Hey all. Here is the long awaited relief for my terrible cliffhanger last week. Hope this chapter makes up for the last one!
As always Terpsichore314 and her genius editing skills made this chapter possible! Three cheers for her! Hurray! She really can key in on all the things that need fixing! Thanks once again for all your hard work!
Oh…and before I forget IHeartPoto did another pic for me of Brielle…a sort of Happy Saint Patrick's day present! So If you want to see it just go to the link below. And take out the spaces as usual. Oh and just as a note…please don't use any of her pics for anything without her permission. (She has been having problems with people doing that) But anyway enjoy!
http/ i42.photobucket. com/ albums/ e317/ IHeartPOTO/ UGBrielle2. png
And P.S. the last section of this chapter will have a higher rating.
Chapter 55: Miracles and Madness
Sitting at his writing desk, Erik leaned forward to blow a small dusting of excess charcoal from the sheet of paper in front of him. Tapping the end of his drawing pencil against the table, he scrutinized the lines and shading of the face he had just finished. Brielle's face…not Christine's…what does that mean? Initially he had sat down to try to clear his mind, to fathom an answer as to what he should do about Christine, but apparently it wasn't working, because everything he drew was of Brielle.
Sighing, Erik tossed his pencil down and raised a hand to scratch at his chin, unknowingly smearing a dark streak of charcoal across his jaw. The way she looked when she was sleeping…God, I loved that. What would it be like to be able to look at her whenever I wanted? To wake up and see her face every morning…
Fully in the clutch of another daydream, Erik hardly registered the high-pitched ringing coming from the main room on the lake. After several moments, the sound finally penetrated the fog around his brain. Turning his head sharply, he glared out the door, slightly confused by the jarring noise. When he finally placed the unexpected noise he got moodily to his feet. Walking out into the main room, past the giant pipe organ, he pushed aside a loosely hanging curtain, revealing a row of dusty brass bells. With a curse he watched one of those bells as it swung up and down, the obvious source for the irritating noise.
I had almost forgotten about these…he thought belatedly as he read the faded label under the ringing bell. That is the bell for the water trap. It must be malfunctioning. Dropping the curtain back into place, Erik stalked over to the boat moored at the small dock on the edge of the lake. I suppose I will have to go and shut the blasted thing off…
Rowing off into the darkness, Erik navigated the many waterlogged passages and columned archways with ease. Coming to stop alongside a small staircase that led to a mossy stone landing, the masked man jumped out of his boat and tied it off. Taking up the small lantern that was swinging from the bow of the craft, he set off on foot. He had only made it a few steps when the clanking of chain and gears reached his ears. His stomach dropped clear down to his feet when over the metallic grinding he could barely pick up the gurgling last cries of a human voice. Someone is actually in there!
At a breakneck run he raced toward the location of one of his many booby traps. It never crossed his mind that he should hang back, stay hidden, that whoever was caught within his web could eventually turn him in. He could just hear Brielle's voice within his head, acting as his conscience and driving him forward even faster. I can't hear the screams anymore. Good god…why did I leave all these blasted things in working order? I have other ways of keeping people out…I don't need these stupid machines. If I kill someone…she will never forgive me for it.
Splashing through several puddles, he rounded a corner with his lantern held high, his eyes skittering over the large dark pool laid out before him. The surface of the water rippled where the large chains operating the grate were lowering slowly, but smoothed out toward the middle. Apparently it had been several minutes since the grate had been submerged, which meant it had been several minutes since the person trapped within the device had been pushed under.
His heart picking up its pace, Erik searched the inky water for any signs of life, any dark shadows that could indicate a body. None appeared and he began to doubt that he had actually heard a person's voice. Perhaps it was just a malfunction after all, he thought hopefully. Turning to set his lantern on the ground next to his feet, he noticed a dark object float quietly up to the surface of the pool. Squinting at the object, Erik moved to pull down on the lever that would pull the grate out of the water. As the chains reversed direction with a squeal, the dark object drifted closer to the landing where the masked man stood. Squatting down to get a closer look at the thing, he cocked his head to one side. Looks sort of like a dead rat…he thought absently as he reached over to pluck the thing from the water. As he held up the dark stringy thing in the light, he realized it wasn't a rat at all. A wig…a black wig?
A slow sickness rippled through his belly as he stared at the dripping hairpiece. This looks like…Brielle's wig…Dropping the thing to the floor he shot upright, his eyes turning instantly to the water, which now seemed threateningly quiet as the grate broke through its surface, climbing slowly up into the air. And as he watched something white bobbed up after the grate, spreading out just under the water like ribbons in the wind. It took less than a second for him to recognize Brielle's distinctive hair color in the black water.
Lurching forward without thought, Erik practically fell down the small staircase leading to the water's edge. Coming to a hasty stop at the bottom of the stairs, he realized, to his growing horror, that the grate had not made it more than half a foot out of the water. Blind with pure animalistic panic, the masked man let out a howl of frustration and grabbed hold of the offending metal with both hands. With a surge of adrenaline, he strained against impossible weight of the portcullis. Please god…please…she isn't moving…please god!
Moments passed and nothing happened. Erik felt as if he were trying to lift the Opera itself, so little did the portcullis move. NO no nonono…Then suddenly a mournful groan issued from the gears and pulleys as the huge grate began to shift upward at an awkward angle. Every muscle in his body burned, veins jumping out across his forehead, as he dragged the portcullis upward, the chains clanging upward faster in response to the slack he created. With a violent snarl the chains jumped off their pulleys, grinding the whole machine to a sudden stop. Releasing his hold on the edge of the grate, Erik dropped to the ground and shimmied under it, splashing into the waiting water fully dressed.
Hardly registering the freezing temperature of the water as it washed over his body, Erik swam out to the middle of the pool with a panic-driven speed. Grabbing hold of Brielle's shoulder, he flipped her body face up in the water, but she did not take the gasp of air he had hoped she would, she merely floated limply, the small waves of the pool lapping at her still, unflinching face. She isn't moving…she should be moving. I have to get her out of here. Keeping that one thought close to his heart, he fought off the numbing dread scratching at the door of his mind. I have to get her out of here…It will be all right…I have to get her out of here. Wrapping an arm under her armpits, he dragged her back toward the stairs leading up to the landing, splashing unceremoniously through the water as he struggled against the heaviness of his sodden clothing and Brielle's dead weight.
