A/N: I'm sorry for being absent for such a long time. I've been very busy. But while i could use thousands excuses, i won't. I'd like to thank all of you for being so patient in following my story.
Before you start reading this chapter, please youtube this song first as i'd like to use it for the mood of the chapter: "Can't you feel the love tonight" by Lion King. Very famous, Disney song.
Last but not least, thank you Erik'sTrueAngel for editing.
Please be warned that this chapter has some rated M elements.
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"Christine! Slow down."
"Hurry, Erik. We're almost there."
"Where are we going?" Erik grumbled as he tried to catch his breath, chasing behind Christine, who was speeding like a rabbit ahead. He saw her entering a giant cave, obscured by an enormous tree with dangling vines that resembled some lifeless snakes hanging from the branches up on top, and melted in the cloak of foreboding darkness. Frustrated as though being neglected, he raised his voice to get her attention. "What is it about this place that you won't tell me? Why must you be so secretive?"
"Oh, come on. Erik." Christine poked her head from the cave to find her annoyed Erik standing by the cave entrance, his broad, chiseled chest heaving as he panted, exasperation visible on the defined features of his handsome face. "Quit asking," she said in a lighthearted tone, and emerged next to him. "You will find out soon. Just be patient."
Grasping Erik's hand, Christine led him into the cave, and through the winding tunnel inside. She walked agilely in the shroud of darkness; her eyes quickly adjusted to the shadow, and her keen memory was her guide.
"You know patience is never my friend. And honestly, we've been going for a while. You made me chase after you on the beach, over the vast meadow, and now we're inside a hellishly dark cave. Since you're not giving me a single hint of the location, what are you supposed me to think, Christine?"
"Are you tired already?" Christine ceased her footsteps and briskly turned around to look at Erik. His chest accidentally collided into hers, causing him to groan with vexation. It was not the pain from the collision that got on his nerves. It was what lay beneath her delicate blouse: those soft, round globes that happened to grind against his chest by accident, suddenly sending waves of dark desire boiling throughout his blood.
He looked down at her, taking in every single outline of her face in the shadow and resisting the urge to touch her. He yearned to be closer to her in terms of physicality, but he did not have the courage to express it. Rejection was his greatest enemy. And now he feared of being too close to her in distance. Afraid he would more than likely lose control over his longing for hisangel.
Erik flinched when Christine's hand reached up to dab away the tiny streaks of sweat on his forehead with the back of her sleeve. He held his breath for what felt like an eternity, standing immobile, while allowing Christine to tend for him. Her touch was gentle, but yet, it was intoxicated enough to stir up something inexplicable within him. He knew it was not the first time that she had touched him, and his mind boggled to understand why every single physical contact from her now had a powerful impact on him. He desired her with a passion, but he did not believe that he loved her. Love was a peculiar word that seemed to never have belonged to his vocabulary.
"If you are tired, we could just take a short break." She spoke softly with concern. His grumpiness bespoke the magnitude of his fatigue, and she would not mind if they had to stop for him to rest. After all, it was her idea to drag him into this, but she only wanted to spend more time with him, to know more of him. After all their time spent together before, he still remained somewhat of a stranger. He rarely shared anything about himself, or his personal life. Despite all that, he was the only real friend she'd ever had, and ironically, she found herself befuddled at her accumulative attraction toward him. Perhaps it was just her own curiosity that made her feel that way.
"Tired?" Erik reiterated her word sarcastically. "I'm not only tired. I am exhausted. You are as fast as your horse I could hardly catch up with you. Are we racing against each other or what? Just slow down, all right?" He sighed in exasperation. "How much longer do we have to go to get there?"
"Not too far. Indeed, we are very close to the destination. See the end of the tunnel?" She pointed her index finger to show him what she was indicating. "It will end after we make a left turn and it'll lead us to the outside. You'll see sunlight afterward and I guarantee what you'll find worth the trip." She reassured him with confidence.
Erik's brow furrowed as he mulled over her declaration. His career as a commodore had given him many opportunities to go to countless places over the world, before arriving to this isle. What was she going to show him that could possibly surpass his own experience? Nevertheless, he shook off the itch to question her further, and gave a silent nod in agreement that they should continue.
