Part 19: (the last part darn it, even if it kills me)

Rafe tsked at Willow. "I do have to say, I'm rather disappointed. I thought that it could just be more beauty behind the mask. Who was to know that it would be horror. No wonder you're a Phantom Freak. You're just as disgusting as he is." He threw the mask at her feet, just slightly out of her straining reach.

"Why are you…" She started, before her voice broke with anger. "What are you doing this for?"

Rafe threw back his head and laughed. "Because, I thought we could play for a little while." She didn't like the way that he said that.

She shook her head. "I'm no ones play thing!"

He tsked once more. "Don't you realize Willow?"

"Realize what?"

"The longer you amuse me… the further your longevity." It didn't take her long at all to guess exactly what he meant by that. It was something that had been dawning on her since she woke up. Unless someone came to the rescues… Rafe was going to kill her.

Erik didn't have to try hard at all to get the information he needed to figure out where Rafe lived. He just had to hope now that that was where he had taken Willow. He didn't have time to be wrong on this one; God only knew what had happening to her while he wasn't there.

Of course, there was always one possibility, and he planned to use it. Carlotta was waiting around after school like she usually did.

"Carlotta…" Erik called in an almost sing song voice. She looked up.

"What eez eet? Dida you changa your mind about us?" Erik hadn't thought of playing at it from this angle, but find. Whatever worked.

"Yes, I did. I realized that I wanted to be with you." He stood beside her, throwing his voice so that it tickled around her. She smiled up at him, pleased. He couldn't believe that she was falling for this. She really was the child of Carlotta.

"Well, I knew zat you oould come around!" She clapped and wrapped her arms around him. He clenched his teeth to keep from growling at her.

"Yes, well… I just couldn't resist." That was the truth, of course. He couldn't have resisted the opportunity to use her. If she could help him, of course he would use her.

"Well zen?"

Erik smiled belligerently into nothing, then turned his eyes down to her, letting his face slip into a smile. "I just wanted to know… Rafe… you aren't?"

She cut him off. "Zat pig? Of course not!" She gave his arm a gentle squeeze. "Well… he did take Willow right? I wont have to worry about her coming back and bothering me?"

She smiled, pleased. Yes… definitely stupid, after he had just confessed his undying love for Willow a few moments ago.

"Yes, zee little brat is gone! He took her too hiz house! She vill bother you no—" He wasn't going to actually hurt her. He just applied a little pressure here, and out she went.

It didn't take more than five minutes, and he had his answers. He was going to go to Rafe's house, and he was going to kill him.

She had been there for what felt like an eternity. Rafe had stood and laughed, telling him what he was going to do to her. She didn't want to hear it, but whenever she screamed, he hit her. There was no escaping this.

Oh Erik… She knew that he wouldn't come. She had acted like such an… idiot to turn him away like she had. Oh I love you… please just remember that!

Rafe looked at her, and her glassy eyes. She had retreated to somewhere inside of herself, and he realized it. Fun over. Game ended. Time to finish it.

He pulled a gun that had been tucked safely into the front of his pants (Oh how un comfey) and clicked the safety off. "Willow, if you'll come back and beg, maybe I'll let you live…"

Willow refused to let herself hear him, she wasn't going to go through with begging. She didn't care anymore… didn't feel. Erik hadn't come… he didn't care anymore…

"I don't care." Her voice was soft and weak. It didn't seem to please him.

"Well… fine then." He said it carelessly. He pulled the gun up and pressed it to the side of her face. "You sure you don't care?" The barrel of the gun pressed into the side of her face, and she was sure that it was going to leave a bruise…

Of course… what did it matter? What was a bruise to getting your brains blown out by a psycho?

"Go ahead." She said it again, softly and with pain.

"You cannot be serious. I go through the trouble of kidnapping you to hurt the freak," Erik… "and then you don't even make it fun?" He pulled down slightly on the trigger. "How boring."

She closed her eyes, her body trembling in expectation.

When the bullet didn't come, she opened her eyes slightly. Rafe's face was a lovely shade of purple from the lasso that was securely around his neck. Wielding it was… Erik.

The look on his face scared Willow. She had never seen anyone so… enraged. She walked up to him, past the choking man. "Erik! Erik!" She wrapped her arms around him.

He looked up at her, his eyes really not seeing her. She grabbed either side of his face and pulled him down to look at her. "Stop it Erik! You're not a killer. Please!"

Sanity seemed to flood back, and Erik loosened his grip. Rafe fell to the floor.

"What…" His voice was chocked. "Why did you…"

Willow looked down at him. "You listen to me. I wont let him kill you, but I wont let you hurt him either. Stay away from us. Leave. Never come back. I mean it."

He looked up at her. He seemed to crumble. He was just a pathetic child. She wanted to laugh at him.

"Well?"

He nodded.

Willow smiled at Erik, who still looked half dazed. "Come on, lets go."

Author: Well, all that's left is the prologue. Sorry that I did that so quickly, but I honestly just cant do this story anymore. The next chapter is the end (I know, I said this one was) Anyhoo. Yeah. It'll be over next time. I plan on next time being sometime next week. See you then!

Amandathevampirelove