Chapter 14

In the middle of the night, Erik had awoken on the couch with Christine in his arms. He knew she needed all the rest she could get so he gently stood and lifted her small body off the couch. "Erik..." she called drousely in her sleep. "Shh, rest petite," he whispered softly. She leaned her head against his chest as he walked slowly to her room so as to savour this moment. Her hand grasped onto the lapel of his jacket and tugged slightly. She said, "Please don't put me in my room." He kissed the crown of her head, "You have to sleep well tonite, you have a dress rehearsal later." She groaned in annoyance and leaned her head firmer against him. "I know, I know," he said, "Just rest for now." He carried her to her room and placed her atop of her bed. As he was pulling the covers over her, she asked, "Will you be at rehearsals tomorrow?" "Of course," He said kneeling beside the bed. "And the Matinee performance?" she smiled. He chuckled, "Need you even ask? Your angel will always be watching over you, especially in your greatest moments." With trembling hands, he reached for hers and gave a feather-light kiss to her knuckle. She closed her eyes as she sighed, "Good night, ange."

"Good night, ma petite." He made sure the fireplace in her room was well lit to make sure the air wouldn't chill. He then quietly walked out of her room and closed the door with a soft click. Christine then opened her eyes, please believe my heart, mon ange.

Erik walked to his room with a sweet grin curving the corner of his lips. As he entered the bathchambers and readied for bed, his movements stopped when he happened to glance at the mirror. He was surprised to see his mask but how could he forget it? This damned thing had been a neccesary part of his life just as much as breathing. Christine made him forget who he was; with her he felt, dare he say it, like everyone else. She said she loved him...

But can she love you without your mask?

The Voice had startled him and made him look around the room frantically. You need to look no farther than the mirror to find me. He refused to look at his reflection. Ask yourself; Can she love you without your mask to hide what you truly are? You can't even accept yourself. "That's different!" he snapped aloud, "she's different." And so are you! It screamed in his head. You think you're like everyone else? Not everyone has a history of murdering thousands and being being feared by more. Even Christine is frightened of you. You saw it youself when she removed your mask! Your face tells the history of the atrocities you've comitted. She feared you! "Fear can turn to love and it has!" he cried desperately on the edge of tears.

What has become of you, my friend? "You're not my friend!" Erik hissed. Oh but I am! It proclaimed confidently. I know you better than no one else on this Earth. I listened to you when you cried as a young boy. I gave you courage when you were frightened. We were so powerful you and I, don't you remember? In Persia I made- "You made me into the monster, I look!" Erik finished. I made you a God! The Voice had roared in Erik's head so loud that he fell to his knees in pain. You think you don't need me but you do. I'll let you live this fantasy that Christine truly loves you a little longer. When you see that your pathetic hope was wasted, you'll need me again. Then there was silence... And doubt... But Erik knew Christine loved him. She wouldn't lie to him.

There were two dress rehearsals, The early morning one was the rehearsal Christine had to attend for matinee performers. The first Act went smoothly minus a few technicalities with the stagehands. During the intermission before the second Act, Christine was approached by Meg, "Chris, you were marvelous! So much better than that cow we all have to listen to later. You have a visitor!" Christine's stomach flipped like a crepe, "It's not Raoul is it?"

"No"

"Thank God!"

"It's Phillipe."

Christine brow furrowed in confusion, His brother? "He explained that the Vicomte was still away but had sent you a gift. Do you know if he's as handsome as Raoul?" asked Meg. Christine thought for a brief moment, "I'm not sure, I haven't seen him in years. Why?" Meg shrugged as she lead her to his direction, "Oh, just wondering. The other girls were making such a huge fuss!"

Phillipe immediately recognized Christine as they approached, "Madamioselle Daae'! It has been so long! My how you've grown!" He unashamedly glanced up and down over her whole form making Christine immediately wrap her costume shawl closely around herself. Erik, who had been watching from the rafters above the auditorium, noticed the Comte's unreserved ogling. He knew the Comte de Chagny had quite the reputation in the "more refined" parts of Paris. Angelique had been watching from Erik's shoulder and could feel the jealousy radiate off him. She patted his other shoulder reassuringly with her tail, Don't worry, Master. Christine knows better. Erik reached up his hand to scratch behind Angelique's ear and she purred loudly in response.