The two walked in companionable silence until the passage ended. Just as Christine had mentioned, Erik took notice of the faint streaks of sunlight seeping through a draping layer of verdant vines, cascading over the egress of the tunnel. The sound of water was roaring nearby, and Erik could only imagine there must be a lake behind this curtain of vines.
Christine went first, and lifted a fistful of vines to allow them both to pass through the opening.
In the distance, a magnificent, colossal waterfall appeared. Along the hillside of a giant mountain, the water pounded on top of the calm surface of the blue lake, mixing its white frothiness with the rippling waves. The heavenly cascade was encompassed with trees, shrubs and vines of different species that grew densely around the area. Boulders of different shapes appeared scattering over the surface of the water, forming a detached-looking pathway to the other side of the bank.
Erik took a deep breath; the sweet, mild scent of mist, earth, and moss mingled altogether, permeating the damp air and filling his nostril. His eyes grew wide as he gazed in awe at a rainbow made up of seven vibrant colors arching over the waterfall, completing the splendid scenery.
He took a few steps closer as his mouth formed a silent "oh". It was indeed a vision that only one would imagine in a children's fairy tale book. Even with the deafening roar of the water, there existed an ambiance of power and brilliance in this unearthly place of tranquility. Butterflies fluttered in the air, dancing around in a whirlwind of colors. Some of them were drawn to the two human beings below, who seemed to get lost in this land of divinity, led by their ardent curiosity, and descended upon them like a welcoming salutation to the ethereal land.
"Christine, this place is stunning…"
"I know right. I fell in love with it the first time I came here by accident a couple years ago. My mom only heard of this from me, but she didn't have a chance to go and see it herself. She can't walk too long because of her weakening legs. I come here sometimes by myself."
"I never knew such place like this exists… It's like a place belonging to the Naiads; you know the water nymphs of legend." With amazement, his eyes traveled around, surveying every corner of the area with intense curiosity. Somewhere nearby, he heard the sound of birds filling the air: chirping, tweeting and warbling incessantly in improvised melody. In his mind, their singing made up an orchestra, playing one enchanting symphony after another.
Rustling on the trees or grass nearby, his ears picked up an indistinct commotion that would likely belong to some little furry animals, which Christine often addressed them as her companions. An amused smile quirked Erik's lips, as he caught sight of a pristine rabbit hopping toward him, his wet, rosy muzzle twisting with curiosity as he sniffed at Erik. But when he leaned down to pet him, the rabbit became frightened and dashed away, leaving Erik puzzled behind.
He heard Christine's giggling ringing in the air, as he averted his gaze to find her tittering at him with her hand covering over her mouth. A little of embarrassment swept across his face, he dashed a scornful glare at her, hoping it would carry enough meaning to stop her half-suppressed laughter. "What? I didn't mean to harm him; he was just too scared to let me touch him."
"They are like that at first," she said, clearing her throat at the same time, "but as they become more acquainted with you, they won't run away anymore. Just watch me."
Christine gave a whistle that summoned the same rabbit running to her from the bush, in which he was hiding. Without hesitation, he jumped onto her lap, as she picked him up, patting his head, while he snuggled in the cradle of her arms. "See? He isn't afraid of me. Good boy."
Christine came closer to Erik with the rabbit nestling in her arms. "Now try and pat him."
Erik was reluctant at first, but at Christine's assurance, he slowly extended his hand, gently stroking the little friend's back. A smile of joy appeared at the corner of his lips as the little bunny stayed still and welcomed his touch.
Seeing Erik's expression brightening up, Christine handed the rabbit over to him with great care, as if handing her baby to her husband. "He'll get used to you soon. Just be gentle all right?"
Holding the adorable baby in his arms, Erik felt immense love flooding his heart, simply watching the rabbit remain comfortable against his chest, protected. After all, not everyone rejected him for his disfigurement. Christine didn't and neither did the loveable new friend.
Erik stroked him a few times and hesitantly released the animal onto the ground, back to his family, who was watching cautiously from afar.
"I knew you would like this place." He heard Christine's voice echoing exuberantly from behind. "After all, it's worth the effort to go see it."
He did not say a word but inwardly agreed with her. His weariness from earlier vanished like the misty fog dissipating in the warm radiance of sunlight, and now being substituted with a raw, enthusiastic feeling, in which the beautiful surrounding had offered.
