I am so happy to see most of my past readers returning for this story. It is really flowing easily now, I was having problems earlier, when I tried to do the fantasy think, but this is coming along nicely.

I hope I gain more readers. Thank you for your time.

Enjoy…

If you want to live long, don't try to do everything yourself.

God's Best for Your Success

I Surrender All

CHAPTER 6

Police Chief Tournier and Inspector Newton stood in Madam Giry's foyer, inspecting the faces before them. Erik was nowhere to be seen, having been instructed to leave the room until they were able to determine what this was all about.

Audrey was staring the men down, irritation and concern written all over her staunch features. She was very protective of Erik and did not want to see him hurt.

"We were not following him for the reasons you think, madam. The charges against him have been dropped at the insistence of the Viscount and the evidence he presented." Chief Tournier stated.

"Then why have you followed me chief?" Erik came from the back of the house and the faces of both men went deathly white…they stood in the presence of a legend. This man had manipulated and coerced some of the strongest figures they knew into submission. He was not to be underestimated.

Tournier turned toward the very impressive figure before him. Behind the mask, he saw the face of the boy he had rescued all those years ago. That boy had become an embittered and powerful man with no idea of his father's identity. Today, Antoine would make the records right.

"If I may, please allow me to state my reasons in a more comfortable setting." Tournier knew this could take a while and felt that they should be sitting down.

When they were all seated in the living room, Tournier turned his eyes to Erik and took a deep breath.

"This is a personal matter Monsieur Clairvaux, you may want to have this conversation in private." Tournier noticed Erik's bewildered look at the use of a last name when referring to him.

"I will explain everything." Antoine raised his hand in yield, assuring him.

Erik regarded all the faces before him; Roland was a friend of Audrey's and, therefore, must be legitimate. He smiled hesitantly, "These people are the closest thing I have to a family…they may stay."

"You may not remember me Erik, but twenty years ago I cut the ropes that bound you to the rock walls of the cellar your father had confined you to." Tournier watched as Erik's eyes perked and his chin elevated in interest.

"The mansion was disintegrating around us and you made a running leap for freedom as soon as your hands were free." The chief searched the face of the man before him, looking for any indication of recognition.

Erik did not remove his eyes from the face of the man before him. Although the years had made the features more worn and rugged, Erik could see the trusting, honest eyes of the first man to speak to him as though he were a human being…in seven years.

"You were the first person to speak to me and acknowledge me as human in seven years." Erik felt a strange wrenching in his gut, "I remember thinking that you were an angel sent from God to set me free…and then…you did."

Tournier leaned into Erik's stunned figure, "I looked for you for weeks at the instance of your aunt Camille, but I never found you."

Erik's head gave a slight jerk at the mention of an aunt. "I have an aunt?"

Tournier glanced down at his hands, looking for the right words, "She passed away two years ago, Erik." Erik felt tears come to his eyes for this woman who had fought for him; he wished he could remember her. Chief Tournier felt a kindred sadness engulf him as he watched the emotions on Erik's exposed side, he spoke again in broken tones, "She was my wife, Erik…as well as your aunt."

Erik did not know what to say to that. He saw the love that the chief had for his aunt written all over the older man's face; and even though Erik had no memories of this woman, he felt the emptiness of her loss profoundly.

"She never gave up on the belief that you were somewhere close and that you would eventually be found…she made sure that I was aware of all the facts concerning your parents and early childhood." Antoine got up from his chair and went to kneel before the formidable figure that was his nephew.

Erik lifted his searching eyes to those of this man who had suddenly become his only link to his past, "I know what my father was like…his memory is forever embedded in my mind…" Erik reached his fingers up and stroked the mask, "…and my face." Erik lifted tearing eyes to Antoine, "But I do not remember my mother." Erik felt his chest constricting as he mentioned the woman he would never know.

Antoine smiled. "Your mother was every bit as beautiful as my wife Erik…and she loved you with every fiber of her being."

Erik knew there was more to it than that, "What happened to her, Tournier? I need to know."

Antoine knew it would come to this, but that did not make it any easier. He left nothing out as he told Erik of the once brilliant and gifted man his father had been. He told of the marriage which had been envied by many all over France, and the bond the couple had shared. The story became very disturbing indeed, when Antoine told of the slow, meticulous destruction of Marcel Clairvaux's brilliant mind and athletic body.

