Chapter 16

Passion and Intensity

Christine's POV

I touched my stomach, not believing what the doctor had just told me. Erik and I were going to have a child, no not a child…children. I looked at my husband; he was so pale and tired that my heart broke. I reached out for him but instead of coming to me as he usually did he just stood there, rooted to the spot. All the color drained from his face and I tried to rise from the bed but was so weak that I stumbled dizzily forward and Erik finally sprang into action. He caught me in his arms and held me for a moment, crying like a child. I held onto him as tightly as I could in my current state, rubbing his back as my husband shattered my heart as only he could do. The broken tears, so cold and hard like hail falling relentlessly on my head.

How I hated it when he wept! So much pain and sadness in him, I looked up at his face and saw the crinkles in his expression showing his pain. I wished for nothing more than to have a magic sponge for which to wash away the torment in his eyes. He took my hands with his shaking ones; they were cold yet sweaty as though with fear perspiration. I felt his tiredness through his shaking body, guilt washing over me as he fought it so I could be in his arms. Erik released me but I did not do the same, a part of me did not want him to regain his composure. I just wanted him to cry out all these nightmares and sleep well for once in his life, not see the pain and not wish he could erase his life… in a nutshell I hated his suffering.

He needed me to hold him now, and I was more than happy to oblige him with anything he needed in life. Whether it was love, comfort or the needs of a mortal man it was my duty as his wife to tend to his needs. That included stopping his tears so he could have a good rest. I curled up on his chest like a kitten; the poor thing did not even have his cat anymore to give him comfort. But then he had me and I would hold onto him, as long as he needed whether it is for a moment or all night. My heart was aching for him, but the man was far too tired to do anything but weep at the moment. Tiredness did that to anyone and the worry he had experienced only made it worse I am sure.

He was overtired and ailing, I felt him slumping forward as though he were made of the weakest marble, well-aged and cracked from weathering the seasons for years on end. So old it seemed that its eyes had real wisdom in them. As old as father time himself and ready to seek eternal rest in the peace of heavens arms. That was my husband at the moment, as cold as that withered sculpture, ready to blow over in the slightest storm, crumbling to dust after being beaten so savagely by Mother Nature. The very mother who had sworn to love the only child she would ever have both nursed him and beat him all at once.

Just like his real mother had done, all I could think was thank god for his real father who loved him so much growing up. I pressed his head into my shoulder and placed my hands on the back of his head. I rocked him gently, the way daddy used to when I was crying. I sang to him until he quieted into hiccoughs and then I gently laid him down on the soft bed. He mumbled a drowsy protest but I was not hearing it, he was sick now and needed to rest his tired eyes. I fingered the dark purple half-circles under his eyes tenderly. His heavy eyes were open a crack and I could see they were burning and cherry red, but his eyes were closing and it would be no trouble to drift off in his exhausted state. He was still trying to speak but it just came out as a jumble of moans and mutters that made no sense whatsoever.

"Erik, shh sleep for me…" I whispered, placing my fingers over his lips and whispering 'hush'.

He moaned and mumbled again but offered no protest, I kissed his sleepy forehead as he tucked his chin into the crook of his shoulder. His eyes were shut now, his breathing slowed to a steady rise and fall. He looked soothed and as gentle as a sleeping cherub from the stories daddy had told her. The pillow sunken in and becoming warm with his warming body as I tucked him in, he sank deeply into the bed and snuggled the blanket as I pulled it up to his chin. Now it was my turn to tend him as his ridiculously loud snoring filled the room. I found its gentle steady rising to be rhythmic and soon I was breathing along with him.

Inhale... 1, 2…exhale…1, 2… SNORE… 1, 2… repeat. He looked as peaceful as a child there in the bed. His face not so sunken, fuller cheeks and thin lips turned into a tiny smile, his lips parted so I could see the one part of his face that was beautiful besides his eyes. He had a perfect smile that melted my heart whenever he decided to turn on the seduction. I gently lifted his torso and he flopped on my arm. I gently removed his shirt and gazed on his scars on his body, long and twisted markings like snakes marring the solid perfect wall of his muscular chest. They looked almost poisonous as they coiled around his poor flesh.

