Disclaimer: I do not own the Phantom of the Opera or any of the characters they belong to their respective owners. I am just borrowing some aspects for entertainment purposes.

A/N: I know I said I was going to get back to Music Within and then upload another chapter, but within the first few hours I got a lot of reviews from new people saying they were going on vacation or losing internet for a month. I couldn't leave you guys with that for so long so here is the next installment and I hope you enjoy.

This is for Vampiress Idrial and SongsofSpring.

Infinite Love

Chapter 20: Fear

xXx Christine

I stared in shocked silence at the mountain of blood bags sitting in the cooler. Everything was starting to come to me in pieces.

First, all the papers in the file cabinet were dated in line to protect his identity.

Second, the papers and drawings were worn and yellow from old age.

Three, there were hints of strange things that I couldn't explain.

He definitely should have had a mark or burn on his arm when he got splattered by the sauce in the hot skillet. His skin didn't look at all disturbed. When my hand got cut and the blood was all over me I could see his eyes growing red, not from crying, it was more… demonic. The same look he gave me when he broke my virginity and blood was coming down my legs.

For the first month I knew him he didn't eat anything, he never ate around me. When I do see him eat, he doesn't eat a lot, very small portions.

I even remembered in class when I tripped down the stairs from my seat and he was at the front of the classroom, he had swiftly and quickly reached me and saved me from falling. I always wondered how he got half way across the room in a split second.

I kept looking at the blood bags and was reminded of the news report I saw on his TV that showed blood bags being stolen from the nearby hospital. Erik had gone quiet and he was starting to get irritable. All the blood bags I see now were stolen by Erik and brought here.

Erik can't be. He couldn't be. It is impossible. There is no such thing as…. Vampires?

The rational side of my brain tried to find some evidence that would make him look innocent in this situation. He walks around in sunlight. No vampire can do that. Well except for the ones in Vampire Diaries. Apparently they have special rings that keep them safe. He eats food, but not enough to keep a human being healthy. He sleeps. 'Come on, when have I ever seen him sleeping?' Whenever I wake up he is looking at me, whenever I wake up and his eyes are closed he is just pretending to sleep. One memory came to me when I thought he was asleep, but when I got up to go to the bathroom he grabbed me from behind and pulled me underneath him. All thoughts of my full bladder were gone. I have never seen him walk into a church or religious sanctuary. He appears in mirrors and cameras. Those aspects all describe a human being.

But as I looked at the blood bags I knew he couldn't be human. My conscious mind still wanted to believe he was, but nothing could explain why he had a cooler of blood bags hiding in his closet. My love is a… vampire.

I felt myself starting to faint, but I knew if I were to be unconscious and Erik found me here he would do anything to keep his secret. I would be as good as dead. I started to think that he loved me and he would never want to hurt or kill me, but the other, more dangerous, part of him could take control at any time.

I quickly closed the top of the cooler and ran out of the room. When I got back to his bedroom I heard Erik say from the kitchen, "Dinner is ready."

I choked back a sob. I didn't want him to find out what I learned. I had to try and get out of here before he knows I found out the truth.

I quickly closed the closet door and went down the hall trying to hide the fear in my eyes. My heart was beating wildly and I couldn't stop shaking.

I reached the kitchen to see Erik standing there with two plates sitting on the table with delicious food displayed on them. He stood waiting for me to come around the corner and he held red roses and pink lilies dispersed in a beautiful bouquet. I almost smiled at the romantic gesture, but I was too afraid to move. This man is a murderer, he has killed countless people and he has lived over a century.

My feet slowly started to move and I ran to the door and grabbed my purse. I heard Erik quickly follow and ask me a simple question.

"Where are you going?"

I turned to face him and I felt my eyes starting to water, but I held them back long enough to lie. "I forgot something. I forgot… there was a…. thing…. I had to do. I have to go." I quickly turned from him and opened the door.

I went to the elevator and pressed the button continuously until it arrived. I jumped in and pressed the button to my floor and then the doors close button to make it hurry up. I had to get away from him quickly, before he harms me.

xXx Erik

I watched the door slam shut in my face and heard her frantic button pushing. I was very confused by the change in her attitude. What had changed?

