Erik: the Vampire Hunter
Episode 14: Happy Birthday
By: Elektra
DeChagny Residence – Philip's study
Philip looked up from his papers when he heard the knocking, "Phil?" came the voice, "Can I come in?" the door opened just a crack to reveal his younger brother eagerly waiting.
"Hmm… yes, Ray. What is it?" Philip asked.
Raoul came in looking a little nervous. "Well, if you have time, I was wondering if you could tell me a bit about your business partner," he started. Raoul was sure there was a reason Christine was bothered by the man, and a reason her tutor had decided to take it upon himself to confront him
Philip took a deep breath. He knew this day would come. Raoul had no knowledge of the financial troubles their parents had put them in. Perhaps it was time to tell him.
Philip gestured for his brother to sit down. "Ray… our parents were not exactly wise with their money," he started. "Let's just say Mr. Shay helped us out of a rather deep hole."
Raoul was surprised. Perhaps shocked would be a better word. "Are you serious!" he asked. "What did they do?"
"Oh, this that and the next thing," Philip waved a hand dismissively. "No need to worry yourself over it. I'm more concerned about that strange man who seems to be friends with your lady."
Raoul glanced away. "She's not my lady anymore. And that strange man is her tutor. Or her friend, as she calls him," he glanced back at Philip. "And your architect," Raoul added.
Philip seemed slightly alarmed at this new information. "HIM?" he asked.
"Apparently he's multi-talented," Raoul frowned, "He's also a freak,"
"Now now, Ray," Philip scolded. "It's rather undignified to refer to other people as freaks,"
"It's true, Phil. Trust me on this! You haven't seen his face!" Raoul shook his head. "And he has a strange interest in your business partner." He leaned forward. "Did you notice they looked somewhat similar?" he asked.
Philip shrugged, "I didn't pay much attention."
"Well, it's enough to make me wonder!" Raoul insisted, then thought of an idea.
Maybe he'd ask Erik what he knows…
Pareau Women's Prison – the next day
A man had come to visit her – that's what the guard had said. When Madeline asked for more information, she was told he was very tall, very polite, and very strange.
Madeline's frightened heart had skipped a beat at that, and she was quite sure it stopped completely when she saw the lean back on the other side of the glass. The inhuman grace with which he held himself, the darkness that exuded from his very body.
Oh god… she thought, How did he find me?
The man turned around ever so slowly, and Madeline saw the black leather mask on his face. She wanted to cry with relief… and happiness.
Her son finally stood before her after twenty-one years.
Erik studied her expression as he sat down and picked up the phone to speak to her. "You thought I was someone else at first, didn't you?" he accused.
"No… of course not!" She replied quickly. This was not a promising start.
"I'm nothing if not observant, Madeline," he replied.
"Oh… please, let's not argue, Erik! It's been too long!" She studied him with a proud smile. "My, you look so healthy! When you were a child, you were so skinny."
"Things change," he muttered. Truth be told, when he was fifteen, Nadir had taken to training him in Hunting techniques, telling Erik that he needed meat on his bones or he'd never survive one night against the creatures. It was amazing what healthy food, vitamins, and exercise did for a person.
"So they do," she placed the flat of her hand against the glass. "I can't believe you're actually here. You actually came to visit," she sniffled. "You have no idea how happy that makes me."
"You're happy to see me?" Erik scoffed at that. "There must be one hell of a rehab program in this prison,"
"I didn't realize how much I'd miss you when they took you away, Erik," she spoke softly.
"If you truly missed me that much, you'd have sobered up and done everything in your power to get me back. Yet, you didn't," he replied. "But enough about the past. I'm here for a purpose." He leaned forward, "As I mentioned earlier, you thought I was someone else for a moment. Who is he? And don't be coy! I need to know, Madeline!"
She shook her head, eyes wide. "No. Please. Don't… don't make me talk about him," she said.
"Talk about WHOM?" he insisted. "Tell me! Did I have a twin brother? Because I've seen someone that is the very reflection of ME. Same age, height, build, eyes. EVERYTHING…" he put a hand to his mask. "Except this," he said, "this is perfect! Handsome! Flawless!"
