Christine

It was around 6:00pm when our rehearsal ended. We were doing a play call The Burning Soul of Undying Love. It is about a girl who loved another and left her present lover to follow her heart. She returns years later to find the man she loves and to her shock, he still loves her.

I thought of it for a long time… the plot sounded so familiar…

It came to me just as I saw my beloved Erik, My Angel of Darkness, waiting for me in the exact place he and I parted.

"The play sounds like our relationship." I thought aloud, not realizing that I did.

He must have overheard me because he replied, "The play? Yes, I wonder why…" He smirk and wrapped his arms around my waist. Our eyes met once again, his gleamed so brightly; A new fire, burning blue, streaked across his eyes. I stared at him intensely, for I could not help but cling to its warmth.

"You wrote this?" I inquired, even though I already knew the answer.

"Yes mon ange. I had wonderful inspiration." He smiled once more his eyes now burning with the fire I remember as he kissed me so gently; we were soon headed home.

We entered the kitchen area of the lair where I had eaten earlier and had a cup of hot tea together. We soon made this a routine, after rehearsal I would spend time with Erik.

One day though, things changed. He was in an ill tempered mood; I didn't care though. I enjoyed being around him no matter what mood he was in and I was used to him acting this way every so often.

This day though was different.

Erik

I had stopped trying to do what was best for Christine for a while and enjoyed her company. She seemed so happy and I even caught myself happy as well, but … my anger was uncontrollable today; I feared the worst and it soon happened.

Christine and I were sitting together, she was leaning on my shoulder, and I was reading to her as usual on the couch near the fire; she was so peaceful.

After the story we sat and talked for a while. We came upon the subject of our life here. I tried to explain to her that she needed to be happy, to have someone who can take her into the light.

She replied, "My Angel of Darkness, I belong her with you. The light I have tried and I have found where I belong… I am home, remember?" Her eyes were shining and on the verge of tears.

I turned away from her. I was so angry because I couldn't tell her that there was no life with me…

She pulled my head up so that our eyes met and she sang so softly "Pitiful creature of darkness…"

I stopped her before she went on.

"Don't!" I yelled and pushed her away from me.

"Erik?" She cried as she fell to the floor

"Oh no… It's happened." I thought to myself. "I told you, there is no life with me… All I do is hurt you. I don't want to harm you anymore." I yelled at her feeling my anger take control of me.

She looked up at me with tears streaming down her face and said "Erik… I am not leaving because you think this may not work… please try. I love you."

I saw the pain I had caused her and I fell to my knees beside her… The fiery anger that raced through my blood cooled as I spoke softly "Oh Mon ange, I only want your happiness, and no matter what I do, I always seem to hurt you." I said bowing my head away from her for tears began to well in my eyes.

She gently turned my head back to hers so our eyes met and gently kissed away all the anger that was left. She was so gentle, so loving, and all I did is cause her pain and suffering.

How did I deserve an angel?

I gently picked her up and carried her to my bed… I then inquired of any injuries I had caused her.

She hesitated, then, slowly showed me the palm of her right hand. It had been cut from the fall. I walked over to my dresser in my bedroom and revealed a few bandages; I brought them over to the bedside and gently cleaned her wounds.

I spoke softly as I began to wrap her cut, "Christine… I'm…. I'm so sorry." I bowed my head so couldn't see her face… but I knew that tears were welling in here eyes.

She smiled and as she replied, "I know…but I expected that everything wasn't going to be easy. We were going to have a few spats here and there, but that's what couples do."

I looked up at her and our eyes met as she said the word 'couples'; I never thought of us that way.

I smiled very faintly and she too smiled; I dressed her wound and kissed her very gently.

"You must rest now; you are very fatigued." I spoke softly as I gently caressed her face, wiping away the tears that were shed today. She smiled up at me and for a moment I knew that everything would work out in the end… for Christine's sake it had too.