Phantom Resurrected Chapter 13

The dreams came again, and not the nice kind. The dreams were ominous, never really clear. They were like the nightmares with no understanding. Desiree could see nothing but a yawning black hole, flickering slightly with orange lights. She wanted it to stop. No dreams. She hated them. The pain tingling over her body was so intense and obnoxious she felt death was better than it. Why did she have to be tormented by these dreams? And they hadn't started when she had traveled backward in time to her former life. No she had nightmares like these, so real and disturbing all of her life. And unlike most children she had no parents to run to, and sleep in their bed the rest of the night when she was afraid.

The lights flickered and gave shape into the forms of hundreds of glowing candles and two black silhouettes facing each other and soon voices followed. "I love you. A mellow, yet rich and masterful voice intoned. She could recognize the voice. It was Erik's, she was sure of it.

"Oh Erik." The second silhouette sighed in the voice of her mother's "Why can't you just leave me alone? Why can't you forget all about me?"

"Forget you? I wish I could!" he leaned closer, his features becoming more clearly in the light. He absorbed the shocked look in her eyes. "Do you think I enjoy spending night after sleepless night, being haunted by the memory of you, Christine? Oh yes I wish I could be like any other man and forget you that easily. But unlike normal men who can touch you, feel you and love you without fear, I can only be tormented by you." His hands dug themselves into her long following hair. He started to cry, such desperate tears that even in the dream, Desiree could feel those tears. They fell on her cheeks, flowed from her own eyes.

"I can never forget you, Christine." Erik sobbed holding her mother's head. Now Desiree could feel the warmth of his hands.
Now Erik's sobs became her own and the salty tears leaked uncontrollably. Wake up she screamed to herself, wake up! Her eyes felt like they where glued shut and she couldn't open them. Her heart started to beat faster and faster as if it were going to burst.

Stop it! Stop it!

She felt herself flung forward and stopped by a strong pair of arms.

"Desiree, Desiree." a voice called.

"Erik is that you?" she cried. A hand settled on her forehead as a pair of fingers gently opened her eyelids.

"No, it's me Jacob." Desiree's vision blurred and finally settled on the concerned face of Jacob. Even though his curly black hair was slightly tousled about and his face glistened with droplets of fresh sweat, he still managed to look composed and almost regal.

"Jacob.." she whispered. "Where am I?"

"You're safe but you need to lie down and rest. You're hurt pretty badly." he commanded. Dessy leaned back in his arms as he guided her back to the pillow.

"The dream." she whispered hazily.

"What dream? What happened?" he asked.

Dessy closed her eyes slowly as a new set of tears trickled down her face. "The dream..he.she.she doesn't love him. She doesn't love him!
But before Jacob had time to question her, Dessy fell back asleep still murmuring her pitiful cries.

Jacob took the sliver tray full of English tea with sugar, milk, honey and about anything else you could mix with the drink, from the maid and brought it into the guest room. Dessy still stirred in her sleeps, troubled by strange dreams. He wondered what could be so terrible in her dream. It had made her cry and trash about. And whom was she talking about when she said, "she doesn't love him." As he set the tray on the nightstand and took a seat in the armchair by the bedside, he hoped that she hadn't been talking about him. He cared for her so much, almost to the point of acting hopelessly in love, and yet he couldn't find the courage to speak to her.

Desiree, even though he had only known her for a short while, had struck a chord with him that no person eve had. Yet he still had a feeling that she was not all she appeared to be. Jacob knew that was true for all most anyone in this world, but there seemed to be something she was definitely keeping from her. He leaned over to remove to damp cloth the doctor had advised to keep over her forehead. Besides having a very high fever, there had been several bruises around her ribs and stomach. The doctor also discovered many small scars around her arms and neck and a large one by her shoulder. The man of science confessed that he was puzzled for the scars appeared old and at the same time new.

When the lights had flashed like crazy, Jacob had seen her and Matthews struggling. As he pushed his way through the crowd towards them, he though he saw the glint of a knife and a revolver as Matthews threw her to the floor. A knife was found only a few feet away from Desiree. Matthews had had a gash on his left cheek, but he probably had more wound now after Jacob had gotten through with him.

Jacob smiled as he fixed the tea, mostly shocked and embarrassment with himself. He had never in his life gotten into a fight, especially not an all out brawl. But there was a first time for everything. Desiree stirred again and then sat bolt upright, quite awake.

"Good morning" he said stirring honey into the tea.

She looked at him dazed and then brought her hand to her temples. "Damn I have one hell of a headache." she moaned.

Jacob bit his lip surprised by her blunt tongue. "You should lie back down. You have some really nasty bruises. She took some pillows and propped them against the headboard before leaning back. "What would your like in your tea?" he asked her

She cocked an eyebrow at him. "Well I never did drink tea that much and I suppose it would be very unladylike if I asked for some scotch in it." she quipped.

He laughed "Unfortunately, I had not a drop of it in my house."

"Oh so this is your home." She stated letting her eyes inspect the bedroom "It's very nice."

"Well thank you."

"So what happened to me Jacob?"

He handed her the tea, which she warmed her hands against. "All the lights went off on stage, and I saw you and Matthewsstruggling."

"We where fighting!" she corrected "That bastard pulled a gun on me!"

"A gun!?"

"Yes, he wanted to know something about the Phantom or some nonsense like that. Crazy talk." She said sipping her tea. Jacob felt his pulse quicken. So Matthews had attacked her, an innocent girl, as because of his stupid ghost chase.

"Well I took you home, and got a doctor for you. He says you'll have a fever for the rest of the day and a headache from all the stress. I've been instructed to keep you warm and give you plenty of fluids."

"You didn't have to do that, really" she droned

"Oh but it was my pleasure, and more importantly my duty." He glanced over at the clock as she took another drank of the tea.