Finding footing on the first slippery step, Erik clamored up and out of the water, pulling Brielle's body behind him by the back of her collar. Charging up the stairs, he ignored the dizziness fogging his brain, ignored the dryness of his throat as his breath sawed in and out of his lungs, ignored everything but his one unshakable goal. Stopping as soon as he reached the landing Erik finally collapsed on the stone floor. All right…on dry land now…everything is fine…everything is…
Only then did he turn to look down at Brielle. She lay utterly still upon the floor, without even the stirring of a breath, her head tilted slightly to one side, looking strangely small now that her normally smiling eyes were shut and her brilliant hair was dulled and plastered against her skin. He recognized this look, the blue lips and pinched skin. He had seen it fixed upon the faces of the men who had died by his hand. No…this is wrong, he thought numbly.
"Brielle?" he said, reaching out a hand to touch her face. Jerking back his hand slightly at the chill emitting from her skin, Erik felt the shocked numbness crack around his heart and the pain came rolling in.
"Brielle!" he called desperately, his voice echoing back from the stone walls, taunting him with its hollow sound. Lurching forward, he grabbed hold of her slight shoulders, shaking her with a violence he couldn't seem to stop. "Brielle! Stop this! Wake up!" Tilting his head back to stare at the ceiling, he silently cursed God as the reality of the situation began to sink in. She is dead…she is dead...this is my fault. I should have protected her better. I should have paid better attention instead of thinking about…about useless things!
Clenching his fists in the soggy material of her dress, he let out an inhuman howl, the sound ripping from his throat, conveying with it a soul-shattering agony he had never felt before. It felt as if he were dying, as if pieces of his heart were falling away into darkness. I cannot breathe…it hurts so bad I cannot breathe. This isn't fair…it isn't fair! Sagging against the weight of the blackness pressing in around him, he lowered his head down to rest his forehead against her shoulder, his hands trembling as his eyes began to burn with bitter tears. It seemed as if every cell in his body cried out, rebelling against the fate which was being thrust upon him.
"Don't do this to me…" he whispered raggedly against Brielle's chilled skin, the tears finally spilling over his cheeks.
Closing his eyes, sobs began to rack his body, making it hard to breathe. Only a few seconds passed, but for him it was an eternity already. In his mind he could picture all the days of his life stretching bleakly out before him, an endless procession of time with no meaning beyond taking another breath, as empty and lifeless as the woman stretched out under his hands. I cannot do this. I cannot let her go…
"Please, do not go where I cannot follow…" he pleaded. "Please…do not leave me here alone. I…I love you." Those final three words, words he thought never to say again, slid from his lips with an ease that shocked him, and then he realized, the reason why it was so easy to say was that this agonizing connection was not a surprise, he had felt it all along, maybe from the first moments he had seen her. But now it was all over. I love her.
"I love you. I love you. I love you," he chanted like a prayer as the anger inside him turned to bitter grief. Lord, what have I done? It should have been me…you took the wrong…
Unbidden, an image flashed through his mind, as if heaven sent, of Brielle bent over old Madame Dubois, breathing life back into her apparently dead body. Raising his face from Brielle's chest with a jerk, Erik's eyes skittered unseeingly across the stone wall opposite him as he watched the scene play itself out within his head. And suddenly he could hear Brielle's voice whispering in his ears, the calm in her words comforting him.
"Even if the heart stops, and a person isn't breathing it is possible for the brain to live on for several minutes. All one has to do is restart the heart…and a person can be saved. Think of how many could be saved."
The tears leaking from his bloodshot eyes stopped suddenly as a new rush of vitality coursed through his body. All one has to do is restart the heart! Leaning forward, Erik placed his hands on Brielle's chest, just as he had seen Brielle do on Madame Dubois. Pressing down smoothly in several short bursts, he felt her chest give with each movement, and he prayed that he was doing it correctly. Stopping the compressions, he pinched her nose shut and covered her mouth with his, filling her lungs with his breath. Erik continued this ritual over and over again, with the singlemindedness of a desperate man. Come on…work…come on…I know it can work! This is how she did it. I saw it work. I read her blasted research on it back at the house. I know this can work!
Minutes ticked by and Erik's arms began to tire, but he refused to stop. If he stopped he knew that he would die with her, buried below the Opera in a tomb of his own making. This will work…this will work. Leaning forward to once again press his lips to hers, Erik closed his eyes. "Breathe, you damnable woman. Do as I say for once in your lif…"
And before he could finish his sentence the impossible happened. Brielle sucked in a pained gasp of air. Freezing where he was, almost afraid to move and disrupt the delicate balance of the moment, Erik watched as her chest rose again, filling with air without any aid. The corner of her mouth twitched into a weak grimace as a series of violent coughs shook her body, expelling the water which had settled into her lungs. Slowly, as if with a great effort, her eyes flickered open, searching the ceiling above her head. Erik must have made a small shocked sound because Brielle blinked then focused in on his face. A moment of recognition passed behind her eyes before she slipped once again into unconsciousness.
The grayness of her skin faded, though she still looked far too pale, and with the color returning to her face, Erik could feel his life returning to him. Raising a hand to his face in disbelief, the masked man stared down at her in utter astonishment. Looking upward, he then did something he hadn't done since he was a very small child. He thanked God.
Reaching out a hesitant hand, afraid to touch her lest she disappear, Erik gently brushed her clinging hair from her cheeks. It was then that the chill of the stone under his knees began to sink in through relief weighing down his body. Shivering in his wet clothes he looked away from Brielle's unconscious face, finally noticing the dankness of their surroundings. I have to get her warm…immediately. Leaning forward, he slid his arms under her, holding her close as he stood. Walking over to where he had set his lantern, he bent awkwardly and plucked the light up from the ground. Making quick tracks back toward his waiting boat, Erik gently laid Brielle into the bottom of the small craft. Taking up a position near the back, he stowed away the paddles in favor of the long guiding pole lying along the boat's bottom. He didn't want to subject her to the quick jerking that rowing would create.