"A brother?" Madeline repeated, eyes wide. "Oh! Goodness no! I had no other children! The… the man I was speaking of would be in his sixties by now!"
"This man certainly wasn't in his sixties, Madeline!"
"Then I don't know who it was you saw, Erik! It certainly wasn't the person I'm thinking of."
"Any relatives you had that may be the same age and look similar to me then?" he asked. "With a normal face, at least,"
"No one. I swear!"
Erik frowned. "Very well, Madeline. I see I will not get the answers I need from you,"
He readied himself to leave when Madeline spoke again. "Erik…. please. Tell me you'll come see me again?"
He looked at her a moment, then took a deep breath. "Perhaps, Madeline. Perhaps…"
Erik's Room
Erik opened the door to his room slowly and saw Christine fiddling with a sharpened piece of wood. She held it up, gripped it tightly, and started doing quite the silliest little dance that, no doubt, was supposed to emulate some kind of fight.
He found it oddly amusing.
Normally, he would have been angry that someone dared enter his living quarters without permission, but he had given Christine permission. He had, in fact, called Christine's cell phone before going to talk to Madeline, and told her where the key was hidden. He informed her that she should meet him inside – lest anyone see the girl lurking around the Residence basement.
Erik had needed to talk to her where vampires – or rather, Laura – couldn't spy. He needed to inform Christine of the Leader, and the possible danger she faced going to the DeChagny place.
"Having fun playing with my toys?"
Erik's deep voice startled Christine, who cried out and nearly dropped the stake. She managed to catch it before it clattered to the ground, and then looked back at him, raising the stake up and making stabbing motions with her arm. "I could probably do this, you know,"
"No you couldn't," he answered coolly.
"Why not? How difficult could it be? You just aim the pointy part at the heart, and stab," Christine replied.
Erik suddenly spread his arms wide. "Then try it," he said.
Christine blinked at him. "What do you mean?"
"Come at me," he offered. "Aim the pointy part at the heart and stab,"
"I don't want to hurt you!" Christine protested.
Erik chuckled at that. "I doubt you'll even get close enough. Come on now," he motioned for her to attack. "Or maybe it's not as easy as you claim?" he taunted.
Christine set her jaw in determination, "Fine. Ok. I'll do it! But if you get hurt, don't blame me!" With a deep breath, she held the weapon high, and ran at him.
In a blur of black velvet, the stake was knocked out of her hand. She was suddenly forced back against the wall, her wrists pinned above her head as Erik's masked face pressed hard against her neck. "ERIK!" Christine gasped.
"You're dead," he hissed against her skin.
Christine shuddered at the unintentional brush of his lips against her pulse, her breath catching for a moment. "Erik..." she whispered softly. Christine suddenly felt his face leave her neck and looked up at him.
"Not as easy as you thought, was it?" he asked.
"Huh?" Christine replied, her mind unable to form coherent thought at the moment.
"I just killed you!"
Christine blinked, "OH!" she finally realized, "You were... doing the... the vampire thing... " she swallowed nervously, a blush on her cheeks.
"Yes, Christine," he answered as he released her wrists. "What did you think I was doing?"
Christine quickly shook her head. "Nothing. Nothing! You ... caught me off guard, that's all."
Erik stepped back. "They will ALWAYS catch a person off guard," he answered. "Unless it's ME, of course." Christine nodded. She should have known better. "Are you ok?" Erik asked when he noticed her absently rubbing her sore wrists.
"What? Oh... yes, I'm fine," she replied quickly.
He carefully reached out and took her tiny wrist in his hand. He turned it over and traced his fingers along the soft underside. "I hurt you," he spoke quietly as he noticed the red marks. "I'm sorry." He gently dropped her wrist and studied his hands. "I forget my strength sometimes."
