chapter 29

B eautiful is the night sky, but an underground forest? How cool is that? We'd fallen into a rhythm. Nearly a month of endless conversations walking through Erique's juvenile sycamores. Reading by the fireplace, which usually didn't last long before one of us attacked the other. Harmless little stunts, like releasing feathers from the highest catwalk during Carlotta's rehearsals. Stolen kisses in dark spaces where eyes couldn't see. Borrowing Cesar and Nora from the stables for a moonlight ride.

You know, normal couple stuff.

Not a couple. Just two people who cared for each other and did things together and were a bit obsessed with the other. Who also got frisky every now and then.

I would say it was all too good to be true, which it probably was, but it turns out we were hard to work with.

When it came to music, which was a lot of our free time, we disagreed a bit.

Minor suggestions from either of us usually escalated quickly for some reason. Eventually after a few minutes apart, we'd give it actual thought and then come together again. It was complicated, but still functional and getting better.

"Contract and breathe," he commanded. "Do it again. I must hear it, Melody."

We'd been working on one of his operas Ailes en Métal – Metal Wings. A demon hell bent on avenging the death of his best friend finds out that the woman he'd fallen in love with on his journey was the one that killed the friend, leaving him with a choice to make.

A really great story.

The problem was, I couldn't sing it.

"Take this to Christine. She can do it. I told you Erique, I'm not even close to ready and I am not going to be able to get to these notes," I barked.

"Do it again."

I scowled, trying to cut him with my stare. He returned the cold glare.

I just wanted this over tonight, there was something more exciting I wanted to talk about.

Maybe that was part of the problem.

I took a breath and tried again. The sound was coming out, but it wasn't right, and it hurt.

"No!" His frustration was not hidden by any means. He clenched his fist in a pile of paper, crumpling several. "You advanced beyond initial cogitation. Why have you stopped growing?"

Mediocre was my middle name. My eyes shifted away embarrassed. I warned him I would only ever get so far with this.

I tried again.

"You're screeching. Enough," he said through gritted teeth.

"I'm guessing that's the end of today's lesson?" I asked with a sarcastic tone in my voice. "Better now than later."

Maybe I wouldn't bring up the dance. We just weren't on the same page tonight.

I searched around for my jacket, the draft in the tunnels nipped when we journeyed back up. And since I knew how to get here and out, I wasn't worried about getting lost.

Just irritated.

An audible growl from his throat hit my ears as he huffed. "If you do not take this seriously…"

"I take this very seriously actually. I'm trying so hard for something that I know I can't do. I told you I didn't want to do this because I knew this would happen," I said, pointing back and forth between us. "I'm never going to be ‘stage' ready."

I whipped around, grabbed my jacket from a nearby chair and pulled the front door open.

Erique prowled towards me and slammed the door shut. "You will do it again."

His hand flew just below my ribs and pressed in.

It still made me uncomfortable to be touched there. No matter the situation. It was infuriating more so during sex. He loved holding my stomach. Laying on it. Whatever.

"I push because I know you can do it," he said.

I opened my mouth to try again or fight, I didn't know exactly which.

"No," he said, before I could say anything. His tone slightly less edged than before.

He stepped behind me, his hand still in place, and pressed harder. "Do you feel that?" he asked.

Even though I was irritated with him, my face reddened under the pressure from his body. The nerves that wrecked me, including the ones ignited by him, started to subside. "I do feel something." I said wiggling against him.

"Melody," he growled.

"Alright. Alright. I feel it."

"Calm and breathe. Reach far within. Up and out. Up and out."

With a deep breath, my body eradicated the remaining nerves on the exhale.

When I opened my mouth, a sound came out that I didn't recognize as me. A real operatic sound. Powerful and surprising.

My skin turned to goosebumps immediately. Were the shivers from him or the resonating sound of my voice?

"There you are," he said, his voice deep and sensual, proud, as it rolled over the bareness of my neck. "Keep going."

I continued through his aria, hitting most of the notes I couldn't even come close to earlier. If I could sprout wings, I'd be flying above the clouds.

