30 April 2025
Juliet
We were fighting Ahasuerus later that day. It would determine the rest of our lives. A year of relentless practice was coming to an end. Or maybe only the beginning of the following one.
I sat on the edge of the bed in France. Marcus had brought us, and I was admiring the view. The peaks were still covered in snow. It was cold, and I loved it. Yes, the place reminded me of Caleb. But it was good… I needed it. I needed to remember what I was fighting for. I took out my phone. I was going through all the pictures Chris and I had together. The ones I took of him and the ones before we met… I was already twenty-one. Caleb was ten. If we missed them that day…. They would leave for another five years.
If I didn't win… what then? My gaze traveled to the bed. Louis was fast asleep. Marcus's eyes were open regarding me. He sat up and looked at some of the pictures with me, taking the phone from me. He went to the albums. Surprised that there was one of him…
"There isn't one of us?" He remarked.
"I didn't think you would like your picture taken. So I snuck some in."
"Me? Of course, I do." He smiled, holding up the phone, and we took our first photo. "Julie… You have to do one thing for me…." I was intrigued and turned to him. His eyes shot down to my thighs. One leg was bent, and the other rested on the floor. "Close your legs." I chuckled and shook my head. He grabbed a pillow and put it on my lap. "I'm serious."
I tried to be serious, holding back a smile. "You have to ask me…."
I got up. "No!" I headed for the door and made my way down the stairs.
"Come on Julie… I need to hear it." His voice started low and ended in a pitch. He stopped halfway when I paused at the bottom. Just having to say it made me vulnerable. It forced me to admit that I needed him. Without him, I knew we all would die… He was planning to kill his grandfather for me. How could I ask him to do it?
"Then tell me what I need to hear," I said instead.
"I choose you, Julie… You don't have to doubt anymore. I will not hurt you again or let anyone hurt you… As far as I'm capable. He might get in… one knock…."
My hand was nervously rubbing on my sleeping shorts. "Mar…cus… will you fight for me?" He jumped down the stairs and picked me up into his arms. He carried me to his old room. "Where are we going?"
"You might die today… Don't you want to go one last time?" He closed the door behind us.
A few seconds later, Louis slapped on it loudly. "I told you two… if you do this again. I'm joining. And then, baby. You'll have to get over all three of your rules."
I giggled and ran to the door. I peeked my head out. "What if… you… wait a little bit? Give Marcus three minutes. Or he can wait for a change, and I'll give you thirty."
"Hey!" Marcus complained.
Louis smiled and drew in a breath. "No… I will have you after to celebrate. When you're drunk, and I can do what I want with you… I'm going home to see my daughter…" Louis turned around and left.
I was intrigued. "Hey, you can't leave like that… what would you want to do that I'm not doing?"
Marcus pulled my arm and threw me on the bed. We heard the front door close.
"Three minutes? That's going to cost you."
Michael was still a no-show.
***
I had not thought the stadium would be that packed. There were so many government officials there. Ahasuerus had his people and guards. I saw Soren, and the rest of the seats were filled with all the aliens from the compound.
We were all in the locker room. Louis was strapping my hands. Marcus was next to me. The time had come, and Ahasuerus walked past us, glaring down. His eyes were going from me to Marcus… "I thought you didn't ask anyone to fight for you."
"Like I said, humility is also a virtue…." I had dropped all formalities with him. There was no point. He cracked his knuckles. There was no mistake that he was looking forward to putting me down.
***
The three of us were standing across from him. We would have to work together. Louis's head turned to me, and he held out his hand. "I want to see you after… Don't die… There is still a lot I want to do with you." I smiled.
We both glanced at Marcus. "I'll babysit."
How the hell did we get from that hotel room to fighting together. Louis was trapped by Marcus. He gassed everyone… I chuckled.
Ahasuerus didn't wait and ran towards us. I jumped into the air, landing behind him... So we could circle him. I had my two short blades in my hands. They were katana and pink… I thought it appropriate, if only to irritate him… Marcus had a spear. Louis and Ahasuerus had chosen swords.
