Chapter Seventeen

Jennifer couldn't recall how she and Erik arrived back at the house on the lake so quickly; she'd been too wrapped up in leaning against him as they both walked from the cove to the Opera. Would he take her "sentence" seriously, she wondered guiltily. It wasn't that she didn't want to spend the night with him, but... part of her psyche protested at the thought of pre-marital relations of that kind. Perhaps it was all those forced church services grandmother had taken me to since I was about three, she wondered aimlessly as Erik poled the boat across the dark waters.

Erik watched her as she trailed her fingers in the water, drinking in her beauty with hungry eyes. His passion had not abated at all since their burning encounter before leaving the lair, but he had long ago become used to the ache of unfulfilled physical desire. She would have nothing to fear from him this night... as long as neither of them made any advances.

Somehow, he doubted that either of them could make it through the night without "advancing". Frankly, he had no problem with that thought.

Jennifer walked across the drawing room on slightly unsteady legs; nervousness was making even the slightest movement clumsy for her. She'd never done anything like this before... would she be any good? It seemed unlikely, after all practice made perfect and she'd had little "practice" in pleasing men before. As she pulled off her cloak and placed over the back of her chair, she suddenly became aware of Erik directly behind her.

"Jennifer..." he breathed, his voice husky with emotions she could not fathom.

She turned around to face him, her body starting to shake involuntarily from the anxiety. Dear Lord, she had no idea what she was supposed to do! Romance novels were not exactly a renowned source of accurate information and that was all she had to go on! She wasn't yet capable of pleasing him as he needed, didn't he know that?

Erik could see the doubt in her eyes and the slight tremble of her lips. "Mon ange?" he posed a gentle question. "What's the matter? Are you frightened?"

"Yes... no... maybe... " she struggled. "I don't know, Erik... I've never done this before and I'm not sure that I'll..."

"You're nervous?" he asked, pulling her into his arms and stroking her soft hair in order to calm her. "It's fine, Jenny... I understand. You don't have to if you don't want to." He wasn't even sure of what the unspoken act was... making love, perhaps... staying with him, definitely...

Jenny pondered that statement. He was still in an obvious condition of arousal and it seemed unfair to leave him unsatisfied; still that nagging, deeply buried moral concerning physical union before marriage still pounded at her mind. But, she reminded herself, he needs this as much as you do. How long has he lived without love?

Too long, she decided. Far too long for the both of them. That did it... she had decided. She wanted this, he wanted this, where was the problem? And this wasn't some one-night-stand with no love between them; they would stay together for all time.

Relieved at her decision, she returned her thoughts back to the immediate present and looked up at Erik. His eyes were filled with question, still asking if she would accept him. Smiling softly, she rose up on her toes and kissed him, her arms coming around his neck, holding his mouth against hers.

He was immediately swept away by the sensation of her tongue parting his lips to perform its own invasion into his mouth. Passionate little thing, she is, he thought appreciatively, returning her pressure. But, he knew all was not well yet. Thanks to her unquestioning acceptance of his mask, he had begun to actually forget that he wore it, forget the scarred and deformed flesh and bone beneath it. Jennifer had never seen his face; she'd never even asked to. It was this direct contradiction to human nature that made him first realize his own love for her; he truly believed that she didn't care what lurked beneath the accursed facade of white leather. But, he couldn't hide it any longer; like his past, Jennifer had a right to know what his face looked like. Decisively, he stood her back on her heels, keeping her at a slight distance. She looked up at him, her eyes showing confusion and a small amount of fear mingled with her own longing.

"What's wrong, Erik?" she asked softly, concern lacing her voice.

"I think it's time that you saw... my face." he whispered unevenly; although he was relatively certain that Jenny wouldn't condemn him for his ugliness, those nagging doubts and fears were still present, enough to make him start to tremble. He couldn't even persuade himself to lift his hands to the ribbons holding the mask in place. Instead, he grasped Jennifer's hands in a rare gesture of supplication.

