Sweet Seduction
Chapter Twenty-Eight: Let My Opera Begin
A/N: Please leave a review! And BTW (so sorry, totally fogot this last chap) Here is the special shoutout I promised:
Congratulations to Marieena who was the TWO HUNDRETH REVIEWER!! Congrats Marieena!
Erik sighed, arranging his sheets of music in order. The performance began in ten minutes and already the opera house was filled with audience members. Some people had come only to see if the rumored Phantom would attend, and some only came because the opera's conductor had re-written this "Phantom's" opera. And nearly all in attendance had noticed that the conductor wore a white half-mask strikingly similar to that of the Phantom's, so the curiosity was already aroused in most before the scandalous opera even began!
Erik, of course, had arrived hours ago to set up and Christine had already changed and warmed up her voice. All of the dancers, orchestra and chorus members had arrived and were warming up. In fact, the only person Erik hadn't seen yet was Alexandre. He figured the lad was just nervous and trying to pull himself together before the opera began, but now he figured he had better go se what was taking him so long. He left the orchestra pit, forcing himself to take the main route backstage and ignoring the secret tunnel he knew lay to the right that led either backstage or to his lair. He still remembered where every tunnel in this building he knew of went, even if he didn't use them so often. Old habits die hard he thought, trying to amuse himself. He went to Alexandre's dressing room and knocked, calling Alexandre's name. He received no response. Erik knocked again, and finally opened the door with his key to find Alexandre vomiting into a wash basin and Jacques struggling to hold him up under the armpits so he wouldn't fall into his own waste. Erik rushed in, grabbing Alexandre's other arm and forcing him to remain up right until he finished. Jacques fetched a chair and he and Erik both helped Alexandre into it
"Boy, what's wrong?" Erik asked, pulling his handkerchief out
Jacques shook his head
"Erik, he can't speak"
Erik looked up at Jacques "What?"
Jacques nodded " I came in ten minutes ago to talk a bit, calm us both down, you know? When I came in, he was clutching his throat for dear life and we found out he couldn't speak. He must have caught laryngitis, and suddenly he just began throwing up! I don't know if it's nerves or sickness or what else!"
Alexandre motioned for the writing pad and pen on his dressing table, and Erik fetched it, handing it to him. Alexandre scribbled something down and handed the note to Erik, which read
Jacques is correct, monsieur. I came in a half-hour ago and I was a very nervous. Then I found the bottle you must have left for me on my table, and I used it and suddenly my voice just gave out, and I became so upset I vomited!
"Bottle? I didn't leave you anything Alexandre. What bottle do you mean?" Erik asked, handing the note to Jacques. Alexandre pointed to the bottle of silver colored liquid on his chair and Erik walked over, examining it and soon felt his stomach drop. He hadn't seen this bottle in years. The last time it had been in his hands was years past, on the night of Il Muto when he switched Carlotta's voice spray with his own revolting concoction which made the vocal cords almost instantaneously coated with one's own mucus and phlegm, proving impossible to sing for at least twenty-four hours. It did belong to Erik, true, but the disturbing fact was this was locked away safely in his lair. No one could have gotten to it!
Suddenly Georges, Meg and Christine all came in. Christine came up to Erik
"Dear, what's the delay? The opera's ready to begin"
"No it isn't. We have no Don Juan!"
"What are you talking about?"
He showed the bottle to Christine and after a moment, she realized what it was "Oh no. That's not what Carlotta-"
"Yes, it is, dear. I had it safely locked away in my place where no one could have gotten to it. Someone left it on Alexandre's table and he used it" Erik whispered sharply
Georges came up to him "Erik, what is wrong!"
"Alexandre can't sing"
Georges turned to the young boy "Now, lad, I know it is your debut, but you can't-"
"No, Georges, he can't sing, he can't speak!" Erik exclaimed. Jacques nodded
"It's true Monsieur Beaumont, someone left a spra-"
"I'm sure it's just a passing sickness, or laryngitis maybe" Erik interrupted, cutting Jacques off.
Georges coughed "Well, what are we going to do? Alexandre, you're certain you can't sing boy?"
He nodded miserably in response. Georges sighed "Oh this is wonderful. A full house and we have no one to sing the main part!"
"His understudy?" Meg offered
Jacques shook his head "No dear, the understudy's out of town. His mother became ill suddenly and he left yesterday"
"Well this is perfect. Just peachy!" Georges exclaimed
Christine smiled slyly, glancing at Erik "I know someone who could sing Monsieur"
"Christine, don't" Erik hissed
"Who? Christine, who are you talking about?" Georges asked
"Erik" she said simply
Georges looked up "That's brilliant! Christine, you're absolutely right! Erik, man, you can sing tonight"
"No, I couldn't" Erik protested
Meg came over "And why not? We all know you have the voice for it"
Georges nodded "Mlle. Giry does have a point. You've got to sing tonight!"
"Georges, I conduct. I don't perform. I haven't sang publicly in years" he protested
"You had no problem singing yesterday at rehearsal. Remember that?" Christine asked
"Exactly! Erik, you wrote the opera for heaven's sakes. You certainly have the voice and you know every word and note in it. If you don't perform your opera's all going to be canceled!" Georges exclaimed
"Oh, very tempting point, but I'm sorry. I just can't do it" Erik exclaimed, starting to leave. Christine jumped in front of him, blocking his path and gently kissed him
"Erik, we both know you can do it."
