AN: I do love the musical version so much, it's what got me started on Phantom of the Opera, yet I love Leroux's too. I just can't choose ! I already have three more chapters written , should I post them all today ? Remember Erik does not of Christine's feeling about Raoul, so don't be mad at my baby . Read and review !
Disclaimer : I don't own Phantom of the Opera

A Master-Stoke of the Trap-Door Lover ( Yes these chapters will be named after Leroux's chapters, same exact chapter titles. First one was Apollo's Lyre, so that is why the title is that )

Erik stepped out from the alluring darkness. His blazing eyes stared right at Christine Daae, shocked in place. The girl stepped forward and gave a timid smile to her former tutor. She remembered the weeks she spent at his little house on the lake. The strange Persian man she once saw walking around the lair. Erik's eyes peered at her behind his mask that covered his whole face except for his bottom lip and jaw.

She shuddered at she remembered the dreadful face behind the mask ! Oh , how dreadful ! The trip down to his petit house was truly odd. Christine's lips had turned into a big smile as she saw the horse , Cesar . She had ran over to the cute thing and petted its midnight black fur . Erik had then taken her on a boat across the lake . Pure terror had filled her for a second time as she had glanced at her abductor. Soon, Christine did not know what time or day for there was no way to tell under the opera, she had shattered the facade they tiptoed around. Her tiny hands had reached for his mask as he played the music that scared her soul. It was his Don Juan, that he was playing. He had never let her listen to when she was awake, yet she stayed up in her bed in the Louis-Phillipe room listening to the fiery music. She had ripped the mask of his face without any thought of what lay beneath. Erik had tried to cover his face with his skeletal hands, but it was too late. Christine had already seen that horrible face. His eyes were sunken in their pockets and his skin was papery thin, like the parchment Christine uses to write letters. It was a odd shade of yellow and his cheeks were cursed with bruises and patches of his skin missing. His lips... Oh , Christine could not forget his lips! The top was wiry thin and mangled up and his bottom was too large, not at all perfect like Raoul's.

Yet, this was the first time Christine saw the Opera Ghost look scared. She took pity on poor Erik and placed her hand on his bony shoulder. He shivered and backed away a little, like a frightened puppy. Erik knew he was acting foolishly . He should not show how fearful Christine made him ! No , she must love him ! She must or Erik will make her dear boy pay ! Her hand was bare of the golden ring he forced her to wear. Erik glanced at her other hand.

'She must be wearing it on that hand instead,' he thought. Erik hopefully stared at her left hand looking for any shimmering of gold. He looked around crazily turning and turning. Aha! There was the ring Christine had tried to get rid of ! Erik saw it lying on the snow dusted ground a slight layer of white coating the gold ring. He growled in rage as he stomped over to it, oblivious of Christine's apt watch of him. Erik picked the ring up and blew off the snow. He walked back over to his dear Christine and grabbed her pale hand. Erik slid the ring onto her fourth on her left hand and watched in joy as it sunk into Christine's simple mind.

"Erik ? The ring is always on my right hand, for my left hand is reserved for my engagement ring and that is when I am going to get married. I am not getting married to anybody, Erik . "

Ah, his foolish Christine. He would make her pay for her plans to leave with Raoul. He had stopped the boy from following her up there, forging a note in Phillipe's handwriting to say that he must see him. He heard them talking when they thought he wasn't there. Erik was always watching. The crazy old fool Madame Giry knew that, how could his Christine not ?

He laughed without joy. " Erik and his Christine are getting married today , for she will then not betray him anymore . "