To the people that reviewed, thank you so much. Seriously. Reviews are much appreciated! We hope you enjoy this chapter also.
And also, from Forbidden Words & Oriana, have a fantastic PI day! As we are sure you all are aware of today being 3-14. Which the numerical number, brought in to a mathematical perception is the rounded number for PI as you all know as 3.14!!!
So, from us to you, HAPPY PI DAY! (this is your piece of pie from us!)
He sat, cloaked in a darkness that was only relieved by the dozens of candelabrums. With fingers flying over the piano keys, he pounded out his frustration and pain. Loud, but glorious, music lifted from the piano, enveloping him. He'd always had a gift for music.
Abruptly, he stopped and pushed the bench back from the black instrument.
The Phantom, Edward, ran his hand through his hair. He couldn't get Bella out of his mind. That in itself wasn't unusual, he always thought about her. But tonight, her soft face was the only thing his thoughts swirled around. He couldn't focus on completing the composition or even what note came next. She had sang beautifully that night, as sweet and pure as an angel. He was proud of her skill and the fact that he had taught her so well.
Walking a few steps, he scanned his surroundings with a critical eye. His abode was deep within the catacombs of the Opera House, below ground level. The walls were almost cave like but made from granite, almost as hard as his skin. Edward's home consisted of three rooms. First was the open space that housed his piano and hundreds of compositions. On either side of it were his bedroom of sorts, and Bella's room.
She had never been here. She didn't even know that the angel in her dreams and the Phantom of the Opera were the same man - him. Though he had never spoken to her directly - only while she slept - Edward knew that Bella would come here. He needed her here...
Obsession wasn't a very pleasing or happy word, but it was the truth. Love didn't enter the picture. Not yet anyway.
Venom suddenly coursed freely down his throat. He smelt a rat somewhere close behind him. He would have to hunt soon. Clenching his fists tightly, he turned away. He would not resort to feeding off rodents.
Usually he chose the most secluded place to hunt. It was difficult to find sufficient hunting grounds while inside a city but he managed by hunting in the woods surrounding it. He detested hunting humans, they were too noisy and, though he wasn't a moral man by nature, it felt wrong somehow. Mountain lions and bears gave more fight.
Hunting could wait though - he intended to visit Bella tonight as soon as she was asleep.
Quickly donning his cloak, he went down the steps towards the small boat that carried him through the catacombs. It was flooded with murky water down here, but not sewage. The only way to pass through was by boat. He lit the two lanterns at the front of the little dinghy and pushed it away from the bank.
Using the back paths and hidden doors that he knew led to Bella's room. He heard grunting through a thin wooden bedroom wall and immediately knew they were…mating. His lip curled, disgusted. Humans were such animals.
Except for Bella. She was a simple, gifted girl that he intended to sing for him - for his music. She was the only one that sang correctly. That Victoria sounded like a goat.
Standing before the full-length mirror that faced her room, he watched to see if she was awake through the two-way mirror. She lay in her bed, dressed in her flowing nightgown that she wore every night. She slept, curled on her side, the blankets drawn up to her shoulders. Her serene face was smooth and unblemished. Softly sliding the mirror to the right, he entered, careful to make his actions light and undetectable. His gloved hand left the open mirror and moved to her bed with all the grace and power of a black panther. His thirst flared at the first whiff of her scent but it was bearable. Edward focused on not breathing so he wouldn't be tempted.
The bed dipped slightly when he sat. She shifted and he thought he'd finally been caught. But she simply scratched her nose lightly, unconsciously.
He started to reach out and brush a strand of Bella's hair away from her face, but he stopped short. Should he touch her? He quickly moved his hand back to his lap.
"You did very well tonight," he said, voice like honey. She stirred. Bella had heard her angel's voice. "I'm very proud of you. Victoria won't be in our way anymore, that I've made sure of." Looking down at the sleeping girl beside him, me smiled slightly. His white half-mask hid the right side of his glorious face. In no way was he disfigured or ugly. That wasn't why he hid his face. The Phantom wasn't vain, but neither was he blind. That darkness inside him, that Vampire that constantly controlled his actions, was the reason he was so achingly beautiful. Instead of screaming in terror whenever a woman saw him without his mask, the woman would fall in love. Therefore, he covered his face. Women disgusted him, as did their…activities they engaged in with some of the men in the Opera House...
