March 2024
Juliet
Seeing Michael so close, touching him… losing him again a month ago… Had all of us on edge. With Marcus the way he was at that moment, I wasn't really myself. It was my twentieth birthday that day, and all of us were at the arena at the barracks. Louis and I had built a Colosseum. A fighting ring for full moons. It would rack in so much money that we could sustain everyone at the compound.
The werewolves were all too happy to fight. Some of the women also wanted in on the action. So we created a women's division for vamps and wolves. It was going to be epic fights. Bragging rights. And the humans ate it up like candies.
We had good seats. Even Rodrigo and Agatha were there to celebrate with me. It was funny walking around the humans. No one knew who was who. Charlene and I were taking a walk.
The first part of the show was the cages, of course. Seeing the werewolves manifested like that was the best thing. Only the fighting wolves were there. Displayed… The others were still safely guarded in the mountain behind my old house.
We started at the lightweights. The men were on one side and the women on the other. The room where the vamp fighters sat was glassed. So that the humans had a good view. They were not allowed to de-manifest for show purposes.
There was betting on the fights. So you could choose both your victor and the wolf they were going up against. Or the other way around. It was the first night. Opening night. The buzz was insane.
In the distance were strobe lights. You could hear the music. Some people went dancing beforehand, waiting for their fights. A club with DJs all night long. In the desert. A place where you could tent or park an RV.
I kinda never wanted to leave Earth again. I felt more human than I ever had. Desperately wanted to dance the night away. We were going to wait to see what the night held for us. I felt guilty being out. Qadir nor Michael had surfaced yet.
Louis and everyone forced me to take one night to have some fun. So I agreed, letting myself off the hook.
Charlene and I passed Francesco first. Tier one. He was one of the lower-down fighters. Never really into it, but he still enjoyed the financial gain. After that was Ben tier two. "Oh my soul, these guys are ugly like this," Charlene said.
"Have you ever seen me when I manifest? My nose becomes two dark slits up my face."
"Yeah, and you are prettier than that." Charlene mocked Ben, who rammed the cage. She yelled, jumping back. The guards wanted to say something, but Jessy was still trailing me. Even if it was far behind. I laughed at her. Jessy also had a smile on his face.
"Will Miné have to do this?"
"Hell yeah! I'll train her."
Charlene hit me in the shoulder. "What if she isn't like that."
"Then we'll take her to the mall." We both laughed. "You know what we should do… Have you do shots at your guy. Selfies and a meet and greet after."
"I have come prepared, my friend." My eyes danced excitedly. She opened up her tiny purse. Took out a steel flask.
"I'm impressed. What is it?"
"Taste it… it's your favorite."
"Oh yes… Thank you. Just to take that edge off before a good fight."
I walked down a few cages. We stopped outside Mateo's gate for a second. "You, my friend. Are my wolf for the night. I know it's you and Kubra again… But please, can you not embrace me."
"Why is he so calm?"
"I don't know. But I can't provoke him… He'll remember this tomorrow. And I like Mateo."
"You didn't remind me. Ben will come and have a word with me."
"Gives us something to do… I'll fight him for you… I need the practice."
"Come, I want to check out the pens with the beast."
I followed Charlene. Louis had imported some or other weird delicacies for that one night. I stopped outside the board of info on Mateo's cage. The fighter was not Kubra. My eyes darted to Mateo… "It says unknown… surprise fighter."
Charlene stood close to me to read it. "That's a little vague."
"Yeah… well, let's hurry. I don't want to miss that fight."
We were both in very high heels. Dressed for the occasion.
The path that led to the pens was lined with Bamboo on either side. So thick that you couldn't really see anything while walking the long walkway toward a massive building in the distance. It was really well planned, and it trailed off in other directions. Louis had a knack for finishing décor.
The pens were completely glass on the side. All the way up to the roof. Almost like zoo cages. No bad smells. No harm could be done. The building had a high ceiling. There was no way you could get in there. We stood mesmerized, watching the things.
A group came walking up... we heard them talking.
{ "How unreal is all of this."
"Well, they might be half-human, but they are superior."
"Have you been to one of their information evenings?"
"How can we ever feel safe again?"
"Come on, Sara. You can't be that naïve. It's freaking teleportation across systems in the whole freaking galaxy. Give them a few years, and we could go anywhere."
