"Up to this day you blame my father for what happened in that barn?" Christine whispered. Erik said nothing for a long time. When he had turned from Emma he had been a foolish boy of twelve or so, he had not been thinking clearly. He had just found out that his face was beyond repair and he would look like a demon for the rest of his life.
"I blame no one, Christine, those demons are long buried...I think I hated them for having that person who loved them unconditionally," he murmured. Christine frowned, pushing some hair away from her face.
"I do not understand," she whispered.
"They had each other and for as long as I could remember I had always thought that perhaps when I was a man I would find that woman who would complete me...then I burnt my face and I knew I would never have that," Erik answered.
"So you forced my father to give me to you in marriage, telling him it was his fault that your face was the way it was because of him and having saved his life. You knew he would not refuse and you realized it was your only chance of finding that love," Christine whispered. Erik said nothing, knowing she would have figured it out eventually. She was a smart woman.
"After you left my mother, what happened?" she asked. Erik sighed and got out of bed, wrapping the sheet around his nude waist. It had been exactly four weeks since Christine's shooting and she had healed quite nicely. He had spent the night making love to her, his mask never once on his face. He went to the window and looked out into the dark Paris night.
"She looked for me, but I had found lodging with an elderly woman and though I sometimes saw your mother in the streets looking for me I never once went to her. Eventually she found where I was staying, but she did not come for me, knowing I did not want to see her. She sent money to me, and I took it, I admit it, and now I live in this home with far more then I deserve," he answered.
"But how did you come to know of me?" she asked. She would not stop asking questions now when he obviously was in the mood to answer them.
"When Emma would walk the streets looking for me I became aware of the swell in her stomach and I knew she was pregnant. I held nothing against her because I knew she was a good mother, and Anthony would need someone to play with."
"What did you think when you saw me in the church?" she asked, needing to know.
"I saw how beautiful you were and knew that I had to have you," he answered. Christine looked away from his intense stare. He walked toward her slowly, dropping the sheet as he went.
"Erik," she whispered when he pulled the sheets from her body and settled himself on top of her.
"When I saw you I knew that no one would ever do. I did not feel guilty about forcing you to marry me," he answered, his mouth gently sucking at the skin of her collarbone.
"But how did you know that I was the right woman for you?" she wondered, becoming distracted by the feel of his mouth.
"I didn't," he admitted, his hands roaming over her breasts. "But you had such a mouth, one that was not afraid to talk back to me...perhaps I should have known then that only you would do."
Christine smiled at him, pushing his hair from his face, her eyes never changing from the loving expression, even with the fact that he was not wearing his mask. A loud knock on the door interrupted their quiet evening time and Erik's hand immediately went in search of his mask. Only when he had found it and put it on, and clothed both he and Christine in a robe did he open the door. Anthony stood there, a grim expression on his face.
"Where is my sister?" he demanded. Erik stepped aside and allowed the man to enter. Christine pulled the robe closer around her body and went to her brother. His face was grim and she knew something had to of happened.
"What is it, Anthony?" she asked.
"You need to leave the city," he stated bluntly. Christine's eyes grew round and she looked over at Erik, who was frowning deeply.
"What?" she asked, confused. What in the world had happened to have her brother coming to her in the middle of the night, telling her to leave the city?
"You must leave, it is no longer safe!" Anthony continued.
"It had never been safe, or have you forgotten the fact that I was shot?" she asked.
"They have Sienna, Christine," Anthony whispered. She could hear the sorrow in her brother's voice.
"What?"
"They took her!" he shouted, running a hand through his hair.
"Leroy and Michael," Erik murmured.
"Yes, they left a note. It said that they would give her back if Christine left the city," Anthony said.
"Why would they say that? They want me dead!" Christine cried. The thought of Sienna in some sort of danger made her sick.
"It must be a trap, they are waiting for you to run, Christine...then they will make their next move," Erik said. Christine's eyes found his and he could see the genuine concern in her eyes. He went to her and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her against his chest.
"We will not run, Anthony," Erik murmured.
"Then they will kill Sienna!" Anthony snapped.
"No, they will not," Erik said, his voice reassuring. Anthony's eyes were full of question.
"How can you say that?" Anthony demanded. Erik sighed and pressed a kiss to Christine's mouth before answering.
"Because I am going to trade myself for her."
xXx