Chapter 35

I know that I have one or two readers who do not particularly like M type material, you know who you are. I have others who would like to see more of it, so here is a compromise. I have placed a line of x's above the part that you might not care to read. This chapter will have some sexually suggestive material below the x'. You may resume reading in Chapter 36.

Christine's POV

Erik and I had been together for six weeks, and he still hadn't been eager to set a date for our wedding. I could not understand it. He proposed to me immediately and spoke to me with such honeyed words and then he did nothing more. Sure we had wonderful moments where he embraced me passionately. He didn't even flinch very often when I removed his mask and wig. I would toss them both aside. I wanted to see his real face in front of me. I hardly noticed his deformity any longer. It was still there and it did not disappear, but his magnificent eyes were all that I could see. I got to know them in all of their different moods; there were times when they were so sad that they made me feel maternal. I wanted to wipe ever bad memory away from them, especially the ones having to do with me. Other times they were so dark with passion that I wanted to drown inside of them and taste it. Less and less frequently they became murderously angry. I used to be very afraid of that emotion, but had learned to deal with it, and realized that he would never do anything to hurt me. My favorite of all was when they looked adoring and happy. They became so soft, gentle and kind. I could tell those eyes anything and know that he would wrap me in his warm embrace.

Sometimes we would just sing together for hours at a time and interrupt our harmony with a passionate kiss or two. I could see that he was still holding back out of respect for my virginity, it was why I could not wait to be married to him any longer. My own passion for him was growing deeper all the time. I would caress him in a vain attempt to gain some release. I knew that when I touched and kissed him in his most vulnerable spots his damaged cheek, temple and his bald head; that I was showing him that I had changed and that I truly accepted him in every way. Yet he would still hold back, as if afraid that he would wake up and I would be gone. I would try to explain my feelings for him, and yet I could see the small measure of doubt still glimmering in his proud green eyes.

I did not want to play games any longer. First it was he that stalked me at the Opera, and kidnapped me and tried to force me to marry him. Suddenly when I surrendered in full, and banished all doubts from my mind, and grew to love the man behind the mask; it was he who seemed not to trust my emotions to be real. At first I appreciated that he wanted to give me time to be sure of my emotions, but I started to believe that he did not trust me. Finally I confronted him, and threatened to end our engagement, but it was an idle threat I just wanted to end the agony between us. To my pleasure, he agreed to marry me the following week. He wanted my agreement that we do it together with his cousin and Meg, should they choose to marry as well to seal our bonds of friendship. A part of me did not want to share my day with my so called best friend who still acted very cool with me; but I knew that Erik was feeling closer to Christian, and I was glad for him. Nadir was a good friend for him, but Erik had never known the pleasure of a parent or a brother who cared about him. I had my strong relationship with my father. Erik's mother had no use for him, and threw his love and affections away like garbage. I was glad that he found some family, as well as me, to love him.

I looked out of the window towards the shimmering Rhine River. I really enjoyed the view. I was surprised when I saw Christians' normally neat hair and clothing messed up and muddy. I could see him, Erik and Nadir speaking with animation. Meg was far behind them also looking messed up. Did Erik catch Christian doing something horrible to Meg? I wondered. They did not appear to be as friendly as ever. Even from a distance I could see that Erik had assumed the threatening posture that he employed when he was the Phantom. His anger was apparent in every aspect of his mien. I could see that he was still clutching his Punjab lasso. I cringed at the memory of the last time that I saw him use it; it was that night when it was hanging around Raoul's neck. I prayed that whatever it was that it would be resolved without rancor between the cousins. I had never seen Erik happier than he had been for the past weeks, and I did not want anything to change. Despite everything, I wanted Meg to be happy as well. If Christian had hurt her, it could change everything.

The three men entered the house, and Christian left them to change into clean clothes. I came over to Erik and Nadir and gave them a quizzical glance. I hoped that Erik would trust me enough to tell me what had happened. It would be a real test of our future. His eyes bore both an expression of determination and sadness. Erik nodded to Nadir who then left us to speak privately. Erik brought me into his study.

"What happened out there?" I asked "Did Christian do something to Meg?"

Erik looked at me in puzzlement "What? No of course not. He is a gentleman."

