Note: Hey guys! Okay, I now posted a new chapter that might get me in trouble because of the end. But I put something special at the end, so I hopefully won't get hurt too much! Oh! And for anyone that cares about my private life, I got my acceptance letter to Penn State Altoona Campus on Fri! WOOTAGE! Now I shall go and enjoy my life w/ Erik, which by the way, we are hidden from everyone...mwahahahaha!


Chapter 15

The crowds that gathered outside the Opera Populaire were pressing around him, forcing him forward. He was getting rather annoyed for his suit was getting wrinkled. The doors opened and the crowd poured in.

A gentleman asked for his cloak and top hat. He gave them up and walked confidently towards his acquaintance's box was.

"Ah Alex McKinley. Good to see you again. You enjoyed the Bal Masque a couple of nights ago, did you not?" an older gentleman by the name of Michael Jamanis, who's box he would be sharing with, asked him.

Alex gave him his famous smile. "Yes I did. I have gotten another invitation to Madame Aliane's Bal Masque just today. Apparently her and Madame Patrice are rivals when it comes to parties." Jamanis laughed and agreed with him. The two settled into their seats as the lights began to dim. The music started up and the dancers came rushing on. He spotted his whore of a wife in the back. He let his mind wander to the earlier events of that day.

Alex had been sitting at the small café that was near the Opera Populaire, drinking some coffee when that little bitch flounced out of the Opera house as if she had no cares in the world. He stared at her, surprised that she didn't bring an escort when she knew he was in town. He smiled a little more and thought it was better that way.

'At least, now I can...talk to her in private.' he mused to himself as he kept his eyes on her figure as she made her way to a wine shop. She entered the shop only to exit a few moments later. Then he watched as she made her way further down in the town, dodging mothers hauling little children behind them, men carrying large parcels and carriages as they made their way down the street as well. He noticed her going into a music shop and decided to make his move. Paying for the coffee, he stood up and made his way nonchalantly down the street. He stopped and looked into the window of a men's clothing shop directly across the street where the music shop was. He watched through the glass as she paid the old woman for her purchases and then made her way to the front door. She came out and quickly he crossed the street. He yanked on her arm and clamped a hand across her mouth to make sure she didn't scream. He shoved her down a secluded alleyway enjoying the feeling of her body stiff with fear. He hit her twice before he raised his fist to knock her out. She cried out saying that he shouldn't give her a bruise, that it would be terribly noticeably with her stage makeup.

'Damn her stage makeup' he thought. He was anger and needed to take his anger out on her. So instead, he settled for smashing his fist into jaw and rendering her unconscious. When she slumped forward into his body, he could wait no longer. The chase and pursuit had made him hard so he took her. Took her three times, violently jamming into her limp body, tearing her fragile skin. Then he left her there in the alley way, bleeding and battered.

She deserved it, the little whore. She had another lover and he knew it. His mother had warned him that she would take another lover, that she didn't want to marry Alex. And his father said, the only way to make her understand was to force her, of course, he always forced the other women that he bedded and none seemed to mind his violent behavior. She was also the same one who gave birth to her lover's son, claiming it as Alex's own son. Well, he had seen that problem through. He took and drowned the young babe so he could not destroy Alex when Alex was older. Then, when she still refused to give up the name of her lover, or even the lover himself. Then he took drastic measures. He never really liked her parents, they always believed their daughter no matter what. So, when he overheard Ana's mother telling Ana that they would be going to the Opera house, he knew of the path they would take, up and over the mountain. So he sat and waited. Of course the only reason was to make sure the hired hands didn't mess things up and for the fact he wanted to personally collect her mother's signet ring. He watched the carriage fall off the cliff, tumbling down the steep incline and coming to an abrupt halt when it hit the bottom. He took a well worn path down the side of the incline and looked into the carriage. Smiling at what he saw, he took the ring. When he returned back to his house, he presented the ring to Ana, the smile still on his lips. Ana cried and sobbed but played the wife who had lost her parents in a horrible freak accident at their funeral. Then she left, left for France leaving Alex looking like a horrible person. Ah, but he covered it up quickly. "Wanted to tell her Aunt and Uncle face to face, needed a break from America, needed to see her home country for a while." and so he went unnoticed without a hint of suspicion following him.