It was touching to me that he had been through so much had fought his entire life just to get by in this cruel brutal world. Yet when it came to me he was as gentle as a lamb, no matter how tired he was or irritated to the point of distraction. He never complained when I threw up even when it landed on him. Just made a tisking sound and washed me, bringing me water to rinse my mouth, giving me medicine and then tucking me in with a lullaby. Sometimes, if I needed to use the facilities he would carry me to the restroom and wait for me to finish before I fell into his arms to sleep again.

Now I nurtured him, occasionally stroking his cheek, my poor back relaxing against the chair. I breathed in and out, every time he breathed in I followed along, every snore making me sleepier and my head was growing droopy. Erik's arms looked so welcoming and I was still so weak, too tired even to wonder how far along I was in my pregnancy. My head fell on the side of the bed for a moment, waking me. I stumbled to my feet as I felt him relaxing more and I climbed into the warm bed, barely able to keep my sleepy eyes open. I lie down on his chest and found him to be warm and solid, hard bodied and I liked it. He instinctively wrapped his arms around me and I looked at the clock, ten in the evening.

I felt my stomach flip twice and wrapped my arms around my belly and my children. My children, I was going to be a mother of more than one child. I wrapped my arms around my belly, already in love with them. The only thought left in my mind before I fell into a deep rest was how beautiful they would be. I swallowed my medicines and snuggled his chest and fell into the deepest state of sleep that I had been in since I had taken ill. Soon we were both snoring loudly, the cabin was dark and we were both sleeping, warm and snug together. We slept until morning, the sun warming my eyes to wake me.

I stirred, feeling Erik still snoring beneath my cheek, his arms draped heavily over my body as he snoozed. I smelled myself, discovering I was in desperate need of a hot bath, careful not to wake Erik I slid out of his arms gently. After placing a pillow in his arms, to keep him comfortable before I set up my bath. The warm water made my stiff muscles crack and pop, causing me to grown in pain. The noise woke my husband and he ran to me, his eyes full of concern. He reached up and stroked my face and I pulled him down into a deep, drugging kiss. He returned it in a desperate and grateful way, deepening it till his hands were gripping my shoulders.

He groaned and I felt him grabbing my erect breasts, fingering my hardening nipples so that I groaned. Oh, how I had missed his touch! The feel of that waking pleasure only he could bring, I had been so sick for so long that I had grown to see the way he loved me. It made me weep to see him so desperate to get me better. My husband's hysteria, the doctor had said, oh the unrelenting pain in his eyes. I could see the desperation and love in his eyes yesterday, the dried trails of tears on his cheeks.

Erik guided my hands to his trousers and worked himself out of them, already his manhood was rising. He wanted me so bad; the pain he had been through was so great that he needed this to assure himself that I was all right. I pulled him into the steaming water and he pressed me against the steel tub, before he entered me desperately. The next thing I knew I was moaning, and rocking as he clutched me to his body and rocked me so I was screaming against his chest. I reached down to feel him hard as a rock and he groaned. After making love to him so many times I knew how he liked to be touched and I stroked him from base to tip, he was the one screaming now.

"Oh God Christine…yes…" he groaned.

He moaned and ran his hands over my body, in places I did not even know I had. I arched my back and moaned as he ran his fingers up my spine. Erik's silver eyes were gleaming like raindrops on an emerald leaf in the first morning dew. Beautiful, breathtaking, eyes a woman's mother warned her daughter about. Eyes a woman could get lost in if she were not careful. Erik's hand cupped the folds of my sides, running cold fingers along my hot skin. But they did nothing but make me burn for him more.

"Erik, come closer to me…" I pleaded in arousal, crashing my chest into his so that my breasts were touching his. .

My husband leaned back and pulled me into his body, despite the bathwater it was covered in sweat. I licked the salty droplets from his chest, inhaling his scent of sex, arousal and healthy sweat and became drugged on it. I kissed him on the chest, sucking on his flat nipple noisily, flicking my tongue over it. He closed his eyes, loving the way my hot, moist mouth felt on him. I wondered what he loved so much. But then I knew from the strain on his face he was imaging the end as I made nursing sounds on him.

He opened his eyes; they were dreamy but wide with pleasure, "Oh Christine… that feels so good…So wet, so warm...oh god!" His voice was harsh as he grabbed my hair and pulled me closer to him.