"Yes, but Christine, I've already told you why not. It's still too dangerous, and after all the publicity-"
"Erik, there's no danger, no plan, there's no grand trap to capture you this time. It's simply an opera. Wouldn't you like to sing your opera again? And finish it this time? Really, Erik, how many times in life do you receive a second chance like this?"
He considered that "Well..."
Christine batted her eyelashes and smiled flirtatiously "And just look who's going to be your Aminta." She kissed him suddenly, the taste of her small lips sweet, sharp and warm on his own. She broke off
"Erik, please sing tonight. For me?"
He sighed, giving in "I can't fight you all, especially not you. All right. I'll sing."
Christine smiled backstage, listening to Erik singing. It was unfortunate, what had happened to Alexandre, but everything happened for a reason, and though she knew she shouldn't be, she was glad that this had happened. She could tell by her husband's voice he was already having a ball tonight and they weren't even twenty minutes into the first act! She fluffed out her hair a bit, making sure her rose was secure in her tangled curls. Her cue was coming up, right after the next line. She hummed quietly to herself, getting ready. It was time.
Suddenly, before Christine could even tell what happened, her arms were being jerked behind her forcefully and a foul-smelling hand covered her mouth before she could scream. Her body was pressed securely against a strong torso and she fought to jerk out of the stranger's grasp when a sharp, sudden pain shot up her arm. She felt a rope being tied securely around her wrists, knotting them together behind her and she was being dragged away from the stage against her will, a black cloth tied tightly between her teeth so she couldn't scream.. She struggled against her attacker to no avail. Whoever it was dragged her with him, eventually flipping her over his shoulder. Christine saw something cream colored drift gently to the floor behind them and she continued kicking and struggling until the stranger rapped her sharply on the head, hard and then all she saw was blackness.
When she finally awoke, she felt her body being thrown onto something black, long and shaking. Her kidnapper jumped in with her, shaking the ground she was lying on even more than before, and she saw a wave of some sort, alerting her she must be on a lake of some kind. The last sight she saw before her world went dark again was enough to make her scream, shrill and piercing even through her gag.
It was Raoul.
Erik sighed, adjusting his mask backstage. Why had he gotten himself into this? True, it was a second chance, and he did love performing the daring masked seducer role he had written years ago, and Christine was his Aminta after all. But he just had an annoying feeling that wouldn't leave. An instinct, almost, that something was wrong. But he couldn't imagine what. Georges had gladly taken over conducting for this one night and this time there was no grand scheme that fop had set up to capture him. He could just enjoy singing like he always wanted to. Besides, it was time to begin his romantic duet with Christine. He waited as Passarino finished his lines and then waited for the beautiful sound of Christine's singing.
But it never came. Christine missed her cue. Erik felt his heart beating faster, automatically assuming the worst. Maybe she had fallen, or hurt herself. Maybe she was ill, or maybe preoccupied. Erik shook his head as if trying to throw the horrid thoughts from his mind. Christine's part was over now and it was his cue. He threw aside the velvet curtains and stepped out onto the stage, his worst fears recognized. Christine was no where in sight. She was supposed to be sitting on the far right of the stage, playing with her rose or basket until he entered. He took a deep breath and sang
Passarino
Go away for the trap is set
and waits for its prey...
Christine still didn't enter. She was nowhere in sight and he could see the stagehands in the wings out of the corner of his eye, just as baffled as he was. Georges looked at him strangely, and Erik stalled a bit, singing his cue again. After what seemed like an eternity had passed, Erik paced around the stage, struggling to keep in character and not to do something stupid out of anxiety, but his fears got the better of him. Forgetting about the performance or anything else, he quickly exited stage right. He bounded backstage, calling out worriedly "Christine! Christine, where are you?"
Meg and Mme. Giry came running up
"Erik!" Mme. Giry scolded "What on earth are you doing? Have you gone mad?"
"Marie, I can't find Christine. She missed her cue and she's nowhere to be found"
"Maybe it's simply nerves" Mme. Giry suggested
Erik glared at her "Marie, this is some stunt one of your petite rats would pull. Not the Prima Donna of the Opera House"
Meg nodded "He's right mother. Christine would never do something like this. There must be something terribly wrong"
Marie nodded "Well then, we had best look for her then. Perhaps she got trapped somewhere or she's injured"
Erik gulped, trying fervently not to assume the worst. Mme. Giry and Meg took off down the passage towards Christine's dressing room, motioning for him to follow. He was about to take off after them when his sharp hearing detected a sudden crinkling noise under his shoe. He moved his foot and looked down. It was a stiff, cream calling card of some sort, folded in half and it was labeled O.G. Erik's senses on edge, he bent down, unfolding the note, which read
Phantom,
My trap was set, and it caught its prey.
If you wish Christine to live, you'd best stay away.
She is mine, no use in struggling to fight
It's over now, your music of the night
Erik was sharply rearing back in time to that night years ago when his same opera was going on, broken by the panic and confusion. So this was how it was all going to end tonight. That blasted Vicomte must have taken his wife somewhere by force and there was only one place Erik knew they both could be.
At that moment, Georges came running up to Erik, red faced and panting for breath
"Erik, for God's sake man, what is the matter?"
And only to add to the confusion and disorder of that night, Erik left Georges standing there speechless as he took off in a dead sprint down the hall towards the hidden passageway he knew Raoul had used, praying he would get there in time.