Now, as he gazed at this brunette sleeping in her bed, he couldn't be disgusted by her. Inside her was everything pure and good. She wasn't like some of the harlots he'd accidentally come upon in the past. Bella was different.
"Bella," he said. It was the first time he'd said her name out loud in her presence. "Tonight you shall rest. I won't teach so you can rest your voice. Sleep well."
He moved to stand up when suddenly her hand grabbed his wrist. He gasped in surprise. Was she awake? Preparing to wrench himself out of her grasp incase she opened her eyes, he waited for her to let go. She carefully took his hand in her delicate hands, eyes still closed, and brought her lips to the inside of his wrist.
The kiss sent a shock through him. He had never been touched by a woman before. He was hyper aware of the feel of her soft, silky lips against his cold skin. Then she let go, falling into a deeper sleep.
The Phantom wondered what that kiss meant. Was she simply unconscious of what she did, or had she been trying to tell him something? He didn't think she had been awake at the time for her breathing was deep and regular, without the slightest hint of consciousness.
Then the Phantom slipped once again through the mirror, closing it softly behind him. Taking once last glance at her sleeping form, he turned away. His strong back receded into the catacombs of the Opera House as he headed towards his secluded home, his mind full of questions.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - The Next Day- - - - - - - - - - - -
Waking up never seemed fun to Bella, then again, who in their right mind would want to wake up when they were dreaming of a beautiful angel coming, telling her of her beautiful voice. Promising her a promise that she knew could not be kept: to be left alone by Victoria. She could dream, couldn't she? Of course she could, last night had proved just that. Her mind fluttered off of the Angel voice and to the one she wanted to think of, the real one, the one that did not only exist in her dreams, but in real life, Jacob...
'Does it matter if he remembers me? Would he possibly remember my nickname? Bells? He had always said my giggle was like Santa's sleigh bells, just as shinny and uplifting to children everywhere... I was child back then, only of the age of 13, or so. He does not remember... I am sure of it. It was six years ago. He is now 24 years old, and very successful.'
Bella's thoughts were tired, and barely audible in her own mind. She was just thinking of things to rummage around in her brain before she slept. Sleeping a few hours more would not hurt, she thought, Rosalie would not mind. Hoping for a nice sleep, unlike her other nights where she had felt she had gotten no sleep at all. All that dreaming of her Angel Voice had interrupted her sleep cycle, she was sure of it.
'How I wish I could sleep once, I would be able to do a proper point instead of one with an arch.' She thought of the most unimportant things in the morning, she never really knew how to think, it was always dance logic in her head.
"Come, Bella, time for dress rehearsal," Alice called. Bella sighed, she was much too tired for this.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - During Dress Rehearsal- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
The Angel voice in Bella's dreams had been true to it's words, Victoria did not dare bother her, she even complained of a sore throat, claiming dramatically that she could not sing tonight, that they would simply have to find a replacement.
"Who?" asked Jasper whispering with Rosalie. She shrugged to herself, unable to give a proper name.
"I know!" Alice said interrupting her mother and Mr. Hale.
"Who?" Jasper asked once more. Alice beamed a bright color that could only be described as fuchsia.
"Bella! She knows all the words, I've heard her sing at night and in her rehearsals - she knows every word, Mr. Hale, I swear it!" Alice swore for her friends defense.
"Is this true, Bella?" Rosalie asked, her voice not at all astonished, Rosalie knew that Bella had loved to sing, she always did, especially when her father was alive. She always liked to compose lyrics for her fathers compositions. Jacob always thought it was quite cute.
"I am fair on the part, I guess. But I've no clue what Alice is talking about, I do not sing at night." Bella said looking down. The only time she knowingly sang of the songs Victoria did was when she was alone in Emmett's study, pretending to work on an important part. Really she had all her stuff studied and ready, she was picking at Victoria's parts. And she even knew a little piano to get by.
"Fair?" Alice asked, "Bella you are more than fair, and you do sing, at night, really late, sometimes you wake me." Alice said, looking at Bella with a confused look upon her little darling fairy face.
"I do not recall, but I will sing Victoria's part." Bella said looking down, having no reconciliation of what Alice was murmuring about to her mother. Mr. Hale smiled.
