A/N: As always, thanks to my beta, Le Chat Noir.

Another lighter episode to break up the angst. Enjoy!

Erik: the Vampire Hunter

Episode 27: Masquerade

By: Elektra

Dean Giry's Office

Giry stared at the masked man leaning casually against the wall of her office. "You wanted to see me, Antoinette?" He asked.

"Yes. What happened with Bobby?"

"I believe the boy was under the Leader's control. He was spying on me. I did not appreciate it." Erik replied.

"I am not talking about that. I am talking about how you nearly KILLED the boy!" Giry protested.

"But he is NOT dead, is he, Antoinette? My calculations were correct. The tree broke his fall, and he is merely injured."

"Merely injured?" she repeated. "He broke a leg and an arm, and has a severe concussion. As if that were not enough, he has a bruised trachea from your rope!"

"Well, I had to make sure he was unconscious or the boy would have been flailing all the way down. THAT would have killed him!" Erik pointed out.

Giry pursed her lips. "His parents have not heard from him in several months, and now to find him like this! Do you know how bad this looks for the school?"

"That is not MY problem, Antoinette. I am not the one who took over his mind."

Giry threw her hands up. What could she say to him?

"Is there anything else you wish to speak to me about?" he asked impatiently.

"There is plenty, but I gather you don't care what I have to say about the latest goings-on in your life."

"And you are right." He replied.

With a polite nod of his head, Erik slipped back into the air-ducts and disappeared.

Christine and Meg's Dorm room – twenty minutes later

Christine sat at her desk, huddled over the textbook in front of her. She frowned and furrowed her brow as she puzzled over the equation swimming before her eyes. Why had she taken Math 204 again?

Because you need to have a backup plan… her father's voice reminded her. He had been very supportive with her chosen career, as his own love of theater and music had led him to become a professional violinist. But he had urged her not to make the same mistake HE had when he was younger.

Her father had failed to learn the basic arts and sciences along with performing arts when he'd had the chance. As a result, he had more often than not found himself tight for money and in between jobs.

With a sigh, Christine leaned back in her chair and stretched out her cramped muscles. She grabbed a hair elastic and tied her curly locks back tightly, then leaned over her book once more, ignoring the loose dark strands that fell forward.

Her homework remained as daunting as ever.

So caught up in her current pursuit, she had not noticed anyone else enter the room until she felt cool lips brush against the back of her neck.

"ERIK!" she gasped as papers and pencils went flying – at least, she hoped the man who had just kissed her was Erik. Otherwise, someone would be very sorry.

Christine quickly swore at herself for her clumsiness then fell to her knees to clean up the mess.

"Well now, I did not know you would be THAT excited to see me…" came Erik's voice.

"I'm sorry…" she replied as she continued picking up after herself. "Was stuck on a math question. Didn't realize you'd come in…or… dropped down," she added, knowing he usually came in from the air ducts, not the door.

"Ahhh… math." He replied, a hint of interest in his voice. Christine was only vaguely aware of pen scratching against paper as Erik wrote something down. "Was this the question you were preoccupied with?" he asked as he knelt in front of her and slipped the paper beneath her nose.

Christine dropped what was in her hands and grabbed it. "YES!" she cried out happily as she saw a very detailed formula written out step-by-step for her. "Thank you so much! I've been staring at that stupid thing for the last twenty minutes!" She eagerly threw her arms around the man before her, and he responded in kind.

"Perhaps I should tutor you in Mathematics as well, if this is how excited you get about it…"

"I HATE math. I'm only taking it to be well-rounded with my education…" she replied.

As she continued hugging him, Christine's nose picked up a strange scent. "Are you wearing cologne?" She asked as she closed her eyes and pressed her face against his neck. He smelled earthy and natural. And very pleasant.

"Not cologne, but a free sample of body spray I was given when I went shopping this morning. Do you like it?" Erik asked.

"Mmm-hmm…" Christine muttered against his neck. She was quite sure she could stay like this for hours. It was only after a few moments that Christine registered what Erik had just told her. "Wait… did you say you went shopping? On your own? In a public mall?" She lifted her head to meet his amber eyes.