"Can you-?" he struggled to maintain his composure in light of his difficult situation. "Can you take... my mask off? I-I can't seem to make myself do it."

Jennifer nodded, gently disengaging her fingers from his. The poor man was shaking from fear of rejection and Jennifer did her best to soothe him by resting one hand on his shoulder and stroking his hair with the other. Once he'd stopped his tremors for the most part, Jenny reached around his head to untie the ribbons that imprisoned Erik's face. Once they came loose, she pulled the mask away from its resting place and tossed it onto the sofa. Slowly, uncertain as to what sort of deformity she had unveiled, she raised her eyes to Erik's face.

He was ugly, there no other way around it. The skin was unevenly pigmented, rough, and deeply scarred from birth. The right side of his nose looked as though it had been smashed in a deadly punch and one of his extraordinary eyes rested in a deep eye socket, the delicate surrounding flesh dark from apparent lack of sleep. There was evidence of botched stitching jobs, as though an amateur surgeon had attempted to improve upon this lost cause. All in all it was like someone had haphazardly wrapped half of his skull in too-tight skin, stretching the flesh taut over the bones.

His eyes were shut tight, brows knitted together in fear, jaw clenched and lips tightened against the urge to run away. He was still shaking uncontrollably and Jenny knew that he half-expected her to flee from him screaming in terror. Surprisingly, she felt no fear or disgust towards his face; only sadness that nature could have been so cruel as to grant him such genius and then deny him the acceptance of others to use it. Her heart nearly burst with love for him; even if the rest of the world scorned Erik for his face, she would make up for it by loving him with every fiber of herself. It wasn't much, but she was certain that she could heal the long-festering wounds on his heart and spirit.

Erik couldn't ever recall being so terrified before in his entire life. Why didn't she say something? Do something? He dared not open his eyes, for fear that he would find himself either seeing horror written on her face or finding that she'd turned and ran on silent feet. Suddenly, he felt a warm pressure on his ruined cheek and his eyes snapped open in surprise. Jenny still stood before him, her eyes revealing no revulsion or fear and her one hand caressing his ravaged face as though it were the satiny flesh of a child.

"You're not... repelled?" he asked, his voice a harsh breath. "How can you touch that?"

"Easily." she replied, her gaze never leaving his. "It's just a face, Erik... it has nothing to do with who you are inside."

"Doesn't it?" he asked, unable to contain the bitterness he carried after decades of being utterly alone. "I'm a monster... a freak..."

"You are not!" Jenny exclaimed with anger. "You are no such thing! When will you stop listening to those who don't even know you and start listening to the one who loves you?"

Erik could see the boundless love in her eyes, her faith... and for the first time, he believed. He was a man, not a monster... he deserved love and happiness like any other... and this darling angel loved him as he'd always dreamed of being loved. Unable to speak past the sudden palpitations of his heart, he did the only thing he could think of; he pulled her against his body and kissed her... brutally, passionately, putting every ounce of his love and desire into that one expression.

"Mon ange... my precious love... " he gasped once he was able to. "Do you have any idea what you do to me?"

"I... um... affect you, I know."

"But, do you know how much I want you? How much I desperately need you?" he asked, still keeping her flush against him, subtly pressing his desire against her stomach as proof of his need.

Jenny couldn't contain a small gasp of shock mingled with a moan of desire at that contact. Her lovely blue eyes darkened a bit and her skin took on a peach-colored flush, the only indications of her lust and she managed a half-shy, half-sultry smile. "As much as I want you?"

Erik smiled back gently, his heart twisting at the sight of Jenny's young and as-yet-uncertain passion... She was so young and he had no right to her on top of that, but he simply could not resist her unspoken plea for satisfaction. He would be careful, tender at this time... his self-control would be all that prevented him from taking her roughly and possibly harming her in the process.