"And unfortunately I have to attend my own duties at the opera house this morning since I not longer have the ever so helpful Matthews around."

She smiled and glanced around the room. "This is your house?" she asked. He nodded. "It's so beautiful. I love the artwork on the walls and ceiling." she remarked in awe.

"This house has been in the family for years. Even when we had money to buy something bigger outside of the city, but we always preferred to stay here."

There was a silence until her eyes came across the burgundy gown lying over the dresser. "What a gorgeous dress!"

"It's for you." He whispered.

"Me? But I can't."

"You need something to wear beside a nightgown all day, and you are my guest." He protested. "You don't mind that I have to leave do you?"

She pulled her knees to her chest and hugged them through the sheets, letting her head rest on them. "You already done more than I could repay you."

He grabbed his jacket, which was lying over the armchair and leaned to kiss her hand, which was also laced with the strange white scars. "Well I had to. There is a maid down the hall." He pointed to a small bell. "She can hear the bell if you need some help. There are books in the parlor and we have a small green room if you want to watch the birds outside or see the flowers."

"I'm sure I'll be fine." She said smiling. He smiled back.

Erik sat in his seat in Box Five, waiting and watching. He knew Jacob Danvers would be coming to seek refuge in Erik's private box, like he had done so many times before. The young man found comfort and solace in this place, and since eh had watched him all day, it would only be a matter of minutes before he came storming in to escape all the stress. Erik couldn't even hear the man's footsteps right now.

He entered the box and shut the door behind him. He then exhaled slowly but then froze. It was apparent he could tell there was someone else in the box with him. "Good afternoon, Mr. Danvers. I was hoping you stopped by." Erik intoned

"Who are you? What are you doing here?" he asked. Erik could hear the footsteps coming closer

"Stop where you are sir, if you value your life. I think you know who I am. And besides I'll be asking the questions for here on out." Erik held out an arm in front of Jacob's view and motioned to the empty chair behind him. "But please have a seat."
Jacob took a seat keeping a weary eye on the stranger. He had no idea who this person was expect perhaps- maybe Matthew's stories about the Phantom weren't just the ghost tale he had imagined.

"I can see why you come here to reflect in your thoughts, Mr. Danvers. The view, well it's the best seat in the house in fact. Pity you can't sell it because of your ghost problems."

Jacob cleaned his throat. "I don't believe in any opera ghost."

Erik laughed. "I can tell by your voice you are not exactly so sure about that. So would you care to tell me what exactly happened last night?"

"I'm still not sure myself. The lights when out and all I saw was my partner Matthews attacking my assistant chorus mistress and I." Jacob paused. "Why do you care so much about this anyway?"

"What happened to your assistant after that chaos? What happened to Desiree Demeters, I believe her name was?" Erik asked unassuming.

Jacob jumped to his feet. "What do you know about Desiree? What is this any of your bloody concern?" he demanded

"I know far more about her than you think. Now answer my question!" Erik shot back coldly.

"I took her to my home. She was wounded and I took care of her."

"Is she still there?"

Jacob took in a long breath. Would this man try to find her if he told the truth? "No she's not anymore. She's with Christine Day."

Erik chuckled. "You don't lie very well do you boy? I know for a fact she isn't there. Don't make me pry to hard to get what I want."

Jacob sighed. "Yes she's still at my home."

"See? That wasn't so hard, was it? You do not be concerned that my only intention is to hurt her. It is to do the opposite." He stood up; keeping his face covered with a black cloth so that only one eye shown. "You need to keep a sharper eye on your partner Matthews. He intends not only hurt her, but also you and I as well."

"What do you mean? So I also have to look out for your welfare too sir?"

Erik laughed again. "There is no need for that sir. I'm more than capable of doing that myself." He pulled the cloak around him and headed to the door. "Remember what I said, and be careful." He opened the door. "Oh and one more thing, if it's not to personal. Are you perhaps in love with her?"

"It is personal, but I'm not in the mood to keep lying to you sir. Yes I love Desiree, and I would protect her with my life if it came down to it." Jacob stated trying to sound as brave as he could.

"I'm glad to hear it. Be sure you stick to your word, for her sake." And with that he left.

Matthews stumbled into the bar, the wonderful scent of brandy filling his nose. He made his way to a back seat in the bar, where his contact waited. The man's thick stumble was visible even in the dim light and a dirty cap was pulled over his head. Just this must me him. One of London's most notorious criminals, now about to become a bounty hunter, if the price was right.
And it certainly was. Matthews sat in the booth, while the man drummed his fingers annoyed.

"So." He grunted, "What exactly do you want done?"

"It's a simple plan really and we might in enjoy it more than I thought." Matthews explained. "Let me order a drink and I'll tell you all about it."

"You've already wasted enough of my time. Say what the job is and get this over with."

"Well you want to kill the Phantom Skinner of London, and I want him dead too. There is also this wench who's shown some disrespect to me. Lucky for us this plan for revenge won't take much work."

"What are you talking bout?"

"You only need to kidnap a young women named Desiree Deslter."

The man stopped during mid-drink and opened his mouth with shock. "Now are you telling me Erik Destler, the Skinner has a daughter?"

Matthews smiled. "Yes isn't it wonderful. All we need to do is hold her for ransom and the father will come running like flies to the honey."

The man raised a thick eyebrow and glance skeptically at Matthews before taking another drink. "Doesn't sound like a sure plan, but I'll do anything-for." He stared directly at Matthew

Matthews produced a large sack of money on the table "20,000 in gold, plus I have some influence in Scotland Yard and I can have the Mary Kelly, the Annie Chapman and all those other nasty Jack the Ripper cases closed for good."
He smiled and brushed the liquid off his upper lip. "Sounds good kid. You've got yourself a deal."