A/N: Hello everyone, enjoy and R&R!

A Lesson Learned

Erik was standing just beside Raoul at his office desk where a dead pig lay, still half clothed in the paper that it was bought in from the butcher. Erik held a stake in one hand and a hammer in the other, and was positioned directly over the upturned belly of the big beast. The servants had thought their employer mad when he said that he wanted a pig brought to his office, but did not question, and only a few minutes after Raoul had asked, a pig had been retrieved from the cellars below. It now lay before the two men in the darkness only pierced by the glow of the lamps. The gas from the fire in the lamps mixed with the stench of the dead pig, and Raoul pressed a handkerchief to his mouth.

"The smell is unbearable." Raoul commented, glancing sideways at Erik who had nothing against his face.

"You get used to it." Erik replied.

"And why a pig? Surely we could have used a less expensive commodity."

"It is most like a human." Erik looked up and saw Raoul's concerned eyes. He of all people should be the last one concerned about money. "Do not worry, the pig will still be useable after we are through with him. Now are you ready?" Erik asked. After a moment's hesitation, Raoul nodded.

"Yes."

"You'll have to remove that." Commented Erik nodding towards Raoul's handkerchief. "You won't be able to bring your blanket to Vladimir's residence in any case." Raoul lowered his hands quickly, and his cheeks were tinged the slightest pink.

"This is a man's handkerchief." Raoul replied hotly, waving the cloth in the Phantom's face indignantly and placing it into his breast pocket. "And only the cultured and civilized people of Paris carry them."

"I see." Erik said, hiding a smile.

"And I see you do not own such a thing, and so you are neither cultured nor civilized." Raoul said, snatching the stake and the hammer from Erik's grasp, and turned towards the pig. "Now, I'm ready." Raoul took a deep breath, and still managed to wrinkle his nose in disgust, he had never had to even see a dead pig in his life except for when he ate pork chops. Erik sighed and stepped closer to the Comte, who shot him a warning look.

"I'd have killed you long before Monsieur, I wouldn't waste my day toying with you first. So you have nothing to fear." Erik explained as he guided Raoul's stake arm over the middle of the pig's now silent heart. He then took Raoul's other hand with the hammer and positioned it directly over the stake. "For your first time it may take more than just one blow to penetrate the heart." Erik explained as removed his hands from Raoul's.

"Of course…" Raoul trailed off, looking rather pale. He swallowed hard and gripped his instruments tighter. The minutes dragged by as Raoul stared down at the pig, and thought just about what he was doing. He closed his eyes. If it will save Christine than I must learn for her sake. For her I must find the courage I know I posses. Raoul opened his eyes again.

"Would you like a demonstration since you seem to be incapable." Erik's haunting voice swam around the room like a lazy otter on a hot summer day.

"No." Raoul gritted his teeth and raised his arm with the hammer, making sure it was lined up above the stake. This is for you Christine. Raoul thought before swinging his arm down with all his might.

The crack of wood against wood rang out around the room, and Raoul dropped the hammer to the carpeted floor. "I did it." Raoul said in a hollow voice.

"Well done." Commented Erik dryly as he leaned over and examined the wound that Raoul had inflicted. "However, if this had been a vampire he would still be alive."

"Really?" asked Raoul, as he returned his gaze to the mutilated pig and saw that indeed the stake had barely pierced the skin, let alone the heart. A small trickled of blood wound its way down the pink skin of the pig. "but it's bleeding."

"Good thing it isn't alive then, otherwise that would be very messy." Erik said, bending down to reach the hammer and extend it towards Raoul. "Now continue." Raoul accepted it reluctantly, and rose it above the pig for a second time. He swung harder this time and a satisfying squish of the heart was heard and Raoul put down the hammer on the desk. "Better." Erik said examining the wound again, and nodded his head when he saw that the heart was pierced lightly with the stake. He removed the stake from the pig's body and gave it back to Raoul, who held it away from himself at the tip.

"Are we done now with this most unpleasant business?" Raoul asked, putting the stake beside the hammer and wrapping them both up in a cloth. I only wish. Erik thought to himself, the man didn't have a clue with what Christine had gotten herself into.

"For the moment." Erik answered, and Raoul, wiped off a dab of sweat that had formed on his forehead. Raoul moved over towards the doors, but Erik's hand on his shoulder stayed him.

"What?" Raoul asked.

"There is more to learn about Vladimir Dracula. The task we are undertaking is not as simple as just driving a stake through his heart to destroy him." Erik said, and Raoul turned back towards the Phantom of the Opera.

"Like?"

"Dracula does not travel like we do, nor does he think in the same way either. He has the power to take shape of the elements of weather, or the form of a wolf or other creatures of the night. You must always be on guard when dealing with him.

You must be always on your guard or he will catch you with his magical Lasso.

Raoul's eyes flashed, but he remained silent as Erik continued to speak. "He has the wisdom of past centuries. He is smarter than us, and therefore cunning in his endevours. We will not be able to outwit him when rescuing Christine, nor can we overpower him."

"The what chance do we have?" Raoul demanded in frustration at the long list of incredible abilities that this man had.

"Our only chance is Christine." Erik said, and Raoul stepped closer to the masked man.

"I don't want to put her in any more danger." He said forcefully.

"Monsieur I'm afraid it is too late for that, she is already in the gravest danger being alone with a vampire. The only thing we can do before we get there is to pray that we arrive before sunset tonight."

"Otherwise…she'll be converted." Raoul barely managed above a whisper.

"Almost." Erik said in reply, and he noticed the small glint of hope in his rival's eye.

"What do you mean almost?"

"In order for a vampire to fully convert his victim he must bite her twice. The human body is so big no vampire could do it with one bite, not even Dracula." Erik said, looking at Raoul, who stared straight back.

"That's good news then, it means we have time." Said Raoul, his mouth turning up slightly at the corners.

"Perhaps; however, the price of this extra time means that Christine shall be more resistant to broken from Dracula's grasp." Silence fell upon the pair, as Raoul let this new information sink in, and only a moment later the peace was shattered by the shrill ring of the telephone. Raoul tripped over a chair as he made his way desperately to the other side of the desk to grab the phone.

"Raoul, Comte de Chagny." He said pressing the receiver to his ear. "Well spit it out man!" hollered Raoul quickly, and Erik assumed it was Roger on the other end. "Right…" Raoul trailed off as he listened and jotted down notes onto a piece of paper. "Thanks Roger, I owe you one." He slammed down the phone and whirled around to face Erik with a gleam in his eye. "I know where Count Vladimir Dracula lives."