"Jennifer..." he breathed, savoring the scent of her subtle perfume. "Do you want me to make love to you, sweet?"

Jenny stood with her eyes closed, concentrating on that question as though it were a difficult chemistry equation. Had he just asked her what she thought she had? She opened her eyes and found herself drowning in the pale blue sea of Erik's eyes, awaiting her response with infinite patience.

Shy, frightened, but aroused beyond coherent thought... she really had no choice. But this was something that she'd only dreamed about in the deep, dark of night and had never expected to experience; how could she deny both herself and Erik the ultimate expression of love?

"Yes..." she spoke in a barely audible voice. "Yes, Erik..."

Erik knew she was terrified and knew that he would have to test his abilities of self-restraint to their farthest limits, so instead of immediately leading her to her bed, he sat her down on the couch, kneeling in front of her with his torso in-between her knees. "Mon ange... if I do anything, anything at all that frightens you or hurts you, only tell me and I'll stop."

Jenny nodded, unable to speak as her body broke into slight shivers at the mere sight and feel of Erik's form pressed against her thighs, the heat of his body radiating through the material of her skirt and petticoats. She drew in a quick breath as Erik skimmed his lips over her neck, exciting her beyond what she thought possible with light, barely-there touches. They kissed mouth-on-mouth, stealing each others breath and Erik's hands slid up and down Jennifer's sides, almost touching her breasts but not quite.

This was maddening and Jennifer, in a rare moment of boldness, guided one of Erik's hands to her breast. He hesitated, unsure of himself despite his own passion, lightly stroking the soft flesh beneath the silk of her blouse and studying her reactions. At the slight movement of his hand, her heart beat faster and her breath became deeper, causing her breasts to heave ever so slightly. A soft, barely audible cry escaped her lips, alerting Erik to her shy pleasure. Gathering courage from that revelation, he began to undo the buttons of her blouse, removing one of the barriers between himself and her soft skin. Jenny helped him by shrugging out of her blouse once the buttons were free. Surprisingly, she felt no shame or embarrassment at her burgeoning state of undress. After all, Erik proclaimed her beautiful and she had no reason to doubt him. He didn't love her because she was beautiful... she was beautiful because he loved her.

"My sweet angel..." he breathed, resting his head against her breastbone, her chemise and corset still covering her skin from his touch. He could hear the rapid beat of her heart, like that of a frightened hummingbird in a cage. With gentle hands, he undid the buttons that held her skirts around her waist and pulled at them, mildly surprised that she held herself up so that they would slip past her hips and thighs. She wore only the chemise, corset, and pantaloons now; all white and lacy, making her look like the angel that he often referred to her as. However, there was little angelic purity about her as her nervous hands carefully pushed his dress-coat off of his shoulders and letting it fall to join her blouse and skirts on the floor. His crisp, white dress shirt swiftly followed in a crumpled heap and Jenny's fingers hesitantly explored Erik's chest. She'd never seen a man in this "indecent" state before and was fascinated. Oh, she'd heard the excited stories from other girls her age, both at home and at the Opera... but how did she know that they were right?

Erik had to be a model from ancient times reincarnated, for that was what he reminded her of... the famous statues of Greece and the European Renaissance. He brought to mind Michaelangelo's famous statue of David mostly, for he was not massively muscled, but lithe and elegant. His skin was alabaster in color, almost white from lack of sunlight, and it contrasted sharply with the coal blackness of his hair, both on his chest and on his head.

Erik was motionless as he enjoyed Jenny's delicate touch on his surprisingly sensitive skin, closing his eyes in contentment for a brief minute. Slowly, his hands traced the contours of her sides downwards, pulling the hem of her chemise up and over her head. Jenny lifted her arms obediently, letting Erik remove the flimsy garment; and let her hands fall to his shoulders, gripping him firmly for balance. She felt dizzy, drugged with emotions she couldn't even begin to interpret or separate... all she knew was that she wanted Erik to love her.

