Opera Ghost

Chapter Twenty Seven

"Daniel, I love you," Jess sobbed, her palms sliding down the wall. "I've always loved you and cared for you…always." Her knees finally gave way as she crumpled to the floor. "I'm sorry I had to come to this. I tried so hard…" There was silence for a long time. No one in the room or on the other side of the wall spoke, and Jess tried to stop weeping in vain. Jess turned to look up at Erik who was towering over her.

"You've…won. Just please let them go," she begged once more. Erik got down on his knees, kneeling beside her. He reached to touch her hair, letting the thick strands fall through his fingers.

"But you don't understand, my dear. They have to stand. We must have witnesses for our wedding," he informed her. Just as quickly as he had before, he reached up and activated a near-invisible switch. Jess heard the slow creak of the door before she saw it start to swing open. It was the hidden entrance to the torture chamber. Jess glance up to the place Erik had seemed to have pushed the release button, but could see nothing. It was concealed extremely well. Jess glanced at Erik, who started to move toward the door as soon as it was open just enough for him to pass through. Jess shot out her arm and grabbed Erik's ankle before he was out of her reach.

"Please Erik don't hurt them," she said. Erik extended his arm down to her, his head faced toward the door still. She accepted it, pulling herself back up to her feet.

"Of course not," he replied calmly. "As long as they do not attempt to harm me."

Jess could hear the hum of the torture chamber, the devices which must have controlled the heat now shutting off. She glanced over to where Claudine was still crumpled on the floor and before Erik could drag her away, she pulled away going over to her side. Jess gently put her hands around Claudine's shoulders, lifting the battered girl to her feet. "Don't worry. I won't let him hurt you." Erik was standing by the entrance to the torture chamber, beckoning them in. Jess could hear the others talking quietly inside. Slowly she helped Claudine walk since she could feel her legs slipping, barely able to support her. Claudine's already white knuckled grip tightened around Jessalyn's upper arm, and the rest of her body shook, but Jess pushed her onward.

"Please Jessalyn. Don't do this for our sake. Run and save yourself," Claudine whispered.

The heat of the torture chamber was still present and Jess could feel it even through the thick material of her socks. They were still damp from her swim in the lake, and she could hear the faint hiss of steam as each foot came in contact with the smooth floor. She grimaced as she saw Dan, Tony and surprisingly Lucas Delauney huddled in a corner. All of them had torn off their suit jackets and their shirts were mostly unbuttoned and the sleeves were rolled up. Their faces were covered in sweat. Dan started to head towards them as they entered but Jess put up a hand warning him.

"We have an agreement, Dan. Just don't come any closer," she told him.

Then she heard Claudine whimper, and felt another hand over the one that held Claudine. She looked up at Erik's now expressionless face.

"I think our guests should be comfortable in here," he said.

She removed Erik's hand and gently guided Claudine away, still feeling her frame shake beneath her fingers. Erik passed in front of them and Jess caught something out of the corner of her eye. Delauney grabbed something off the floor and aimed it at Erik. There was a bang as a shot was fired, and a small bullet rocked towards Erik's torso. Jess ducked.

The bullet passed right through Erik, as if he weren't there at all. Jess peered through half shut eyes as the bullet soared pass Erik without any sort of effect on him. It bounced off the wall and ricocheted back, almost nipping her right ear, before skidding across the floor. Claudine screamed. Erik turned an angered gaze towards Delauney, his yellow eyes smoldering with rage. Jess tried to stop him by grabbing his arm, but failed as it slipped through her fingers. He charged towards Delauney, knocking over the others as if they were noting but ants in his way. He kicked the gun out of Delauney's hands, before he could fire another shot. Then Erik delivered another blow right into the stunned man's jaw. He groaned and fell over in pain. Claudine ran back into Jessalyn's arms, sobbing.

"Erik, stop it! I have agreed to marry you, to stay with you. Take my life and spare theirs!" Jess demanded. Erik stood perfectly still for a moment, and Jess could count every harsh breath that escaped her lips in that dreadful pause. Then he grabbed Daniel up from the floor suddenly by his collar, and simultaneously picking up the fallen gun from the floor. He kept in aimed on Delauney and Tony huddled in the corner, stalking towards her. Her protests fell on deaf ears, as a strong hand pushed Claudine out of her grasp and forced Jess out of the torture chamber.

Jess stumbled out, tripping over her own feet, and falling to knock her head on the corner of a high-backed chair. She winced in pain and closed her eyes tightly, only to open them when she heard a thud next to her. She turned to see Dan on the floor, moaning. Jess immediately rushed to his side, enclosing him in her arms. She saw Erik out of the corner of her eye slam the hidden door shut. He started towards them, and Jess got up to her knees shielding Dan with her body.