Guiding the boat back through the labyrinth of columns, he soon saw a glimmer of welcoming light from his underground home. Relaxing his tensed body, he let out a breath and glanced down at Brielle for the hundredth time in the last fifteen minutes, still unwilling to let her be out of his sight for more than a few seconds. Pulling up to the small dock in front of his organ room, the masked man climbed out and tied off the boat. Then, carefully balancing himself, he reached down and picked Brielle up and out of the boat. Turning, he quickly made his way toward the hallway, already setting out in his head a plan of the things he had to do. Obviously I need to light the stove…gather extra blankets…but her clothes…she can't stay in sopping wet clothes…but what can I get her to wear? Faced with this daunting thought he hesitated slightly at the mouth of the hall, as he glanced back and forth between Christine's old room and his own. I cannot put her in my room…surely…
Shaking his head with a growl, Erik strode forward and pushed the door to Christine's old room open. Grow up, Erik…it is going to be Brielle's room now. What is wrong with you, worrying about idiotic things when Brielle just practically died! Refocusing his mind on the tasks at hand, Erik walked over to the bed, and setting Brielle gently on the floor, he carefully went about removing her wet clothing. Good God…I had no idea women wore so many blasted layers! Throwing the drenched cloth to the side, he stripped her down to her underthings, and averting his eyes as best he could, he pulled off her last remaining layers and lifted her into the waiting bed. Covering her up quickly, Erik rushed over to the gas stove in the corner of the room. Lighting the stove, he turned and gathered up Brielle's wet clothes from the floor. Hesitating at the door, he found himself unwilling to leave her alone, if only for a moment. Sighing, he stepped away from the door, laying her clothes out in front of the stove before returning to the bedside. Pulling up a chair he sat down, watching her carefully as she lay quietly breathing under the mountain of covers.
Having a moment to sit still, without there being any present danger, Erik had the time to reflect over what had happened and the revelations which had dawned on him. That was far too close. She could be gone right now. And it is all my fault. If I hadn't built that stupid machine in the first place! Reaching out, he laid a hand on the bed beside her, wanting to feel the movement of the blankets from her breath to reassure himself that it all wasn't just a dream, that she was really safe. Shivering slightly in his wet clothes, as the adrenaline faded, Erik pulled back then and raised both hands to his face.
It was only at that moment that he realized that his mask was no longer covering the right side of his face. Sometime during his panicky rescue it had become lost in the dark water. And I didn't even notice. For the first time in his life something had become more important than covering his face. Brielle had become more important. What do I do now? he thought dejectedly as he ran trembling fingers over the sunken crevices and mismatched ridges which made up his deformity. Loving her could ruin everything…but I know even if I tried I couldn't stop…and I know I can't stay away from her either. Lowering his arms to his sides tiredly, Erik closed his eyes. This will just have to be my burden to bear. I will not tempt the powers that be to ask for anything more. Her life is enough…having her near will be enough…it will have to be.
Cringing at this thought, Erik let out a bitter burst of laughter looking over at Brielle's still form. Leaning forward, he stretched out a hand to brush the tips of his fingers over her soft cheek. Having her near will be enough…but…I think I will live for moments like this. Moments when I can pretend I was born a normal man…that she is mine… Rising from the chair slightly, he brought his face close to hers, his eyes warily watching hers. Moments like these… Steeling himself for a life lived in this manner, he closed his eyes and gently pressed his mouth against Brielle's. Locking the feel of her away into his mind, he sat back in his chair, and silently stood sentinel over her.
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Brielle slowly drifted closer to consciousness, coming out of a strange dream about a toy monkey and a boy in a cage. But as she became more aware of the warmth of the blankets around her and the smell of burnt candle wax she began to feel the pressing weight of her own body. She felt so heavy and sluggish that it was hard to breathe and it ached to move even in the smallest way. Trying to open her eyes, she caught a glimpse of candlelight flickering over a cloth covered ceiling, but found that the effort was just too great to sustain as her eyes drifted shut once again. She lay quietly, too tired to try moving again but unable to find oblivion in unconsciousness, and so she heard very clearly the sound of voices drifting through the air from somewhere outside of the room.
"Conner, she needs a doctor. It has been two days and she has only opened her eyes once! That could mean that there has been some sort of damage. I have read of people living through a drowning only to never wake up from their sleep. I need some help…I am losing my mind down here. I don't know what to do!" Erik's voice exclaimed, his normally smooth tenor ragged with emotion.
"You cannot bring anyone else down here, Erik. You know that. If you do you can be sure that you will end up in jail before the day is out," Conner replied, obviously trying to keep his tone even, though it was clear that he was just as worried.
"I don't care!" Erik exploded. "Do you think I care about that? I almost lost her once…I am not willing to ever allow such a thing to happen again. If that means I must give up my freedom then that is a price I am willing to pay."
"For God's sake, settle down, you crazy bastard. Saying shit like that is a sure way of sending Bri to her maker. If she has heard you talking like that all this time, then no wonder she hasn't been getting better. She wouldn't want you to do that…"
"Then tell me what to do. I cannot move her. The journey to the surface might kill her. The bleeding air is so god damned cold I am surprised you didn't die on the way down here. I can at least make sure she is warm here. But there is no access to more medical attention! I had to wait until now to even leave long enough to go and fetch you. I was so sure she would be dead when we came back but I didn't know what other option I had."
"It is all right…you did the right thing in coming for me. At least now I can make her excuses to everyone. Yesterday when no one could find her, Carlotta went insane. She actually was driven to tears, she was so worried. And Meg was about to go to the police. She was certain Andrew had come and kidnapped Bri."
"And what of Aria…she must have been so scared being alone for so long," Erik said, his tone quieting.
