Phantom 2000 Part 8
Erik stared wide eyed and surprised at their guests, one man and eight voluptuous women.
"My dear old friend!" The man exclaimed.
"Maricardo?!" Erik questioned in disbelief.
Chuckling, Thomas patted the dumbstruck Erik hard on the back, "What is the matter old chum? Surprised to see me eh?" he joked.
But Christine interrupted the two before he could answer. "Erik, who is this?" She shyly came round the corner.
"Christine, allow me to introduce you to Sir Thomas Maricardo. The man who is responsible for our eternity!" With great pride he wrapped an arm around her waist as he gestured to his guest.
Always the lady (except when in bed) Christine curtsied and allowed Thomas to take her hand. A regular flirt, Maricardo kissed her hand and lingered beyond what her husband's patience would allow. Erik cleared his throat loudly and angrily; she took the hint and retrieved her hand, but the guest was too cocky for his own good. "So this is the famous Christine Daae, eh? I have heard great things about you dear."
She blinked in surprise. "Erik has spoken to you about me?"
"No no, dear; I was actually fortunate to see 'Don Juan Triumphant' before, how you say, crashed and burned," he chuckled.
Erik narrowed his eyes in annoyance. "I will not appreciate my life's work being mocked, despite how much I owe you!" he growled.
"Speaking of which, that is why I am here," he began. "I was hoping to ask you for a rather simple favour."
Erik raised his eyebrow cautiously. "Go on."
"It's nothing really. I would just adore it if I could host a dinner party in this humble abode."
"A dinner party?" Erik repeated.
"For who?"
Thomas shrugged. "Oh you know, you, me." He gestured to himself and Erik, "Our brides. Other masters I know and their brides. And we will all lure a few handsome people over here, so none of us will put you out."
"Excuse me," Christine interjected. "But if anyone needs me I will be in our bedroom." And with that she disappeared up the stairs in a blink of an eye.
"You all share one bedroom together? This house must be more extravagant than I thought."
"Us all?"
"Yes. You and however many brides you have."
"The only beings who stay under this roof are me, my Christine and Reinfield, our servant. And I can assure you Reinfield is barely allowed to knock on our door let alone share it with us."
Reinfield, who been sitting quietly in the corner, spoke up to support his master. "It's true! The master and his Lady have given my own room in the basement, very worthy of my status."
Erik rolled in eyes in annoyance. "Reinfield, if I wanted you to speak, I WOULD HAVE ASKED!" Timothy yelped and hid, then began praying his master would forget about him after this meeting. "I apologise," Erik sighed pinching the bridge of his nose.
"No need," Maricardo waved away. "Revoking a man's mind can result in stupidity. You should see the gargoyle we own."
"Gargoyle?"
"If you think your idiot is ugly now, just a few years. Eating bugs and their own urine does that to them."
"I have always wondered about that. Any theories as to why they are compelled to that particular diet?"
"I cannot say I have cared enough to find out," Maricardo shrugged.
Erik knew they veered a bit off track and also had feeling Christine was upset about something, so he wanted to wrap up this conversation and get back to his Christine. "I believe we were talking about that party you wanted to throw."
"Oh yes. You see my brides are too restless and picky for us to stay in one place and if we do it gets torn to shreds with the F word is brought up."
"Fuck?"
"No, fat. One bride says it to another and all Hell breaks loose. But on the bright side the angry sex afterwards with all them is worth it."
Erik raised his eyebrows. "I can imagine."
Maricardo nodded. "So to return the favour of me and my brides granting you eternal life, will you comply?"
Erik thought for a minute and honestly did not any downside to this. And he and Christine could use some sort of socialising. "Alright, dear old friend." Erik held out his hand, "Inform me of all the details and you and I have a deal." The two men shook on it. Erik managed to convince Maricardo to leave, who luckily took no offense to being thrown out – politely.
Silently Erik entered their bedroom and immediately found her sitting at her vanity. For their second anniversary Erik had painted three portraits of her on the three mirrors that made up the dressing table. The one on the far left was a painting of her brushing her hair, the far right was an oil painting of her clasping a diamond necklace to her pale flesh, and finally the centre was a charcoal sketch of her holding the Phantom's signature rose with a tall looming shadow behind her. Erik was not completely certain she was upset, so he tested the waters to be safe. "Christine, I have agreed to the party. I think interacting with others like us would be a nice change." She said nothing, but her still posture spoke volumes. Erik sighed; sincerely he had no idea why she was upset and he hated it. Gently as the concerned husband he was, placed one strong hand on her bare shoulder. "Christine, please do not torture your Erik so! Are you upset because of something I said?"
"No." she stated flatly.
"Agreeing to the dinner party without consulting you?"
"No."
"Is it something Maricardo said?" Christine's shoulder tensed up just the slightest. "Oh Christine, I know the man is very forward, but please understand he is just used to having his way with women whenever he wants-"
Christine stood up angrily and threw his hand off of her. "It was not his behaviour! Buquet was far worse! As was Piangi when Carlotta was not looking! Basically every man in the opera house was as badly behaved as he was!" she yelled at him as if all of it was his fault. "My God you are an idiot if you can't figure out WHY I AM UPSET!"
