She stood in the foyer. Her sleek, red dress hung around her body. She brushed back her ebony hair. Christophe, the man with her, shut the door behind them. Deserae Guyton glanced around his house. She bit her lip; for she knew what she was doing was wrong, her love affair, with this handsome man. Christophe knew her secrets. When he looked into her dark, grey eyes, he could see the evilness swimming within her soul. He couldn’t contain his lust for her. He tried, but always returned to her wicked ways. She was definitely alluring that night, with ruby red lips, dark seductive eyes, and soft, sweet skin. He escorted her to the couch. His hand wrapped around hers as he sat down beside her, relaxing on the soft leather. A beautiful silver bracelet was wrapped around his wrist. The crackling fire sent cascades of flickering light upon the walls. Christophe, being a man of unnatural tastes of that generation, was dressed in Victorian style tuxedo. The paintings upon his wall resembled death, ravens, and darks shadows. They were terrifying, but extravagant none the less. The macabre decor sent chills down Deserae`s spine. She was staring at his ruffled neck silk shirt underneath his vest. Christophe arose from the couch and walked toward the grand piano adjacent to the fireplace. He cracked his knuckles and adjusted the lace ribbons at his neck. He began to frisk his fingers across the ivory keys. He engulfed the room in a Bach Marcello piece Opus 28 in E minor. The song set a depressing mood, but a serine one. Deserae relaxed in the leather as Christophe dazed back to a week before.


The week before Christophe had already planned it. He was sitting in his study, gazing at the moon and the numerous letters he had received from his forbidden love. He looked down at the one specific letter. The letter, written in red ink, was stained. The flickering candlelight and glowing moon was just enough for him to perceive the words, even though he had it inscribed in his subconscious. The words though, seemed as if Deserae was actually reading it to him, softly into his ear. It read:
To my dear Christophe,



This love we share is true, I believe that with all my heart, but the burden of it is too much. Whenever we meet I feel a spark that ignites into an abundant fire. Frequently though, I have felt that fire diminish, slowly into glowing embers. Those embers, none the less, have sparked a little. I do miss the passionate fire that we once had. My husband, he has passion, romance, but you are teeming with it. I savor it, but it has grown old to me. I need new romance, new love, but I still want you. Frankly my love, I do not love you like I use to. I loathe the thought of the termination of our affair, but if nothing changes soon it may come to pass. I love my husband more than anyone. The love that you and I share is a different type of love, one that causes pain but pleasure. Our love will still live on, that spark will still ignite, but when it does we shall not be together. I truly do still love you, although it may not be so strong. Our sensual affair has been an experience to me. I would like to meet with you to discuss this matter in person. I know not how it will end, whether our love affair lingers on or it dies out, but I do know that I love you and always will.













Love Deserae
The tears fell from his eyes, splattering on the letter and staining it once more. Anger swelled up in him again, like it had each time he read it. The anger, mixed with sadness was enough to drive a person mad. Christophe loved this woman and he thought the same for her. The candle, flickering, saddened him more. He wanted her. He had to share her anyways and now he was losing her. As the sadness faded away and anger took its place, Christophe wanted revenge. He wanted her to feel his pain, to cry, to die inside. He went mad, crazy, all because of this woman. Her husband made him angry also. He didn’t deserve her. He clutched the letter in his hand tight and stood up. He glided his way through the hall to the living room. He picked up the phone and dialed the number. A woman answered the phone. “Felix Guyton`s office, how may I help you?” Christophe smiled a wicked grin. “I`d like to make an appointment with Mr. Guyton please,” Christophe replied. “Mr. Guyton is free 8:00 on Friday, Will that be ok Mr.?” “Christophe, Mr. Christophe.” He retorted. “Ok your meeting is scheduled Mr. Christophe,” she said. “Thank you,” he replied and hung up. Christophe smiled again as he looked down at the tear stained letter. He was finally going to get revenge.


Christophe was back at the piano playing. He looked over to find Deserae listening inventively. He smiled at the thought. He hid his insanity quite well. He drew in his breathe as he finished. He looked over at her and said, “What is it that you wanted to talk about?” He stood up and walked toward her as she spoke. “Christophe, we both know why,” she said softly. “I do not know why I just know of,” he said angrily. “Christophe dear don’t be upset, like I said in the letter I still love you it’s just, Felix is starting to wonder,” she said softly but with more authority. He cringed at the name, but smiled inside. “You said in the letter it wasn’t Felix, but that you are bored by me,” He said, raising his voice. “I know what I said in the letter but things have changed since then, dear it’s been a month since I sent that,” she said treading carefully. He sighed. She fooled him again. He turned to look at her. God she was beautiful, her head tilted and her lip bit. He melted. It had been two months since they had “met.” He walked over toward her. Christophe looked deep into her grey eyes and cupped her face in his hands. “I love you,” he whispered in her ear and gently bit it. She froze and repeated his three words with passion. His lips gently grazed down her neck, sending chills down her body. His lips frisked against her soft glowing skin. Her red dress slipped off her body slowly as the couple began to make passionate, feverish love.


