She was shot, your husband does not know if she will live," he said. Christine gasped and put a hand to her mouth. That woman was the only friend she had in her knew life. What was she going to do if she died?
"I am sorry," Kenneth murmured. He opened his arms and she went into his embrace. He held her tightly and she cried. He brought them to the bed and sat them down, still holding her. She pulled away when he pressed a kiss to her cheek, feeling uncomfortable and realizing that they were alone in a room with the bed beneath them.
"Perhaps we should go and see that Erik has everything under control?" she suggested, trying to get off of the bed. His hands held her, not letting her move. She swallowed and remained calm.
"He is fine where he is, and I thought we should get to know each other a little better, seeing as you are going to be a widow very soon," he murmured. Christine's eyes turned to him in absolute terror.
"What are you talking about?" she whispered.
"Hello, lovely, I was sent to give you a message: Tell your husband that the trap is being set, and soon he will be caught..." he murmured. Christine gasped. That voice! How could she not recognize that voice! He was the man who had attacked her in the alley after the opera.
"Oh, my God," she whispered. He grinned and his grip on her tightened.
"I was sent here to kill your husband, but I am sure my employer will not mind if I enjoy you while it is being done," he murmured, pressing a kiss to her lips. She turned away in disgust.
"What are you doing to Erik?" she whispered, frightened.
"He is dying now, even as we speak," he promised. She screamed when he threw her upon the bed and pinned her down with his much larger body. She struggled with everything she had in her and prayed that it would be enough.
xXx
Erik had come into the small servants room that Susannah and Douglas were staying in with Kenneth's driver to smell the stench of blood fill his nostrils. Susannah laid on the floor, in a pool of her own blood. The wound in her chest was nasty and Erik went to her, picking her up from the floor and lying her on the bed as he instructed Douglas to go and get the things he would need to heal her. Kenneth chose to come in at that moment and took in the scene before him with a calm that Erik did not like.
"Do not just stand there, man, help!" Erik growled. Kenneth grinned.
"You know, I truly hate you, this is not as difficult as I thought it would be," he murmured.
A single gun shot lit the room and then there was silence.
xXx
Raoul de Chagny had been traveling for weeks, trying to catch up with Christine and her husband. Anthony sat beside him, sleeping soundly even with the jostling of the carriage. Both men had decided that they had to know that Christine was alright. She had left with her husband, not telling them or even her father where she was going and they knew that was not like her. They had to know she was alright.
Raoul loved her, he hated feeling that way, but it was true. He supposed the saying that you always want what you cannot have was correct. He could not have Christine, she was married, and he knew her husband would never let that change, even if Christine loved him. And it was with that sense of love that he was with his best friend on a dark dirt road on the way to a woman that could never be his.
"You little trollop!" Kenneth groaned when Christine's fist connected with his jaw with a sickening sound. His grip on her lessened and she pushed him off of her. Her dress was torn in various places but she was not injured. This was more then she could say about Kenneth. Blood trickled from his mouth and three deep scratches marred his cheek from where she had scratched him.
Wiping the blood from his mouth he shook his head at the woman before him.
"You have willpower, I will give you that much, but your husband is dead, what are you fighting for?" he mocked. Christine refused to believe that her strong Erik was gone, that was why she continued fighting. She knew he would and she would not give up.
xXx
"Master! You must wake up! Madam Desslar is screaming!" Douglas pleaded. He had heard the gun shot and had run to the room as fast as he could manage, only to find Erik with a bullet in his chest. He had gone to Susannah but she had died while he was gone and Douglas had tears in his eyes, she had been like a mother to him.
Erik stirred at the sound of Douglas's voice, hearing Christine's name and knowing she was in danger. He could feel the wound in his chest and the blood that slowly made its way from him. He tried to move but found it impossible. He knew Christine was in trouble with that blasted Kenneth and he knew he had to get to her before she was killed but his body was not working. He felt himself slip into unconsciousness.