"This still feels unreal. How can we suddenly be surrounded by things like this."
"Oh please, like you felt safe in an alley before you knew there were aliens. You have to be glad. Crime is down like fifty percent just because of the worldwide death penalty.
"You mean sacrificial vans that pick up troublemakers, and then they get shipped off to this place."
"If we want to visit other planets, we must embrace them." }
The whole group stopped outside the glass…
{ "Embrace what? Look at that poor guy there… it just sickens me… How could we decide who lives or dies just because of some technology… He's being trampled by the beasts … There is no more respect for human life."
"They eat people… It's just wrong."
"Shh, we can't say stuff like that here. You never know where they are." }
The group quickly glanced at us, but we were smoking and drinking. So they left it and kept talking…
{ "They still sacrifice people like we are back in the pagan era where we would drop kids down volcanoes to gods."
"How do you know he is human?"
"I don't know, just a guess… He isn't a werewolf. And the vamps don't kill each other." }
They moved on, and my gaze drifted over the floor. I bent down and scanned the surface. Was there really a person in there.
"Do you see anyone, Chars?" I whispered.
"Yeah, there. But he's way in the back."
"Do you think we should help?" I asked.
"How?"
I checked the wall for a weak spot. Walk to the edge of the pens. There was a space between the bamboo and the corner of the wall. I bent down and took off my shoes.
"What are you doing? We are supposed to be having fun. Not save some rando."
I rolled my eyes at her. "This is my fun. Saving someone is my fuel for existence. And it's my birthday. Indulge me."
"I don't know how your moral code works… You eat people but save them, too?" She shook her head but pulled back the bamboo for me.
I got through the tight space. The back wall was entirely built with bricks. I had to go all the way to the other side to find a gate. The gate also reached the roof. Closing every inch of the space. I swore under my breath. I had to walk back to Charlene.
"And?" We heard more footsteps. I didn't need to wait. I grabbed Charlene and made her disappear.
"What's going on?"
"Qadir." Her nose wrinkled, and her mouth pulled funny. She looked back at the path. I could smell the smoke. He always had a cigarette in his mouth. One specific brand… And that Cologne he used.
More footfalls joined the party, coming from the train station and parking area. Bertram walked right past us. Charlene and I drew a slow breath when we saw Carl's father. "He is the one behind everything." My heart dropped. Charlene's nails dug into my wrist.
He met up with Qadir.
Qadir: "Is Juliet here?"
Bertram: "Yes. They are at the arena. All of them."
My eyes darted past them and behind us. Jessy was nowhere.
"Agatha is here," Bertram mentioned.
Qadir's let his guard down for a second. His eyes dropped to the ground. The cigarette was forgotten. "It can't be helped. Everything organized?"
Bertram: "Yeah. Have you gotten anything from Samuels's farm?"
Qadir: "A lot… I'll fill you in after to celebrate."
Bertram: "Let's go."
We stood silent, watching the two men walk away. Louis's voice sounded through the speaker. He was announcing the first fight. Music started playing in the background. The roars of the werewolf in the arena were the next sound.
I was trying to put together the puzzle before me. Why would they be here in the first place? What could Qadir be planning? I had a sick sense of dread in my gut. My eyes darted to the pen…
Jessy came out through the bamboo across from us. "I have to follow him." He said… "Will you please not get into trouble in the next ten minutes?"
Nodding, I was already walking away… "I'm going for the guy. You know where to find me." Jessy went into a light run, following Qadir.
"Don't tell anyone." He turned around and saluted.
"Come, Charlene. It's time we test my strength." I pulled her through the bamboo.
"No, Juliet!" She struggled to walk and took her shoes off in protest.
I kept going. She was short on my heels. "Get ready. You have my little black tube?"
"I don't like it, Juliet!"
"You have no choice… Tell me to break the gate down and go get that guy."
It took shaky hands and breaths to put her finger on the tiny screen. The plate opened in her hand like a small roller door. I did it for her and pressed my mouth onto it. It sucked and locked behind my neck.
"You do look badass in that thing… Break down the gate and save the guy."
My body obeyed her. My ability kicked in immediately when it was on. There were locks and chains. My hands gripped either side and started pulling. It took a few seconds. The metal "clanged" and echoed into the space.
I rushed for the small gate into the pen, jumping over made the beasts run for the far side away from me. They huddled, exposing the man in the dirt. Inside, my heart beat faster. It was Michael. He seemed nearly dead, limp, and lying next to the wall.