"It's ok." Christine replied as she took his hand in hers and turned it back and forth, studying it carefully. "You're a walking contradiction, you know," she began as she traced his fingers with her own. He had the hands of a musician, but with the strength of a fighter. "You can be intimidating and threatening one moment, then kind and gentle the next."
She looked up at him. "I like to watch you when you play the piano, the way your fingers dance over the keys. Sometimes it doesn't even look like you touch them." She glanced away, her voice growing softer. "Sometimes I forget these same hands go out and destroy the scary monster things that go bump in the night."
"Perhaps I'm just bipolar," Erik muttered, then quickly slid his hand out of her grasp. The truth was, he did more than destroy scary monster things. He destroyed scary human things as well. She didn't need to know that.
"Erik," Christine met his eyes a moment. "Do you know what tomorrow is?"
"Your twentieth birthday," he answered. Sometimes his ability to remember almost everything paid off. Christine had told him the date once. "I have a gift for you, but I will save it for later."
"You got me a present?" She squealed excitedly, thrilled at the prospect of a gift until she noticed the serious expression on his face. "Oh oh... what is it?"
Erik took a deep breath, then spoke. "Unrelated to your birthday, there is a reason I called you to meet me here."
"Yeah, I kind of figured," Christine sat on his bed and waited for him to continue.
He glanced at her a moment, then looked away. "There's something you should know about that man you saw at the DeChagny house…"
Ravelle College – Arts Building (the next night)
Erik looked at the tickets in his hand. Two seats in Box 5 for tomorrow's opening performance of the opera Ariodante at the Opera Populaire. He had meant to give them to Christine tonight… but it seemed Little Giry had surprise plans for the birthday girl.
"I KNEW I'd find you here!" came an accusatory male voice. Erik quickly pocketed the tickets and turned to the window, only to see the blond-haired, blue-eyed, well-tanned and perfect-looking boy who crawled in, "Where's Christine?"
Erik took a deep breath, "As if it is any of your business, DeChagny, she is celebrating her birthday with Little Giry at a club."
Raoul frowned, "And how do you know where she is?"
"I asked Antoinette," Erik replied simply, then studied Raoul. "You DID know it was her birthday, didn't you?" he asked.
Raoul opened his mouth, then closed it, looking somewhat embarrassed. "What are you, some kind of stalker?" he accused, attempting to save face. "What ELSE do you know about Christine?"
"Whatever she chooses to tell me," he replied. "And why did you feel the need to come barreling over here looking for her?"
"I wanted to ask her something…" he replied, "Well… I wanted to ask YOU something through HER since I try to avoid you as much as possible." He then narrowed his eyes. "I hate that she spends more free time with you then with me!"
He shrugged. "Perhaps because I actually know her date of birth," he glanced at Raoul, "Funny how that works, considering YOU are the one in a relationship with her!"
"Not anymore," Raoul muttered as he sat on a chair nearby. "Chrissy gave me the let's be friends speech. Said there were other things she wanted to do first before she got all serious." He then turned to Erik suspiciously, "I don't suppose YOU had anything to do with that?"
"I do not meddle in Christine's love life," Erik replied, though would not deny he was rather pleased with this news. "If you will excuse me, DeChagny, I am busy composing. I would like peace and quiet!" He then studied the boy a moment, "Unless you wish to ask me what it was you were going to get Christine to ask me,"
Raoul took a deep breath, then finally spoke. "That man at my house last week…" he began, "How do you know him?"
"I don't," Erik replied. "Though I must say he intrigues me,"
"Did you notice he looks a lot like you… except NORMAL?" Raoul asked.
"Yes, DeChagny, I noticed," Erik frowned. "What is your point?"
"Is he a relative?"
"Apparently not, or so my mother told me."
Raoul's eyes went wide, "You have a mother?"
Erik scowled, arms crossed. "No, DeChagny. Hell spit me out of its foul depths fully grown!"
Raoul seemed to believe that for a moment, but quickly realized Erik was being sarcastic, "Well, whatever your mother said, the man reminded me of you a little too much. And I'd like you to find out more information about him."
"Oh, I WILL find out more information about him – for my own reasons. But why should I share it with YOU?" he asked.