By now she had begun to tremble uncontrollably, and she could barely see Erik coming towards her through the tears that were streaming from her eyes and down her face.

This is the end. No way out now…but to surrender.

Jessalyn could smell now close to her the scent of a musky cologne mixed with the distinct odor of sweat. A soft cloth touched her face, ad Erik's cold hand wrapped around one of hers and brought it to the handkerchief on her face. She held her breath, until Erik traced a finger slowly across her cheek, spreading her tears from one face to the other.

"You must dry your tears, my dear. Tonight, is your wedding night," He said gently.

She was beyond all levels of desperation now. Jess knew that she was trapped, and if she didn't give in to Erik's demands he would kill her friends and possibly her with out any hesitation.

There wasn't anything she could do.

Jessalyn pulled herself up, keeping Erik's handkerchief against her face. She finished wiping the rest of her tears before returning the handkerchief to Erik. She pressed the cloth into his hand, and then placed her other hand in his, gripping them tightly. He looked at her in surprise at first, and Jess lowered her eyes to the floor, still keeping her hands in his. She could feel her lips start to quiver, but forced them to stop as she spoke by biting down.

Or was there?

"Erik, please let me say my good-byes then, while you play our wedding march." She spoke softly, squeezing his hand even tighter when she said "our wedding march". Jess shut her eyes for a moment, not even believing the words coming out of her mouth. Now her entire jaw started to tremble. She saw one of Erik's hands pull an inch closer to her face. It was many long moments as his fingers cut through the air toward her chin, before finally resting underneath her jaw. She tried to stop shaking as she saw Erik's face move closer. She took in a deep breath, knowing what he wanted. She looked him in the eye before slowly closing her eyes and presenting her lips.

Erik pressed his lips tenderly to her forehead, letting them linger there for a few seconds. Unlike the rest of his body, his face was warm almost as hers. She was stunned that he had kissed her on the forehead instead, but he was perfectly calm and steady as he did so. As if he had planned this action for weeks, waiting for the right moment. When she was finally his.

Erik let her go; walking purposely to his room, ready to play his well-prepared wedding march from the organ in his room. Jess watched him close the door to his bedroom, before collapsing down on the floor. Dan looked at her in disbelief.

"Please Jess don't so this…" Before he could finish, Jess marched over to the other side of the room reached down and yanked open the trap door.

"Don't make this more difficult than it is Dan," she said sternly, trying to not let any emotion show. "Just run while you can." Then she went back over to the torture chamber. When Erik had slammed the door, Jess had noticed that it hadn't shut and locked. She slid her finger into the small crack in the door and opened it, just as the house was rocked by the thunderous chords of Erik playing his organ. Inside she was greeted by the relieved faces of Tony, and Claudine. She rushed over to help Tony get the wounded Delauney to his feet. "Please hurry. You don't have much time." They rushed out and across Erik's parlor to the open trap door.

Daniel was still protesting while Tony and her lowered Lucas into the wine cellar bellow the house. "Jess, I won't leave without you."

"You can't possibly able to escape if I go with you Dan. Erik won't let me go no matter what," Jess said trying again not to cry. She was so sick of crying over things she couldn't control. Claudine and Tony dropped into the trap door and Jess nudged Dan to the edge. "Right under you is another trap door, which leads to a tunnel," She instructed. "The floor should have an inch of water on it. Follow it down till you reach a door shaped like a circle. Open it, then swim as fast as you can to the surface."

Claudine was pulling on Dan's shirt. "But won't the Phantom chase us? Won't he try to catch us once he realizes we've escaped?" she asked fearfully.

"He won't try to chase you. He doesn't care! It's not you he wants, it's me." She explained. Dan wrapped both his hands around her right one, pulling her slowly with him as he descended into the trap door. "Please Dan, don't do this. It's better this way," she pleaded with him.

"No it isn't. It's not the only way," Dan protested. "Jess, he doesn't love you. He only loves you as Christine. I don't…" he stumbled over his words. By now he was almost under the floor, still holding on to her hand. "Come with me. No one deserves this darkness and disgrace, especially not you."

She wanted to believe him. Dan was the most loyal friend she had ever had, and she loved him. Perhaps it was a love he could actually return. She squeezed his hand tighter, as a sign of trust.

She hadn't heard the music stop, but Jess felt Erik's hands grasp the back of her neck and shoulders. Dan couldn't hang on, and she felt her fingers slip once more from his grasp. The trap door slammed shut.

A/N: Here you go the next chapter thanks for your patience everybody.