Hey yall! I have an update for you all today! Yay! I know it has taken some time but please forgive me because I am making that transition from high school to college right now and am beyond distracted. I actually move away to college in four days from now, but no worries because I will still update this for you all. Like I have said before, I am not giving up on this story and I intend to finish it. :)
Anyways, thank you all for your kind reviews and comments. I'm beyond grateful for your support for this story and I appreciate every last one of your comments.
Now I won't waste anymore time. Here is the update!
Hugs and all that jazz,
-Olivia N.
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Skeletal fingers tightened like a noose around her fragile wrist, Erik's death grip nearly crushing the bone beneath Raylan's tender skin as he forced her on to the dance floor. His threateningly vibrant eyes narrowed harshly on each blissful couple they passed as he dragged his fickle date along, loathing every last perfection who was blessed with the gift of happiness. How he despised the irony of how such brainless creatures could receive love with little to no effort. But no, that wasn't the point now; it was instead the matter of the sadly mortal act of betrayal.
His mind reeled with indignation at her actions, the woman who owed him so much and yet lacked the loyalty she had pledged to him. Lord, why had he been so lenient? Never should he have brought her to the surface, what a stupid mistake! He should have been wiser than that. Raylan was like a caged bird, even the slightest gift of freedom and she would try to flee the cage that sheltered her and protected her from those who would wish her otherwise dead! Curses, why did he ever allow himself to think she'd stay of her own free will? And then there was the matter of dancing with that stranger. Had she no since of courtesy or was she intentionally trying to anger him with such an insolent act? Did she have any idea as to how difficult it had been to simply ask her to accompany him? No! Of course not! She had always been so utterly aloof in her bizarre world! God in Heaven! He never should have asked such an untamed woman to be his, or for that matter, never should have allowed her into the protection of his home! What a fool he had been! Again he had allowed womanly charms to blind him, but no more! Christine had been enough to end a man's life; Raylan would most certainly not be given the same pleasure.
Erik's anger bristled the more he reflected on her abandonment, past memories dredged up opening old scars that poured into his mind. Raylan was the same as all the rest! She too would leave him because of his hideousness, of his curse that was too ugly for any mortal or angel to bear! Her past promises of acceptance were the old lies, and like all woman in his life, Raylan would abandon him for dead! Just like his mother, just as Christine, and many many more had! His grip tightened as he came upon the floor, his mind taking slight pleasure in how her bones gave so easily beneath his touch. With one elegant sweep his arm gracefully whipped her around to face him, his stubborn hold clearly showing that he had no intention of letting her go. Instead he lifted her hand to his mouth as he stiffly bowed, never touching her flesh with his dead lips but simply waiting almost mockingly. She didn't need to feel Death's kiss…yet. Erik waited expectedly for her then; his cold green eyes daring her to disobey-to make a false move. Part of him yearned for her to make a mistake, so he could cruelly correct her, forcing her farther into his trap… or possibly pushing her farther away, but tonight he didn't care. Damn listening to foolish emotions, he only wanted revenge now.
Raylan had frozen for a moment, obviously unclear as to what path she would choose to take. To run or to stay was the real question, and what were the consequences of both? Hate, friendship, battle, betrayal, fear, lust, pain, truth, love, death, so many answers to so many unsatisfying endings. Now there was the choice, of which she neither wanted nor was ready to make. Instinctively she found his eyes, almost as if she were searching for the hidden answer in those vibrant pools, but the shock of unforgiving fury in his gaze had taken her by surprise and all she could do was simply lower her glance in disappointment. It was only then that she realized exactly how he was standing and how he had raised her hand so dangerously close to his thin lips, her fingers giving a slight twitch as if beckoning him to take the dare.
After a moment it had somehow registered in the whirlwind of her thoughts that he was awaiting her formal return, or more so commanding it through his threatening gaze. Raylan had first thought to never return it, to stay stubborn and refuse him the satisfaction of obedience, but after some thought it had seemed the more logical approach to smoothing things over. With a rather swift and uncultured movement, she curtsied and then rose to stand stiff and uncertain before him, all the while chewing on her bottom lip in attempt to keep her American bluntness restrained.
