Well, here it is; chapter 8. I have had an overwhelming response to this story and I want to continue to thank everyone for reading.

Remember: A day without sunshine is like…night!

Enjoy my lovlies!

BEYOND THE SHADOWS

CHAPTER 8

Erik had known she would ask; now he had to try to put into words the events that led him to his sisters all those years ago.

"After running away at the age of ten, I hid in the mountains of upper New York State. My father had no idea where to look for me, and I never talked to him after I left…so he was clueless. I found an abandoned hunters cabin and made it my home." Erik's eyes took on a glossy, far-away look, "I was a pretty sharp kid, I took my records with me…birth certificate, and social security card…anything I thought was official.

"Six years past, pretty insipidly; I was…" he hesitated, not wanting to sound self-absorbed, "….gifted; I had been offered the chance to start college at the age of ten…but I never had the chance." He smiled a sad smile and continued, "I never expected to see him again…but as fate would have it, we ended up in the same small town."

His tone was brusque and his face was blank, "There was a woman in that town who took pity on me. She would enlist me to do odd jobs around her house and would pay me fairly well. She loved my music and could listen to me play the piano all day, if she could have.

"One morning, she had sent me on and errand. I was at the grocery store, when I caught site of a man who resembled my father, walking into the hardware store next door. Upon a closer look, I realized it was my father."

Erik was silent for a moment, remembering the hatred that arose in him at the sight of his father, "I watched him walk into the store and then noticed the woman and two little girls in the truck; the girls looked to be about nine and six, and the woman was in her late twenties or early thirties." Erik looked into Christine's anxious eyes, "They were all terrified…I could see the same look in their eyes that I had seen in my mothers, and even my own.

"I walked out of the grocery store and stayed hidden from their sight. I watched them tremble as my father came back to the truck and sat down. I listened as he screamed at all of them, and watched them drive away.

"The girls were flawless, so I knew he had not abused them; at least, not where the marks could be seen…the mother was a different story, I could see the marks on her…he abused and tortured her…" Erik's eyes were cold and full of hate, "…and by the looks on the two little girl's faces, he made them watch as he did it."

He looked over at his two sisters, and wondered how he ever lived without them. He smiled at them both and winked, he loved them so much that it hurt.

"Two months after that incident, I found the house they were living in – it was much like the place we had lived in…a remote area with no neighbors; surrounded by trees…" Erik remembered almost every detail, "…almost every night I would watch the house and him…four months later on a cold December night, his wife had had enough and pulled a knife out and stabbed him…he pulled his gun from his waist and shot her."

Erik still wasn't sure how the next few moments happened. "All I remember was seeing my father get up off the floor with blood running down his chest; he called out for the girls and started hunting for them…he was losing a great deal blood as he went…I entered through the open front door and silently moved through the house, searching for my half-sisters."

Erik looked at both of them again, so thankful that the events of the night had ended as they had, "Amazingly, I found them before he did, hurried them away, and took them to my home.

"There was no indication of my presence, I hadn't touched anything, so the police and social services assumed the girls had run away…but they were never found." Erik chuckled for the first time, "I went back after my father died and before the police came, found my sisters birth certificates and other important papers, took them, and left."

His eyes found Christine's, and she was awestruck by their intense beauty, "They've been with me ever since…I enrolled them in school after I turned eighteen, I became their legal guardian and they saved me from myself…on several occasions."

Christine sat; completely engrossed by the story he had just told. This man had not only raised himself; but then, had turned around and raised his two half-sisters.

Meg and Christine looked at each other and then looked back at Erik. He had taken them on an emotional rollercoaster and he looked exhausted.

"Erik, we can continue tomorrow…is that okay with you?" Christine asked.

Erik shrugged his broad shoulders and asked, "How long were you intending on staying?"

Christine had not intentions of going anywhere, any time soon. "As long it takes."

Erik smirked in surprise, "Takes for what?"

Christine smirked back, with a sheepish glint in her eyes, "Until I'm satisfied."

Erik completely missed the sexual undertones of that statement and stretched his long frame as he stood up. He mesmerized her with his feline like movements; every move he made was a defining moment. It was a joy just to watch him.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Christine and Meg watched Erik from the inside of the house. He had not come in from the patio table when they did; instead, he had chosen to stay outside and enjoy the sun.

He was laying back in his chair, with his head resting on the back of it, and his long, lithe legs stretched out in front of him…he looked like Adonis, basking in the sunshine.

"You can't take your eyes off him, Christine." Meg whispered.

"There is just something so alluring about him…and it's not just that he's HOT…he's completely unaware of his beauty. I know what he hides behind that mask…and it doesn't matter." Christine continued to stare at the slumbering man, "The way he moves is like a beautiful piece of music."

"That's an interesting analogy." Meg observed.

Christine smiled, "Yea, I suppose it is, but it seems to describe him perfectly." She pulled her eyes away from Erik and looked at Meg, "I feel like I've known him all my life; and yet, I've really only known him for two days."

They both turned to Erik as Sachin rustled him from his slumber. The boy pulled his uncle out of his chair and wrestled him to the ground…they tumbled and rolled on the lawn, completely oblivious to the watchful eyes in the window.

