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

Erik: the Vampire Hunter

Episode 33: Death Becomes Her

By: Elektra

Servant's quarters

Christine stepped through the door of the Servant quarters to see Laura waiting for her. She froze in her steps. "Is something wrong?" Christine asked, noticing Laura's confrontational glare.

"Did you have a good night?" Laura spoke snidely.

"It was fine, thank you…" Christine replied, eyes narrowed.

"He let you sleep? I would think a man like Erik would be in a rather passionate mood after the display of anger I heard he showed last night."

"Well, of course he was…" she said quickly.

Laura let out a snort. "Please spare me. I know better. I don't understand why he puts up with you!"

"He loves me," Christine answered.

Laura scowled. "How very disgusting. Really." She shook her head. "What a waste!"

"What is it, Laura?" Christine asked with a sigh. "What do you want from me?"

"You know what – who - I want!" Laura snapped. " I am the experienced one! I'm the one female every creature here desires!" Laura then lowered her voice, angry. "And YOU? YOU'RE only talent is that voice! How could ANY man be attracted to you?"

Laura narrowed her eyes, a cold smile on her lips. "Shay has discovered how his son treats you in private. How he talks to you, protects you. How he behaves himself when he is with you. He is very disappointed. He truly thought his son would not make himself such a fool for a woman." She let out a chuckle. "It was Shay last night,"

Christine furrowed her brow. "What?"

"In Erik's bedchambers. He wanted to frighten you. Scare you. Wanted to see what Erik would do. Wanted to see if his suspicions were right,"

Laura smirked. "Shay wants to hurt you. As do I! Last night, he tried to lure his son away… to get Erik to leave your side for just a moment! He figured any real man would come searching for the one who invaded his privacy,"

Christine hugged herself. "I stopped Erik from going… but I thought the trap was set for him. I didn't realize it was for me,"

"Shay has been gloating to his people about Erik. You are ruining things for him. Making Erik weak! And I swear, little girl, I will make you PAY for that!" Laura threatened, then turned on her heel and headed out of the room.

Once she was sure Laura was gone, Christine went to Erik's duster – still by her cot, untouched – and grabbed his cell phone. She turned it on and checked reception.

There was nothing.

Christine walked around the cavern, holding the phone out to see even just one line appear. Finally, she found a spot, though the line was flickering dangerously. She quickly went through the electronic phone book to find the number she had called once before, and waited for an answer.

Christine spoke in a rush once the familiar voice picked up.

"Madame Giry! It's Christine again…"

Laramie Drive - Back lot (three nights later)

Christine peered out from the large cloak she was hiding under, seeing everyone gathered outside to watch Nadir's execution. The plan had been set.

Nadir would not die tonight.

Erik had thought of a plan. And it would work.

Behind the rapt audience, no one saw the young girl leading several others out of the sewage tunnel Erik had found a few days prior. It was a passage beneath the building, one of many among the labyrinth that lay under the house.

It seemed the Guards were so very interested in the proceedings that they arrogantly thought to take their attention momentarily away from their charges.

Are they out? A voice seemed to speak in Christine's head, though she knew better. Erik was using his uncanny ability to throw his voice once again.

She nodded as herself and the others sank into the shadows, glancing around to see the source of the voice. She could not find it.

Christine had grown worried when Erik had missed their rendezvous in front of the servant's quarters an hour ago. He had finally arrived twenty minutes late, a little worse for wear, explaining that had run into some unfortunate company on the way out, and the escape plan was put into motion.

Christine knew if Erik was alive and well, then his unfortunate company was NOT. Were they human or otherwise? She did not know. She did not WANT to know. She was only glad she didn't have to see what had become of them.

Perhaps she was fooling herself, believing if she didn't see Erik kill, then he didn't do it.

It was easier then admitting the truth.

Laura and Shay watched as Nadir was forced onto a large box, a noose tightened about his neck.

"Have you seen my son?" Shay questioned the female beside him as the two watched over the proceedings.

Laura shook her head. "No, Shay," then smiled to herself. She was quite sure her guards had taken care of the man. If all was well, he would be waiting for her in her bedroom when this was over, whether willingly or otherwise.

The Leader lifted his hand, and the box was kicked out from under Nadir.