"Oh, good. All right then, it's decided then, Isabella Swan will be taking the place of Victoria." Jasper said in a happy voice, his gray eyes looked at Alice's blue ones. "Ms. Cullen, may I have your companionship tonight, after the performance, I would love to share a bottle of wine and talk about your fine dancing." Jasper said. If there were ever a word for how bright Alice's eyes sparkled, it would be such a strong, long, and wonderful word your eyes would burn from looking at it, along with her sparkling eyes.
"Of course," Alice accepted. Rosalie cleared her throat.
"Oh, yes, where are my manners?" Jasper asked himself, "may I have your daughters companionship after the performance?" Jasper asked Rosalie. She looked behind her, and Emmett appeared.
"Of course," Emmett said for Rosalie. Rosalie looked up at her husband with a discouraging look, then she rolled her eyes, a very unlady-like quality that she must have picked up from Victoria.
"Yes," Rosalie bit out a little bit too sharp at the owners.
"Okay, it's decided, I'll see you tonight, dear Alice. And please, call me Jasper, no more Mr. Hale for you, my dear." Jasper said. He very gracefully walked backward off of the stage, never taking his now light gray eyes off of Alice's bright blue ones. Her face was blushing, she was vibrating with excitement.
"Bella! Oh my stars! Can you believe it!?" Alice asked in a hushed tone.
"No, I cannot, it's truly wonderful, Alice. Well, actually, I can. Why wouldn't Mr. Jasper want to see you?" Bella asked her, Alice giggled and shuffled off to her and Bella's make up sets. Little did they know, Victoria over heard.
"That little...ew! How dare she take away my only way out of this Hell hole?!" Victoria's voice held a hissing sound. Although she kept her octave low, she didn't want that menace of whatever-the-heck-he-was coming around, snooping and threatening her again. No, that was not acceptable, a man threaten a woman of such high stature.
Victoria stayed away from Isabella's make up table and stood in a stone arch way that was made of shinning granite. Perfect, she thought. 'If only I had a way to slip under that stupid person's watch... I need to be on stage. Isabella is not good enough for this - she doesn't sing like I do, she is not good at singing. I've heard her a couple times, and she sound utterly like a child!' Victoria's thoughts were interrupted by Emmett Cullen.
"May I help you?" Emmett said loud enough to get Bella and Alice's attention. Victoria looked totally awe-stricken and she shuddered then stood straight.
"I was just looking, seeing how well Bella prepares for her role," Victoria said in a fake strained voice, as if to show some sign of sickness. Emmett looked impassioned and he wasn't in the mood for Victoria's charades.
"Very well. Now leave, Bella has a lot of work to be done, and you, La Diva, are sick. I do not want you to infect my girls." Emmett said, Victoria scattered away, not really wanting to stay while she knew that Emmett could very well be that voice she heard.
She quickly erased that from her mind, it couldn't be Emmett - his voice was too low and too rough. This voice was like melted chocolate, like sweet honey. Something so perfect it could not belong to an ordinary human. His voice was so alluring, so wonderful, but it was harsh at the same time. If, of course, those sweet things could even harm you with any use of them.
"Show time ladies!" Rosalie called from the side of the curtains that were being prepped for opening. Bella got into her spot, smiling slightly. She was nervous. She kept trying not to think of messing up, of disgracing the whole entire Opera house. How embarrassing that would be.
A voice chimed into her head.
"Wonderful, you are simply wonderful. Do not listen to them all if they do not cheer your name. They know nothing of music, my beautiful Isabella, you are wonderful."
Surprisingly the Angel voice was not a dream, only a voice that seemed to be whispered into her ear as if her Angel of Music was right beside her, like he was cheering her on.
"Now, we present our performance with a small change. Isabella Swan will be taking the part of Victoria Lucidor, she feels ill," explained Emmett Cullen, the whole audience erupted with applause.
The play began, and Bella's nerves were settled as she began to sing the songs of which Victoria had plunged into the ground not two nights before. Her voice rose like steam from a fire, and the audience had been taken aback from the preformer that was Isabella Swan.
Her voice flowed through the Opera House like a wonderful smell, like honey suckles dancing in the wind on a nice Spring day. Her voice to somebody who was used to hearing, like her angel, would be purely addicting. The fine, rich people who were in the audience were becoming Bella-addicts as they sat and listened.
