Spanish Angel (Phantom of the Opera)

Chapter 3

Author's Note:

Dear Readers,

The song she sings is "Pablo and Maria" by Zane Williams. I have loved/hated this song from the moment I heard it. It will make you cry. It made me cry and I don't cry.

sarahlet2999

P.S. There are two * in the song behind certain words. I took the liberty of replacing the original words with the ones you see there now. If you listen to the song, you will hear the different words but it made more sense to use the ones I substituted.

-----------------------------

"Candela de la Vaga." The former maid answered back, relaxing despite the knee that was in the small of her back, the hand that icily gripped her wrists, and the hand that covered her mouth, almost keeping her from being able to speak. "Now, please be so kind as to release me. This is no way to treat your nurse. This is most ungentlemanly." She made it a point to sound most upset with him while not tensing even a bit when he pressed harder into her back, ending all movement she might have attempted. While Senorita Daae had been completely terrified of him, the child had seemed to believe he was a gentleman at all times. But, this restraining a girl upon her bed was hardly the work of a gentleman.

"So, you're the one to which I owe this unwanted life I now have?" He snarled into her ear, the faint smell of death hanging about him. The girl was absolutely infuriating. The only struggle she had put up was upon waking but as soon as her senses were gathered, she was as limp as a rag doll beneath him, and, on top of it all, talking back to him like a bantam, demanding that he free her. For decades he had relied on the power he held to frighten, cajole, or shock anyone into obedience. This ugly girl was completely stripping him of that power.

"Yes, I am. If you'll let me go, I'll explain." And, for the first time since their conversation, she yanked on her hands, only to find he held them all the tighter. "You know I was under the impression you were a gentleman. 'A gentleman who dresses in fancy evening suits and haunts an opera house' I was told. Honestly, you're a disappointment." For a moment, she almost managed to turn her to head to face her captor, but at the last moment he forced it back so she was once more staring at her pillow.

"Violent too." She muttered to herself. "And, all this after I spent nearly a week nursing you back to health even if you did want to kill yourself. Suicide is the coward's way out, after all." Candela rattled on as if oblivious to her current uncomfortable position.

"I am not a coward." The Opera Ghost retorted, restraining her tightly enough to begin causing minor pain. Candela shrugged and her sarcastic mind quickly formed a verbal way out of the physical restrains she was in.

"If the mighty Opera Ghost isn't a coward, explain why he's imprisoning a girl half his size and strength as if she was a threat?" There was silence for a moment before the body over top her vanished and, turning over on her back, she saw the austere Phantom now residing at the foot of her bed. In his death's sleep in his coffin, he had cut an imposing figure, yet, now as he stood, straight and tall albeit trembling a little from his resent malnutrition, Candela could understand easily how he would strike fear into the most tenacious of hearts. Oddly enough, she felt herself unmoved by his persona and sat up, holding the blanket against her chest for modesty sake.

"Now, we may speak as civilized human beings. In answer to your question, I fell through your doorway into this subterranean burrow and became lost in the maze, stumbled upon your lake and boat, and found my way over here." Deciding it wouldn't be too wise of a decision to mention her original intents to him, she paused for a moment. "I found you in your coffin and saved your life. By the way, you will need to restock your larder soon." Candela pointed out. "Three healthy meals a day for two people will drain one's food stores very quickly."