Search for the Opera Ghost: Rewrite

V.

Erik had a severe problem in Zuri Bellamont. How was he going to rid himself of that annoying chit? He paced in front of the organ as he thought of what he could do to get rid of her. There were several options available to him, however, he did not know which way to go. He didn't want to kill her, he would be revealed if he did so. He had tried threatening her, but that had not worked either. It seemed that she was not afraid of him, she stood up to him too easily.

He collapsed on the organ bench and thought more. Rape. The ugly little word seemed to spring in his head constantly. Erik had never raped a woman and had never intended to. That word seemed to urge him to take advantage of the situation, but he would not do so until he exhausted every option. Something in the back of his head seemed to say that she deserved it for bothering him.

He had proclaimed himself a monster and that he did not care what he did. Erik sighed then straightened himself. No. He did not care what he did. If he could kill, he could rape and he would do so if it meant getting that idiot out of his life.

xxxx

Tuesday, September 5th

I met him at last. After two years, I have met him. He is as I have always thought him to be, generally handsome with a white half-mask covering his face, a terrifying demeanor, and dark appetite. He is always presentable with a black suit and cloak, his black hair combed back. If he did not have the reputation of the Opera Ghost, I would assume him a normal man.

He and I have entered into a contest of wills. I do not know if I can last against his will, but I must interview him at all costs. If only he would give me an interview. I feel like I have taken on such a big task, but I wanted to meet him and so I have. I will update you soon on the Opera Ghost.

Zuri Bellamont

Zuri put down her pen as she thought on the task ahead. Would she be able to match wills and wits with the infamous Opera Ghost? She closed the journal and slipped it beneath newspaper clippings and other important papers. What had drawn her to him in the first place? Maybe she felt a little sympathy because of her own situation. In her own family she felt as if an outsider. She was the only girl out of four children and she would be forced to marry whoever her father chose. She knew who her father would choose. A baron named William Rousseau who would add financial support to her father's wealth.

She sighed as she twisted the fabric of her night gown between her fingers. She hoped in some tiny way that he would let her interview him. "You look deep in thought." A familiar melodical voice interrupted her thoughts.

"It is not your concern monsieur."

"Are you purposely dressing like that to entice me?"

Zuri looked at him in surprise as she covered her breasts. "It is only my night gown monsieur."

He laughed then seated himself on the chaise. "I suppose so, however, one can see through it."

"No you cannot!" She cried out indignantly. She suddenly shivered as she caught his eyes. "I will remember to leave my dress on for our next meeting then."

"There will be no next meeting." He stated firmly as his golden eyes hardened.

"I refuse to leave."

"I give you an ultimatum mademoiselle. Leave or face my punishment."

"What punishment is that?"

Erik smiled cruelly and knew that once he told her that she would immediately leave. "Rape."

Zuri was shocked at him. She never thought him to be a rapist. She could not believe such a thought. "R...rape??"

"Yes."

She was shocked again. He answered as if it was no big deal. "You lie."

"I told you I was a monster."

"I do not believe so. You are a liar." Zuri replied then regretted saying so.

Erik grabbed her wrist with one hand, pulling her to him as he sat her on his lap. His other hand wrapped around the small of her back, providing no escape for her. "A liar?" He growled in her ear. Zuri's breath escaped from her body in harsh pants. Her body did not know how to react to closeness of this kind with a male. She bit on her lip as he continued. "If you do not think I will not rape you get into your mind that you are living a dream. The world is not a dream. I am not a romantic ghost ready to sweep you off your feet. I will get rid of you somehow and if you do not leave, then rape is my choice of punishment."

"I know you are better than this."

"You know nothing about me." Erik hissed in her ear, his free hand came up to grasp her breast and heard a soft gasp. "I will take liberties with you if you do not do what I say."

Zuri gulped loudly, "Do your worst."

A hand grasped her chin tightly. "You do not know what you say."

Her eyes glittered with unshed tears as she felt a pang of sadness and despair. "Yes I do."

Erik pushed her off his lap and into the floor, suddenly disgusted with her. "Whore! I suppose you have already been taken." Zuri did not say anything, feeling her cheeks redden with shame. No, she was a virgin. "Is that silence an admission?"

"An admission of what?"

"If you have been taken then I suppose you cannot call it rape. You are a whore. I should have recognized it."

