Chapter XXIX
"Are you sure about this Erik?" Nadir's voice was forced through his teeth as the cod air whipped around them. Erik had left Christine to her rehearsals and when she had entered the lair she told him she had to speak to him, there was an urgency in her voice that worried him.
"What is it Christine?" he had asked as he turned to her. She looked so gentle and soft, he wanted touch her face, he needed to know the texture of her skin. But he'd never know such pleasures, as long as she was beside him this would always be enough.
"I must go see Raoul…" her whisper was so quiet he hardly heard her. And then a chill sank into him at the thought of her with that… boy. He could see it now, Raoul de Chagny embracing her, wooing her, telling her that she deserved better. Christine nodding along to his words, in agreement… and finally the fate sealing kiss that would tear her away from him.
"What?" Erik's voice was deadly in the silence. Christine nervously bit her lip as she fidgeted with the ribbon of her blue dress. Erik turned to face her from the piano, his golden eyes bright with outrage and confusion, "have you lost your senses?"
"Erik I must talk with him. His pestering must come to an end at some point and you most certainly did not frighten him enough to make him stop; now I must take action."
Slowly, very slowly, Erik stood to his full height. Christine shivered as he stared down at her, "and what do you suppose he will do? Do you believe that he will behave like the gentleman that he is and simply apologize and leave you and I in peace?"
She blinked down at her feet, and shrugged subtly, "I imagine that he would fight it at first. But eventually he will relent. Please do not fight me about this," she begged and placed a hand on his sleeve gently. She noticed a slight shiver run through him.
His ghostly eyes stared blankly at her for a long while before it seemed he grew weary of trying to figure out ways to stop her without physically restraining her. His shoulders slumped and his expression became morose.
"Do not worry, Ange," she smiled softly and took his hand shyly into her own. His skin felt cool to the touch and the skin felt thin, it was fascinating "I will be right back to you after I speak with him tomorrow."
"You must," he murmured quietly and raised his eyes to her own, his quiet mutter made her want to embrace him, but she did not dare, "you must always return to your Erik."
Christine smiled and resisted the urge to pop onto her toes and press her lips to his cheek. That would be horribly indecent, so instead she smiled at him.
"I shall be leaving for the night," Erik then told her, "I will return before you are awake. I have to go and fix certain things on the stage."
"Erik," Christine laughed as she pulled away, his hands felt cold then, "you must stop being so stubborn, let them do things as they wish."
"They will not ruin my play Christine. Goodnight."
And with that he had left to the stage hurriedly and then out the main doors where met Nadir outside.
"I am certain I want to do this Nadir. There is nothing else to do after all." Yes, Erik wanted this more than anything else, this would give them peace. Christine would never again have to worry about anything ever again.
Nadir sighed and nodded before walking down the empty streets of Paris with a Phantom at his heels.
Mostly they traveled in silence; Nadir struggled to contain the trembles of fear coursing through him.
When Nadir asked, "What do you plan to do?" Erik did not respond. Nadir found this even more horrifying.
It was not until they were in front of the alleyway that Nadir finally seemed to snap out of whatever slight calm he had and instead became panicked. His eyes darted around wildly as Erik moved ahead of him and strode towards the door with a knife in hand.
"Erik, let us think about this!" he tried to reason, "perhaps it is best that the police handle it!"
"There is nothing to think about," his voice was darker now, no longer monotone, "I will have their hearts on a mantel before they harm her again," he said it like a solemn promise; "they will never touch her. This must be done before the sun rises. Christine will wake up by then and I must be back. She shall be worried and I do not wish to cause her stress."
Nadir swallowed and moved closer to Erik.
Erik looked down at the doorknob and smirked, this would be easy. He pulled out a thin needle like object and then another. It slid into the door easily and he then made quick use of the wooden frame by pounding his shoulder into it.
Nadir looked around with cautious eyes for anyone who might have seen them, but the streets and the alleyway remained empty.
The door gave way and opened quickly. Nadir moved in front of Erik with his weapon raised and looked around the dark room living room with apprehension…
"There is no one here… they've gone."
"No," Erik growled out, "I hear them. They are here."
