* * * * * *

It's been an entire week since my talk with Esther and I still don't really know what I'm supposed to do. Like how do the Shadows even look like? How am I supposed to defeat them? Like what?

The only thing I've accomplished is getting into more and more arguments with Dimitri. It's insane how much we argue. Like every single time we see each other, we bicker for like hours and hours. And he doesn't even seem to get tired of it. I hate bickering with him since it uses up a lot of my energy but he just loves to freakin provoke me. It's so annoying.

But on a more positive note, my relationship with Kenneth is growing for the better. He's so sweet and amazing. I honestly couldn't have asked for anyone better. He really wants to take me out on a date but I'm always so busy and Dimitri doesn't ever let me leave the castle. Dimitri's honestly so annoying. Like he needs to stop.

"You missed a spot." I heard a voice say causing me to look up. And guess who it was. The devil himself. Mr. Dimitri. Our precious little King.

"Cool." I said, as I dragged the vacuum cleaner away.

He suddenly walked in front of me, stopping me in my tracks. "What do you want now?" I sighed in frustration.

"Go back and clean that spot." He said pointing to an imaginary dirty spot. The carpet was entirely clean.

"There is nothing there to clean." I bit out in annoyance.

"Yes there is, now go do it." He stated and I shrieked loudly in annoyance, before angrily kicking a table. Everything on the table dropped to the floor creating a huge mess while Dimitri just raised an eyebrow at me. "You do realize you're just making more work for yourself." He said and I glared darkly at him causing him to chuckle.

"Have fun cleaning it all." He said before he left the room, whistling.

"Fuck you Dimitri! Fuck you!" I swore loudly causing him to laugh even more.

* * * * *

I sighed, wiping the sweat off my forehead. Today, Dimitri had assigned way too much work for me to do. And it was really hot too. I was exhausted.

I was cleaning up his office but my eyes kept wandering to his sketchbook, which lay open on his desk. It looks like he was in the middle of drawing someone but suddenly got up and left. All he had, were the eyes done and was in the middle of working on the nose. I had to say, from his drawing of the eyes, he was really good. Why couldn't he just spend his time drawing instead of killing humans as a hobby? Life would be so much easier than.

I was really tempted to flip through the rest of his sketchbooks and look at his drawings but I didn't since he'd get mad at me. I was told to not touch anything and I was pretty sure he had hidden cameras in here. His office was a private place where he doesn't let anyone enter. So there has to be camera's watching me or something to make sure I don't do something I shouldn't, like snooping around in his stuff.

Once I was done with his office, I walked outside to find the most beautiful rose on the ground outside the door. It was absolutely beautiful, so bright and red. It sparkled in the light and I noticed it was from the beautiful castle gardens out back. There was a golden sparkly card attached to it, that said To: Isabella in print on it. I picked it up with a smile on my face. This was definitely from Kenneth.

I opened the card and read what it said inside, smiling even more widely at what it said. The words were written so beautifully in calligraphy.

I want you like I want the sunshine that doesn't exist in Rovana. You are the most beautiful and rarest thing I have ever laid eyes on. Rare like the sunshine and beautiful like nothing else in existence.

I was grinning and swooning at how sweet this was. This was honestly the most sweetest thing anyone had ever said to me.

I didn't even care about how tired I was, I ran down the hallway to Kenneth's room. I needed to thank him for the beautiful rose and the equally beautiful note.

I swung the door open to find Kenneth watching a movie. He smiled and paused the movie when he saw me. I ran up to him and practically jumped on top of him causing him to chuckle at my sudden energy. I straddled him, pressing a soft kiss to his lips. "Kenneth, this was so sweet! And the rose is absolutely gorgeous!" I exclaimed waving the rose and note.

He looked at the rose and card in my hand, an indecipherable look crossing his face, before he smiled up at me. "I'm glad you like it so much." He said, kissing my fingers.

I set the rose and card on the table, before I grabbed Kenneth's face in between my hands and brought my lips down on his in a slow kiss. His lips were so soft and smooth. I worked my fingers through his fiery red hair, as he ran his hands down the side of my body. The kiss was slow but very passionate and I loved every bit of it.

I soon pulled away and rested my head on his chest. We ended up falling asleep that way.

*****

"Thomas, be nice to the poor little girl." I said as I walked into the daycare Thomas was at. Thomas wouldn't share a toy with a little blonde-haired girl, who looked like she was going to start crying. "Come on Thomas, be a good boy and share."

