Ch. 2 ♪
Erik had left the Theater Magnifique after the rehearsals ended. He was praying for a miracle not that he prayed much, he truthfully did not have much faith in anything anymore. As he rode back to his large estate, Erik though of the woman he lost, Christine Daae. She had left him alone in his lonely solitude, alone for his heart to decay and vanish. Christine had been selfish in leaving him and he knew that, but he knew he could never hate her. He could resent her some, but never hate her. Erik never thought another woman would capture his heart again but it seemed as if God was giving him a second chance. He received a feeling of acceptance from Anna and he wanted to explore his feelings for her.
As he approached the gates leading into his estate he took one last look at the road behind him. It would be the road that brought his next greatest love, or so he hoped.
As Anna was being driven to this complete stranger's home, she could not help but wonder what was being held for her there. Anna desperately wanted to know who this mysterious Vicomte de Destler was. She had known who many of the noblemen were in Paris since she was dating Andrew, The Duke. But she had never heard of the Vicomte de Destler. To her this was in fact a complete mystery.
As the carriage carried on down the long road, carrying her farther and farther away from the only home she had even known of, it began to thunder storm.
"Great this is all we need on a night such as this." Anna said flatly.
Anna wondered if maybe this was a sign as to how the rest of the night was to carry on. The sound of the thunder grew louder and louder as if howling at her to turn back, making her incredibly uneasy, and the sky had turned to the darkest shade of blue, but one could say that its color was really black. The trees seemed to be screaming at her, yelling cries of warning, telling her something fearful lies ahead.
But Anna knew that she could not turn back now. No, she would have to accept what was lying in front of her. Anna knew she could do this with no fear. She would have to do this with no fear. At least that was what she had told her self.
The gates leading into the Vicomte's property were enormous. Each had an intricate design, they were truly beautiful. On one side it held a deign of Heaven. It showed the angels flying listening to the word out our Lord. It showed how much peace came from this one man. The art showed the look of love and acceptance upon the Lord's face. It showed his feelings of compassion towards all his angels. On the other half of the gate it painted out a scene from the fiery pits of hell. It showed the devil laughing evilly at the pathetic souls that had apparently not been good enough to go to heaven. It showed all the pleasure he received from tormenting these poor people. You could see, just by looking at his face the true hatred he felt towards everyone.
The house itself was breathtakingly beautiful. It was just as beautiful as the Theater Magnifique's exterior, the walls colored with beautiful hues of gold and blue. Those two colors always sparked a twinkle in Anna's eye. The house was defiantly beautiful and Anna knew who ever was paying for her services was probably paying a great sum. Anna was escorted from her carriage by the Vicomte's personal assistant, M. Tom Winslet. As she was being walked through the house, her breath was caught in her throat. The inside was far more magnificent than the outside had led on. Again the walls and furniture were beautiful shades of blues and gold and in other rooms the colors were fiery reds and blacks. Anna could tell this was a man with two different sides
One good and one bad.
"Miss Peré." M. Winslet spoke, getting her attention. "Good evening. I assume you have made it here in one piece?"
Anna politely smiled back at him. "Yes M. the ride up here was quite lovely"
He smiled back showing he was pleased. "I am Tom Winslet, the personal assistant to the Vicomte de Destler." He said placing a kiss on her hand.
"Your master is a Vicomte." Anna stated already knowing the answer.
"He is not one by birth, his title is purchased, but yes mademoiselle he is a Vicomte none the less." He said warmly.
"M. Winslet, do you mind cluing me in as to who this man is?" Anna asked him. "I am afraid I know nothing about him." Anna said, her nerves starting to take over.
"I am very sorry mademoiselle but even I, who work for him know nothing of him." He said sadly. "The Vicomte is a very private man and very threating."
That word caught Anna's attention.
"Is he dangerous?" Anna asked, fear starting to take over in her.
"Mademoiselle you have nothing to fear, my master shall be here shortly." M. Winslet said closing the doors to Erik's monstrous library. "You will be fine." He told her finally leaving.
Anna, in that second, felt so helpless as she fell to the floor. "Oh God I hope so" she told herself.
Erik stood behind the large glass mirror in his library. He stood there for a few moments just studying the expression on Anna's face. She was frustrated and extremely frightened. Even from where he stood, behind the mirror, he could sense all her pent up anxiety. Erik knew her tension came from not having any idea as to who her new employer was. He finally decided to calm her nerves. Erik, after all, did want her to trust him.