"I'll pay you," Raoul said.
"I make quite a decent living, DeChagny. I don't need your money," Erik replied.
Raoul was quiet for a moment, then thought of another plan. "For Christine then," he said. "For her safety."
Erik narrowed his eyes, interested now. "Did something happen I'm not aware of?"
Raoul shrugged. "It's just… when she was at my house – when she first saw him – she seemed a little freaked out."
"Because he looked like ME," Erik explained.
Raoul shook his head, "No. It was more then that. She didn't notice, but I saw her shaking a little when she was talking to me about him." A pause. "And every time he comes over, my brother always bugs me to marry Christine and run away with her," Raoul then looked slightly guilty. "It's one of the reasons I proposed." He looked up at Erik, "Well, that and the fact I didn't want her to be around you anymore. I don't think you're very trustworthy!"
Erik let out a harsh laugh. "And now, here you come, asking for my help! How does crow taste, DeChagny?"
"I'm not looking for your HELP, just your INFORMATION!" Raoul insisted. "You seem the type that would have some shady means of getting it!"
As if on cue, Erik's cell phone rang. He saw the caller ID and sighed, "Yes?"
"I've got an assignment for you. Quarry was spotted at the Aleran night club," came Giry's voice on the other line.
"Can someone else not take care of that?" Erik asked.
"It's the club Christine went to," Giry replied.
That was all the answer he needed.
"I have to go," Erik shut off his cell phone and returned it to his belt holder. "Go home, DeChagny," Erik said as he stood up and slipped out the window.
"You know where she is, don't you?" Raoul shouted out as he quickly followed.
"GO HOME!" Erik hissed as he sped up.
"No. If you're going to see Christine, I'm coming with!"
Erik immediately stopped walking and spun on him, grasping Raoul's neck with one hand and squeezing just enough to frighten the boy. "I SAID…" his voice was low and dangerous now, his grip growing tight enough to make Raoul's eyes fill with fear. "GO. HOME! If Christine wishes to contact you, she WILL!" He threw Raoul to the ground and continued on.
Raoul put a hand to his sore throat, coughing to catch his breath. After a few moments, he stumbled back to his feet and chased after Erik.
He'd be damned if he was going to let that insane masked man get to Christine before him.
Aleran Nightclub
Erik watched as the creature came out of the nightclub, a stumbling Christine slumped against him. It stopped and looked up at Erik, saw the Hunter's instinct in his eyes. "And what were you planning on doing with this girl?" Erik asked, "Enjoy her body before you killed her?"
Christine's dazed eyes looked up at the dark-clad man before her, "Erik?" she began, "Wha… wha're you doin'here?" Her words were noticeably slurred.
"Christine!" Came Raoul's concerned voice as he breathlessly caught up to Erik.
"DAMN IT, DeChagny!" Erik hissed, not appreciating the over-zealous boy, "I TOLD you to go home!"
"CHRISSY!" Meg shouted out as she bolted out of the nightclub. Seeing the two males before her, she suddenly felt a rush of relief.
Christine had left the dance floor with the strange man beside her, and Meg had not been fast enough to stop it. She feared what would happen, considering Christine was unsteady on her feet.
"Take the girls and go, DeChagny," Erik interrupted coldly, not tearing his eyes away from his quarry.
"Was THIS your plan, Meg? To get Chrissy drunk and laid by some pervert?" Raoul accused.
"DeChagny!" Erik hissed, "I am sure that was not Little Giry's intent! But I WOULD appreciate if you escorted the ladies HOME!" He met Raoul's eyes. "NOW!" he commanded.
Raoul sensed the threat of bodily harm if he did not listen. He quickly nodded and went up to Christine, supporting the brunette between himself and Meg as the three quickly headed off.
"You've ruined all my fun now," the creature began once the others were gone.
"Really?" Erik's voice was low and dangerous when he spoke. "Because my fun is just starting!"
