh. But the instant she felt her emptiness, she clutched at him.

"Give me more, Erik," she whispered, her voice hoarse and breathy.

He couldn't deny her. He simply couldn't.

"Wait," he breathed, and shakily pushed himself away. He fumbled in a drawer for his salvation, not taking his eyes from his trembling teenaged lover. He knew only vaguely what his hands were doing as they grappled clumsily with the item he'd withdrawn, sheathing him, protecting her…

He returned, fuller and stronger than before, but sweeter as well. Chrissy smiled and accepted him within her, closing her eyes as his warm lips descended upon her breasts again. She fingered the arch of his spine as he pleasured her so delightfully, yet deliberately. He felt smoother to her, as though covered…

Protection.

Well, that was all right.

His friction made her bleed, but she didn't care. She was absorbed in the simple feel of him. Erik's hands explored her, finding each and every pressure point, caressing each spot, discovering how exactly to please Chrissy, to bring her to where he needed her…

And this time, as he felt her burn, contract, convulse in pleasure, he gave way.

When Erik finally left her, Chrissy didn't bring him back. She sighed, letting him slide off of her to the side. Even that was too far away, though, and she turned, curling up on his bare chest. She felt so right against his body—so perfect within his arms—that it made him want to cry out. He contented himself with burying his face in her hair, breathing in her scent like oxygen. She was his life now. That was official.

"Did it hurt?" he asked her, concerned as always.

She paused a moment, tracing his collarbone with the tips of her fingers. "It did, a little, but it felt good. Do you know what I mean?" She twisted to look up at him. "Like when a doctor sets a broken bone or something of the sort. It was a good pain."

He smiled in his quirky way. "I know what you mean."

"Good," she said, and planted a swift kiss over his heart. He could have died right then and there, and been perfectly happy with his life, but he couldn't deprive her of that happiness she was showing with every curved line of her body. "But, Erik," she said, looking at him with a more serious tone in her eyes, "we must be careful."

He knew what she meant, on every level. He nodded understandingly and kissed her forehead. He would never do anything to inconvenience her—in any way.

Except, apparently, make her late for her rehearsal. His reliable clock sounded the sixteenth hour from the other room, and Chrissy jumped so suddenly that she crashed to the floor in a heap. She leapt up, digging around for her clothes.

"I'm supposed to be there at exactly four-fifteen, in costume and in position!" she moaned.

Erik pulled his own outfit from the heap of articles on the end of the bed. "I'll help you," he assured her. "Come on, quickly!"

With a final pause to grab his mask, the two of them dashed out of the lair.

A/N: Wow. Yeah. Love it? Hate it? Want it beside you at night? Let me know...I got ONE FLIPPIN REVIEW FOR THE LAST CHAPTER! you people suck...I swear that I'm going to give reviewing lessons...

P.S. HE'S MINE!