The music started to grow louder in Anna's ears. It was like nothing she had ever heard before. Her feelings of fear and anxiety slowly melted away into pure pleasure. She had never felt like this before, but Anna knew she wanted to feel more. The music she was hearing only brought a few words to her mind and although she never quite understood where they came from she began to sing them out loud.
"Come to your Angel of Music." She sang, pausing before she continued. "You are my Angel of Music." She finished opening her eyes.
Standing before her was the tall dark figure of Erik, Vicomte de Destler.
Anna felt her heart stop beating in that very instant. She knew not what to do. Anna could feel her cheeks grow warm and surly redder with each passing second. She stood up to meet him, bowing out of courtesy.
Erik's breath stopped and his pulse quickened, how could she have known those words? Had she even sung those words? Erik wanted to say no but he knew that his ears did not play tricks on him; she had indeed spoken those ungodly words to him. Erik could not think of what to do. She was now standing staring at him. She had just bowed for him. What was he to do?
Make her leave?
No, he knew he did not want that.
"Where did you learn those words?" Erik asked her trying very hard to remain calm.
Anna looked up, her fear returning inside her. The Vicomte was a very intimidating man, tall and elegantly dressed; he could surly make any woman or man for that matter quiver with fear. But still she did not know what to say.
"Where did you learn those words from?" he asked again, still remaining calm but defiantly more demanding.
Anna finally spoke, her voice but a quiver.
"I have never even heard those words M." Anna managed to get out. "I have only just thought them up." She said looking at the floor.
She expected to be met with silence but Erik decided to speak.
"You have just thought them up out of the blue?" He questioned her again, but this time he forced her to stare deep into his eyes, their faces only inches apart. The fear suddenly became stronger in Anna's small frame.
"Yes M. I just thought them up." Her lips started to quiver, her fear in him consuming her.
Erik saw the fear he had put in her and immediately regretted being so forward with her.
"Mademoiselle Peré please forgive me, I never intended to be so forward with you." Erik said apologizing to her.
"No, it is fine, I am fine." Anna said wiping away the tears she never realized she had shed.
"I am very glad to see that you accepted my invitation." Erik said quickly changing the subject. "It gets a bit lonely out here." He said as he caressed her face.
This brought Anna aback. "M. Vicomte, what may I ask are your intentions with me?" Anna asked him accusingly.
This did not offend Erik. No, it only amused him.
"Mademoiselle, trust me, if I wanted you for you body alone," Erik said laughingly. "You would have known by now." He finished.
Instead of relieving Anna it only angered her. "Then what in God's name do you want me here for." She asked growing impatient.
"You wish to know what it is I have brought you here." Erik asked her trying to rile her up a bit more.
"Yes, I wish to know." Anna said, losing patience.
"I brought you here to sing for me." He said knowing he was trying her nerves.
Anna had always loved to sing, but that was something the Theater Magnifique did not allow. Although she had never sung in an actual production, she often believed she could do well at it. The theater had made sure she was strictly an actress. The managers had never allowed her to share her special gift of music. Anna could not figure out how this man would know of it.
"M. Vicomte I cannot sing." Anna said trying to play off her surprise.
As she looked up to meet his gaze, his eyes were piercing right through to her very core. His gaze sent shivers through her spine.
"Mademoiselle why lie to me?" Erik asked her taking a seat at his desk. "You fear me, so why lie? Are you not afraid I will find out your lie and make you pay for it, or have you not thought that far ahead?" He asked her, finding amusement in the situation.
Anna remained silent, thinking to herself. Erik was intriguing her, and she liked it.
"Would you do such a thing?" Anna asked as the butterflies in her stomach grew as her gaze caught his.
Time seemed to stand still at that moment. Then faster than the blink of an eye, Erik had run over and maneuvered Anna to where her back was right up against his chest. Their breathing becoming synchronized. One hand held her stomach against him; the other was caressing her ivory colored neck.
It seemed an eternity before he spoke once again.
"Do you truly believe I would hurt you?" His mouth rested right up against her ear. His voice was hypnotizing, and Anna longed to here more of it.
"Do you truly believe I can sing?" Anna retorted back, she had always possessed a clever wit.
In seconds Erik had whirled her around so that their faces were mere centimeters apart. Anna saw the pain in his eyes from her words. Why did she feel the need to keep her gift from him when he so eagerly wanted to cherish it?
Finally Erik once again broke the silence.
"I do not think you posses the talent to sing." He said seductively as he leaned into her ear before finishing. "I know for a fact that you posses the talent to sing."
