The Phantom's Shade

Chapter 3

Oh, but it was only peaceful on the outside. Celestine had never dared to enter Erik's house, afraid of the interior. She had every right to be afraid, for inside was a terrible, yet fantastical array of torture devices and chambers.

At once, Celestine took notice of every single murderous tool. There had to be over a hundred in here. Erik, following her gaze, took her hand a bit tighter and pulled her along.

"Oh, those old contraptions! I don't waste my time on those anymore!" As soon as he said it, she knew it was a lie.

He ushered her to another room, lit only with candles. What she saw quite literally took her breath away. Tapestries, grand tapestries decorated the walls. They were of oil and paint, made from the thinnest of brushes and the lightest of hands.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Erik was now behind her, whispering in her ear. "It only took three years." Celestine couldn't move however, for the Phantom never got this close to anyone.

She could feel him breathing, warm against her pale neck. Celestine opened her mouth to speak, but Erik put one hand on her shoulder and another on her lips to silence them. His gloves were gone now, and as his bare skin collided with hers, Celestine felt a surge of something rush through her. She wasn't quite sure what it was.

"Do you enjoy it?" Her heart rate increased as he turned her around. She was two inches from his mask. Of course, her nature kicks in and she sees him as devilishly handsome, with his thick, dark locks of hair, his ever-changing eyes, his gentle yet electrifying touch.

"I...I-"

"Oh, Celestine. Am I distracting you from the artwork?"She was speechless. Never had Celestine thought that Erik would do such things. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a piece of rope was tightened around her wrists, binding them together. Her eyes widened as she felt the rope.

A Punjab lasso. So he wants to kill me. Delight me first, then kill me.

He was smirking, holding the end of the rope in such a way so that she was forced to lean closer into him. They were so close, Celestine was sure they could feel each other breathing.

"Oh, my dear Celestine. Which view do you prefer?" After stuttering for a few moments, she managed to speak.

"I-I don't know, sir..."

"Sir!" The Phantom threw his head back and laughed.

"I am Erik. Erik is me. Yet I know the Phantom; I am the Phantom! I am the torturer, the trap-door lover, the expert ventriloquist, oh yes! But I'm also just a simple, young man, Celestine." He makes her head dip so that his lips are a few millimeters from hers. "Just a simple, young man."