"Actually, she was the least worried. She came to my room two nights ago saying as how Brielle had gone to visit you for awhile. But then again, she always seems to know what is going on before it does." There was a slight pause and the sound of two pairs of footsteps approaching Brielle's room. "She will be fine here," Conner stated from somewhere near the foot of the bed. "After all…what doctor could care for her more than you? You know what to do…you are the god damned genius after all. Just believe that you can make her better. I am sure she would believe in you…so just believe in yourself."
Erik made a soft snorting sound in reply, but Conner seemed to ignore him. "I cannot stay much longer…but I think I can find my way back. I will handle things above ground, so don't worry about that…just worry about her. And stop thinking about doing something stupid. I swear when I think that…"
Sighing, Brielle felt herself falling backward into the waiting darkness of exhausted sleep. Conner and Erik's voices faded into silence, and Brielle felt the weight of her own limbs lift. Relieved to be set free she didn't fight the descent but welcomed it. There wasn't much time to think over the conversation that she had overheard before a dream rolled in over her mind.
First, color began to bleed into the darkness inside her sleeping mind, then fuzzy images began to flicker into focus. A drab yellow tent rose up before her mind's eye, accompanied by the sound of brassy calliope music. As she approached the tent flap, she began to realize just how large the structure was. In fact, everything seemed oversized. And when people began filing out of the tent they seemed giants to Brielle. She stared up at them in disbelief as they walked past her, all of them laughing and discussing the thing they had just seen inside the tent. No one noticed her presence.
Her heart picking up its pace, she clutched the soft stuffed animal in her arms closer to her chest. Momma isn't here either… The childishly worried thought rose up in her mind, seeming both alien and familiar at once. Hesitating slightly, she found herself moving to the opening on the tent, fear freezing her blood as she searched the darkness within for the creature the people had been speaking of. But as her eyes adjusted to the dim light, it was not a monster that she saw. Rather an iron cage loomed out of the darkness, appearing empty at first until Brielle squinted closer. The hunched figure of a boy rose up from the ground as he searched the straw within his prison for something.
Her fear dissipating, Brielle stepped into the tent, feeling a strange pull toward that cage, and that boy. Why is that boy in a cage? Did the monster put him there? Her foot clumsily kicked a pebble as she moved forward, creating a skittering sound that had the older boy jerking around to glare at her with eyes the color of a winter sky. Pausing slightly, Brielle raised her thumb to her mouth. He looks afraid…I bet that monster did put him in there. Pattering forward she came right up next to the giant-sized cage, the top of her head barely even reaching its floor. Spotting a nearby bucket, she climbed atop it, grabbing hold of the cold iron bars for support. Peering into the cage, she noticed that the boy had backed away from her, pressing himself against the far side of the cage, his sharp bright eyes glowering from beneath a mop of wild dark hair. He raised his chin defiantly, moving his face purposely out of the shadows, watching her as she caught sight of the misshapen horror dominating the right side of his dirty face. Staring at him unblinkingly, she studied his uneven features as she would anything she had never seen before. Removing her thumb from her mouth she gave a little shrug, deciding that he looked sort of like some of the African masks her Da had hanging on the wall in their home.
Looking slightly confused, the boy said something to her she didn't understand. I wonder why he is talking so funny…like he is talking through his nose. When he repeated the phrase, looking more and more uncomfortable when she only stared back at him, Brielle frowned. No wonder he doesn't know how to talk right. He has no one in there to talk to. I bet that monster is scary too… Looking down at the small gray monkey in her arms, Brielle had a brilliant idea. Plopping the monkey onto the floor of the cage, she pushed her favorite toy through the bars. Now he can have a friend… she thought without regret. Somehow she knew she would be getting it back one day.
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Opening her eyes slowly, Brielle gazed up at the ceiling above her. The strangely mismatched cloth that covered it no longer seemed as unfamiliar. Many times she had woken up to this very same sight, though had anyone asked her she would have had no idea how much time had passed. There was no noticeable change to mark the hours passing here. The room was devoid of windows, allowing no sunlight in. Only the constant flickering of candlelight chased away the shadows. I had that dream again…what in the world could it mean?
Turning her head to the side, she realized dazedly that movement wasn't as trying as it once had been. Testing this new discovery, she carefully raised herself up into a sitting position, looking around her surroundings in confusion. The furnishings of the room were of a decidedly feminine bent, but the walls exhibited the same strange coverings as the ceiling. That piece there almost looks like an old backdrop… Feeling a sudden draft, Brielle glanced down at herself and was shocked to discover that she was sitting there without a stitch of clothing on. Grabbing hold of the covers she pulled them up to her chin in horror. Where the bloody hell am I!
Driven by a growing sense of confusion and unease, she threw her legs over the edge of the bed. Touching her bare feet to the carpeted floor, she carefully eased her weight onto them. Still clutching a sheet to her chest, she wrapped the cloth about her toga style before attempting to stand. It took her three tries before she was able to gain her footing. Leaning heavily against the wall, she took several careful steps away from the bed. Passing a mirror hanging upon the wall, she couldn't help but catch sight of her bleached out visage. Pausing to frown at herself, she noticed the dark circles around her eyes and the sickly pallor of her skin. Good god…what has happened?
Thinking hard, she tried to sort through her muddled mind to find the answer to this question. I remember fighting with Christine…then going to look for Erik to tell him how I felt…then… Closing her eyes, Brielle struggled for the gauzy memory. I fell…into water and something came down…pushing me under…and then…then…then there was that strange dream about the boy in the cage. Sagging against the wall, Brielle turned away from the mirror. Why would Erik have something like that water trap down here…stupid man…
At the thought of the masked man, Brielle began walking forward once more, steadily making her way around the room until she made it to the door. Turning the knob quietly, she stuck her head out into a dim hall. Seeing no one, she stepped out of her room, making sure to keep the sheet secure around her chest as she walked unsteadily down the hall toward an open area at its end. Moving until she stood at the end of the hall, Brielle gathered her courage and peeked around the corner, not knowing what she expected to see. The room was large and open, leading off on one side to what appeared to be a dark lake. Gas lamps along the walls and hundreds of candles lit the area as brightly as daylight, fighting off the dimness with the force of their glow. To one side, a large pipe organ squatted next to the wall, its size overpowering the area until Brielle could look at nothing else.
