The Shadow's Melody || The Phantom of the Opera || Book One

22. Letter of Goodbye

I chuckled and went back to shading the area below her breasts. Peering over the top of the paper I noticed her staring at me, an emotion I couldn't decipher in her eyes, "What?"

She blinked a few times, the emotion vanishing and replaced by her normal sparkle, "Nothing, mon amour (my love)."

I sketched in silence for a while, Mélodie quietly watching me while her fingertips brushed up and down her stomach. The candlelight made her look golden, her skin slightly glistening with left over sweat.

Sketching in some finishing details her voice drifted over to me, "Are you done yet?"

I kept my attention on my drawing, smirking slightly, "Not quite."

She exaggerated a sigh and said, "I would have been done ages ago."

Laughing I stood up from my spot and leaned over her, her legs wrapping around my waist, "There. All finished."

She grabbed the paper and flipped us over, sitting up on my stomach. I lightly ran my fingers over her thighs as she examined my drawing. I was greeted by her smile when she moved the paper out of the way, "This...is horrible."

My eyebrows knit together in shock and confusion, "Horrible?"

The smiled remained on her face, "Yes, horrible."

I sat up to meet her face to face, "What do you mean 'horrible'?"

I could tell she was holding back a giggle when she held my sketch up again and looked at it, "I am not that beautiful."

I let out a breath and rolled my eyes, my hands resting on her waist, "Mélodie."

Her giggle made me tingle as she continued to examine my drawing, "I am serious! You have wrongly captured my appearance."

I brought her close and kissed her neck, "Stop being modest, Mélodie."

I felt her shake against me as she laughed, "I am not being modest, I'm being truthful. I think you need to check your eyes. I fear you're going blind."

Her arms wrapped around my neck and I kept leaving kisses along her collar bones, "If I am going blind you can blame your beauty for my loss of vision. You are so beautiful it's almost painful."

I felt her smile against my shoulder, "I love you, mon ange (my angel)."

I brought her forward to look into her amber eyes, "I love you, mon amour (my love)." She smiled against my mouth and I muttered, "Silly, child."

Her smile faltered slightly, that unfamiliar emotion returning. Her hands came up and caressed both sides of my face, her voice barely audible, "Sing for me, Phantom. One last song to remember you by."

I carried her to my organ, her head resting on my shoulder as I sang one last song for her. And later, after we finished our love's duet, our cries combining in perfect harmony, she fell asleep in my arms.

I awoke alone, my bed and my arms empty like my heart. All that remained was her scent and a note waiting for me on my organ.

My darling,

I am sorry I cannot be there when you awaken. It pains me to leave while you are asleep but I must. I fear that if I don't leave now I shall never leave your warm embrace. I think the already broken pieces of my heart would shatter further if you were awake and we said an official farewell.

I love you Erik, my Phantom, my Opera Ghost, my Angel of Music. I always have and I always will.

You will remain in my dreams as well as in the nightmare that is my reality.

Forever Yours,
Mélodie

My organ remained abandoned and untouched, my mind no longer hearing anything musical. I wondered how long it would take for it to gather dust just like it had before Mélodie came into my dark life.

I sat atop a gargoyle overlooking Paris, staring over the city and wishing I could see her from here. I couldn't go to her. If I did I would kidnap her and keep her with me forever. New France needs its queen. Queen Antoinette Renoir. I, too, need its queen.

Night had begun to fall, snow blowing around with the bitter wind. I ignored my body's requests for food and for warmth. The only thing that could warm me now is Mélodie. As for food...I didn't need it. Not anymore.

Below people were beginning to gather in the streets on their way to celebrate the New Year. They were clamoring about trying catch carriages to get to their destinations. I'm sure the parties were beyond extravagant. Their laughter and gaiety carried its way up to me and died out. Soon the streets will be filled with laughing intoxicated people kissing eachother at the stroke of midnight.

I looked away from the direction of the manor and made my way back to my dungeon. Going through the door to my prison I hung up my cloak and started for my room.

Click.

"So it's true."

I froze.

I could sense the gun at my back. A voice said, "Turn, monster."

Slowly, I faced my intruder.

His face was distorted into a disgusted snarl, "I didn't believe them when they told me. I didn't believe that the Phantom of the Opera still lived. But here you are."

He spat at my feet.

Another man grabbed my arm and threw me down to the floor. I didn't fight. I didn't have the energy or the will to fight. What was I fighting for? My life? My life is going to be on a boat sailing for another country in a few hours. In a few days my life will be married to another man. My life was already taken from me, so what did I have to fight for now?

My knees scraped against the rough rock and a blow came to my side. I laid there limp, blood spurting from my mouth as I coughed. A hand grabbed my hair and yanked my head up. The man spoke, "You actually thought you could win? You actually thought you had a chance, monster?" He spit out the word and used the handle of his gun to hit my face, cracking my mask. The corner of my broken mask cut into my face and crimson liquid trickled down my cheek.

Two other men grabbed me by the arms and held me on my knees. The intruder leaned down close to my face, his eyes burning with hate, "Know this, demon. She was never yours. How could she ever love a demon?"

As he pressed the gun to my forehead I thought the same thing. How could she love a demon? But...she did.

Mélodie's voice echoed in my mind and her angelic ghost smiled at me, "Come to me, strange angel."

I closed my eyes and heard the gun's hammer click back.

___________________
It's almost over!!!!
*intense crying*