It was then that Erik sparked an idea. "Angelique," he whispered, "Go to the Comte and try to gain his aquaintance." Angelique looked at him in confusion, Master, you realize I am a feline and he is human. Therefore I cannot "gain his aquai-" wait, what do you mean? "Go on!" said Erik, "Welcome him to my Opera House." Angelique pounced from Erik's shoulder onto a wooden beam and climbed up. You can learn a lot about a man's behavior by how he treats innocent animals. Well, Angelique wasn't exactly innocent but she could certainly play the part if food was her incentive. Erik continued to watch the conversation between Phillipe and Christine. Unfortunately, he was too far to listen and he had get closer but getting closer meant he had to take his eyes off them for a few moments. "Damn," he'll just have to move fast.

Meanwhile, "Did you want to speak to me about something?" Phillipe cleared his throat, "Yes, my brother asked me to bring you this." He handed her a small box of assorted chocolates. How creative, Christine thought. "He said he remembers that you were quite a fan of chocolates when you both were children," added Phillipe, his eyes still running all over her. Yes, when they were children. Christine loved chocolate as a child but had grew tired of it as she got older. "Yes, a very fond memory I cherish. Please tell Raoul I said thank you for his kind thoughts," said Christine. Phillipe had taken a breath to say something when Angelique nudged her head against his pantleg and meowed loudly. Funny how the Vicomte smelled like lavender and this one smells like jasmine... and alchohol. He also looks like the handsome pirate no one on the crew likes, thought Angelique. It was true, Phillipe was tall, dark, and possesed a goatee. He was very handsome indeed. Too handsome, Christine thought. "Why hello, little one," said Phillipe. Christine chuckled, "Please excuse her, she's just welcoming you to her theater." "Her theater?" he asked almost as if he had been offended. "Oh, I didn't mean it like that, Monsieur Comte," said Christine.

"No harm done," he said with a charming smile, "I believe your rehearsal is about to resume but before you leave, let me just say that any friend of Raoul's is a friend of mine so should you need any favors done you, don't be shy to ask me." Niether Christine or Angelique liked his tone, "Please excuse me, I must prepare for the next act. Meg, we have to-" Christine stopped midsentence when she turned and saw Meg pretending to be stretching her legs in clear view of the Comte. "Meg, what are you doing?" asked Christine. "Oh just making sure I'm nice and limber for the next Act whilst looking in this general direction," said Meg as if she wasn't practically posing for Phillipe. "Well that's good because the next Act is about to start," said Christine urgently. Meg stopped to listen and indeed she could hear the orchestra warming up, "Alright, let's go then." "Good bye, Monsieur and thank you," bid Christine as she walked away with Meg.

Phillipe watched Christine walk and took notice of the way her body moved. He then felt a warmth and pressure on his shoe. He found Angelique laying back on his shoe and looking up at him with big green innocent eyes. She tilted her head sweetly and meowed as she glanced up at him, half expecting him to bend down and pet her belly. No one can resist these eyes, thought Angelique confidently. "You're theater," he repeated, "This theater belongs to the Changy family." He jerked his foot hard enough to make Angelique jump off his foot, Alright well fuck you too, then! She swung her claws deep into his ankle making him squeel like a girl but Angelique bolted to Christine before he could retaliate.

"How did this even happen?" Erik growled as he was working the rope that had somehow tangled around his leg. "Finally!" he proclaimed as he got himself free and quickly jumped to the next beam. He was upset to see that the conversation between Phillipe and Christine had already finished without his supervision but he noticed Christine walking with a small box and placing it on a table off-stage. Perhaps a some gaudy piece of jewelery for her? He went down to find out himself.

Hiding underneath the floorboards and walls, Erik gave away to a secret entrance that was just in the wings. He quietly retrieved the small box and went back behind the walls. "How creative," he said to himself as he opened the box to find chocolates. He picked up one treat and observed it. They probably taste like dirt, trash, and every other disgusting non-edible item one can imagine, he thought. Just to prove himself correct, he placed the chocolate in his mouth, already preparing to gag. "God damn it, that's delicious!" he exclaimed angrily. That was probably the only one that tastes good, he popped two more chocolates in his mouth. "Shit fuck!" he said with his mouth full of ridiculously amazing chocolate. He huffed his fustrataion and shook his head, "I hate the Vicomte." And he ate another chocolate.