"I am no such thing. You have no business knowing whether or not I am a virgin or not." She snapped at him.

He glared at her. "Your defiance only strengthens my belief." He laughed softly.

"I am not relaying my virginal status to you monsieur." Zuri told him as she watched him laugh. Tears began to make her vision blurry.

"No wonder you have come seeking me. No other man to take you? I am surprised. Though I can see why. You are barely in your early twenties. You are hardly someone I can imagine a man wanting. You are too outspoken and defiant for a man to want to deal with. You're body is as curvy as a ruler. No man would want you."

Zuri glared at him as the hurtful words sank in, tears fell down her cheeks while wiping at the corner of her eyes with the back of her hand. She could not open her mouth without releasing a cry. She sat on the floor feeling dejected for the first time since she had come.

"It is because I speak the truth that you are crying. I suggest after you leave you work for a brothel or whorehouse. There are plenty of men looking for women like you."

"Be quiet. You do not know me." She responded as she felt him pull her up and grasp her wrists tightly.

"Do not tell me what to do mademoiselle." Erik growled low in her ear. He smirked suddenly, "Since you are a whore, you can do me a service tonight." He threw her onto the bed and watched as she tried to get off the bed. "Stay still!" Erik bellowed while straddling her hips.

"Please do not do this monsieur!"

"Why not? Is this not what you wanted?" He sneered while pulling his cloak and coat off then threw the items in the floor. "Maybe it is that you want to see me."

"No. Please I do not want this."

Erik reached up and tore his mask from his face. "Look at the monster who will have you." Zuri looked at him fully for the first time. The left side of his face looked normal enough but the right side was marred with scars. She reached up and gently stroked the right side of his face. Erik nearly leaned into the soft touch, the touch that should have belonged to Christine. He came back to his senses quickly and smacked her hand away from his face. "Do not touch my face!"

"You do not scare me monsieur." Zuri told him as she looked into his golden eyes. "Your face does not scare me."

"You will be scared by the time I am through with you."

"You are doing nothing but threatening me. You will never go through with rape. I do not believe it."

He glared into her eyes, her green orbs stared back into his eyes. "I do not threaten. I promise. You wish to not obey me then you will suffer the consequences." He reached for his lasso while pinning both hands above her head. He then quickly bound her hands with the lasso and tied the other end to the head post.

"I hope you enjoy yourself monsieur." Zuri replied sarcastically while watching him eyeing her body.

"I shall mademoiselle." He sneered as he reached between her legs and spread them forcibly. Zuri bit her lip in order to keep from crying out in fear. She was terrified of being raped, especially by the man who she had wanted to meet for so long. Tears slipped down her cheeks as he slid between her legs and began pulling her white satin gown up her body.

"Stop. Stop please."

"Will you leave?"

"No. I can't. I want an interview monsieur." Zuri responded.

Erik became annoyed and grasped the edge of her gown and tore a large piece of material from her gown. "How can I have fun when you are interrupting me?" He quickly tied the piece of ripped gown around her mouth to stifle her. He looked at her as she struggled against him. "Keep struggling dear because you will not stop me."

He placed his hands on either side of her hips then bent his head over her neck. Erik growled to himself then bit at her neck harshly. He heard a muffled protest as he bit down her neck and shoulder. Zuri tried not to think of what kind of things he could do to her. A thousand thoughts ran through her head as she struggled underneath him. She had never had any contact with a man in this way, she knew about what went on between women and men, but she never had been this close to a man. Zuri felt her heart beat quickly as his fingers slid over her satin-covered breasts. She looked up at him and tried to plead with him to stop, but he would not.

Erik knew it would only be a matter of time before she would beg to release her and she would leave then, leaving him alone. Until then he intended to enjoy the moment thoroughly. He figured it would be the only time he would have a woman beneath him and he intended to make good use of the situation. At least, he chuckled inwardly, good to him.

He eyed her as she struggled underneath him. Why wouldn't she leave him alone? Could she not understand that he did not want her around? He did not want to fool with her yet he had not wanted it to come to these extremes. However, he felt no remorse if she got hurt. As long as she left him alone then he would be ecstatic.

Zuri bit on the gag as she watched with him lift her nightgown over her breasts and up over her head. She looked away from him, feeling her cheeks burn with shame. One hand gently stroked her cheek while the other drifted down to her pantalets. "Look at me." He ordered her. She turned her head and glared into his eyes. He smirked, "Don't look at me that way. I gave you plenty of chances to leave and you did not take them. It is your own fault for what happens."