I went into the kitchen to see the food getting cold and the sink full of dirty dishes. I was too upset to eat or try and clean up so I went down the hall to my bedroom and collapsed on my bed.

I slowly started unbuttoning my shirt and when I reached the middle button I looked over to see my closet door open a crack. The light was on inside and I remembered that I turned it off after I changed before dinner. Forgetting my shirt I got up and walked over to the closet to open the door so I could turn off the light, but then I saw it wasn't the closet light that was on, but a more distant light that shined.

I stood in the doorway of my closet looking at the back wall of masks and saw the wall was pushed to the side and the light was on. I rushed forward and saw that things had been disturbed. Christine's perfume littered the room and I saw that the papers on my desk were not as I left them before and my file cabinet full of folders of my past aliases was open. I ran over to it to see the folders were not piled neatly as I left them, but they were messy and looked rifled through. I slowly turned my head to see the cooler looked untouched. I walked over to it and opened it to reveal the many bags of blood that littered it. On closer inspection I noticed one of Christine's long, wavy, chestnut brown hairs lying on top of it all. I picked it up and examined it realizing it smelled of Christine's strawberry shampoo.

Before anything could change my mind, before I could stop to think clearly I ran faster than the speed of light out of the room and out of my apartment all the way down to Christine's apartment. I didn't bother knocking and just let myself in. I was thankful to see Meg was not around, but where was Christine? I ran down the hall to her closed door and tried my luck at seeing if it was unlocked. Of course it wasn't.

I heard Christine shuffling through what sounded like clothes and I heard her sniffles from holding back tears. I grabbed the doorknob and turned it hard until I heard the lock break and I opened the door to reveal Christine standing by her bed throwing clothes into a large suitcase.

She looked up to see me and automatically started looking for an escape route.

I came towards her and said, "I can explain."`

She didn't speak she just kept backing away until she hit the wall. When she realized there was nowhere to go she started pleading for her life. "Please don't kill me. Please." She said in a whimpering whisper.

I stopped dead in my tracks. 'She thought I came here to kill her? She thought I would throw our love away and murder her before she got to take one more breath?' I continued walking forward. I wanted to comfort her and tell her that everything would be alright. I would tell her everything she wanted to know. I wouldn't keep any secrets.

When I took my hand out to rest on her face she ducked under my arm and ran towards her closet door. She grabbed something off the top shelf and turned to hold a Catholic cross at arm's length in front of her. I, in a flash, grabbed the crucifix from her shaky grip and threw it back in her closet. She attempted to run to her bedroom door, but I was much faster and I closed the door before she could get past. I held my hand against the door to keep it shut and I stood behind her. I saw her little frame shake in fear between me and the door and she was too afraid to move.

Her perfume and shampoo mingled together to make a sensual smell that made me drive my nose into her hair to take a deep inhalation. My eyes slowly closed to take in the smell with all my senses. I heard her throat break and her sniffles continued. I knew I was frightening her, but I couldn't let her run out the door without a backward glance. I couldn't let another girl walk out on me.

"I will tell you anything you want to know." I said in a soft whisper.

She took a deep shaky breath in between sobs and slowly turned halfway to look at me.

"What are you?" she asked with tears rolling down her cheeks and her eyes red and puffy from crying.

I was scared to answer that question. She already knew or else she wouldn't have held a crucifix in front of me and she wouldn't have fled from my apartment after seeing my vampire stash. I promised myself that I wouldn't keep anymore secrets. I gulped and then opened my mouth to say, "I'm… I'm a vampire."

Her eyes closed and she shook even harder from panic and from her tears. She collapsed on the floor at my feet and curled into a ball. Her tears were starting to run down faster and more frequent. I kneeled down to her and waited for her eyes to open. She opened them soon enough and when she saw me kneeling next to her, her whole body tightened into a ball of worry. She looked into my eyes and my heart broke all over again.

"Please. Leave." She said in a choked, small voice.

