Chapter 17: Illumination

Knowledge casts illumination into the darkest corners of the mind,
leaving no hiding place for the despair of ignorance.

A Fool's Book of Wisdom

Erik's amber orbs blazed with a fury that Helen had never witnessed before, but she could understand the reason for it. If it were not for the fact that his actions had placed his life in a rather precarious position, Helen would have found the entire situation amusing and she would have left the two young lovers to their own devices. However, the peculiarities of the power of Christine's heritage changed things in a way that could cause devastating consequences to any man she joined in sexual congress. A fact that Helen knew all too well, so she impassively met Erik's volcanic gaze. When the man did not back down, her eyes narrowed as she considered an alternate course. After a moment, she made a decision and spoke.

"I will allow the two of you a few moments to collect yourselves, but I expect the both of you in the parlor in ten minutes. No dilly-dallying and, most importantly, no putting Nebuchadnezzar out to grass¹!"

Christine gasped at Helen's crude comment and Erik gave a wordless growl at the old woman. And, without another word, she strode from the room, slamming the door behind her as an added emphasis to her words.

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"Oh! She probably believes I am just another one of your bits of muslin². She seemed so angry and I cannot blame her. I am a stranger, whom she invites into her home and how do I repay her kindness? I play the part of a wanton woman and attempt to seduce her adopted son into my bed! I do not even wish to think about the sight that met her eyes when she walked in here ... Mon Dieu! What was I thinking? Perhaps, I am nothing but a strumpet..."

Erik watched open-mouthed as Christine stormed about the room. Her blazing anger awed him as it out-matched even his own and was a sight he had never before witnessed in another person. She grabbed her rumpled dress, which she found lying across a small chaise lounge and savagely pulled it on over her head, fuming and muttering all the while. Marching in front of Erik, she turned and presented her back to him.

"Lace me!" She demanded.

When he did not move and simply stood rooted to the same spot, the rigid set of her shoulders drooped and she sighed.

"Please?" She added in a fretting tone, which sounded close to a sulking whine.

With fumbling fingers and his pulse pounding in his ears, the stunned man did as the woman commanded. An audible gulp escaped his mouth and he attempted to cover the sound by clearing his throat.

"Christine, I apologize. I am sorry that I lost control and placed you in this awkward situation with your Aunt, but I must be honest with you. You are the only woman I have ever touched in such a manner. Helen knows this. I have never had feelings like this for anyone other than you and I must tell you that I feel no remorse for the things we did. We did nothing wrong, my sweet. What we did cannot be wrong as long as we did it with love. Can it?"

His words were low, but Christine heard the quiet desperation and sincerity in them. Erik watched with relief as her rigid stance relaxed and her head bowed. She turned slowly to him and her eyes searched his face.

"Do you really mean that?"

She spoke in a desperate whisper that matched the look in her eyes and Erik smiled gently. He lifted his hand and cupped her cheek. The couple jumped at the sharp, but pleasurable tingle that began at the place they touched and continued on to run throughout their bodies. He met her look with steady eyes, a small smile turned up the corners of his mouth.

"Oui. I have never said anything that I meant more."

Christine sighed, closed her eyes and leaned into his caress.

"Oh! Mon amour!"

He leaned in, placed a kiss to her forehead and whispered.

"Je t'aime³, Christine. Je t'aime."

A joyous shudder ran through her body.

"And, I you, Erik. Je t'aime."

Reluctantly, the two drew apart and stared at one another with soft smiles curling their lips. Erik broke the silence first.

"Well, unless we wish to further infuriate Madame and have her pay us another visit, I believe we had best make our way to the parlor. Do not worry yourself, ma chéri. My love for you is not going to disappear. All will be well. I promise! We have waited far too long for this. We deserve to be happy."

He held out his hand to her and she placed her small one into his without hesitation. Pulling her to his side, he placed her hand in the crook of his arm and with a gentle smile, led her out of the room.

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The old woman paced before the lively, crackling fire.

"Oh, merde! I ache all over! Damn it! I am too old to be chasing through the forest in the middle of the night. It was too cold and too damp last night for these decrepit bones. And, now I suffer for it today. Even so, it still is not enough to take my mind off those two. They are incredibly tactile with each other. Erik surprises me. I never thought he would be able to lower his guard long enough to allow someone to get close to him, much less allow a woman to ... or, for him to ... well, I never thought it would happen. The two of them had better make their way out here soon. I really do not wish to haul them out of bed, but for Erik's sake, I shall have no choice. Christine is much too dangerous for him in her present state. I shall allow them another minute or two and then..."

The sound of approaching footsteps interrupted her silent rant and she sighed with relief.

"My thanks to you, Goddess!"

A sharp rap on the door caused Helen's eyebrow to rise in surprise, but she held back her chuckle.

"Entré!"

The door swung open and the rumpled pair strode defiantly into the room. Christine swept past Helen and sat in the window seat while Erik took up his customary position leaning on the fireplace mantle. Both faces bore petulant expressions as if they were children expecting a lecture and Helen had to bite her lip to stop from laughing at them.