Chapter XIII: The Love of a Beast

A/N: I'm not even going to attempt to excuse my not updating in forever. Please forgive me for taking me so long and thank you for coming back to read what happens next. Also, I'm going to update my other stories as well.

Erik looked at Christine in blissful shock as her words swept through him. "You love me?"

She ducked her head nervously and whispered, "Yes. I never planned to, but..."

"But?"

"But how could I not when you are the only man I have ever desired more than life itself?"

Erik was almost frightened by how elated, how free that made him feel, as if her words had been the sort of gift he had always searched for subconsciously. But now that he heard them he knew they were exactly what he wanted, more than anything in this world.

Drawing her toward him, he held up her face and wiped the tears running down her cheeks. "Say it again," he commanded softly as he tugged her chin in order to make her look at him.

Her eyes sparkled bright with her tears. "I love you. I'm a great big fool, but I love you."

He stroked the wild tendrils of hair from her face. "I didn't expect this to happen so soon."

"Me falling in love with you?"

"No, that I would fall in you with you too."

Christine laughed and with a breath of bliss, he brought his mouth to hers and kissed her fiercely, hoping to leave her with no doubt that he indeed did love her in return, and that he was going to forever.

"Make me your bride, Erik," she whispered breathlessly once the kiss ended. "I want to marry you and then... spend every waking moment trying to make a baby with you."

"My pleasure," he growled as he tossed her over her shoulder and strode back to the bed.

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"How much longer will it take, Monsieur?" Philippe asked as he trailed after Raoul in the deep forest, the moon barely glinting through the dense tops of the trees, the ground rough and foreign under his feet.

Raoul rolled his eyes, tired of the old man's whining, but replied back in his most gentlemanly voice, "Not much longer, sir. I've tracked the path necessary to take us to the castle. It can't be more than two miles or so. Just think, you will be united with your daughter in no time."

The old merchant let out a breath of relief. "Yes, that is true. I will be gladly relieved to be with my Christine again. But, if I may trouble you, can we stop and rest for a moment? My old bones are greatly tiring and I will need my strength to face that monster."

Raoul sucked in his groan. "Certainly."

A crack of thunder shook the sky and lightning flashed in the distance as they sat down parallel each other against a pair of trees for the moment; the old man panting from the exertion walking so far. He did not know why Raoul had insisted the shortcut he had found meant they would be in no need of horses.

"Looks like a storm is approaching," Raoul said as he took out a pipe and lit it, smoking it smoothly.

Philippe nodded, his mind too busy on the dramas ahead to mind what the investigator had to say.

Raoul noticed. "You're thinking about her, monsieur?"

"Hmm? Oh yes, my Christine. Yes. I... I long to hold her in my arms again, and to..."

"Kill that bastard that has stolen her from you?"

Philippe felt he could not have said it any better himself. "Yes. I very much wish to see that man drown in a pool of his own blood. The things he has done... I cannot even... Did you...? Did you really see them... together, monsieur?"

"Did I see them embracing, sir? Yes, yes, I did."

"And Christine did not look as if she was forced?"

Raoul wanted to laugh at the melodramatic despair painted across the old merchant's face. Good God, why was this man so hung up on his daughter's now lack of innocence?

"No, monsieur. She did not look forced, nor did she look as if she was in any pain. She seemed to be... enjoying the act very much."

Philippe groaned and fought to keep his composure. "I just cannot see how Christine could ever do such a thing, how she could allow anyone to treat her in a thus manner."

"She was probably seduced, monsieur. A young, innocent girl like your daughter is prime target for a jaded man such as the one you have described, and probably employed all the weapons in his arsenal to bend your Christine to his will."

"I do not even want to imagine what kind of weapons those would be."

"A man like that can have powerful hold over a daughter as innocent as yours. She may even believe herself in love with him when we find her. Are you prepared for such a possibility?"

"You mean, she may not want to leave with us when we find them?"

Raoul feigned concern. "Perhaps not. She may fight if we try to bring her home."

"But you will at least be prepared for him, thought? He will most definitely fight for her."

Raoul chuckled. "Don't you worry about that, monsieur." He removed the pistol from his pocket and loaded it with more bullets. "I am fully prepared for that beast of hers if he fancies himself ready for a fight."

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Thunder shook the castle and lighting split the sky with strips of white as Erik walked into his chamber and sipped from his cup of wine, his robe trailing behind him as he stared up at the large glass windows that exposed the wild storm raging outside. He drank a gulp and marveled at the war of lights that fought against the stars and clouds, the moon hidden beneath the battle.

"Christine," he called, hoping to bring her out from the dressing room so he could show what was going on. "Christine, come look at this. "

He moved closer to the windows, gazing out at the night sky when he heard her say quietly, "What do you think?"

