"Iris," came a calm voice from the doorway. "Alexander, we were just finishing up," Iris said with a small smile. Jade stared at the handsome man before her and could've sworn from a glance that he was Kevin. There was one distinct difference between the two. The tattoos they had is how she could tell them apart. Kevin had thorns adorning his body, while Alexander had flames. "It's my fault," Jade spoke up, worried that he would be mad that they were so late for dinner. "I was asking too many questions while getting ready," she said quietly. "Nonsense dear, it's fine the food isn't going anywhere. Isn't that right, Alex dear?" Iris said with a smile. "Let's just get moving, if Iris didn't tell you, my brother hates to be kept waiting," Alexander stated as he turned around and walked off. He was different than Kevin in more ways than his tattoos. He was very stiff, as if being in the room with her was painful. "Is he ok?" Jade asked Iris as they left the room. "Alexander has a bit of a problem around humans, dear," she said. "A problem?" Jade questioned. "He and Kevin, while they may look the same, they are very different. Kevin controlled his bloodlust at a young age, but Alex had issues controlling it. He knows that you are important to his brother, and so he made sure not to stay in your presence longer than he could handle," Iris stated. "But you're human how can he be around you if he has issues with controlling his bloodlust?" Jade questioned. "Your blood is different. Your blood is stronger. I heard the masters talking the day they brought you home. Your blood has called out to Kevin for a while now, which is why he purchased you. He is...curious as to why this is. This has never happened before. As you know, he is the bloodthirsty prince of Rosewood, and so he has never had issues in the department of bloodthirst, not like Alex. However, you, my dear, your blood is...different. It's as if he isn't drawn to it in a thirsty way but another way," she said, smiling. Jade looked over to Iris and then down at the ground. What did she mean? She thought to herself as they entered the dining room. "Thank you, Iris," Kevin said as he stood up from his chair. Alexander was sitting next to him with a wine glass full of what looked to be wine, but Jade knew better. The color was deeper than that of wine, and from the look on his face, she knew it was blood. "Have a seat," Kevin said as he motioned to the seat across from him. The table was covered in food that Jade had never had the pleasure of consuming when she was living at home. There were numerous types of meat and vegetables and even desserts. Living at home, Jade was usually given whatever was left over, which wasn't much by the time her family had finished eating. "This is...incredible...I mean, thank you for this," she said, staring at the food. "I take care of what's mine, now eat," Kevin said as he leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. What's his? Jade thought to herself as she lifted a cup of tea to her lips. She hated thinking of herself as property, especially when that was how her family had treated her her whole life. "I don't belong to you," Jade whispered into her tea. "What?" he said with a hint of anger in his tone. Jade looked into his ice-blue eyes and put her cup down, "I don't belong to you." "Miss Leone!" Iris yelled, appalled at the bravery of this one girl. "I am a person, not some property that you can claim as your own," she said, staring him right in the eyes. Kevin growled, his fangs glinting in the light of the afternoon sun, he didn't like being talked back to, especially by some peasant girl. He stood up and slammed his hands on the table. The whole table shook and cracked right down the middle, causing Jade to jump a little. "You are mine, little human! I bought you, no, I saved you from that wretched little family of yours! If it weren't for me, you'd still be there being treated like a slave!" he spat. Jade could see him changing right in front of her eyes. His fingernails were growing into claws, and his fangs were growing bigger. His ice-blue eyes were turning into a shade of deep ruby red, and his thorn tattoos had a hint of a glow to them. "Brother, calm yourself," Alexander said, grabbing onto his shoulder. Iris made her way over to the twins and grabbed onto Kevin's other shoulder. "Honey, you need to calm down," she said in such a sweet, loving tone. Kevin was shaking and gripping at the table. "Miss Leone, you need to return to your room now," Iris said sternly. "Why? Because he can't control his temper?!" she spat. "Now!" Alexander yelled. She stood up, knowing from the looks of things that if she didn't listen, she was going to see firsthand how he got his name, the bloodthirsty prince of Rosewood. Jade got up and ran back to her room not looking back. She thought the only one she'd have to worry about was Alexander with his bloodlust, but Kevin, his temper was something not to take lightly.Jade sat on her bed, staring out the window, thinking about the afternoon's events. The bloodthirsty prince of Rosewood, what a temper he has. She thought to herself as she started to unbraid her hair. The tiniest little thing just set him off like a bomb; it was no wonder the stories she had heard were so terrifying. Jade kept thinking about how his appearance was changing right before her. His eyes changed from a beautiful ice-blue color to a deep ruby red, his nails grew