When Veronica looked into the mirror, she no longer seemed to recognize herself.

Yes, Veronica…she no longer went by the name of Ronnie…

Quietly, she studied herself in the mirror. Although her pallor was pale from all of her hours inside the dorm, she seemed to glow from some inner light, making her appear as if she herself were some gothic heroine from times of old as her long mane of black curls flowed down her back uncut. The ten pounds of unwanted weight melted off from long walks around the campus discussing the novel with Erik and from simply working so hard that she forgot to eat.

The rest of her college career went by in a blur of frenzied writings in the day and writhings in the night. And she floated through life in a state of dreamlike sublime happiness as she served her phantom, pounding as furiously at her keyboard as the subject of her book would pound upon his pipe organ deep in the catacombs. Their union had created a cocoon for her, protecting her from pain. No more was she concerned with the opinion of her peers. No more was she upset about her lack of roles upon the university stage. No more did she suffer with grief.. Nothing mattered but pleasing her Master.

She had never felt so fulfilled or content. Especially during the nights when Erik would sing to her…

When he sang to her, it was not sex exactly. How could it be? Veronica had never even liked sex.

Okay, she did not like sex the one time she had it with her ex-boyfriend, Kevin. For so long, she was sure that she was a person with a highly passionate nature. After all, she loved a good romantic story or a hot sex scene in a movie. But when the moment had finally come when she lost her virginity, she felt nothing but the most agonizing pain as he had pounded into her. It had not been rape. She had anxiously wanted to know what it was like to finally 'do it'. But he seemed insincere in his attempts to make her comfortable. And apparently he had been uncaring since he bolted out of town only days later. Maybe he was just too inexperienced himself to be a good lover. She did not know. And she had accepted the fact that her questions would always be unanswered about it. She tried not to think about him too much as it upset her. In fact, she did not think about sex too much either.

Except when she was swept away by a good love story…like the Phantom's story…

No, when Erik sang to her, it was not sex. She was alone, not even touching her own body. Yet it felt as if she were bound and helpless as his voice became a tangible thing which stroked and tickled and teased her most secret places. And on and on it would go until she would shake uncontrollably in release. Sometimes, even that would not be enough for her ghost lover. Sometimes he would sing another song and then another, making her reach that peak over and over until her body shut down. Then she would pass out into such a deep sleep that it bordered on unconsciousness. And she immediately began to crave those nights of strange sensations.

And her dreams were always so romantic. She felt as if she were always held in a pair of protective arms. They were Erik's arms. She always sensed that, even if she could not see his face or even his mask. And they would be in Paris or Persia or India, some beautiful scenic location where they would dance in each other's arms, completely alone and happy. She was addicted to her dreams as well.

Veronica survived the last two months of her college days under Erik's tutorage. There had been the momentary panic she had felt regarding her finals. She realized those dates had come and she had not so much as cracked open a book. Erik reminded her that she had her own personal ghost. Veronica directed him towards the smartest student in the room and he would proceed to read off the answers of the girl's test. True, it was cheating, he said. But they had more important things to accomplish during their time together. Why waste hours studying away at subjects that she could care less about when there was a masterpiece to be written?

Their novel was about three quarters completed.

Moving back to her parent's home in Dallas, she spent most of her time buried in her old room typing away. Her parents did not notice anything strange about her behavior. Or if they had, they didn't say anything.

She got a job as a temp for a law firm, mainly typing up dictation tapes. When she had downtime or had reached the end of a tape, sometimes she would switch to another file in Word and work on the novel, e-mailing the copy to herself so that she could pick up with the story at home.

Now that the burden of college was out of the way, she could truly immerse herself into the Phantom's real life. And the more she learned of him, the more sorrowful she felt although she tried not to express such feelings as she knew he hated such sentiments. And she wished that they had lived together in the same time. She could have made him happy. She would have loved him, no matter how horrid his face. If only…


When the novel was finally completed, Veronica thought that somehow there should be some sort of celebration to be had. But she did not know exactly what would be appropriate to do with a ghost. Erik suggested that she go see "Man Behind the Mask" again, as she had often mentioned wanting to see it a second time.

"I don't know if I care to now. After all, I've got the real article with me."