I bit down gently, teasing his nipple until it was hard just like mine was. Erik bucked into my mouth, moving as though he were the woman helping mw lead him to his release. In his thrashing the soapy water sloshed over the side and he stared at me as I reached down to grip him, now that he was fully aroused. My husband may be in charge of the bedroom but something in me knew just what to do to get him writhing and needing me in full blown desire. I knew who my husband was and how I could coax him into allowing me to use him for my own pleasure.

"Where the hell did you learn to do this?" he asked roughly.

I ceased my attentions, giving him a playful wink, "That is for me to know and for you to never find out."

He thought I was innocent, ever the wilting blossom of a lady but now that I knew what I was doing it was easy to arouse him. So easy to make him want me, make him touch me as he pressed his fingers into my sides to keep me right where he wanted me. In response I kissed him and moved my hand to his thigh, and then the slightest brush over those parts that were reserved for a husband and wife. Erik moaned gently, and clamped my hand there so I had no choice but to touch him the way he liked. He gave me a savage, controlling look as if to say, I am in control not you and you will do as I please.

I gave him a teasing; wicked smile and then I touched him as he started to leak. He dragged my head up and kissed me deepening it in an addicting way. It was drugging and set me aflame and I lay against him again to muffle my groans so I did not disturb the people in the room next door. The water was still warm and did nothing to cool down our lust and soon he lifted me onto the center of his lap. I groaned as he suckled my left breast while he cupped the left one in his strong hand, his raindrop eyes begging me to trust him. I looked into his eyes and ran my hands over his sold muscles of his chest. Careful to run my hands over every inch of him gently so he groaned and pulled me closer.

He pulled my breast into his mouth and lowered his hand to my crotch, tangling his hands in the curls. I moaned as he stroked me there, pushing, pumping till I was riding to heaven and then he put his fingers in there. Erik pushed there as though he was making love to me with his hand, cupping me, cradling my womanhood, stroked me as I groaned and pulsed against him, bucking and thrusting until I climaxed, screaming. He smiled, giving me that look that now it was his turn to come and he got out of the now cool water and lifted me with him.

I reached for a cloth, paying special attention to the intimate parts of his body, he was glistening with water. He was beautiful, he was powerful, and he was magnificent. The pale sandy hairs on his chest soft but tangled with the moisture. As he stood in the sunlight he looked as though he were covered in precious diamonds. His chest looked strong and made of stone and the raw need in her eyes was animalistic, almost primal. It made me hot to think of the power he allowed himself to have over me when it came to our sexual needs but the aggression ignited my passion as much as his touch did.

I went to him and placed my wet hands firmly on his moist chest, pressing my naked body to his and allowing him to press me to the wall. This was where he teased me with his cock, just brushing my entrance and causing me to whimper. Glistening with the shiny water, I wanted to lick the diamonds from him and I did just that. I ran my tongue over every inch of him causing him to groan and followed my pattern down his chest with his hand. Erik was on fire, his heated body was aggressive and he dragged me up to his pulsing member. He lowered me to his hard cock. I groaned and fell against his body as I wanted him to thrust into me as hard as a warrior would, returning from a long battle and needing his ladylove to ease him after the torment of killing so many and suffering horrible wounds.

"Erik, take me to bed please…" I begged, not able to tease him anymore in my frenzy.

He said noting but drilled his tongue so far down my mouth that I was gasping. Erik lifted me stumbling as if he were drunk. When we reached the bed I was kissing his mouth, his tongue warm and gentle as he ran it over my teeth and then the roof of my mouth. He laid me on the bed looming over me and spreading my legs to touch me there. I groaned needing him but he pressed himself up on his arms in a push-up position, looming over me with that predatory gleam in his eyes.

"Yes, Angel… come now… tell your husband what you want…" his whisper tingling in my ear.

I could not say anything moaning as he lightly touched my entrance, just brushing it. His eyes laughed at me and in that moment I knew he was my master again. He could either prolong my agony or release it. I was at his mercy and helpless as I tried to lift my hips to meet him. Erik smiled darkly, and ran his hands over my hips the way he had done at the opera. I groaned and my husband pinned me down to the bed in a firm but not painful grip. My eyes widened and he shook his head, his eyes full of mocking male amusement.

"No, not until you tell me." He whispered against my throat.

"God Erik I cannot take anymore please just do it!" I begged.

"Do what?" he echoed, I was tired of him toying with me.

"Finish it!" I screamed and he smiled.

"Gladly." He replied.