Erik was not unknowing as to her feelings, his own were fairly tangled together; love, lust, uncertainty, humility, all were present and intertwined in his heart. Instinctively, he pulled Jenny off of the couch, setting her into a kneeling position that matched his own and resting his hands at her waist, holding her steady. He encountered the boned structure of the remaining obstacle between his flesh and hers.

Corsets, he thought in mild anger at the contraption. Confounded torture devices!

His hands slid to the cris-cross lacing in the back, untying the ribbons knot and pulling Jenny free of the unhealthy beauty device. Once the garment fell to the floor, Jenny reflexively crossed her arms over her breasts, attempting to hide from Erik's gaze in modest embarrassment.

Erik caught her by the shoulders, lifting her back up onto the couch and drawing her gaze down to his gently questioning eyes.

"Don't be afraid, love..." he said softly, sliding his hands down her arms. "Let me see you... please." Let me see your beauty, he added silently.

Hesitantly, Jenny forced her arms to relax and drop, revealing her unclothed body to his gaze. Erik took a deep breath for control, the sight was so stirring... he was reminded more than ever of the works of Botticelli and Ruebens. This lovely vision was not a child... but a full-grown woman who possessed a child's faith and understanding. She was the finest expression of womanly beauty he could conjure up; soft, curvy, and so beautiful that he ached at the mere sight of her.

"Jenny..." he whispered raggedly. "You're so beautiful, cherie..."

She blushed in response and looked down in shy delight at his words. Having never considered herself any sort of a beauty, she was touched and mildly surprised at Erik's candid expression of admiration. More and more, she was beginning to accept that she was beautiful in his eyes.

Inadvertently, Jenny's demure gaze wandered to the hard bulge straining at the front of Erik's snug-fitting trousers. Her eyes widened in wonder; she'd never seen a man unclothed before and was insatiably curious about the mysteries of a man's body. Erik noted her inquisitive expression and followed her line of sight to himself. Smiling, he felt immensely pleased at her shy interest and gentle curiosity. With a firm, but tender grasp, he took her hands in his, pulling her off of the couch to kneel in front of him and leading them to the waistband of his trousers, sliding them from his sides to the front where they were fastened.

With a nod to gesture her understanding, Jenny's trembling fingers slowly released one button and then the next until all of the buttons were undone, leaving enough room for Erik to slide them to his knees, then off entirely and tossing them aside. However, she found it exceedingly difficult to look up from the floor. Slowly, she lifted her eyes to see the proof of Erik's fervent desire. Holy Mary, mother of God... she thought, what have I gotten myself into?

Hesitantly, her small hands made their way from his sides to the front, as they had before, but with no cloth to protect him from her inquisitive touch. With a quick glance into his eyes, to ascertain that he approved her course of action, she wrapped her hand around the ardent proof of his desire for her. Immediately, he tensed, striving to control the primitive need to thrust into her. Her touch was warm and gentle, not assertive by any means, but it was enough to nearly snap his self-restraint. Unbidden, a strangled moan of her name escaped his lips and she tightened her hold on him slightly in a pulsing rhythm. A bead of moisture formed on the very tip of his throbbing manhood and without even thinking, she spread the liquid around with her thumb gently. Erik groaned, certain that he couldn't endure much more stimulation without losing all control and taking her savagely. Jenny picked up on his dilemma and let her hand wander back to his chest, releasing him from that exquisite torture.

In reciprocation, Erik undid the ties that held her undergarments in place and slid them down to her knees, a little surprised that she rose back to sit on the couch, letting them fall off completely and kicking them aside. With a deep breath, he sat back on his legs to look at her nude body fully. True, she was not a ballerina, but neither was she obese; she was plump and soft-skinned, a Grecian goddess of fertility.

"Jennifer..." he whispered, burying his face against her neck, still kneeling in front of the couch. "You're so beautiful, mon ange... so beautiful..."