True, he had gone to the mall with her once before, but she never imagined him going on a regular basis. She knew he did most of his shopping over the Internet and had his purchases sent to a P.O. box, being the private recluse that he was.

"I thought I could use some new clothes…" he answered.

Christine pulled back and allowed her eyes to wander over his current outfit, something she hadn't paid much attention to earlier having being too caught up in her homework when he entered the room.

Erik's new shirt consisted of black strips of fabric that crisscrossed his torso with dark netting placed in the spaces the fabric didn't cover, thus allowing a slight glimpse of pale skin beneath it. This was followed by a pair of form-fitting black leather pants she had never seen him wear before.

"Um… wow…" She leaned back on her hands, unable to take her eyes from him.

She mused that if her parents were still alive, this would definitely not be the type of man she would bring home. Not that Erik ever HAD been the type of man she'd bring home. Her parents would have, no doubt, locked her up and certified her insane.

"There was a store I saw when I took you there last time that interested me. I made note of it and decided I would go back to look around." Erik spoke, snapping Christine out of her thoughts.

Erik's tone then grew somewhat dark. "And once they salesladies saw I was willing to spend money, they stopped gawking at my mask and became overly helpful. No doubt wanting to get their fair share of the commission."

"How much did you buy?" Christine asked. She would not complain if he bought more clothing such as that which he wore now. It looked… very good.

"Another top, another pair of pants. And one more pair of boots. These ones are getting worn." He indicated the black leather boots that covered his leg from toe to knee, tugging distastefully on the cracked straps.

Erik then met her eyes and quirked an unseen eyebrow. "I was thinking of taking Cam public and needed something suitable."

Christine blinked at that. "Taking Cam public?" she asked. He nodded, and Christine immediately jumped to her feet. "Are you CRAZY?" she sputtered.

Erik stood up gracefully. "You disapprove?"

"You KNOW I disapprove!" She stomped a foot angrily. "I already TOLD you that when I first heard you on the radio!"

"Ah yes. I remember that conversation…"

"Whatever happened to I do not have plans to be paraded about in public," she imitated his voice as she quoted his earlier comments on the subject.

Erik's lips twitched into a slight smirk. "I am only jok-"

"You might as well hold up a big neon sign saying Here I am! Come torment me!" she answered, far too intent on her tirade to notice he was trying to speak.

"Christine…" Erik tried again, but she would not be stopped.

"NO! Listen to me! It's fine to go out in public, to go shopping or to a restaurant, or the opera. I'm all FOR that, Erik! Heck, I'd love it if we went on a real date somewhere. Dancing or dinner… or… or something. But as for you becoming a public figure…"

Erik attempted to speak once more. "Angel… I am not ser-"

"To open yourself up to scrutiny like that…" Christine continued, "YES, I disapprove! People will want to know what you're hiding! And once they find out, they'll condemn you for it! They won't be able to see you the way I do, they won't-"

Her rant was silenced by Erik's mouth. Christine's words had touched him deeply, though her worry had been for naught - as he had been trying to tell her for the last few minutes.

"I was jesting, Christine." Erik replied when he finally broke the kiss. "I did not mean to upset you." He slid his arms around her waist and lifted her off her feet into an all-encompassing hug. He then smirked. "Though I must admit, you are rather attractive when you are on a tirade…"

"Oh…" Christine responded, dumbstruck. "I… I thought… maybe… with this new attitude, you were… serious. I mean… not that I want you to hide forever or anything," she stumbled over her words, "But… I… I didn't want you to make yourself a target either."

He chuckled. "I long ago decided that Cam's identity will always remain a mystery. Unreserved I now may be, but foolish I am not," he replied.

"However…" Erik continued, still holding her as if she weighed nothing. "I actually came in here to get your opinion. It is enough I am forced to wear a mask. I do not wish to look absurd in my clothes as well."

"Is the other stuff similar to what you're wearing now?" Christine asked. He nodded, "Then I approve." She pressed her forehead against his, stroking a shoulder-length lock of his ebony hair. "Completely…"

De Chagny Residence – Raoul's bedroom

Raoul sat on his bed and hunched over the copies he had made from the files in his brother's safe. He had returned the originals as soon as he could, not wanting his brother to know he had been sneaking around his study.

