Disclaimer: I do not own Erik, daroga, or other references of Leroux's novel. They belong to the author that created them.

A/N: I this chapter, you see more of the Phantom and daroga. But as I have said before, this story is different from what you have read before. PLEASE REVIEW! YOU JUST HAVE TO TYPE 'LIKE' OR 'HATE' AND I'LL KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS. Please make me happy by reviewing… I review stories of those who review mine. I know how boring and tedious reviewing is… shoves Erik in the spotlight and jabs him with big stick… He then gives puppy eyes REVIEW FOR PUPPY-EYED ERIK!

Twinkle22- I am glad you like my story! I like it, too. PLEASE continue to review.

Katelyn- I was so excited when you reviewed my story TWICE swoons Please continue to check it out and kick your friend into reading and REVIEWING lol.

ChristianAngel7- Aw… I reviewed your story for chapter five. I love your story and I hope you like my very different story. Enjoy chapter three.

HUGGLES FOR ALL MY REVIEWS!

Chapter Three- 'What a Tangled Web Woven'

(Back in Colorado)

I had an intuition that I would be out for most, if not, all night from previous leads for the investigation. Pulling up to 1304 Lancaster Avenue at 5:55, I stepped out into the frigid cold. Hugh stood on the apartment steps.

"Listen, Stacy. I have to go get my keys and coat. Come on up. It should not take more than a minute." "Okay." Following Hugh up three flights upstairs, I had a feeling something was wrong. I stepped inside his apartment and waited. Hugh shut the door, but I heard a small click.

Turning around to face him, I asked, "Hugh, why did you lock the d-?" He shoved me against the wall. "Boy, I am going to have fun with you!" My eyes widened and my face paled as realization struck. I inhaled an audible, "No." "Oh, yes!"

He pushed me back on the wall and stroked my thigh. As I opened my mouth to scream, he threw himself on me. I bit his tongue hard so I could reach my gun, but he slapped me. When he succeeded in getting my gun, he sneered, "If you try to run away or scream, then I will shoot you."

Then he slapped me with so much force, my head collided with the wall. This rendered me to fall into a pained unconsciousness.

(Later)

A soft ray of light streamed in and warmed my face. Squinting, I opened my eyes. "Mm, where am I?" A deep male's voice answered softly, "Shh, you are safe now."

Pain shot through my head as I observed my surroundings. I was lying in a large bed that backed up to a cream colored wall and a night stand stood next to the bed. As I looked towards the large dark oak door, a figure clad in black with a large cloak on that covered his muscular form, and he also wore a large fedora on his head that emitted a shadow over his face.

"W-who are you? A-are you going to hurt me," my hoarse voice croaked. Advancing slowly, a long slender hand stroked my cheek. "Stacy, you know me well. I would never hurt you." His head bowed as he muttered to himself when he took off his hat to reveal himself, "…so beautiful…"

Inhaling sharply, I realized who my rescuer was. "No… William? I-it can't be." He moved the hat more to expose the black full-face mask and William was revealed. Murmuring incoherently, I reached towards him as he kissed the back of my hand. I finally knew he was truly alive. "William, my love, kiss me!"

Suddenly, I noticed the cold countenance as he gazed upon me. Even after I made the statement for him to kiss me, his cold countenance did not soften at my request, and I became aware of the visible changes to his appearance. His once auburn brown hair was now golden honey color and his once blue-grey eyes a golden yellow.

He slowly moved near me, but when our lips almost touched, he violently pulled back while whispering more to himself than me, "No, I can't." He eyed me cautiously as I tried to raise myself up. Searing like I was being electrocuted, pain from an unknown wound caused my knees to buckle before me. A strong, firm pair of arms enclosed around my body, saving me from making contact with the floor.

I tearfully touched his lips, as I met William's eyes. Though set in a firm line, his lips were soft. His burning intense eyes stared into mine. "How can you be alive without telling m-…?" All at once, I couldn't take it. Bolting to the door, I attempted to escape, but my hope was dashed when I ran into William who blocked the exit.

He spoke firmly, "You are not safe. Until you are, you stay with me." Sitting on the couch, dejected, I submissively whispered, "Why did you lie to me, William? Why are you so indifferent to me? Have you found another?" My round of questions ceased when William released a cruel and demonic laugh before he retorted, "Who could love my hideous face besides you? I had to lie to you. I will explain everything to you in due time. Stacy, I don't want to put you in danger. To protect myself and those I care about, I have to have no feelings."

He sat down in a chair and bore all to me. "All right, where should I begin? Well, before our anniversary that night, I gathered intelligence from the Russian Ambassador that Jack Finnedly had escaped custody. When he appeared, I was not surprised."

