Page 42 of Angel's Kiss
It was a strange thing, to be fussed over and cared for. “I am, you needn’t worry. They’re much better than your costuming work.”
“I told Louise I knew the general theory of sewing when she hired me, I just neglected to mention what it was I had experience mending.”
“I’m eternally grateful for your skill,” Erik replied, smiling back at her.
And then, as had happened many times that day, he found himself staring at his remarkable student and wishing he was brave enough to properly kiss her. He did not try to hide the desire. He glanced at her lips and noted the way her breath caught and the flush of her cheeks. He wanted to cross that distance, claim her as truly his... But he couldn’t. One kiss to his forehead had nearly ended him; he feared a real kiss would stop his heart entirely.
“You should go,” Erik whispered, looking down to avoid seeing her disappointment or relief. To his shock, she raised her hand to touch his side, tender against his wound.
“Be careful, please,” she whispered.
Erik wanted to tell her he would endure a thousand such injuries for another moment like this, blessed by her concern and gentleness. Bold in the darkness, he took her hand, raising it up close to the mask she had so bravely removed the night before. He couldn’t kiss her lips, not yet. Instead, he kissed her wrist, his lips pressing against her pulse point so he could feel her heartbeat, tasting the heat of her pristine skin.
Then he let her go, drawing back as she stared at him, thunderstruck. He triggered the mirror and nodded for her to move.
“Go. You’ll be magnificent,” he promised as she staggered back. Another movement and she was once again separated from him by glass before he retreated back into the dark, leaning against the wall for support as he struggled to catch his breath.
In all his life he had never dared to take such a treasure. He closed his eyes to remember it: the heat of her skin as it faded from his lips. Perhaps there would be more time for their lips later. But now, there was work to be done.
7. Sweet and Bitter
To Raoul, the Operaseemed especially crowded tonight. He was not the best judge, perhaps, being a newer patron, but it was as if every subscriber who was anyone had made it a point to attend the latest performance ofFaust. Given that he was steadfastly ignoring Sabine, Philippe, and Antoine, Raoul had a good vantage point to listen to the gossip. Some people were there to see the new soprano who had been such a sensation at New Year’s and the last performance, and others were there because they had heard Carlotta would be making tonight a special triumph. Raoul wondered who the false Spaniard had paid off to spread such a lie.
“Raoul, did you hear me?” His sister’s voice cut through his thoughts, and Raoul turned to her with a sigh. She looked quite handsome in her blue-black silk gown dripping with black crystal beads, though it was conservative compared to some of the other women in their capes and glittering gowns trying to outdo the gilded ceiling of theSalon du Glacier.
“No, I wasn’t listening,” Raoul confessed. “Did you need something?”
“Only your decision on if you will be visiting theSalon du Danseafter curtain,” Antoine answered, as smug as ever. “Perhaps you’ll find something else on the market there to replace your errant Swede.”
“She’s spent most of her life here in France,” Raoul grumbled. “But I should like to speak to the managers if they will be there.”
“You don’t need to wait.” Philippe raised his glass of champagne to indicate where Moncharmin and Richard had entered. Richard looked placid, an improvement over the glower Raoul had seen him sport before, but Moncharmin looked as harried as usual.
“Excuse me then,” Raoul said, ignoring Sabine’s sigh of protest. In a few steps he had blocked the two men’s way and they looked as happy to see him as his family was that he was speaking to them now, which was to say annoyed and exhausted. “Messieurs, I wish to speak with you on the matter of Mademoiselle Daaé—”
Richard raised a hand, sighing. “We have no reason to discuss a woman no longer employed by us. But do feel free to bring your petition to theComique.”
