Paladin

The wind blew snow from the rooftops and trees, sending a flutter of white around Erik and Sophia.

Erik planted a gentle kiss on the corner of Sophia's mouth. There he lingered, his arms at his side and his eyes open as he waited for her to pull away in complete disgust. His heart thudded loudly in his ears and he was hardly aware of anything around him. Fear gripped him, constricting his mind, paralyzing his body.

His life stood still, the next moment completely dependent on Sophia's reaction to his face.

Her nose rubbed against his and she grinned as she leaned into him. Eyes fluttering open, Sophia curled her fingers around his lapels. As she unexpectedly drew him nearer Erik blinked rapidly, startled by her response.

"You won't hurt me," she murmured as he abandoned his mask and gingerly placed his trembling hands on her shoulders.

He kissed her again, suddenly aware of her warmth and the taste of her lips. His hands slid across her upper back and brought her into a tender, careful embrace. He wanted to be careful because he didn't know how much Karl Turro had abused her and he didn't want to add to her suffering. He also wanted to allow her a chance to step back from him, as he feared she would suddenly look into his eyes and scream. If he were gentle, he reasoned, then she wouldn't have to struggle to escape.

With a soft sigh Sophia drew back and wrapped her arms around him.

"That was nice," she whispered as rested her head against his chest and placed her hand over his heart.

His trembling lessened the longer they stood and embraced one another. The fears he had carried since the night Christine left him slowly diminished, and as he came to realize that Sophia had no intention of fulfilling her destiny and abandoning him.

"You're just as nervous as I am," she murmured as she lifted her head and looked up at him.

"I apologize," he said under his breath as he looked away.

"There's no need to apologize," she replied. Her hand pressed firmly against his chest as she stood on the tips of her toes. Erik bent and kissed her forehead, which made Sophia smile. "I was afraid I would make a fool of myself by being so…presumptuous." She paused and blew a strand of hair from her eyes. "Was I?"

Erik shook his head, feeling a sense of gratitude for her boldness.

"It's been a long time," he mumbled.

Sophia frowned and he noticed that she shivered.

"You should return inside," he told her.

"I should," she agreed. "But I would like to stay a moment longer, if you wouldn't mind."

He looked into Sophia's eyes and wondered if he would ever recover the little scrap of worth he had clung to all of his life, the confidence Christine had stolen from him so many months ago. No, he told himself, he had given her his confidence just as she had given him her trust. In the end, they had broken one another.

"I would like you to stay a moment longer," Erik replied.

When he was with Sophia he realized how much he needed to have her not only love him, but befriend him. He wasn't sure which was more imperative: That she trusted him or that he was able to trust her.

Sophia tilted her face up again and leaned into him. Again he kissed her, gently still but fully on the lips. He felt her tongue against his mouth and his lips parted, tasting more of her.

And then she pulled away, her eyes gleaming and a blissful smile on her face. "I must go," she said. "Before Philippe wakes and finds me here."

Erik nodded, unable to speak. He still felt the warmth of her lips against his.

Voicing his disapproval, Fidelio let out a yawn and turned on his side to lick himself, which made Sophia cover her mouth in shock.

"You naughty little thing," she scolded, shaking her head.

"Fidelio!" Erik grumbled, tapping his hand against his leg.

The dog looked up quizzically. His right ear was backward and his tongue lolled out as he looked from Sophia to his master.

"I will see you in the morning," Sophia said as she turned and trotted back toward her home. She waved before she disappeared again.

For a long while after she left Erik stood and stared at his mask lying in the snow, at the face that was once his—which he no longer needed in Sophia's company.

-o-

From the dark line of trees overlooking Belmont Manor he watched the two lovers meeting secretly in the night. For Sophia he felt nothing but apathy, but for the man who embraced her?

Rage. All-consuming hatred for a man who wasn't whole and had no business removing Sophia from his grasp. True, in his eyes she was worthless, but that was of no concern.

He would make Sophia his. One way or another, Karl Turro was hell-bent on claiming her first and leaving her as nothing.

"No one crosses me," he mumbled as he turned away. "No one dares cross me."