Erik tickled his nephew and then hopped up off the ground and shot out in a playful run. Sachin chased him down, and it was obvious to everyone watching, that Erik let the boy catch him.

They sat on the ground talking and laughing, and then Sachin jumped up and ran toward the house.

"Mommy! Mommy!" he shouted.

Rebekah heard her sons gleeful voice and responded, "Sachin, keep your voice down, you're indoors."

"Mommy, can I go riding with Uncle Erik?" Sachin's deep, brown eyes pleaded with his mother.

"Go get ready, Uncle Erik won't wait forever." Rebekah stated with a huge smile.

Erik stood at the door with a giant grin affixed to his face. His hair was tousled and he looked like a big boy.

"Meg, Christine…would either or both of you like to go horseback riding?" Erik asked.

Meg trembled at the prospect and then grinned sheepishly, "Oh no…no…I never ride anything that can't ride me back."

Christine chuckled, but Erik looked dumbfounded, "Ohhhhkayyy." He stated, with that the-girl-has-fallen –off-the-deep-end look.

He looked at Christine, and she recovered quickly, "Umm, yes, I would love to go riding."

She changed into a pair of mid-thigh green shorts, a white, half-sleeve blouse and a thin, waterproof jacket. She kept her tennis shoes She brushed her hair and left it hanging loose, allowing it to frame her lovely features.

Erik had told her to meet them in the stables in about half an hour. She headed there, with her nerves aflutter; she hadn't ridden in years.

Erik was saddling the smaller of the horses and Sachin was brushing them down, when she came through the stable door.

She watched them both complete their task, and noticed that Erik had saddled a horse for her, she was nervous and knew that she looked it.

She put her finger in the air and addressed Erik, "I have not ridden in years, I hope that she is a very tame horse."

Erik looked at her, his eyes were impassive, but there was slight smirk on his face, "Xena is a pushover…" he looked at the mare and started nuzzling her soft nose, "…aren't you girl?

Christine nodded and tried to hide the smile that was threatening to become visible. He had no idea how endearing he was at that moment. He loved animals and children…this man was a jewel.

"Is she easy to ride?" she asked.

"She is Rachel's horse, if that tells you anything." he replied, enjoying watching her squirm.

Erik propped Sachin up on the smaller horse that was his, and then approached Christine. He looked into her eyes as if asking her permission to put his hands on her waist to lift her onto her horse.

She looked over at Erik's horse and saw that he was bare back; not only was the horse bare back, but he was huge and black as midnight.

"I've never ridden bare back before." She admitted, intimidated by the size of the horse.

Erik's smile lit up his entire face and made him look younger. Her heart took a leap in her chest and she swallowed hard to hide her rising interest in the man.

"It's the only way to ride." He purred.

His strong, masculine hands encircled her waist as he effortlessly lifted her onto the back of the horse. She adjusted her backside in the saddle, and watched in fascination, as Erik mounted his steed and patted the horse's neck. He was leaning over and whispering softly in the horse's ear.

Finally, he lifted up and moved the animal forward; Christine and Sachin followed, both a little less adroit at this than the man leading them.

A few minutes of site-seeing and finger pointing went by before Erik pulled along side Christine and smiled at her.

"Do you mind if I ask you some questions?" His voice was swoon-worthy at this point. Christine could not think of another man whose voice could move her like his could.

"Not at all." She answered.

The horses trotted quietly, while Sachin's pony cantered in front of them. Erik was encouraged by the fact that she did not recoil from him; in fact, she seemed eager to stay in his company.

"Tell me about your childhood." He asked.

Christine hadn't expected that, but she wanted to share her life with him.

"I had a great childhood, for the most part…my mother died when I was three, so I don't remember much about her; my father was an anthropologist and an archeologist." Erik watched as her face lit up with the memory of her father, "He took me on a few digs with him, but I never quite caught the digging fever." She smiled.

"He retired when I started school and started teaching at a university; but he would still dig for the sheer enjoyment of it. I know now, that he retired to give me a normal school life…but it always seemed as though we never had any money." She chuckled lightly, "After he died, I found that he had put the money away for the future…he left me quite well off." She smiled at him with dancing blue eyes, "Living the way we lived as I grew up, taught me to be frugal and wise."

"Your father sounds like he was a good man." Erik stated truthfully.

"He was." She assured him.

Erik remained quiet for a moment and then asked, "Why journalism?"

Christine shrugged her shoulders and smirked, "Because it's my passion…and I…" She smiled and sighed, "…have to do it."

Erik loved that answer, he was all for doing what you had the passion to do…that's why art design; whether it was architecture, drawing, sculpting, or painting; and music, were such a part of him…they were his passion.

Erik looked up to see Nadeesh approaching in the Land Rover, "Sachin, when your mother said you could come riding, she forgot that you are supposed to go to David's for his birthday party and camp out….you need to come with me and get ready."

"I'll take care of Nugget; you go with your father." Erik told Sachin.

Christine and Erik watched as Sachin rode off with his father. Erik drew Goliath up to Nugget's side and grabbed the reigns, he whispered in the horse's ear and then lopped the leather reigns around his neck; the little pony followed them without fuss.

TBC