Thank you so much for the reviews!

Mlle.Fox – You are my wonderful (and appreciated) editer. Thank you for pointing that out. I intended to let my readers know that; yes, Erik's father had several women on the side while he was married to Erik's mother. He just happened to pick this woman because she had children by him; sorry for the murkiness of that fact.

ForeverPhantoms – Thank you for going back and reviewing "The Dawn Through the Night", I really appreciate your words of encouragement!

Now…what was I going to do…let me see….sorry, I was lost in thought…it wasn't familiar territory!

Enjoy…

BEYOND THE SHADOWS

CHAPTER 9

"I suppose I should get you back…" Erik began.

Christine laughed liltingly at his tone and words, "You make it sound like we're in high school and my dad is waiting for my return…but midnight is quickly approaching and I'm going to be late for my curfew."

Erik listened to her laugh and thought he had never heard anything so beautiful in all his life…it was a musical sound.

"I just wasn't certain how long you wished to remain in my company." He stated honestly; his eyes stared straight ahead and did not give away any emotion.

She suddenly became very serious as she turned slightly on the horses back and looked up into his handsome face.

"Erik, I want you to know…" she dropped her eyes to avoid his intense stare, "…not a night goes by that I don't have nightmares about what I did to you all those years ago."

Erik didn't know what to say. He sat quietly for a few minutes before answering. They had come to the water, so he stopped Goliath and tied him to a jutting rock. He helped Christine down off the back of Xena, tied her next to Goliath, and they sat down on the beach, listening to the water.

Erik sat with his hands behind him, supporting his weight as he listened to the sounds of the waves crashing against the rocks. Christine had gone very quiet beside him, and it looked like she was about to burst into tears.

"Christine, I'm not good at this…" he indicated his discomfort with personal conversation, "…I've never been good with people. I have a short temper and very little patience; but I will try and make you understand."

He pulled his legs up and sat Indian style, facing her. "I don't want you thinking anymore about it…it was years ago and I have become accustom to people's snide remarks and glaring eyes." He smiled that irresistible smile again, "It touches me that you care and apologized; no one else ever has."

He started to reach his hand out and lift her chin, but just before he touched her, he withdrew his hand…Christine felt the loss of his almost touch, profoundly.

She turned her tear laden eyes to him, "Erik…do you believe in fate?"

He shrugged his shoulders and frowned, backing away from her, "I don't know…I've…never given it much thought."

He watched her reaction to his answer, and saw that her expression was as unreadable as his normally was.

"I suppose not…at least, not for people like me." Erik finally said.

Christine furrowed her brow and cocked her head at him. He took note of the way her hair fell off her shoulder and hung flirtingly at the level of her ample, perky breasts. He swallowed hard and removed his eyes from her, hoping she had not seen his wandering looks.

"People like you?" She asked, still holding that baffled look.

"You know what I mean." He stated, slightly antagonistically, hoping she understood.

She raised her brows this time, and Erik had to expound to keep from looking like a complete idiot. He had not meant to bring the subject up.

He sighed irritably, and stated abruptly, "Less than attractive people, who have no relationship skills and no experience with the opposite sex…whatsoever."

He looked at her; and in his eyes, she saw no pretext and no hidden meanings; he wasn't trying to conjure up pity or compassion…he just spoke with honesty, and stated reality as he saw it.

Christine reached her hand up and cupped his perfect cheek; as he attempted to pull away from her touch, she shook her head and whispered, "Don't pull away."

Erik froze; her touch was like a cool drink of water on a scorching summer day. He closed his eyes…thinking, that when he opened them again, he would discover she had been a mirage – and nothing more.

Christine saw his eyes close and watched the play of emotions cross his masked face. She wanted to remove that confounded mask so much, but knew it would offend him. She had already done that once, she would never do it again.

"Why do you touch me?" He asked with the innocence of a child.

"Erik St. Clair – you are beyond a doubt, one of the most exasperating men I have ever known." She smilingly stated, "Why do you think I am touching you?"

She was going to make him start thinking about it. She would make it a point of showing him how attractive he is, and he would eventually catch on.

Erik drew back from her and lifted his left brow. He mumbled, incohesively, and then just looked at her with searching eyes.

Christine saw the confusion in his eyes and knew he really had no idea why she would venture to touch him. "Erik, I am, what is lovingly referred to as, a forward woman; which means I speak my mind and let men know what I want." She giggled at the expression on his face as she said that, "I want you to use me."

Erik's shocked look made her giggle, "Pardon me?" He inquired

She giggled at his animated features, "I want you to use me to learn about women; how we use body language, facial expressions…and the sexual overtones we often incorporate into our conversations – everything."

Erik was taken aback by her suggestion. 'Why?' He asked, acrimoniously. "To what end?" He rolled his eyes and dropped them to his lap.

"Instead of analyzing the ins and outs of my suggestion, why don't you just try it?" Christine challenged.

Erik was beginning to get irritated again. She refused to leave certain aspects alone, especially anything that centered on his inexperience with women and his insecurities about his physical attributes.

"Christine, you are proficient at finding topics that I do not wish to discuss." He said, trying to be polite.

She smiled impishly, "When is the last time you were on a date?"

Erik jerked his head up and scowled at her, "Are you trying to be funny?"