And as she continued to stare at the instrument, she realized that there was a man seated at the organ, leaning forward with his head resting upon the wooden panel that was pulled closed to protect the keys. It took less than a second for her to recognize the strong slope of the shoulders and the dark hair as belonging to Erik. Relieved to have finally found something familiar, Brielle wobbled toward where Erik was sleeping hunched over the organ. He looks tired…normally he wouldn't just fall asleep sitting up like that. He hardly ever does anything without doing it purposely.
Opening her mouth to call his name, Brielle shut it again when Erik sat bolt upright on the bench. Swiveling his head slightly to the side, it seemed almost as if he were listening for something. Did I make a sound? Turning to look over his shoulder, Erik caught sight of her leaned against the wall. Instantly he jerked his head around to look straight ahead, reaching forward for the mask that was lying atop the organ in front of him. But just as his fingers brushed the hardened leather of the mask, he hesitated and then dropped his hand back to his side, the muscles in his shoulders tensing as if he were silently preparing for some great feat. Raising a hand to his face, his entire body began to shake, a light tremor working its way over his shoulders and down his arms. Even his bare feet shook against the floor as he let out a great sigh.
"You are awake…" he finally said, those three words holding within them the deepest tone of relief Brielle had ever heard. Clearing his throat, he turned once again on the bench, tilting his head in such a way as to throw the uncovered right side of his face into shadow. "For a while there I wasn't sure you would."
Was it that bad? Was I really that close? Obviously Erik must have saved me…if it wasn't for him would I have died? Feeling suddenly drained, Brielle sagged against the wall. Alarmed by her sign of weakness, Erik jumped to his feet so quickly that he knocked over the piano bench. He was at her side before she had the chance to slide to the floor. Wrapping an arm about her waist, he easily lifted her up, supporting her as he led her over to a small table where he eased her into one of the chairs.
"You shouldn't be walking around," he chided softly. "I knew I should have stayed in there with you."
"I didn't know where I was…" Brielle murmured in response, feeling increasingly embarrassed the longer she was in Erik's presence. Closing her eyes, she tried to gather her thoughts. God, I look like the walking dead...and covered in a sheet no less!
"No, of course you didn't…this is where I live. We are below the Opera now."
"Really? Well I suppose that explains why there aren't any windows," she said lightly, trying to distract from how disadvantaged she felt and from how strangely quiet Erik was. He must have been terribly worried. God! What a rotten thing to happen just when I wanted to tell him how I felt. Right now I don't think I have the strength to. Now I will have to wait…
A silence stretched out between them then and Brielle could feel the intense scrutiny of his eyes upon her. "You saved me, didn't you? Thank you."
"Do not thank me. It is my fault that you were in danger in the first place. That blasted machine could have killed you! And I allowed it to remain in operation all this time!" he practically shouted, the self hatred in his voice sending shivers of alarm down Brielle's spine.
Opening her eyes, she looked up at where he stood over her. The protest she had been about to voice died in her mouth as she stared up at Erik's uncovered face. She heard a small shocked gasp gurgle up the back of her throat but found that she couldn't stop the sound. Erik stilled at her exclamation, closing his mouth with a click. Adopting an entirely new set of body movements, he lowered his eyes to the floor, sloping his shoulders upward in a defensive movement. It looked like he was preparing for a blow.
For a moment, all Brielle could see was the deformity standing before her. Erik's right cheekbone sat about an inch higher than his left, protruding out of the natural plane of his face at a sharp angle, creating dips and valleys that did not belong on a human face. It looked almost like someone had taken a shovel and smashed it across his head, throwing off the symmetry of his face. She could see why the rumors about him had compared his looks to that of a skull; the unnatural bone structure created a deep recess around his eye, making it appear to be the dark eye socket of a skeleton. And the skin on the right side of his face only added to this skull-like quality. Pale yellow like old candle wax, his skin stretched over his face, appearing so painfully thin that along his forehead a spider web of tiny pulsing veins could clearly be seen.
But after a few tense moments the shock of seeing what until that moment had remained hidden, Brielle found that the deformity faded from her focus, leaving Erik's familiar features in its place. And the longer she looked up at him, the more she began to feel as if she had seen that face somewhere before. Frowning in confusion, she realized with a start that Erik's face exactly matched the distorted features of the boy in her dreams. That wasn't a dream…that was a memory! I was actually there…the reason why everything was so large is because I was so small. We have met before!
"It was you…" she breathed, without realizing she had opened her mouth. "It was you."
Obviously not expecting this rather awed expression of recognition that Brielle knew was plastered all over her face, Erik's uncertain shell cracked. "What?"
"While I was sleeping I dreamed of a boy. There was a cage in an old yellow tent…I think it must have been a fair or something because I can remember the music and the crowds of people. But when I went into the tent I saw a boy in that cage…and his face…his face…"
"His face was my face…" Erik whispered, slowly taking a step forward to sink into a chair across from hers, his eyes never leaving her face. No longer did he seem to be waiting for her to scream at the sight of him, and as the seconds passed his body language returned to his normal commanding bearing. "And you were the girl…the little girl who pushed her toy through the bars."
Smiling weakly, Brielle felt elation bubble up through her blood, momentarily making her forget just how tired she felt. Reaching out a hand she took hold of his, needing to feel the touch of his skin against hers to reassure herself she wasn't still dreaming. "Yes…that is exactly how it happened. In my dream…well…my memory really…I gave it to you so you wouldn't be afraid of the monster in the tent."
Tilting his head slightly to the side in confusion, Erik squeezed her hand. "A monster in the tent? No one lived there but me."
"But I heard some of the people coming out of the tent say something about the monster's something…I can't really recall…it is sort of fuzzy. I couldn't really understand what many of them were saying."
"You probably didn't know French at that age," he replied. "But the monster…they used to call me the devil's child…or the monster child."
"The monster was you!"