The younger De Chagny had also managed to bring up several useful correspondences between Philip and his business partner, Shay on his brother's computer. It was all quite a fascinating read.

Shay had asked Philip to keep an eye on Christine. Raoul noted these emails had been written at the time he had been dating Christine. Why had Shay been so interested in Raoul's personal life?

Unless…

Raoul frowned. If Shay had dealings with Erik, perhaps he was trying to get information by keeping an eye on Christine, who at the time was being tutored by the man in question.

Granted, there was no sign Shay even knew Erik was part of the Hunter's Guild… but Raoul wondered if perhaps he DID know and simply saw no need to mention it to Philip, who probably didn't even realize, to this day, that such an organization even existed.

The more information Raoul found out, the more questions were raised. Surely there was nothing special about the reclusive masked man. He was just one of many Hunters.

So why had Shay taken such a personal interest in any who associated with Erik?

Student Lounge – That evening

"Chrissy, we need to talk." Jammes said as she and Sorelli burst into the student lounge, immediately making a beeline for the brunette currently eating her supper beside Meg."I have a man for you!"

Christine almost choked on her macaroni and cheese.

"Oh now, don't thank me." Jammes continued, completely unaware of the uncomfortable look on Christine's face. "He's my cousin! He's coming into town next weekend. He's single, incredibly good-looking, and would love to find himself a girl."

"Jammes?" Meg spoke up. "If he's from out of town, how does he expect to have a relationship with someone here?" she then raised an eyebrow, "Unless, of course, he's only interested in a girl for the weekend he's in town…"

Jammes brushed away Meg's concern. "Like it matters? Christine has been man-less for almost a year now."

"I have not!" Christine protested, then quickly clamped her mouth shut. Oops…

Jammes studied the girl before her. "You have someone?" she asked curiously.

"Um… I… he… we're…" Christine stumbled over her words.

"Yes. She does." Meg answered on her friend's behalf. "He's not a student though."

Sorelli leaned forward, suspiciously studying Christine. "Tell us about this mystery man then…"

"Well," Meg answered when she saw Christine was not forthcoming. "He's got this incredible singing voice that almost rivals that new guy on the radio," Meg winked at her friend, and Christine tried not to choke on her Kraft Dinner again. "And as for looks - he's pretty tall, very pale, and has a nice body," she explained.

"Meg!" Christine gasped.

"What? Am I lying?" Meg asked. Christine could not dispute Meg's words.

"Ok…" Sorelli began, arms crossed. "You say he's not a student here. Fine. So why hasn't he come to visit at least?"

"He has!" Christine protested, "He's just… very private. Doesn't make a big show of it, you know."

"And how did you meet?" Sorelli continued. Christine suddenly felt as if she was being interrogated.

"He… was – is - my vocal coach…" she blushed.

"One of the teachers!" Jammes squealed.

"NO!" Christine insisted. "He's not one of the teachers! Really, Jammes." She looked appalled that the girl would even think she'd date one of her professors. "He doesn't work here."

"Fine…" Sorelli continued. "Why have you kept him a secret then?"

"He's an older man." Meg answered for her friend. "By… what, eleven years, Chrissy?" Christine nodded. "She was worried people would think badly of him." Meg continued. "You know, think he was taking advantage of a college girl." Christine nodded again, relieved that Meg's explanation was making perfect sense, even though it wasn't entirely true.

"Uh huh… and his name?" Sorelli asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Erik." Christine answered quietly, then glanced up at the air-ducts, wondering if he was lurking around… and if he'd be upset at her for telling.

"I swear, Chrissy! If you and Meg are just making up a story to avoid my cousin…" Jammes wasn't able to finish what she was saying when Christine's phone rang.

She looked at the caller ID, then glanced up to the air-ducts once more and quickly answered. "Erik?"

"Hello, angel," came Erik's voice, "I couldn't help but overhear your conversation."