The final note of horror came when he told Erik of the inhumane way Constance and her two daughters had perished and finally, the fate of his mother.

"We found her skeletal remains in one of the upper bedrooms…she had dehydrated and starved…it took weeks." Antoine almost gagged at the wave of nausea that overtook him.

Erik just sat, completely still except for the shamed tears that rolled down his face. His breathing was erratic and he felt hate, like none he had ever known, swelling up in his heart.

"I have that man's blood flowing through my veins…I truly am a monster." He stood and swept out of the room in one swift movement, leaving everyone stunned at the sheer loathing his voice had carried.

Antoine ran after the retreating figure of his nephew, "Erik…," he reached him and placed a restraining hand on his shoulder, "…Erik," Erik halted suddenly and turned heated eyes to his uncle. "Erik, listen to me. Your father deserved what he had coming to him…he took his own drugs and experimented on himself…" Erik's rigid stance did not soften with the words

Tournier continued to hold his arm, "Erik…you're my nephew and you do not know how blessed I feel to have finally found you…I want you to understand that his insanity was as a result of a sexually transmitted disease." Erik turned searing eyes to Antoine.

Erik shook his head in understanding, "He had syphilis…he brutalized my mother, calling her a whore…and he was the one demoralizing himself." Erik stated through clenched teeth.

Antoine squeezed Erik's arm for emphasis, "You are not susceptible to his behavior…you were conceived before the syphilis entered his body."

Erik felt the need to breathe fresh air and take a brisk walk or bury himself in the softness of a woman. One of these was never going to happen, so he opted for the prior. His brash tone was heard as he exited the door, "I'll be back." and he was gone.

The others that had been present in the room were dumbstruck. What had just happened? The horrible events that Tournier had spelled out were more horrific than any of them had ever imagined. Erik could tell them about his years with the gypsies, and he knew that his face had been the handiwork of his father…he just did not remember much else; and who would want to.

Antoine hung his head to gather his thoughts before speaking. "He is the heir to the entire estate…and believe me…it is vast." Antoine pushed back his own tears, "Camille wanted him to have everything…she never touched it."

"He will not want anything to do with it, I can guarantee you that much." Audrey offered. "He will feel that the whole thing is tainted…I know him."

"His father was titled, knighted by the king…the title is not his, but the prestige that it carried is." He bent and lifted up the satchel he had carried in. "Here are all the documents that state he is the heir of the estate along with bank books and holdings…he is a very, very wealthy man."

Tournier and Newton went to the front door, ready to leave. Tournier turned to Raoul, shaking his hand, "Thank you for helping me find my nephew…I hope he will seek out my company some day."

The five figures in the doorway watched as the two policemen left. They were all thinking how this day had turned out to be very interesting and exciting.

OOOOOOOOOOOOO

Erik walked the streets of Paris completely oblivious to the stares and whispers that were going on around him. He always drew a great deal of attention when he ventured into the public; but now, he was a free man with a cleared name, the looks and whispers took on a different tone.

The brutal story that his uncle had conveyed to him, made Erik's blood boil. He had known his father was a cruel and sadistic man, but he had not known the extent of it. He had thought there could be no more pain in his heart…but he was wrong.

He was Erik Xavier Clairvaux…what a strange development. He had a vast estate readily available; he had read the papers and heard the gossips. What was he going to do with it? He couldn't keep it…it just felt…soiled.

He walked and walked, ignoring the numerous propositions he received, now he had even more reason to stay clear of prostitutes; but his body yearned for release. For the first time in his life, Erik actually considered satiating his pain within the soft, inviting folds of a prostitute's body…but he knew he would hate himself for doing it…even more than he already did.

He turned up his collar, resisting the cooling air; thankful that the briskness of the night would appease his body's hunger.

It was drizzling out; a light, cleansing rain, and Erik looked to the heavens. He sat in the middle of a park and removed his mask, uplifting his face toward the heavens. For the first time in his life, he felt the loving eyes of his mother looking down on him…and he thanked her for loving him. For some reason, that knowledge made life a little easier to bear.

To Be Continued…