"I hear nothing Erik you are imagining things!" Nadir hissed as Erik blended into the dark like the Phantom he was. He moved through it like silk along water. Gliding effortlessly and seeing as Nadir remained blinded.
He could hear them! Someone was in the room on the same floor as himself and Nadir… he could hear the breathing… it was heavy, labored.
Erik moved towards what he realized was the kitchen. It was dark, and the only light was that of the moonlight slightly filtering in through a dusty window. In the center of a room there sat a heavyset man with his head on a round table. He was asleep.
Nadir moved clumsily through the kitchen and towards where he caught sight of the white mask.
Erik moved behind the man and analyzed his body. He was too big. He would not be able to move him all the way to the opera house. He'd kill him here. He could already feel the adrenaline pushing through his heart, the fading of all other thoughts except for the one that reminded him of what they had done to her.
He pulled out his rope from his sleeve and moved up to be closer to the large man. Erik easily, swiftly, slid the rope through his head and pulled tightly.
"Allah!" Nadir shrieked with terror as the large man woke with a gasp and collapsed off his chair. Erik dug his knee into his spine and would not relent. He bared his teeth and pulled tightly, growling at the man writhing on the floor, "Erik just end him!" Nadir begged, the rope was coiled three times in Erik's pale hand and he was pulling so hard that he was certain the tension would cause the rope to snap, "Erik end it!"
"No, no, no, no!" Erik stated manically as the man struggled and rasped and gasped and choked, "he will pay dearly for touching her. No one touches her!" Erik hissed in the dark. Nathaniel's eyes bulged forward and his face began turning purple. Erik pulled tighter with just enough pressure to keep him alive. The exhilaration that coursed through him was alleviating a pressure at his chest and replacing it with a new one, "do you know who I am?" Erik growled in the man's ear as he pressed his knee into his spine.
"Guurrlkk!" Was the only response he received.
"I am hers," he whispered harshly above the man as Nadir quaked with terror, "and you have hurt the only woman who has ever mattered. Miss Daae, you know her—
"K-kkk-ccc—
"Erik just end it! There is another in the house!"
"You are lucky," Erik told the man and pulled so tightly that the man's chest came off the ground while the knee remained crushed to the bottom of his spine, "you will die tonight and not a week from now…"
"Guurllkkk—
"You are the worst of men… as am I. But I would never, in a million years force myself upon a woman who does not want me," Erik laughed then as the man's eyes swelled forward, "not that they would have me."
With that Erik jerked the rope back with so much force that a crack resonated and all of the movement beneath him ceased.
Nadir stared with horror, he broke the man in half… why did I bring him, what was I thinking?
Erik stood from where he was a looked down at the body with interest, "he was hardly a battle. I imagine the other will put up more of a fight."
"Do you want them to?" Nadir whispered harshly, he could not remove himself from the body which lay twisted awkwardly on the floor, he looked twisted at the hips, and his face was horribly purple, his tongue hung out of his mouth, bloated it appeared, and blue.
Erik's amber eyes skated up to him and he released a sound akin to a scoff, "of course not Nadir, but these things never end so easily."
Nadir shook his head and glared at Erik, "must you speak and spit such horrible phrases."
"Of course Nadir," Erik rolled his eyes and uncoiled his rope from the neck of the men beneath him, "they must know why they die."
Nadir rolled his eyes now and then led Erik towards the stairs. Erik's thoughts began to grow more angry the further he went up the steps. He could envision Christine struggling as she was forced up the stairs, and the guilt gave way to self loathing and inevitably to rage.
Erik resisted the urge to push past Nadir as the Persian blindly found the doorknob and then twisted…
Upon entering the dark room it was clear that Nadir was struggling to see. He squinted and wouldn't move from the doorway. Impatiently Erik slid past him and then stopped as he eyes landed on the bed.
"This is going to be much easier than I thought," his voice was ominous and foreboding..
On the bed lay a blonde male, dazed and sleepy with needles at his side. His eyes flickered and he lay limply, unmoving and unaware of the eyes on him.
Nadir shook his head, "do you not plan to kill him here?"