And so they bled into those intricate patterns of black and white swirling about the floor, falling into the common waltz as if their entrance into the whole routine had not been odd at all. Maintaining his death grip, Erik spun his date around the floor, his movements fluid and graceful as normal and Raylan's submissive and gentle as expected. Still, there was no mistaking the burning anger behind the masks of both parties, their flaring eyes being the greatest give away.
Erik had spun her once more to face him, bringing her a dangerous close suddenly, his voice low and harsh as he questioned bitterly, "I must wonder if you fully understood the implications of being my date tonight. I fear you didn't. Perhaps you'd like me to explain them to you now?" His grip tightened as he set her up for a spin, daring her to disagree with him.
Raylan bit her tongue as the pressure worsened in her wrist, her left eye giving a slight twitch as she turned. "If you must," She had forced herself to reply, her voice emerging with a strain as if she was struggling for air.
Erik offered a grim smile as he spun her, in perfect time with the music. "For starters, my dear, the first dance always belongs to your date," His hissed, his eyes narrowing critically, "Not some high ranking American stooge. Secondly, loyalty. Something Americans know very little about-" He paused for effect, knowing it would push her over the edge, "-being a young country. Either way, I expect you to stay by my side. It is at least courteous!"
Again Raylan found herself tearing at her lip as she fought to keep her words to herself. However, his mockery of her country had indeed struck a nerve in Raylan's side and she found herself saying rather bitterly, "That was my initial intention dear, but I'm afraid we crude American women find it rather difficult to play the companion when our host is quite obviously yearning for another."
"So you give into your natural urge to run?" He responded harshly, his eyes glowing a deepening, kindling yellow. He made the dance graceful and exquisite, with the hard touch of force, allowing her to make no move on her own with out his explicit direction. "Another American trait I assume?" He added mockingly, "Or just that of a coward?"
Raylan instinctively spat back, "You tell me? You are after all quite familiar with being a coward."
Erik's eyes narrowed at her, his fingers twitching with lust for his lasso. Her impertinence was astounding! "That is a weak assumption for one who can not comprehend what I have gone through," He growled. How dare she! Again he spun her, this time his anger getting away from him as he made the spin too tight and harsh, causing her to stumble.
Raylan, despite how much she hated to seem weak to him at that very moment, grasped his sleeve for support as she lost her footing. Yet in a second she had composed herself, using his arm for leverage as she rose back to meet his uncompromising gaze. Raylan noticed then just how weak her own arms had begun to feel, likely from what she knew was a lack of blood flow through Erik's harsh hold. Still, her tone had not changed, remaining just as cruel as his hands as she growled, "Well whose fault is that? I have tried endlessly to know you Erik and despite my attempts and my honesty to every one of your prying questions, you have never once given me the means to understand you."
"You have yet to prove that you are different from anyone else," He responded with icy coldness, again his hands wrenching the life from her fragile wrists.
"Haven't I?" Oddly, Raylan only seemed to laugh mockingly at this, "God in heaven, you can't be serious. Are you really that blind Erik or just too self-absorbed to notice?"
His hands clenched tighter. Truly, he didn't understand why he endured her harassment; he had killed for much less. His teeth ground in anger, his tongue seethed with retorted remarks. "Self-absorbed? My dear perhaps you are so blind that you do not see the fate you have stumbled into. I spend most of my time recovering from the blunders you and your idiot friend make. Perchance if you stopped trying to escape what you asked to get into, I would not have to be so secretive!" His voice rose in anger then, not loud enough to disturb the crowds yet, but enough to be over heard by the couples dancing close to them.
"Please," Raylan spat, giving an aggressive clench to his shoulder, "You never had any attention of explaining yourself to me, despite our attempts. Your soul intention was to keep us locked away like one of your little contraptions from the beginning, because of your ridiculous obsession with power. And for the record, I have never wished to escape you or this place once, until now, because it is only bluntly obvious how very little you trust or care for someone like me. Apparently, your tastes are for the naive kind." With a jerk of her head she gestured towards the diva that had enchanted Erik before, never once realizing how true her statement actually was.
