Erik hummed quietly into my hair as he held me tightly in my arms. His fingertips traced up and down my spine. I relished in the beauty of his body. It was so nice to finally be able to lay in Erik's arms. Everything was finally falling into place. I could finally call him mine. When he was by every doubt or stress in my life easily faded away. Was it possible to be this happy?
No. My body turned cold and froze in Erik's warm embrace. The image of the mysterious flowers floated into my mind. The thought of ruining this perfectness was devastating. I couldn't deny the fear that chilled my bones as the memory of Erik's temperament floated at the back of my mind. But I wanted honesty. I pulled back from the comfort of Erik's chest just enough to look into his warm brown eyes. His brows were furrowed in thought. I could tell he was trying to figure out the cause of my sudden tenseness.
"Erik?"
"Yes my Christine?"
"There is something I must tell you, love."
"Yes?"
"After my performance I came across something rather peculiar." He looked at me, confusion flooding his face. His big brown eyes clouded with concern.
"What was it, Christine?" His voice expressed his anxiety.
"It was an orchid. But the coloring of it was strange. It almost looked like spilt blood. And there was a note with it. And it said, 'This is a warning.'" I could see the blackness of anger flood into his eyes blending with his chocolate brown. He released me and jumped out of the bed. His hands balled into fists and he paced back and forth muttering curse under his breath. I slipped out of bed of the bed and walked over to his side. I slid the back of my hand across his unmasked face. He stopped pacing and caught my hand holding it to his face. His eyes met mine and I could see the calmness flow into him.
"I'm sorry Christine." Tears began to roll down his cheeks. I wiped them away with the tips of my thumbs.
"For what, Erik?"
"All I have ever wanted was to provide you with everything. I've lived my life around the idea of providing you with a perfect and safe family. And somehow there are things slipping through the cracks. I can't give you all you deserve." I wrapped my arms around him and held him as close to my heart as possible.
"Erik, I cheated on my fiancée and lied to him. He believed my lover's child was his and then after we were married I left him. Erik, I'm still legally married to him and engaged to you. I was not a maid when I married my fiancée. I don't deserve anything. I am unworthy of your love and I am unworthy of you, Erik."
"Oh, my Christine. How could you ever dare to think such things! You did what you had to do to survive. I was the one who left you, darling. You did nothing wrong."
"My entire life is based on regret. Regret that started with the night I left staring after me as I sailed across Lake Averne with my arms around Raoul. I never should have left you, Erik. I have never experienced such an intense amount of love for anything as I do you, Erik." His eyes filled with tears once more. He leaned down and let his lips meet mine. The simple touch of skin was filled with such intensity that my legs wobbled beneath me. Erik held me tight enough to support both of our weight.
I pulled back from him slowly and caught my breath. "The only thing I need is you. You have given me everything I never deserved." His lips pulled back into a brilliant smile that stole away the breath that had just met my lungs.
"You are everything I imagined Heaven would be like. But I never thought I would be one accepted into the pearly gates."
"Tomorrow's Sunday. Would you like to go to church with Gustave and me?" He flashed another grin and pulled me closer to him.
"But of course. But for tonight may I still have a taste of Heaven?" His lips greeted my neck and then I was pulled down onto the bed.