Chapter Twenty Two

I pushed with all my might away from this person, but the man was stronger than I and held me to him. I retorted to punching him in the chest, he soon let me go and I stumbled away, breathing heavily. My once perfectly curled hair was now a jumbled mess before my face, I quickly parted the hair curtain to see none other than the Count Philippe standing before me, holding his aching stomach. "Count Philippe?!" I cried, stepping further away from the man "what is wrong with you?"

I yelled, the Count just breathed.

"...you...you killed my brother, mademoiselle...you...you obliterated him...and you watched. You stood and watched as Raoul turned into a mess of a man...you watched!" Philippe yelled, running at me and tackling me, forcing me to the floor. He grasped my wrists and held my hands to the ground, his knees held my legs. "You watched...you should be ashamed of yourself!"

I turned my face away from his spitting anger and whimpered. "You know, mademoiselle, you are a pretty little prize. Monsieur Erik will not win you this easily, I will make him bleed for you as my brother has. I will cut the tears from monsieur Erik's eyes if I must, Raoul has done more than his share of crying over you. I've told Raoul over and over to get over you, leave you behind, but he is beyond infatuation, mademoiselle Penny, he is in love; and by god, you will love him back, you have no choice.

You are, in all honesty, a hostage inside of my home and do not think I will hesitate to hurt you, just because you're a woman. You will do as I say, then if you are still misbehaving after I beat the snot out of your nose and the blood from your veins, I will move to your suitor." Finished the Count Philippe, tears were falling down my face and I breathed quickly.

I had never been this scared in my life.

Count Philippe called for Beckett who handcuffed my wrists together behind my back, Philippe left to 'ready my room'. "Beckett.." I whispered as I sat on my knees before him, now the salty liquid that resonated from my eyes was coming in a flood down my cheeks and off of my chin "...please...please.." I begged in a whisper. Beckett looked pitifully to me and kissed my cheek.

"I will help as much as I can" He whispered to me, pretending to fix my handcuffs.

"Thank you...thank you so much" I whispered, my tears never stopping. He nodded and Philippe returned, a sickly smile stitched across his lips. Now, an idea popped into my head, I remembered what Erik said...scream. Before any words could pass Philippe's lips, I let out the most blood curtailing shriek that my lungs would allow me! Halting my scream for help halfway through was Philippe's fist.

I fell to the ground, feeling my heartbeat in my cheek and scrunching my eyes shut in pain. Philippe yanked me up by my arms and dragged me to the room, for; my legs wouldn't move. It has been a long time since I've been hit that hard and it sent me into a tailspin, bringing up memories of a dreaded bedpost. Philippe threw me into the room, beside a queen sized bed, on a velvet carpet. "Be lucky you get this room" Philippe hissed, slamming the door shut.

I curled up into what I could of a ball and cried quietly, just as I used to as a child, after Jeanette beat me. My cheek ached and I could practically feel a small, purple blob forming; sadly, it was a familiar feeling. After an hour of quiet sobbing I then began quietly asking for Erik, like I did when I was poisoned, I find I do that the most when I'm distraught or hurt. I needed my protector, my lover, my Prince of Darkness now more than ever...maybe, just maybe he heard the scream. My eye lids drooped and the overwhelming feeling of tiredness washed over me, I gave a small yawn, grimacing at a pang of pain that shot through my cheek, and then, I fell asleep.

*I woke feeling groggy, when I opened my eyes I spotted two figures in the threshold.

Count Philippe and the Viscount Raoul.

They were both staring at me, Count Philippe with a smile on his face and Raoul wearing a hopeless expression. "Let her go, Philippe, let her go" Raoul whispered, turning to his brother.

"What?! Raoul! You have her in your grasp! She's tied up, she can't move! Go, have your way with her!"

Philippe cried, pushing Raoul into the room, Raoul turned and shook his head. "Not like this, Philippe, not like this"

"Oh, of course, you need privacy! Who am I to deny you?" Asked Philippe closing the door.

"No! Philippe!" Cried Raoul, running forwards, but, he was too late, Philippe shut and locked the door behind him. After a tense silence, Raoul sighed and turned towards me, his back against the door. Raoul stared at the ground and walked over to the bed, where someone had placed me (my hands were now handcuffed to the bedposts), and sat down, causing one side of the bed to sink. He stared at me curiously and gently ghosted his fingers against my purple and black blobbed cheek.

"You're hurt" Raoul whispered "did he hurt you?"

I nodded.

Raoul sighed and rubbed his face. "I didn't want this to turn out...like this. I wanted you to love me for who I was and not...not because my brother kidnapped you away from your suitor." There was a pause and Raoul choked these words up his throat "I'll help you get away from here...but when you do..." Raoul trailed off and turned away form me, yet, I still saw tears of sorrow fall from his eyes.

"Do not ever return"

*Raoul unchained my hands and smiled to me "you are the most beautiful opera singer I've ever laid eyes upon" he whispered, I thanked him and he smiled once again "I didn't just mean your voice." I leaned forwards and kissed Raoul's cheek, in his eyes I could practically see hearts forming where his pupils were. "Now, the only way you'll get away, without incident, is if we pretend you and I had sexual intercourse...as he wants us to. Alright?"

I nodded.