Erik steadied himself, watching the creature steel its body against what it knew to be a fight to the death. Erik stepped forward, simultaneously reaching into his duster to grab the new stake he'd carved earlier that evening. Palming it, he had barely revealed it when the creature lunged forward. Erik sidestepped, easily avoiding its clumsy advance.
"Very elegant of you," Erik mocked.
The creature aimed a fist at Erik's head. Erik blocked the shot and countered with backhand to the jaw.
"Why did you target her?" His left fist connected with the creature's throat, disabling it momentarily. The creature stumbled backwards and Erik slammed him against the brick wall.
"She's delicious, you know," the creature hissed. "That skin is so soft."
A quick knee to the groin silenced the creature, and Erik smirked for a second, then sobered to its words. "How the hell would you know that?"
The creature grinned. "I tasted it. Not the blood, of course. The flesh. It was salty and sweet. She let me caress her-"
The stake was aimed at the creature's heart before Erik could learn exactly what part of Christine's body it claimed to have polluted.
The creature's fist connected with Erik's ribcage, and Erik countered by grabbing its collar and forcing it to the ground. He balled his fist and slammed it into the creature's jaw twice. Erik then grabbed its shirtfront and hurled it against the brick wall again for good measure. He slapped its face just to humiliate.
"She would have never looked at you if you hadn't poisoned her."
The creature licked a bit a blood off its lip and tried to maintain a sense of ferocity. "She wanted it," the creature wheezed. "She wanted me…she was hungry for my touch."
"You're lying!" Erik snapped, then saw something out of the corner of his eye as he pinned the creature beneath him.
A man. Tall, imposing. He was watching.
The Leader.
With a graceful swipe of his arm, Erik dusted the vampire, then jumped to his feet, racing over to the Leader before he could disappear.
"Who are you?" Erik demanded.
The Leader simply smirked, "Your skills are quite impressive. But then, I would expect no less from you."
Erik narrowed his eyes, "What are you talking about?" The man continued to smile, only angering Erik that much more. "Explain yourself! You are not like them," he indicated the pile of dust behind him.
"How do you know? Oh… because you cannot sense me, is that right?" he laughed, "Do you not think that perhaps there is ANOTHER explanation for that? Think on it now…"
"I don't have time for your riddles. What ARE you?" Erik demanded.
"How is Madeline, Erik?" the man asked.
"Madeline?" Erik asked suspiciously, "And how do you know of her?"
The man shrugged, "I know a lot of things about you," he said.
"What's your name!" The masked hunter demanded.
"My name? Oh, I've had many over the years. Currently, I'm known as Mr. Shay," he shrugged. "Call me what you wish." He then backed into the shadows, and disappeared, leaving Erik standing alone.
Erik headed back to campus, annoyed and frustrated with the little information he could get from the Leader.
He froze when he saw Christine on her hands and knees in a patch of grass not far away from the club. Meg and Raoul were gently rubbing her back, looking concerned. "Did she get sick?" he asked as he came up to them.
Meg jumped at the voice and turned to face him. "Yeah... and she keeps stumbling. I'm not strong enough to keep her up,"
Erik glanced at Raoul. "And you? Are you not strong enough either!"
Raoul frowned. "What am I supposed to do, carry her in my arms?" he asked. "All the way back to campus?"
Erik sighed, then reached into the pocket of his duster and grabbed his wallet, pulling out a crisp bill, handing it to Meg. "About a block up is a variety store. Get her a bottle of water." Meg nodded as she took the money Erik offered her, then headed off.
"Wha'happen'd?" Christine asked as Erik took Meg's place beside her. If Christine had been feeling better, she would have been amused at the two men in her life on either side of her.
"My guess is that you drank too much," he said.
"But'all I had wasss'few glasssses'cola! Thisss nice man'kep' buyin'em for me, and... "
"You let some strange guy buy you drinks?" Raoul exclaimed.
"COLA!" Christine insisted, then frowned. "Though they DID taste'a lil'weird,"
Erik groaned inwardly. How naïve was this girl? "They were spiked, Christine," Erik replied. "And you obviously have a low tolerance. No doubt that thing wanted to do more then just make a meal out of you."