I picked him up. My little arms were strong, but he weighed nothing. All his muscles were gone. My body jumped over the gate, landing on the other side. Charlene had followed me in. Distraught at seeing him like that, she sputtered and glanced around. There was a small office in the corner. She pointed and told me to put him on the table. Her hand found the back of my neck.
Gritted teeth and seething, I couldn't control my manifestations. I felt for a pulse. It was so weak. "Check his pulse… do you know how to do that yet. How far gone is he?"
"Why didn't you tell me." Charlene's voice broke. She was taking his vitals.
I grabbed her bag for her phone. "I wasn't sure…" I scrolled to Kubra's number and called. I pushed the phone to her ear. "Get him here so that Louis doesn't know."
"Hey… where are the two of you? The fights have started?" Kubra said on the other side.
She bit her bottom lip for a second. "Kubra… I'm waiting at the pens where the creatures are. Juliet is doing something. I need you… Don't tell Louis."
It was quiet on the other side. "I'll be right there." He hung up the phone.
***
There was running on the walkway. "Charlene, where are you?" Kubra whispered.
Charlene was just outside calling out to him. I wanted to touch Michael, but it felt like he would break.
***
Louis
I was sitting next to Kubra when he got the call, so there really wasn't anything he could do. We got up and ran.
"What are the two of you doing?" I asked as Kubra pulled Charlene into his arms, tears rolling down her cheeks.
I didn't have to ask. I could hear Juliet's mind jumping. Furious. Seeing what she was staring at. I rounded the corner. It was Michael. I swore loudly, wanting to take out my phone.
"No!" Juliet yelled. "That is why I didn't want you here."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"I'm going to kill Qadir tonight, Louis… He did this, and it ends right now!"
My eyes darted to the little black tube in Charlene's hand.
"You guys have to go back and pretend everything is fine. Qadir is here, and… he is fighting Mateo… He is drugged… Kubra, you have to tell David. Michael would have been the prize. And Qadir would have killed him in front of me… Come on Louis… if he gets a whiff of this… I won't get another shot!"
Charlene decided for me. She pushed the black plate towards Juliet's face. I grabbed Charlene's wrist. "Don't intervene!" Juliet spat. "We need you at the compound. Kubra, get Michael to a medic right now. Someone you can trust." Juliet said. His hand reached for his phone.
"Jessy… where are you? I told you never to leave her…." There was talking. "I need a medic… on the down-low at the pens… No one must know." He ended the call.
Juliet wanted to take my hand away from Charlene's wrist. I forced the tube out of her hand. It fell into mine.
"Juliet, they are expecting a man… you can't do this part, baby… Meet me in the ring, huh…." Her mind was going nuts. I walked forward and kissed her. "Together, okay!"
She shook her head roughly from side to side. "I can't lose you."
"We won't get another chance."
Her mind evened out… Ragged breaths. "Okay. But I will deal the last blow. I don't want Marcus to have an issue with you."
We agreed. "I can't give this thing to Charlene. She won't be able to handle it, Juliet." Three pairs of eyes drifted to Kubra. He drew in a deep breath and nodded, pouting his lips in understanding.
"Where is mine?" Charlene dug into her bag and handed it to Kubra. "Just have it ready… I have a feeling I'm not going to need it…. Juliet, give yours to Rodrigo." She nodded, and they left.
***
I went to sit in the mud. My hair wasn't long, but it was easy to get dirty and change clothes with Michael. The beasts did the rest. For a moment, I didn't think Juliet would let me do it. Every day, we grew closer together. I loved her more and more. I didn't know if I would be able to survive without her. And if anything had to happen to me. We would go out together. Killing Qadir and getting the job done without Marcus or Chris was a test of our relationship. If we could do it… We would be one step closer.
It wasn't long before the guards came in again. The gate was closed, and nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Kubra was hiding behind the wall. Juliet and Charlene would be in the stands.
"We have to take that guy in next… Who is going in there to get him out?"
"I'll do it." One man opened the pen and came in. He was wearing gumboots and those fishing pants to keep his clothes clean. Those things were messy. It wasn't some cow pen. He grabbed me under the shoulders and dragged me out, letting me plop on the ground outside the gate.
"Sheesh, he stinks."