Deserae relaxed in Christophe`s warm embrace. Wrapped in silk and illuminated by the fire, Christophe drifted into the past once more. He was standing in Felix Guyton’s office, looking at the ticking clock. The woman called his name and he entered into the office doors. The man sitting behind the desk was tall and skinny. Christophe hated him. Felix gave a snicker, making fun of Christophe. Christophe smiled back, thinking to himself, “Your wife is having an affair with me.” He shook his hand and they conducted the meeting. Christophe didn’t listen to mumbling of Felix. He was just concentrating on his plan. He familiarized himself with the office and objects within it. After the meeting they shook hands and he left. Christophe stalked Felix for three days and planned it on the night before the party, the day of Deserae`s meeting with him. Christophe knew that Felix would not be seeing his wife the next day; she was staying with a friend. It was a dark night and the moon was just a sliver as Felix walked to his car. He got in and started it up. Christophe rose from the back seat. Felix didn’t have time to turn around, Christophe already had the white cloth napkin soaked in chlorophyll. Felix blacked out. Christophe dragged him to his car and threw him into the back seat. He was insane. When he got home he lifted the body up and fixed it onto a rack that he had made especially for Felix. Felix awakened. Candles flickered, giving off slightly enough light for him to see the pictures. The lights flickered on and Christophe was in the corner dressed in black, a mask covering his face. Felix blinked, adjusting to the lights. He saw the pictures were of his wife and Christophe. Christophe smiled as Felix screamed. “You’re the reason she doesn’t love me,” Christophe screamed angrily. “Who are you? What are you talking about?” Felix asked worriedly. Christophe walked toward the machine and pressed a couple buttons bringing a heart rate monitor to life.It beeped slowly as Christophe leaned up to Felix. “Your life rests in love,” he whispered to him and taped his mouth shut. He walked out of the chamber that was hidden behind the wall of the living room, leaving Felix`s muffled cries behind the wall.


“Why are you smiling like that, you look so scary.” Christophe was brought back by Deserae`s question. He shook it off and glanced over at “the wall.”He sat up. Deserae looked lost. He pulled on his clothes and sat down beside the now clothed Deserae. “Would you like some wine?” he asked. “I’d love some,” Deserae replied smiling. Christophe strutted off to the kitchen. He retrieved two wine glasses from the cabinet and a bottle of Montepulciano Italian wine. He opened it and slowly poured the dark burgundy liquid into the crystal clear glasses. He was shaking as he retrieved the little vile of liquid from his pocket and poured it into one of the two glasses. The two glasses were almost identical but one had an extra tiny heart designed on its side, this was the poisoned glass. He carried them to her smiling. He handed her one, checking it for the heart and sat his down. He jumped up. “What is it,” she asked. “I forgot the cheese and bread, they go great with the wine,” he replied walking to the kitchen. He opened the freshly baked bread and cut a corner off of the round cheese and carried them too her on the plate. He withdrew the rose from his jacket as he sat the plate down. “A symbol of my love,” he said hand it out to her. It`s dark red petals folded out wide. She held it to nose and took in the sweet sharp smell of the flower. “Thank you,” she said, picking up her wine. Christophe smiled as he rose his glass up, “To Life, Love, and Good fortune.” They smiled and brought the glass to their lips. Christophe smiled as the cool liquid burned slowly down his throat. He looked at his glass. He stood up, fear in his eyes as he dropped the wine glass. It shattered sending crimson liquid through the air. His lips tingled and he fell to his knees. His throat burned as the glassed shattered. He picked up a fragment of glass; on it was the extra heart. He looked up and saw Deserae`s grey eyes burning with evil. “How did you know,” he rasped, clutching his throat. “I just assumed,” she said menacing. She leaned in and whispered in his ear, “I never loved you,” as his heart broke in two. He felt no emotion, his insanity replaced all love. She kissed him softly on the lips. His laughter rang out, it echoed through the room, sending chills of terror down Deserae`s back. He withdrew something from his pocket as he leaned his head back. It was a letter. Deserae tore it open as Christophe breaths became shallower. It was written in red ink almost the same as hers. It read:
To my dear Deserae,




I love you more than anything in this world. Every time we touch I feel something, something strong. I’ve never loved like I love you, that is why I cannot bear to lose you. Felix, your true love, your husband was and still is in my way. Tonight you didn’t know that Felix was not home, he was much closer than you thought. On my wrist is a bracelet, you may have noticed it before, but it is keeping track of my heartbeat. When and if my heartbeat stops then you will find terrible pain, pain that I felt when I read your letter, pain that only true love can bring. It was your decision if I died tonight. You have chosen my death and now you will feel the pain. I knew that you were going to watch me when I poured the wine. That was supposed to happen. Upon my lips is poison. The kiss that you placed upon them was deadly. You will die within minutes, but before that, look upon the wall adjacent to the fireplace and experience the pain that you have caused me, the pain of true love. It was you who had the overall choice. His life rests in your love. Thanks for the kiss, I’ll see you soon my love











Love Christophe

Her lips tingled. She heard a loud mechanical sound as she looked toward the wall. Christophe breathed his last breathe as Deserae began to cry. Behind the wall was Felix her true love, her husband. The heart beat sensor beeped once then went straight. Felix`s eyes went wide as he saw her and then Christophe`s body. The rack began to turn. Felix`s screams rang out as his body was twisted. First his arm was bent, cracking bones and ripping the skin. His bone ripped through his skin. His next arm twisted back, then his right leg then his left. Deserae fell apart inside as the poison kiss took effect. The whole rack began bend as the whole body was being bent completely in half. The body slowly cracked and then in an instant the blood and bones and skin exploded sending entrails flying. Deserae fell on top of Christophe`s body. Inside his dead ear and unable to hear, she whispered, “I love you, I’m sorry.” It was far too late. As they lay in the crimson mixture of blood and wine Deserae faded away just like the words of a tear stained letter, the color of a forgotten rose, or the flavor of a shattered glass of wine.