I haven't heard from a couple of my more loyal readers as of late. I hope that you are just busy and not bored with this story. This chapter is guaranteed not to bore you, or you can get your money that you paid to read this back.

Chapter 40

Erik's POV

When I met my murderous cousin, my gut instinct was to grab my Punjab lasso and rid both the myself and the world of this miserable creature. He looked almost exactly like Christian but years of drinking, and disease had taken a toll on the man. He could not have been more than in his late 50's and yet he looked like a wizened old man, albeit a murderous one. But like old ladies, older men can be dangerous and therefore I heeded Christian's warning and followed the old Russian proverb of doveryai, no proveryai, Trust but Verify. Unlike in the case of Christian, my aversion to the man was high. His eyes reminded me of the old gypsy Javert who I had to kill to free myself from enslavement, as a child. There his eyes were cold and lifeless. I returned his gaze with no warmth.

Even if the man were a dupe of the Comtesse, he was responsible for much of the misery that had befallen me in my misbegotten life. From most accounts my father was a warm and gentle man who might have provided me with the love that my mother was unwilling or unable to bestow upon me. Even if my grandfather were to have continued his exile, which appears to be most improbable, he might have helped me learn to deal with my adversity. Since Otto also urged Christian to kill my grandfather, he denied me the second chance that I might have had to improve my circumstances. Of course I never would have found Christine but was she really better off for having fallen in love with me?

Perhaps if he had been more like his son and greeted me with real warmth, I might have overlooked his offenses towards me. But he greeted me in a condescending manner as if reluctantly bestowing his forgiveness on me. It was hard to believe that this man was Christian's father. He was like me, a creature of darkness and Christian personified the light. In the end I did forgive him, because in the farthest reaches of his lifeless eyes I could detect a small spark of regret, and unhappiness. I could recognize a kindred spirit to my own. He was far more like me than his son could ever be. Even in Christian's own regret for his past he was still full of life. Yet, I hoped that I could move away from the darkness which had gripped my soul for so long and bask in the light of love and acceptance. To turn away this man's reluctant plea for compassion was to release him back into the clutches of insanity, and open the doors to desperation. As someone who had been rejected and forced into desperation on more than one occasion, I would not turn down his reluctant surrender. I would make sure that he safely returned to Bonn once the Comtesse had been attended to.

Christian looked at me gratefully, like a dog receiving his master's bounty. Nadir gave me a nervous glance; he could see my hand resting just inside my cloak gripping my Punjab lasso. It had been a long time since I had used it to kill. I hoped to discard it someday as a relic of a more unhappy time. I remembered how patient I was in learning the art of using such a difficult weapon. My detractors probably think that I was born with such a skill, but it had been carefully nurtured. One of its better qualities as a weapon was that it was useless in the hands of someone who was untrained to use it, so it therefore could not be turned against its owner. Most who have mastered the weapon live in far- away India. I believe that I am the only European who has ever learned its secrets as they are so closely guarded. It is the weapon of choice for a few well trained assassins from the Punjab region of India and for the bodyguards of the Dalai Lama in Tibet. I was able to obtain its secrets by stepping in to defend an assassin who had been surrounded by a mob who had been demanding his blood after he had done his job. I never liked an unfair fight it reminded me of my own helplessness as a child. I was able to distract the mob enough to let the man slip away. Later he sought me out to thank me, and taught me how to use it. For the untrained it is simply a rope but a deadly one, with a fine measure of cat gut which if used in the proper manner, could sever a man's head from his body.

When Christian left, to settle his father in for the evening, and the ladies retired to change for the evening meal, I turned to Nadir and asked dryly "What do you think? Shall I install a guard outside my door this evening? Perhaps it will be my turn to fall victim to my cousin."

"I think that Christian will keep him in line. I listened outside the door as you requested and he tried very hard to persuade his father drop his vendetta against you. At first he stubbornly refused to switch sides, but Christian appealed to what little remains of his father's conscience and it seems to have worked. I will stand guard outside your door just in case if you need me to doostam." Nadir told me.

"It is not necessary; I will set one of my traps to catch him if he tries to come after me. I almost hope that he does. It took every bit of self -control that I could muster to keep my lasso inside my cloak. I was itching to rid the world of him, but it would have only perpetuated this ill begotten feud and spared the Comtesse some work in doing away with one of us." I told him. "Do you really think that it is wise to walk right into the she-wolf's den and speak to the boy? Perhaps I should have permitted Christine to approach him, as much as I dislike that option." I was having many doubts about our plan if you could call it such.