She chuckled, which caused the scowl on his face to deepen. "No Erik, I'm not being funny…I really want to know."

He sighed irritably and shook his head, "I don't date."

"Why?" She asked

"Because." He answered

"Because why?" She insisted.

Christine knew she was pushing his buttons, but she wanted an answer…she needed to hear him say it.

He was seething at her as he pulled himself to a standing position, "You are being obstinate." He spat.

"I'm being obstinate…you're the one who won't answer a simple question." She spat back at him.

He roared up to her and spoke through clenched teeth. His tone was low and menacing, "Who would want to be with me, Christine…hmmmm?"

His warm breath caressed her face and his cologne wafted on the breeze and drifted around her; Lord, he was intoxicating.

"Have you ever asked a woman on a date?" She asked, quietly.

He moved away from her as though he had been stung and swept his hands through his endearingly, unmanageably, wavy hair. He did not answer, not immediately.

"Have you?" Christine asked, again.

"No." Came his quiet, embarrassed answer.

Christine walked up behind him and placed her hand on his back, he stiffened under her touch, but she did not relent.

"How do you know if a woman would want to be with you or not, if you have never asked?"

He turned toward her with shame all over his face, "Why would a woman want to be with me, when there are far better men she would be proud to be with?"

Christine reached up and caressed his cheek with her palm, "I can think of many reasons why a woman would want to be with you and be seen with you."

Erik marveled at her hand on his cheek, but discounted her words with a shake of his head, "You mock me with your words, even though you don't mean to."

She dropped her hand from his cheek and glared at him with embittered eyes, "What is your impression of me, Erik…how would you describe me to someone who has never meant me?"

Erik had no idea where this was leading, but he could play the game, "Strong of character, brilliant minded, analytic, laudable, astute, resolute, staunch, elegant…beautiful, inside and out, sensual, feminine; there are too many to name."

Christine was astounded at his choice of words…he found her beautiful, but that was not the focus of his description. She had never been so humbled by someone's impression of her.

She reached her hand toward him and touched the slightly stubble covered cheek that was exposed. He started to move away again, but the look in her eyes prevented him from moving. He closed his eyes as she continued to caress his cheek.

"You see things in me that no one else sees, Erik…" Christine whispered. "…why is it so hard for you to understand that there are many things beautiful about you?"

Erik frowned at her words, but heard the sincerity in her tone. "My money and status are all that Lana found beautiful about me." He shuddered.

"Lana was a fool, Erik…" Christine stated, vehemently. "…don't measure all women by her warped standards."

Erik sensed a protective quality in Christine's voice that made his breath catch in his throat; was she actually upset about how Lana had treated him? If he had doubted it before, her next words convinced him.

"If I had five minutes alone with her…she would learn to regret what she did."

Erik chuckled at her formidable words and the smile lingered on his face. Christine cherished the sound of his laughter; it was a rare phenomenon.

They both stood looking out at the water as the sun started to set. The colors arrayed in the spring sky were stupefying.

Christine suddenly turned to him with an impish grin on her face. "I think we need to have a karaoke night tomorrow night."

Erik raised his brow in question, as he gawked at her. "A what?" he asked, not believing what she had just said.

"Don't tell me they don't have karaoke in Scotland?" She asked.

Erik chuckled and shook his head, "Yes, we have karaoke in Scotland. I just wasn't expecting you to say that."

Christine ran over to Xena and pulled herself up into the saddle. Erik shrugged, mounted Goliath and they started heading back to the house.

As they entered the front door, Rebekah approached them about dinner.

"Dinner will be in ten minutes; we are having Erik's favorite…lasagna." Rebekah chirped as she winked and walked away.

Erik rubbed his hands together like a little boy in anticipation of a treat; Christine found it absolutely adorable.

OOOOOOOOOOOOO

Christine dragged herself away from Erik's intoxicating presence and checked in on Meg.

"So…ya really like this guy, don't ya?" Meg said, as Christine entered the room and sat down on the couch next to her.

"Is it that obvious?" Christine asked with a huge smile.

Meg shook her head 'no', but her mouth was saying 'yes', causing Christine to bop her over the head with one of the pillows off the couch.

"I think you have been in love with him since about mid-way through this six-month search we have been on." Meg teased.

"In love?" Christine yelped. "I barely know the man!"

"Yes, Christine…in love." Meg stated again, emphatically. "You're the one who believes in love at first sight…are you changing your long-standing membership in the Love-at-First-Sight Club?"

"Okay, smarty pants, lets go over the facts." She knew she was attracted to him, but that was completely different then being in love with someone. Christine began examining her feelings for Erik:

"Number one, I love being near him and can't wait to be near him again; number two, time away from him seems like an eternity; number three, when I'm near him, my heart beats faster, my palms sweat…" at this point, Christine began to get a perplexed look on her face, "…and my stomach gets all fluttery with butterflies…"

She moved her eyes to Meg, realization written all over her face, "Oh dear..." She whispered, "…I am in love with him."

Meg just sat there with a smug look on her face and a smile on her lips, "I told ya so."

Christine pummeled her with another pillow and then Meg found her own pillow and started in…the knock on the door to remind them of dinner, finally stopped the violent slaying of all pillows.

TBC