Erik, the Phantom of the Opera, has escaped the hangman's noose and fled Paris for Italy with his bride, Meg. But the Phantom cannot so easily escape the demons that haunt him. Self-doubt and despair lead to a quarrel with Meg, who injures herself running from him. Despite his tender ministrations, when she comes to, Meg screams upon seeing the Phantom unmasked. Erik flees. The Phantom's journey takes him back to the sordid carnival-and the trauma-of his youth, to the luxurious home of the cruel and decadent nobleman Don Ponzio and his desperate and beautiful wife Lucianna, and to a battle between the man and the monster within. While Erik finds himself trapped in a complex weave of seduction and violence, Meg, recovered from her injury, is beset by suitors, one of whom is the handsome yet ominous Giovanni. But Meg longs for one man only. Will she draw Erik back to her? Can she inspire the Phantom to love himself and her enough to create a life together? Will Giovanni prove an obstacle to their happiness? Out of the Darkness continues the story of Sadie Montgomery's dark hero, his beloved Meg, and their stalwart friends Raoul and Christine.