chapter 38

T here's no place like home. Sort of. I set my little bookshelf just inside the doorway to our home and sang out his name as I closed the door behind me. When he didn't answer, I pulled the notepad from my pocket and set it on the end table as I walked further into the room.

"Erique?" I called out again.

It wasn't super common to come back and find him gone. But the fire was out, and it was quiet as I wandered through the house. He'd been gone a while.

I pulled some food from the cold storage and got the fire going again, hoping to be ready for when he returned. I couldn't wait to tell him about Ardashir. I don't think Erique's ever had someone apologize to him, other than me. I think it'll be a good step forward. Even if his friend warned me in the same breath.

I missed electric heating. Erique said we'd get some soon. Excitement was an understatement.

I meandered around Erique's organ as I munched on some cheese and ham. Sheet music was spread out over everything. I still didn't know how he kept it all together. What a beautiful mess.

I gathered up the latest concoction of his mind that lay on the organ stand. He'd been nonstop since we returned yesterday. He didn't even stop to have his way with me. Until I pulled him away for bed.

The smile spread on my face at the thought as my eyes roamed some of the sheets. He loved his minor keys. My eyes stopped on the second page in my hand at seeing the title. The Phantom's Melody .

I didn't know he started something new. There were even lyrics written on some of them. My heart sank into a warm bath as I read the words he'd actually written down. Tears filled my eyes at the realization.

It was us. Our story.

I loved that man.

I grabbed the rest of what I could find and sat on the floor. I flipped through the sheets, playing the music in my head as I read, munching on cold meat. It was so fascinating to read what I think were Erique's thoughts after we met. Sweet, tortured man.

It wasn't until the clock chimed ten o'clock that I was pulled away. I'd been so engrossed and caught up in the draft, I hadn't noticed two hours had gone by already. It was so late and it worried me that Erique still wasn't home.

Something within my gut told me to search for him. Erique doesn't stay away long like this. There was no note. He would have left a note if anything.

I set the music aside and headed for the door. Getting to the surface didn't take long since I'd been doing it every day for the past month.

As much as I hated breaking the privacy wall, I hurried along the inner wall towards the stables. I'd looked into every dressing room along the way. Coming up onto dressing room five, I heard voices and my heart lightened for a moment.

Entwined between two very handsome, very naked men from the ensemble—who were for sure not his wife—was the uptight, curly haired manager, M. Fournier.

I was not prepared for this.

One of the guys kissed around M. Fournier's nipple while stroking his cock. The other was balls deep down his throat.

I guess the managers didn't go everywhere together.

I would rip out Erique's spine through his naval if he cheated on me.

As interesting and slightly arousing as this scene was, I needed to be on my way. I had someone I was really starting to worry about, that needed finding.

I checked the stables. Cesar and Nora were still there. The salon was lively. The passageways I knew to the stage and some of the rooms were empty as well. Still no Erique.

After about an hour of searching, it was clear he wasn't anywhere here.

He'd never leave without telling me.

Eventually I left the inner walls and walked down the grand staircase in the foyer. My head spun and my stomach told me something was really wrong. My mind said I was overreacting. I took a seat on one of the stairs and laid my head in my hands.

Some of the unwanted words said earlier in the day bled back in. Warnings I didn't want to hear in case they were true. Too much had been heard and I just wanted, needed, to have him hold me. Reassure me of what I already knew. That everything was ok now we finally let it all out.

Maybe I had missed him and he's back at the house waiting for me.

Just then a woman screamed outside the front doors of the building. My anxiety shot through the roof at the blood-curdling sound.

Fear suddenly encapsulated me as I got to my feet and ran for the door. Bursting into the late night air, I glanced around to find where the commotion had come from.

A crowd had formed on the sidewalk, staring up towards the roof. Why were so many people out tonight?

My hands shook with every agonizing step I forced myself to take out from beneath the overhang.

Slowly, afraid of what I was going to see, I turned and brought my gaze up.

Breath left my body and my heart fell into the pit of my stomach. There, hanging from the neck of Wolfgang Amedeus Mozart, was the man that had warned me about Erique.

My hands flew to my mouth to stifle any sounds and stop my dinner from coming up.

Through trembling hands, I whispered Erique's name because it was all I could manage, hoping he'd magically appear and tell me he was alright.

But it wasn't Erique that answered.

"Melody?" Philippe shouted as he ran up to me. I recoiled when he grabbed hold of my arms. "My God, are you alright?" The smell of alcohol smacked me hard, but I didn't care. He didn't matter.

All I could see was Erique's mask sitting on Ardashir's face, as his bloody insides slapped against the thick of his thigh.

"I don't know what's happening," I said, holding onto him. "I can't find Erique anywhere."

"What does he have to do with this?"

"I didn't think he would do it. I really thought he…we," I said, trailing off. This couldn't be right. Ardashir wanted to apologize. Erique wouldn't… "No. This isn't right. I have to find him," I said and tore away from the vice grip Philippe had on me.

Panic rioted within me every quick step to the building. I ripped the door open and ran inside. "Erique!" I called out over and over.

My legs shook with alarm, trying to stop me from continuing through the hallways. Maybe he's hurt or something or scared. That's why he wasn't answering.

"No!" I screamed in Philippe's face when he grabbed me again.

"Melody. I am sorry for everything that I have done. I have never been all that well with my temperament, but this is no place for you," he said. "I want…"

"Comte de Chagny, what has happened?" M. Fournier asked, out of breath and disheveled. No doubt hurried to dress when he heard the commotion.

"It seems the Phantom has struck again," Philippe said, staring directly at me.

"You're wrong," I seethed.