into claws, and his fangs grew larger, even the tattoos that adorned his body had started glowing an eerie red color. It was like he was turning into a whole new person right before her very eyes. Was this the better situation? She thought to herself as she brushed her long snow-white hair. Would living here in this place be better than back home? Her father was known for his temper, too, but was his temper worse than that of the prince's temper? The prince might've raised his voice at her and even broke the table, but at least he didn't hit her like her father used to do back home. Even while he was losing control of himself, he never threw anything at her or physically hurt her in any way, unlike her father, who would take his anger out on her physically. All of a sudden, a knock on the door pulled Jade from her thoughts, and she quickly stood up from her bed facing the door. "Come in," she called out almost hesitantly. The door opened, and there stood Kevin. His fangs were back to their normal size; his claws had disappeared; his eyes were back to the beautiful ice-blue color, and his tattoos were no longer glowing. "What are you doing here?" Jade asked, being careful of her tone as she didn't want to set him back off. "My brother and Iris thought it would be appropriate for me to come to apologize for my behavior," he said as he walked into her room, his arms crossed over his chest. "Well...I...thank you," she stammered, flustered at his presence. He walked over to her and stared down at her intently. Jade remembered what Iris said about her blood calling out to him and wondered if that was part of the reason for the apology. "I...I'm also sorry...It's just I've been property my whole life. After my mom died when I was very little and my father met my stepmother, I was treated differently. Different than my stepmother's son and different than how I knew my mother would've treated me if she had been here. When you said you take care of what's yours, I took it as if you were trying to claim me in the same way they have. I am sorry for taking what you said the wrong way and provoking you, Your Majesty," she said as she bowed her head. "Don't...please don't bow to me or call me Your Majesty," he said as he placed his finger on her chin and tilted her head up. Jade stared into his eyes and could feel her face getting hot as she did so. He was so incredibly handsome; she could see why so many girls in the village used to speak so highly of him. She felt drawn in by his eyes and the sound of his smooth, cool voice. It was as if she was in a trance. "Miss Leone," came his soft, cool voice, pulling her from her thoughts. "Uhm, yes, sir, I mean, umm, what should I call you, Your Majesty...I mean," she was cut off by his laugh. Even his laugh was alluring. "Miss Leone, call me Kevin, please," he said as he picked up her hand and kissed her fingers. "K-Kevin? Are you sure? That seems so informal for a prince to be called by his name," she stammered as she pulled her gaze away from his beautiful eyes. "Yes, Miss Leone, Kevin is perfectly fine. I am only a prince in name alone. I prefer my name as opposed to Your Majesty," he said, giving her a small smile and showing off his fangs. "Kevin.... ok Your-I mean Kevin, then please, call me Jade, not Miss Leone. I don't want to be associated with that name any longer, the name of my father," she said, giving him a small smile back. "Jade. What a beautiful name," he said, staring into her eyes. "Thank you. It was a name my mother had picked out when she had me. She said it was the prettiest gem and would make a great name for the prettiest girl she knew," Jade said quietly, reminiscing about her late mother. "Your mother? The woman that James met with your father back at your home?" Kevin questioned. "Oh God, no!" Jade exclaimed. "That horrible woman is not my mother. She is my stepmother. My father had been having an affair, and when my mom got sick and died, he collected the money from her dying and married my stepmother rather quickly," Jade said, clenching her fist tight. "I see...my mother is also gone. My father and my mother were...executed many years ago when Alex and I were very young," he said, gritting his teeth. Jade noticed he seemed to be feeling strong feelings about the execution of his parents, but according to rumors, he was the one who executed them. "You mean...Kevin, about your parents, the rumors I have always heard were that you-" "That I executed them?" he questioned, gritting his teeth. "Y-yeah. The stories in the village always said you had executed your parents to take over the throne, giving you the name the bloodthirsty prince of Rosewood," Jade said quietly, studying his face and emotions, not wanting to set him off again. "It's easy to blame someone who wasn't even there," he said quietly. "Not there? What do you mean?" Jade questioned. "That story can be for another time, dragă," Kevin said as he stepped back from her. "It's time for you to rest; it's getting late, and after today's...events...I'm sure you'd like to relax and go to bed," he said as he started walking towards her door. "Wait!" she called out as she grabbed at his hand. He stiffened at her touch. "Dragă, another time," he said calmly as he pulled his hand from her, and left her room. So, he wasn't a monster after all. The big and bad bloodthirsty prince of Rosewood had a soft side and maybe wasn't as bloodthirsty as everyone made it seem.