Chapter 11: The Music of the Night...

Christine closed her eyes as she leaned back into Erik's chest, but did not fall asleep. She was much too excited for that. Besides, it was a lovely night, just perfect for a romantic ride like this. She, like Erik, felt as if she were in a dream. She sighed in peaceful contentment. Nothing could possibly mar these wonderful moments that she would hold close to her heart forever. She could not imagine feeling a greater sense of total bliss...

Erik heard her contented sigh, and smiled. Letting go of the reins, leaving them slack on the pommel, but keeping one arm around her waist, he reached for her cheek. He paused before touching her, thinking that he wanted to do so with his bare hand. He wanted to feel her skin's silky softness. So, still steadying her around the waist, he brought his free hand to his mouth, and tugged the glove off with his teeth. Christine, aware of his actions, laughed softly, and reached up to take the glove. She then sighed happily again as his hand lovingly descended upon her cheek, sliding over it with the gentlest touch.

Erik was suddenly overcome with emotion. At that same moment, Christine realized that the great stallion was coming to a halt.

"My love," she whispered, puzzled. "What are you...?"

"Christine," he whispered back, his voice hoarse with passion. "Turn around as far as you are able, my sweet, I beg of you..."

She did so, still puzzled, and was surprised by his sudden, strong embrace. He urgently lifted her face up to his, and she closed her eyes as his lips descended upon hers, savoring them, tasting her tongue. He broke off the kiss as abruptly as he had started it, to caress her neck, staring intently into her now open eyes. Then he took her mouth once more, as a bolt of energy coursed through her, striking her to the core.

"My wife...my wife...Christine, is it true? You are mine? You are not an illusion? You will not leave me again, my beloved?" Now he took her face with both his hands, and she was deeply moved at the earnestness she saw in his blazing eyes. She put her hands over his, attempting to reassure him.

"Erik, you know that I am truly yours, forever. Do not doubt it for an instant! My heart has freely chosen you, even though it was you that sent me away with Raoul. Do you not remember? I have left Raoul, and married you. It is you I want by my side." She then kissed his lips tenderly, and wiped a solitary tear that had begun trailing down his uncovered cheek.

Picking up one of her hands, he kissed the palm with great feeling. "Ah, my love," he whispered, so forlornly that she felt a stab of guilt. "Why then did you so willingly go with him? Why did you not attempt to stay?"

Her eyes, brimming with tears, met his. "Erik, I was afraid of you...at the same time, I was confused by your actions. You told me that you loved me, and yet, you gave me to him..."

"Ah, Christine...I would never reject you! But my decision was prompted by the fear that you would eventually reject me, if I had forced you to share the darkness I lived in..."

She could not immediately reply to that, as she was too distraught for words. So, wordlessly, she took his gloveless hand, and placed it over her heart. Her eyes told him how she felt. After a moment, she whispered, "It is all in the past, my husband...I am here with you, and by your side I shall remain, no matter what happens... And now we must move on, my love, or we shall never reach our destination, at least, not before sunrise." She smiled as she said this, stroking his cheek, her eyes never leaving his.

Erik looked intently at her, then nodded, almost imperceptibly. A great sigh shook his entire body, and he seemed to relax.

"Yes, you are right," he murmured, as he ran one of his hands through her hair. "Let us move on." He then took hold of the reins once more with one hand, while winding the other around her waist once again.

"Christine...I love you," he sang softly to her, as he had done just before he had given her into Raoul's arms, his heart tearing apart as he saw the Vicomte steal her away.

Smiling, she reached up to wind one arm around his neck, as she resumed her position, leaning against his chest. "Erik...I love you back," she sang in reply.

The stallion tossed his head, snorting. He seemed to understand that he was to pick up his pace, and did so without any indication from his new master. His supple muscles seemed tireless, as the couple continued to ride through the night.

Erik's senses were heightened, and he felt the unseen rhythms of the night as never before. It was she who inspired him, who brought to completion the music in his soul...He held her tenderly as they rode, his heart full and at rest.

It was not too much past two in the morning when they arrived at the forest. They would soon be in the countryside. In the darkness, the ancient trees seemed to hold a hidden enchantment that pulled at the senses with a strange, silent music. Erik felt immediately drawn to them, instinctively yearning for their sheltering arms. Although he was as eager as his bride to reach their destination, he thought it prudent to take a short rest. He therefore reined in the great stallion with the merest tug, as the stately animal was extremely responsive. They slowed, approaching a thick clump of trees, beneath which Erik felt they could rest unseen. The moon was seemingly collaborating by clothing herself in clouds.

Once they were among the trees, and Erik was satisfied that they could not possibly be detected, he slid from the horse's back, and then reached up to help Christine down. She trustingly held onto his strong shoulders as his large hands clasped her waist, and easily lifted her down. She was at once enclosed in his embrace.

"Erik," she managed to whisper breathlessly, as he enfolded her in the folds of his cloak. "Why are we stopping here? Are you not anxious to be at the inn?"

"Wait, my love," he murmured, as he looked around at the nocturnal landscape. "Do you not perceive the beauty of the night? Why not rest for a short while, here in the dark, where we might even engage in heated embraces and passionate kisses, totally sheltered by these leaf-cloaked sentinels?"

Christine gasped, although she had to stifle a laugh. She broke away from him, afraid that she would succumb to the magic of his sensuality. She must not let that happen. The activities her new husband had in mind would inevitably lead to lovemaking. She could never do such a thing in public, not even under cover of darkness, even with no one about. How was she to know whether someone were not in fact lurking in the background?

Erik reached for her, intoxicating her in spite of herself, with his dark masculine laugh. She danced out of his reach.

"Erik! You would not dare do such a thing!" She batted at his arms in mock anger, laughing, and took several more steps back.

"Ah, my sweet wife, I do believe the idea is not entirely repugnant to you!" He playfully began to reach for her again.

"Erik! Don't you come any closer! Why, the very idea! Had I known that I had married a..."

In answer, Erik abruptly jumped forward, grabbed her, and brought her hard agaisnt his body, his hand over her mouth. She was caught entirely by surprise, and felt anger beginning to surge through her. Did he mean to violate his own wife?

"Shhhh..." She heard his breath hissing from his mouth, and her heart lurched. "Did you not hear that?"

All she could hear was the loud beating of her badly shaken heart, growing louder by the second. Erik's breath was now a harsh rasp as he continued to hold her, tightly. She realized that he was listening with his entire body, his innate predatory instincts preparing him for instant action. The melancholy soughing of the breeze in the tree branches brought fearful shivers up her spine. Al-Hafaz seemed to sense something, too, for he stirred, nickering softly. Erik made a strange clicking sound with his tongue, and the stallion grew silent. All was momentarily still. Christine's heart thundered as Erik continued to hold her tightly against him, ready to protect and defend her, if necessary.

Then she heard it, too, the sounds borne on the gently stirring breeze. Hoofbeats in the distance, growing closer.

They were being followed.