"Of course not," Erik stated coming the blonde's side, "he's coming with me."
…
Christine had woken up to the sound of Erik playing the piano. The sound was so soothing that she lay there for a while just listening to it. Eventually however she did come to her feet and meet him where he sat… he seemed a bit tense but she knew that it was because today she would be seeing Raoul.
The entire walk towards the park was one of apprehension and nausea. Christine knew that Erik did not like this idea, and she was even more certain that after he left her at the mirror that he had run up the opera house to watch her from the roof, ensuring that she made it out of the opera house safely.
The truth was that without the safety of Erik's presence Christine felt unsure. The closer she came to the park the harder her heart beat. Then the paranoia began to sink in. What if Raoul did not show up? What if Raoul tried to do something to her? What if Raoul did not accept to leave her alone and insisted pursuing her? What would she do?
Even worse, what would Erik do?
It was not until she entered the park that she realized for the first time that she had to be calm and not allow anyone to see how nervous she truly was. How would Raoul take her seriously if she did not sound as confident about this as she felt? With that in mind Christine searched with her eyes for the hazel eyed man.
She found him standing by a willow tree. His back slightly towards her and his eyes were turned towards the river. His blonde hair was swayed very lightly in the wind; the curls would come undone and spring back into their formation so much like her own.
It was as if Raoul sensed her very suddenly because he turned his head suddenly and saw her. A grin tugged at his mouth and he began running at her with haste.
She looked impossibly gorgeous, her eyes were the color of the frigid sky above them, and her full lips were pink with the cold, as were her cheeks and her nose. He could not believe the sight of her, and could control himself from doing anything but running at her. She was alright! She was safe… He had been so worried! And yet here she was, stunning, beautiful! The satin blue dress complimented her flesh so boldly that it appeared to him that every man was staring at her. And indeed they were!
"Raoul!" Christine gasped as he stopped in front of her and pulled her tightly to his chest. She stiffened against the length of his body and tried to not make a show out of trying to release herself, "Raoul what are you doing!" She could hardly breathe and people were staring with shock at the indecent embrace.
"Christine, my dearest Christine," he said feverishly, his hands clutched her tightly and for a long moment all he could do was breathe in her scent, "you have been gone! I have missed you-
"Release me Raoul!" Christine exclaimed with annoyance, who did he believe himself to be?
Raoul pulled back away from her with indignation and frowned down at her. She was staring up at him tensely, her vibrant blue eyes held no warmth or regard for him. He tried to not feel offended and instead swallowed the lump in his throat, "forgive me. I forget myself."
"Yes you do," she muttered tensely, "I must speak to you. It is of the upmost importance and I need to return home. Where can we talk that is a bit more private?"
Raoul stared down at her with confusion. She was behaving as coldly as the air that surrounded them, he decided to lighten the mood by talking to her of her passions as he led her towards the stream of water.
"When is your next performance?" he asked her with interest.
"In four weeks." She said, her voice sounded less stressed, "everyone is working diligently to make it as perfect as it can possibly be. It will be a night to remember, the score is beautiful."
"I will have to come and see you then," he smiled and shivered at the wind that blew, "do you have to practice very often?"
"Yes," she nodded with a small smile, "all day."
"That sounds stressful."
"I strive towards perfection."
"I do not think you can be anymore perfect then you already are," he looked down to her and frowned, there was no blush in her cheeks at his statement, just the tension between her eyebrows, what has gotten into her? Raoul wondered as they finally reached the stream of water, she looks as though she were unhappy with me, and I have done nothing to her at all!
Finally they came to a stop. The memory of her burned so freshly in his mind that he couldn't keep the slight annoyance alive within him. She still had that same blue flame that he found so horribly refreshing.
"Raoul," Christine started and moved her hand out of his, she swallowed, "we must talk."
"Yes," he agreed, his hazel eyes burning down at her, "where were you Christine?"
She raised a brow, "what do you mean?"
