Chapter 6

"Wait here."

Erik pushed her down on a couch. "Don't move. When I come back we will talk." With that he turned and whet to his room to change in dry clothes. For some reason he was not mad at her for distracting him. He shook his head. He'll find out what she knows. And if she knows too much...here he paused. What would he do with her? He can't kill her. He never harmed a woman. He had wanted to. Erik shook his head, trying to get rid of the thoughts of the murderous khanum. But, what can he do? She can promise never to tell, but if she had a book about him, she's sure to have other things to prove that he is real. He decided to deal with that path when it comes. He composed himself and went back out to the front room. He heard laughter and giggles. What he saw made his eyebrow go up. The girl-Poppy-was still sitting on the couch. But his cat, Ayesha, was stretched out across Poppy's shoulders like a fur wrap. The cat looked up at him though half-lidded eyes, and worked her claws harder into Poppy's flesh. Poppy winced but laughed. "Hey there, I would like some skin left."

Erik watch for a few minutes more. The sight brought unfamiliar feelings.

Poppy had taken her glasses off, but kept her eyelids down. She had been sitting there waiting for Erik to return when a cat jumped up on her lap with a, "reow." Poppy held her hand out and the animal bumped it with her head, purring loudly, causing her to laugh. "So what's your name? I didn't know Erik had a cat. It was not mentioned in the book. But, then again there are so many different books out there that I can't read that probably mentioned you." The cat crawled up on her shoulders and stretched out. " You are so sweet. You remind me of my own." Poppy began scratching her under her chin, causing the cat to purr even louder.

"Amen."

Poppy gasped, turned her face away and scrambled to find her glasses. Finding them she placed them on. Turning back to Erik, she grinned up at him. "So, still looking like the drowned rat, I'm sure you looked like."

"No. And for now I'll ignore that remark."

"Grump. What's your cat's name?"

Erik sat down in the chair opposite from her. It was a bit unnerving for her to stare start at him and yet not see him. Unless...she's lying about being blind. "Ayesha," he leaned forward. "Are you really blind?"

Behind her glasses, Poppy's eyes widened, and then narrowed. She stood, " What kind of a question is that? "Are you really blind?" her voice began to rise, " Well, I'll ask you this: Are you really deformed? Do you really look like a corpse? Are you Really the Phantom. Or a wantta be? Are you really a genius? I'm starting to wonder. Asking such questions" She sneered at him, "Really, a grown man touchy about his looks. That is sad. Only Fops are that way." Turning, Poppy snarled at him," Are you really sure you're not a fop?"

She didn't get to berate him further. Erik had stood and was stalking towards her. Her, busy reprimanding him and not being able to see, did not hear him. He reached out his hands for her neck.