"Yes."
"That is terrible…I didn't realize…" Falling into stillness then, Brielle felt a smile tug at the corners of her mouth. "And here I thought I was giving you protection against something else…and it was YOU they were all afraid of. I guess you didn't need that silly monkey after all."
Picking up on her smile, Erik's expression likewise lightened. "Even as a toddler you were trying to protect people. Little did you know that years later you would still be giving me gifts to keep me safe." Looking down he ran a finger under his collar, pulling upon the silver chain he wore under his shirt and the Saint Jude attached to it.
"You wear that? I thought you said you didn't believe in that sort of thing."
"I don't…or didn't anyway," he said with a shrug. "But you gave it to me…so I made an exception." As he watched her blush with pleasure his perfectly sculpted lip pulled back into a grin, one corner of his mouth riding higher than the other due to the uneven pull of his skin. Brielle found the crookedness of his smile strangely appealing. But as she continued to stare at him, Erik soon began to squirm under her soft gaze, obviously remembering he was without the protection of his mask, and still not completely comfortable with that knowledge.
"I still have that monkey, you know…" he said finally as he eased his hand out of hers and stood. Turning, he quickly strode over to the organ and retrieved the mask lying there. Donning the covering, he seemed to let out a pent-up breath. "Now I should really be getting you back into bed…"
Even before those words had died in the air, they both realized just how suggestive that simple statement seemed. Brielle raised an eyebrow in question as Erik colored in embarrassment. "Er…rather…I meant that you still need rest…and uh…" As he sputtered out the self-conscious explanation, his eyes strayed downward to her bare shoulders and to the spot where the sheet was wrapped tightly around her chest, and closing his eyes as if with a great effort he clenched and unclenched his fists at his sides.
Sensing some great battle going on behind the sudden stiffness of his expression, Brielle didn't push her advantage. This is no time to play on his weaknesses…too much has happened…but I won't give up. "I know what you meant," she finally said, keeping her voice kind to ease his discomfort. How strange this must be for him. He is so used to being alone down here…
Nodding silently at that, Erik came forward and helped her to her feet, assisting her down the hall and into her room. "There should be clothes in the dresser," he said with averted eyes as she climbed back into bed.
"Thank you…" Brielle said on a sigh as she sank down against the pillows. I suppose I was more tired than I thought. Closing her eyes, she felt Erik pulling the covers up and over her exhausted body. "Don't let me sleep too long…" she said vaguely, already slipping into sleep, missing any comment Erik might have said in reply.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Five days later, Brielle sat comfortably in a chair in the main room of Erik's underground home, a book open in her hands. Erik had ventured up to the library the day after she woke up, bringing back with him more than a dozen volumes he thought she would be interested in. But after days of resting and only moderate activity, Brielle could honestly say she was sick and tired of staring at a book, and even conversing with Erik had taken on a muted tone. He seemed to be unusually guarded around her as of late, his caution and never ending kindness creating an oddly electrifying tension between them. One moment he lavished gentle attention on her but then the next pulled that affection back behind newly erected walls, nearly driving her mad with from the inconsistency. Sometimes she became so frustrated that she just wanted to grab him and tear his clothes off, even though such an action was completely inappropriate. And send me to hell in a hand basket…what am I thinking? And so they circled each other on a daily basis, tensed and wary, like a couple of strange cats in an alley.
Looking over the top of her book at the man in question, Brielle studied his back with narrowed eyes. I can understand that he has suffered a great worry…I mean he brought me back from the brink of death…but I can't help but feel a little lost now that he is drawn inward. As if sensing her scrutiny, Erik turned on the organ bench and gave her a smile. Embarrassed by being caught staring at him, Brielle ducked behind her book, an excited sort of tingle sparking within her abdomen. God…that man can turn me to water with just one blasted look.
"Did you need something?" Erik asked politely.
"No, I don't need anything," she said on an annoyed sigh. Nodding at her answer, Erik turned his back on her again, going back to scribbling on a sheet of paper propped up on the organ. Glaring at his back, Brielle felt her annoyance begin to rise. Stupid man with his stupid politeness…and stupid me for not telling him yet. "What are you doing over there?"
"Writing…"
"Yes, I can see that! What are you writing?" Setting his pen down, Erik turned again and looked back at her. For a moment Brielle thought she saw a powerful emotion flicker behind his eyes before it was tamped down. A shiver ran up her spine at the sight, making her acutely aware of every inch of her body.
Clearing his throat, he picked up the top sheet of paper and blew on it to dry the ink. "I am just writing out a few melodies I have had in my mind."
Sitting up straighter, Brielle set her book aside. "Why aren't you playing any?"
"I did not want to pester you."
"That is ridiculous. You know I always loved to hear you play."
Shifting uncomfortably, Erik looked away. "I thought you could use the quiet…besides…not all music is appropriate to play just at any time."
Rolling her eyes, Brielle got to her feet and crossed the room. With a shooing motion, she forced Erik to scoot down on the bench before taking a seat next to him. "Stop being obnoxious, Erik…I am going crazy from all this quiet. A little music would do me some good, I think. Will you play something for me?"
Glaring daggers, the masked man leaned his body away from hers, being overly careful to keep an inch of separation between them. "I don't think…"
Reaching out to lay her hand on his arm, Brielle flashed a winning smile his way. "Please…play something. I will beg if you like."
Gaping wide-eyed at her, he glanced down at her hand on his arm, then back up to her face. Focusing momentarily upon her smiling mouth, his breath caught in his throat. Nodding vaguely, his gaze still tracing the outline of her lips, Erik took an exaggerated swallow. "All right then…I suppose it…er…couldn't hurt anything."
Caught up in the chains his eyes were wrapping around her Brielle shifted on the bench, moving towards him without conscious knowledge of doing so. Her mind went blank as her face began to burn a lively pink. For a moment she was sure she would die if he didn't lean down and kiss her, ending this unbearable torment of waiting and not knowing. But in the end he did nothing, and the moment came to an end, leaving Brielle shaken and frustrated.