"This time the investigator that was poking around." His words snide towards the manager. "We warned you about this and to deal with it. Now another is dead."

"Stop!" I spit. My wrist twisted as he pulled me along with him and M. Fournier towards the exit again.

"My God! I assure you; we thought it was handled. The accidents had been silent for months," M. Fournier said. "We can't have this get out!"

M. Fournier rushed over to the police once we reached the outside. I shook and spiraled in Philippe's grasp once we stopped. I searched the crowd of faces, the dark spots of the block. I couldn't focus on any one thing.

"Melody," Philippe said, shaking me. "Do you not see that Erique did this?"

"It wasn't him!" I said, trying to get free of his grip. Because the alternative was undeniably unbearable.

In a fight of strength, Philippe pulled me close and locked his hands against my spine. "I didn't want to be right. Truly. We must get you out of here."

His embrace felt strange. I pushed against him, not wanting to be there. My need to get back inside and find Erique, make him explain whatever this was, was stronger than the emotions coursing through me.

His fingers moved to my shoulders and dug into my flesh. "Enough," he said, shaking me. "If he's killed his friend, who knows what he would do to you."

"I can't leave. I have to go back inside."

"I will take you somewhere safe," he said as a carriage pulled up behind him.

"No, you don't understand. He will kill you if I go. And I don't want to," I cried, yanking my arm from him. He would be in danger if he helped me. Erique already hated him.

Philippe left me for a moment while I nursed my aching head, trying to make sense of it all. It couldn't be true. Erique wouldn't lie to me... He was the only good thing here. This couldn't have been him. It didn't make sense. He wouldn't hurt someone he cared about.

A hand landed on my shoulder, scaring the shit out of me. I shook it off, and readied to push Philippe away again, but standing there was M. LeBlanc instead.

"The Comte has told me the situation, dear girl. I had an idea that you may know the Ghost, but the thought was absurd in its creation. Please, for me, go with the Comte until we can figure this out. There has been enough tragedy," he begged.

"I can go to the H?tel des Anges ," I said.

"No, dear. You must go somewhere he can't find you."

Officers were already attempting to pull Ardashir from the roof when I looked back at the building.

My pulse spun and my mind was vexed. What if Erique did do this? What if he overheard us talking and thought Ardashir was trying to break us up. I mean he was, but not…

"They need a ladder. They won't be able to get him that way," I mumbled.

"What? No. Melody," M. LeBlanc said in a gentle tone. "They will be fine. It is their job," he said. "When everything is secure, you can come back. If you want to. But please, leave tonight. We will see you before you know it. I promise."

A hand pressed against my lower back, another taking my hand. With a foggy mind I glanced up to find that Philippe had us walking to his carriage.

My lungs still tried to remember how to work while my body was on autopilot as I crawled into the box on wheels. This wasn't real. I had everything I ever wanted… he couldn't have done it… Could he?

" Maison !" Philippe shouted and the cab pulled off, leaving behind the place I'd started to think of as home.

I was thankful for the silence for once. Philippe said nothing while we rode along. It wasn't long, or maybe it was, until we reached an iron gate that opened and let us through. I stared out past the driveway lined with flickering lanterns, into the void of night.

I hadn't noticed we stopped either until a man said something and Philippe urged us out into the cold night, and up into a giant concrete mansion. Like in every Victorian film ever.

I wish I cared.

"This is where you will stay," he said.

The room was spacious, far more than the one in the Garnier or even the one I had with Erique.

Browns and reds everywhere. Very decorated as one would imagine. It didn't matter though. None of it did.

I beelined for the large bed not too far away. It beckoned me with the promise of a warm, soothing hug. One that would ease my pain if I accepted it.

"I am sorry this has happened to you," he said. "My home is yours until he's been found. Until then, know that you are safe here."

Safe. What did that even mean anymore? Nothing's been safe. The only time I ever felt safe was in the arms of a killer.

"What if you're wrong?" I turned and looked him in the eye. Dark brown eyes stared down, almost indifferent as they stared back. "Erique… Once he knows I'm gone, he'll look for me. He can't help it. I mean, that is if he still wants me…"

It was like everything I feared would happen, did. All at once. Though my mind still tried to see it all as it fought in disbelief, there was a possibility that Erique did it. That he was everything everyone had said he was.

"Your worry is understandable. To be tricked by that thing ."

Thing . "He's not…"

Philippes words drilled into me, doing their best to remind me of the decisions I had made in loving someone unlovable. Even now I still had a hard time believing I was wrong for loving him. Trusting him.

"I just know something's not right, Philippe. I mean, he hates you and didn't kill you," I said. "That should mean something. He's not like this."

"My guards are on alert at all times," he continued. "And the staff is aware of the situation and is to report anything unusual."

"I'm not scared for me," I sighed.

His eyes turned concerned. "You must rest. This whole terrible, disgusting ordeal has weighed on you long enough. If you need me while I'm here, I am down the hall, first green door. At any hour if you need of me."

My weary eyes fell to the floor and I nodded weakly. "Thank you."

"You are welcome. Good night then, Ms. Reilly."

The door closed nearly too quickly, and I was left on my own. Left to remember every horribly beautiful thing that was now tainted.

My sluggish feet carried me to the oversized bed as my eyes checked the dark corners of the room. I couldn't feel him, but in the state I was in, I don't think I could tell if he were here.

I crawled in between the sheets, shoes and all, and pulled the comforter.

Something worse than heartache streamed down my cheeks and into the fabrics of the bedding until the sun finally peaked through the window and the sandman finally won.

Melody, the silly child that didn't listen. Again.