His patience had worn out. "YOU LISTEN TO ME!" His big hands latched onto her arms in a viselike grip. "I PROTECTED YOU FROM ALL OF THOSE PIGS AND TOOK OUT THE ONES WHO WERE GOING TO HURT YOU!" he roared as his eyes turned the colour of blood and fangs bared themselves. "SO DO NOT ACT LIKE THEY WERE MY FAULT!" In in his rage he actually shook her, but that only fuelled her own fury. "AND I CANNOT UNDERSTAND WHY YOU ARE UPSET BECAUSE YOU STORMING OFF CAME OUT OF NOWHERE!"
Christine's eyes went red as her fangs sprung out. "YOU KNOW NOTHING OF ME IF THAT IS SO!"
"CLEARLY SO!" he spat back sarcastically.
"AHHHHHH!" she huffed, "TRUST THE MIGHTY OPERA GHOST TO TAKE A BAD SITUATION AND MAKE IT WORSE!"
"I AM NOT MAKING THINGS WORSE!"
"YOU ARE YELLING AT ME!"
"BECAUSE YOU ARE YELLING AT ME!!"
"I AM YELLING BECAUSE I AM UPSET!"
"GODDAMNIT CHRISTINE! WHY ARE YOU UPSET!?"
"BECAUSE I AM NOT ENOUGH FOR YOU!"
Finally there was a pause of silence.
No. No I must have heard wrong he thought. "What?"
Christine let out a long sigh, "Your friend said that he had multiple brides, and that his friends have multiple brides and implied that you should have multiple brides." Erik understood where this was going and immediately his anger cooled as his hands loosened their grip. "Knowing that you can have more than just me… why would you settle for just me?!" Now the tears came into play. "Now you are handsome, charming, alluring and just about the perfect man any woman would want. Why would you settle for a girl like me, who is selfish, naïve, childi-"
Erik pressed a finger to her lips and kicked the vanity stool out of the way so he could pull her into a strong embrace. Her body shook as she tried to stop herself from crying by force, which only made her cry harder. "Erik… I saw how beautiful those women were. I saw how lustful they were to their master. Why would you not want that?"
Honestly, Erik found them very off putting. They looked like whores, they acted like whores, so to him they were whores and he wanted a lady. His lady. Even though Christine had become the vicious, cold blooded killer he held in his arms, she was still the sweet gentle spirit whose love for music captured his attention and later his heart. For the first time in his life, he was at a loss for words. He knew, by all mean, what he wanted to say, but how to make her understand was the problem.
Erik remembered when she was a little girl and prone to nightmares her first few months at the opera, always he would hear her cry and always he would tell her a story of love to send her to a peaceful sleep. Perhaps that could work now?
Gently he lifted his bride and carried her over to the bed. He sat down, with her on his lap. "Christine… once there was a man who loved a heavenly woman, but he was heartbroken. The woman of his dreams was with the wrong man. But as if by miracle, he was offered a chance. A chance to be with his love, a handsome face and immorality. But the man cared not for the last two, he would not give a damn if his face rotted off his skull if it meant spending his last day with the desire of his heart." He felt Christine relax as she began to understand what he was trying to say. "So he took the opportunity he was given, knowing very well there was a great risk that he could die. And it worked. She became his bride and the two, loved, laughed, fought, and lived with each her."
"Do they live happily ever after?" She looked up.
"I do not know. Do they?"
Christine hesitated. "Erik I always thought you made the deal so you could have a face."
"My angel, "he sighed. "I admit that was a perk to the deal, but I would gladly live forever as a rotting corpse, whose organ and limbs fell out of their proper place, lost whatever intelligence I have and became just about useless." His lady could not help but giggle at the silly image he was describing. "If it meant I could love you." Her eyes welled with happy tears as she nodded and kissed him. "Christine, I do not know if you want to hear this, but you are the only person who is going to put up with me and my idiotic tendencies." The two laughed together as their brief strife faded into the nothing that it was.
A knock on their door interrupted their mirth. "WHAT?!" They roared in perfect unison.
Reinfield timidly appeared from behind the doors. "S-s-sir a-and his lady," he stuttered and bowed awkwardly.
"What is it now, you fool!" Erik growled making it clear he was not in the mood for any more nonsense.
"I-I-I have found your meal," he gulped.
"Already?" Erik asked refusing to believe Reinfield was smart enough to be that brisk and successful.
"Yes. He is a wandering traveller who asked for one night's stay. As we speak he is admiring the dining room."
"Oh my dear," Christine pleaded. "Please let me have him?"
"Of course, my dear." In thanks she kissed her husband a disappeared down the hall. Erik waited, and a few seconds went by then he heard a familiar bloodcurdling scream that was suddenly cut short. Erik got up and walk right up to his slave, who was just standing there. "What are you doing?"
"Um…."he hesitated. "Going to my room?" he guessed.
"Good." At that Reinfield sped downstairs as fast as his weak legs could carry him.
Erik strolled down to the dining hall and shivered with pleasure upon seeing his beloved vampires feasting on another man's flesh. "Christine." She looked up from what she was doing; only a few drops of blood tainted her perfect lips. "Tisk tisk tisk. Do leave some for your master." Christine smiled and dragged the lifeless being to her him.
"I love you."
So do you guys love or hate me for their fight?
Well they are suck together for eternity there are bound to be silly little fights from time to time, but have no fear these two shall be together til the end!
Did you guys like their surprised guests?
Christine's dressing table?
Maricardo's brides & how they behave?
Please review, I would love to hear feedback from everybody.
(just in case some of you don't know you don't need an account or subscription to leave a review. Cos it took me two years to realize that little fact)
Love you all my pretties!
IZULZA
