so sorry for not updating when i said i would. i had this all saven on a floppy disk which deciced to be stubborn and not let me open this file. i just got it to work and am not going to be using floppy.

to make up for that, here's some good ol' e/c interaction. hope ya like!

Chapter Four

The streets of Port Royal were not exactly the most private place to be. There were eyes everywhere, watching one another. In an area so dense with pirates, the people of the island were always on the lookout for suspicious persons and activities. Occasionally, a pirate was caught, paraded around the streets in disgrace, imprisoned and then hung the next morning. But that didn't happen all that often. Most of the prisoners in the jail were those caught at sea. No one paraded them.

So the people of Port Royal were unaccustomed to much change and excitement. The most interesting thing that had happened in the last few months was Captain Raoul de Changy's upcoming promotion. And his infatuation with a common blacksmith's niece.

So it was a rather large shock to see Christine Daae, a good girl even though she was somewhat free-spirited and adventurous, walking arm in arm with the most suspicious man the people had ever laid eyes on.

Erik was painfully aware of the gazes he was drawing. He was also aware of nervousness of the girl on his arm. Damn, she's amusing! The girl, for all her boyish ways and adventurous restlessness, she was still a girl susceptible to the charms of an older, mysterious man.

A man such as himself.

Christine heard the man chuckle quietly and was slightly unnerved by it. But she didn't dare say anything for the people on the streets would hear.

As they rounded a corner they were temporality out of sight. Erik used that spilt second of privacy to pull the girl into an abandoned alley.

Christine gasped as the man roughly pulled her away from the eyes of Port Royal. What did he think he was doing? She opened her mouth to speak, but was cut off by a hand at her mouth.

"Hush love, we'll not be speaking here."

Erik knew his voice would melt the girl's defenses allowing him to pull her into a more secluded part of the alley. Erik could plainly see the girl awaken from her trance and realize where she was. Judging by her face, she obviously was remembering many stories her meddling aunt had told her about woman being raped in alleyways. He expected her fear.

What he didn't expect was her anger.

"Would you mind explaining yourself to me, sir?" she hissed in a low voice, yanking her arms free. "I was under the impression that you were looking for a tavern. I'm warning you, explain yourself at once or-"

"Or what? Your uncle will come upon me? Or that boy of yours, Captain what's his name.

"You listened in on me?" Now Christine was furious. So furious that the man's voice didn't have an affect on her; and she was expecting his reply. "And it would be me you would have to answer to!"

Erik chuckled at the sight before him. Christine was literally shaking with rage, angry red dots coloring her cheeks. "You, missy? I find it hard to believe that a frail thing like you could even last a minute against me!"

And once again, she surprised him.

Christine flew at Erik, hitting him hard on the nose and again in the gut, which happened to be rock solid. Erik was dazed for a second as his shock over her attack consumed him, but only for a second. As her fist fell to deal him another blow to the nose, he grasped her fist tightly in one hand and her upper arm with the other. She struggled like a hellcat and it was only Erik's larger size and weight that allowed him to pin her against the dirty alley wall.

Christine felt her back come in hard contact with the wall behind her. Before she could even begin to break free of the man's grip, he took bother her wrists in one hand and pinned them above her head. But what irked her most was when the man pressed himself flush against her body. Christine could feel every muscle in his chest, every knickknack in his pockets, his firm thigh wedged between her legs, his free hand upon her waist. Christine cursed herself for finding him attractive in that moment. One look at his face, or what she could see of it, helped her shake off the odd feeling in her gut. While his uncovered face was handsome, it was filled with the sickest pleasure she had ever seen. He obviously enjoyed seeing her like this.

Christine was a sight to behold, breathing heavily squirming against him, trying to break free. Her hair had grown wild, loose curls spilling over her shoulders. And her eyes, how lovely! Those chocolate depths sparkled with anger and frustrations, making her seem like a wild maenad. Erik felt himself hardening, proof of how arousing the young girl before him was.

"Now, when you have calmed down, we will have the little chat you want, missy." He kept his tone low and soothing, wishing to calm the girl enough so she would speak to him. Because for all his earlier arrogance and swagger, he longed to know who she was just as much as she obviously wanted to know who he was.

But they would just have their conversation in this position.

"I am calm," Christine replied through gritted teeth. She was still trying to break free, but he just wouldn't budge. "Please, let go."

Erik raised a brow. It was so wonderful to see his maenad beg! "No, lass. We're staying right here whilst you ask your questions, nowhere else. Savvy?"

Christine sighed, "Fine, just as long as you let me go after this."

"Of course, love. I still need to find a tavern."

Christine couldn't help but giggle slightly at that remark. But she quickly caught herself and rearranged her countenance into its former anger.