Nonetheless, in the back of his mind, he sensed an eerie familiarity about this heaven-on-earth that almost caused his hair to stand on its end. Erik scratched his head to make sense of the situation, how come this place almost resemble the beauteous place in his wild dream on the night of his return from the lagoon after watching his angel bathing. How could this be?
His blood pumped thunderously in his ears, while he frantically sought the answer to this baffling situation. Was he dreaming? Erik blinked once, twice, and then thrice to ensure this was not some kind of fantasy created by the desperate yearning of his lonely heart, but each time he opened his eyes, everything around him remained the same, as if nothing had changed. Impossible. Preposterous. Irresistible.
Erik abruptly turned around to face Christine, who was beaming with joy across the scant distance between them. He swallowed hard as she approached him with effortless grace, while their eyes were held between one another. Erik swore he heard every single beat of his heart echoing as loudly as cannon blasts when he gazed at Christine from head to toe. His angel looked gorgeous as always, but somehow, for the very first time, he began to take notice of every single curve and detail of her body, which was barely concealed beneath the sheer material of her clothing. Oh Lord, she was the epitome of perfection. Flawless. Luscious. Sultry. Tantalizing. Tempting.
Perplexed, he drew in a trembling breath, while his mind struggled to understand the situation. Christine had been wearing the same fashion daily, and it bothered him to suddenly see the difference with regard to her attire. Had he gone mad?
Erik tensed as Christine touched his exposed cheek in a loving manner just like she had done with the rabbit, each stroke sending shivers over his skin. He closed his eyes, taking delight in the electrifying sensation of her touch, and felt her warm breaths kissing the side of his neck, as she leaned closer, whispering in his ear. "See? I told you so but you didn't listen to me."
"Yes…" He muttered under his breath.
With his eyes closed, his senses became heightened. Erik felt Christine pressing her breasts against him, her nipples inexplicably hardened beneath the restraint of the diaphanous blouse. Her tantalizing scent bewitched him, triggering his head to spin in a dizzying rate.
He sucked in a deep breath to calm the wild beating of his heart; the vivid images of the erotic dream from last night suddenly returning in a blink of an eye. Oh gosh, how he couldn't resist the way her lips and tongue dueled with his in their passionate embrace. How she had inflamed his senses to the brink of orgasmic explosion with the expertise of her mouth and fingers, the sound of her moaning with pleasure filling his ears when he thrusted inside her heavenly core! All returned to him like a vigorous undulation of a wave submerging the entire seashore in one powerful, tidal surge, drowning his head in the burning desire from within.
But amidst those fanciful longings, a voice perhaps emitted from the depth of his conscious mind hollered at him, commanding him to cease from any further actions, in which they would both regret. This was purely a coincidence, and nothing more. At least, that was what the voice tried to convince him. She could not have read his mind, could she?
And even if his cock had already erected and pressed against the fabric of his breeches with an aching persistence at his own visualization of their entwined bodies, he must fight off the urge to pin her down and claim her body like a savage monster that other people had called him. At least to Christine, he had to be better than that.
He opened his eyes brusquely, deliberately grabbing Christine's hand and moved it away from his face. His action rendered her shock and speechless.
"I'm sorry, Christine, but we must return. I shouldn't dally elsewhere too long and forget my main goal to wait for my comrades to come and rescue me. And even if they aren't coming, there should be other ships passing by that could possibly return me back to the mainland."
He deliberately stepped away from Christine, whose bewilderment painted all over her face. He had only walked a few steps away, when he heard Christine's voice calling for him from behind. The disappointment in her voice made him halt and spin around to face her, who was catching up with him.
"What's wrong with you? Are we not having fun at this place? Why ruin the mood by all of sudden walking away like this?" She paused in front of him, her face a dash of rosy color of aggravation, an enhanced beauty which only drove him crazy with wanting her even more, but unable to touch that forbidden fruit.
"I thought you like this place and you seemed to find everything here amazing. Is there something wrong with it you have yet told me?"
"Don't. Touch. Me." He said through gritted teeth.
"What?" Christine rounded her eyes and stared at Erik. "What do you mean?"