"Then what is it? Why was he disheveled, why is Meg?" I asked concern showing in my voice.

"It has nothing to do with Meg Christine it is much worse than that. It would seem that my cousin has betrayed me. He is not who he seemed to be." He told me angrily.

"How has he betrayed you Erik?" I asked.

"It would appear that Alsace is not the refuge that I was seeking. My cousin, the Comtesse de la Bois and even your boy, have all been in league together against me, because of some events that took place before I was born." He told me bitterly. I could see the darkness in his gaze, a darkness which I had hoped never to see again.

"How is Raoul involved in all of this?" I asked.

"I don't know yet, but he is the Comtesses' grandson." He looked at me to gauge my reaction.

I looked back at him in shock "I thought that they were cousins, very distant ones."

"They would like the world to believe that. It would most certainly cause a scandal if it were known that the noble Vicomte de Chagny was the son of an illegitimate mother. The boy might even be related to me."

"How is that possible?" I asked.

"It would appear that the old Comtesse was very amorous in her youth. Raoul's mother, the Comtesse de Chagny is a product of her promiscuity. She had a relationship with both my grandfather and his brother. My grandfather washed his hands of her and then apparently bore the brunt of her anger. She is not of a forgiving nature." He told me wryly.

"What did Christian do?" I asked.

"He murdered my grandfather. He thought about doing the same to me, but decided that he liked me too much to go along with the plot."

I gasped in surprise "Christian is a murderer?"

He nodded affirmatively "As is his father. He murdered mine. My father's death was no accident."

"Why would they kill their own relatives?" she asked.

"The Comtesse had convinced them that my grandfather had murdered Christian's grandparents. It has been a vicious cycle going back many decades. It is hard to believe that I was born into such a family, or that such an innocuous looking old woman could be such a viper. Thank goodness that you never became her ladies companion. I am afraid that you might have met with foul play." He added. He looked at me bleakly.

"My cousin's treachery has made me wonder if I can believe in anyone or anything. Even your presence here was by design. The Comtesse thought to distract me." He looked at me with an unreadable expression.

I wondered defensively if he were accusing me of collusion with them "You don't think that I had any part in this? Not after all that we have been through." I started to feel the anger build up inside of me. I was tired of his moodiness towards me.

I could not tell what he was thinking. His eyes were veiled, looking almost obsidian in their darkness.

As if to quiet me, he suddenly reached for me and pulled me to him. He gave me a passionate kiss. So hard and probing that I felt that he could see into my very inner most thoughts.

"No." he observed darkly "For once your past betrayals of me do you credit in my eyes. In the past you never bothered to hide your revulsion of me. You are not a good enough actress to betray me in this way. If you were part of this plot you could not have reacted to me in such a fashion. Your disgust for me would have asserted itself long ago. So yes I do believe you."

"Thank you." I breathed reverently. "I swear that nothing that I have said or done has been false; although I should be angry at you for calling me a bad actress."

His temper improved and he smiled at me warmly and took a curl in his hands and then caressing it. "I know, my love. Your words of reassurance are unnecessary. I almost welcome their most recent plots against me because they have brought you back to me, after I thought that I had lost you forever. They will not win, when I have already taken the prize. I have you." he told me passionately. Again we kissed, this time more slowly and more tenderly. I could feel my body stirring in longing for him. I was tingling in agony everywhere.

"Let me show you my loyalty. I want to prove it to you." I whispered.

"It is not necessary Christine. You have proven it to me a thousand fold. I do not doubt you anymore. I swear it." He told me.

"What if I told you that I want to? You are driving me mad with desire. You claim that you have given me time to change my mind but I made it up a long time ago. I knew from the moment that our lips touched in the lair that it was always you that I wanted and not Raoul, not anyone else. How much longer do you want to wait until we are joined?"

He pulled me to him again and put his lips on mine hungrily. "I would take you right away if you wanted. I have waited a lifetime for you Christine. I am mad for you. It is why I acted so inappropriately back then, at the Opera house. I would die for you, and I would kill for you, whatever you ask, as long as I have your love."

I loosened his cravat and unbuttoned his shirt. "I ask you for nothing Erik, just your love."