Unable to resist her soft moan in response to both his words and his touch, Erik ran his hands over her unclothed body, his fingertips gliding over her skin, lifting her breasts up in his palms. They rested heavily in his hands, the skin baby-soft, and her nipples pink and begging for his touch. Tentatively, he let his thumbs rub over the hardened peaks, drawing a startled gasp from his lover. Anxious to give her the sort of pleasure that she had already given him, Erik bent his head down and slowly ran his lips from her neck to her collarbone, to her breastbone, to one of her straining nipples.

Jenny nearly died when she felt Erik's lips close around her nipple, her hands combing through his hair with passionate urgency. She couldn't help but undulate her hips against him as he suckled from her, his mouth hard and demanding against her untutored flesh, but so arousing she nearly cried. The throbbing between her legs doubled with her heartbeat, a new surge of wetness spreading even to her inner thighs. Even as innocent as she was, she could feel her inner flesh convulsing slightly, screaming for Erik's hard sex inside, and knew that she couldn't take much more.

"Erik… please…" she gasped, surprised at the blatant desire in her own voice.

His lips abruptly left the swollen tip of her breast, his deformed cheek still pressed against her chest. "Am I hurting you?" he managed to ask past his labored breathing.

"No… I want you." she shook her head, sliding off of the couch so that her wet sex was pressed against his swollen loins. "I want you inside me."

His only reply was a strained groan, as he rose, bringing her with him. Her knees buckled under her and Erik quickly swept her up into his arms, carrying her into her room and laying her on the bed with aching tenderness. After a decent interval in which she could change her mind, Erik lowered himself over her, supporting his weight on his hands and knees. Her arms were instantly around his chest, her small hands caressing his back insistently. They kissed, mouth on mouth, each stealing the others' breath away and stoking the fire they had started to dangerous proportions.

Cautiously, Erik slipped one hand between Jenny's thighs and slid upwards to her sex, finding her hot and wet, ready for him. He paused for a few seconds, in order to calm himself down; he needed to be careful at this crucial point, for if he took her as he longed to he could easily hurt her.

"Spread your legs for me, cherie..." he asked in a husky whisper, his hands gently parting her thighs. She obeyed, her eyes filled with passion, love, and just a little fear. He noted the slight tremor of her body and leaned forward to give her a tender kiss. "It will be fine, cherie... I promise. I'll not hurt you."

She nodded shakily, pressing a fevered kiss to his lips. She trusted him and that fact made Erik all the more eager to please her rather than worry about his own pleasure. He slowly pushed two long fingers inside of her, acquainting himself with the moist satin of her insides, determined to bring her to climax before he sought his. Her hips jerked in response, her body somewhat unprepared for even this invasion and even less prepared for the pleasure it afforded.

"Erik…" she panted, afraid and eager all at once.

"Mon ange…" he whispered, astounded by the tightness he encountered and the contractions her muscles made instinctively. Slowly, he slid his fingers further into her, until his thumb could reach the little pearl that was buried between the folds of her moist womanhood. Very gently, wary of hurting her, he let the pad of his thumb rub against her swollen nub.

Jenny came almost immediately, clutching at the bed sheets and screaming like a wildcat. There was no intelligible thought in her head and her senses seemed acute only to Erik and the exquisite things he was doing to her. Her hips rocked against Erik's hand frantically, seeking more and more until she finally collapsed on the bed, panting as though she had just ran a marathon race.

Erik lowered his own body over hers, her legs still widespread and her wetness tempting him to thrust into her. He resisted that urge for now, gently kissing her neck and shoulders, coaxing her back to reality with his gentleness. She let her hands wander over his back, tenderly pulling him down so that his weight settled atop her.

"Erik…" she sighed once her breathing allowed. "What… just happened?"

He smiled, somehow pleased at her innocence. "You just climaxed, mon ange. Did you like it?"

"Like it?" she repeated with an ironic tone. "Why did you do it like that?"