"Madame you know not of what you speak. I suggest you hold your tongue before you say something truly grievous, and can not make amends," His eyes narrowed, to thin glowing slits threatening to consume her conscious by fire-a devious murderous fire that held no appeasement.
"Don't threaten me Erik," She hissed unwaveringly, her usually gentle smile now forming into an almost animalistic snarl, "Threats solve nothing. Besides, you wish for me to cease my American habits than I suggest you come up with a more cunning reason for me to stop than empty threats for I have no intention to hold my tongue when you can't hold yours."
"What insolence!" Erik hissed well above a whisper, anger steely glinting in his eyes, "They truly do not teach manners in America-particularly towards those you have let you into their home, as well as keeping you safe and hidden. As you asked me to do! You should well remember your place!" Erik's tone was harsh and threatening like never before. Anger rang out of his voice and eyes as he tried to prevent himself from wringing the girl's neck before every watching eye. His hands had drifted from her own to clinch her shoulders an unholy tight, allowing for no escape, and he had not intention of releasing her until she apologized!
It was his mistake though, first for his arrogance for treating her like some disobedient pet and second for freeing her hands. Rage had flared up in those earthy eyes of hers, and as the calm burned away from the very core of them, her hands came to deliver the message her mouth could not form. In an instant her hand had slapped hard against his unmasked cheek, striking him with such power that the cracking sound of the impact reverberated over the crowds and the muffling music, bringing all the attention of the room upon them. Raylan took no notice of the crowds though, her eyes remaining fixed on Erik's turned head as her throbbing hand came back to her side, her gaze never once showing any remorse for showing him such scorn.
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Vits hadn't looked for him after her performance. Despite every yearning in her soul she didn't dare search the masked faces, knowing it was too much to expect the condemned to brave the mortal world. Even for a masquerade, it was simply too dangerous with the penalties of being caught so horribly high. It was a doomed hope to think they would come, to dream of once more being swallowed by the depthless ocean of his eyes. It was, after all, only a bitter let down.
She had escaped to the veranda when the magnificent Christine had finished her grand show, praying dearly that by some means of luck the Phantom had not heard his Angels song. Lord knows, Vits didn't want this vulgar world to plummet into any further chaos than it was already in. The breeze worsened as Vits's body temperature adjusted to weather outside. She realized how scant her clothing was then, mentally laughing at her own foolishness as she wrapped her arms around herself, trying to keep her thin body from shivering. Her eyes glanced upward at the stars out of habit, remembering the cold nights on ships, and the watches. She loved to watch the stars and could stare at them for hours, remembering their names, the constellations, and even the stories behind them. At a port on the Ivory Coast, Vits remembered how an African woman taught her about astronomy, and what the constellations meant. As a brief indulgence to the past, Vits told her own fortune-for kicks. She was rarely right, but then again, astrology wasn't exactly scientific. However, the stars read something about forgiveness and true love tonight, something Vits highly doubted for truth.
Then, as if it were perfectly timed by fate, an answer to her doubts flickered in the background as the most gentle of voices came to her, that rich American accent standing apart from the roar of French Aristocrats as it commented with a cautious conversational tone, "Beautiful night tonight. The skies are clear, perfect for star gazing."
Vits spun around in shock, half ready to attack out of sheer habit until her eyes met the ones that she longed for the most. "I didn't think you'd come tonight," She whispered, her tone curious and cautious, playing the field before she truly let herself relax.
Ethan's grin shown with a missed warmth below the glittering mask that hid the upper half of his face, that same always constant charming smile as he laughed, "What? And miss a wonderful opportunity to see the surface? And you. I wouldn't pass the chance up for anything. Besides, our great over Lord has gone through a change of heart and invited us to accompany him, which refusing might send him spiraling back into the black abyss that he was, so we decided not to reject his offer."
Vits chuckled, "Yes, please don't piss him off. I don't think this place could stand another one of his fits of rage." She cast her eyes around inside, trying to spot them, with no luck. "I didn't see any of you."
Ethan grinned, "We've learned our fair share of how to appear invisible... I suppose we just blended in well with the outskirts of the crowd... although I can not see how anyone would miss Raylan. She looks wonderful tonight... nearly as beautiful as you, but still she can not compare."
