Road to Anywhere

How I Met My Villainess

Round 6 prompt from Multigenre Mashup Flash Fiction Smackdown, December 2023: Write a story utilizing at least three different genres; written from the POV of the villain; and incorporating the three images below.

Selected genres: science fiction, vampire, adventure, and romance (in a villainous sort of way).

Word count = 4878

When you're an evil villain, periodic assassination attempts come with the status.

I had to admire the creative attempt, though. Tyrilam lilies were my favorite flowers, with brilliant red petals and an intoxicating sweet scent. As I bent to take in the fragrance, a tiny insect-like drone flew out from the bouquet and stung me on the neck, injecting a potent fast-acting neurotoxin derived from the rare Deathstrike Mushroom. I recognized the poison's bitter metallic aftertaste and tingling numbness as my body folded limp to the shiny marble floor. The rare mushroom had a distinctive bright red cap with white spots — sometimes the most beautiful things were the most deadly.

But I recovered.

Standing in the balcony shadows above the ballroom, I scanned the crowd for my uninvited assassin. The annual winter solstice ball, which I hosted in my mansion, brought together the whose-who of Vena Prime and several neighboring worlds for a night of political influence, social standing, dancing, and seduction. Shady deals and unwise choices will be made tonight. Live musicians played classical music and formally clad servers distributed the finest wines — no robotic staff tonight. Hovering crystal chandeliers cast twinkling light. The select hundred guests all wore their finest, including fashions old and new. I wore a vintage long-tail tuxedo in black and deep purple reminiscent of ancient Earth, complimenting my wavy dark hair and tall stature.

My wealth derived primarily by finding and selling alien artifacts, enough that I could buy this planet. The mysterious space-faring race abandoned this sector of the galaxy eons ago, but left many valuable items behind. Besides legitimate trade, I supplemented my income with a large pirate starship fleet, plundering merchant vessels from other worlds and securing my status as a villain among the Sol Federation elite.

I gained loyalty among my people by paying them well and seeing to their needs. Not that I am so altruistic — taking care of my workers was just good business. Although, cultivating a bit of fear with a few select public executions also helped.   

There she was, posing at the stairs threshold and no doubt awaiting a declaration of my sudden demise — the woman who delivered the flowers. And just like the mushroom, beautiful and deadly. Long, thick raven hair flowed over an iridescent-black dress that hugged feminine curves in all the right places. Dark-cherry lips and smoky eyes completed the allure.

Making my way to the dark marble staircase, I nodded to the stern-faced butler. First clearing his throat, he bellowed to the assembled, "Presenting our host, Count Rhain of Vena Prime."

The crowd clapped politely as I descended. All but one. I glared at the woman as she sucked in a breath, her eyes shooting wide open and mouth gaping. Color drained from her face. I shall never tire of shocked expressions on failed assassins' faces — often the last expression they ever made. But I had other plans for her.

When I reached the frozen woman, I took up her hand and placed a soft kiss on slender fingers. "May I have this dance?" I did not give her a chance to refuse, instead leading her to the dance floor.

As the orchestra struck up a sensuous tango, I gathered this mysterious woman into my arms. "I do not recall seeing you on the guest list, my lady. What is your name?"

She regained her composure, quickly adapting to my lead as I swung her around to the music. "A last-minute addition, my count," she purred. "My name is Embra."