A/N: LadySpindle- Thank you ever so much for your kind review!
Chapter Two
Not soon after Raoul departed did she feel her nerves take flight.
What was maestro to say? Would he be enraged to find she had unwillingly halted their commitment to practice?
Christine buried her face in her hands. The very last thing she wished to achieve was fracture any minute chance of pleasing the Angel of Music! Such blasphemy! Papa would be so ashamed of her...
She scuttled behind the dressing screen and stripped out of her performance wear and into more suitable attire. As she changed, she reflected on what Raoul had done— fondled her, cooed to her, acted as if she was a little girl! And worst of all, he hadn't even addressed her by her actual name. Merely "Little Lotte". Was he so clueless as to not recount her it? She whipped the ivory sash of the diaphanous dressing gown about her slim waist.
Raoul was just going to have to wait.
Christine perched at the mirror and began to snare a brush through her gleaming curls, her brows creased in dismay. Her glazing eyes honed in on an object on the surface of the table, and she set the brush down. Tentatively, she plucked up a blooming rose atop the stack of inundating flowers. With her thumb, she caressed the black silk of the ribbon tied about it, and grinned.
It was then that she heard the indisputable hum of song.
She twirled to face the mirror, perplexed. The vacuous walls about her thundered with a voice, snapping and growling somehow melodically with masqueraded rage.
"Insolent boy, this slave of fashion,
Basking in your glory!
Ignorant fool, this brave young suitor,
Sharing in my triumph!"
Christine rose, her lips parted in response:
"Angel, I hear you
Speak, I listen
Stay by my side,
Guide me
Angel, my soul was weak,
Forgive me
Enter at last, Master!"
His voice, ethereal and soothing, rose from behind the walls to caress her ears:
"Flattering child you shall know me,
see why in shadow I hide
Look at your face in the mirror—
I am there inside...!"
Christine's senses were sent awash in splendor. Her body gravitated closer toward the toward the origin of the voice, euphoria shooting through her veins. Otherworldly fog encapsulated her form, sending a bout of shuddering to lash up her spine. Christine shifted toward the mirror, a diluted image shoving through the glass. She throat felt numb as she struggled to sing in his potent presence.
"Angel of music guide and guardian
Grant me to your glory!
Angel of Music hide no longer
Come to me, strange Angel!"
She felt a thrill at the sound of his urgent reply—
"I am your Angel of Music
Come to me, Angel of Music..."
Christine heard the distance wailing of Raoul and the rattling of a door, entreating his entrance. She ignored him, stepping closer.
Like downing the dregs of finely brewed wine, the last of her visitor's notes poured into her ears.
The apparition partly visible from behind the glass offered a gloved hand, its face betraying no emotion.
Almost imperceptible, she withdrew her hand as Raoul's voice regained clarity. He howled her name, shouted for management.
With a deadpan expression, Christine accepted the ghost's palm.
And feeling nothing other than the glove beneath her, she allowed him to lead her into the unknown.
A/N: My apologizes for the short chapter. I wanted to squeeze this one in before I had to leave. It's also pretty mediocre- sorry, it was a long day at school and I was writing some of my original novel beforehand.
(Oh, and trust me, this story will move away from the original plot soon!)
I hope you enjoyed.
If you don't mind, please drop a review. It would mean the world to me. :)