Nobody spoke, nobody so much as coughed during Bella's parts. James sang his in his normal Tenor voice, complimenting Bella's Soprano voice. Of course, you could tell just by listening Bella had a two octave range voice, she could sing Alto easily, but it was quite plan that Bella liked Soprano more. And it was the only octave that Victoria had and the only way she knew how to sing, because she learned by ear.
At the end of the night it was a loud roar of applause at all the right places, even Alice got applauded as Bella let her sing her natural part. Victoria never liked Alice to sing her regular parts because they were higher and better pitched than her. Where Alice and Bella were concerned, it sounded almost the same.
In the voices of applauded and yelps of excitement she heard Jacob's voice, praising his whole Opera House, calling 'Brava' and 'Well done all!' She felt a little glutton as she indulged in those praises, pretending that they were meant for her, and only hear, then she heard it again, her Angel of Music.
'Purely sensational, Isabella, well done. You are perfect in every way, my dear, clearly wonderful. Brava, Brava, my Bella.'
Bella's small smile appeared larger as the Angel Voice kept whispering wonderful compliments in her ear, telling her how wonderful she was, and how much he had enjoyed her performance.
- - - - - - - - - - -The End of the Preformat- - - - - - - - - - - - -
"You did wonderful!" Jasper adored Bella and Alice at the same time. However, it didn't go past Bella, the compliment was meant just for Alice. So Bella nudged her and told her to thank him.
"Thank you!" Alice said in a very enthusiastic voice, it was almost as if a little kid had said it, it was that high pitched and excited.
"Your welcome," his voice smiling.
"You two have fun." Bella said leaving the two alone.
"I'll get your coat, Alice,"
"Thank you."
"Lights out, kiddo." She heard from behind her. Emmett Cullen crowded the door way. Bella smiled at him, she adored Emmett in so many ways, he was so handsome, so kind, and so very forgiving and almost - in his own way - a child.
"Oh, okay... Emmett, may I ask you something?" Bella asked as she tried not to be embarrassed of him seeing her in her night gown. Emmett smiled, his dimples showing in the dim light of her room. The only light was the one on her makeup table that remained lit.
"Of course," Emmett said, his voice a little hesitant. He was not very good at questions that required a lot of thought. He preferred to be very sarcastic, and fun with children, such as Bella.
"Well, I was wondering... Did my father leave me the house that I had once lived in?" Bella asked, her face flush with color. Emmett looked down and sighed, he didn't want to answer such a question.
"Bella, we do not wish for you to leave..." Emmett began. He came toward Bella, his hands placed on her small shoulders which molded her small form. "Your father did leave you the house, but... You're not allowed it until you are wed... His terms, not ours." Emmett paused for Bella to speak.
"Why?" She questioned.
"Because, Bella, you're so young. Your father did not wish you to live by yourself." Emmett said, he looked at the moon in the sky. "Enough questions, Isabella, it's time for sleep." Emmett said, Bella crawled in her bed sheepishly looking down.
"Good night," he muttered in the dark.
When he shut the door Bella sighed and closed her eyes, only to open them once more a moment later. The moonlight up her room. In a poor attempt, she tried to keep her eyes open. Tried, but did not succeed.
She began to think of her childhood home, playing with Alice in the foyer. Tons of hide-and-go-seek were lost in that house. Many times was she found by Alice, and never did she find Alice. Alice was far too graceful and quiet to let Bella find her. She would always look to her side before moving, but somehow, Alice was always on her other side, smiling her innocent smile and touching Bella ever so lightly then running away without any words. Alice was wonderful, Alice was kind, and Alice was beautiful.
She was tossing and turning, a cool air whipped itself around the room, giving Bella a chill. It caused her to pull her blanket almost all they way up to her neck.
"Ahh, my sweet." The dark shadow said, he walked to her and sat down. "Your voice tonight was like pure ecstasy. You have no clue, my sweet." He sat on the edge of her bed, careful not to wake her. His eyes fell down to her closed eyes, he wished that she had been awake.
