A stake through the heart….
Clive froze and twitched at the same time, his pale skin blanching white. He gazed down slowly, as though he had all the time in the world. The sight of the smooth end of the stake carved from hawthorn wood made tears flow down his cheek.
The true death.
Selene's ample bosom heaved, her glossy red lips slightly parted as she breathed through them. Tears had pooled in her eyes as well. "I had to," she whispered, her hands trembling from the force of stabbing in the wooden stake.
The sound of clapping hands drew the attention of Clive and Selene in Marion's direction as he waltzed into the room.
He stopped to pick a wineglass filled with blood from the table, upon which decadently rich dishes lay. He grinned at the couple, displaying his fine, white fangs. Marion couldn't look more roguish if he tried.
He took a sip and gave a sigh of contentment, a red stain lining his upper lip.
"What did you do, brother?" Clive uttered in a croaky tone.
Marion gave a mock bow to Selene whose eyes had widened in shock, as she glanced between the two brothers. They were dressed alike in black shirts and white tuxedos, a red pocket square, bearing the crest of the ancient family, stuck out of their chest pockets.
"I - I thought…I was so sure it was him!" She stuttered, glancing between the two. "Oh no." She flung out her white silk handkerchief and pressed it around the stake, the tears finally streaming down her face.
The plan was to unite the regional heads of the Rosewood empire at the dinner and put an end to the constant fighting and bloodshed. She was their queen and Marion was the black sheep and agitator.
She'd meant to take out the bad brother permanently so her husband, the leader of the Rosewood family, could enjoy some sanity for once. Marion must have gotten into her head, glimpsed her plan and wrapped Clive in a glamour to look like him.
She sobbed. "I'm so sorry." Blood spluttered out of Clive's mouth as he sat smack down on a chair. "I didn't know. Seeing all our guests falling face down on their plates, I knew he had gone through with his plan to poison them."
"Oh sweet, sister-in-law," Marion interjected with a sinister smile. "Why would I poison them when I'll need them? What is a leader without his followers? You should know by now never to believe everything I say."
Clive grabbed Selene's hand in a tight grip. Black varicose veins appeared on the surface of his white skin, crawling like spiders and inching their way up to his neck. Once they spread to his head, he was dead. "He - he has the power of glamour. He tricked you and…"
Selene shook her head and whispered. "I didn't know. I should have trusted you."
"It's okay, dearest Selene."
"It's not okay!" She yelled. "It's the true death, Clive. How do I live without you?"
Marion cackled like a true villain. "Come on, Selene. Our ancient laws abide for a reason. Once a leader dies a true death, his blood brother may marry his queen."
"Shut up, you bastard!" Selene snarled at him. "I'll never marry you."
"Tut-tut, don't be petty, Selene. I'll do better than Clive, you can be certain of that."
"I'll never—," she was starting to say when Clive gripped her hand harder. Selene gasped. The veins were halfway across his face. His red-rimmed eyes bulged.
"Please forgive me, Clive." She whispered in tears.
Clive attempted a smile, the tip of his fangs showing as the veins covered his face and head. He heaved a big sigh and fell into her arms, his head on her shoulders.
Selene bawled like her heart would break.
I hope you enjoyed reading my five-minute short story inspired by the Freewrite prompt "stake through the heart".
Thank you for visiting my blog.