Dark. That's how the cell was kept. Blood dripping down her face. The chains were gone and she didn't want to kill anyone, but she felt she had no choice. Her father would be so ashamed, and her mother would be too because of how she fell for him. Isaac. She thought they had something but no. He used her. And any moment now someone would come through the door and tell her she was going to be taken to the Shah for further punishment. She knew what it would be this time. She had very little fight left in her. She knew that if the Shah got a hold of her that was it. She knew she couldn't fight him. Christine didn't know what was worse. Giving up and letting it all just happen? Or not caring what happened to her after this? Either way she was done for. Sixteen she knew her life had just barely begun, there was so much out there for her, but then she thought. Maybe some people aren't meant to make it past sixteen; maybe I'm one of them. Finally the door opened and she prepared herself to kill whoever it was, but she didn't expect him. Isaac stood there before her. Why the hell did he still make her heart skip a beat? He was so handsome. He walked and talked with such grace. His tan skin and his black hair they were always so soft and perfect. Then his dark eyes were highlighted by the lantern he brought. She prayed he had come to save her. She allowed herself to hope he would save her. Isaac slowly slammed the heavy door shut. He looked to her with an emotion she had never seen before, but after this she would never forget it. She slowly went to her feet. Like an idiot leaving the knife on the ground allowing herself to trust him. He moved to her and set the lantern down once in front of her. "I am prepared to make you a deal."He whispered in his deep voice that she loved so much. But she looked to him with fear and hope. "I will let you go, if you give yourself to me." He said.
"And if I refuse?" She asked in a small voice that shook from fear.
His lips curled into an evil smile. "Doesn't matter. I shall take you anyway."
"Then why seek my permission?" She asked.
The evil smile changed to sweet and his eyes were somewhat loving as he looked over her face. "Because, Allah help me, but I think I might actually feel something for you. I can make you my wife and save you from my father. As my wife I can give you anything. I can make you happy Christine. Just give me this moment. That's all I ask." He brought a hand up and gently stroked her face. Slowly he leaned in to kiss her. "Give into me Christine." He sealed their lips.
Christine struggled and he pinned her against the wall. Moving his lips from hers to her neck. "Isaac please," She cried. "Please don't do this." She wasn't ready and they both knew it, but nothing would stop with.
Running his hands all over her body he whispered into her ear. "You're so beautiful Christine. You have tempted me with your blasted innocence for far too long now. I have to have you and I will."
"Isaac please don't do this." She cried again. Christine struggled pushing against him and moving her body side to side trying to get away from him. Eventually Isaac was fed up with her; he raised his hand and slapped her hard sending her to the floor.
"That's enough Christine!" His voice boomed. "You will obey me! Trust me you would rather it be me than my father who takes you first!" he yelled coming down onto her. He started to kiss down her body again, and she hated the feel of it. Desperate she reached for the knife, and once she felt it firm in her hand she brought it to Isaac's back hard. She heard him cry out and then felt him stiffen. Christine pushed him off her after removing the knife. Blood. His blood was everywhere. As he struggled to breathe he looked at her.
"I'm sorry." She sobbed.
Isaac took her hand with the knife and placed it on his chest. "Go ahead and finish the job." He commanded weakly. She shook her head, but he wouldn't have her disobey him. He forced the knife into his chest and Christine watched him die. His last words. "I truly did love you."
Christine sobbed for the man she just killed. She had to do it. That's what she told herself over and over again. After a moment she took the knife again and then the lantern and stood up to leave. Footsteps. She stopped at the sound. The heavy door opened to reveal Delilah. Once she saw the body she was prepared to scream but Christine was fast. She quickly swung the lantern around and let it hit Delilah in the face burning her and cutting her. Christine could care less, this wasn't the one she thought she loved. Getting out onto the streets Christine stopped in an ally. Blood it was everywhere. The knife still in her hand. And those haunting words. "I truly did love you."
Christine shot up in the bed screaming. Erik quickly came at her. "Christine! It's alright." He said sitting on the bed. Panicking she looked around and looked at herself. No blood. No body. Just Erik. She began to cry again. "It was just a dream Christine. It's alright you're safe." She shook her head. It wasn't a dream it really happened and she knew that. "Memories are the worst kind of nightmares." He said.
"What would you know? You take pleasure in killing." She snapped harshly.
"I killed someone once. Someone I loved. To this very day it haunts me." Erik explained.
Christine stared at him with tears still present "Why did you kill her?"
"It was an accident. I tried to save her but, I wasn't able to." Erik remembered it all. Luciana. So young and so beautiful. "It hurts more when you know for a fact there's nothing you can do."
"You try to tell yourself these things happen, but the guilt always comes back." She said. Erik looked her in the eyes and nodded. Christine was only nineteen and she knew what took Erik much longer to learn. You can't trust anyone. "I'm not a killer, but I do know that feeling."