"Did you not understand a word I'm saying? I said don't touch me. Have I expressed myself clear?"
"Oh, is that why you're acting like this? Because I touched you?" Christine tried to keep her temper down, but it was impossible. Anger took over her, her eyes twinkling, and her voice quivering with emotion. She pointed at his chest with her finger. "Who do you think you are sailor?"
Erik wanted to say something back but he couldn't. Seeing her shaken with hurt tore him apart. Realistically, it was all on him. She had been friendly and innocent, putting out her best effort to amend their friendship, and then he was always the one who would inflict the damages to what'd been fixed. He was such a fool, and he hated himself for it.
"I'm sorry," an apology was muttered through his trembling lips. Erik averted his penitent gaze from Christine, doing his best to not look at the angelic maiden, who haunted his dream at night. Only she would have the power to invade his mind, but he would never bring himself to admit it. He couldn't.
"Now you apologized. I'm curious if your head is all right or if the shipwreck still has a post-traumatic effect on you. You are as fickle as the sea waves. There are times you're so humorous, and calm. And there are times out of the blue, you're… just so irritating. Just like a red ant, you bite."
"Hey, I've already said sorry. Don't you just simply take it and let this go? Or would you prefer to keep censuring me and ruin the mood?"
"Huhm, ruin the mood? It was you who ruined the mood. I've brought you here just so we can hang out and enjoy the beauty of the scenery. Ever since you've come to this island, have I ever mistreated you? Have I done you wrong? And you know what? I'm tired of all your arrogance and unpredictable behavior. Let's call this our last meeting. You and I won't have to see each other again. Good bye." Christine furiously stomped her feet and sharply whirled around to walk away, when Erik's hands suddenly grasped her shoulders and yanked her around to face him.
"Where do you think you're going? We're not done talking yet." He pulled her closer and perused her facial expression. "I don't want this to be our last encounter. I want to keep seeing you." He spoke with tenacity in his tone.
"Where I'm going is none of your business. We're done here, all right? I don't want to see you again. You're just insufferable. Let me go! You're hurting me."
"I'm not letting you leave…" Erik pressed his body against Christine and tightened his vice grip around her, whose eyes challenged with his.
"Fine. We'll see about that." With fire burning in her eyes, she stepped down on his foot with all her might, rendering him a painful attack and forcing him to release her.
Erik let go of Christine, bent down, and grabbed his foot. He grimaced at the pain that her attack had imposed, and then looked up just to see her seizing the opportunity to dart away. "Christine, we're not done yet. I'm not going to lose to you." He whispered through gritted teeth.
Christine had run off for quite a bit before she turned her head, and caught sight of Erik sprinting a few feet behind her. He ran as quickly as a lightning flash, and he was so close to almost reach her.
"Where did you get the strength to run so fast you've almost caught up with me? Didn't you say you were tired earlier?"
"Whatever the matter is related to you, I am never tired. You should have known that by now, Christine."
To her surprise, she had not felt a twinge of panic of being caught up. Contradictory in fact as her heart was racing in excitement, as though glorious fireworks were going off in her brain. She silently questioned herself what was wrong with her. Was she not furious at him for his volatile behavior earlier? Why all of sudden she felt happy, no, thrilled to be exact, when he pursued her?
Puzzlement and exhilaration mixed in together like a pot of soup with multiple ingredients, she didn't look back but kept running, while her heart mocked at her, telling her to just quit this foolish, wild goose chase and grant him one more chance. One last chance perhaps.
Before she knew what to do, a pair of strong arms came in contact with her skin, wrapping around her waist to halt her running. Her back collided against his muscular chest, as both of his strong arms secured tightly around her front.
"Don't you dare run from me," he murmured in her ear, the warmth of his breath sent a tingling sensation over her skin. "I need to talk to you."
"Don't talk to me. I don't want to speak to you anymore." She struggled to get away but it was no use when his arms became increasingly tighter around her, trapping her to him.
"That's not an option." He spun her around so she could see his face, grim and determined. "Don't you ever run away from me again." His voice was so commanding that one should know better not to defy him.
"Don't touch me," she countered swiftly, using his line. "Just leave me be. I don't want to be your friend anymore. Why waste your effort and chase after me?" She pummeled his chest and wriggled to get away but her effort went in vain. He was unaffected by any of her tactics.
