Disclaimer: The Phantom of the Opera does not belong to me (though I think if it were up to him, he wouldn't belong to anyone), only my own characters do.

Author's Note:

To angelwithamask: Thanks for reading, I'm glad you like the story. I hope this new chapter came out soon enough for you.

To foxgodess07: I don't know how much tearing S'ray is going to do in her current condition, but yeah, someone is in for it sooner or later.

To Maynahchick: Thanks again to another satisfied reader, I'm glad you're here. Stick with me, there are a lot of adventures for Erik still to be told. This is only the beginning.

And just so you all know, I was in pain working on this chapter. I had the guy help me with a fight scene and he didn't pull his punches enough. So now he owes me another photo shoot come spring!

I've got an urge to do more artwork. Let me know in a review what scene from the story you'd like to see. It can be a fight, something humorous, or something steamy. I will not do Christine kissing Erik, that won't happen in case there are any E/C shippers reading this (there are already enough pictures of that). I'll tally the list and have my guy pick (So be creative so says the guy) the winner.

Thanks to all who have read and reviewed; the more you review, the faster I write the next chapter. Now, on to the next chapter.

Phantom of the Glen

Chapter 28

Shaken Foundations

Phelon looked up as he saw the brandy in the decanter on his desk move a bit. Thinking it was caused by the crew shifting a heavy piece of scenery, he went back to work. A few moments later he heard the unmistakable tinkle of the crystal shaking.

The owner frowned and tapped his foot in annoyance. He would need to speak with the crew about not being so rough with theater assets. Phelon dipped his pen and went back to the letter he was writing.

Several minutes passed quietly and then his desk shook violently. He cursed under his breath in Greek and swiftly moved to the backstage area to reprimand the crew. He arrived to find the area completely empty. Phelon realized the time, it was much too early for the crew to arrive back at work.

He turned to go back to the safety of his windowless office and was almost thrown to the stage floor by another tremor of the building. Once back on balance he raced to the dressing room containing the trick mirror. He quickly worked the mechanism and closing the glass behind himself, raced down into the darkness.

All three men grew silent at S'ray's angry yell and turned toward her. Erik's eyes opened wide, he'd never seen her look so pale and drawn before. Their eyes met and without another thought he rushed to her. He reached her just in time to catch her as she collapsed, her strength having finally failed her.

"S'ray," he called as his heart lurched to a stop in his chest. "S'ray, please."

"Erik," she said softly.

"I'm here S'ray, I've got you now," he almost cried, his throat constricting painfully with worry.

"Did you keep your promise?" she asked opening her eyes a bit.

"Yes love, I kept it," he murmured holding her close to his chest. "Don't go, please. Please stay with me, I need you. I love you S'ray."

"I'm so tired," she whispered.

"Please no, please no," he sobbed rocking back and forth with her.

"And so cold," the Alve said and shivered.

"Tavlyn! Cyd! Help, I don't know what to do!" Erik cried out in anguish.

"No!" both Brownies cried out and rushed to the Phantom and S'ray.

Tavlyn arrived next and knelt in front of Erik. "Let me see her Erik," he said softly, gently gripping the other man's shoulder.

The man nodded and taking a deep breath, he laid the woman gently on the rug next to his desk. Erik ran his fingers through his hair; he hadn't felt this helpless in forever it seemed. Tears streamed silently from his amber eyes as Antoinette put a comforting arm around his shoulders. Brandji and Brule clung to each other and Erik's leg as Tavlyn examined her.

"She's alive," he said looking up at the group. "Take her to a bed. I need to re-wrap her arms."

Erik swallowed in relief and picked her back up. He held her gently as he carried her across his lair to his bedroom. Meg hurried ahead and drew back the coverlet for him. He laid her on the bed and stepped back as Tavlyn and Antoinette brushed past him to tend to her. Cyd, having finally changed back to his human form, was next and turning back to Meg said, "Take him out of here."

He frowned at the dragon; there was no way in hell he was leaving now. Then he felt Meg's soft touch on his arm and looked down into her big blue eyes. "Please," she said quietly. He looked back to the bed and Tavlyn nodded at him. Knowing she'd be alright, he let the little ballerina lead him from the room.

In a daze, he walked over to the organ and sat down on the bench. Erik just stared at the keys, wondering what he would do if the worst did happen. It was his entire fault for allowing her to come along; he should have insisted that she stay behind instead of Daklu. If she had stayed in the glen then Raoul wouldn't have been able to bind and cage her with iron.

