Nicolaus pats the back of Christian, causing his muscles to tighten. “Don’t worry so much. So you have to fight the girl you like in the ring. It will be a good experience to look back on,” said Nicoluas with a condescending grin on his face.

Christian let out a sigh before a tired grin spread on his face looking out at the ring. “You are probably right, Nico. Us Cousins are doomed to butt heads with the woman we love.” Nicolaus flinched before letting his hand slide off Christian’s back. Chris muttered to himself, “Just look at your lineup,” before his dragging feet were picked up and marching with a little hop in each step.

He stood tall with hopes of victory in battle and love for the future. Before he stood before the woman who could take his heart away if she only asked, she was a little taller than him, eyes as deep and simmering as the ocean. Her light tan compliments her sandy blonde hair that sways her back. Her whole figure associates her as a femme-fatale.

Christain clenches his sweaty palms, taking deep breaths to calm himself before the woman of his affection, Alexa Grey. Her smile almost causes Chris to buckle at the knees. He smacks his cheeks, smiling with his hands still on his face saying, “Hey, Alexa, I am ready anytime you are.”

They get into their fighting stances. The bell rings. Launching toward one another for a full-on collision. Christain jumps to deliver a swift kick as Alexa slides underneath him. She raises a hand that elongates into a tentacle wrapping around his raised leg. Alexa swings him around before slamming him into the arena floor. She let go of Christian, placing herself in a new stance.

Christain’s sprawled body flinches, wings grow from his arms, and he propels himself into the air. Long golden red feathers grow around his body while he circles the ring. Looking down to ready himself to divebomb his love, he blinks, and she is gone. He continues to circle around the arena, not seeing anything and goes lower to try to find her, as the match has not been called off yet.

A long white mass leaves the center of the ring, grabbing at Christain. He spins in mid-air to avoid it, but two new tendrils wrap around his neck. As he is being choked out, a white and gray figure moves out of the ring’s pattern before it is isolating different colors and patterns, calming Christain’s struggling figure. It brings him closer as a razor-sharp beak grows from the head, and a melodic voice leaves its black crevis. “Oh, Christain, it seems that you really are putty in my hands. Don’t worry; a mild poisoning from a love bite will only leave you weakened.”

She raises her head to bite into his shoulder but stops as her own throat was grasped by a claw. Christain’s clawed foot tightens around her throat as her eyes blacken and narrow into pins. Alexa’s flesh pales as the flashing patterns stop, and they both let go of each other’s necks. Both gasp for air and shakily stand back into a fighting position. Christain massages his throat around the welts left by the tentacles before smiling. Looking at Alexa’s confused expression, he says, “You know, leaving love marks on each other might be romantic, but don‘t you think we are being a little aggressive in our advancement?”

Alexa’s body flashes in brilliant reds and pinks before turning back into her original form at the start of the match with a strict expression. “Sigh, can’t get you to go all out truly, can I?”

“Not likely, but those are the restrictions we have for the match after all, no? So, how would you like to end this dance,” said Christain.

“I don’t know. It could end with you asleep in my warm embrace,” said Alexa with a flushed face and a twitching smile.

“Hahaha, I would love that, but sadly we are in a match. Now, what was that saying again? Oh yes!” Christain clasps his wings together before jumping to retake flight toward Alexa. “Have at you,” said Christain.

Alexa raises her open hands as getting ready for a grappling move. Christain is now diving with a flying kick. She extends her tentacle hands to grab him by the leg. Christain retracts his leg and tumbles forward in mid-air, missing Alexa’s grab. He rolls out of control down towards Alexa’s face in a head-on collision. Tentacles sliver from under the curtain of Alexa’s hair extending to grab Christain before they collide.

She wraps them around his waist, inches from each other. Christain smiles warmly at her, grabbing her soothingly across the face. His tender touch turns into an iron grip. Alexa’s tentacle arms retract while the right relaunches into Christain’s stomach with the force of a cannonball. Christain coughs as all the air leaves his lungs. The smile twists with pain, but his grip tightens with him raising his head.

An image of Lucy fashes in her mind. A thick sandy shell starts growing around her head, but Christain’s head crashes into the side of her head, shattering the new shell. Broken plates were the only thought of those that heard the crash. They both fell to the ground beside each other. Alexa only saw flashing lights until all went black.

Christain frees himself from his love’s embrace hunching over her, still trying to catch his breath. He looks over at the wall opening up as the medics swarm the stage. He falls on his butt and grabs tenderly the back of Alexa’s hand that, reverted back to normal. Holding it, he gently strokes the back with his thumb, and a weak tightening grip answers in kind.

The medics check their conditions before gurning them out of the ring. The wall rises, and Shields makes the call, “The winner is Christain Turner, and the next match-up will start with Jordan and James in ten minutes.”

Nicolaus stares at his cousin with a satisfied grin spreading across his face. He turns to look at the next contestants and nods, walking up to Sarah. “Sarah, how did you think the match with your cousin went.”

Sarah stood upright with her arms crossed, deep in thought about something. Some of her brown hair fell across her face. The sharp glint in her green eyes gave off the madness of a beast on the hunt as a small smile slowly curved across her ruby lips. Her modest femininity only enhanced a sense of desire and danger from those around her, but Nicolous paid it no thought and touched her shoulder to wake Sarah from her trance. “So, Sarah, you out of it yet? What did you think of Chris and Alexa flirting during the match?”

She blinks a couple of times before processing what was said to her and coughs a little before replying back to him. “I don’t think it was really the time for it, but it is not as uncommon as you would think for it to happen, right?”

“Oh, ya, I guess your parents are a good example of that, right?”

“Yes, I would dare say so. But they still won’t say everything yet since I still don’t have the clearance for it yet.” Sarah’s forehead creases slightly as her nostrils enlarge with her increasing breath. “It will be fun when we are up to their, right?” Sarah turns to look Nicolaus right in the eyes that glitter as any child that is receiving a gift would have.

Nicolaus scratches the back of his head and looks away, unable to withstand her gaze. He smiles, showing his razor-sharp teeth, “I don’t plan on losing to you or anything.”

“Good. As it should be. I wouldn’t want to have some unearned approval for not making my own headway from someone’s misplaced pity or morals.

“I know. Seeing what we’ve picked up will be a great showcase.”

“Don’t think you won yet. I have been a lot more diligent than in the past. I mean, didn’t the last match get your blood pumping? Even your pointy teeth are showing”

Nicolaus covers his mouth with his hand before continuing to speak, “I guess, but they seem so short to really feel anything.”

“That just shows your lack of empathy for those in the ring. But we will set a new president for that, right!” Sarah puts her hands on his shoulder, now shaking him back and forth a little. Nicolaus pushes her away but awkwardly holds her hands for a second before letting go. “If you want to hold my hand longer, I will allow it.” She said with a confident smile holding her hand out.

“You, Sarah, you just love to tease me, I swear.” He grabs her hand and stands next to her, facing the ring. “So, how do you think the next match will turn out?”

“I have my theories, but it is no fun to guess only. Watching and experiencing the matches is what makes it fun.”

“Okay, those habits you picked up from your old man are really showing.”

“No problem with wanting to be like the parents that I am proud of. Now stop with the ideal chatter, and let’s watch the match the J people are walking into the ring.” Sarah leans into Nicolaus’ side while covering his mouth with her hand. “Now watch, and maybe you can learn something with that stubborn head of yours.”

Nicolaus’ face tensed up but looks at the ring to see Jordan and James face each other for the match to start.