"Oh! Erik, I-"

"No need to worry," he answered. "I am not upset that you mentioned me. It is better than that girl's alternative at least."

Christine was relieved, "Oh thank goodness!"

"It would be unfair to ask you to lie about us." Erik said, then his voice grew dark. "Especially when nosy girls try to set you up with their relatives."

"Give me that!" Sorelli rudely grabbed the phone from Christine. "Who is this?"

"Considering I was talking to Christine, I should ask who YOU are," came Erik's silky reply.

Sorelli paused for a moment. This man had the most incredible speaking voice she had ever heard. "Are you... Christine's boyfriend?" she asked with a little less arrogance.

Erik was silent for a moment. Boyfriend? He rather liked being referred to in that way. "I am," he answered.

"How come we haven't met you?" she accused.

"I am a very private man." Erik answered. "Now may I speak to Christine again?"

Sorelli handed the phone back to Christine, convinced the girl was not making up stories, "Is he as sexy as he sounds?" she asked.

"I just want to remind you that we have a lesson tonight." Erik replied before Christine could respond to Sorelli.

"I'll be there," Christine replied.

Sorelli spoke up again, "Tell him to come to the Annual Halloween Masquerade on Friday night." She narrowed her eyes. "I want to meet him."

Christine frowned. "Why does this matter so much to you, Sorelli?"

"It is ok, angel," came Erik's voice on the other line. "It is the one time of the year my mask will be considered normal. If it will stop them from hounding you, I am willing to show up in public."

"OH! Thank you so much!" she squealed happily. "If you were here, I'd give you a hug!"

She heard a low chuckle. "I am going to be in a crowded college auditorium, of all things. I despise crowds more than I despise going out in public. I demand at least a kiss for my trouble." Erik replied. "French, preferably…"

Christine's blush did not go unnoticed by the girls in front of her.

Dean Giry's office – the next day

Meg slowly slid into her mother's office, closing the door quietly behind her. The ballet teacher had since left to tend to school business, allowing Meg the chance to pick the lock with a hairpin and sneak in.

She went over to the computer and clicked on the email icon. It asked for a password. After several tries, she attempted to use her full name, Megan, as her mother sometimes called her - when she was angry.

She let out a quiet cheer when the password was accepted, though it was soon replaced with guilt when she realized how touched she was that her mother used her name as a password.

"I'm sorry, Momma…" Meg whispered to the empty office, "But I need to know what you're hiding. I'm worried about you…"

Meg went through the inbox, careful not to click on any new messages, lest her mother wonder why they were marked as 'read'. She continued her search to the saved messages folder and read her mother's various correspondences, nearly gagging when she came across some very private emails from Richard Firmin.

She never thought her mother, so very uptight and rigid, could possibly be capable of half of the things Firmin mentioned. It was information Meg really didn't want to know.

She quickly skimmed past anything sent from Mr. Firmin's email and honed in on the messages sent from the Guild, saving them to the floppy disk she had brought with her.

A few messages made a passing reference to the Guild's Executioner and various assignments he had completed, but no name had been revealed. Meg thought he sounded rather frightening, and hoped never to have the misfortune of meeting him. According to an email to one Gus Leroux, even her mother was worried about the man.

Once Meg gathered what information she could, she logged out of the computer and left everything as she had found it, then headed over to the filing cabinet at the back of the room – only to find it was locked and beyond jimmying open.

Meg glanced up at the clock on the wall and realized her mother would be back any minute.

Without hesitation, Meg immediately headed out of the office and locked the door behind her.

Friday night

Christine stood impatiently in the corner of the auditorium, looking around for a certain masked man who may or may not show up.

She was currently wearing a white silken dress with large feathered angel wings attached to the back, long white gloves, and a halo around her head. She checked her watch and noted that the party had started over two hours ago and she had not seen one sign of her eccentric boyfriend.

The ghost of Ravelle, however, seemed to be in full swing. Already several students had claimed to see death's face floating about the darkened corners of the auditorium. Christine couldn't help but groan inwardly every time she heard a new story.

Sorelli and Jammes, unaware of whom the ghost really was, had grown restless with Erik's tardiness. They had since found themselves two boys to latch onto, glancing over at Christine every now and then expectantly.