"Erik, you have always believed that your strength comes from the darkness, but the Comtesse is every bit as much of a creature of darkness as you are. She has used it as a means to subvert and destroy everyone around her. I believe that bringing everything into the light is the surest way to end her reign. It is the last thing that she will expect. She has been getting away with her plans for a long time. She probably believes that it will be no different this time. She might have lowered her guard. Perhaps you would like a more spectacular ending for her but my solution is the best for all concerned. Unless you want to turn everything over to the Alsatian authorities and let them sort it out." He told me.

"Would they believe the infamous Phantom of the Opera over a Comtesse and a Vicomte? I doubt it." I told him bitterly "Besides, for one who has committed so many murders she has done a great job of covering up her involvement until now. There is not enough evidence of her involvement, and we would bring down Christian in the process of using it. I don't care about Otto at all, but I do believe that Christian has some redeeming qualities." I added.

Nadir smiled at me "You still are fond of your cousin even though he has betrayed you. I am glad that you can forgive him. He is a good influence upon you. He makes you less gloomy and more cheerful. Speaking of cheerful, I am sure that you are eager to spend some time together with your bride to be. The weather outside is clearing perhaps you will want to take her on your evening stroll in the rose garden. The essence in there is almost as good as that which is found in the chahar baghs of my homeland."

The Persian gardens were some of the few good memories that I retained from my time there. Nadir's palace had a particularly beautiful one which he took great pride in showing me on my first visit to his home. At the time I had never seen such a garden but in time I saw many, and even had one in my old palace there. "I developed my fondness for roses in your garden, doostam. They were some of the most fragrant that I have ever smelled to this day. Up to that time, I had not had too much exposure to beautiful gardens. My youth was spent in a cage, usually in the ugliest part of the caravan, next to the elephants and donkeys and other captive animals. To my owner, I was no different than they were. I could smell their noxious scent everywhere. They were my 'rose gardens'. Since I was hosed down only every so often, I smelled no better than they did. It is one reason why I am so fastidious about my appearance at the present time. "

"Well you have certainly fought your way out of adversity doostam. I have rarely seen you when you are not well dressed in the most expensive and elegant style of clothing. Even when you donned Persian robes you would choose always the softest and riches materials to adorn yourself in." He told me.

I had made a vow when I escaped my captivity that I would never again be forced to live in filth and squalor. "A conscious decision, doostam I cannot improve my face but I can make the rest of me appear respectable. The gunny sack that I was forced to wear was very uncomfortable but it was all that was afforded to me. My master did not feel that an animal, such as I, deserved better."

"The sag deserved to die for treating a child so poorly. I am sure that Shytoon is making him pay for the evil way that he treated you. I know that you want to enjoy Christine's company until dinner. I will not keep you any further. Insha'Allah this latest ordeal will be over tomorrow and we can all enjoy your wedding festivities. Will you share your wedding day with your cousin or have you abandoned that thought?"

"As you know, I had you buy whatever Meg and Antoinette desired at the dressmaker's shop as well. I am not yet sure that I am ready to share my most important date with my untrustworthy cousin anymore" I told him. "I was being sentimental; I thought that a shared experience such as a wedding would bind us all together more and restore the friendship between Meg and Christine to its rightful place. The friendship appears to be healing without my efforts yet I am not sure that I can ever again trust Christian not to betray me. As you know my trust is not easily received and when I withdraw it, I seldom restore it a second time."

"Yet you have forgiven Christine on more than one occasion." Nadir challenged.

I sighed "Yes, doostam, but she is a special case. She holds my heart in her hand to use as she will. I have never successfully purged her from my regard, and I doubt that I ever will. If I could not do so when I thought that she hated me, I cannot do so now when I know that she loves me."

My old friend looked at me and smiled broadly "Well I can see it in her eyes that this time you are right. I am so happy for you doostam. I hear her coming to you now. I will see you at dinner."

Christine entered the room. She looked ravishing and I wanted to do so. As always she made my blood stir and my desire rise up. I wanted to take her in my arms and hold her there as tightly as I could. I could still not believe that a creature that is as hideous as I am was able to make such an angel love me. I was her slave and happy to be so. I was hers to command. If she asked me to return to wearing gunny sacks and to live in a cage as an animal once more; I would do so more than willingly as long as she would be there to love me. Of course she did not ask me to make such a sacrifice. She looked at me as if I were as handsome as her fop. Her eyes were dark with desire for me. Like the gentleman that I aspired to be, I took her arm and guided her out to take our nightly walk. For a moment we sat down on a bench to absorb the pleasant scents. Gently she removed my mask and wig and placed them on the bench. I smiled at her benignly, a far cry from how I behaved the first time that she removed them. I had learned to view the gesture as an act of love and not as anything threatening. She smoothed down my few wild locks tenderly; then she caressed both cheeks with an equally loving touch. I did not flinch from her movements as I once did. I looked back at her with awe and reverence.