"Now, take off your dress and toss it, do the same with everything else save your slip (bra) and pants (underwear), but, pull the straps down to the sides so they are unseen." Raoul ordered, I nodded, he watched me as I did this. His eyes grew to the size of cantaloupes as I stood before him, only in a slip and pants. He cleared his throat and stripped down to his pants, admittedly, he was quite the eye pleaser himself. His chest was complete with what my friends called a 'six-pack' and muscular pectoral muscles, he smiled as my eyes swam over his body; noticing every nook and cranny.

I know that sounds strange, perverted, but it's what happened. He was not at all the little man I saw a few days before.

He helped me into the bed like I was a blind woman, holding my hand as gingerly as someone would hold a baby bird. Walking beside me, ready to catch me if I fell. We sat on the bed for a while and chatted quietly, Raoul said we would be able to hear Philippe's step and then our act would begin. Raoul was a very sweet, very caring man, at one point in our conversation he pointed out my wounds, I wasn't surprised, in fact, I wondered what took him so long. For; I was covered in scars, they ran up, down, across, and diagonally on my back, they ran up and down my arms, and were barely visible on my legs.

I told him my story, all of it. From my first memory to that moment in time, he shook his head afterwards and kissed the top of my hand. "I'm so sorry you had to go through that" he whispered, he looked up to me and touched my cheek "if the decision was mine I would've happily taken all of your pain"

"Raoul-"

"No! Listen, I would take it all. All of the pain, the suffering, the abandonment...I would take all of it and wear a smile. I would do it all for you." Said he, kissing my hands over and over.

All of a sudden we both heard several footsteps, Raoul pushed me under the covers and pulled the straps down on my slip, he laid on top of me and began moving his pelvis up and down on top of mine. "Start moaning" he whispered into my ear. I nodded and began mimicking the moans I gave when Erik played his 'Don Juan Triumphant'; Raoul's eyes lit up with excitement as the footsteps neared and my moans increased in pitch. My heart beat elevated and my cheeks heated, I grasped Raoul's muscular forearms and breathed heavily. Raoul laid his pelvis down on mine and moved back and forth; something began poking my pelvis...but it wasn't altogether horrible.

The footsteps stopped at the door and Raoul leaned down to me, still moving. "Fake it" he whispered "fake the climax and you'll be free" he finished, groaning and kissing my neck.

I didn't need to fake it.

I cried out, yelling his name, and arching my back. Raoul, too, cried for me, but with twice the enthusiasm. Afterwards, he laid on top of me and we breathed, then, the door opened to reveal Philippe smirking. Raoul turned, but did not sit up, he shielded me from Philippe. "How is it not having virginity, dear brother? Happy?

Wonderful?"

"Relieving" Raoul breathed, turning back to me and winking. I smiled warily and laid my head back upon the pillow. Philippe grinned and left us to get dressed, after I dressed in my masquerade costume Raoul smiled to me; I wouldn't tell Erik about this bit. I would have to make up something, but, as much as I hated lying, I had to, in this situation. "You are lovely, Penny, don't ever forget that" Raoul said softly "may I have a hug?

This is most likely my last time seeing you" Raoul added, I smiled and opened my arms, wrapping them around him and sighing.

"Raoul, you are a very nice man" I whispered "a very handsome, sweet, caring man. If I hadn't met Erik I would be yours in a heartbeat" I added, I pulled away from him and touched his cheek "I wish you all the best in life, Raoul, and there is no doubt you will find a wonderful woman...just...a more wonderful, sweet, amazing woman than I." I finished, I stood on my tippy toes and kissed his cheek, I smiled and started walking to the door when he jumped forwards and grasped my wrist, pulling me back to him; he grasped my waist and gently placed his lips to mine. His lips were warm and soft, like a warm gummy (sorry for the poor comparison) and he even tasted fruity! I let him kiss me, for, it would be the only time he could.

After we pulled away Raoul's eyes glassed over with tears and I watched as his shattered, glass heart was glued back together and whole again. I smiled and hugged him once more, together we walked to the door where he ordered a cab take me to the Paris Opera House. The masquerade had long since finished and Erik must have been worried sick as to where I was! As I opened the door to the carriage Raoul called out to me "I'll never love another, Penny! Not as long as I live and breathe!

You are my one and only...you are perfect...you are so beautiful..." he trailed off, bringing tears to my own eyes. I glanced back only once as the Viscount ran after my carriage and I wiped the tears from my eyes as we neared the Paris Opera House, the cabbie dropped me off and I ran up the stairs, and into the slumbering building. All of the luminary objects were out or off and the only thing that lit my way was the moon shining through the windows (even with my extraordinary sight at night, it was pitch black). I walked slowly with my hands out in front of me, I felt my way backstage, and then, I felt a suit...then, a collar, then, a face! On the left side of the face was something that felt slippery...then I realized, it was my Erik!

I jumped into his arms and he grunted, he walked me back to my room and I whimpered as light flooded out into the darkened hallway. He placed me on the couch and shut the door, standing before me with crossed arms. He wanted answers.

*I couldn't lie to him! I couldn't! I broke down in tears and told him everything, not one lie passed my lips. Erik got angry, very angry...to say the least. Let's just say I have an extremely large, chair shaped hole in my wall and I need a new dressing screen, chair, and desk.

After, however, Erik tackled me and attacked me with kisses, kissing me everywhere...and when I say 'everywhere' I mean everywhere. "Oh, Erik, I love you! I could never and will never leave you! You're stuck with me"

"Not stuck" Erik whispered, kissing my stomach "blessed"