The Art of Manipulation || Phantom of the Opera & Loki the God of Mischief ||

6. You Must Love Me

A flash of green interrupted the tranquility of my office, disrupting the comforting blackness the early night Fall provided. I remained standing at my desk, the moon's rays shining through my uncovered window to light my anxious face. Without facing Loki, I asked in a clipped, low voice, "Well?"

Loki walked over to the table containing my drinks, brushing off some makeup power that got onto his black, leather armor, "I've stirred up the new managers enough, stolen a few things from the superstitious performers. All will surely be blamed on the Opera Ghost." He picked off a stray costume feather, regarding it shortly before making it disappear completely. "I'm surprised he hasn't been more active in terrorizing the opera house." He picked up my pitcher of water and poured himself a glass, the clear liquid turning into a deep red wine once it hit the bottom of the crystal glass.

I shook my head and folded the article that was still in my hand, "Monsieur Lefévre kept him happy when he was still the manager."

Downing the crimson liquid, Loki replied, "Hopefully we can keep these new managers disobedient to the commands of your future lover."

Your future lover.

The corner of my red lips flinched into a pained smile that Loki didn't notice.

Loki traced the sharp rim of his glass, "Perhaps you can do some manipulation of your own."

I played with the corner of my desk, my voice meek, "I can't control minds, Loki."

He looked at me and inwardly scoffed, "You can, you just don't want to. Music has the ability to manipulate anyone's mind, Alouette. You know that."

My blue eyes flickered up to Loki with uncertainty, "Are you sure about this? I mean," I nervously pushed my loose hair out of my face, "isn't there another way?"

Loki placed the glass back on the table and looked at me with false soothing eyes, "Alouette, as I told you before, this is the only way." He came over to me, his fingertips brushing against my exposed arms, "We need to rile him up a little, Alouette. We need to put fear into his little pupil's heart. Without you singing Desire into her, our job is halfway complete."

I shook my head and turned away from him, "Making Erik angry can be dangerous. There has to be another wa-"

"Alouette," his commanding voice came out strong and harsh, making me flinch, "do you want that man as your lover or not?"

Visions of Erik kissing my flesh and whispering love notes into my ear flooded my weak and weary mind. I wobbled on my feet and touched my temples, my eyelids fluttering shut on their own accord. I felt the strong pull of longing deep within my chest and answered faintly, "Y-Yes."

"Then you must trust me." This time the lips that brushed against my neck were Loki's cold and sadistic lips, not the lips of Erik that my mind created. I hid my cringe by turning away.

Loki's attempt at reassuring me failed. I don't feel comfortable poking at a sleeping giant when he looked so peaceful and deep in sleep. It made a sense of uneasiness fall over me. If Erik had dormant demons he kept sedated I didn't want to nudge and prod at them. Its like poking at a coiled up cobra with a stick. Who knows just how powerful the hold those demons had on Erik's soul?

Loki's nose rubbed against my ear. I smelled the faint remains of a woman's perfume on him, recognizing the fragrance to be of little Giselle's. I felt a twinge of disgust in my stomach. She isn't even twenty yet. Her hips haven't even begun to widen, her long legs still clumsy and awkward when she danced amongst the corps de ballet. I thought of Loki taking advantage of her innocence and tasted bile in my throat. He had taken that very innocence and naivety from me and now look at what I've become. A selfish woman tearing apart another person's life for my own greedy desires.