Disclamer. I don't own the Phantom of the Opera.

Ok. Nobody like this story? If so I'll stop writing here. I have to work and I'm using my sleep time to write, if nobody even leaves a word or two I'm stopping.

Chapter 10: History and animal lessons

The comforting that Erik gave Araceli turned into something more. Soon he was kissing her tears away and then her cheeks then her lips. Araceli soon returned the kisses and in a flash found herself on her back in her bedroom. This time Erik took his time and when he finally joined them, it was with care and Araceli was soon afraid of losing her mind at the intense feelings she was having. Finally, just as they both were climaxing, Erik leaned down and gently bit her neck, Araceli reaching up, doing the same. Afterward they laid in each other's arms, breathing heavily, licking their lips at the taste of each other's blood. Soon they fell asleep, two immortal lovers for now.

"I've seen you as a fox and as a wolf. What other animals can you turn into?" They were both walking down the cold and empty street a few nights later. Both their stomachs were full, but wasn't ready to head home.

"A bat. Don't look at me like that! It's true, a bat. That's how I first saw you."

"What? First saw me. When was this?" Erik tugged at his gloves looking disinterested, but kept looking Araceli's way.

"In the graveyard. When you were fighting that young boy. The blood from the slash he had received woke me up. I was hanging in the old dead tree." Araceli said.

"If you have a house, why were you in the graveyard?" Erik asked, curious

"I was visiting an old friend."

"Who?"

Araceli laughed curtly, "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"Try me."

"Fine. His name should be familiar, Gustave Daae. I had fallen for him. A very talented man that I killed." Araceli smirked. "I had a desire to have a family again. A man and a daughter. His wife had died giving birth to the girl. He was a handsome man, a fine lover, and gentle man. He's daughter…." They had stopped and Erik knew the name that was going to come out of her mouth. "She was a sweet girl even then. A lovely brown eyed and haired angel named Christine. Yes, Erik, you know her. I wanted this family, but I wasn't going to curse them with this curse. I was going to stay with them. After a few years Gustave got sick. Apparently, he was anemic. My kisses had made it worse. When he was on his deathbed he asked me to take care of his daughter. I promised. He died happy. I did take care of her. I couldn't take her with me on my traveling; I would have had to leave her alone for times to hunt and that would not do. Besides at seven she was a talented singer and a fair dancer. So I contacted a friend of his, by the name of Madame Griy. I told her that I couldn't take her, but wanted to honor Gustave's wishes. The Opera House would never take some one as old as Christine. They wanted to start them younger, you should know, you lived there Erik. Anyway, with some mild seducing and a large donation they accepted her. The rest, they would say, is history."

Erik gazed at her, and then started laughing. "Who knew that a creature of the night would set up another creature of the night's demise?"

"You are not angry? I thought you would be. After all of all the theaters and places I could have placed her I chose the Paris Opera House."

"Angry? No. You gave me a gift of love for at least nine years. And even now," Erik began walking again, Araceli following, "I know that it wasn't a true love. I became obsessed with her. With the idea of putting someone on the stage that was taught by me, that could somehow immortalize my music. I still want her evermore though." Erik stared out into space.

Araceli gritted her teeth. She should've have killed Christine that night. She wanted Erik to love her, her years as a vampire had not caused her to want solitude like some wanted. She was two hundred years old, but in a way she was still 19. She watched Erik as he focused his now prefect vision on the star spotted sky. She took this time to look at him. He was tall, and still dressed very elegantly. Like the fist time she had seen him he was still wearing black on black coat and tails. A stiff white collar rose above a black ascot. His vest was gold brocade shot with black and copper threads. The left side of his face was arrogant was handsome. He had an angled jaw full and sensual lips, his one visible eyebrow was an elegant ebony arch; his black hair was brushed back. On his right side he still wore the sinister looking white mask but took it of when they were at the house. He also had taken over the heavy black velvet cape that was lined with pale silver that he had found in the closet.