I knew she would need sometime so I put my arms underneath her and lifted her off the floor. After everything she still burrowed closer into my chest for comfort and I relished in the feeling. I walked over to her bed and placed her on top of her blankets and grabbed an afghan off the chair in the corner. I returned to drape it over her and I saw her still crying and shaking. I kneeled down by her side and leaned in to kiss her on the forehead, but she shrunk away from my touch. Hiding the hurt from that move in my eyes I quickly stood and walked out of her room and out of her apartment.

I just hope I wasn't walking out of her life.

xXx Christine

After Erik left I stayed awake for hours thinking over everything I learned. Erik is a vampire. He drinks blood and has probably killed countless innocent human beings. He has lived over a hundred years and seen and done things that are unspeakable and that make my stomach churn uncomfortably.

Everything seemed so surreal. None of this could be true. There is no such thing as vampires or werewolves or witches. I must be dreaming. But every time I tried to break away from the truth Erik's intense voice saying he was a vampire came to me. I covered my head with the blanket and tried to hide away from the world. Everything I believed to be fiction was actually true.

In the beginning of the summer I believed the Phantom of the Opera was just a beloved classic tragic romance, but then I realize I am a descendant of the main love interest.

I always believed vampires were a creature made up by Bram Stoker to scare people and keep them from wandering the streets at night. I never thought they could actually be true beings. How many of them are out there?

I never thought in a million years that Erik could be a vampire. He seemed so normal, but since the secret is out all I can think is, how did I miss it? He was super-fast when he saved me from falling, he just appeared when I screamed out his name as I was getting attacked by those four teenage boys, he made a criminally scary face whenever blood was exposed. He must have some super strength because the lock on my bedroom door is now broken and the door knob is crushed from his grip.

Exhaustion of the day finally got to me and my mind went blank and I fell into a deep sleep. Sadly it wasn't free of nightmares.

I was in the woods somewhere, looming trees surrounded me in every direction and I looked up to see the full moon, the only illumination in the night.

I was cold. I wore a thin tank top and jeans and I wasn't wearing any shoes. The branches and twigs on the ground stung my feet, I could feel blisters forming and splinters digging into my skin.

I felt some kind of threat watching me in the thick woods and I could hear my heart beating in my chest harder and harder. I tried taking lighter steps and avoided stepping on the twigs that littered the ground. I was being very careful and I was doing exceptionally well.

I grabbed the nearest tree trunk to save myself from falling over a tree root and when my hand touched the bark I felt my hand get wet, like I touched water or a huge patch of sap. I pulled my hand away to examine it and with the light of the moon I could see a section of my palm covered in blood.

I felt the scream building in my chest and before I could let it reign free, I felt a hand wrap around my waist and another grab a huge lock of my hair to pull my head back. I felt two sharp points dig into my neck and I let the scream emerge. Not from the blood that covered my hand, but from the pain rushing through my body.

I sat up in bed automatically alert and grabbed my neck where the wound should have been. I didn't feel any scars or punctures in my skin and then I looked at my hand that was covered in blood in my dream. I stared at the scratch from the knife that marred my palm and remembered the look Erik gave me and the way he stared at my hand and was trying to hold back from attacking.

If I didn't leave the room at that moment he might have lost all control and dug his teeth into my palm. On the first night we made love, how close did he come to killing me in his bed when my virginal blood was exposed? How many times has he thought about killing me or tried to hold back from killing me?

Erik is definitely too dangerous to be around. If he can't control his thirst and every time I have an injury he wants to attack it with his fangs I should definitely not be near him. He will probably return to find me and in that case I might need ammunition.

xXx

I didn't see Erik for a whole week. I refused to go to his class; I would sneak to my other four classes and run home before Music History. I tried to hide from Erik and avoid walking past his office, but I knew that it was pointless. He was probably watching every move I made and he probably knew I was avoiding him.

On Friday I was sneaking out of the building at noon before Music History when Meg spotted me.

"You can't keep skipping your class Christine. So you and Erik had a fight and are 'temporarily' broken up, that doesn't mean you can't go to his class. Come on." She said as she grabbed my arm and walked me back into the building.