"Well, first of all, I would like to know why you were following me and when you started following."

Thought she'd ask that. "Well love, I saw you first on the dock markets. I'm the kind of man you can pick out a rare beauty from a crowd of dull, blank townsfolk." He loved the blush that came upon her face. It made her look all the more beautiful.

"It was a good thing is wasn't the governor's daughter you saw first. You'd be shot on the spot if you ever tried to follow her and ask her to escort you to a tavern."

Erik could trace a bit of scorn and contempt in her voice as she spoke of this girl, and he had a feeling it wasn't jealousy over looks. The noblewoman must have done something awful to her. Erik made a mental note to look into the governor's daughter and give her a nice scare.

"I don't believe I would have followed her. I did say that it was beauty that first caught my eye." Christine blushed even more. Erik removed his hand from her waist and stroked her lovely cheek. "An incomparable beauty."

Does he really think I'm beautiful? This could not be happening. It was like her deepest, darkest fantasies had come to life. Often Christine had dreamed of a handsome rouge coming to her and sweeping her off her feet. Now here she was in the arms, more or less, of a man that fit that description and thought her beautiful.

Erik let is hand drift down to her neck where he caressed the soft flesh there. He could feel her quickening heart beat which aroused him further. Leaning his head down a little further, he continued. "It wasn't only your beauty that struck me, that makes you stand out."

Christine was drowning in the slow, honey sludge his voice and caresses were creating. His whispering lips almost brushed Christine's ear. She closed her eyes, allowing herself to give in to her dark fantasies and sudden desires. This is too much.

"Have you ever heard of the maenads?"

His question pulled Christine out of her third trance as she gave him a bewildered look. What sort of question is that to ask? "Yes, Piangi told me about them."

"Did you know that you are one?"

Now Christine was really confused. And insulted.

"I most certainly am not a maenad! I never behave in such a manner! How dare you!"

Erik listened to Christine's sputtered indignities for a second, amused. But her voice was rising and Erik was sure that someone would hear. Erik drew his hand from her neck and covered her mouth.

"Damnit woman, hush!" he whispered harshly, his grip on her wrists tightening. Christine swallowed her whimper of pain, not wanting to give this man the satisfaction of knowing he was hurting her.

The girl's eyes glared at Erik with such intensity that Erik pitied any lesser man who had the unfortunate luck of invoking her wrath. "Now, if you're done with your self righteous anger and indignity, pay attention." Erik used his most commanding tone with her, letting her know he was not one to be trifled with. "You are a maenad, not a proper British lady." Her glare deepened. "Proper British ladies don't listen to stories told by old sea biscuits and yearn to venture out into the world. They don't dream of adventure and deny spoiled rich boys. And the most certainly don't lie to their aunt and accompany a strange man to a tavern."

He slipped his hand from her mouth, placing it back on her waist. Christine could feel the heat of his hand burn straight through her clothing. "But maenads do," he whispered. There was a silence between them, both gazing into each other's eyes. She understood. Christine had always known she was different. As a little girl, she was never interested in dolls and tea parties and as a young woman she never joined in on gossip circles and flirting with handsome young men.

"Oh," was all Christine could say.

"What else would you like to know?"

"A name, sir."

Erik had been lightly rubbing his thumb in circles on her flat stomach when she asked her question. Damn, what was that name I came up with? Smith something.

"Smith, missy. Angel Smith."

His name is Angel? Well, he looks like one. Why did she just think that?

"I just gave you my name and I'd like yours in return.

"Christine."

I knew that. "What about your last name?"

Erik saw her smile in a rather coy, mischievous way. "That is none of your concern, Mr. Smith."

Angel looked visibly put off. Well, he can't have everything he wants and Christine was just going to have to prove that to him. Besides, Christine never gave her surname to strangers.

Erik decided not to press the matter. Christine had already proven she was stubborn and he wasn't about to fight a losing battle. Well, one that he couldn't win right now. Soon though, he would know Christine in every way possible. She was one catch Erik wasn't about to pass up.

Christine feltAngel release her wrists. A surge of blood entered her numb arms as she lowered them, evoking a pins and needles sensation. Christine absentmindedly rubbed her sore wrists, wondering what Angel was thinking.

Erik saw the red rings around Christine's wrists that were gradually turning to bruises. A sharp pang of guilt stabbed him as he saw her rubbing them. But he couldn't think about that now. The first phase of his seduction had begun and he had to find a tavern and plan the rest. Whatever it would be.

Taking Christine's arm, he steered her out of the alleyway and back on the streets.

"Now let's find that tavern."

now wasn't that nice! go review now and erik will apear in your dreams and do what ever you want him to do! and i do mean everything!