"Erik, where are you…" Christine muttered quietly as she nervously wrung her hands.

"Behind you…"

Christine spun around only to see Erik dressed as none other than Zorro, with alterations to the mask that allowed it to cover more of his face than Zorro's costume usually did.

"Forgive my lateness," Erik began, "But this being Halloween, you will forgive a ghost his desire to haunt for a while." He smirked.

"Chrissy!" hollered Meg's voice from a few feet away. "I was looking everywhere for you. I didn't know you'd become a wallflower,"

Erik turned around with a swoosh of his cape and tipped his hat politely, "Little Giry."

"Erik!" Meg replied, a little startled as she came upon them. He had blended into the shadows so well that she had not seen him until he moved.

"Lovely costume." Erik commented, noting Meg was currently dressed as Elvira.

"You don't look so bad yourself! Good choice." Meg gestured to the mask, of which only she, Erik and Christine knew the significance of - although Meg had yet to see what lay beneath it.

Erik glanced over at the two girls who had accompanied Meg and were now studying him intently. "And you are?"

"… very impressed!" Sorelli replied as she eyed Erik with far more than a passing interest.

He reached behind him to take Christine's hand. "Are you not going to introduce us?" he asked.

"Huh?" Christine was startled by the question, not appreciating the way Sorelli was ogling him. "OH!" Christine pointed to the girls beside Meg – one dressed as a prostitute, the other as Cat Woman. "Erik, these two are my dorm mates, Sorelli and Jammes." She slid an arm possessively around his waist – a gesture that did not go unnoticed by him. It made the masked man smile.

"The reclusive boyfriend!" Sorelli said as she slowly walked around him. Christine could see Erik's brow furrow beneath the material of his mask.

"Am I being inspected?" he asked with a slight frown. "I am not a piece of meat, if you do not mind." He then glanced at Christine. "Unless, of course, Christine decides to use me in such a way,"

Christine felt her face grow hot.

Jammes stepped forward and looked up at him. "Wow... you're, like, super tall!" she exclaimed. "Chrissy told us you were her vocal coach."

"I am, but one cannot make a living on such things." he answered. "I am actually an architect by trade."

"Do all architects work out?" Sorelli asked as she rejoined Jammes side and took note of Erik's figure. It was not the type of build she'd expected for someone who spent most of the day hunched over a drafting table.

"I do a lot of physical work as well," he answered. "Why just over the summer, I helped Little Giry's mother with some home improvements, did I not?" he asked as he glanced over at Meg.

"Oh, yeah!" Meg turned to Sorelli and Jammes. "He built this amazing deck in our backyard."

"It was because Christine knew of my day job that she referred me to the Girys." Erik explained.

Christine and Meg both glanced up at him. It wasn't exactly the truth, but it was a good enough explanation. Sorelli and Jammes didn't need to know any more details.

Sorelli grew even more curious. "So how long have you two been all touch-feely then?"

"Since the aforementioned summer," Erik offered. "Christine was staying with the Girys, and since I was there quite often…" he purposely left out the fact he was also staying there at the time. "…we were able to see each other outside our lessons. It did not take long for use to realize we favoured one another in a way that went beyond tutor and student."

He did not think it was important these girls knew his feelings for his student had started long before. Such private details were not for discussion.

Erik suddenly turned his full attention to Christine. "Shall we dance?" he asked, and led her out on the dance floor before she could answer.

"You dance?" Christine asked as they found a spot.

"No. Not really. But it was a good reason to excuse ourselves from your dorm mates before they got too curious, no?" he asked. "Besides, it does not look overly difficult…" he simply followed the swaying of those around him as a slow song started up. He smirked ever so slightly, recognizing the song as Cam's new single.

More students headed out to the dance floor with their significant others, and soon enough, it was fairly crowded.

Too crowded for Erik's liking.

He began feeling pressed in on either side. Christine furrowed her brow as the ear resting against his chest picked up his uneven breathing and quickened heart beat.

"Erik?" she began.