Rehearsals for the matinee show had finished along splendidly. Christine recieved an applause from the cast and crew when she performed her arias. When it was all over finally, Christine picked up her box from the table and noticed it felt rather light. She looked inside the box and asked Meg, "Did you eat any of these?" The ballerina shook her head and said, "No, why?" "More than half of the box is gone!" she proclaimed. "Well, you know I don't care much for chocolates," said Meg, "Do you know anyone in the opera with a sweet-tooth?" Christine had a sudden flashback of Erik rumaging through his cabinets and empty boxes of chocolates looking for a snack the night he told her of his past. "Actually, I do," she said with a grin. "Well then it must've been them," said Meg, "See you tomorrow for another rehearsal, Chris." Christine glanced up to the rafters and saw Erik pretending to glance around the ceiling. She saw Angelique climb onto Erik's shoulder and nudge her face lovingly into the side of his mask. Call it silly but Christine felt a slight twang of jealousy when she witnessed that little scene. Erik's eyes motioned to her dressing room and she nodded in agreement.

Just as she began to walk, she heard an anguished cry coming from the distance. All eyes turned to Comte throwing his hat to the ground and demanding, "Where's that cat!" The stagehands looked at him in bewilderment. "The cat! The fat black cat that runs around here!" he continued to yell. "Why, Monsieur?" asked Tristan. "The fat thing pissed in my hat!" he screamed. Christine immediately began to laugh as she rushed to her dressing room. Erik gave a questioning look to Angelique, "He must've deserved it then?" I believe, Monsieur Comte, that the advective you meant to use was fluffy.

"I thought my high notes we're done correctly?" asked Christine when Erik said they needed to do a bit of work tonight for lessons. "They were! You sung them exquisitely, perfect pitch and perfect clarity but it's your low notes we have to work on," he dragged his finger along the staffs on the music sheet as he sat at the piano, "Some the notes you're supposed to sing are too low for a soprano and actually register for an alto but this shouldn't take too long to go over." He played the scales used for mezzo-sopranos and was surprised to discover how much of a wide range Christine's voice had. He had been so focused on her high notes that he never actually listened when she began to sing lower in her music. He was even more surprised to realize that he loved her voice when it dropped to as low as an A below Middle C just as much when she sang a high B. She really is an Angel of Music, he thought.

When they began simply reviewing the scales, Angelique began to rub against Christine's skirts. "Someone wants your attention," teased Erik. Christine reached down to cradle Angelique in her arms and pet the soft fur of her belly. She laughed to feel the feline's strong purr in her chest. Erik reached over to scratch Angelique's chin which made her close her eyes in delight. "You know if you rub her belly up and down, she'll lean back and stretch her front paws," said Erik. "Really?" Christine laughed. "Go on, try it," he insisted. Christine rubbed her belly as he said and sure enough Angelique did lean back over Christine's arm and stretched her paws, right then left, right, left. Christine and Erik laughed as Angelique thought to herself, humans are so easily entertained.

"How did you manage to own such an intelligent little feline?" Christine inquired. He smiled remembering the night, "Some years ago, before I met you, I was walking through the streets at night with nothing much to do. The snow that was falling that night was begining to grow into a storm and I was already headed home. Then I heard a small high pitched crying in an alley. I followed the sound and I found a tiny black kitten nearly buried completely in snow. I picked her up in my hand; she was so light and shaking so much from the cold. When she looked at me, it seemed like she was begging me for help..." Christine remembered how he had said the same thing about the Angelique in Persia, how she seemed to have begged him for help with just one gaze. He continued, "I couldn't leave her there in the snow so I wrapped her in my handkerchief, I held her inside my coat and took her home. Since then she's been the most wonderful and loyal little friend, as well an anchor to my sanity sometimes. Did you ever have a pet, Christine?" She continued to pet Angelique, "He wasn't ours but there was a cat that visited our house everyday. Papa and I named him Monsieur because he was always so polite. I cried so much the day Monsieur stopped visiting."

