A girl is sent back into time for reason's she can't even begin to comprehend. A man is given a second chance at love, someone is hunting the girl for their own dark purposes. Yet through this all, what happens when you begin to fall in love with a complete stranger? Only time will tell.
Disclaimer-I don't own Erik or any characters from Phantom...though I do wish I owned Erik...mmmm...what dirty things I would do to him...uh...right, where was I? Oh yeah, I own Malise, and any character I deem to make up...XD...Enjoy!
Chapter 2
"I am so glad you decided to awake, mademoiselle." Malise heard the sarcasm dripping form his voice.
"Uh, yes…Hello. I was wondering if maybe you had something to eat. I'm starving and I really need something to eat." Malise never felt so threatened in her life. The mask that the man wore intimidated her, and she thought it would be better if she said nothing about his mask. Lord only knew what he might do to her if she questioned him about it.
"I have food, yes. But you'll have to come down here and get it yourself. I do not cater to other's whims." The man's voice was dark and foreboding.
"Fine." Malise huffed and made her way down the stairs. She passed a room on her right that was covered by a red and gold curtain. She walked up a few steps and walked by his organ. She took notice that it was scattered with parchment, old quills, and empty ink bottles. She walked down the stairs and stopped a few feet away from the strange man.
"I am sorry, but I do not know where to go. I cannot read minds, so you're going to have to tell me." Malise told the strange man. She saw his eyes form slits and heard him growl. "Follow me." He turned and lead her past a small burnt diorama and down a small corridor that led into a small kitchen. Malise went through the stranger's pantry's, feeling his eyes burrow into her back. If this man was trying to annoy her, he was doing a good job. Malise pulled out a small loaf of bread, some salted ham, and a small slab of cheese. Putting these on a pewter plate, she sat down at the small table and bowed her head. Murmuring a quick prayer of thanks, she broke into her food.
"Tell me, do you have a name?" Malise asked as she put the ham and cheese on the bun. "All you need to know is that I am the Phantom of the Opera." He sneered the last part. Malise took one look at him before she let out a laugh. The "Phantom" did not look happy. "What is so funny mademoiselle?" His voice was now extremely dark.
"I'm sorry! But the Phantom of the Opera! Surely you can come up with a better name than that. Would you like to know my name? Maybe then you'll trust me enough to tell me your name." Malise's eyes still shone with mirth.
"I do not trust anyone anymore." The man growled, and for a moment, Malise thought she saw sadness in his eyes.
"Well, that is hardly a reason, Phantom" she drawled the last part out.
The man took a step closer and bent down to look into Malise's eyes. "Can you honestly tell me that you have never heard of the infamous Phantom of the Opera? A man who kills so easily and with his bare hands? A man so wicked that he was created by Hell itself!" His once green eyes with specks of gold were now a deep forest green. Malise looked thoughtful for a moment before turning back to her sandwich.
"Nope. Sorry, I haven't." Erik stood flabbergasted. This girl had never heard of what he'd done?
"Where exactly are you from?" he tried to hold out the amazement that was in his voice. "I'm from York, Pennsylvania. Which reminds me, I better head home here soon before my parents become too worried." She took another bite of her sandwich.
"Where is this York, Pennsylvania? I have never heard of it." Erik narrowed his eyes in suspicion.
"Duh! It's right outside your home. Really, how often do you leave your house?"
"I believe you are mistaken mademoiselle. Right outside my door is the Opera Populaire. And right outside their door, is Paris."
Malise raised an eyebrow. "What have you been smoking? I know where we're at! And we are in York, Pennsylvania!"
"I, mademoiselle, have not been smoking anything. I was just outside last night and it is most definitely Paris!" Erik's ire was raising.
"If we're in Paris, prove it to me. Take me outside when I'm done with my sandwich." Malise finished her sandwich in two bites and stood up. She placed the dish in the sink and turned around.
"Are you going to show me or not?"