He smiled at me warmly and told me huskily "You have that. From the moment I first heard you sing. You have been in my heart ever since. I could not remove it if I tried, and I don't want to try to any longer. It would kill me to do so." His voice was so seductive, as it always was. He stirred my passions without even trying.

"Then why are we waiting?" I asked I could feel my desire stirring for him. My heart was pounding. I was rabid for his touch.

He cupped my face in his hands and stared into my eyes. His eyes darkened with passion. "Because I am not that beast that your boy would have me be; I am not a monster, or a thing, or a stalker hunting for prey. I am a man who loves a woman and I will not settle for anything other than your complete love in return. If I have to wait a minute, hour, month or year or lifetime to get it, I will. I will not abide you looking back at the moment and telling the world that I tricked you and debased you because I am a beast. My face might look like death, but my heart is very alive and burning with a fire for you."

I unbuttoned the rest of his shirt "If that is what you want, you do not have to wait any longer. I have no second thoughts or doubts remaining. Trust me Erik; for once just believe that I do love you."

"I do believe you, mon ange." He told me huskily. His voice was laced with desire for me.

"Then prove it to me and show me, Erik. I want to experience what love you can offer me."

His eyes glowed like jade embers and he burned me with the heat of his desire. I could feel his hands caressing me and I did the same back to him. I wanted him so much. I couldn't stand it any longer.

"Please Erik. I am ready." I whispered.

He scooped me up into his strong arms and carried me up to the master bed chamber. I clasped my arms around his neck. He gently put me down on a beautifully carved four poster bed.

"Are you sure that you do not want to wait until we are married next week?" he asked me softly still searching my eyes for any sign of distress. I smiled back.

"No. If something were to happen to you or to me I want to have no regrets. You have waited too long already. I want you to know a woman's love."

"You are so sweet, my Christine; Too sweet. I do not know what I have done to deserve you."

His long elegant fingers unbuttoned my dress and it slowly slid away from me. I took off his shirt and gasped at the scars lacing his magnificent chest. "What has been done to you?"

He looked at me and smiled "It was a long time ago Christine, when I was a child. My captors were not always pleased with the level of my cooperation."

I traced one of his scars with my finger gently "Does it hurt?" I asked him.

"Not anymore. Your touch has just healed it and the others, each one is gone." He whispered. "You need not concern yourself with them any longer."

I put my arms around him and kissed each one, I then saw an angry red scar that was clearly from that final night in the lair, Raoul's work. I touched it gently and kissed him there. "I want to heal this scar most of all, it is my fault that it is there."

"No mon amour, it was all a misunderstanding. Your boy has been a puppet on his grandmother's string. She has deceived wiser men than the fop. Christian was deceived by her, even my grandfather for a time. I am sure that she helped spur him on. I only made her machinations easier by letting my temper get between us. But enough apologies; I want to make you feel my love, all of it."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

He removed my chemise, and then my corset and girdle and I removed his pants. We were both completely naked. We stared at one another.

"You are exquisite." He breathed. "I have never seen anything so beautiful."

I blushed at the compliment "You are as well." I was being truthful. His body was hard and lean. He looked magnificent, like a stallion.

Erik saw my admiration and I could tell that he was pleased. He was so self -conscious about how he looked. His deformity did not extend to his body. He was a strong, hard and powerful man, and it showed.

"I will try not to hurt you, ange. I may be awkward. This is my first time as well as yours. You must tell me if I do anything to hurt you. I have heard that it can hurt a woman the first time. I want to give you nothing but pleasure if I can." He told me.

"We will learn together." I replied softly.

He started to caress me first in my shoulders and neck. He kissed me passionately at the same time. Slowly he began to explore my breasts and then my thighs, first hesitantly, as if waiting to see how I would react, and then with more ferocity as he could hear me shake and moan with pleasure. I could feel the warmth spread inside of me, my body was throbbing for his, begging for him to continue. He sucked and nibbled at my breasts and they tingled with pleasure. My ecstasy grew with each caress. I did the same for him, and he too moaned in pleasure. Finally I could feel his manhood inside of me. We arched our backs into one another. I exploded with passion and pleasure engulfed in the violence of his love and passion. I returned each thrust with my own, gave as much to him as he did to me. In the end, I fell asleep in his strong arms secure in his love and satisfied that what we shared was both real and right. He might have only a half of a face, but his passion more than made up for any deficiencies.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"When I awoke the day had turned to night. I had missed our dinner with the others. Erik had been watching me sleep. He had donned both his mask and his wig. He looked proud and unapproachable compared to the man who he had been several hours before; but then he gave me an intimate smile that only lovers give, and I knew that he was still mine.