He frowned; Raoul would pay dearly for this, one way or another. He glanced to the divan and saw that Meg was sleeping soundly on it. The Brownies were also sleeping on a cushion on the floor next to her. Erik got up from the bench and went to pay the Vicomte another visit.

"Let's get her armor off," Cyd said as he started pulling her boots off.

"Are you sure this is proper?" Madame Giry asked the two men.

"What do you mean?" Tavlyn asked as he began unbuckling her leathers.

"You're both men," she frowned.

"This isn't a first, we've done this before," Tavlyn replied.

"We can get her armor off faster than you can," Cyd added. "We'll leave you to finding something else for her to wear after that. Is that acceptable?"

"Yes," the ballet mistress nodded and went to Erik's wardrobe.

"We'll also need fresh bandages, I don't think I have enough in my bag anymore," Tavlyn said. "Do you know if Erik has any?"

"Yes, I know where they are as well," Antoinette answered. "I'll be back shortly with them."

"Have you got enough herbs?" Cyd asked the Alve.

"Plenty," he nodded.

"Looks like it was working till she insisted on coming down here," Cyd frowned.

"Yeah, well, you know how stubborn she is," Tavlyn replied.

"Very well," he sighed.

"Good, you're awake," Erik smiled as Raoul watched him enter the torture chamber again.

"So what happened to the other freak?" the Vicomte asked from where he was tied to the iron tree.

"He's busy, trying to heal the damage you've done to S'ray," he frowned coming up close to him.

"I hope he fails," Raoul spat.

Erik snarled and backhanded Raoul across the mouth, splitting open his bottom lip again. "If you value your worthless life, you had better pray he doesn't because there are several others in line behind me when I'm through with you and I guarantee they won't be as gentle as I am."

"I hope her death kills you once and for all," Raoul spat.

Erik saw red and punched the noble in the stomach.

"Still prefer to hit me while I'm tied up, I see," he coughed.

The Phantom produced a knife and cut him free. "So fight back," he smirked and secreting the knife away, punched Raoul again.

Raoul shook his head to clear the cobwebs and grabbed the Phantom's arm just in time to ward off an uppercut. He countered with a punch to Erik's stomach. Erik grabbed Raoul's right wrist and pushed the punch through and out. Then he twisted the Vicomte around till he was leaning his left shoulder into Raoul's. He viscously pulled the noble's left arm, dislocating his shoulder.

The man fell to the floor with a scream of pain. He rolled onto his right side, clutching his now useless arm. "You should be happy I only dislocated your shoulder," Erik smirked. "It is possible to put it back in yourself, if you can stand the pain."

"You son of a bitch," he howled.

"Please Monsieur, leave the woman who birthed me out of this," the Phantom frowned.

"I doubt you even have a mother," Raoul groaned. "Hell spit you out fully grown."

"Yet Christine thought me an angel," he smiled.

"You tricked her," the noble said getting to his knees.

"In fact she still thinks of me as her angel," Erik smirked. "And she was quite willing to just leave you for me regardless of her wedding vows."

"Christine would never do that, she loves me," he replied shakily.

"I'm only telling you what she told me. You should be thankful that I'm no longer interested in the child or I would have taken her right there on the desk," he grinned. "In fact, your sweet wife was quite adamant with her passionate intentions toward me."

"What . . . what do you mean?" Raoul asked getting to his feet.

"To be blunt Monsieur, your wife wants to fuck me so badly that she would leave you without a second thought if I but gave the word," he sneered.

The noble yelled angrily and threw a wild punch at Erik. Erik grabbed his hand and struck him on the hinge of his jaw with an open palm. Raoul staggered back, seeing stars before his eyes. He shook his head to clear it while the Phantom waited patiently for his next move.

"So, where's the other freak?" Raoul asked leaning against the tree in the middle of the room.

"He hasn't left, if that's what you're wondering," the Phantom replied.

"One-eyed son of a bitch," the noble gasped.

"I'd have more respect for him, if I were you," he cautioned. "He out-ranks you."

"Rubbish," Raoul frowned.

"You are a mere Vicomte, while Tavlyn is a Prince of the Tuatha," Erik replied.

Raoul blanched; he'd read of the Tuatha Dé Danann in the book, they were legendary warriors and feared by many races. "That freak? I'll wager my lands that he's just an old friend of yours from the gypsy carnival," he taunted, covering his fear. "And that woman is just some slut you found in the gutter. Really, what else would lie with you?"