"I wanted to make sure that you felt pleasure first. Sometimes the woman doesn't on her first time… or so I was told." he said softly, interspersing words between kisses.

"But aren't you..?" she trailed off.

He pressed his hardness against her in answer, deciding to tell her of his desire. "Very much so. The urge to make love to you… to thrust myself inside you is near over-powering, mon ange. I want you as I have never wanted another. I feel as though I'll kill myself with need if I can't have you soon."

Jenny trembled under his frank confession, the flames that had been doused only somewhat by her climax now blazing to fever pitch again. Her hands ran down his back, settling finally on his buttocks and pressing down hard, forcing him to thrust gently against her.

"Take me, Erik…" she whispered against his ear, her hot breath teasing him. "Make me yours forever."

With that initiative, Erik guided his hungry flesh to her center, forcing himself to enter her slowly, searching for the barrier he knew he'd find. He found her maidenhood with little difficulty and prepared to break through it. With purpose, he lowered his head to her breasts, laving the soft skin with his tongue and gently kneading a nipple with one hand. She cried out at the sensation and instinctively arched against him. With a swift thrust, Erik broke through her virginity, using her passion to overcome the slight pain and discomfort of his entry.

Jenny suddenly became aware of Erik inside her and clutched herself to him, her hands kneading his back. Her breath came in deep gasps, so astonished was she at this extraordinary feeling. It was intoxicating and easily addictive, yet there was more to it than physical pleasure; she and Erik were connected and the emotional implications of that were as deeply felt as their lovemaking was. This man loved her with all of his heart and soul, she believed that now; he would never leave her and never forsake her for anything in the world.

Erik waited patiently for Jenny's protesting body to adjust to his, and simply slid his hands up and down her body, kissing her lips and neck with pleading lips.

"Did that hurt, love?" he asked rather breathlessly, once her muscles had ceased their rigidity.

"I'm fine..." she replied in return, still panting slightly.

With that reassurance, Erik gave a gentle, experimental thrust and was astounded by the sensation that shot through him like summer lightening. Jenny gasped in excitement, a sound that blended well with his groan of pleasure.

Between the feel of Jenny's hot, moist flesh surrounding his engorged sex, the sound of her intense cries of pleasure, and the urgency of his own desire; Erik could no longer control himself. He grasped her hips and thrust into her rhythmically, rending off years of sexual tension and denial. His throaty moans created a sort of sensual harmony with Jenny's high-pitched ones; enticing both of them further. Erik felt Jenny's sex convulse around him and heard her cries become more passionate than ever, signaling the start of her second climax. Using all of his strength, he thrust into her with brutal intensity, his own release bare seconds away. With shout like that of a soul tearing free of its earthly shell, he spilled himself into her, clasping her straining frame to his chest. Her breathing was panicky and uneven, evidence of the strength of her orgasm.

In unison, they fell limp on the bed, unable to move and unwilling to try in the first place. They simply laid together listening to the slowing beats of their hearts and enjoying the delicious aches from their lovemaking. Erik was the first to recover from his ecstatic stupor, propping himself up on one elbow to look down on her exhausted face with loving eyes. Drowsily, she opened her eyes and rewarded him with a contented smile.

"Did I please you, love?" he asked softly, tracing her cheek with one finger.

"Yes... you know you did." Jenny replied, her eyes full of love for this elegant, yet uncertain man in her bed.

"Good... because you most definitely pleased me beyond all hopes, mon ange." he smiled back at her. "How do you feel?"

"Absolutely... wonderful..." she sighed happily, as Erik gently rose off of her and settled himself down beside her. She was immediately cuddled up against him, resting her head on his shoulder.

"Tired, mon ange?" he asked as she stifled a small yawn.

"Mm-hmm..." she replied, nodding her head in assent.

"Go to sleep, love... we have years of love ahead of us."

On to Chapter Eighteen

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