Chapter 6: Sacrifice
Raoul was standing there laughing manically, a gun pointed at her.
"No body jilts me Christine," he sneered. "I'll take care of you just like I did him."
Christine looked round and saw Erik lying in a pool of blood.
"Erik!" She screamed.
Erik bolted up. He had been listening to Christine thrashing in her bedroom, wondering whether he should wake her, or whether he should just let the dream let itself out. He had never known comfort and would hardly be able to comfort her. On the other hand, her calling him directly…he couldn't ignore that.
"Christine, Christine wake up."
Her eyes flew open to meet Erik's worried gaze.
"You're okay!" She sobbed, sitting up.
"Of course. It was only a dream." He drew her to him and hugged her comfortingly, one hand gently stroking her hair.
That was when the shot rang out.
The two sprang apart.
"I know you're here monster." Echoed an all too familiar voice from the main room. "Come out and face me."
Erik scowled, "The Vicomte has followed us."
Christine shivered violently. Erik felt it and looked at her concerned,
"What did he do to make you so scared of him?"
"He pointed a gun at me." She whispered. The statement was so blunt that it took Erik by surprise. He felt the old anger rising inside him, only slightly dulled by an anxiety for Christine. They were trapped here and he knew Raoul had no mercy. He heard the Vicomte tripping around his lair.
"He won't find you at least," he muttered.
"What?"
"Christine stay here, escape when you can." And with that he got up off the bed, drew back the curtain at the doorway and stepped into the main lair.
Raoul had to look twice; he'd already wasted one bullet by being jumpy. There he was in full view, without even a mask, with no weapon. Without thinking he let off two bullets in quick succession. Both buried themselves in Erik's chest.