This smart-mouthed girl didn't believe she was in Paris? By god, was she in for a rude awakening. "Follow me mademoiselle." He turned around and led her to a secret passageway. He ducked into it and felt the girl follow him.
"You know, I do have a name besides mademoiselle!" the girl called to him. "It's Malise…Malise Agalia." She waited for some kind of reply, maybe eve a reply to his name. "We are going to have to work on your trust issues." She muttered.
"I suggest you keep up and don't dawdle. There are all kinds of creatures down here. Spiders, mice…rats." At the word 'rat' he felt Malise press closer to him.
"Rats! There are rat's down here!" she squeaked.
"It's an opera house. What do you expect?" Erik murmured.
"Mouse traps." Malise muttered darkly.
A rare smirk made it's way to Erik's lips, but went unnoticed by Malise due to the ever-pressing darkness. Up ahead, a doorway loomed, the faint daylight that was fading into evening trickled through the cracks. Erik came to a stop, putting his hand on the doorknob and felt Malise bump into him.
"Ow! Thanks for the warning." Malise muttered under her breath.
"I told you to pay attention." he growled softly. Malise made a face and mimicked Erik's words. "I saw that!" Malise opened her mouth to protest but merely shut it again. Erik pushed the door open walked through the doorway, Malise directly on his heels. He stopped and moved to the side, allowing Malise to see where she was.
Malise felt her jaw drop to the roof floor. "No way...no way in hell." There, before Malise's eyes stood the Effeil Tower in the far off distance. She took several steps towards the edge of the building. Looking down, she saw carriages being pulled by horses, there were men in dress coats and top hats, and women in large hoop skirts with outrageous up-dos. Malise turned back to the strange man.
"I hate to sound dumb or blonde but I need to know what year it is."
"Now you have got to be smoking something mademoiselle. The year is 1876, it is the fifth month and the twenty second day."
When the year registered in Malise's mind, she felt her mind go totally blank before her eyes rolled up into her head. Erik moved so fast to stop the girl from cracking her head on the edge of the Opera House when he saw her eyes roll back into her head. He held her until he felt her stir in his arms.
"Please tell me that was some sick joke." she murmured.
"I am sorry mademoiselle, but that is the date." Erik helped the young girl sit down. As he stepped away, he saw her hand shoot towards her stomach. "Are you going to be ill? If you are, I suggest you go behind a statue and do not project over the edge. People below will not be happy with you."
Malise cracked a small smile before the sting of tears came back. She didn't want to cry, she was one of those people who showed their emotions in the comfort of her own privacy. But her hormones were so screwed up that she showed her emotions at the drop of a pin. "I will not cry...I will not...damn!" she thought as a tear trickled down her cheek.
"I'm...not..going to be ill! I'm just in shock and upset! I'm not from this time period, I have no place to stay! I have no means on how to survive here! I have no freaking clue how I got here or even why I'm here! I don't even know how I'm going to get back!" Erik had no idea how to handle this situation. Christine never gave an outburst like this one did. So, he did what any man in his situation would do...he stood there and let her cry. The next big challenge he faced was what to do with her. Surely he wasn't going to let her sit out here by herself, where men from the theater could possibly harm her and he wasn't that terribly mean to let her go out on the streets of Paris. A young, defenseless girl, like the one that sat in front of him, would be taken by a man or to a whorehouse. Seeing no other alternative he did something he promised himself that he would never do again.
"You do have a place to stay mademoiselle. But only until you are able to support yourself." Malise looked up at him through tear-filled eyes.
"Thank you." she murmured softly.
"Let's go back inside. This place has chilling memories." Erik growled as the image of Raoul swinging Christine around flashed in front of his eyes. Malise got up and followed Erik back down to the lair.
Right, so the second chapter is up...and now it is time to review! I'd greatly appreciate the reviews...flames will be accepted, however I will not read them if they are degrading and do not help me better my writing technique...now, I shall go...
His Angel,
Aud