Breaking the sizzling touch of his gaze by looking down at the keys, Erik raised shaking hands up to hover over the ivory. He brought his fingers down to strike the first key a little unsteadily, but as he grew more comfortable, he began caressing the notes out of the organ as a lover might, slowly, gently even. Brielle had seen this touch before, when he stroked the horses in the stables into calm submission. Watching him play only reminded her of the way those long, elegant hands might feel smoothing over her own body.
He was playing some safe boring melody, something light, but despite this the longer he drew the song out of the instrument, like a magician drawing a rabbit out of a hat, the more intensely Brielle began to feel the longing roaring deep within her gut. Just being near him…living down here with him…God I can't stand it! After only a few minutes of him playing, Brielle shot out a hand and laid it over his, desperate to still those wonderful hands as she felt a dangerous desire flood her brain. I cannot take it any longer…I love him so much sometimes I think I will die from it.
He turned his head slightly to look down at her in question, but the confusion died in his eyes when he caught sight of her flushed expression. His entire body stiffened and he tried to look away then, but Brielle grabbed his arm in a white-knuckled grip. "Don't look away…"
Trying to pry his arm out of her grip, a muscle began to flex along his clenched jaw. "Brielle, I think you should go to your room," he ground out through clenched teeth. "And…lock the door," he added after a slight pause.
Refusing to let him go, Brielle didn't move an inch. "Why…the only person down here is you?" she challenged.
Jumping to his feet, Erik broke free from her and backed away. "Exactly!" he shouted. "Please, Brielle…go to your room…or I don't know what I might do."
Likewise jumping to her feet, Brielle followed him across the room. "You are driving me crazy, you stupid man!" she screamed, marching up to him until she was close enough to shake a finger under his nose.
"Stupid?" he sputtered, outrage rather than desperation sharpening his gaze as he dared to bring his eyes back up to her face.
"Yes, you are the stupidest man I have ever met!" she shouted, raising both hands up to pull at her hair in frustration. "What do I have to do to get you to kiss me, you blasted idiot!"
Opening his mouth to retort angrily, Erik snapped it shut again as he realized what she had said. Looking like he had been punched in the stomach, he ran up against the table, stopping his backward retreat. "What? I am sorry…I didn't catch that."
"You know damn well what I said! But if you like I can repeat it in five different languages," the Irishwoman snapped, coming to stand so close to him that her skirts brushed against the hem of his pant legs. "I have been trying to drop hints here and there…but now you have gone and forced me to approach the situation a little more aggressively! I know I shouldn't but I also know that if I don't we will be stuck here forever, dancing around each other until we both die of old age! I am tired of waiting…"
"No…wait…you are confused. You just said you wanted me to kiss you."
"I am not confused…"
His expression darkening quickly, Erik held out a hand to ward her off. "I think your accident has damaged your brain after all. For God's sake, Brielle…you have seen my face…that is why I…er…"
"Is that why you showed me what you look like? To remind me how ugly you are…to remind me to keep my distance?" she asked quietly, easing forward just the tiniest bit more in order to run a finger along the edge of his lapel. "Because I think you failed your purpose…because it only strengthened my resolve. It made me realize that I have been waiting for you my entire life. That we didn't just meet because of happenstance. Don't you wonder why it was me that day at the fair…and why it was me who found you below the Opera? Perhaps all along God was trying to show us the way to each other."
Wrapping her hand around the loose material of his jacket lapel, she gave him a sharp tug. Raising both his hands to hers, Erik made one last ditch effort to push her away. "Brielle…stop this…you cannot mean to…I have made my peace with my lot in life…I wouldn't dream to…to…"
Distracted by the feeling of her fingers brushing gently over his thumb, Erik never finished what he had been about to say. His grip on her hands loosened and then dropped away completely. Freed at last, Brielle pulled upon his jacket, rising up onto her toes at the same time to brush her lips against his. He went completely still at the slight touch then leaned into her mouth, the fight leaving him on a moan as he raised his hands to either side of her face. It was at that moment she knew that he was just as consumed as she.
Tilting her head back she surrendered to the drug-like desires swirling through her body, pushing away all the questions and worries until none remained. She could forget about everything but the delicious churning that burned through her blood and the feel of his mouth on hers. This is what I want…This is what I have been waiting for… It felt just as she had wanted it to, dreamed it would, heady, overpowering even.
The press of his mouth against hers was gentle, uncertain even, at first, but that changed quickly enough. The hands capturing either side of her face slid back to tangle firmly in her loose hair, changing the entire mood of their embrace. In an instant all the emotion that had been building between them for the last year boiled to the surface with a violence that set the very air on fire.
Hot and hungry now, Erik matched her every movement, with a zeal that surprised her. Tugging her hair he drew her head back, ravishing her lips like a man possessed. Gasping at the slight pain from his roughness Brielle nipped his bottom lip in retaliation, her action spurring him on as she knew it would. Throwing her arms about his neck she practically leapt into the embrace until their bodies were pressed flush against each other. The table behind him jostled as their combined weight bumped it, sending a candle holder toppling to the floor with a clatter.
Breaking apart at the sound, both Brielle and Erik glared at the guttering candles before turning dazed eyes toward each other, their chests rising and falling as if they had been running for miles. Leaning her head against his chest, Brielle let out a laugh, one hand daring to smooth up and under the heavy material of his jacket. Erik stopped her wandering fingers with a bruising grip, his cornflower blue eyes dark and heavy with longing.
"Brielle," he growled, "What are we doing?"
"What we should have done months and months ago," she shot back, her voice low and certain as she traced a finger along the hollow of his neck along the line where his pulse thundered just under his skin.
"But I do not know what I am doing…I have never…I mean, I have read but…"
"You are an artist, Erik…use your imagination and improvise," she murmured as her lips followed the line her finger had trailed seconds ago, tasting the warmth and salt of his skin.
"This isn't real…I have to be dreaming," he gasped aloud as she began nibbling his left earlobe.
Biting down a little harder, she caused him to jump. "Try and tell me that wasn't real," she said defiantly.