"Would you believe I regret almost every kill?" He asked. She shook her head. "Well I do. Most of the people who have died at my hands didn't deserve to die. I killed them so I could keep my life. The only ones I do not regret are the guilty ones, and the one that hurt me."
"One?" She asked.
Erik sighed and looked away. He couldn't bring himself to look into her eye as he told this tale. "You were right the other day, when you said I had killed before here, and it was more than likely the one that hurt me. It was. I was just a boy, taken by gypsies and forced to perform for them. If I didn't do as told I would be beaten. One night my keeper was very drunk and annoyed with me. He took me to his tent and attempted to rape me. I killed him before he could do anything. It was the first time I killed anyone, I'll admit I was afraid of what I had just done, but I didn't regret it. I still don't."
"Where did you go after that?" She asked finally settling down.
"Italy." He answered.
"Is that where you met your love?" She asked.
"Eventually I did." He paused and thought.
"That's where you found your home, and when she died you left." Christine said. Erik nodded still not looking at her. To think of Luciana, and to look at the girl he knew he was falling for it felt wrong to him. He felt he was betraying Luciana, and that was the last thing he wanted. "Can I ask you something?"
"Depends on what it is?"
"There is one thing about you that I just can't seem to figure out."
Erik laughed a little "Well take your pick there are many things I'm sure."
"Your mask. What are you hiding?"
Erik finally looked at her annoyed and somewhat impressed she was brave enough to ask that question. "You will never know." He said simply.
"Whatever it is I assure you I can handle it." She said.
"You have no idea what you are asking." He stated firmly.
"I know exactly what I'm asking." She countered.
Erik paused and just stared at her for awhile. "Whatever you have heard it is twice as ugly."
Christine looked down and thought. "When I was seven Maya was the Shah's new favorite. He didn't care much about my mother at the time. She had come home, and I remember her telling my father that we were leaving. She told me to go to my room and gather my favorite dresses and toys. I did as told, and when I was done she put it all in a bag. She and my father told me that we were going away just before sunrise. We were asleep. I remember smelling smoke. I woke up and it was everywhere. I remember my mother's screams. My father had gone out to prepare the horses. My mother came into my room and grabbed me. She tried her best to fight the flames, but the house was ready to cave in. And just before we reached the door it finally did. It turned out that the Shah had found out about their escape from a big mouthed servant. The guards had come and attacked my father leaving him out cold when they set fire to the house. When he woke up he came into the house and got my mother and I out." Christine paused and rolled up her long sleeves reviling burns. Erik couldn't help but stare. "My mother was worse than I was. She had severe burns to her face and her legs were broken from where the house fell. That's how she died. She lasted at least eight months after that." She looked back up at Erik. "So whatever is behind that mask I can tell you I will be able to handle it."
"If you want to know so badly then why don't you just take it off yourself?" He challenged. Erik never in a million years thought that she would actually do it. Christine stared at him for a moment and looked over the mask. So much would be answered if she would take it off. The answers to his past she would know everything. And all it would take was a firm grasp and a flick of her wrist.
"Why would I risk your anger?" She replied. "There will come a moment when I will be overcome with my curiosity, and then, and only then, I will look upon this moment and I will remember that you gave me the permission to destroy your front."
"Front?"
Christine smiled slightly. "I have based my life off of reading people. Learning their secrets, their life stories, so believe me I know just when someone is faking. No slip ups need to be found. The only thing needed is me. I can know anything I want."
"And what do you know about me?" He asked.
"You play this role for the same reason I do." She replied losing her smile.
"And what reason is that?"
"To survive." She said. Erik stared at her speechless because he knew she was right. "For the same reason you kill the innocent. The better place you are with the Shah the longer you live. In my short time on this earth that's the one thing I have learned. As much as I really just want to piss off that man, I can't, because if I do I know he will kill me. I have taught myself everything I need and the act is a part of it. For once I agree with you. We are alike in many ways. We both hide. We are both broken people. We both don't know who we are."
"I know who I am."
"Do you really? Because from where I'm sitting you don't."
"How the hell do you know?" Erik demanded getting irritated with her.
"Because I'm not stupid it's in your eyes." He was struck speechless again. "It's all in your eyes. The confusion, the questioning, the searching, even the desperation. I can see it all. It's only a matter of time until I conquer the mystery of the 'The Angel of Death'."
"Then what are you waiting for?" He asked so close to her face.
She wasn't afraid. There was no fear in her eyes. "I'm giving it time. This way you have no idea when it's going to happen, and I have the element of surprise. The wait and the unknown will make my victory even sweeter. That's what I'm waiting for."
After a moment of thought and searching for anything other than confidence and determination in her eyes Erik ripped himself from the bed with a growl then stormed out of the room. As she stared off after him she knew she had won this battle, but she also knew that the next one would be harder. The perfect time was so hard to come by, and she did fear one thing. That she would falter with what lies behind the mask.