Seeing her behaving like a spoiled brat in a temper tantrum, Erik had to restrain himself from wanting to spank her arse. Actually, it was him who triggered this madness. He could neither bring himself to inflict a punishment on her nor let her go. The only method to make her stop squirming and listen to him came across his mind as he took hold of her face and crashed his mouth on hers.
Time suddenly ceased to elapse between them. It could have been a few seconds or a few minutes passing by as the two stood fixed to the spot, completely lost in the sparks of the romantic enchantment in each other's arms.
The air around them seemed to be electrified by the heat of their building passion. Christine felt her body went numb against Erik's rigid body. She should have known he possessed some kind of dark magic that could put her in a hypnotic trance and take control of her body. Yet, she willingly let herself fallen to his magical spell as their passion intensified. She moaned in his devouring mouth. Oh gosh, it felt exhilarating, enthralling, and exquisite.
When they kissed for the first time, she had felt the same emotion sweeping across her body, lifting her up to heaven. She had wished to stay up there for as long as possible, but when she returned back on Earth, she had missed the experience, which surprisingly could only be rendered by Erik.
And just as suddenly as the whole incident had transpired…it also ended.
Erik reluctantly tore his mouth away from Christine's, cursing under his breath for having lost control over the situation, in which he was the one initiated it. Originally, he had only intended to subdue her, but then as temptation took over, he found himself relishing in the obsession of their kiss. The taste of her soft, sensuous lips was delicious and it was like a powerful addictive drug, which made him crave for it more and more after one time of trial.
He drew in a long, trembling breath, while fighting off the inclination to kiss her again. She would not appreciate that. He thought to himself.
"I'm very sorry," Erik heard himself muttering those three pathetic words. He felt sorry for putting both of them in this awkwardness in which neither of them knew what to do after all that happened, but he did not regret doing what he did, for he had found the experience to be startlingly beyond pure lust. Every physical contact he'd shared with Christine only deepened his feeling for her, making her more irresistible in his eyes, and thus making it more difficult for him to leave her.
Suddenly, a stinging pain whipped across his face as he caught a brief glimpse of Christine's hand flying up, making contact with his exposed cheek, followed by a piercing sound of skin hitting skin.
"Is that all you could say?" she said in a guttural tone, her twinkling eyes never left his. They burnt him deep to the core.
He only stared at her speechless, but at the same time, readying himself to receive the explosion of her anger, which he thought to be understandable and justified. After all, it was his fault.
But what really transpired had him stupefied, overwhelmed, and entranced. He was bowled over, when Christine reached up, taking his face and descended her lips upon his.
Erik couldn't believe what was happening. She had initiated, but why? He was stunned at first, but his surprise was only momentary. Just as instinct prevailed over logic, he let Christine have her way, while his heart raced in wild excitement. He pulled her closer, his hands in her silky hair as they suckled one another feverishly.
Erik could tell from his own experience that he was Christine's first kiss and he deeply rejoiced the fact. He wanted to show her a lot more. Satisfying her equally meant to satisfy them both.
While their mouths were devouring each other, Erik's hands sensually moved south, and landed on the delectable mounds of her firm bottom. As he began to knead them, he felt Christine quivering and whimpering with needs, which only fueled his inner flame to burn even more fiercely. Dear Lord, she was so hot, so responsive.
Christine felt her womanhood begin to dampen between her thighs. Every fiber of her being was forcefully drawn to Erik's masculine lure. What was going on she didn't know but the only thing that she really knew was she wanted this. She wanted to be held in his arms, to hear him genuinely apologize to her, and then taste him, and experience feelings that were both peculiar and thrilling only in his impassioned embrace.
One of Erik's hands snaked under her blouse, wandering northward, and eventually rested on Christine's breast, which sent fire careening through her entire body. Christine involuntarily jerked her head back as Erik's hungry lips trailed down the side of her neck, making her core clench tightly with need, her pussy moistened tenfold, while his other hand moved to her hip and stroke against the sheer fabric, exploring her body greedily.