Vits smiled, "I'm sure Raylan can be extremely beautiful when she wants to-and she doesn't have to run around half naked to do it."
Ethan sighed, "True... but you are tantalizing half naked so I am not complaining."
Vits chuckled wholesomely, truly delighted to have such playful conversation once more with him. "Behave; I'm not afraid to use my knives, even on you," She teased, her body relaxing some what. Her guard was still half up, waiting for someone to jerk the rug out from underneath her, but that came from living an unpredictable life.
Ethan gave a dramatic sweeping bow, billowing out the forest green cape that Erik had given him and then rising again just as theatrically. "I'm always a gentlemen," Ethan grinned back, and then added with almost childish enthusiasm, "And I have a cape... which automatically gives me the power of mystery and seduction which your knives are powerless against." Again, another dramatic swishing of his cape before he let himself rest against the side of the threshold, folding his arms over his chest as he smiled gently Vits way.
Vits burst out laughing in result, "You're absolutely hopeless you know?"
Ethan nodded, "So I have heard... on countless occasions."
"Just making sure you know," She teased, sticking her tongue out at him playfully.
His lips gave a slight smoldering grin as he commented towards her tongue, "Careful, that gesture can be taken as suggestive."
Surprisingly, Vits sidled up to him, wanting to lean against him, but not sure if she should. So instead she stood mere inches from him, trying to keep some warmth. She gave him a sly, very suggestive smile and a wink, "You can take it however you want. I won't object."
He's response was strange though, not the playful bit he always seemed to come back with but instead an air of seriousness as he questioned, "Can I take it as an apology then?"
Vits gave him an odd look, "An apology for what? I merely stated the truth."
"In our last argument?" Ethan questioned and then replied almost bitterly, "A cold, heartless truth? More like a lie seeing as you let nothing come from your heart."
"Ethan, I can't afford to let myself be led around by delusions. I have to live in the real world," She paused looking into his eyes, "I love you… yes. But I'm not going to be so foolish as to assume that once you leave, I will ever see you again." She had half expected anger to flare at this statement, but to her dread she was given a look much worse than anger. A look of disappointment.
"I had hoped," Ethan said, drawing his eyes to the polished marble of the balcony, "I had hoped that in my absence you would've changed your mind."
Vits stepped directly in front of him, forcing him to meet her eyes. Her voice was tender as she questioned, "Ethan, explain to me anyway you can see us being together after your departure? That will still allow for your safety."
"Come with us," Ethan said, in a surprisingly quick manner that clearly meant he had given the notion some thought.
"And who will cover your ass?" Vits retorted harshly, "Who will keep the police off your tails? Who will mislead them? And what happens if you get caught? If I'm with you-all I can do is watch you both hang. If I'm here, I'll be able to at least try to save your damn hides."
"You can't save us Vits," Ethan said, a calm acceptance in his voice, "Not you, not Raylan, not even the Phantom in all his power. Raylan and I have committed sins not worthy of forgiveness, and we've come to accept this. We can keep running, we will always keep running, but they will never stop chasing us, and no matter how hard you try darling... no matter how much you mislead them, you can not delay the inevitable. I know I will die by the noose. I know I will most likely not live to see fifty. That is why I try my best to make good use of the life I have left, and spend it as happily as I can. You bring me joy, more happiness than I have felt in so many years. I want to hold on to the love for as long as I can, and if I must run, then I ask you to come with me knowing fully the risks, simply because I know that the day we are found is not far away and I want to be able to spend those last moments of my life with you."
Vits forced herself to look away, and stare at the bustling city below, knowing that she couldn't let herself believe him. She dragged her body to turn around and lean against the balcony railing, letting the wind sort through the thoughts in her head. She desperately wanted to go with him. Part of her already said yes, but she couldn't let her emotion over run her reason-no matter how hard it tried, no matter how much she wanted it to.
