-1Ch.11: What Lies Under the Mask.
Erik walked to her and took her hand and led her to his room. It was pitch black and icy cold. "Are you sure you want to sleep with me?" he said looking into Taraneh's blue eyes. She nodded. He left her there and went to blow out the rest of the candle except for one. He brought it with him back next to Tara. "Here come with me you'll have to change you'll be cold in those he said looking her up and down seeing she had Blue jeans with little holes every where and that she also had a black tank on. He led here to a closet and in side there were clothes and he had an electric light. He scurried throw the clothes and pulled out a long sleeve poet shirt and a pair of his long black pants. "These are mine so they'll be a little big but they'll do for tonight." he said handing her the clothes. "Uuummm… where am I to change?" she asked. "You can change here." he said walking pass her and staring out the door into his room. She change the best way she could first his shirt on then hers off. She kept an eye on him making sure he didn't turn around. The pants she hand to do normally. Once she got his pants on she said "Alright, I'm finished." He turned and walked to her and he tied the rope around her waist again and led her to the bed after he turned off the light in his closet.
He showed her to one side then he walked to the other. He lies down and didn't say another word to her nor look at her. Tara lay down too but she was looking at him and her heart told her to hold him but her head said stay away. She sat there for a while looking at him till he said. "Is there anything else you need?" he said not even turning over to see if she was awake or not. She turned her head and pretended to be asleep. "I know your not sleeping and I know you were staring at Me." he said louder "How did you know you didn't even move." she asked… "I can feel your eyes." he answered. "It's nothing I just… Just was looking at you." she said turning over. He turned over to and he put his arms around her. "Is this what you want someone holding you so you know your safe is that It." he whispered in her right ear pulling her closer to him. "No, it wasn't" she said. She didn't try and remove his arm because she did want to feel someone there so she knew she was safe. He didn't remove it either he know what she wanted. To him she was easy to figure out unlike Christine Daae. Shortly after both fell asleep.
The next morning Taraneh awoke in the other bed the one she was tied up to earlier last night. She got up and walked to the door she found it was unlocked and opened it and walked out. She didn't close the door behind her as she heard Erik playing something on the piano. She slowly walked up to him. She was as silent as a cat walking. Once she got close to him, he turned around and saw her then turned and continued playing. "Erik," she said and he stopped playing and turned to her. "Why do you wear this mask? Your face is lovely why you hide half of It?" she asked reaching out to touch the mask He stopped her and said "If you see it you be like every other person or like her and leave me to find someone who is not like me to love." "Erik, I don't understand." she said to him and this was the truth she didn't understand she never saw anyone with Erik condition nor has she heard of it before.
Erik turned from her and removed his mask he took her hand and placed it on the right side of his face. "Erik" she said compassionately "I feel it but let me see." she said. He didn't move so Taraneh walked to see him. She saw his disfigure face. "Oh, Erik!" she gasped "How did this happen to you." she asked him. "I was born like this and now I bet you wish to leave me like every other person because I am a hideous gargoyle." he said standing up.