He heard her murmur something through the gag not caring what she had said. He growled as his hands upwardly skimmed the sides of her waist till they came in contact with her breasts. He began to massage the mounds as he growled low in her ear. He dipped in and bit at her neck again leaving bright red spots as he continued down her shoulder. He squeezed her breasts harshly as her stifled moans of protest only spurred him on.

Zuri tried to free her hands desperately as she cried out from the pain. She felt her face turn red with shame. She felt his lips descend over her breasts, she sucked in a deep breath. She watched in horror as her body responded to his attentions. She couldn't let him do this to her. What was the matter with her? Why couldn't he see that she had only wanted to do was help him?

Erik heard her moan softly against the gag as he dipped and drew a peak in his mouth. He smirked inwardly, feeling satisfied that she was going to get punished for trespassing in his domain, and for once, he deserved to have a woman in his bed. Even if she was an annoying little twit. He descended down her body, leaving bitemarks in his path.

He wrapped a free hand in her black hair and pulled tightly. "Enjoyed that whore?" He questioned her as he watched her eyes widen in fear. "Now do you fear me my dear?" She refused to acknowledge him in any way. "I suppose I will have to make you fear me won't I?"

Zuri glanced momentarily down at him and watched in horror as he began to unlace her pantalets. She tried to struggle but found it impossible to stop him. Shock settled over her body as she heard him rip apart her pantalets and expose her body fully to his eyes. This was shame, utter and complete shame. How could she face any man after this without feeling some sense of shame? Tears continued streaming down her face as she realized what he was about to do.

Erik began unbuttoning his pants as he looked at her. He had lied to her about her appearance. She was fairly attractive in his eyes, especially now that she was naked and so close to touch. She was definitely no Christine, but she was a beauty nonetheless. He reached up and yanked the gag away from her mouth.

"Why don't you finish it?" She questioned angrily.

"I will finish your punishment on my own terms." He stated. "Not yours."

"Please finish and be done with it. I cannot take any more shame."

Erik chuckled softly, "Shame? You had no shame in the first place. You dare ask me to give you information about myself and now you tell me that you cannot take any more shame. Mademoiselle, you are a whore. Deal with it."

"No i'm not!" She cried out in a tearful voice. Before she could say anything else she felt him replace the gag.

"I am not going to have your punishment interrupted by your cries for sympathy. I do not feel sympathy for anyone, especially not you mademoiselle. Now," he paused, "if you want this over then you will keep your legs apart and let me finish."

Zuri bit down on the gag as she waited...waited for him to take her. She watched in terror as he grasped her thighs in a bruising grip and suddenly and swiftly entered her body. She bit down hard on the gag to keep from crying out in pain. She had heard of how bad it hurt, but she never imagined it was this bad. Surely now he realized that she was a virgin. Surely he would stop and release her. But her expectations were never fulfilled. She tearfully watched as he continued his rampage on her body. Zuri prayed that he would stop soon.

Erik almost stopped when he tore through her barrier. He realized within that moment that she had not been lying and was a virgin. However, he thought, it was much too late for that. Even if he could take it back, he wouldn't. She had played with him and in the end she had got what she deserved. His body ached for release and he intended to have it. He looked down at her as he thrusted into her body. Her eyes were shut tightly and she bit furiously on the gag.

He bit at her neck as he felt his body shake from the oncoming orgasm. Erik grasped her hips as he heard her muffled cry. His fingers left bruises from his powerful grip as he finally released within her. He looked at her as he pulled back from her. Her eyes were blurry with tears.

Erik sighed as he pulled down the gag and said, "You better leave by tomorrow. I do not want to have a repeat of tonight." He pulled out of her and began to make himself proper again. "I am getting tired of you." He untied her hands and put the punjab lasso on the side of his belt.

Zuri watched as he stood up from the bed and retrieved his other items. "Leave." He said with his back turned to her. "Leave so I do not have to deal with you." Then with that said he disappeared in the shadows leaving her to herself. Zuri felt shamed and used. She had never felt so terrible in all her life. What had happened? What had she done wrong? All she wanted to do was talk to him. She pulled the sheets up to her chest and cried sadly. What had she done to deserve this?