The Phantom growled in rage and threw a roundhouse right at Raoul. The noble leaned back to avoid the hit and Erik followed up with a left jab to the man's liver. Raoul doubled over and spit out some blood. "So when are you going to kill me?" he gasped, holding his useless arm around his middle.

"When I'm damn good and ready," Erik snarled and kicked Raoul behind the knee with his shin. As the man fell to his left, the Phantom threw a roundhouse down at him and hit him in the temple with the second knuckle of his middle finger, concentrating all the force and knocking the noble out.

"I think she looks better already," Madame Giry smiled as the men finished wrapping up S'ray's arms again.

"All she needs now is rest," Cyd said pulling the bedclothes up around her.

They watched S'ray turn her head then and open her eyes. "Where am I?" she asked.

"You're under the opera house," Cyd answered. "In Erik's home. Do you remember now?"

"Yes, where's Erik?" she asked, "I remember him catching me and then waking up here."

"He's waiting outside," Madame Giry answered, "I'll get him for you."

"Thank you," she smiled.

"How do you feel?" Cyd asked, sitting down on the bed.

"Like I was chewed up and spit out by a Tarasque," she sighed.

"You scared us all," he frowned. "You should have stayed up above."

"You know me better than that Cyd, Erik needed me," she replied.

"Be that as it may, you take far too many chances," he sighed. "How many times do I have to tell you that?"

"Probably a thousand," she smiled.

Madame Giry stepped out of Erik's bedroom and looked immediately to the organ, expecting to find him there. She frowned when he wasn't there, in fact, he was no where to be seen in the lair at all. She waited several minutes and still no sign of the man.

"Don't tell me he's disappeared again," Tavlyn frowned as he stopped beside her.

"I don't believe he went far, he was too upset to leave here," she replied.

"I think I know where he went," the Elf said turning and walking swiftly toward what she had assumed was another curtained mirror. "Follow me."

"Oh goodness, I had forgotten about this," Madame Giry sighed as they stood before the door of the torture chamber.

"Maybe you should go in, I may help Erik with whatever he's doing to that bastard," he suggested.

"I think that would be best," she said and rapped on the door with her cane. "Erik, open this door at once!"

The Phantom cursed under his breath; how Giry had found this room he had no idea. He dropped Raoul to the floor and stalked over to the door. "What now?" he growled as he opened the panel.

"What in the name of all that is holy do you think you are doing?" Madame Giry sternly demanded.

"Take a look and tell me what it looks like," he snarled.

"It looks like you are neglecting a woman you profess to love like no other," she replied, "Again."

He was quiet, but his temper was seething on the inside. His breathing was quick and his eyes were dark with barely contained anger. "How dare you," he hissed.

"Do not start with me Erik and listen for a change. You never listened when it came to Christine and look where it got you. This time you are going to listen to me," she replied, not fazed by his anger.

"Go on," he growled.

"S'ray is going to be fine. In fact she's awake and asking for you, I suggest you go to her right now before you get yourself in any more trouble with that woman," Antoinette told him.

Erik blanched visibly and the anger drained out of him. S'ray was going to live and she was asking for him. He stepped from the torture chamber and closed the door, locking it so the Vicomte couldn't get out when he woke up again.

"You should change before you see her, I don't think she'd want to see you covered in the Vicomte's blood," the ballet mistress frowned.

"Some of it is mine, he got lucky in the church and slashed my shoulder," Erik replied.

"Be that as it may, you still need to change first, now come along," she ordered and turned back down the passage, expecting him to follow her.

"S'ray," he said softly as he pulled aside the lace curtain around his bed.

He saw her turn her head on the pillow and open her violet eyes. "Erik," she sighed.

"How are you?" he asked sitting next to her on the bed.

"Very tired," she smiled and then noticed the bandage on his left shoulder. "What happened?"

"It's just a scratch," he lied and smiled at her. "The Vicomte got lucky in the church."

"So this is your bed," she said softly.

"Yes, though this is not how I envisioned having you in it," he answered gently touching her cheek.

"It's very comfortable," she sighed closing her eyes.

"If you're tired, I can leave," he offered.

"No, I want you to stay," she replied opening her eyes again.

"I thought I'd lost you when you collapsed," he confessed closing his eyes to keep his emotions in control.

"Come here love," S'ray said opening her arms to him.

Erik lay on the bed next to her and wrapped his arms around her. "I love you S'ray," he said with a hitch in his voice. "I don't know what I would have done without you."

"Its okay love, I've no intention of leaving you," she whispered from within his embrace.

"I'm sorry, it's my fault, I should have made you stay at home," he wept against her.