"Oh Christine." I breathed "I cannot believe how far that we have come in such a short time. I no longer fear to look upon your face when you remove my mask. It is hard to believe that you will be my wife in only two days." I told her softly with wonderment.

"You need never doubt my love again, ange. I love your face because it is the face of the man that I love. It is why I remove your mask. As I told you before I need to see your whole face. I do not want you to feel that you must hide anything from me." She told me.

"I won't hide from you my love, not any longer. We are past that now. But if I am forced to hurt the fop, or even kill him will you hate me for it, as you did him when he tried to kill me?" I was terribly concerned that our love could be at risk but I did not see the boy yielding so easily.

"Promise me that you will make every effort to end it without violence Erik. I know that Raoul and I were wrong about you back in Paris, but he does not know it. He is as much of a dupe as Christian or his father." She reminded me with concern.

"I am aware of that fact my love; but still I cannot help but to despise the boy for all that took place back there. I know that I have won our war that raged between us; but even so, I have trouble forgiving him. He will try to take you back from me." I warned.

"I am not a prize to be fought over, but a living breathing woman. I made my choice back there in Paris on that night when I promised to stay with you if you let Raoul go. I am content with that choice, even more so, now that I know who you really are. He cannot take me from you ever no matter what." She told me adamantly.

She looked like a Viking goddess just then very strong and fierce. I smiled at her new found display of strength. My frightened indecisive child disappeared to be replaced by this firm and resolute woman. I laughed I couldn't help it. She was so delectable. She looked at me as if I had lost my mind.

I smiled back comfortably. "Well I guess that I can afford to be generous to the fop in his defeat. I truly admire the woman that you have become. In only a few months you have changed a great deal my love, mostly for the better."

She looked at me looking slightly hurt "What do you mean by mostly? Is there something about me that has changed for the worse?"

I laughed at her and pulled her towards me kissing her hungrily when we were done I told her "Mostly better but more formidable."

She looked at me in puzzlement.

I smiled at her and gave her a ravenous kiss "You have become a passionate woman Christine, passionate and strong; all that I ever wanted you to become." I told her continuing "To be my wife you need to be all of that my love, and more. It will not be an easy job to be my bride. You will have to endure the ridicule of others who will not see why you could marry a monster like me. You will have to brave my temper, but I will give you the world if you want it. Anything that you ask for will be yours. Everything, but a handsome husband." I added mischievously. "Perhaps tomorrow when you look at your boy and you will decide that his pretty face and flowing locks are more to your liking than your bald and hideous living corpse."

"Perhaps you will prefer a woman who has not changed for the worse." She teased.

I reached for her again "Perhaps you are right." I teased "A wife is supposed to obey her husband in all matters." I told her solemnly. "Sing for me my angel of music." I urged. She did so in her exquisite voice. It had been restored to what it had been before we had become alienated from one another. The music flowed through my mind freely swirling together as our souls united and soared once more. When we were finished, she covered my lips in hers, claiming me as hers, and kissed me yet again. We embraced one another passionately and hungrily, blissfully unaware that we were being watched.

Raoul's POV

The torrential spring rainfall seemed to fall without end. The day before, I approached the local police to enlist their aid despite my grandmother's plan. I was completely rebuffed by them. I would have to stick to Grandmere's plan. I was anxious to go to the beast's chateau to scout his movements. My grandmother's spy told her about their walks in the gardens each evening before the evening meal was to be served. I wanted to speak to the spy myself to ascertain what other information that he could share, but my grandmother would not permit me to do so. She claimed that she did not trust her spy or anyone else. Probably not even me. She told me that in her experience it was best if no one knew who I was. That way I could access the estate with less risk of suspicion. She told me that the spy informed her that the fiend had hired more help due to the larger size of his household. The spy had brought a servant's outfit for me to use so that I could blend in with the others, while I spied upon them. When I made the actual kill I would dress like Christian. When she gave it to me I wanted to refuse her. I did not want to camouflage myself like a coward. I wanted to shoot the rabid dog down once and for all, and achieve the final victory in our war. He may have kidnapped Christine once more, and believed that he could steal her away this time without me learning about it; but he underestimated me completely, which would be his downfall. As I did twice before, I would have the Phantom at my mercy, and he would finally get his due and become a real ghost.