He was fast to block our attacks, aware of every movement around him. Strong and precise. Metal clanging against metal. We were all manifested. Louis and I were in complete control of our abilities. After we had seen Brylee and spent time with her. I knew it was possible to live with it. To control it.. to master it. For those who wanted the species to mix. Yes, there was a price, but I could never take it away. Chris and I would never be able to have a baby again. I wanted lots of babies… We were going to need extra rooms.
Ahasuerus knew he had to take out one of the men, or else he would never get ahead. He mainly focused on Louis… Their sword fighting took us out of the equation. But neither Marcus nor I let up. Louis advanced, and Ahasuerus countered. With the weapons, we were getting nowhere. He was too strong and pushed them off time after time. I couldn't get close… I wasn't helping. Marcus was the one who would have to finish that part of the fight. He had to get Ahasuerus's sword away from him.
Louis and I forsook our weapons, tossing them aside. Ahasuerus noticed and fought harder, thinking it was an excellent opportunity to get the upper hand.
While Marcus closed in on him, Louis used his strength to get me close to Ahasuerus. I was small, and they thwarted his blows while I could deal deadly ones up close, moving around him. Every time I landed a punch, I knew it mattered. Ahasuerus's eyes drifted to mine. His features were strained as he tried to get to me… The guys wouldn't let him, and we got his sword to drop. That was half of it. He turned on Louis again. It was a bit harder for me to help Marcus stop his jabs or kicks from landing. We needed to be together, or else one of us would get tired. Marcus jumped in and took the attention off.
It was time… Marcus was the leader that day... He gave us our ques, and together we pushed forward. We needed him in a corner or at least against the side of the arena. He immediately knew what we were doing. He rolled through us and landed behind me, dealing a crushing blow on the back of my head and neck. I fell to my knees. The pain was excruciating as it ran down my spine, making my legs go numb. I had slipped up. My defense was too slow. I was tired.
The two men jumped in front of him and pushed him to the other side, away from me. My face fell into the dirt. My father and my mom were in the stands. They both came to their feet. Their eyes drifted from the three men to me. Even my father was crying… All he fought for… It was playing out in front of him. The tears fell, and I closed my eyes for only a second. My parents were not what would make me get up again.
"Juliet, you got to get up, honey." Michaels's voice came from down below somewhere. It was dark, and I was drifting. The guy that stared at a TV screen his whole life… He never intended for me to fight for three planets. Just to be able to carry a baby. I didn't want to cry. I didn't even know Michael was there. He had said that he would not be able to handle it. Him rushing into the arena and dying wasn't something that would help.
There was only one rule. The three of us against Ahasuerus. No outside help or until one conceded. Ahasuerus had a long way to go. Louis would be first until it was only Marcus and him left. After, he would force me to stick that pink blade up into my heart.
"Juliet… Come back to me." Michaels's voice drowned out… The stadium and the fighting. Every time I was at the peak of a trial… What was most important to me… became very clear… One face came to mind… Chris standing somewhere at the school. At the gate, waiting for me, talking to someone. His hands would run through his hair. He would glance up and see me. That was the only time he smiled.
I dug in my pocket. I was going to heal myself. I had a little black tube. There were no rules against that. The memory of that morning before Chris left. We were on the bed, Caleb staring at us… Chris was so happy. I loved the fact that he was happy… And he was waiting for me to make him happy. My hand shakily made it to next to my neck. "Chris, I'm coming." My hand drifted the last little bit, and I stuck myself in my neck. "Swoosh."
"Good girl. Now get up."
I slowly did, first to my knees and taking a breath. I glanced over my shoulder. Louis was tired when I took account of how long I had been lying there. I had passed out. Louis and Marcus noticed, and we quickly fell into formation again. I moved into Ahasuerus with new strength. We had practiced it over and over. I loved punishing with a slide, and that's what I did. But we knew he would roll backward. It was his defense move. To get out of a sticky situation. He had given himself away, and it was a mistake.