Christine shivered. "So tha's what he wasss'. I wonder'd why'you'were lurking'round."
Raoul looked between them. "Thing?" he asked.
"He's gone, if that helps any," Erik replied, and Christine knew what he meant by gone. He was then silent for a moment, his voice quiet when he spoke again, "I may not have had a reason to be there, Christine. I wouldn't have been able to help you under different circumstances."
"I know," she replied softly, "I... I tol'him I wasssn't int'rested, but he insisssted,"
"Ok, what am I missing here?" Raoul asked as he narrowed his eyes suspiciously.
"NEVER allow a stranger to buy you anything you ingest!" Erik replied sharply, ignoring Raoul.
Christine closed her eyes. "Shhhhh... you're loud," she groaned as a sharp pain shot through her skull. "M'head hurts,"
From the look on Raoul's face, Erik was sure the boy was on the verge of having a hissy-fit, not getting the attention he seemed to want so desperately.
"I can pretty much guarantee you won't wake up happy tomorrow morning," Erik said to Christine.
Meg then returned, water in hand. She quickly gave the bottle to Christine, and gave Erik his change back. The brunette took the beverage and sipped it slowly.
After a few moments, Erik took the bottle from her and stood up, holding out his free hand, "Come now. You need to sleep this off," Christine grasped his outstretched hand and collapsed against him, her legs feeling like jello. "You'll never make it like that," he muttered as he adjusted his grip on her.
"Here," Raoul reached out to support her other side, but Erik handed Meg the water instead, then literally swept Christine off her feet, cradling the dizzy girl in his arms.
Raoul could only stare and blink at that, "You're going to carry her all the way back?"
"She is only a little thing, DeChagny," Erik then frowned, "Though perhaps you are too weak to lift her!" He looked towards Meg, "Little Giry?" Meg came forward, waiting eagerly. "Grab her purse," Meg nodded and did so. "Let's go then,"
Christine closed her eyes and rested her head against Erik's chest, her hand fisting his duster gently. "You sssmell nice," she slurred softly.
Raoul scoffed, and Erik glanced at him. "You never say I smell nice," he muttered.
"Perhaps there's a reason for that," Erik snarked.
"Yeah, she's wasted tonight." Raoul needled.
Erik ignored the comment and looked back at the girl in his arms. She felt so soft. So warm…
He shook the thoughts out of his head and took a deep breath, then headed off with Meg in tow - Raoul rushing to catch up as the group made their way back to campus.
Ravelle College – Christine's Dorm room
Erik gently lay Christine down on her bed, having lost Raoul somewhere along the way.
"Little Giry," he called out. Meg came up to him. He was finding her obedience rather amusing tonight. "Help her change into more suitable clothing when I leave," he replied. "If you're concerned about anything," Erik continued, "She has my number in her cell phone. Give me a call." He sat down on the edge of Christine's bed and spoke to her. "I suggest you stay away from nightclubs for a while. Forever, ideally."
Christine reached a hand out and grasped the front of Erik's shirt, pulling herself into a sitting position. "I sssstill feel funny," she said.
"Tired?" he asked.
"Spacey," she answered.
He tilted her chin up and studied her eyes. They were glassy, "Yes, you're still very intoxicated," he answered, "It'll take a few hours for it to wear off."
Erik made to get up but Christine clutched his shoulders desperately. "Don'go!"
"You need to rest," he said.
Christine suddenly traced her fingers over his mask before sinking them gently into his hair, "Birth'day kissssss? I'm twenty t'day!" she smiled, then giggled drunkenly afterwards.
"CHRISSY!" Meg gasped.
What woman would ever want to kiss you? An unpleasant memory invaded Erik's thoughts.
Madeline's words still stung after all these years. More than the hard slap that had accompanied them. It was the first - and last - time he had ever asked the woman for a motherly kiss.