"Ethan, if I can get you a year, six months to live, a week, then my pain will be worth it. If I can give you one chance that you didn't have it will be worth it to watch you go. Being willing to give up your life is how you lose it. On a ship, the man who doesn't care any more gets foolish-and he will die, and it won't be pretty. I've watched them. You maybe ready to give up your life. You may be ready to die, over a girl. But damn it," She slammed her fist on the marble, "I'm not. I'm not willing to let you die. Nor am I willing to let you hand over your life so may have a few moments with me. That's not the man I love, and you bloody well know it." There was a moment of silence then, the hollow sound of a future lost before she turned back to face him, fierce tears in her eyes as she replied forcefully, "I'm not willing to hand you over to the noose with out the best damn fight I can give. And it hasn't even started."
Ethan watched her gaze in silent defiance, but as the swelling tears lifted to her eyes his expressions melted into tired acceptance. With a slight bow of his head and a weary sigh on his lips Ethan replied softly, "As you wish." His words drifted off coldly almost like the dreaded finale of some Shakespearian tragedy, and then he looked away, solemnly into the night sky as he whispered, "Raylan and I will leave when the time is right, when we're ready to... to let go."
Vits hated herself at that moment for she saw the very last strands of hope in his eyes slip away, but she knew she had to do it. She had to let go to save them. Weakly, as a small notion to ease the pain and soothe both their heavy hearts, she whispered, "There's a saying on the ship I lived on. 'Live while you can'. Pirates don't live long, but they live their life to its fullest while they have it."
"That's what I was trying to do," He remarked almost coldly, and then clenching his jaw in regret tried again in a gentler tone of, "It's a wise way to live."
"Yes, it is. But that doesn't mean it's the best," She continued, "On a ship, any number of things can go wrong-just as in reality. Just because they drink a lot, and carouse as much as possible, doesn't mean they don't take precautions to make sure tomorrow comes."
"Leave, I get it," Ethan said suddenly very bitterly, "If that's all you're concerned about then I will go Mademoiselle and pack my things." He then snappishly pushed himself from the wall, giving a quaint bow before making as if he meant to storm off into the darkness below.
Vits bit her tongue to prevent from yelling at him. She took a moment to push her anger at the world out on him. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Her tone was cold as she tried to control her anger, "Ethan, I don't want you to go. If you think there isn't a moment when I wish I had your arms around me, you're wrong. If you think I don't miss your voice, your touch, your smell. I do. I miss you very much. And Ray-more than you both can imagine. I'm alone up here-at least you two have each other. I have to prevent our secret from getting out-no matter how hard my mother tries to find out. I have to bow down and lick the patron's fucking boots to save your hides. And I do it gladly. And I would do it again, a thousand times over if it meant I could save your lives, if I could buy you more time, I would do anything. Believe me." Her green eyes shown with the sincerity of her words.
Ethan halted as soon as her voice came to him, gentle as a cool ocean breeze and he turned to face her. His eyes sought hers, those gentle sincere eyes, the ones he tried so hard to be angry at and was finding he was failing miserably at doing. All he wanted to do was hold her, love her, let her know just how much he cared and respected her every sacrifice, but all he could manage to choke out was a solemn reply of, "I know." And then the moment was lost in the all too familiar shouts of voices he knew so well.
Almost grudgingly he turned his attention from her eyes to screams coming from the now oddly quiet dance hall behind. As he listened, cold realization settled on his gaze and Ethan's stomach twisted nauseatingly as he caught a Ghost's voice launching above the others, that usually calm and annoyingly captivating tone breaking into a threatening howl as his words exploded loudly, "You should well remember your place!" Almost instantly Ethan spun to face the foyer, his eyes searching pleadingly over the now deadly silent crowd for the woman those screams were no doubt directed to. "Oh no," He muttered, and then in the gravest of voices, whispered, "Raylan... what have you done?"
Vits followed Ethan's comment with quite a few choice words of her own, none of which were suitable for innocent ears. Without so much as a thought she reacted then, Vits marching past Ethan and straight into the hall, storming her way through the crowds towards the incident on the dance floor, silently praying things hadn't gotten worse.
And then the crack of flesh striking flesh resounded through out the Opera Populaire, and Vits knew it was too late.
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Thanks for reading!
-Olivia N.