He turned around to find his pretty little bride-to-be covered in one of his animal furs, the skin draped temptingly over her shoulders so that her entire front body was exposed to him; everything from her high, pert breasts to the crown of brown curls guarding her womanhood stared out boldly at him, and he felt his entire body immediately respond to such a visual feast.

"God, Christine, I won't be able to deny myself you another time with you looking like that," he warned in a fierce growl.

She giggled. "That is the point."
She sauntered seductively toward him and let the furs fall heedlessly off her shoulders as she stood in front of him. She could see him physically see draw a breath, as well as the evidence of his arousal as it swelled in front of her.

She looked down at his impressive manhood and whispered up to him, "I think it's my turn that I have my way with you and show you the pleasure you have shown me."

He cocked his visible brow. "I am all yours."

"Lie down on the bed," she commanded.

He followed her directions and slowly meandered towards the bed where he lied down and waited readily for his delicious torture. "I wonder if I am going to enjoy you seducing me," he said as she climbed on top of him and dangled her breasts in his face.

"You will," she whispered.

Although she made a move to kiss him on the chest, he was too quick and reached up to take one of her breasts in his mouth and suckle on it, his hands grabbing her hips to grind against him as he licked and nibbled the pink, soft flesh. She cried out and moaned helplessly from the sweet assault, but quickly pushed his mouth away and shook her head.

"No, Erik. I want to seduce you."

He leaned back and looked at her with shimmering eyes full of desire.

Taking that as a concession, she leaned down and began to kiss his chest, licking and sucking his nipples as she snaked her hand down his powerful, muscular chest and stomach, down to his strong, hair-dusted thighs. She felt his body contract from the light contact and could hear the heavy fall of his breathing as she moved her kisses farther down his chest and to his navel. Her hands lightly slid up and down his legs and she grasped the hard muscle he was made of firmly, grazing his skin with her nails as her mouth moved closer and closer to his manhood.

She could hear his breathing get more labored and she took her sweet time kissing and licking the skin all around his pelvis until she finally piqued her curiosity and touched her tongue to the thick head of his cock. He groaned and she was shocked at the new sensation, the new taste, deciding to lick more and more of him as he moaned his pleasure above her. But then he grated out, "Take me in your mouth."

She looked up at him. "What?"

"Take me in your mouth," he ground out, his hands going to guide her mouth around his shaft. Gingerly, she obeyed and with a quiet mewl of surprised pleasure, covered the head of his cock with her mouth. Bucking his hips with pleasure, he panted, "Right there, Christine. That's it. Suck a little harder."

She complied willingly, taking as much of him as she could, and humming the excitement she got out of it as she caressed his thighs and sucked harder.

Coaxing him into oblivion, Erik knew he was about to explode if he didn't stop her soon enough and after a few more minutes of reveling in the feel of her sweet mouth surrounding him, he growled, "No more, Christine. Oh, God, one more second and I'll burst."

"But I want you to lose control," she whimpered.

"Not without you, though. You want to please me, please yourself. Rub yourself against me."

She smiled coyly and followed his command, moaning sheepishly as she rubbed her throbbing mound against his stiff rod, swollen and wet from her ministrations. They were both about to explode from the pleasure overwhelming them and finally Christine cried out, "Oh, Erik, take me, please. I need you inside me, your hardness in me, filling me..."

"I'm your slave. Do with me as you wish."

She sat up straight and looked down at him under her. "Like this?"

"Ride me."

She didn't have to be told twice. Grabbing his cock, she mounted him and quickly impaled herself on his shaft, crying out in abandon as soon as felt his hard flesh inside her. "Oh, God," she cried, her hips automatically rocking wildly against him as he thrust upward and grabbed her hips. "Oh, Erik," she whimpered as their bodies rocked together in perfect unison, her hips frantically humping alongside his as she sat up and let her hair fall back, her eyes rolling in the back of her head as he pumped higher and higher into her. He groaned furiously, using all his strength and stamina to give her the ecstasy she craved. And she craved it. She bucked furiously against him again and again until she felt her lower body constrict and her mind reel with pleasure so intense she screamed his name over and over until the peak rock her and she collapsed on top of him, as he shouted and found his own explosive release.

"Dear God," he breathed as he still lied on top of him, completely exhausted. "That was... amazing."

She chuckled. "That was what I was going for."

"Want to do it again?"

She leaned up and gasped at that, giggling and laughing as they sat both sat up until he froze and looked straight ahead.

"What?" she asked with deep concern as she looked at the dark, unreadable expression on his face. Finally turning to see what he was glaring silently at she gasped and covered her mouth with her hand as shock vibrated through her and lightning lit the room.

Her father was standing right in the doorway.