The Music of the Night Read Free

slipped her mind? She had to get out of there before he
returned! Vampire. Had he bitten her while she slept? She lifted a hand to her
neck, relieved when she felt only smooth skin. No bites, thank God. And she
wouldn’t wait around to give him another chance.
     
    Grabbing her handbag, she ran to the
water’s edge, her fear of the man who called himself the Phantom of the Opera
stronger than her fear of the water. She removed her shoes with a sharp stab of
regret at the thought of leaving them behind. Manolos were hard to come by,
especially on a teacher’s salary, but her life was worth more than a pair of
shoes. Stuffing her handbag inside her blouse, she waded into the water. It was
dark and cold and she had gone only a few feet when she realized she had made a
horrible, perhaps fatal mistake. Not only was the lake deeper than she thought,
but a swift current ran under the water’s calm surface. She shrieked as it
caught her, carrying her away from the Phantom’s lair, sweeping her along like a
cork caught in a rip tide. Helpless, she flailed about as the waterway grew
narrower, darker and as the light from the Phantom’s lair grew faint and then
disappeared.
     
    Weighed down by her clothing, her
arms and legs quickly tiring, she screamed for help one last time before she
sank beneath the dark current.
     
     
     
     
    Erik cursed as the sound of
Christie’s cries reached his ears. Foolish woman. Why hadn’t she waited for his
return? Foolish man. Why had he refused to let her go? And yet, how could he?
Her face, her voice – so like Christine’s of old, and yet uniquely her own. He
had lived in solitude for so long. Surely he deserved a few years of
companionship? If she would but stay with him, he would grant her every desire,
fulfil her every wish. If she would love him. He laughed bitterly. There was
little chance of that. A woman like Christie, so young and so beautiful, could
surely have her pick of handsome men. Men who walked in the sun’s light without
fear.
     
    He raced towards the lake with
preternatural speed. He had no need of illuminations to find her. He followed
her scent and when he found her, floating face down, he plunged into the lake
and drew her into his arms. Relief surged through him when she coughed up a
mouthful of water. A thought took him to his lair. A wave of his hand lit a fire
in the hearth.
     
    Cursing his selfishness, he placed
her on the bed and quickly removed her sodden clothing. If she died – no! He
would not let that happen. Wrapping her in a thick quilt, he gathered her into
his arms and carried her to the rocking chair located in front of the fire.
Sitting down, he held her close, his hands massaging her back, her arms and her
legs. The scent of her hair and skin filled his senses, the throbbing of the
pulse in the hollow of her throat called to his hunger, tempting him almost
beyond his power to resist. But he would not take advantage of her, not now,
when she was helpless. Nor, he realized, could he let her go – not when fate had
been kind enough to send her to him; not when she knew what he was (though if
she told the tale, he doubted anyone would believe her).
     
     
     
     
    Awareness returned to Christie a
layer at a time. She was warm. It was quiet. Soft music filled the air. A gentle
hand was stroking her brow –
     
    With a start, Christie came fully
awake to find herself cradled in the Phantom’s arms, staring upinto his dark
eyes.
     
    Vampire .
     
    “Please,” she murmured tremulously.
“Please, let me go.”
     
    His knuckles caressed her cheek.
“Please stay,” he urged softly. “Be my Christine, if only for a little while.”
     
    Fear made her mouth go dry. What
would he do if she refused to stay? She closed her eyes for a moment,
remembering how she had always hated Christine for leaving the Phantom and going
away with Raoul. Christie frowned. Hadn’t she always said that if she had a