Louis set the trap, waiting behind him. He was fast, and when Ahasuerus came up from his roll… His back was to Louis. He gave him the hardest kidney shot he could. It was the first sound Ahasuerus made that night. I came up with the hardest uppercut I could, precisely where Marcus had taught me to. The blood spews out of his mouth, and he staggered. As his head was up in the air from my blow. Marcus spun inwards and punched him in the liver. I fell down and pulled his feet from under him with my leg. Marcus was already waiting to grapple. He had him in a hold. With the injuries, there was very little he could do. Louis tossed me my short blades, and I stood over him. The hand tapped on Marcus's forearm.
"Do it, Julie…." Marcus yelled.
"Kill him!" Michael bellowed from the side.
The two sharp edges pressed the flesh on his neck. There wasn't a rule for killing him even if he tapped… Only for what we would allow. My arms moved forward. He wouldn't have given me a second.
A flash of darkness caught my eye; Brylee had tossed off her veil and had jumped out from the crowd, manifested, and dug me into the ground. We went skidding with her massive body on mine. Her arm smashed into my throat. It was short-lived. Everyone that could fight in the audience jumped into the arena. My father and mother got her off quickly. Jessy and Michael were right behind me.
The gates clanged open, and Ira came walking in. The whole group went quiet. Marcus had let go of Ahasuerus. They were staring at each other. The one foaming at his grandson for telling his wife to kill him.
"You were wrong. I never would have killed you. I was trained to help fight. To submit, and I chose the right master… Now you have to let her rule." Marcus scoffed.
Ahasuerus spit into the ground in front of him. He lifted one hand into the air. He was calling someone… One of his lackeys came running into the arena. He opened the box and took out the Ahmed emblem. His… was made from precious stones. It sparkled in the moonlight. The people in the arena separated from me to him. He flung it into the air towards me. I caught it.
Ahasuerus's lackeys dropped down in front of me. Court officials and higher-ups. I couldn't help myself. I clapped my hands and jumped up and down in the same place. My dad, who was next to me, picked me up and kissed my cheek.
Ira picked up the older man and made for the gate. "Hey! What do you want for them? I can literally give you anything." Ira paused for a moment. "You haven't told him about Sammy."
Ira was breathing deeply.
"You have stolen ten years from me. And I don't give a flying f- if you feel the species shouldn't mix… I can't imagine he's okay…. You were not there when he was miserable…." That got his attention. He spun around.
"I am there now."
"Does it really have to be like this?"
Brylee grabbed Ira on the arm and wanted to push him out. Something was going on. It wasn't about treaties anymore… "If you don't take me with you now…." I waited to see what he would do…." He kept walking. "I'm coming regardless… I will find a way… You took my child… you took my obsession…. You better give him that message…."
Ira stilled for another second, glancing back at me over his shoulder. "If I see you there… You die." His voice was almost a snarl. "The city is under an order to kill any vampire outright… If I see any of your husbands there, they die…." He drew in a breath and kept walking. Rodrigo waved to me from the gate. I frowned and tilted my head. Ira waited and said something to Rodrigo. They left…
***
I ran with my emblem towards the opposite gate. We traveled to Washington. We traveled to En-gannim. From there, we needed to find the coordinates. Marcus was searching, forcing anyone that would know to help us. They tried and opened all the places that it could be. There was nothing… I slumped down into my couch. We had been looking for an hour.
Marcus came over and gave me a small piece of paper with a message. "It won't be that easy… little girl."
I groaned, rolling my eyes.
"Should we force someone to tell us," Louis asked.
I stood up, rubbing the emblem in my hand. The vamps in the room were bowing. Not having any idea what was going on.
"No! No forcing! We all know they did everything in their power to keep Chris and us apart… The fact that Brylee and Ira were actually there… What the hell? I need a drink."