Suddenly the voice of either an angel or a ghost rose up and filled the area. No one knew where it was coming from. Was it the left? Or the right? No, behind them now. No, in front of them. Now in their heads!

The distraction was useful as the noose around Nadir's neck was snapped easily by strong hands sneaking out from a covered cloak, arms shooting out to catch the man before he was able to fall.

Nadir was thrown over a firm shoulder, the shadowy form running towards a wooded area that surrounded the large home.

When those observing had finally come to their senses, their prisoner was gone.

20 minutes later

Erik dropped Nadir to the ground, noticeably winded. "Really, Khan! You need to cut down on the chocolate!"

Nadir looked up at him. "Cheery as always, hmmm, Erik?" He then grew concerned. "Where is your lady?"

"Waiting for us. We had a bit of an escape plan. Seems the girl was finally able to get reception on my cell phone and made use of it. You will find the Hunters have set up a nice little camp a short way from here. No doubt they are tending to the others."

"Very well then. Lead the way,"

Elsewhere

Christine sat by a warm fire, surrounded by Erik, Nadir, Giry, Firmin, Andre, and several other Hunters. Those that did not know her eyed her with curious interest, no doubt having heard rumours of the girl who had won the heart of their cold-blooded Executioner.

She had arrived at the campsite a few hours earlier with Shay's so-called servants, who had then been sent off on buses the Hunters had brought to the rendezvous spot. They would be tended to elsewhere and sent home safe and sound.

On Christine's left, another Hunter… Joseph Buquet as she recalled… leaned towards her and made a great show of smelling her hair. Christine glared at him, unimpressed. "Don't sniff me!"

"Stop me," the scruffy hygiene-challenged man taunted slyly.

"Ripping your nose from your face would stop you, would it not?" Erik hissed as he glanced up from his skewered meat.

"Is the Executioner challenging me to a fight?" Buquet asked. "I've always wanted to face you one-on-one. Everyone talks 'bout how great you are, how you kill without mercy. How you like to-"

"ENOUGH, Buquet!" Giry spoke up, glancing at Christine, who seemed slightly uncomfortable with the topic of conversation. "Erik is defending his young lady. You would do well to find your OWN lady to defend!"

Buquet laughed harshly. "That'd mean I'd have to make some kind of commitment."

"So…?" Christine asked. "You never want to get married and have a family?"

He laughed again at that. "Oh, it seems the great Executioner found himself one a wee bit young!"

Christine frowned. "I'm twenty!"

This caused Buquet to howl and clutch at his stomach with great mirth. He dabbed at the tears of laughter that slid from his eyes and slowly calmed down. "Ah well. 'least she's legal."

"Buquet," Nadir began, then he tilted his head and studied the other Hunter. "Surely you have better things to do than tease people?" he asked. Nadir indicated a tent a few feet away. "Perhaps you should get some sleep, no?"

Buquet glared at the Guild's detective, then frowned angrily in Christine's direction before climbing to his feet and heading into his shelter.

"He had better not attempt to visit Christine in the middle of the night!" Erik hissed as he watched Buquet disappear into his tent.

Christine paled at that. "Who am I staying with tonight? And can they give him a good kick if he needs it?"

Giry offered a polite smile. "You will stay with me." she indicated her tent. "And while I may have some trouble kicking Buquet, I am quite adept at rapping my cane on his head."

After another half-hour of talk, the other hunters slowly headed off to their tents, leaving

only Christine, Erik, Giry, Firmin, and Nadir.

"We should get some sleep as well," Erik spoke up as he noticed Christine yawning. She was currently leaning against his chest, sitting between his upraised knees as the dwindling group sat around the dying fire.

He slid out from behind her and stood up, assisting the girl to her feet. "Good night,angel." He kissed her cheek once, then began to walk off.

Christine furrowed her brow. After his recent behaviour, a peck on the cheek seemed far too tame. It seemed, in fact, more like the old Erik who had run away the first time she had kissed him.

She did not want to go back to that.

Christine quickly rushed after him before he could duck away and kissed him the way a girl would kiss her boyfriend, leaving the others to talk amongst themselves.