Funny how a drunk Christine treated him so very differently then a drunk Madeline…
"She MUST be out of it. She thinks you're ME!" The newly-arrived Raoul spoke from the doorway. He was breathless and more then a little disheveled, having practically run the last ten minutes trying to catch up to the others. Erik had slunk through alleys, and behind buildings. Raoul was quite sure the strange man had been trying to lose him on purpose.
Christine furrowed her brow, then glanced at the door. "Raoul? Why're you here? Go home…"
"Well, she can't be that drunk," Erik scoffed. "She knows enough to be annoyed by YOUR presence."
"Christine!" Raoul protested. "If you want a birthday kiss, I can give you one!"
Christine looked back at Raoul. "You didn'even'member it wassss my birth'day!" she slurred, then turned her attention to Erik once again. "At least Erik hasss'a pres'nt for me!" she furrowed her brow. "You said you'd give me your pres'nt tonight," she then smiled again. "Birth'day kissssss?" she repeated.
Erik met Christine's eyes, his voice cold. "I will cut you some slack because you are intoxicated, but I take NO humour in your little joke!" he hissed, then grasped her shoulders and pushed her back down on the bed. "Goodnight!"
Before she could grab him again, he jumped to his feet and turned to Meg. "Give her these when she's sober!" he ordered, handing Meg the tickets for Ariodante. "Maybe she can take her pretty boyfriend!"
Erik angrily left the room, shoving roughly past Raoul.
"Someone has issues," Raoul muttered once Erik was gone, then sat beside Christine. He glanced at her, noticing her forlorn expression. "What's wrong?"
The brunette pouted, her voice child-like when she spoke. "It wasn't a joke..." A pause, then. "Is he mad at me?"
"He's just mad, period," Raoul replied frowning.
"Why're you'so mean t'him?" Christine asked.
"I'm not mean!" he answered. "I just don't trust him near you."
"He'won'do any'thin'. He'ssss'a gen'l'man…"
Gentleman, Raoul thought. A gentleman doesn't wrap a hand around a man's throat and toss him to the ground!
Raoul was quite sure there was a dark side to Erik that Christine would never know…
Erik's room – the next night
With a weary sigh, Erik stood up to answer the insistent knock at his door. "WHAT?" he demanded as he yanked the door open. One look at whom waited there, however, found the man unable to breathe.
Christine stood before him, a shy smile on her lips. "Hey…" she started. "Um, I… I want to thank you for the tickets to the opera," she seemed nervous for a moment. "Is… is this the right gown to wear?" she asked.
Erik could only look at her... and the black satin gown that clung to her form perfectly. "I've never been to a real opening performance," Christine continued, "… and I hear the Populaire is really high class."
"You look… beautiful…" he replied quietly.
Christine smiled, but one look at him, and the smile faded, "Why aren't you dressed up yet?"
"Why would I dress up?" he asked.
"Because we're going to the opera!" Christine pointed out.
"Those tickets were for whomever you wanted to go with, Christine. Not me."
Christine raised an eyebrow, "But YOU'RE the one I want to go with!" She then walked into the room. "Can I check your closet?" she asked. "No dead things in there, right?"
"No… but…"
She opened the door, ignoring him. "Let's see… black jeans… black jeans… black jeans… oh! Black dress trousers," She tugged those out and tossed them on the bed. "And… ok, this is cool!" She pulled out a long black cloak that had been stuffed in the back. "And where did you get THIS?" She pulled down a black fedora from the shelf above and dusted it off.
"Christine, listen-I don't think I'd be the best person to-"
"Oh wow, this is so nineteenth century of you!" She pulled out a black vest and black tailcoat. Last but not least, she went to his dresser and found a pressed white shirt while sifting through the drawers. It was far in the back, beneath numerous black t-shirts and tank tops. "Ok! Get dressed! We're going to be late!"
One look at the excited girl before him, and he knew he could not refuse. She was his weakness. His ONLY weakness. "Very well," he sighed. "I will be ready shortly…" Erik grabbed the clothing and headed into the bathroom – a door on the left that almost looked like part of the wall.
He briefly wondered if he would regret this later…
END OF EPISODE 14