Erik suddenly broke away from her and rushed out of the auditorium. Christine quickly followed.

"Erik?" Christine called out as she entered the empty hallway.

She walked up and down several rows of lockers before she found the man she was looking for, sitting on the floor, head pressed against his hands, his hat on the ground beside him.

Christine ran to him immediately and fell to her knees. "What is it? What's wrong?" she asked worriedly as she placed a hand on his shoulder.

He said nothing as he pulled Christine into his lap, clutching her desperately against him. He pressed his masked face against her neck, breathing slowly, deeply, as if she were his lifeline.

"Too many…" he whispered finally. "Too many people… felt them… pushing into me… tugging… on the back of my mask. It… could have fallen off… they… they would have seen... seen the freak… seen the ... the monster..."

Christine knew it was enough the students screamed upon seeing the ghost of Ravelle. To find that he was really a man would have led to far worse than a few screams.

Christine hugged him instead. "Will you be ok?" she asked softly. "I didn't realize… I should have known there would've been too many people for you." She rested her head against his, still sitting in his lap. "I'm sorry, Erik."

"Not your fault, angel…" he replied as he tightened his arms around her. "I truly thought I could join you tonight, being that I have slowly begun venturing out in public lately."

She shook her head. "But the mall has lots of space to walk around in. A dance… well… those get a lot more crowded."

"I really should have handled myself better," he said. "I cannot stay hidden forever. Not when I have you to think of now." He played with a lock of her hair, "How would it look to have you going to parties and such without your boyfriend?" He asked. "No doubt you will have more girls attempting to set you up with their cousins."

"Not too big on parties anyway." She smiled, then slid her hands over his shoulders, massaging gently to ease the tension she felt in his body. Erik released a soft sigh as he rested his forehead against her collarbone to allow her better access.

Christine's fingers slid up his neck, beneath the back of his mask, pressing against the tightened muscles she felt there. She knew what to do from her own experiences with tight muscles, as her and Meg had often had to work out each other's kinks after long rehearsals.

She pressed her fingers hard against the knots, releasing when she felt them ease. She kneaded the muscles as best she could, though she was quite aware her ministrations would have been more effective if she were behind him.

Erik, however, didn't seem willing to remove his hands from her waist any time soon.

"Christine… I love you…" he muttered almost inaudibly.

Christine's fingers faltered for a moment, then she swallowed nervously. "Erik?" she began quietly.

"Yes, beloved?"

She took a deep breath, bit her lip, and found her courage. "I… I lo-"

"CHRISSY!" A voice echoed down the hall, interrupting her words.

Erik's head shot up, causing Christine to jerk her hands away as he quickly tugged his mask back into place. It had slipped halfway off while Christine was tending to him.

Meg, Sorelli, and Jammes came around the corner only to see Erik and Christine in their cozy position.

"See, I told you that you worried for nothing…" Sorelli scoffed. "She was busy making out with her man!"

Erik gently slid Christine off his lap and jumped gracefully to his feet, then offered Christine a hand. She took his offer and he assisted her up, Sorelli and Jammes exchanging surprised looks in response to his manners – something very few college boys had.

"You will have to forgive me for leaving so abruptly, ladies." He began, his cool demeanour suddenly returning. "But, unfortunately, I must be off. It was a pleasure to meet you, Jammes. Sorelli." He took each girl's hand in turn, placing a gentlemanly kiss atop them, then turned back to Christine.

The kiss he gave her was not very gentlemanly at all. It was, in fact, the kiss he told her she would owe him if he showed up at the Halloween masquerade. Christine was left with a flushed face and quickened pulse, and the three girls who had witnessed the scene seemed almost as flushed as her.

Erik turned and grabbed his hat from the floor, not noticing the way Sorelli and Jammes took the opportunity to appreciatively study his backside. "Good night, ladies. I will leave Christine to enjoy the rest of her evening with you."

Erik gave Christine one last quick kiss on the cheek, then turned and headed out of the building.

Once he was gone, Sorelli looked over to Jammes, eyebrow raised. "Somehow, I don't think Chrissy is going to be interested in meeting your cousin …"

END OF EPISODE 27