It had only been luck when he received Madame Patrice's letter to go to her Bal Masque. He had overheard her talking to one of her friends about Ana. Then, using his incredible charm, and he way with the ladies, he acquired an invitation. And so, he waited and watched for the little slut to show up. When he saw her, he expected her to be on some other man's arm. But she came and left alone, no male escort to help her. And so, he gave her a few minutes of getting ahead, then called his own carriage to take him to the Opera House, Madame Patrice had accidently let it slip to where she was staying. And when the little blond child told him that Ana was ill and may not want to receive visitors, he pressed her until she gave in. And silently he followed her, keeping in the shadows. Ana told Meg that she would not receive visitors and that's when he stepped forward, telling her that she would see him. And so, he now had her in a corner, backed up and scared. No one would save her for all he had to do was tell a few lies about her and then she would be forced to leave France. He needed her before he could finish her off. She didn't know that her precious father left her over three million dollars in cash to be given to her when she turned twenty-five. His father had told him that and so he kept her around. No other American girl was that rich and he needed the money desperately. He had to make her suffer for five more years before he killed her off, then the small lie about her depression over her parents death would come into play. He also had another trick up his sleeve. He convinced Madame Aliane to give Ana an invitation. It took some persuading on his part but he did it.

Ana's solo came up and dragged him from his thoughts. He felt entranced about her graceful movements and felt himself going hard again. He would visit a brothel as soon as the play was over, he quickly decided. Many of the women would welcome him with open arms. But for now he would sit through the show then appear backstage, slip invitation underneath her door and slip away unnoticed. And in that invitation, he threatened her to make sure she'd go. The curtain shut at the end of Ana's beautiful solo and applause thundered throughout the house. It opened again, Ana and her partner stepping out and doing grand bows while flowers were thrown to Ana. The curtain closed and the lights came up signaling an Intermission.


Ana was nervous that she was sweating profusely. She had to wipe her hands several times. As her solo neared she began to wring her hands. Then she mentally got a hold of herself. She was here because of her mother's dream, and in no way would she let Alex or her own fears get in her way. She would go out there and dance her heart out for her mother, her father...her son.

"Ana, you're up next." Mme. Giry whispered to her. Ana nodded, focused her mind on her moves and silently made her way out on the dark stage. She stood in her spot and in her opening pose. The music started up and she forgot of anything and everything. Her soul soared high above her as she put all her feeling into her dance. She swore she heard a chuckle from above her when she joined her partner. The two danced with fluidity and gracefulness that each had brought into that dance. Her partner sank down into his split and she balanced herself above him on pointe. There she stood counting to five then watched as the curtain closed. She came down and Mme. Giry motioned for her to stay on stage. She was puzzled, wasn't her dance over? Then the curtain opened again to reveal the audience standing for her, flowers from the first row were thrown to her feet. She took her partner's hand and bowed deeply. Looking out into the audience, she paled slightly when she saw Alex in a box on the left side. He was not standing but he was applauding her, a slight knowledgeable smile on his lips. She felt anger and fear well up in her. He had the audacity to show up at the show after what he did to her, yet he could easily force her to come home with him. She forced her eyes away from him and took another bow. The curtain closed and Ana disappeared until the beginning of the second act and when that was finished, not one soul could find her to congratulate her.

Ana made sure Mme. Giry knew that under no circumstances should anyone be allowed to enter her room. She slid silently into her room and gave a yelp of surprise as Erik came strolling out of the mirror, a rose clasped in his hands.

"Bravissimi my dear. You did wonderfully well, " he meant to continue when a cough gripped his lungs, forcing him to feel as though he couldn't breathe. Ana's eyebrows furrowed into a look of worry for him.

"Are you okay?" She asked him, but he didn't get a chance to answer for he collapsed right in front of her.


MWAHAHA! Yes I know, that some of you will respond to my loverly cliffhanger with anger or suspense...lol...and you know, I'm in a good mood so I'll give you a taste of what goes on in chap. 16, only because I am nice...

Here's your preview: Ana rushed forward when she saw him collapse onto the ground. She knelt down and checked his pulse. His heart was still beating in a fast way, but at least he was still alive. She plucked the rose out of his fingers and placed it on the floor near his body. She placed her hand to his forehead and drew it back quickly when she felt the heat pouring from his head. He was running a fever, and a very high one if at that. She then caught sight of his sleeve where the fresh blood from his cough sat.

Ana's eyes widened with horror. That only meant two things: inflamed lungs or bronchitis.

Now I hope that satisfied your curiosity, if not TOUGH! If you have any ideas on what I should do, please let me know. Oh and also in the next chapter, Ana gets to undress Erik. Now, I must steal Erik back from everyone who stole him from me! Mwahahaha! I have Erik now, no idea how I got him, but now we are in our private bubble which no magical keys can get into so now noone can greak into! MWAHAHAHAHA! Eat my dust!