"Meg it is more than a little fight that I can get over in five minutes. This is serious. I can't see him right now." I said trying to pull out of her grip.

I didn't tell Meg the truth, obviously. She wouldn't believe me and even if she did we would be back home in an instant. I didn't have the strength to leave. After everything I still love Erik. I know it seems crazy, but everything we have been through tops the one secret about him. My heart still beats for him. That one secret he holds though is not enough to feel safe with him, he still scares me and the dreams don't help. Every night I have another cold dark nightmare that ends in pain and suffering. My latest one revealed who my killer was and with one shot of light I saw the piercing porcelain white mask hovering above my neck. It is a scary truth to realize the love of your life is not human. He is a monster that could kill me in an instant with just his hands or even his teeth.

"You will go into your classroom with your head held high and you will look like nothing is bothering you. Erik will come crawling back to you and apologize." Meg said as she kept dragging me down the hall towards my classroom.

I gave up fighting and waited for Meg's grip to loosen so my wrist wasn't hurting anymore.

When I stood in front of the doors to the classroom I froze. I felt like I couldn't move and I was too afraid to walk inside. Meg pulled the door open and pushed me through to the point that I almost fell on my face.

Instead of hitting the floor I was held up by two strong, very familiar arms. I looked up into Erik's worried face and started to shake in nervousness. I suddenly saw the whole classroom was empty and there was only me and Erik.

I quickly moved from his arms and stood in front of him shyly. "Where is everyone?" I asked him.

"I cancelled class. You have been avoiding me for a week and I really don't want you to be afraid of me." He said. "I sent all the students an email saying class was cancelled except for you. I wanted you to come here so we could talk."

"How did you know I was going to show up?" I asked suspiciously.

"I asked Meg to get you here. She thinks we had a fight that was blown way out of proportion and she wants us to fix it. She told me that she has never seen you happier than when you are with me or talking about me. Is that true?" he asked with a hint of surprise and… hope.

It was true. I always was happy when I was with him and whenever I talked to Meg about him I felt the smile on my face grow with every second and I was truly happy with him. Now I don't know what to think. The smile that grew on my face every time I looked at him was replaced with wide eyes and a pale complexion.

"It was." I said answering his question after a long silent moment.

His shoulders slumped and his face changed from anticipation to complete loss. I knew I was being hurtful and I felt horrible the second I said it. He turned and walked away from me until he stopped to lean on the edge of the table in the front of the class.

I felt guilty for saying what I said, but I couldn't take it back. I honestly was too scared of him and all happy thoughts of him I had before were gone and replaced with sadness. I was about to walk out of the room and get as far away from him as possible, but I couldn't just leave. After everything I still wanted him, I wanted to believe there was good in him. I had seen the good in him and I wished I hadn't seen the last of it. He had to tell me everything, I had to know all his secrets or nothing was going to work.

I turned back to face him and saw he was still leaning against the table and his head was drooped down, hiding his face, hiding his emotions.

I walked over to him slowly and still feeling terror in every inch of my body. I sat on top of the table by his side, my legs dangling in the air. I wanted to lean my head on his shoulder, feel some comfort, but it was too soon. Instead I leaned forward and grasped his chin to force his face to look up at me. When his eyes met mine, I saw the tears that were on the verge of spilling over the edge and I gave him my first serious command.

"Tell me everything." I said, my voice cracking with the sobs building in my throat.

xXx

I hope you enjoyed this chapter the next one will be filled with a lot more information about Erik's past. If you have any questions or thoughts about Erik's past let me know through PM or in your review. I don't want to miss anything. I think I might forget to mention a small detail and I don't want you guys to wonder about it.

I'm sorry for the readers that thought Erik and Christine would be back together quickly, but that isn't how I roll. It is going to take a while for Christine to trust Erik again.

Sorry to SongsofSpring and Vampiress Idrial. I hope this was good enough to satisfy your Erik and Christine curiosity for a while. It was all I could put together in such a short period of time. I didn't want to put too much into one chapter or it would end up being a marathon chapter.

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