Erik suddenly remembered that he was low on food to make for dinner. The only option he could think of was... He really didn't want to leave his home but- "Would you like to go to cafe' for dinner tonight?" Christine's eyes lit up and she smiled brightly, "Really, Erik? Truly, you mean it?" "Yes, I think you deserve a night out for all the hard work you've done and besides, I'm low on supplies," he said, "Grab your cloak and bring a thick scarf as well, it's snowing outside." It warmed his heart to see her so excited; she nearly ran to her room to get dressed! He walked to his room when Angelique stopped him, "Would you like to come as well?" Is the Opera Ghost a virgin? She purred loudly and rubbed against his legs. "Alright you can come but stay close," said Erik. He walked to his room and closed the door behind Angelique when she followed him.

He decided to change his shirt and cravat for dinner, he was happy he made Christine so excited but he wasn't too pleased with the idea of being amongst people. He momentarily took off his mask so he could comb his hair nicely with pomade for the occasion. He began to comb his hair back when the Voice began to speak, You could be dressed to the nines but you still need your mask, Monsieur Monstre. He ignored the Voice's remarks and parted his hair at the side, slighty pulled his hair foreward at the front and combed back the ends. You're getting old, Erik, It laughed. Erik rolled his eyes but he caught sight of a few greying strands at his temples, much like his father had. He shook the memory from his mind and fastened his white mask in place. A black shirt and deep red cravat were his choices for the evening, Your old imperial colors from Persia, I see. Beginning to be annoyed with the Voice, He yanked off his jacket, vest, tie, and shirt to hurry since it didn't seem to say much in Christine's presence. He pulled on his black shirt and though he tried his hardest to ignore the sight of his damaged torso, he couldn't look away from every scar across his body. Screams and cries erupted loudly in his head; his victims before they enetered his torture chambers, their screams as they burned alive, Angelique's scream, his own cries when he recieved the marks on his body. He brought his hands to ears and groaned in pain. Louder and louder the screams grew, he fell to the floor and Angelique immediately went to his side. "Stop, stop, please, stop," he begged the Voice. Why should I? You didn't. Louder and louder it they still grew, What is in us that turns a deaf ear to the cries of human suffering? He writhed on the floor at the pain from the sounds. Angelique tried to comfort him by licking his chin but saw it wasn't helping so she ran to his door. She jumped high to the handle and opened the door to get Christine but Erik got to his feet again, "Stop it, stop please," he still begged. He ordered, "Stop!" There was immediate silence in his head and he sighed his relief before quickly finished getting dressed.

Because Christine's door handle was locked, Angelique had no other option but to scratch at the door until she opened it. She had just finished pinning back her hair neatly when she opened the door and the cat immediately walked around her and lead her to Erik's open door. She cautiously followed her but paused when she saw Erik buttoning his shirt at his chest. At the open neck of of his collar, she could see a scar that was once a large burn across his collarbone and disapearing beneath the stark starched black fabric. Her eyes roamed over his strong back when he buttoned his black on black embroidered vest. As he picked up his shirt collar to put on his cravat, she caught sight the numbers inked into his skin behind his ear.

"In that asylum in Madrid, they didn't expect their patients to live long and rather than giving them names, they gave them numbers." 229666

"Do I meet your approval?" teased Erik when he caught her staring at him in the reflection of the mirror. "Oh! Um, I- I'm sorry!" she laughed nervously when she felt the embarresing heat rush to her features, Damn it, Christine! Erik laughed, "You may stay in here if you like, I'm practically finished anyway." She watched him tie his cravat neatly and put on his coat with all the grace a human could possibly posess. She had a urge to ask him not to wear the mask but she knew that was impossible. She was beginning to realize that she nearly hated the mask...

Dinner was awkward at first since Erik was obviously uncomfortable with the stares people we're giving him. Seeing the stares herself, looped her arm in his giving him confidence when she smiled at him. As they walked to their table, she saw one woman who was taking in Erik's masculine form and even ignoring her gentleman friend while she stared. Christine purposely threw herself into the woman's view and shot her a glare, That's right turn around, whore. Their meal was decent when compared to Erik's cooking but Christine enjoyed the conversations she had with him most of all. "Where's Angelique?" she asked suddenly. "She's most likely charming her way to food in the back of the cafe'," said Erik.