"You were missing; Nadir Khan came to me and told me. I was so worried; I thought that I was never going to see you again. And then I get a letter from you yesterday… I did not know what to make of it but I had to come and see that you were alright. What happened to you Christine?" His eyes became sad, "I was so-
"I would rather not talk about things that do not pertain to the subject at hand," her voice was softer then she had intended it to be. His worry was endearing… but the subject of what had happened to her was nothing that she wished to discuss, "I must ask you to stop this… pursuit of yours," she raised her eyes to his hazel ones, "it is a very dangerous game you are playing."
"Dangerous?" Raoul looked flabbergasted.
"There are bigger things at hand then just you and I Raoul. You must ask for Carlotta's hand in marriage or find a woman that loves you," she swallowed and clasped her hands as the words became more difficult, he was staring at her with such a sadness that she felt as though her heart were being stomped on. She continued, "I do not return your affections."
"How can you… what are you talking about, Christine? You ask me to stop caring for you? And loving you? And for what! So that you may please your madman and so that you may be locked away forever? Do you think I can live with that knowledge?" His eyes bulged and the wind blew her hair into her face, she removed it and stared out to the water, "you think I would let you waste away wherever it is that you live?"
"I really do not care Raoul," she turned her eyes to the stream of water and frowned, "I am not yours. You are not mine."
"We should belong to one another," his tone of voice irritated her. He spoke as if it were a fact! "We cannot be apart-
"You are obsessed-
"Just as he is obsessed with you." Raoul bit back sharply, she turned her cold gaze on him, "you do not know the man with whom you are dealing, Christine. You simply have no idea of the… the monster that he is-
"Do not insult him Raoul, or you will find that I can be more of a monster than you have ever seen," while her threat might not have been true it was enough to get him to think twice before insulting the man by comparing him to a monster.
Raoul stepped forward with slow steps as if he were afraid that she would back away from him. When she did not he tentatively reached out and took her hands tightly in his own, she made a small jerk to take them back but failed. His voice was low and warning, "he is not who you think he is Christine."
"I know exactly who he is, and he knows me, do not tell me that I-
"He is the Phantom of the Opera Christine!" Raoul cried out and released her hands as if they were painful to the touch, "do not dare mock me once again! He is a man of nightmares! He is obsessed with you! And do not confuse it for love all he wants is your voice to carry out his own music. He is not worthy of having you sing his music!"
Christine did not know what to reply to that, so she decided to deny, "Phantom? My goodness Raoul you must stop-
"I love you," he choked out, he ignored the bulge of her eyes and then the rapid fury, "and you are living with a man who would kill you as easily as he has killed others in the opera house."
She shuddered at that. The thought of Erik killing, again, was not appealing in any context. And she had witnessed those killings; she had seen the way he would so gracefully sweep around the air as if it were no difficult task to take a life.
"Christine let me take you away from all of this," he reached for her delicate hands. Christine jerked them away before he could grab her this time and glared at him. He looked as if though he were on the verge of tears, "marry me."
What?
It seemed that time stopped for a long period. Christine blanched and almost choked as she stuttered out a strange sound from the back of her throat. What had he just said? Did he just propose to me?
"Please, marry me." He begged her quietly, and suddenly dropped to one knee and took her hands. Christine's heart stuttered as he stared up at her with adoring, loyal eyes, hazel, not amber, kind not mysterious and confusing, not dangerously forbidden.
"Raoul please stand," she begged and tugged at his arm, looking around nervously. She realized people were staring at them with interest. Raoul did not move, he just gripped her hands with more desperation, "Raoul! Stop this! I do not love you!"
"Marry me now Christine!" He exclaimed and came to a stand, towering over her figure, "marry me… marry me or… or I will harm him."
Her heart stopped. She could not believe what had just left his perfect mouth. Raoul glared down at her lost expression fearlessly, "w-what are you-
"You heard me correctly." He snapped with impatience. He was growing weary of her ignorance. She was living with a madman and he would save her by force if necessary, "I will somehow find him and I will throw him into a jail cell for the rest of his life if you do not agree to come with me-
"I am not yours!" She cried and slapped him on the chest. She heard murmurs but did not care. She was too angry! He has threatened Erik! He has threatened all my happiness but more importantly Erik's life! He has lost his mind! "You animal! How dare you threaten him! He is a good man and he has done nothing but care for me-
"You went missing!" Raoul exploded and grabbed her fiercely by the arm. She stiffened very suddenly, "you foolish woman! He will end up killing you just as he has killed others! I will not have you gallivanting with some monster! I care about you far too much!"
