I catch Jasmine’s gaze, and in the flicker of understanding there, I know she recognises the weight of the phrase.
“But still, all the money in the world couldn’t beat death. Death came as it always does—merciless, indifferent. She died; we were left untethered. Two brothers with heartache, and without a purpose.”
I lean back, the weight of my mother’s death knocking me as though the centuries between it never happened.
“We took our anger at the world out on our opponents, and when I needed a new release, I joined in the fights too. But the money began to dwindle, we risked losing the family we’d built, the business, because crowds only came when you made a spectacle. Made them bloody.” I shake my head, remembering the night my brother crossed the final line, the one that led us into damnation. “We began to fight to the death.”
Jasmine tries to hide her sharp exhale, but doesn’t manage it. The sound slices through me, my fingers finding the chain at my chest, sliding over it. It helps.
“With the promise of death, our fights became more popular. We’d made a horrific name for ourselves, not just in France, but in neighbouring countries too. By then, we had more wealth than we could ever imagine. But my brother and I… our relationship was rotting from the inside out. I despised the way he was with our brothers, and he despised my loyalty to them. And without our mother anchoring us… all we had left was the fight.”
My voice dips lower as I remember the next part of my horrid past. “He became cruel, apathetic, just like our father. Even our closest brethren began to fear him. One night, he nearly beat one to death during training, he’d convinced himself they could fight harder. Only when I intervened did he stop.”
My throat tightens, the hatred in his gaze, the disgust, I’ll never forget it. “I decided to leave that night, but that was the night she came.”
Jasmine swallows, then whispers, “Who?”
My fingers move lower, gripping the item my chain holds.
“A woman. It was very unusual to see any women then, in these types of places, but especially a being like her. I sensed her before I saw her. Something not quite of this world. She watched, hidden among the crowds of bloodthirsty humans. She didn’t speak, only observed, waited.”
I let out a slow breath, bracing myself for what comes next.
“My brother won his last fight, and that’s when she stepped into the ring, demanding to fight. Everyone laughed at first, some thought it was part of the performance, until she grabbed someone from the audience and snapped his neck like brittle clay.”
Jasmine’s mug halts midair.
“And she said she’d keep killing, until someone stepped in.” I inhale, preparing myself for the fall.
“What followed was… a slaughter. She killed every person who entered, tore out the throats of my brothers. And I watched them fall, one by one, and I—” Breathe in. Hold… Exhale. “I couldn’t stop her, didn’t even try. I just stood there frozen. Useless.”
Their faces come back, half-formed shadows, twisted in panic. Then the sounds. The gurgling. The pleading. The wet splatter of blood against the ground.
“Then, when my brother stepped forwards, I followed.”
Jasmine sets the mug down with a soft clink, but I keep my eyes on the table.
“She said she’d been watching us, our operation, said we’d tainted the world. Told us humans were cattle, and that it was time they learned their place.” My jaw tightens. “Then she smiled as she said ‘vaincre ou mourir.’”
I force myself to look up as Jasmine’s brows knit at the French in confusion.
“Conquer or die,” I translate. “Only one of us could live.”
The colour bleeds from her skin, leaving her pale with parted lips.
“I refused,” I whisper, lost to it now. “I stood there thinking, maybe if I didn’t move, if I didn’t play her game, it would end.”
What a fool I was.
“But then she said she’d kill us both instead, and my brother lunged.” My jaw clenches, teeth aching at the force. “He gave me no warning, he just—came at me.”
“Hit me back!” He pushes my chest. “Come on, fucking hit me!”
“I didn’t fight back. I couldn’t, wouldn’t. My body just froze in place. But behind us, my surviving brothers begged me to fight.”
“Fight, Julien! Fucking fight!”
“Hit him!”