"Go! Shoo!" yelled the chef but Angelique continued to purr and wrap her tail around his ankle. And now for the kill, She rolled to her back and looked at him with her green eyes. "No! Don't give me that! Get away!" he said. She brushed her paw across her face and looked at him with one eye. "No," he said, losing conviction with every adorable gesture. She dragged herself to her feet and looked up at him one more time. He shook his head and crossed his arms at her tiny form. She let her ears and her head hang low as she began to slowly walk away. "Alright, Fine!" he exclaimed. He returned with a small tray of chicken and fish slices and he brought her a small dish of milk! I've struck gold!

As they were finishing their meal, Erik asked, "Christine... You know that I love you very much, that I would do whatever it takes to make you happy?" Christine smiled, "Of course, I do. Is something wrong?" "No, no, it's just... I..." He was afraid to bring up that she told him she loved him. Sensing this, Christine reached over the table and placed her hand in his, "Everything I said last night is true." Having heard Christine's last sentence, a man sitting at the next table turned around and regarded them oddly. "Turn around," Erik told him before he looked to Christine, "Everything, ange?" She lightly squeezed his hand and nodded with a smile. He brought her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles, daring to let his lips linger for a moment. Christine felt heat invade her stomach and her face when she felt Erik's lips and his warm breath on her hand. "Let's go home," he said with a smile. The waiter came to pick up their check when Christine asked, "Could you please give my compliments to the chef?" "Absolutely! Will do!" said the young waiter, "Soon as we find out where the hell he is..."

"Then she confesses that my son isn't my son!" sobbed the chef to Angelique. She was too full to even comprehend what the crazy man sitting beside her was even talking about for the past half hour. She every so often placed her paw over his hand to give the illusion that she understood. "You know," he sniffed, "for a cat, you're a good listener." Christine asked as they walked onto the sidewalk, "Wait! How will we find Angelique?" Erik snapped his fingers twice and Angelique's ears perked up. She was about to leave when she climbed onto the chef's lap, licked his cheek and placed her paw lightly on his nose, Don't worry, my friend; even Jesus had to go through hell before he was given heaven. Au revoir et de mon mieux de voeux à vous! She hurried off to meet her master. "Good bye, my friend!" said the chef. "Where the hell- Ah, there you are!" said Erik as Angelique approached them and they began to head home.

Erik hadn't realized how late it was when they were walking to the Rue Scribe. He was hoping they wouldn't run into any trouble on the way there but he was prepared if they did. Though he promised himself he would never touch anything from Persia again, he wore weapons of his own design on his forearms underneath his sleeves. With the proper flick of the wrist, daggers would spring forth from his wrists and lock in place should he be in combat. He never actually used them but often practiced with them anyway; he could never be too careful around these streets at night. Christine was enjoying the outside but every so often she heard a sound behind them as they walked. She kept thinking perhaps it was just Angelique but she was walking on the rooftops above them. She called herself silly for making up noises in her mind, besides she had Erik with her. Angelique was a ahead of them by a few buildings and decided to hunt down a rat until they caught up.

They walked down a dark walkway when Erik saw a policeman ahead of them. He didn't want rumors about Christine spreading in the newspapers just before her show. He lightly pushed Christine to the nearest wall and began kissing her fiercely. Christine was completely taken by surprise but she saw the policeman in her peripherial and understood what Erik was doing. She quickly wrapped her arms around Erik's neck to cover any view of his mask. The old policeman viewed the passionate scene and laughed, "Good evening, you two," and kept walking. Erik pulled to make sure he was gone from view, "I'm sorry I did that but the last thing you need before a big performance is a rumor of you walking around with a masked man. It wouldn't be good for your ima-" Before he could finish his sentence, Christine pressed her lips firmly to his and molded her body as close as she could to him. He decided to give in and melt into her kiss, wrapping his arms around her waist and sliding his tongue between her lips. She mewed her delight at the heat of his mouth in the frigid cold air around them and eagerly kissed him back.

When her bare hands caressed his neck, he shuddered violently down his spine and caught her bottom lip between his teeth for a soft bite. Such actiosn from Erik had created such a strong urgency in her that she never felt before he entered her life. She let her hands drift down his chest to his waist and back up to his collar. She could feel his heart pounding even through all the material and saw his harsh breaths in gusts of mist. He abruptly tilted her head up with his hands and kissed her neck beneath her ear. She moaned softly and begged, "Please, Erik, don't stop." His lips continued down the side of her throat while her hands managed to snake their way beneath his vest.