Firmin leaned closer to the fire. "What is to be done about the Leader? Shall we leave him to Erik?" he asked.

Giry and Nadir looked back and forth between each other. "I suppose we will have to see what happens in the next few days. For all we know, he may be gone by the time we get there," Nadir answered.

Firmin nodded. "I have never planned a raid quite such as this before…" he began. "I am feeling somewhat nervous about it."

"Richard, you and I will be staying behind with Christine," Giry explained. "We will be getting the medical supplies and what not ready. It is the younger Hunters led by Nadir who will be participating in this attack, you understand."

Firmin pouted. "But…" he stopped and sighed. "I suppose you are right, Antoinette. We are not as fast and strong as we used to be." He then stood up. "Ah well, I suppose us older folk must turn into bed now." He smiled, then headed off to the tent he was to share with Nadir.

"I should go as well," Giry said. "Tell Christine I will be waiting in the tent when she wishes to come to bed." With a polite nod from Nadir, she headed off.

Christine returned a few moments later and sat at the fire. "Everyone went to sleep?" she asked.

"Yes. Giry will be waiting for you in her tent." Nadir informed the girl. He studied her a moment, then spoke again. "If I may ask a personal question, my dear," he began. "How do you feel towards our Erik?"

Christine was taken aback for a moment. "How? I…" she paused, knowing full well how she felt. A small blush crept upon her cheeks. "I…" she took a deep breath. It was time to admit it.

Christine's voice grew quiet, her words barely audible save for the fact Nadir was listening closely to them. "I love him, Mr. Khan."

He let out a soft warm chuckle. "It is about time someone did then."

Christine looked up at him and smiled. "I call him my angel of music," she let out a small laugh, "though for an angel, he's made his… uh… not-so-angelic intentions quite obvious."

The smile slowly faded. "Not that it worries me. It's normal. But… there are times when he scares me. His mood swings…" she stopped and shook her head. "Never mind. That's something we have to work out," she explained.

Nadir understood. "Erik scares everyone with his mood swings," he replied with a wink. "It is just something we must accept."

"I know," Christine said. She glanced back up at the Guild detective. "I should get to sleep." She stood up and brushed her pants off, then stopped and turned back to him. "I haven't told him yet, Mr. Khan …" she paused a moment. "Please don't say anything? I should be the one to let him know."

"I understand, my dear. He will hear nothing from me."

"Thank you." She offered a small smile, a quick wave, and headed off.

Nadir soon climbed to his feet and headed off to his own tent, relieved to see that Erik had finally found the one thing he had always been looking for – love and acceptance.

Now if only the girl could find the courage to show him.

Laramie Drive - The next morning

"Where is my SON?" the Leader demanded of Laura as he stormed into her bedroom. "I have not seen him all day, nor did I see him last night."

"We have several guards looking for them, Shay," Laura explained with a frown. It seemed Erik had not been deterred by the men she had sent after him. She was rather unhappy to return from her room and find it lacking one tied-up masked man. "He ran off with that Hunter!"

"Impossible! He would not have betrayed me!"

Laura let out a snort. "Right. Of course he wouldn't. And I suppose it's no coincidence that all your servant's are gone, and so is that girl Erik seemed so fond of!" Laura glared at the Leader before her. The fool could be so blind sometimes. "Do you honestly think Erik would have joined you?"

"This conversation is OVER, Laura!" The Leader roared angrily. "FIND Nadir and my heir!"

Laura clenched her jaw, holding back the anger she wanted to throw at him. With a sweep of her skirts, Laura headed out of her room to tend to the search.

Elsewhere – early evening

"The least noticeable route to the house is beyond the river," Nadir began as he led Christine, Erik, and the Hunters towards a clearing not far from where they stood. "We will set up camp there for the night. When we begin the raid, a few will stay behind to set up medical supplies and whatnot."

The plan would take two days to reach full speed, giving them the night to rest. But it was better to spend time on an alternate route then be seen rushing the house, Nadir had decided. The others could not disagree with him.

As they walked towards the soon-to-be campsite, Christine kept a firm grip on Erik's arm. The last thing she needed was to fall in the underbrush and break a bone or two on the rough terrain.

