A gentle knock echoed about the room, eric fumbled for his mask finding it on the floor he put it on as Christine got up glancing to make sure Eric's mask was on, "Hello Meg." Christine gleamed hugging the blond ballerina. "Raoul." she giggled hugging the fop.
Eric felt sick at the thought of him, and a pain of jealousy as the young man walked in his thick dusted blond hair and handsome face causing everyone to swarm around him.
Christine walked over to Eric noticing his hate filled eyes and he hands clenching and unclenching he was fighting to control his temper. "Eric be nice, he really wants to be a friend." Christine whispered in his ear, her breath despite being warm sent chills down his spine. "That's too much Christine." he mumbled bitterly.
"Monsieur" Raoul said nervously "Phan… er Destler." corrected quickly. The fop seemed rightfully terrified of Eric.
Eric like the fact that he could easily terrify the viscount. "I wont kill you now de Changy." Eric spit the name tasting bitter in his mouth, "Only because I dont want to hurt Christine or Meg, but if you dare cross the line I won't think twice about killing you. Do you understand?" Eric challenged knowing he was the alpha in the room.
The Viscount nodded, "I wish I had the words to apologize to you Eric." Raoul tried to apologise.
Eric sneared at the man, "We are not on a first name basis." Eric barked brushing past him as he glided elegantly out of the room.
"Well, he didn't kill me." Raoul joked nervously.
Meg rubbed her husbands back, "He is a softy he may not forgive you but he will put up with you." She comforted.
Christine smiled, "That attitude is just another mask he puts on, give him time he has been hurt a lot in his life." Raoul nodded knowing that he had been a source of some of his pain.
Christine left the two newly weds to find Eric, he was sitting in his office slumped with his head on the desk, "Eric" she called gently,he looked up she searched for what he was thinking in his deep pain filled eyes. "What have you been through." She thought to herself as she looked at his sorry state.
"You are going to catch him Eric." She cooed stroking her fingers through his hair. Eric stared at the wall his chin on his fist. "He was smart, but not strong." Erc mumbled, mostly to himself "He knows enough about me to pull it off."
Christine thought about his words, wishing she knew what he need to hear. "I should go see Nadir." Eric grumbled getting up, Christie smiled glad that he had someone he could trust to say everything that was on his mind Even though he pretended that he didn't like him.
Eric clutched his cloak tighter as he walked the snowy streets, his eyes burned from the icy wind. It was going to be a harsh winter for sure. Eric approached the apartments and walked into the office. "Is a Nadir Khan in?" Eric asked the woman sitting at the desk. "Room number 3." She grumbled. Eric thanked the lady and headed up the stairs.
"Daroga." Eric yelled pounding on the door.
Eric heard shuffling in the room nadir opened the door, "Since when did you knock?" He chuckled letting Eric in. Eric shoved the letter in nadir's hand, "I have a problem."
Nadir looked at him shocked, "Wow, you actually are now voluntarily coming to me with a problem?
"Nadir!"
"Just a second friend let me take this all in," Nadir sighed cracking a smile.
"You try my patience." Eric growled.
Nadir looked at the paper, "Oh," he said shocked "This is a problem."
Eric nodded sitting down. "Well I'm guessing thats where you got that rope burn." the persian pointed out.
Eric nodded again, "He had a persian accent."
Nadir's gesturing face turned serious, "Are you sure? Who was he? What did he look like?" The man asked alarmed.
"Yes, and I don't know what he looked like or who he was, his face was covered." Eric grumbled wondering why he went to the Daroga for help. "I'll look around." He assured. "Have you talked to Christine and the owner?"
Eric nodded, "A bit."
Nadir relaxed a little, "They should be in the know." he scolded his friend.
Eric didn't want to tell them everything but as always Nadir was right. "I'll put my long unused detective skills to use. You should get some rest, you look exhausted."