A wild light flickered to life in his eyes, growing with every second as he stood staring at her until he reached forward and crushed his mouth to hers. Returning the ferocity of his touch she gave in to the blind passion rushing through her. The table jumped again as they rammed into it, nearly overturning the piece of furniture, but this time neither one of them noticed. Jerking upon his jacket, Brielle worked to remove the article of clothing even as they stumbled away from the rickety support of the table to wheel about the room blindly.
When his mouth left hers, Brielle would have protested, but the sound turned to a moan when his lips traveled down her throat, copying what she had done to him moments ago. Caught up in every motion, every sensation, Brielle hardly noticed that they had staggered their way out of the organ room and into the hall. Falling back heavily against the wall, Erik grunted against her searching lips. Quickly switching their positions, Erik pressed Brielle against the wall, their hips grinding intimately against one another. Feeling the growing evidence of his desire against her hip, Brielle felt a fierce smile break across her face. Wrapping her arms around his neck to steady herself, she leapt up and wrapped her legs around his waist.
"I think now would be the perfect time for you to put me to bed," she murmured against his ear, pitching her voice low as she breathed in his clean dangerous scent.
He burst out laughing at that, as if he could not believe she had used his own awkward words back against him. Leaning forward she kissed along the curve of his smile as his arm came around her waist to support her. Holding her up with one arm he turned and staggered down the hallway, nearly falling through the open door of Brielle's room. Kicking the door shut behind him, Erik lost his balance and tilting dangerously forward, he stumbled across the room until they both fell onto the bed. Catching her breath for a moment, Brielle felt Erik roll onto his hands and knees and crawl to where she lay, half dazed. Smiling up at him, she closed her eyes as he ran a finger reverently along her cheek, loving the sudden slowing of the pace like the calm in the eye of a storm.
Sitting up into a crouching position, she reached out and began undoing the buttons of his shirt. Her eyes rising to meet his after popping the last button free she slid her hands under the white cloth to smooth it from his shoulders. He shuddered where her fingers touched flesh, the hard, lean lines of his torso shivering helplessly, and it occurred to her that perhaps this was the first time another human being had touched his bare body without inflicting pain. Knowing that only gave the meaning of every touch more meaning. Tossing the shirt to the floor Brielle leaned forward and trailed her lips along his collar bone, sitting back only when his trembling lessened and a flush warmed his skin. Erik looked to her then with a dark frown, his eyes moving over the button free front of her dress with a growing desperation. Laughing at his intense concentration she raised a hand to gather her loose hair to the side turning her back to him, pointing out the buttons traveling down her back.
Relief flooded his face as his nimble fingers raced down her spine, undoing the buttons with lightning speed. "For a man who has never undressed a woman before, Erik, you are making fast work of those buttons." Brielle teased breathlessly as Erik popped the last button from its stay.
Kissing her shoulder blade as he helped push the dress from her shoulders, just as he had seen her do, he made a low humming sound deep in his throat. Feeling the vibration of the sound along her spine, Brielle shivered with delight as she kicked off her dress. Reaching behind her back, she jerked on her corset tie, snatching at the laces until the uncomfortable thing was loose enough to slip off, the petticoats were soon to follow when Erik undid the bows keeping them up.
Though they moved slower now, the heat beating within Brielle's body did not cool, if anything his gentleness and uncertainty only stoked the building ache within her. Reaching out for him they rolled across the bed exploring newly exposed skin with wandering, feverish hands. Winding up under him she found her body straining towards his every touch. His weight, that hard, firm press of his body, felt so right resting against her that she wondered at the reasons it had taken them so long to come to this point. All of a sudden the reasons for staying away from him seemed obsolete.
Feeling the flutter of his pulse against her own Brielle teased his nipple with her tongue, loving his surprised intake of breath in reaction to her, as he sneaked a hand up and under her chemise, traveling over the sensitive skin of her belly with his amazing delicate fingers. His hand balled in the material before pulling it up and over her head, too lost in the feel of her to hesitate, his shyness evaporating as a sheen of sweat broke out over their bodies. Knowing that she should feel some sense of bashfulness, Brielle waited for it to descend upon her, but the moment never came, not even when Erik froze all his attentions to gape at her bare chest. Somehow the disappearance of his hesitation inspired her to follow suit and feel of his skin against hers was just too right for embarrassment to come. Never in her life had she felt more attuned to the movements and needs of another person, learning from him as he did from her.
In the blink of an eye her pantalets were also gone, slipping to the floor before she had even realized that the tie was loosening. She heard Erik suck in a sharp breath as his eyes traveled down over the curves of her body, an expression of stunned awe pulling his mouth open as his hands followed the trails of his eyes, touching her skin as if he were handling a sacred object. Finally branching out from merely following her more experienced lead Erik began to fulfill his own curiosity, running a hand slowly up her inner thigh until he had her moaning his name.
Luxuriating in the exploration of his hands,Brielle trailed her hands down his back, over the many raised scars there, until she reached the barrier of his pant waist. Running her fingers along the top of the cloth until she reached the front, she hastily fought to rid him of that last irritating piece of clothing. The liquid pleasure percolating within her began to solidify into a pinpoint of anticipation as she slipped his pants down over his hips, pausing to let him kick them to the floor she took hold of the Saint Jude metal that was still dangling from his neck and tossed it over his shoulder so its cold metal wouldn't brush against her heated skin.
She was pulsing all over now, inside and out, burning wherever his skin brushed hers. No longer was she aware that she clung to him, her hands roving over the hard planes and angles of his body, bringing him the same torturous pleasure as he brought her. The only thing clear to her now was the pressure of her building need. Shifting slightly she brought one foot up to hook over his thighs, gently guiding him so that his hips nestled intimately between her legs. With eyes dazed with longing, she watched his sinful mouth come towards hers again. Opening to him as their lips met, his mouth swallowed her gasp when he plunged into her.
Clinging to him, Brielle lost herself in the storm that washed over them both, the world dimming as her reality narrowed to this one moment, to this one man. She flew to the heavens with him bursting apart in a racking climax among the stars. And for the first time, she felt whole.