"Unhand me you stupid boy!" She hissed angrily and yanked her arm away. Raoul glared at her and reasserted his statement as she huffed and puffed.
"You will marry me, or face another gravestone. I expect your answer in three weeks. That would have been ample time for you to think and prepare whatever it is that you must take with you to my home. I know you will make the right decision."
"If you think I will marry you then you have not only lost your mind but you are a lost cause," she sneered with a small twinkle in her eye, "I am his. Everything I am is a part of him, and everything he is is a part of me. I will never abandon him for someone as pompous as you. I would never marry into a family as infuriating as yours. I am not yours."
"We will see about that," Raoul glared, incensed by her statements, how dare she? She thinks that this is some sort of game, that I will simply let her walk out of my life when I know that he has killed. She is alright with it it seems, but he is a murderer and she thinks that is safe! "By the time this is over you will be my wife, in my roof, in my bed—
Her hand crashed violently down no his face and he gasped with surprise and clutched his red cheek. The slap burned more than the freezing wind.
"I despise you." She spit roughly and turned, marching off and away from him with disgust. Leaving him embarrassed and shocked, fascinating and more enthralled with the chase than ever.
…
It was perfect. This was exactly what he had in mind when he began its development, but never did he think it could be so beautifully elaborate. It would have been built faster but living with Christine made it difficult. It left him to work only when she was rehearsing. He would never hope for her to find this… he did not wish to keep things from her, but he had needed it, and now it was more necessary than ever.
Even if he screamed she would not be able to hear it, he was a master architect. He knew sound. Therefore he took great precautions to block out all noise from their lair.
Erik ran his finger over the blades hanging on the walls. Each was designed for a specific purpose; he had kept them away from Christine's eyes. They were sharp and clearly used for some sort of evil craft… and as much as he would have liked to believe that he would never again need them there came a time for everything.
They had harmed her. They had used her and destroyed everything he had tried to build for her, a world of goodness.
And that had awakened something within him. Light was snuffed out from him the night she had been returned broken and bruised. He wished he had the strength to stay away from them, but he did not. Ultimately they had to pay.
"I'm so sorry Christine," he murmured and ran his finger over the edge of the recently sharpened blade. The hilt was carved out of wood, smoothed perfectly for his hands, with grooves for a stable grasp.
You never have to know of this, my angel of music, he thought as he examined the tip.
A moan sounded through the air, Erik looked up to the chair and resisted a smirk as he neared the blonde male there. He was just waking up. This was good.
Jonathan's eyesight was blurry beyond all comprehension. He could hardly make out colors. It occurred to him very quickly that he could not recall what had happened to him at all… where was he?
"Confused, are you not?" A cold voice came from everywhere. Jonathan let out a pathetic whimper and winced, his jaw felt sore. As he opened his eyes wider it occurred to him also that his hands were numb and so were his feet.
"Guurk," he struggled to speak. He almost gagged on the rope but choked it all back. Slowly his vision started to clear and he took in a tall figure in front of him, cloaked in black. He tilted his head back and frowned with confusion, he caught sight of a white mask but his sight was still not clear enough.
"I will enlighten you now and tell you that you friend… he is not here. In fact he is not with anywhere. I had to end his life. A pity really, I would have enjoyed ripping him apart so much…" the man sounded truly regretful, Jonathan's body seized, "but you see, the dilemma is very simply that I have to be swift. His weight would have prevented me from moving as swiftly as I needed to. I figured if I could not have the benefit of both of you I would make you pay in double for what I am owed."
"Gurrk!" His eyes stretched with fear and he rocked on the chair, trying to figure out a way to release himself. His pulse sounded through his head, but even worse he heard the sound of the man again, that voice!