She opened her eyes and gasped in horror. "What? What is it?" he asked worriedly. He heard men's laughter behind him and his stomach dropped. Erik released her to straighten his appearance as well as his mask but had yet to face them. "Don't let us interrupt you," one of them laughed. "Please, Erik, don't stop," said another as one imitated Christine's moan. Christine immediately blushed and looked down, embarresed that her unbridled reaction had been seen by someone else other than Erik. "Aw chin up, sweetheart," one chided. The next voice sounded close and Erik could see the man approaching out of the corner of his eye, "There's nothing for you to be afraid of, dearie. Just so you know, miss, I can give you so much more pleasure than him." Erik snatched his wrist and twisted it as far as back as he could making the man fall to knees in the snow. They gasped at the sight of Erik's mask and were obviously intimidated. "You will not touch her," Erik growled, "and the same goes for the rest of you!" The man on his knees said, "You didn't say anything for the boys in the back."

Two men came up from behind Christine and tried to drag her away. Before Erik could react, the man on the floor, who also appeared to be the leader of the pack, tried to throw his fist into Erik's stomach but Erik caught it with his other hand and stomped his heel into his face whilst pulling his hands back. Two men grabbed Erik's arms and tried to hold him back while a third punched his fist hard into Erik's ribs. Christine screamed and tried to break free from her captors as they laughed, "Don't worry, sweetheart. We'll take care of you." "Let go of me, you bastards!" she yelled. "Quite the mouth on this one! That will come to good use later, won't it?" one exclaimed while the rest laughed. "You fucker!" Erik yelled but the third man pounded his fist into his stomach and he fell to his knees. "Erik!" Christine called but one of them men holding her placed his grimey hand over her mouh. "What the matter, honey? Wouldn't you like to kiss a real cock?" asked the laughing one. She bit hard into his hand, tasting blood as he cried, "Ah! The bitch bit me!" The leader had gotten up from the ground and over to Erik's kneeling form, "All we wanted, sir, was a little show." Erik lifted his head, "Fuck you." The leader slammed his fist against mouth but the mask injured him in return.

"What are you wearing that fuckin' mask for?" he demanded as he rubbed his knuckles. "You," he called the one who had attacked Erik before, "Get a carriage. After we finish him, we're gonna take the little miss home." The ran off into the streets as the leader turned back to Erik, "What's the mask for, huh? Maybe your little whore could tell us." Christine saw blood dripping from Erik's mouth and painting the snow red below him. "Why the mask, love?" he asked. "She's not your love," Erik growled. "Well since no one is cooperating, we're just gonna have to find out ourselves," he laughed, "Now let's have a look shall we?" He reached for his mask but Erik turned his face away. One of the men holding him grabbed him by his hair and forced his head back for the leader to tear off his mask.

"Jesus fuckin' Christ!" the leader yelled in disgust at the sight of what the mask hid. The other man holding Erik let go of him in shock and that was his biggest mistake. His mismatched eyes glowed fire in the night with rage as he grabbed the hand that held his hair and broke the arm over his knee. He got to his feet and immediately head to Christine but one of the men holding her let her go to try to fight the monster before him. This man was obviously was obviously trained in hand-to-hand combat but unfortunately for him, his last oponent would be the indestructable Angel of Death.

Erik blocked his fists with every attempt; the fighter attempted a high kick but Erik ducked and kicked his standing knee in and breaking it. The fighter fell to the floor, screaming when he saw his leg bending in the wrong direction. Erik slammed his fist hard into his chest, literally crushing it in it's protective cavity. The laughing one held on tight to Christine and dragged her away from the scene, kicking and screaming. Erik started for her but the broken-armedgrabbed Erik's cloak with his good arm. The Opera Ghost twirled his cloak over the man's head and pulled the material until he heard the deafening snap of his neck. The laughing one pulled Christine to a wall and tried gathering her skirts up in his hands, giggling all the while. Once her skirts were out of the way, she kneed him in his groin and ran to Erik but the laughing man still wouldn't let her go. He pulled himself to lay on top of her and Christine was becoming exhausted. She screamed Erik's name but the laughing man closed her mouth and chuckled, "Don't worry, love. I won't hurt you til I'm done."