But did you not like the performance of that actor? That Tony Bradshaw fellow…

"Well, sure."

Did you not find him attractive?

"Well, jeez, Erik. Who wouldn't?"

Go see the play, Veronica. Enjoy yourself.

"Aren't you going to be with me?"

No, I've had my fill of contemplating my life story for a while. But you should go. I shall return to you tonight and sing to you.

Veronica squirmed in anticipation.

"It shall be a long night."

Flattering child…


"Wow!"

The noise startled Veronica out of her dreamlike state.

"Ronnie! My God, wow!"

She turned to see Pam Moore sitting only a few chairs away from her at the play.

"Pam, it's so good to see you!"

Veronica stood up to give her old friend a hug. She had missed Pam. Their last month of college, Pam spent virtually all of her spare time at her boyfriend's apartment. And while that gave Veronica a lot of time to be alone with her naughty ghost, she still wished she could have seen her roommate from time to time.

Pam looked very trim and neat in an elegant little black dress, her auburn hair held back with silver combs. Veronica had always been envious of Pam's figure. She was lithe, just like a magazine model. No one would ever call her 'voluptuous' or 'zoftig', insulting her under the guise of compliments.

"Ronnie, you look amazing! I would not have known you!"

"Do I? Thanks!"

Veronica had dressed up for the occasion, wearing a short little Chinese silk dress with a pattern of flowers. Erik had insisted that she look pretty tonight and would not allow her to leave the house as she had intended to in her tee-shirt and jeans. She pulled her hair tightly back in a curly do. And she wore her best and most uncomfortable pair of strappy black sandals for the occasion.

"Getting out of that place must have agreed with you."

"Yes. Pam, what are you doing here?"

"I have a job at the local paper here. They wanted me to interview Tony Bradshaw after the show is over. We're supposed to go to a bar called Charlie's after the show. Hey, you want to come along? We could catch up on old times."

"Wouldn't I be in the way?"

"No, just hang out during the interview. And then we can really have some fun."

"I'd like that, Pam. It's good to see you again."

"Likewise, Kiddo."


The play was still enthralling, even if Veronica was painfully aware this time of all of the inaccuracies. And Tony Bradshaw was definitely a man easy on the eyes, even in his mask and stage makeup! With his masterful voice and perfect characterization of Erik, she still thought that he was one of the best actors she had ever seen either on stage or screen.

When the show was over, tons of women stood by the stage door exit, wanting an autograph from him.

"Jeez, this is going to be a long night already," Pam smirked. "Why don't you go ahead and go to Charlie's and get a drink? We'll catch up with you there."

"Oh, okay."

Veronica would not have agreed had she not wanted to spend time with her old friend so badly. She hated hanging out in bars by herself, not that she hardly ever did. She felt like just another piece of meat in the meat market for the drunks to ogle. But she went anyhow, ordering a small rum and Coke. She dared not drink too much because she had to drive home that night.

Charlie's was an Irish pub, filled with jovial types who were singing and yelling across the room and raising all sorts of havoc. Really, she didn't know how Pam was going to get any work done in this place! After some time, she occupied herself at the jukebox in the corner while she waited, trying to find a song that she might like.

Suddenly she was whirled about by the shoulders and slammed into a hard male body.

A mouth ground into her own, kissing her thoroughly. She opened her eyes wide in surprise and beat gingerly at the stranger's shoulders, trying to make him get the hell off of her. She could not even see him because his face was too close, but she did know that he was as strong as an ox. And then, the pressure of the kiss lessened as his hands roamed all about the curves of her body insistently. She couldn't believe it but she was becoming incredibly turned on by this rude stranger. She had been kissed before, but never like this. Kevin had not even kissed her this way. The sensations radiating throughout her body made her feel horribly guilty.

"Forgive me, Erik," she screamed in her mind. "This isn't my fault!"

Unable to escape the man's grasp, she had no choice but to let him finish having his way with her, her insides seeming to melt into butter. He took his time about it, leisurely exploring her mouth as he held her hair in a tight grip, bending her backwards until she would have fallen had she not been so tightly held in his grasp.

When he at last freed her, she pulled back and hauled off a good whack across his face.

It was Tony Bradshaw standing there before her, his hand touching his cheek where she had slapped him!