His aggression was wild, untamed like the Phantom I had remembered, so passionate, as torturous as my fears of him were lost in his arms. In my mind I went back to the night of the opera where I had lost myself in the perfect blend of adultery, sex and passionate lust. Three mortal sins in which I would surely burn in hell for, as I forgot my ties to Raoul and just lay there, letting him do whatever he pleased while my fiancé helplessly watched. Looking on with tears in his eyes, I saw tears in his eyes and tracks trailing down his face.

My heart had broken for him, but I loved it, the feel of his cold hands on my hands as I reveled in a true love I did not know I had for him. I had loved it then and I loved it now. I was drowning in the sheer thrill of his command and control, yet his willingness to let me do as I pleased to him. The lines I knew the lines on his face were those of straining desire as he forced my legs apart. He growled with pleasure as he lowered his mouth and kissed me there in the most passionate way he could. Kissing me in a way I had never been kissed before.

But it did nothing to relieve my agony, in fact it only served to make it worse, the pain almost unbearable. I looked at him with tears in my eyes as he kissed me deeply, sucking on my tongue before framing my face in strong calloused hands roughened by years of playing the piano. I whimpered and tried to pull him to me, sobbing when he pulled away to wipe my tears. He framed me with his hands and my eyes pleaded for relief. He shook his head as if to say not yet and then he gave me a gentle kiss to ease my torture.

He was so gentle, always the lover unable to bear my tears. I wanted him inside me, that moment more than ever. I raised my hips and he very slowly lowered himself to me. Erik was tired, I could feel now that he wanted to finish as he allowed himself to be pulled down to my level. I laid my chin in the crook of his shoulder, as I pulled his body firmly against mine, not letting him up again. In a way telling him I was too exhausted to bear his touch and the pain I was in. He nodded, staring into my heavy, glazed eyes… so heavy that I let them close, groaning and rocking a little.

His eyes drooped too, I felt them closing as he kissed me tenderly, hiding his face in my skin. I went limp in his embrace, letting him do what he wished to me, not caring anymore. I just wanted him to give me peace now. Erik shook me lightly causing me to open my eyes and see the look of surrender and sympathy. I closed my eyes weakly again, muttering a murmur of tiredness and he nodded as I lay sleepy in his arms. It woke me up when he dragged me forward into his lips and I knew I needed to help him if we were to finish.

Erik pulled me into his arms and so I wrapped my legs around his waist settling over him. He entered me, gripping my bottom to hold me in place as I helped him by pushing onto him gently. Rocking up and down, up and down rocking unit he groaned. I felt mu release coming and I pulled him down on the bed, kissing him so hard that the world melted around us to nothing but me and my lover. I thrust into him over and over, screaming harder and he obliged. Riding me to where it was almost painful and I could feel him coming inside me, hot and sticky as he released the tension and worry in his body.

"I love you Christine… so much…" he said softly and finished inside me.

By the time he was done I was so exhausted, still he slammed his mouth into mine reminding me again who my master was. Erik drained my energy, leaving his mark on my full lips by tugging it out a little with his teeth. Giving me a little bruise to last a couple days, a visible mark I would see in the mirror, claiming me as though he were claiming a mate. My body was too weak with relief from the afterglow. We were both too tired to revel in it and I could feel Erik's muscles relaxing in a limp sort of way.

He collapsed, inside me crying on my chest as though our passion had broken his body. I wrapped my arms around him and held him for a long moment. I was so tired that I simply wrapped my arms around him and started snoring. God his love his love for me was so intense! It was no wonder I had run from him, fear of his challenge to my womanhood. After all I had been innocent of any man other than my father and old sweetheart. Who had merely pecked me on the day he had to leave at the age of twelve. But I was a woman now; soon enough to bear the children of this man whose passion was exhausting and his love never ending.

Erik untangled himself from my body, falling asleep almost at once, draping his arm wearily over mine as he slept. We were asleep till the sunlight of the next day. I hurt all over when I woke, having no idea how long I slept. Erik groaned drowsily when I twitched, waking. He stood up looking at me with tears in his eyes. He kissed my lips sleepily and lay down. I knew he would be safe tonight after all he had said himself. Love can heal. But as I looked into his eyes I saw the terrible fear there and knew he needed me to take care of him emotionally.

"Erik love- what's the matter?" I asked.

"You must get rid of those things…" he said tearfully.

"Things," I repeated, "What things?"

"Those…monsters growing inside you…"