"You're finished!"

Erik grabbed the man by the collar and threw him to the wall. He grabbed his neck and lifted him against the bricks; when the man saw his face he stopped laughing. He flicked his wrist and the dagger shot straight into the laughing man's groin. He let go of his neck, letting the weight of his body give permission for the blade to cut through his body like a grotesque autopsy. Christine watched the scene with wide-eyed horror but she heard running footsteps approach them. She turned and saw another group heading toward them. Erik walked to them head on whilst flicking his other wrist releasing the other dagger. One man launched forward but Erik glided the blade across his throat, another attempted an attak but he drove both blades into his heart.

Angelique heard the familair metallic sounds and immediately knew what was happening. She followed the sounds as fast as she could and foumd her Master in a battle with other men. Luckily Master had the upper hand she found Christine lying in the snow, crying and watching her Master in breathless shock. She heard a gutteral groan and saw Master on his knees. His attacker had a large wooden plank and noticed he was preparing to swing the plank aross his face.

No one hurts my Master!

She pounced a long jump and landed on the attackers face, scratching and biting with all her might. "Get this fuckin' cat off me!" he screamed. Erik suffered a blow to head and was having trouble getting his sight straight. Christine ran to side and tried to help him but he was too heavy. A man pushed her down and pounded his fist into Erik's face. It was if someone ripped her heart in two when she saw that; No one touches his face but me! "Hey!" she yelled as she got up. As the man turned to her, she threw her own fist into his face making him fall back and hit his head hard on the wall. The pain shot all the way up Christine's arm but she tried to ignore it.

Angelique continued to claw and bite with all her effort but the man grabbed her body and threw her into a piece of stone. Erik heard a bone crack and Christine gasp and suddenly his senses returned to him with fear. He saw Christine charging for the man with a bloody face,she was screaming and crying, "Monster! You bastard!" He heard a low painful meow and turned to Angelique's limp form lying in the snow, her eyes beginning to drift away. Tears filled Erik's eyes at the sight but he turned back to man who had done this. He slapped Christine hard across the face and she fell against the wall.

He was about to strike her again but Erik ran to him, grabbing his shoulders and forcing his back to the other wall. He grabbed the man's face and drove his skull into the bricks again and again and again. Harder and harder until he felt the skull crack like an egg and blood painted the wall but that didn't stop him. Christine ran to him and tried to pull him away, "Erik, stop! He's dead!" Still he didn't stop for a moment, smashing the head until the back was near a pulp. "Erik!" she screamed while turning his face to her. She saw pure rage, hatred and sadness written across his face. The fire in his eyes dimmed at the sight of her and his tears fell faster. He wanted to hold her but his hands and clothes were stained in the blood of his crimes.

He caught sight of his best friend still lying in the snow He got up and dragged his feet to her little black form. He kneeled beside her and just looked. A Church's bells rung nearby and he looked up at the Cross with such loathing.

Luciana...

Nadir...

And now Angelique...

Will you take Christine away from me too?

"I hate you," he said to the Cross, tears choked his voice. "I hate you!" he cried with more conviction. Christine cried with him; Angelique wasn't just a pet, she was his only friend when he had no one and She was also her friend and listened to every word she had to say, every secret she held dear to her heart. They both loved her very much. Erik reached a trembling hand to pick up her small head but when he lifted her, bright red colored the snow where her head lay. He shut his eyes and turned away from the sight. He let a sob escape his lungs as he buried his face in his hands. Christine knelt beside him and wrapped her arms around his shaking body. He cried into her shoulder and held closely to him. Christine cried as she witnessed the scene before her. She glanced behind her and saw the remnants of what they endured. Lying in the snow in the middle of it all, lied his mask. She reached for it and held onto it for Erik.

After a moment, he looked at Angelique's form and tried hard to get himself together. Crying, he pulled out his handkerchief from his jacket and wrapped it around her small body. He cradled her with one arm and held her close to his heart inside his jacket for warmth. Just like when you were a kitten, remember? He glanced Angelique's eyes; they lost their brilliance. Without a word, he walked his best friend home for the last time.