Christine watched Erik slowly drift off to sleep and she smiled. They had definately needed this night of passion with all of the tension they had been having lately. Her surprise seemed to have worked, she knew Erik would have never believed that she would do something like that, but that was why she had done it. Always expect the unexpected. But the look in his eyes as he had made love to her again and again had been well worth it. She knew he had enjoyed himself and that was what she wanted. Christine put a hand to her abdomen and smiled. She had a feeling that if they kept things up in the bedroom the baby growing inside of her at that moment would not be the last. She was actually quite excited about could easily see herself sitting outside in the sun, a babe suckling at her breast while Erik played in the grass with several dark haired children. She wanted a family with him, and she would do anything to make sure that
A single candle burned in Meg's room. Both of Raoul's strong arms were wrapped around her, holding her close. Her blonde curls were spread around their bare bodies. He had made love to her a few times that night, unable to get enough of her. No woman had ever affected him the way she had. He had fallen hard and fast and he had no idea how Meg had managed to make him fall in love. Was it the fact that she could make him laugh when he did not feel like laughing? When she looked at him it was as if he was the only man in the world. When he kissed her he felt like a king. Raoul knew her mother did not approve because she thought he was only using her to sate his desires. In truth Raoul knew he could have just about any woman if he simply wanted sexual release, but Meg was different, it wasn't sex with her, it was making love, he knew the difference now, he never had before. He wanted her mothers approval, just like he wanted his own parents, but if he could not have it he would still marry Meg, seeing as her mother demanded it now that he had 'ruined' her for anyone else.
Raoul admitted that the idea of anyone else touching Meg the way he was made him sick. She was his, and she seemed to feel the same way about him. He knew he could make her happy, and it had nothing to do with the money he could give her. He wanted to make her happy as a man, a man who loved her and wanted to see her happy. What if he had never volunteered to come and help Erik and Christine? He would have never met her, what would he have done then? Would he have continued living, wasting away because he could not have Christine? Most likely. So really Meg had saved him in more ways than one. She had shown him how to
Three days prior...
Anthony leaned forward and kissed Sienna for what he hoped was not the last time. She looked like an angel sleeping in his bed like she was. He planned on waiting a few months before they married because there was still far to much going on with Christine and her husband. They had not left Rome like Christine had asked, their father brought them to a very old friend of his that was allowing them shelter, and they had yet to be caught. Anthony was surprised that his father allowed Sienna to sleep in the same room with him, knowing they were not married and what they did every night when the candle's blew out. But Anthony supposed that Gustave had once been in love, he knew what it was like needing to be with the person you loved, and perhaps that was why he allowed it. Either way Anthony was grateful. Sienna was the only form of sanity he had at the moment and without her he did not know what he would do.
He now understood what must have come over Christine when she had thought her husband dead. He understood that deep feeling of love, of rightness when you were with your soulmate. Nothing could explain what he felt for Sienna, and he thanked God every day for allowing them to find each other simply by chance. But now he had to tear himself away from her for something he had to do. He knew she would never approve and that was why he was sneaking away in the middle of the night. He had to help Christine. He felt horrible for allowing Raoul to go there without him when it was his sister and his niece or nephew growing in her stomach. Christine had always been there for him and he would not fail her now. Anthony prayed that it was not to late. Silently he slipped from the room. Sienna gave a shuddering sob and pressed her face into her pillow as she quietly watched him go. She knew it had only been a matter of time before he went to help his sister. He was a brave man and he would do whatever he had to to make sure his sister was alright. Sienna just prayed that he would come back to her,
Present...
Christine knew the moment she opened her eyes that something was not right. She turned her head to see Erik hurriedly getting dressed next to the bed. There was a look on his face that she could not quite explain and it frightened her. What was going on? He glanced at her and seemed relieved that she was awake.
"Put something on quickly, Christine!" he demanded. Christine dared not disobey him or question what he was doing. She scrambled from bed as quickly as she could, given the fact that her entire body was sore from how many times Erik had made love to her. She pulled on a chemise and turned to Erik.
"Go downstairs and wake everyone up, and be quick about it, my love, we do not have much time!" Erik said. Christine remained rooted to the spot for a moment. Not much time? She felt the blood drain from her face as realization hit her. He had found them. She did not know how, but he had. Erik went to her and grabbed her by the shoulders, bringing his gaze to hers.
"Look at me, love, you must hurry, wake everyone and tell them to put on their darkest cloaks and to draw the hood," he said. Christine managed to nod and rush from the room. Her legs did not seem to be attached to the rest of her. Her mind screamed to run faster, there was not much time, but she could not seem to run fast enough.
"Nadir! Nadir!"
Moments later the Persian opened the door, a frown creasing his brow.