"Angel..." Bella murmured in her sleep, barely audible, but with Edward's heightened senses he heard it as clear as day, as if it were met for him. Of course, the greeting was met for him. His ocher eyes light up like owl eyes as he heard her mouth open and say her name for him. Angel...he was anything but. However, he liked what she had called him, loved the words that uttered from her lips when she spoke of him. And she very seldom did. She had mentioned it to Aliceonce. Alice looked at her as if her friend had some sort of witchcraft about her, and that was the last Bella ever spoke of him.
"I heard you and Mr. Cullen's talk, I think it's grand your father has left you a house. I know you think about him a lot." He murmured. He didn't touch her, he was far too close to though, just like last time.
"Dad.." Bella muttered. Half of Edward's forehead creased as he wanted to take off the mask, to see her and not have that stupid thing on his face. But he did not want to interrupt her innocence, even with one look. She'd fall in love, or lust, and he'd eventually take her virtue.
"I do not believe I'm going to make you sing. It's late. You sang wonderfully, though." He paused, "like a Goddess, like Athena. She's intelligent, and you are intelligent. She is beautiful, and you are beautiful." Edward thought on through the night, wondering what on earth he would say to Bella. He sighed, he wanted her to see him.
"No, you are far more than beautiful. You are down right celestial. A Goddess for sure. If not a Goddess, than something of a Titan, more powerful than a Goddess."
'To feel her, would be amazing. To speak to her directly instead of her unconscious body would be perfect. To caress her wonderful skin would be wonderful.'
Thinking these things, the Phantom felt utterly ashamed. He owned the way she sang, he loved the way she sang. He did not love her. He was simply lusting after her, like Vampires do. Did he dare think of his feelings actually growing? Calling her 'sweet' and 'my Bella'. Saying that she belonged to him. No, she sang for him and only him. She day-dreamt about Jacob Black, no longer. She will dream of him, and only him. She will want and need him. Not that meat-bag. Not that walking meal - No. It would be him. Only him.
'I bet her skin is softer than mine. I bet that her eyes are more tantalizing when they are staring at you, not near you. I bet that even with my mask off she would not fall in lust, but love. I know that she is the one, and I need to find a way, a way to make her mine. All mine. She is already mine but she does not know it yet. We belong together, and she may not know it yet, but she will...in time.
Soon... Soon I will take her. Soon I will make her my bride, and soon her blood will stop calling to me like something an addict cannot help but need a taste of. Soon. Soon we shall be wed and we shall make passionate love, not mating, not like those people. Those disgusting humans who breed too much, who do not make love, they just repopulate while others die.
Not my Bella, not my Isabella Marie Swan, no. She's not disgusting, and we will not mate, nor breed, we will make love, as lovers do.'
"Sleep now, my Isabella, I shall visit you on the morrow. God bless you my perfect little lamb." The shadow spoke after leaving, his eyes were becoming shadowed with purple, he knew tomorrow would be a shining day. That, and he could not last another night. Isabella's blood was taking a large toll on him and his self-control was wearing dangerously thin while he kept from hunting.
"Time to hunt." He said to himself. He ran with great speed through the forest, seeking something carnivorous. Something that tasted remotely human. He couldn't find anything.
"Curse you," he spoke to the sky, speaking of course to a God that must not have been listening. "First you make me this creature, this horrible and vile creature, and now I cannot even feed properly!" He spat his words into the celestial plains. "Curse you... Damn you..." He said quietly. He sighed and looked at an elk passing near by. He stood on the balls of his feet, ready to pounce. Quickly bending into a crouch, he attacked the fully grown elk head on. It fell without any hesitation, and Edward, being as merciful as he was, broke it's neck before it could feel any real pain.
After feeding he looked down at the carcass of the animal that soon would be devoured by natures cleaning crew, the vermin. Already he saw vultures scurrying through the sky. Although dawn was nearly approaching they could still see through the faint light the moon still provided. He ran to his home, his palace of music. Sitting at his piano bench, he tryed to play one note that was his. But they all belonged to Bella, because that is what his music was all about - his dear Bella.
"Time for business." He said to himself, he got off of the piano bench and went to his desk where he started to melt blood red wax in a holder, he sat down and started to write upon a piece of white parchment, it was addressed to Mr. Black and Mr. Hale. An evil grin appeared on Edward's face. Although you could only see half of his face, you did not need to see it all to know that all his face was reflecting was evil. He began to make his demands, yet again.
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