He paused to take a deep breath, "He did shoot me, and yes, I technically did die. Luckily you did everything I had hoped. The paramedics knew everything. You see, I learned this trick, during a brief mission in India, to lower my vital signs enough to give off the persona of death. I faked my death. The closed coffin service I stated in my 'will,' was important because the coffin contained my exact weight in stone. I do appreciate your valor in keeping with my wishes stated in the 'will.' We are still legally married in Russia. I thought my 'death' would leave you and the children well off. This notion, however, was corrected when Daroga told me you were in financial distress. Stacy, the reason I am so cold to you is to protect you from my enemies. If we are together, you would become the target. Trust me, Stacy; I love you more than ever have. I wish to hold you and kiss you with the passion I withhold inside, but it would be fatal." He paused again before continuing, "I know this is hard for you as it is for me."

I held my anger and disgust at him and his sardonic nature for another time. I was in shock and could only muster a 'What?".

Out of nowhere, the lock to the large oak door was turning violently with shouts of men heard. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up as fear filled me; however I was swept away in an instant.

Through a secret panel under the dresser, William and I plunged through and started to run in a dark tunnel towards an opening with a light. Although, William stopped, I headed for the luminaries. He pulled my hand causing our bodies to collide together. He camouflaged me with his black cloak in the darkness.

All at once, a score of yells and footsteps echoed in the tunnel as lights swayed back and forth. I clutched William's coat lapel. "William, protect me." His golden eyes regarded me for a moment before he pulled down a lever I never saw previously. The stone wall quaked until it burst open with thousands of rats spilling in the tunnel which aroused uproars of screams and gunshots.

Meanwhile, William grabbed my hand and we dashed in and out of ill-lit hallways to arrive at a make-shift elevator. "Are we going up there," I whispered. "No, my love. Follow me."

After what felt like an eternity of traveling through more passages and secret panels, we made it outside where his black mustang was parked. Getting in quickly, he started the engine and we were off.

We sat in complete silence while he was driving until I interrupted the quiet. "William, you have changed, but I still love you and will never stop loving you. But do you still love me? I do not understand why you left. You are still hiding something and I need to know. No, I deserve to know. I have remained faithful and loyal to you. Don't I deserve to know the whole truth?"

For over two hours, my questions remained just those… questions. I could not tell if William loved me anymore or if he felt guilt-ridden. I did not trust him. After all, he did lie and pretend he was dead for a year. Either way, I felt utterly alone. A tender bony finger turned my head to face him—his pale and emaciated figure.—His golden eyes examined my features.

"Did Nicholas break any bones?"

"No," I answered curtly. Frustrated with his cold countenance, haughty attitude, and deceptiveness, I jerked my head away as tears formed in my eyes. Until now, a dreadful thought occurred to me. "William, if you rescued me, what happened to Hugh?"

He turned to me with no expression, but his black mask taunted me; its evil distortion made it look like he sneered. "What did you do to him?" "I simply got rid of him." My mouth agape and heart thudding painfully, I gripped my arms, shivering. "You killed him... killed... How could you!" William's muscles tightened in his jaw and he threw the car into a hard left, stopping at the shoulder of the deserted road. His eyes held hatred towards something... not me...but something in the past. "He was going to rape you! I did what was necessary to protect you. You belong to me!" His hot breath and glaring mask forced me to back against the car door, trembling with fear.

Out of thin air, a thin amount of courage materialized in my heart and I uttered viciously, with pursed lips, "You are not my husband. You don't love me. You are as hideous has your face. You can own only my body; I will never give you what I did before."

His eyes widened with what appeared to have been pain, but it diminished as quickly as it had come. It was quickly replaced with a fierce piercing gaze. "We are going to Moscow and I will arrange for you to be under protective custody."

"I am not a child," ignoring me, he started up the car and drove to the airport. I followed him into the jet plane while feeling I was his slave. Once seated, William stoically stated, "The children are already safe in Russia. Every convenience you and the children need is there and will be provided for you at the Ambassador's family home. You will do as I say and will not contradict me. Do you understand?" His firm and threatening voice frightened me, so I nodded meekly.

It appears that my new home would be in the Ambassador of Russia's three story household. His name is Hugo Stazgonocove and he had two sons and a daughter. Feeling utterly ignorant, I watched William speak Russian with the pilot and sit back to read the newspaper, eyeing me every ten minutes. So I curled in the corner of my seat and slept until he woke me up when we arrived.

A/N: on hands and knees, begging Please REVIEW! Hopefully since the Daroga and Phantom have appeared in it, you will be more inclined to review. I love you guys, and did I forget to mention, I add my reviewers on my bio and I also REVIEW YOUR STORIES IF YOU REVIEW MINE! SO, my kindness stems both ways, lol. I hope you liked this chapter. -MORE drama and romantic angst ahead-

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