"Yes," he said into my neck. "Sing for me."

I fought the intense rising feelings. I needed him now, but I needed this even more. Finally prove that maybe I could do it.

If I could do this. Perhaps I could make it past the first step onto the stage and not pass out?

His other hand trailed up between my breasts. "Brilliant," he said, and slipped into the top of my dress, teasing and lightly pinching my nipple. "Don't tense."

There was no way he could keep up this pace much longer. He was going to fizzle out, right?

I hoped not.

Every day was a fight not to look for signs of that. Pulling away. Losing interest. Change for the worse. Like men always did.

Not even when we fought did I see it. Just a man obsessed in love with me.

I couldn't wait to get Erique out tonight.

The thought of seeing him in the world with people? There was no way he was capable of freeform dancing, something I wanted to see badly.

A giggle escaped at the thought of him letting loose. Moving around like a newborn foal. Just like me, having the time of our lives.

"What amuses you, love?" he asked, grazing his lips from my jaw to my temple, leaving fiery tingles in its wake.

My head fell against his chest. Mischievous eyes stared down into mine. "Nothing. Just happy…"

"I knew you had it buried within you," he said. "Stop fighting me."

Passionate, determined eyes simmered with a different kind of passion. I was glad we were never stubborn for too long.

Caring hands took my face and lips pressed to mine. It was the kind of kiss that knocked you off your feet and put you in a coma. It's still shocking that it had turned into this with us.

"So, my dear maestro," I said, running my hands up his chest, wishing his shirt was gone. "Do you have plans for us?"

"There are a few things," he said, pulling me tightly to him. "Why is it that you ask?" His lips grazed mine as I tried to remember why I asked what I did.

The thought of staying in, kissing and touching, running my hands through the silky hair on his chest, having his hands and tongue all over, sounded like heaven, but we needed to go out. I needed to get out. With him.

"Well..." I playfully hesitated, moving my hands down and around his hips. "I was invited to a party tonight... and I want you to come with me."

His loving gaze grew sad. "We have spoken about this." He kissed my forehead. "Let's work on our opera," he said, his adoring gaze attempting to return to its previous expression.

His dedication was his best quality. He never went into anything with half a mind. With the passion he held, he could burn this world down without fire.

"You did so well, my love," he cooed.

"I have the greatest teacher. Without him, I'd be just another dying cat."

Hot lips found my neck as he slowly rocked me back towards the little couch.

I knew what he was doing. And it was extremely hard to fight it as electricity sparked with every touch of his lips. But I couldn't give up just yet.

"Hold on. I'll be right back," I said, regrettably pulling myself from him. "Just stay as you are."

I disappeared around the corner and slipped into Erique's room.

Or "our" room as he liked to say every night.

The guilt of knowing he wanted a life with me weighed a bit. It's gotta be a shit thing to keep this going just because I've never been happier.

It was obvious he already had great taste, but the bedroom update was something else. A large black four-poster bed, matching side tables, dressers and an updated vanity. I loved the red and black bedding. But it must have cost a fortune.

It still baffled me how he got everything delivered without issue.

I pushed the returning guilty thought to the side and rushed to the vanity, pulling a few masks from the wall display. Including the white crackled one with horns that I really want him to wear while he fucked me. Or while I sucked his cock, which he still wouldn't let me do.

It's so hard, he's so good to me. I wanted to do the things for him too!

Erique's organ started up, working on the same movement, perfecting it as much as possible. Always working. My passionate Erique.

It warmed my heart to have witnessed his small transformation from completely tortured soul to only slightly less tormented with a sprinkle of love.

I don't think he's ever smiled so much in his life. At least without mischief of some kind behind it.

Having ransacked his closet, I rushed out to the living room carrying everything I found. "Ok. Hear me out," I said, approaching him.

"What is this?" he asked, eyeing me curiously while he continued to play.

"I didn't tell you the best part about the party."

The music stopped. "Melody..." he said.

"Erique." I inched playfully closer, running my finger over the top of the keyboard. "I forgot to mention…" I held up one of his masks over my face. "…it's a masquerade. Kind of."