She tilted her head to give him free access to explore the sensitive skin at the side of her neck and collar bones. Lord in Heaven, he felt good. She shivered at the trail of fire his mouth had left on her, and felt the heat radiating from his body, his dominance overpowering her, but she loved it.
Enticed, Erik ran his possessive fingers over Christine's hardened nipples. He alternately pinched and stroked, heightening her desire until she was out of control. His erected cock clad in the damnable material of his breeches thrust between her thighs and she pushed against it, desperate for the friction. Her hands plowed into his dark hair, fisting as she rode a wave of erotic pleasure.
Erik pulled his mouth away, panting as though he just ran a race. "God, you are so hot, Christine. I've never met any women so responsive to my touch like you." Her body was pulsating as his hand moved over her stomach.
She jerked as his fingers reached her saturated nether lips, stimulating the pink, ripe flesh, moving his thigh back to explore her more thoroughly.
"You're wet already," he husked as he circled her clit. "I can smell your arousal and it's making me crazy."
"You are making me crazy too you just didn't know that." Christine was caught up in sensation, heat sizzling over every nerve ending in her body. Her hands went to his shoulders, needing the support to keep standing.
"Oh Christine, if you keep talking like that, I will have to take you against my will. Don't you understand? I'd want our friendship to last." Erik knew what he just said, he couldn't have her. Christine was not someone for him to sleep with just to relieve his physical need. She was more special than any female that had come and gone in his life.
"I want this. Please don't deny me," Christine whispered softly. "Erik, please enlighten me."
Erik only stared at Christine with incredulity. Making love to her would have a powerful impact on him, though he knew not whether it would be the same for her. He would miss her tremendously when he left this isle, but he couldn't take her with him. He shouldn't. His life was unstable and always fill with danger, he would be doomed if anything ever happened to her.
"Erik, please. I need…"
"I know what you need. The same thing that I need! But for now, I can give you this." His fingers inserted into her wet opening, slipping through her moist folds, finding where she needed to be touched.
His wicked tongue continued its exploration down the side of her neck, flicking in a rhythm that mimicked what he wanted to do elsewhere, overwhelming her with white-hot desire.
Christine moaned as Erik increased the pace, the intensity. She was mindless with raw need and a whimper escaped from her lips as one hand continued his erotic torture of her breasts, while the other kept up a relentless assault on her inflamed clit.
"Yes…Oh, yes, it feels so good." Christine knew the hot voice was her own, but she barely recognized it. It was high-pitched, keening, begging for relief.
His mouth swallowed her moan, as though he wanted every bit of her pleasure. She responded, nipping at his lip, opening for his possession, surrendering completely.
Her channel clenched and she could feel the impending climax all the way to her toes. Ripping her mouth from his, she threw her head back and let out a long groan as a powerful orgasm took her over, making her ride on waves of pleasure that she had never experienced before.
Her head dropped against his shoulder as ripples continued to make her body shudder. "What happened to me?" She panted as Erik held her in his arms.
"Pleasure. You've asked me to enlighten you and I did. Is it not what you've asked for?"
"Yes, and it felt exquisite."
"Indeed it is."
They stood in each other's embrace for quite a while until a squirrel swiftly passed by, making some noises that disturbed the peace between them. Christine slowly stood up straight as Erik gradually but reluctantly released her from his arms.
"Stay here with me," Christine murmured as she grabbed his hands. "I'd want to enjoy this moment with you here beside me."
Erik swallowed but yielded to her sweet plea. This was also what he truly wished for: to be around someone he wanted and also wanted him in return.
The day went by just like that as the two young "lovers" spent time together at the waterfall. Pure happiness was visible on their faces as they mingled from one spot to another in the same vicinity surrounding the lake. Erik and Christine had never felt this blissful in each other's presence before. Whether it was due to the beautiful place or something else they knew not.
The conflict or misunderstanding that they had minutes earlier and yesterday seemed to disappear and forgotten. Why? Either one of them knew. All they recognized was that something magical was happening in the sweet caress of the twilight and they felt it budding and blossoming between them.
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A/N: What do you think of this chapter? I hope you like it. Please be honest because your constructive criticism help me a lot.
Originally, i planned to write this chapter longer that it is now but afraid FF won't allow any chapter over 10k of words so i have to break it down into 2 chapters.
See you next time. :-)