He gave me a good natured leer "I did not dare wake you, mon ange. I went down to keep up appearances at dinner. I told them that you had a slight fever. Antoinette was ready to come to you to make sure that you were feeling alright, but I assured her that it was nothing too debilitating. She seemed to be satisfied."

I blushed "Do you think that they suspected anything? I would be embarrassed if they did."

Erik laughed "I think that they believed my lies. But it hardly matters, both ladies lived in the Opera house, neither are exactly strangers to what goes on between a man and a woman. Christian and Nadir will not think any worse of you. We will be married in a few days and no one will be the wiser for it. Unless I did not pleasure you enough and you have decided not to marry me?"

I smiled "You pleasured me a great deal, and I do want to marry you. I cannot wait to be Madame le Fantome."

Erik teased "There is no Phantom of the Opera. You will be the Baroness von Mulheim, the wife of the distinguished German architect who happens to wear a mask. You seem to attract mysterious men in masks, first the infamous Phantom of the Opera and now me. Do I need to worry about your strange attraction to brigands in masks? If so perhaps I will be forced to keep you here in the old Roman tower and set a guard on you."

I laughed "I have an attraction to only one man in a mask, as you might recall I was afraid of the dark haired and sinister Phantom of the Opera, a fact clearly documented by my previous actions. I adore the blond Baron von Mulheim who has swept me off my feet."

"Dark and sinister?" Erik asked with mock astonishment. "I heard that the Phantom was merely misunderstood. He was tortured by a young Swedish minx who refused his charms and then he died of a broken heart. If one could truly kill a ghost."

"Perhaps you should get his story written and published; it sounds like it would make a good fairy tale. It is not real like our story." I suggested playfully.

"Perhaps I should. But how about our story; will the monster die of a broken heart?"

"No, the handsome but misunderstood German Baron will get the girl and they will live happily ever after." I told him.

"I like your ending better." He replied.

"Me too." I told him. "But there is still much to settle before we get to that point, to begin with we must get married especially since you took my virginity from me."

"I have already taken care of that, we are to be married in four days. While you were sleeping. I sent for the minister of a small Church in a nearby village and he will be happy to officiate. Under the circumstances I have decided not to be married together with Christian and Meg. It will be a small affair just Christian, Meg, Antoinette and Nadir. I would have preferred to exclude my cousin but Meg would be unhappy."

I shot him an amused glance "You did not waste any time in speaking with a clergyman did you?"

"I was upset with myself for not waiting just a few more days. I have waited a lifetime for you, mon amour. I wanted to do the right thing. I actually hoped that we could take care of it tonight but he could not do so."

"You waited six weeks to set a date and suddenly you wanted to do it right away? I am glad that you invited Christian. He did help to bring us back together." I told him.

"If that were the sole criteria then I would need to invite the Comtesse and the Vicomte as well. If you had gone directly to Sweden as you planned, then we never would have been brought together again." He teased.

I laughed nervously "Raoul will be displeased when he finds out. He will believe that you have married me against my will. He would be shocked to know that it was I who in the end had to beg you to marry me."

Erik snorted "Hardly, Christine. As I told you before, I wanted to give you one last time to be sure of your feelings. In four days it will be too late to turn back the tide."

"In four days I will be in heaven with my angel." I told him dreamily.

"Christine just remember that in four days you will be married to me, not an angel, Phantom, demon or a handsome knight like your fop, just me a hideous beast who is not worthy of an angel like you but desires you all the same. Maybe more than most men because I know that you have chosen to look beyond the monster and embrace the man within." He cautioned.

"I do embrace you Erik. I give myself willingly for all time and beyond. Let this be my vow to you here and now. In my heart we are already husband and wife. The wedding is simply a formality."

He and I held one another and fell asleep content in the knowledge of our future happiness.