Eric sighed he was very tired for sure, "I'll be at the Smith house if anyone wants me." Nadir nodded grabbing his hat and jacket following Eric out of the door.
Eric walked with the Persian to the theodor it was mostly silence, each man knew what they had to do to get rid of the pest.
Eric opened the for to the little house added onto the theodor. The room was a clean and homey. A fire crackled in the fireplace chilling his cold bones. "Oh Eric! A overjoyed sound came from the kitchen. Eric smiled at Mrs. voice, it was so warm and comforting to him. "I heard what happened." She started emerging from the kitchen drying her hands on her apron her face was concerned.
"I'll survive." Eric assured removing his cloak, "I think I will go and rest for a while." She smiled as Eric walked wearily up the stairs suddenly realizing how tired he was.
Eric curled up in the bed after kicking off his shoes. Snuggling down like a baby in the quilts Eric closed his eyes falling asleep.
Mrs. Smith fumbled around the kitchen singing softly to herself. A gentle knock sounded on the door. She walked slowly to the main room dusting the flour off of her apron.
"Why hello Christine!" The older woman exclaimed welcoming her and little Rosa out of the cold and into the warm house.
"Is Eric in? I can't seem to find him anywhere." Christine asked putting Rosa on the floor.
Mrs. Smith nodded, "he went upstairs to take a quick nap." Christine giggled at the thought of Eric the great feared opera ghost curled up in the covers asleep.
"Well," Christine smiled "I should go find a bed for Rosa to take a nap in while I go for a rehearsal." She picked up little Rosa who was rubbing her eyes giving a tired cry.
"She is welcome to stay here." The old grey woman offered.
Christine sighed in relief, "I wonder how her father would react if he woke up with Rosa asleep beside him." Christine said with a devious smile.
"Now daddy's asleep, can you be quiet and go right to sleep?" Christine asked the todolar. Slowly she cracked the door peeking into the dark room. To the right was Eric asleep on his belly pulling the blankets tight against his shoulders.
Christine couldn't help but giggle at his sleeping form. Slowly she put Rosa down beside him putting her finger to her lips reminding her to stay quiet.
Rosa curled up immediately to her father, Christine wondered if she remembered all those nights asleep beside him under the opera house. Eric stirred when he felt Rosa's little body against his. With a moan he embraced the child who was already asleep and went still himself.
Christine covered her mouth to keep from giggling aloud, she was so happy that he was accepting her.
"Did he wake up?" Mrs. Smith whispered when she walked down the stairs. Christine shook her head no.
"I should go." Christine remarked heading to the door, "thank you very much."
Eric felt something warm snuggled against him, he tried to remember what was going on knowing that someone should not be in bed with him he opened his eyes. Gasping at the sight of Little Rosa in his arms he jumped, falling out of bed with a thud.
Eric groaned as Rosa peaked over the edge of the bed. "Ouch." She squeaked her face filled with concern for her father.
Eric swore under his breath, as Rosa cocked her head at him. "Yes ouch" grumbled standing up.
He picked up the little girl straightening out her black hair that stood up every which way.
Eric moved to the head of the stairs as Rosa began pushing away from him, "I do it!" She bubbled. Eric was confused but put her down, quickly she sat down on the first step scooting down on her bottom to the next one, "Uppa!" she giggled as she hit the step immediately scouting to the next one, "Uppa!" she exclaimed again wiggling to the next stair.
Eric was pleasantly amused by her stair theory stepping down each stair chuckling to himself, pride swelling him up. Rosa reached the bottom of the stairs and began her little race on her hands and knees to the kitchen where Mrs. Smith was working.
"Well rise and shine." Mrs. Smith gleamed looking down at Rosa then turning her glance up to Eric who had the happiest smile on his face, his entire being radiating joy and pride. "Should we go find Christine?" he asked picking up the child.
I can't get over how cute Rosa is. Her little way of going down the stairs was inspired by how I went down the stairs as a baby.
Please review, there is only 10 chapters left.