Silence filled the room, the sound of the gunshot still echoing throughout.
A choked sob filled the room and two women fell to the cold floor beneath them.
Men's shouts and women's screams filled the room as everyone began to panic.
"Christine!"
Everyone froze in their place at the sound of the horrifying cry that was torn from Erik's lips as he collapsed onto the floor beside his now bleeding wife. Natasha was lying not far from them, her body still and unmoving. Someone had fired at her just as she had pulled the trigger at Christine. Both women had fallen together. Erik pulled Christine's limp body against his and desperately tried to stop the blood which was flowing from her pale flesh. He shouted for a doctor before turning to the woman in his arms. It was not a serious wound...thank God!
The bullet had hit her shoulder and had lodged itself there. Her eyes fluttered and her weak gaze found his. She...smiled. Erik had to fight down the emotion in his throat at such a simple gesture. She seemed to be strong at the worst of situations when Erik found himself almost trembling at the idea that he had almost lost her. He realized quite suddenly that she was the only person he had in his life to care about. He had no one who cared about him. If she were to die there would have no one once again. She shifted and winced when her body protested.
"Erik..." she only whispered his name and Erik knew she was going to be alright. She was a strong woman. He glanced at Natasha where several men were gathered around her, Anthony being one of them. He turned to look at Erik an unreadable expression on his face.
"She's dead," he informed him. Erik simply nodded. What was he supposed to feel for the woman? She had almost killed his wife for goodness sake! Anthony left Natasha's still body to come to Erik and see that Christine was alright. She smiled at her brother when he kissed her hand. Anthony's eyes found Erik's and the masked man simply nodded, she was going to be alright.
"The man who shot Natasha was wearing a black domino costume, but he disappeared almost immediately and we do not know who he is," Anthony said. Christine's hand found Erik's and she squeezed it. He looked down at her, surprised she still had so much strength.
"Natasha knew him! She was talking to him earlier!" she whispered. Erik was unable to say anything because the doctor had arrived and he instructed that Christine needed to be put to bed immediately. Erik cradled her gently in his arms and on long strides left the room, the doctor following quickly behind them.
Maids had already been called into their chambers to prepare the necessary things for the doctor. Erik went to their bed and gently laid Christine upon it. Christine's hand continued to hold his even when he was about to pull away. Her pain filled eyes found his and Erik could not leave her, even to attend to the things downstairs. The doctor arrived at the side of the bed after washing his hands and getting the things he would need. His hands went to Christine's dress laces and Erik growled a low warning. The doctor, a young, handsome man, raised eyes to Erik's, obviously quite frightened of Erik's dark visage. Christine looked up at her husband, surprised that that dark side of Erik was showing after so long being dormant. She squeezed his hand and his eyes left the doctor to look at her. She smiled.
"You do it," she whispered to him, knowing it was what he wanted to hear and knowing she would bleed to death before he allowed the doctor to undress her. Erik growled at the young man to turn around and his large hands expertly undressed her. He pulled the blankets up to the top of her breasts and his eyes seemed to be locked with the bullet wound in her shoulder. The doctor turned around when he judged it was safe to do so and went about doing what he could for Christine's wound. Erik refused to leave her side.
xXx
"How is she?"
"Is she going to be alright?"
Erik was bombarded with questions when he silently left the room after a few grueling hours of watching Christine in pain. She was now asleep due to the medicine she had been given and Erik had judged that he could leave for a few hours without feeling guilty about it. Anthony, Sienna, Nadir, and Raoul were all waiting outside the door to hear the news about Christine's condition. Erik looked at their concerned faces and his face darkened even more then it had with the young doctor. All he told them was that she was sleeping now and would be fine before he stormed off down the hall. Everyone stared after him in shock, wondering what in the world he was thinking.
In truth there were a million thoughts whirling in Erik's mind and not one of them was good. Was he forever cursed to live a life with turmoil and despair? Did he not deserve even a brief moment of happiness? Christine could have died this night and it would have been his fault for marrying her. He knew that one of the Delauney's had to have been in the black domino suit and he would take his revenge. But to think that Natasha was behind it! Had she been in league with his enemies all along and had never known it? The idea that he had been played so skillfully did not rest well with him and he swore that he would have every one of their lives before he died. Christine meant more to him then he was ever willing to say, and her family had threatened her life. No one hurt what was his and lived to boast about it. Leroy and Michael had made one fatal mistake...Erik knew where there manor resided and he was planning on making a little visit.
"I know all too well what you are thinking and I will warn you know that is a foolish idea."