"Erik, do you still try to work on your music? You are the best and I've heard and met the best. Beethoven, Mozart and many more. I remember Giuseppe Verdi," Araceli suddenly laughed and Erik turned to look at her, "I was hunting in northern Italy at the time. Milan actually, and I was passing by a theater called La Scala. In it I heard a beautiful opera being composed. I went in and met the composer. A great man and very intelligent. We talked. He was surprised when he found out I was from Rome and was educated as I was. I stayed with him for a while, and loved him. Soon he began to work on a second opera. It was not very good and I mentioned this to him, but me being a woman, he didn't listen. When the opera, King for a Day, was booed of the stage, I was there. He wanted to give up but I persuaded him with a wild night of pleasure. He wrote the third and Naducco, was a great success. He went on to write one masterpiece after another. You may know one that is very special to you, right, Erik?"

Erik just nodded. It was Giuseppe Verdi's opera Otello. He had been playing it when Christine had ripped his mask off. He cleared his throat. "Back to turning into animals, can you teach me?"

"Yes. And it is very easy. Just picture the animal you want and concentrate. You will slip into the form easily. A wolf is very useful. Do a wolf. I'll go first." Picturing her wolf form, her body melted smoothly into a large wolf. She looked up at him and grinned a wolfish smile. She sat down on her hunches and shook her head, the black and sliver fur catching the moonlight.

Erik stared at her for a second and then pictured a wolf as well. He felt a lunch and almost stopped, but decided against it and went with the feeling. He opened his eyes and found himself almost at her eyelevel. Looking down, he saw two large black paws. Araceli stood and walked up to him and nipped his neck and took off running. Erik stared after her, amazed at her childish antics. She stopped twenty feet away and looked back at him. Two can play this game, he thought. He started to turn away watching her out the corner of his eye. Araceli's tail dropped and started to trot back to him, when he suddenly twisted and ran at her. Araceli let out a yelp and took off running, Erik giving chase.

Araceli led him out of Paris and deep into the woods. She zigzagged around trees and rocks. She leapt over a large log and slid to a stop. She looked around and tried to listen over her beating heart for Erik. She didn't smell nor could hear him. She started back the way she came when a huge wolf, black as midnight, leapt over the log and landed right on her. They rolled for a minute then stopped with Erik pinning her down in a highly male dominated way. His gold eyes stared down at her in triumph. She sighed and shifted back to human. Erik sat back and did the same. They sat in the snow and leaves that they had torn up. Erik leaned forward and brushed a leaf out of her hair. "What other animals can we turn into?"

"Well, it's really your choice. I had chosen a wolf, fox, and bat. But I've known some to change into owls, or hawks. I even knew two that could change into one of the large cats. One was from India and could change into a tiger. And the other a leopard because he had seen one in a traveling gypsy fair. So I believe any animal that you wish. So remember, is there any animal that you had seen and liked its power of slyness?"

Erik thought about the past animals he had seen. There had been one he had adored. A large cat. The rare jade eyed Black Panther. The Shah had one as a pet in his palace; it had a diamond-studded collar. The large male had been kept in a cage, snarling and growling at everyone but Erik. He had always had a way with animals. Fixing his mind on the image of the cat, he felt the shift. He heard Araceli's gasp. Opening his eyes, he saw himself reflected in Araceli's yellow eyes. Even larger then the panther from the palace, he guessed himself to be about ten feet long counting the tail and standing at three feet at the shoulder. Heavy and muscular.

Araceli's face slipped into a smile. "A black panther. How beautiful and deadly." She ran her hands though Erik's fur and he closed his yellow green eyes in bliss. He opened his eyes at her laughing. Shifting back to human, he looked at her strangely.

"What's so funny?"

"You were purring!" She said between laughs.

Erik frowned in disgust and turned to face the east. The skyline was starting to turn pink. "Maybe you may find it funny at being caught in the sun." he said abruptly.

Araceli turned and looked at the sky, "Yes, well in that case I better teach you the last animal. Flying probably. What do you want?"

"I think I like the idea of a bat." Erik said after a moment.

"Fine. Again, I'll go first." With no time to spare she shifted into a bat. Flying around Erik's head, she seemed to say, 'hurry'.

Erik watched her for a minute and then visualized. Soon both were racing back to the city at high speed. They flew into Araceli's opened window. She shifted and closed the window just as the sun hit the pane.

"I don't think you're ready to face the stinging sun yet. When you get stronger you can go out in the sun without a lot of pain. Now," she yawned, "let's sleep. I'm tired."