Once the rain slackened and then ended, I dressed in my borrowed clothing, and took one of the Comtesse's prize stallions Pegasus, to carry me swiftly on my journey to spy upon my nemesis. It was early -afternoon and with luck, and a lot of speed, I could arrive there before their dinner. Perhaps they would even go for their daily walk, if the fiend would allow poor Christine to get some time outside. My grandmother had left me with well- drawn instructions on how to find the Chateau. I eagerly took them and mounted my steed. I started my ride giving me ample time to think of my work ahead of me. I daresay that I looked forward to ending this unbearable situation that I have with the beast. To be sure of my victory over him, I came well -armed. I carried both my pistol and grandmother's German rifle which contained a sight which I could employ to shoot the beast from a distance. It was a good thing that I had military training or I would not have known how to use it. I was a good marksman, having gotten excellent marks in the Ecole Militaire for my skills. I had no doubt that I could kill the creature easily with the rifle but needed to make sure that Christine was not anywhere near him if I used it. He might have to chain her to his side like a dog to keep her from fleeing. In that case I would find a way to creep up behind him once again, and maybe stab him in the back. This time Christine would understand that she could never be free until the beast was truly a corpse not just hideously bloated like one.

I also had my prize Lefaucheux fire pin revolver which had been custom made in Lieges for my father. It does not have a sight but could certainly put a nice hole in the Phantom's black heart. For me to use that, I would have to come closer to the beast and risk the chance of discovery, but the look of amazement on his hideous face could be worth the risk. I would revel at the opportunity to watch the blood drain from his body as I stood over him to gloat about my victory. Perhaps Christine would even give me a grateful kiss.

We would be free of the beast at last and we could return to Paris and leave the bad memories associated with the monster behind us in this godforsaken country. I brought my sword as well but, unless he gave me no choice, I did not plan upon getting close enough to the thing to use it. I did not want to get into range of that lasso of his. It is such a barbaric weapon, suited to such a worthless creature. He complained that when I stabbed him that I behaved like a coward, but his weapon of choice is not a gentleman's weapon. It lacks the pedigree and the finesse of a worthy instrument of death. He might as well employ a caveman's club, he certainly looks the part of one; perhaps he is one of those Neanderthal's that they found in a cave in Germany.

Whichever weapon that I decided to employ, my heart beat with excitement at my upcoming opportunity to dispose of the fiend once and for all. Life would be fantastic, Christine and I would return to Paris in triumph. I would be able to inform the Parisian public that I and I alone finally did away with the infamous Phantom of the Opera permanently. I would be the cause celebre of the social circuit. I of course would embellish upon my courage in ridding the world of such a repulsive creature.

I had no trouble finding the beast's new lair. I daresay that it was larger than I expected, but a very old and gloomy looking place. It seemed to suit the monster to a tee. Rather ancient and mismatched with ramshackle wings jutting out with no apparent reason for doing so, and no semblance of beauty. Very Germanic, I decided contemptuously. These Alsatian's should have learned to build some edifices of beauty since they were until recently, a part of France. I went behind the Chateau on the river side where I found a copse of poplar trees, and tied Pegasus to it. I left most of my weapons but my pistol, rifle and poker on the horse, then went into a vineyard where the vines would obscure my form from anyone who would look from the direction of the house. I looked into a distance and found the garden just as described by my grandmother's spy. I could see that there were several places where I could hit my target should he appear. I practiced peering through the sight to look for a good clean shot on my target. I saw a bench in the garden that looked like a perfect place to aim. I would shoot to kill.

I crept a little closer, when suddenly I heard the doors open. It was the beast himself together with Christine. They were speaking to one another and laughing. I could not hear what they were talking about, but Christine did not look at all unhappy. She looked radiant with joy. They sat down together on the bench, and then I saw her remove his mask and wig revealing his hideous face. To my surprise and complete disgust she fondled him like a wife would do for a husband, and then reached for him and pulled him towards her and kissed him right on the lips just as she had done that night in front of me, while I was strung up helplessly on the portcullis with his cursed lasso around my neck. They were laughing, singing and smiling and pawing at one another. The sight of it made me sick. Worse yet, Christine showed absolutely no signs of distress. My grandmother had been wrong, she was not his prisoner. She was his lover. I could not believe that she could betray me so horribly. Any attempt that I had made to simply reconnoiter the scene vanished. I lost control over my actions. Before I knew it I had shouted out the word 'whore' and started to fire at them. I was so angry that I did not even care which one of them that I hit. Just as I fired I felt someone come at me, and then I felt a thump and everything went black.