Now?”
“Don’t you think it’s a valid question?”
“Indeed, but the timing is debatable.”
“I want you just as much as you want me, Eric, believe me, but giving myself, utterly and completely, to a man with whom I have no possibility of a future is not something I’ll let myself do, no matter how painfully and excruciatingly difficult that is.”
He beamed with pride one brief second. “It’s that hard to turn me down?” His beaming grin disappeared and he gazed solemnly at me.
“How did you become immortal? Could I become immortal? Or could you become human again?” I glanced hopefully at him. “Would you if you could?”
Squeezing me tight, he planted an affectionate and promising kiss to my temple. “I’d rather spend the next century with you and die in your arms than to go on living an eternity without ever knowing the pleasure of truly loving you.”
His words were sweet, poetic, but how realistic was it?
“Look, I don’t know exactly how I came to be immortal. It’s not something that came up and struck me one day. It was a slow realization, seeing the world around me change, age, while I remained the same year after year. Perhaps because, in part, I feel the years on my soul, but they just don’t appear on my face.”
“What can we do then if you don’t know how to reverse your immortality or share it with me? I can't picture myself walking hand in hand with you when I’m sixty-four and you still look as handsome and adorable as you do now.”
His fingers came to my back and worked at the strain of the conversation, plying my skin up to my shoulders, slowly and softly. “I’ll find a way to make this right. I’ll find out what we can do to be together.”
“That sounds good,” I muttered softly as I leaned into his chest and allowed his fingers to work their way over my body.
The lure of sleep invaded my body, bringing me to depths of escape. Just before I dozed off completely, I heard Eric’s plaintive lament.
“So much for seducing you with candles and scented oils.”
Chap t er 7
T he next day found the Opera House abuzz with constant activity as the new production, The Traitor , took up so much of everyone’s time. Costumes for the dozens of characters came out of the costume department with impressive speed, while the musicians already had a handle on all the material, including some of the more complex numbers. Though a few cast members complained about the difficulty of their singing parts, most were right on track.
“I’ve never heard you sound so perfect,” Aaron whispered in my ear as he came up behind me.
I’d just finished my last number and stood watching some of the other singers practice, enchanted and amazed by their ability.
“I think this role suits you better than any of us would have thought.”
“I’m happy to see you're satisfied with my performance.”
“You sticking around here much longer?”
I could hear the invitation in his voice, the desire to have me go home with him. “I just wanted to hear Helen sing Revenge. It’s such an emotionally charged song. The melody gives me shivers and the lyrics… It’s almost eerie.” I wrapped my arms around my waist.
“Then what?”
“I was planning to go home for a quick bite to eat… maybe come back here to see if anyone is still working. Maybe take a crack at that finale.”
“Mind if I tag along?” His hand gently lay over mine, friendly, platonic and harmless, yet… “I wanted to look over a modulation modification in Heart’s Blood.”
I nodded and turned my attention to the stage as Helen took her spot and awaited the first strings of her song. The moment the first note sounded, her face, her body, right down to her clenched fists, took on the emotion the song demanded.
Contorted in pain and anger, her face reflected the essence of every word.
I shivered and Aaron wrapped his arms around me, his friendly hands taking on a more
“Don’t you think it’s a valid question?”
“Indeed, but the timing is debatable.”
“I want you just as much as you want me, Eric, believe me, but giving myself, utterly and completely, to a man with whom I have no possibility of a future is not something I’ll let myself do, no matter how painfully and excruciatingly difficult that is.”
He beamed with pride one brief second. “It’s that hard to turn me down?” His beaming grin disappeared and he gazed solemnly at me.
“How did you become immortal? Could I become immortal? Or could you become human again?” I glanced hopefully at him. “Would you if you could?”
Squeezing me tight, he planted an affectionate and promising kiss to my temple. “I’d rather spend the next century with you and die in your arms than to go on living an eternity without ever knowing the pleasure of truly loving you.”
His words were sweet, poetic, but how realistic was it?
“Look, I don’t know exactly how I came to be immortal. It’s not something that came up and struck me one day. It was a slow realization, seeing the world around me change, age, while I remained the same year after year. Perhaps because, in part, I feel the years on my soul, but they just don’t appear on my face.”
“What can we do then if you don’t know how to reverse your immortality or share it with me? I can't picture myself walking hand in hand with you when I’m sixty-four and you still look as handsome and adorable as you do now.”
His fingers came to my back and worked at the strain of the conversation, plying my skin up to my shoulders, slowly and softly. “I’ll find a way to make this right. I’ll find out what we can do to be together.”
“That sounds good,” I muttered softly as I leaned into his chest and allowed his fingers to work their way over my body.
The lure of sleep invaded my body, bringing me to depths of escape. Just before I dozed off completely, I heard Eric’s plaintive lament.
“So much for seducing you with candles and scented oils.”
Chap t er 7
T he next day found the Opera House abuzz with constant activity as the new production, The Traitor , took up so much of everyone’s time. Costumes for the dozens of characters came out of the costume department with impressive speed, while the musicians already had a handle on all the material, including some of the more complex numbers. Though a few cast members complained about the difficulty of their singing parts, most were right on track.
“I’ve never heard you sound so perfect,” Aaron whispered in my ear as he came up behind me.
I’d just finished my last number and stood watching some of the other singers practice, enchanted and amazed by their ability.
“I think this role suits you better than any of us would have thought.”
“I’m happy to see you're satisfied with my performance.”
“You sticking around here much longer?”
I could hear the invitation in his voice, the desire to have me go home with him. “I just wanted to hear Helen sing Revenge. It’s such an emotionally charged song. The melody gives me shivers and the lyrics… It’s almost eerie.” I wrapped my arms around my waist.
“Then what?”
“I was planning to go home for a quick bite to eat… maybe come back here to see if anyone is still working. Maybe take a crack at that finale.”
“Mind if I tag along?” His hand gently lay over mine, friendly, platonic and harmless, yet… “I wanted to look over a modulation modification in Heart’s Blood.”
I nodded and turned my attention to the stage as Helen took her spot and awaited the first strings of her song. The moment the first note sounded, her face, her body, right down to her clenched fists, took on the emotion the song demanded.
Contorted in pain and anger, her face reflected the essence of every word.
I shivered and Aaron wrapped his arms around me, his friendly hands taking on a more
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