Page 45 of Angel's Fall

“She’s with him. You know it. I know it. She’ll be there with him in the morning too.” Shaya took some pleasure in how the words cut the young noble.

“Because of me – because I attempted to see her when it washistime. Do you think she is safe?”

“No one is safe from Erik. He destroys and corrupts anything he touches. It is only a matter of time before he does one of those to her, no matter how he claims to love her.”

“Christine would never submit,” Raoul muttered, the unspoken words lingering in the air – that she might not have a choice. “Good night, Monsieur. As I said, come to me when you have something useful to share.”

Shaya nodded and turned away, following where Bonet had gone. The halls were quieter now, enough that he could hear voices in one of the dressing rooms, though he could not make them out well. They sounded more sad than angry, and so it did not surprise him to see Jammes emerge, wiping her eyes.

Shaya followed, not concerned at all with whatever sins they were bickering over, only that it made his agent more likely to confide something. Once the dancer was further removed from Bonet and the dressing rooms, Shaya cleared his throat. Jammes jumped and turned to him with a glare that was far crueler than Raoul’s.

“I’m not carrying more messages,” Jammes declared.

“I’m not interested in messages. I’m interested in if you’ve learned anything interesting. About Christine Daaé specifically.”

“Why do you care about that slut?”

“You seem quite certain she’s a woman of loose morals,” Shaya said carefully. “Why so?”

Jammes peered at him suspiciously, her hands knitting nervously into the fabric of her dress. Shaya inclined his head with a look that held all the threat needed to untangle her tongue. “Julianne was trying to make the case to me that we could – never mind. She told me Christine was brave enough to live with her lover! Not just be kept by him but to live in sin with him! The harlot.”

“Do you know who that lover is?” Shaya asked – she could mean Rameau or it could be a rumor about de Chagny.

“None of the men she goes about with, that’s for sure,” Jammes scoffed, and Shaya felt a surge of triumph. “Why do you care?”

“Thank you, Mademoiselle, you’ve been of great service.”

Shaya turned without another word and strode towards the exit. He had no more need of the Opera tonight. He needed to bide his time, make sure he revealed the depth of Christine Daaé’s duplicity at the right moment. Raoul de Chagny would soon know where his beloved spent her nights, and then, he would be ready to do what needed to be done.

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Erik smiled from thedoor as he watched his lover stir. Christine was never more beautiful than in the soft quiet of the morning, when she lay rumpled and relaxed in his bed, the sheets pooled around her as one nude leg escaped into the open air. He watched as she stretched, arms extending above her head, a bare breast escaping the cover. Had they not already thoroughly enjoyed themselves before he went to fetch her morning refreshments, his cock would have stirred at the sight.

“You’re lurking,” Christine yawned.

“You can’t blame me for staring.” Erik savored Christine’s warm expression as she turned towards him. “When the most beautiful creature I’ve ever seen is just laying there, I have no choice but to appreciate.”

“You’re not just stuck in ghostly habits?”

“Or it could be that.”

Christine smiled, eyes falling on the cups he carried. “Is that coffee or tea? Please say coffee.”

Erik handed her the café au lait she so adored. She moaned obscenely at the first sip as he sat on the edge of the bed beside her. “This means we’ll need to wait until at least afternoon for a lesson.”

“Oh no, what shall we do to pass the time?” Christine smirked back.

Erik shook his head in awe as he took his own sip of coffee. “I’m sure we’ll think of something productive. We certainly can’t spend the whole day here.”

“Why can’t we?” Christine smiled back. “This is the first day in a week no one expects me anywhere. Well, I guess Raoul expects me to be at church, but at least I—” Erik flinched at the name and Christine stopped cold. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologize. You can talk about him. Just...” Erik swallowed. “Not too nicely, if you don’t mind.”

“Shall I tell you that he invited me to join his family at their church? Not to sit beside them of course, but he offered for me to be in the back row so he could wave,” Christine said with delicious venom in her voice.

“What an absolute ass,” Erik chuckled as they both sipped.

“He also was groveling for me to come to that damn engagement party tonight,” Christine went on. “Remember? The one his sister invited me toas entertainment?”

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