"It's not your fault Erik," she sighed tilting her head back to look at him. "How many times do I have to tell you that all bad things are not your fault? I knew the risks in coming along with you and I accepted them."

"But . . ." he started.

"No buts love," she smiled. "If it's anyone's fault, it's mine for under-estimating a mortal."

"It is not . . ." he started, but was silenced by her finger to his lips again.

"No, not your fault," she said sternly. "Now are you going to drop it so I can rest my arms?"

Erik nodded affirmatively.

"Good," she smiled and brought her arm to rest on her chest again. "Now are you going to stay out there or come under here so I can snuggle up against you?"

"You should know by now that I would never refuse such an invitation from you," he smiled and after removing his boots, slid under the blankets next to her.

She lay on his right side, tucked securely against him. "You forgot something," she sighed.

"What was that?" he asked pulling the blanket over his wounded shoulder.

"This," she frowned and tapped his full black mask.

"Do I have to?" he asked. "There are a lot of people out there."

"Tav and Cyd don't really care what you look like and the Brownies are used to you. Besides I'm sure your friends have seen you without it," she replied.

"Meg hasn't," he answered.

"If you want a goodnight kiss you'll take it off," she frowned again.

"Very well," he sighed and removed his mask.

"Much better," she smiled getting comfortable on his shoulder.

"Now get some sleep love and you'll feel better," Erik softly said and kissed her. Then he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep as well.

Madame Giry smiled as she let the curtain drop across the doorway, giving them privacy. She had never seen him look so happy before, not even with Christine. Finally, he had stumbled upon a woman who was strong enough to love him as he needed and deserved.

"What is it Maman?" Meg asked walking up to her mother.

"Have I ever told you how much I love you my dear?" she asked as they walked down the stone steps together.

"Many times Maman," the young woman replied as she gazed at the one-eyed man now sleeping on the divan.

"He seems so happy now," Antoinette sighed.

"Maman," Meg said. "Why did you keep him a secret from me for so long?"

"Oh, there are many reasons my child," she replied sitting in a chair. "But they all come back to my desire to keep you safe. You see, Erik not always very stable, you saw what he did to try and get Christine to love him."

"All too well," she sighed sitting as well.

"And I did not want to take the chance of you venturing down here on your own," the older Giry continued. "As you know, Erik does not get on well with most of humanity and as a result has set many traps to catch those who would seek him out and harm him. I did not want you to accidentally fall into one of them, it would have hurt Erik greatly to know that he caused my only child harm."

"I understand now Maman," the little ballerina smiled. "What do you think of S'ray?"

"I think our Opera Ghost has finally found a woman strong enough to love him as he needs and deserves," she sighed. "Now shall we see what we can find for some breakfast? I'm sure you must be as hungry as I am."

"I think I could eat an entire bakery," Meg laughed.

Cyd glided back out into the underground lake; now that things were quiet for a while he would have a chance to better examine the double gate. He craned his neck up and studied the solid iron outer gate. It was old, very old. He tapped it with a talon; the iron rang dully and didn't flake away at all.

The dragon frowned, this was a puzzle. The gate was obviously very old and made of iron, but no real signs of decay. He looked back to Erik's lair and then out through the portcullis. From the setup, it was obviously meant to keep something out. The great puzzle was what?

He blew a bit of fire at the portcullis and his eyes widened a bit. He was right; there was a powerful enchantment on the iron. Had this once been the lair of a Drow wizard? Or perhaps a dragon? It was setup like a dragon's lair, of that he was certain.

He cocked his head to one side; he could swear he heard splashing in the water as if someone was walking toward the lair. The dragon went back down to all fours and slid into the deep part of the lake to wait for who ever was coming. He didn't wait long, for a blonde man of indeterminate age soon appeared at the portcullis.

Cyd hissed and shot up out of the water, "What do you want vampire!" he hissed angrily.

"Stop shaking the foundations of my opera house," the man replied without batting an eyelash before the great creature.

"How did you know to find this place?" Cyd demanded leveling his head with the creature in front of him.

"How did you find it?" he asked in return.

"Tell me or I'll immolate you here and now," the dragon hissed.

"Try it," he dared gripping the bars on the portcullis.

Cyd snorted in irritation and small jets of flame left his nostrils.

"Not impressed dragon," he replied raising an eyebrow at Cyd.

"I don't need to impress the likes of you," the dragon sneered.

"You have no idea who I am, do you?"

"If you don't leave, it won't matter because you'll be ash, you parasite."

"If I were you, I'd be careful with the threats hatchling," he said quietly.