Anna was almost too shocked to speak. But there was little to keep her mouth quite.
"M. le Vicomte." Anna started as he softly loosened his grip on her. "What makes possibly think that I have talent?" Anna asked. "I am an actress not an opera singer." She stated simply.
"Anna, tell me, why do you feel the need to hide such a beautiful talent?" Erik asked her his eyes still piercing through her.
"What is your name?" Anna asked forgetting about his question.
Anna saw the look of hesitation in Erik's eyes before he finally spoke.
"My name is Erik." He stated simply going back to what he had asked her before. "Now, Mademoiselle tell me why do you feel the need to hide your gift?"
"Explain to me Erik how could you, a man whom I have never met before, know I have a talent like the one you speak of." Anna said slowly gaining more confidence in herself. "I have only just met you." She finished as she sat down next to him.
"Anna I do not know much about you but I will tell you this." Erik said to her, in the most seductive voice Anna had ever heard. "I know you have the talent I desire and it is that talent for which I have brought you here."
"What reason then, have you brought me here?" Anna asked her anger starting to bloom once more.
Before Erik thought, he was speaking to Anna words she would never truly understand, or at least he hoped she would never understand.
"To make my music come alive once again."
Anna did not know how to take what Erik has spoken to her. What could he have possibly meant by that?
Erik scolded himself. He prayed to God that Anna would never have to find out about his past.
About the music he had once inspired in Christine.
It felt like an eternity before either one of them spoke. Anna sensed something when she looked at Erik. He was in love with her; she could see it in his eyes. He loved her yet he knew nothing about her. Anna soon saw the embarrassment in his eyes; she did not want to make him feel foolish. No, she did not want to do that, she wanted to comfort him, make him feel like he was not alone.
"Are you a composer?" Anna asked gently touching his arm, showing genuine interest.
"No, not professionally, but yes I have composed a few pieces here and there." Erik responded thinking of his fateful Don Juan Triumphant. His thoughts were interrupted by teh sound of Anna's voice.
"It was you who was playing that melody earlier, wasn't it?" Anna asked. The look on his face answered for him.
"Yes it was I." He answered still looking away from her.
"Answer me truthfully." Anna told him. "How do you know I can sing?"
"A few months back I was going through some hard times." Erik began; memories that were wished to be forgotten were now coming back. "You were my only joy most of the time. I would go in and watch you and you would sing." He stated. "You would sing for me." Erik said as he brought his face closer and closer to her.
"Who are you?" Anna asked complete enamored with Erik.
He stared into her eyes, as if he was searching for something. Soon his lips curled into a devilish smile.
"I am your Angel of Music." He said still smiling.
Anna looked deep inside her eyes and felt a feeling she had never felt before. All she could do was smile at him. She continued to look into his eyes and saw it. Erik did love her, and he knew she knew it.
"You are my Angel of Music." Anna responded drawing her face closer to Erik's.
"Come to your Angel of Music." Erik said still smiling.
"Angel of Music." Anna whispered right before Erik's lips met hers'.
The moment their lips touched Anna felt jolts of electricity go through her body. She had never felt this type of intensity when she kissed Andrew. His kisses were nothing compared to Erik's. There were millions more thoughts going through Anna's head but the one that stuck out the most was that this, Erik and her felt so right.
Erik had only one thought in his head besides the thought that this, Anna and him felt unbelievably right. But the thought that scared him to his very core was, what would Anna think if she truly knew who he was? What would Anna think of him is she knew of the things he had done in his past?
Erik did not think he could take that pain again, the pain of losing another love.
As they parted Erik saw the look in Anna's eyes, she cared about him. As he looked at her knew she could grow to love him. She would grow to love him. They sat in silence for what seemed like forever, just staring at one another. Erik was the one who finally broke the silence.
"Anna you can not go back to the theater tonight." Erik said still looking at her. "It is awful at there. You will stay here tonight." He said finally rising as he straightened out his clothes.
"Okay." Was all Anna could manage to get out.
"Tom will show you to a room." Erik said as he walked over to the doors of the library, only turning around to meet Anna's eyes again. "Sweet Dreams Anna."
"Good night." Anna said not hiding her disappointment in his leaving.
Erik nodded once again and turned and left.
Anna was left alone inside the room, which only seconds before held Erik and her reaching the deepest parts of their souls. Anna knew that Erik would never hurt her, and yet she was still frightened of him. But Anna knew what it was that scared her; it was the mysterious mask that rested on the right side of his face.