"Oh, do not waste your vigor, you will run out of it soon enough my friend. But do not think that this means death. That would be much too merciful for one as malicious and disgusting as you…" the figure walked away and Jonathan blinked the blurriness away. He was in a room with stone floors. He was bound to a chair and when he looked up he noticed stone walls too.
He tried to turn his head towards where he had seen the black figure moving. But he found that he was alone in the room, it seemed as though he had been dealing with a ghost!
Jonathan screamed and screamed, hoping to God that someone would hear him.
Outside Erik strolled through the tunnels, he knew that the man had to be screaming. He swore he could hear it through the stone, it was a delightful sound.
Now he is as frightened as she was, good. Let him suffer! He deserves this and much more, but that is to come… I must make sure that the offenses are balanced, or else how will anything ever be alright again? She has suffered and now he must endure as she. But still he wondered if this meant that things would be alright again.
As he approached the one that would lead him towards his lair he could hear the sound of light footsteps. Christine was just returning from her meeting with Raoul de Chagny, he knew. He sped his walk until he reached the very end of the tunnel and smiled as she walked past him without noticing him standing right there. She knew that there were other tunnels but she never caught sight of them though she passed them every day. Her eyes had not adjusted well to the dark, she always took in so much light when she was above ground.
He watched as Christine entered the lair, she looked around and called for him, "Ange? Are you home?"
Yes… he thought, but remained silent as she threw off her cloak with a huff and then placed her hands on her hips.
She really was quite lovely, he noted. She was small, dainty, she had a softly curved figure, and from this position he could see the delicacy of her figure. She was the complete opposite of him, and he could not help but feel himself stir at the sight of her… yes, a woman. She was a grown woman.
Very carefully he stepped out from the shadows and stood there waiting for her to notice him. It took at least ten seconds before she stiffened and whirled around.
"My God! Erik! You must stop that!" She placed a hand on her chest and another on a chair. He stepped forward slowly.
"Forgive me, I did not wish to frighten you."
"You never frighten me," she laughed at him and came closer, he watched with interest as she stopped in front of him and beamed, "you're an angel, how can you frighten me?"
He thought of the man tied in his chamber and did not respond. He wanted to know about what happened with Raoul de Chagny, "how did your meeting go?"
Christine smiled softly, "I shall tell you more of that later, I do not wish to speak of trivial matters. Know that Raoul will not be bothering us. I told him I do not wish to have anything to do with him, or his family. That you are the only family I would ever need… I told him…" She blushed sweetly and lowered her gaze.
She was not looking at him, and he was curious to know what she had said, she was blushing after all, "Christine, look at me." His tone was commanding.
She looked up nervously; his eyes bore into her, "yes?"
"What did you tell him?" Again she ducked her gaze.
Before he could stop himself his finger touched the bottom on her jaw and he raised her face to stare at him. Her skin thrilled him, and his touch sent small jolts through her… her skin was like a rose petal. He bent slightly so that his eyes were all she could see, "I expect you to answer me, Christine."
She blinked, embarrassed under the intensity of his stare, "I told him that you and I are one…"
He nodded, approving, and boldly let his long finger trace the outline of her jaw… she shivered under his touch so subtly that he felt he imagined it… she's letting me touch her…
"Yes, you and I are one, my Christine…" his eyes flickered up to her.
"Yours." She agreed with a swallow and a dazed nod.
Erik pulled his finger away from her jaw and clasped his hand behind his back as she gazed adoringly at him.
Yes, he decided then, trying to not touch her again, we will be alright.
... YAY! NAY!?
Looks like there is a load of stuff going on... Erik has killed Nathaniel and captured Jonathan for what will obviously be torture... Raoul is threatening Christine... and Erik is pushing his boundaries. And he's clearly a bit conflicted because while he feels Christine would not approve he just feels that there has to be some sort of punishment for what Jonathan and Nathaniel did.
That was Chapter 29.. I like to do major plot line points when it gets to the multiples of tens. So, expect something :)!
THAT WAS ALSO THE LONGEST CHAPTER, so please give me feedback, I've been exhausted all day and hammered this out to the best of my ability. It is 1:47 in the morning and I'm literally tearing because my eyeballs are drying out from lack of sleep. Review? :)