"Hatchling? I am over a millennium," Cyd hissed.

"Only a single millennium? I've seen civilizations rise and fall that you have never even imagined," he replied.

"Really? Well, then there is nothing for you to see here," the dragon frowned.

"What are you guarding?" the man asked. "Is it a treasure hoard?"

"Is that all vampires are interested in besides blood?"

"Isn't that all dragons are interested in?"

"There is no treasure here vampire."

"Then what is here? Surely you're not thinking of moving in, I would think this a most inconvenient location for a lair," he said. "That is, unless you're hiding from your own kind. You're not exiled, are you?"

"How dare you," the great creature hissed.

"Cyd, would you mind keeping it down? Some of us are trying to get some sleep," Tavlyn said as he trudged up to the dragon.

"An Elf and a dragon, now I'm truly intrigued. So Elf, what is going under my opera house?" the man demanded.

"Who the hell are you?" Tavlyn demanded.

"My name is Phelon," he replied.

Tavlyn paled and took a step backward.

"So you know of me," he said with the hint of a smile on his full lips.

"So the legends are true," Cyd said eyeing the vampire.

"Well then, we'll be heading back to shore," Tavlyn smiled. "You can stand there and starve for all I care."

"Don't turn your back on me dragon rider," Phelon shouted. "I know the Phantom is involved in this some how."

Tavlyn stopped dead in his tracks. How did a vampire, and a damned old one at that, know about Erik? He slowly turned back to the creature and asked, "What do you know of the Phantom?"

"I know he's back obviously and the two of you know more about him than you're letting on," Phelon countered.

"Go back to your coffin and sleep," Tavlyn said. "Isn't it past your bedtime anyway?"

"I no longer fear the sun," he replied. "And I don't fear either one of you."

"You should," Cyd hissed. "It would only take one breath to wipe you off this plane."

Erik opened his eyes; he could swear he heard raised voices in another part of his lair. He closed them again and fervently wished for some peace and quiet. Then he felt S'ray stir against him and silently cursed the parties who were causing the disturbance in his lair. Antoinette's voice cut through the apparent argument and all was quiet again.

"Erik?" she sighed sleepily.

"It's alright," he smiled, caressing her back. "Go back to sleep love."

S'ray sighed and snuggled closer to him beneath the velvet covers. Above ground it was quite warm already, but in his lair under the opera house it could become quite cool in spite of the summer heat. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, willing himself to calm down and go back to sleep.

Many times since Beltane, he'd dreamed of bringing her down here to his world. He would sing to her and seduce her with his voice. Then once she was his, he would pick her up and carry her to this bed and gently lay her upon it. He would pull the lace curtain down around them before joining her. They would make love till they were exhausted and fell asleep in each other's arms. He dozed off with a slight smile on his lips.

He didn't know if minutes or hours had passed when he opened his eyes again. He smiled when saw S'ray lying half across him, he could still just make out the honeysuckle perfume in her hair. Then he heard what had awakened him, voices arguing again. Erik frowned when he felt his lover begin to stir, her sleep disturbed again.

"Erik," she smiled opening her violet eyes.

"How are you feeling now?" he asked kissing her forehead.

"Much better," she sighed closing her eyes again.

"That's good," he smiled combing the fingers of his right hand through her hair.

"Your bed is wonderful," she said settling alongside him. "Did you make it?"

"I did," he nodded.

"I wish I felt better," S'ray sighed.

"Mmm, we've plenty of time for love when you've recovered, my beautiful S'ray," he smiled gazing at her lovingly.

Just then an outraged and angry bellow from Cyd filled the lair. Erik groaned and let his head fall back into the pillow in frustration. Why would no one let them rest?

"Stay here," S'ray murmured. "I'll see to it."

"No, you're staying in bed," he said, gently grabbing her as she tried to sit up. "I will take care of this." Then he lay her back down in the warmth of the bed and after leaving it, pulled the bedclothes snugly around her. "Rest my S'ray, I'll be back shortly," he said and gently kissed her parted lips.

Author's End Note: Don't forget to let me know in a review what scene from the story you'd like to see. It can be a fight, something humorous, or something steamy. I will not do Christine kissing Erik, that won't happen in case there are any E/C shippers reading this (there are already enough pictures of that). I'll tally the list and have my guy pick (So be creative so says the guy) the winner.

Coming up in Chapter 29 – An Offer You Can't Refuse

What happens when the owner of the Opera Populaire and the Opera Ghost come face to face? Come back for the next chapter and find out.