She gently tugged on the sleeve of his duster - which he had once again taken ownership of. "Buquet has been staring at me all the way here," she whispered, "And it's really disturbing. He's got this weird look in his eyes,"

The masked hunter glanced back and saw indeed, that Buquet had not taken his attention off the petite ballerina. Erik was not very fond of the looks the other hunter was giving her. "Why are you eyeing Christine as if she were a meal?" he demanded angrily.

Buquet offered a cold smirk. "The night's gonna be cold. I want someone to keep me warm!"

"She will be sharing my tent, Joseph, not yours." Giry spoke up, lips pursed as she focused her cold gaze on Buquet.

Erik growled, his golden eyes flashing with anger. Christine quickly grasped his arm, restraining him from attacking the other hunter.

"I'm surprised she's not keeping the Executioner company tonight." Buquet smirked. "Or hasn't she let you have your naughty way with her yet?"

In a flash of black velvet and white mask, Erik pinned Buquet against a tree, his rope tight around the man's neck. "I'll… take that… as… a … no…." he gasped. "May…be…she… don't… like… fr-freaks…"

"Freaks?" Erik roared. "As if YOU have any right to call ME a FREAK?"

Buquet looked back at Erik, his hands clutching at the lasso. "Does she … have any idea … how many…. You… you've killed with… with this…. ?" He choked. "Or… did you fail to… mention that…?"

Erik tightened his grip, his rope drawing blood from Buquet's flesh

"ERIK!" Christine cried out. "STOP!"

The masked man glanced at Christine, then back at the man gasping for breath.

He pulled the rope off and threw Buquet to the ground, his voice a dangerous growl, "Be lucky Nadir needs all his people for the upcoming raid, or else I would gladly deal with you right here, right now!"

Buquet let out an angry snort as he put a hand to his injured neck and turned to Christine. "I can't figure out why you'd ever want a man like this!" He looked disgusted as he climbed to his feet. "He'll end up killing you if you piss him off!"

"Joseph! Enough now!" Nadir snapped.

The other hunters seemed rather disturbed by the Executioner's behaviour, but did not dare speak on the matter.

Christine stared dumfounded at them. "Oh for God's sake! He's not going to kill me!" she snapped, the slowly glanced back at Erik.

For a moment, he was sure he saw a hint of fear in her eyes. He immediately cursed his behaviour.

"Well," Nadir raised his voice and broke the uncomfortable silence. "Now that we have finished our little show," he glared at Erik and Buquet, then turned back to the rest of the group. "We have other matters to attend to."

Nadir walked up to Erik, who had since rejoined Christine. "I know you do not play well with others, Erik. But you must put aside your anger and work with us here!"

"Since when is my personal life Buquet's concern?" he hissed.

"It is not." Nadir said. "But do not let him get to you. You must keep your wits about you when we face the Leader."

Erik nodded and Nadir turned his attentions back to the large group, his voice loud and commanding. "Hurry now. We must make the campsite by nightfall, or we shall freeze tonight,"

The small hunter army quickly headed to the clearing and immediately set about pitching tents and starting fires

Laramie Drive – Shay's bedchambers (two nights later)

The sounds of fighting awoke the Leader from his slumber, an ominous feeling filling him. He stormed out of his room only to trip over a large pile of dust outside his door - what was left of his personal guards.

"Nadir's men leave quite a mess, don't they?" a familiar voice spoke, sending a chill down Shay's spine.

The Leader slowly turned to face the young hunter behind him. "How could you do this?" he hissed angrily.

"I told you, it was Nadir's men, not me," the masked hunter smiled coldly, his black velvet duster fluttering out behind him. "I saved all my energy for YOU… Father…"

The Leader rushed at his son, knocking the younger man to the ground and wrapping his hands around his throat.

With a knee to the gut, the Leader found himself doubled over. Shay quickly regained his breath and rushed outside… only to find his guards defeated, and his people surrounded by Nadir's men. Startled by this new development, he didn't see the blur of black and white grab him from behind, locking his head in a vice grip.

"Go back to where you came from!" Erik demanded.

Shay reached back and threw Erik across the back lot - the Leader was nothing if not resilient.

He then rushed at his heir, ripping the very mask from Erik's face.