Fingers caressed the mask I wore and the most unbelievable eyes fell sad again. "Push this from your mind, dear," he said.

"It's a poor man's masquerade. Nothing fancy. No one will even notice you, unless you want them to," I said, taking his hand. "Come with me? Please. I want you with me."

"The world has no opening for me, Melody. Nor do I want one." He pushed away and stood up, obviously upset. "This is my world. A world without care for society. You need to understand that. This is the life you choose when you choose me. You know this."

"This is a party that supports anti-society," I said and stood up. "It's for us poor outcasts. No directed dances. No ‘elites'. No rules. And I don't care what anyone thinks of you. I would walk with you, as you are. With or without this," I said, running a finger over his mask.

He scoffed and walked around me, grabbing a bottle of wine from the table.

I rubbed my temple. "Why do you have to be this way," I grumbled.

"I never thought you to be this na?ve."

"Don't be a dick."

He turned back and towered over me. I wasn't scared for a moment, more irritated than anything. Ok, maybe a tad on guard.

"You can't even tell me you love me yet say you would walk with me on the streets above, proudly? As if I were some dashing count?" he laughed. It was cold and deep, like being impaled by icicles.

He'd been hiding too long, what made me think for a moment that he'd leave the confines of his safe haven to an environment he couldn't control.

Especially when I was still on my own guard apparently.

"Ok. You win," I said, throwing my hands up in defeat.

Maybe it was something I had to think about. It didn't matter that I was completely in, that I really cared about him. There were real restrictions to our relationship.

Grabbing my mask and one of his loose-fitting shirts from the pile of stuff I'd brought out, I went to one of the lesser shattered mirrors and changed.

It'd been so long since I'd dressed up. For fun anyway. My wig hadn't even left Erique's vanity since my first time here. It had been freeing not to have to wear the costume.

He threw back a glass of wine as he stared me down. "What is it you are doing?" he asked.

I removed the top of my black work dress and threw on his shirt, letting it slip off my shoulders. "Getting ready to go have some mindless fun," I said, tucking part of the hem of my skirt into the band, just to show off my tattooed leg.

It was almost Phantom night in New York City. I smiled at the memory for a moment then sighed. I really wish I could at least talk to Mom and Sarah. Let them know that I'm ok.

Suddenly my heart ached for home.

With the mask settled on my face and costume in place, "There," I said and set sails for the door, doing my best to avoid the stare down I could feel from across the room. And I could feel that stare.

It was a good thing he showed me how to get out of here safely. Yellow dots were direction. Red was a trap. If you fell into a trap, he'd find you later. Alive or dead. He didn't check them often.

It's still easy to forget who he was sometimes.

I gripped the handle of the front door and pulled. His large, pale hand landed on the door and pushed it closed.

My eyes flicked up. His stare was intense; it sent shivers of both pleasure and unease through my body.

I hated that his mere presence soaked me. Even when I was pissed.

"Move. I'm going," I said.

"No."

"Like hell."

I tried to pull it open again, but he shifted slightly enough to keep it shut. For a split second, I saw myself locked in a room against my will.

"When will you be back?" he asked. There was a possessive tone in his voice.

"Don't know. I may stay in my room tonight. Like you said, I should probably think some things through. Now move out of my way. I'm going to go have some fun."

His gaze went dark as he stepped forward and wrapped a hand around to the back of my neck, pulling me to him. My back hit the door while his lips pressed harshly against mine. My hands found his hair and pulled him closer. God, my body wanted him. No matter how mad I was.

Erique's hand ran up my thigh to the place that made me crazy under his touch. He slid his fingers inside me and my eyes rolled. But this wasn't what I wanted.

Fighting my desire, I turned my head, breaking the kiss. "Stop." I barely got out.

He just pushed harder, forcing me to kiss him again, like a punishment.

"No!" I said and pushed him with sheer force.

Erique stumbled back.

"You can't just fuck me into submission!" I said, ignoring the confused, embarrassed look in his eyes and swung the door open. "Just stay here. You and the darkness are perfect for each other."