Both grabbed me under an arm and hauled me down the loading lane for the beasts into the arena. It was walled so that the guards could just let them run down into the arena. Kubra was following… just in case.
***
Qadir was fighting his werewolf. Mateo was giving him a run for his money, not holding back. Qadir seemed to have improved as well. I heard the yelp. It turned into human groaning. David Quickly intervened and got Mateo out of there. My feet were dragging in the sand.
Qadir's head snapped around to me. His smell was a little better than the two chumps next to me. My head lifted, and his eyes turned black. My foggy white eyes threw him off-kilter. He had no freaking clue what was going on.
Juliet and I had been practicing for months… I just hoped it would be enough. Qadir and I started fighting immediately, hitting each other, kicking, and moving quickly around in the sand. The gates opened, and I spun away from him, holding out my hand to her. Juliet was quick, running into the middle to grab it. I flung her into the air so she could dive down onto Qadir's face. He dodged. She grabbed him in time, having a firm grip on his shoulders. She picked him up, kicking him in the back, slamming him to the ground. The crowd went wild, standing ovations. Never in a UFC would they fight to the death. That night, we were going against Bertram… The rules of Earth… I didn't care… They went against us first.
Qadir got to his feet quickly. His face fell when he saw Juliet with the plate… both of our eyes… precisely the same. We weren't there. Rodrigo and Kubra were securing the gates so no one could interfere… They came into the ring, watching. Rodrigo was finally getting his revenge… being in control of Juliet. Having a front-row seat.
We circled Qadir. Attacked him from every angle. He fought well and put in all his efforts. The first jab that almost got through, Juliet stopped with only a hand. She twisted his fist in hers with little effort. Qadir jumped out of it, turning in the air and bending her arm around.
I didn't let him get close to her, though. For the first time, I saw Juliet manifesting while under control. Her dark claws grew into his arm, gripping his skin and flesh and tearing through it. He swore and buckled under the pain. She was done, kicking his knees out from under him, pushing him down to the ground. Juliet retracted her arm and struck him in the face so hard that I heard the bones cracking. The crowd gasped. A deadly silence fell on the place. They had no idea what was going on.
I tried reading her like that… staring at her handling him. Qadir fell face down in the dirt. She cartwheeled over him, straddled him, and with her nails, cut the flesh open along his spine from his neck to his ass. He was writhing and screaming, turning into her, throwing her off with the momentum.
I didn't move... She still had control. Qadir's wasn't strong enough. He wasn't fast enough for her close-range attacks. She knew her energy was the problem. She had to exert a lot of power to give crushing blows. Juliet lowered herself and sliced her nails over his joints above his heels, tearing through the flesh on his calves. Qadir flopped down, unable to move but alive… Juliet stood still, waiting. Rodrigo walked over and took off the plate. We were ourselves again. She just stood there. I was wondering what she was waiting for. Her gaze traveled up into the crowd to where our seats were. There was a murmur.
Juliet quieted them down. Her eyes met Agatha's, who was the only one standing, staring down at her husband.
Juliet waited…
The cameras were on both of them. Agatha's face was full of emotions, and she nodded slightly.
Juliet walked over to Qadir and looked up at me. Reading her, all she saw was Marcus… How this would not be worth it if he didn't forgive her.
I shook my head. "No, baby. That's not how this works."
For so long, he couldn't choose between his father and her. The fear still gnawed at her that it would turn him. Juliet's eyes turned glossy. A white hue. She was in control without the plate.
With one smashing blow, she came down at the base of his spine, crushing and severing it. Her hands dug and took hold of his spine. Her foot moved, and she stood on his torso, ripping up, and his head connected to his spine came right off his body, lifting into the air. Her eyes closed, bracing for the blood splatter. The rest dripped down her arm. Even I had to take a step back. Juliet turned back to human, dropping him in the sand, gasping, sobbing. The crowd was quiet. The people had never seen someone murder another… At a show. In real life… On Tv... World wide. We were going to have a lot of backlash about it.
Something happened that I didn't expect… The people started clapping. The crowd had stood to their feet and put their hands together… In a low tone. Not sure but still… We all watched in confusion. Bertram came through the gate towards us.
"You just sealed the fate of every alien on Earth. A vampire killing a vampire because you know who the bad guy is…. And now everyone on Earth knows who's in charge."
I ignored him. Juliet was already running for a car.