The horrified response of the Hunters in attendance was muted. All Erik could hear was blood rushing through his veins. The rage and anger of being unmasked before so many people boiled up inside him.

He was going to explode, and there was nothing Shay would be able to do about it.

"I should not have expected my freak of a child to be smart enough to stay by my side!" Shay roared in Erik's head. "I should have figured you had more of your mother's blood in you then it seemed!"

"My blood is my own! Neither yours nor hers!" Erik replied, grasping Shay by the neck and slamming his head against the stone wall of the house.

Whipping out his rope, Erik wrapped it tight around Shay's throat, yanking his father to the ground as he dug a knee in his midsection and pinned the man beneath him.

"NEVER. Touch. My. MASK!" He roared angrily.

"What …was your … pretty girlfriend's re…reaction upon see…ing your face, Erik?" Shay choked out, trying everything he could to get Erik to drop his guard.

Shay truly worried Erik would kill him. After all, even a creature such as himself needed air to breathe.

Erik's golden eyes flickered, the hand reaching to grab the mask from Shay's fingers halted. "What does SHE have to do with this?"

The Leader desperately dug his fingers between the rope and his neck as he tried to take oxygen into his constricted throat. "Nothing… she… she WILL… have nothing… to… do with this… soon enough. I… I am … currently … taking care of her … as we speak." He paused. "Or … sh-should I say… Laura… is?"

That was all Erik needed to hear.

Mask forgotten, Erik tugged his rope off Shay's neck and jumped to his feet, running desperately back to the campsite.

Hunter's Campsite

Christine was seeing stars. Or was that spots? It was hard to tell when one was having the life choked out of her.

Sharp nails dug into her neck and she could feel the trickle of blood from torn skin. She clawed at Laura's hands desperately, but Laura's grip never faltered, her rage taking over. She grew high on Christine's fear, squeezed even harder to feed off it.

The Hunters left behind currently had their hands full dealing with the Leader's lackeys. Any who tried to assist Christine were immediately deterred.

Laura cared nothing about the others as the desire to rip Christine's head from her little body grew almost impossible to ignore, her fangs bared, her face distorted in an ugly snarl.

Christine's breath was leaving her. Is this what death felt like? She could not compete with Laura's inhuman strength. It was impossible

"Er…ik…" Christine squeaked out desperately.

"I'll take good care of him!" Laura hissed.

Everything was fading around Christine. Light. Darkness. They seemed to blur together now.

Christine then saw Death's face.

He was running towards her, holding something aloft. Something sharp and wooden.

Was this to be Christine's fate?

The darkness took over before she could find the answer.

15 seconds later

Erik knelt beside the girl laying motionless on the ground, her body covered by a fine film of white dust.

"Christine?" He gasped quietly, cradling her in his arms. "Little angel? Please. Please be ok…"

"Erik…" that was Giry's voice, but he could not be bothered to look at her. The woman, for her part, was trying not to look at him either.

Giry did not want to know what had happened to Erik's mask… but now, for the first time, she was witness to what lay beneath it – and she could hardly bear it. Christine must indeed be a compassionate girl. There was no question as to why Erik loved her so.

"Erik…" Giry repeated as she knelt on the other side of Christine, taking the girl's wrist between her fingers. "She is still alive. But weak. We need to tend to her." She replied, keeping her gaze focused on Christine's pale face instead of Erik's hideous one as she brushed the dust off the girl's body.

Giry knew she had to save Christine. Not only because she cared for the girl like her own, but because if Erik's little angel died, the darkness that would take her place in his heart would not only consume him, but put everyone else at risk of his questionable hold on sanity.

"If you had staked Laura a moment later, Christine would have been lost." Giry spoke softly, but Erik did not seem concerned about who and what he had killed to save the girl in his arms.

Giry knew it would come back to haunt him soon enough.

"Make her better." Erik finally said, his heartbreaking voice sounding more like that of a child as he allowed the other Hunters to take the girl from his arms. "Please make my angel better…"

Watching as Christine was carried off, Erik did not even bother to cover his face, nor did he seem to notice that the others were doing all they could to avoid looking at him.

It didn't matter.

Nothing mattered.

Erik was completely and utterly numb.

END OF EPISODE 33