KRISTA'S POV

I had been inside Erik's lair for a while now. This is every Phantom of the Opera fans dream, not to mention having singing lessons with the genius himself. I have been rehearing for some time now and boy, singing the countess' lines is a lot harder than I thought.

"Poor fool make me laugh! Ha ha ha ha ha! Time I tried to get a better, better half!" I sang while Erik played the organ.

"Stop," Erik spoke in a stern tone.

I looked at him and asked, "What's wrong now? did I do something wrong?"

"Oh no, it's just you sound a little off on that part. You weren't kidding when you said you haven't sang a high note in a while."

"Ah forgive me, I'm still a little rusty. Act 3's song was okay to sing but now..." I trailed off.

"Don't worry too much about it. You still have a lot to learn," Erik told me before he stood behind me and then he placed his hands on my shoulders to straighten my posture. I felt shivers travel down my spine. One of Erik's hand travelled from my shoulder which caused the robe to slide off, down my arm and then it went to my stomach.

"Try singing from your stomach, not from your chest," Erik spoke in my ear as he used his other hand to go under my chin and he made me look forwards.

"Now try singing again," Erik whispered as I felt his hot breath near my neck and shoulder which made my heart skip a beat. I took a deep breath and tried singing again.

"Poor fool makes me laugh! Ha ha ha ha ha! Time I tried to get a better, better half!" I sang and this time it sounded better.

I was about to say something to Erik as I turned my head to look at him only to see that our faces were inches away from each other. My eyes widen a little but I relaxed under Erik's touch. Erik stroked my cheek and then his other hand that was on my waist, slowly slid into the open part of my robe and stroked my stomach and waist from the inside of my robe. Erik slowly leaned closer to my face and then our lips were close to touching until a loud growl came from my stomach.

I blushed bright red when this happened and then I got out of Erik's arms and I quickly fixed my robe.

"What was that?" Erik asked while standing there dumbfounded.

"Uh...nothing!" I tried telling him but my stomach growled loudly again.

"Ah forgive me, you probably haven't eaten anything since last night," Erik spoke softly.

"It's not your fault. All the excitement from last night and coming here got to me," I spoke with a smile.

"Come on, let's get some breakfast, we need a break," Erik said as he offered his hand to me and then I took it.

He led me through his lair until we got to a table with two chairs. Erik led to one of them before he pulled back a chair and I sat down. What a gentleman! I watched him get some food and filled the plates with fruits, jam and butter and croissants.

"I didn't know what you liked. I hope this this okay for you?" Erik asked he served breakfast.

"Its perfect, thank you," I spoke with a smile before he joined me at the table and we tucked into our meal. I bit into the croissant and its good and it tastes great with the jam spread on it as well.

"If you don't mind me asking, how long have you lived down here?" I asked before I sipped the tea.

"Ever since I was a child," Erik told me before he looked around the room.

"For as long as I can remember, these walls have always been my home. It's dark, peaceful and no one else comes down here," Erik explained.

"Haven't you ever, you know, gone outside of the opera house?" I asked him with a curious look.

"The only time I do is to get supplies but, I always remain in the shadows, for obvious reasons," Erik smirked as he touched his mask.

"Doesn't it get lonely down here? I know you've got your pet cat but, she doesn't speak human," I joked before I heard Ayesha meow and hissed loudly at me.

"Hehe, no offence Ayesha," I giggled before she came over and rubbed her head against my legs.

"It's not too bad, I've gotten used to being alone. Until now," Erik told me before he placed his hand on top of mine. I smiled and blushed when he said this before he gently rubbed his thumb over the back of my hand.

We stared at each other for a few moments before Ayesha meowed and then she leapt onto Erik's lap. I giggled at them before Erik stroked her fur. 

"Someone got jealous," I joked before Ayesha hissed at me.

"Charming," I mumbled and then Erik chuckled.

"Ayesha has a unique personality. You get used to it," Erik told me before we finished with our breakfast.

We walked through the lair to get to the room where the swan bed is but, I couldn't help but glance at the mannequin version of me. I shivered when I saw it, I swear its eyes are following me. We got to the room where Erik brought me and then I sat down on the bed with Ayesha in my arms while Erik rummaged through the wardrobe to find some clothes for me. I stroked Ayesha's fur and she purred softly while I did so. 

"Here you go, Krista," Erik said as he placed the clothes on the bed.

"Thanks Erik but, how did you know the kind of outfit that I like?"

"I've seen you wear those outfits all the time. You don't like skirts do you?" Erik asked with a smirk.

"Unless its a special occasion. But yeah, they're easier to move around in," I told him as I placed Ayesha on the ground and stood up from the bed. I picked up the clothes and I went behind the changing screen.

"You're not like all the women I've seen around here," Erik spoke from the other side of the changing screen as I untied the robe and took it off.

"No, I am not. Is that a bad thing?" I asked as I took off the silky white dress and placed it on top of the changing screen with the robe.

"Not at all," Erik told me as I got changed.

The clothes that I am now wearing is a black under-bust corset, a white blouse that leaves my neck and shoulders exposed, dark grey legging and black knee high boots. I came out from behind the changing screen and I was fixing my corset until I saw Erik's back towards me. Oh, what a gentleman, he even turned his back to give me some privacy.

"You can look now," I told him with a smile while fixing my hair.

Erik turned around and smiled at my appearence before he made me sit down on a stool before he got to work on my hair by brushing my hair for me. He's being so gentle, even when he's trying to get the knots out of it. I felt his fingers run through my hair and he braids the side of my hair and I felt him tying one of the black ribbons that he uses for the roses to hold it in place.

"Beautiful..." Erik whispered with his hands on my shoulders. I moved head upwards with a smile so that I was looking at his face.

"Thank you."

Erik smiled back before he grabs my hand he pulls me onto my feet and leads me out of the room.

"As much as I hate to do this but, we must return. Those fools who run my threatre will be missing you," Erik told me with a small frown.

"Aw, do I have to go?" I asked with a pouty look as he led me to the gondola and helps me into it.

"I'm afraid so, my dear," Erik told me before he picks up the pole and pushes the little boat away from shore and rows through the river system like he did last night on the way here.

I sighed a little and I can hear the disappointment in Erik's tone of voice. I decided to lighten the mood by singing a random tone which seems to make him happy. He say anything as my singing voice echoed throughout these dark tunnels. We got to shore and then Erik helped me out of the little boat and led me through the tunnels and up the spiral staircase until we got back to the prima donna room.

"Do you have to go back without me? when will I see you again?" I asked him as I stepped through the mirror.

"Soon, until then, take care of yourself," Erik told me before the mirror slid shut. I had a silly grin on my face after he left. I haven't felt happy like this in a long time, not since my mother's death. Erik has changed me and I feel that spark for performing again coming back to me.