He stubbornly shook his head, causing me to sigh. "Thomas, you're usually so nice. What's wrong today? You're being really rude and I don't like it. Come on, share with the girl." I sternly said.

"I'm sorry mommy." He said as he came up to me and gave me a hug. "Don't be mad at me."

"I'm not mad Thomas, just disappointed. But I won't be disappointed anymore, if you be nice and share with the girl." I said and he nodded his head. I smiled at him and the little girl before turning towards Kacey, the daycare supervisor with a smile as well.

"Before you go, Isabella. I got something with a note saying that I was supposed to give it to you. I'm not sure who it's from though." She said before she reached behind the desk, producing another rose with a gold card. I smiled when I saw it, slightly shaking my head.

"Thanks." I said once she handed it to me. I walked outside, while opening the card. Kenneth wasn't going to stop with one, wasn't he?

Your eyes. That's all I need to say. Your eyes. They capture me, enrapture me. They're so intricate, the beauty weaved through them in so many intriguing ways. Reminding me of pools of sweet, melted chocolate.

I noticed a small little chocolate attached to the stem of the rose with a black ribbon. I grinned as I opened the little chocolate and ate it. It was so yummy and sweet, I moaned at the wonderful taste.

Kenneth was perfect. No other word described him other than perfection. I loved

him. I don't know if it's a little too early to say that or not but it's true. I love him.

I just wished I could spend my entire day with him, but I knew I couldn't. I had to finish the annoying and exhausting tasks Dimitri had listed for me to do.

Just then, I looked up and found Dimitri standing there watching me. Was he there the whole time?

"Done?" He questioned with an eyebrow raised, eyeing the card and rose in my hand. "Because if you are, you may proceed with all the tasks you have yet to complete." He said before walking away, causing me to roll my eyes.

Way to ruin the mood Dimitri.

*****

It was around ten pm when I walked by Dimitri's bedroom, and heard him crying out. He sounded like he was in horrible pain, and I was so tempted to open the door and see what was wrong, but then there was a part of me that wanted him to suffer. A part of me that knew he deserved it. But the nicer part of me won over and decided to check on him, even though it would have been so much easier to just walk away.

I opened the door, to find a thrashing Dimitri on the ground, writhing in pain. I was suddenly scared. Why was he in pain? What was happening? I noticed blood coming out through his eyes, nose and mouth. It was really scary and I really wished I hadn't have walked by his bedroom door. "Leave my room Isabella!" He managed to growl out, once he noticed me standing by the door. "Fucking leave!" He yelled before he cried out as another wave of pain seemed to hit him.

"What's happening Dimitri?" I yelled in a panicked voice as I took a few steps closer to him.

"Isabella leave! Fucking leave or else I'll kill you!" He barely made out through his groans of pain. I ignored the fact that he threatened me once again.

"I'm not leaving Dimitri. I'm not leaving you here alone. Not like this." I said my voice shaking in fear for him. I quickly went up to him and knelt down beside him, grabbing his freezing cold hand in my right one. With my left hand, I pushed his hair, slightly damp from the sweat, away from his forehead. I leaned over him, peering into his red eyes. "Focus on me and forget the pain, Dimitri." I whispered soothingly, hoping he heard me over his cries of pain. He seemed to have since he looked up at me and kept his gaze there as he fought with the pain.

He was still convulsing in pain, but seemed to look like he was handling it better now that I was here. "Dimitri, you have to tell me what's happening? I can only help you then!" I exclaimed but he shook his head.

"No." He said, his voice shaking in pain. "You c-can't help me."

"Yes I can, if you tell me what's going on." I said as I gently wiped the blood off his cheeks with the sleeve of my shirt. Usually I would have been disgusted by having blood on my clothes but right now all that mattered was helping Dimitri.

"You can't Isabella." He said before he cried out again. More blood started seeping out through his mouth, and I was getting really scared.

"I think I'm going to get someone Dimitri." I said and just as I said it, he yelled out a no.

"Don't let go of my hand. Please!" He begged, his voice sounding really hoarse. "Your touch is helping ease the pain a bit."

"But how am I supposed to get someone?" I asked exclaiming but he simply shook his head.

"Please don't." He whispered out before more convulsions of pain hit him, causing him to thrash wildly.

"Dimitri, I'm scared! I'm really scared and worried!" I exclaimed, blinking the tears away. His pulse was insanely strong and his breath was coming out in short wisps of air.

"I-it's okay Isabella. D-don't be scared. I-it'll end soon." He managed to say making me feel stupid. I should be the one comforting him yet he was the one comforting me instead.

I pulled him up, closer to me and made him rest his head on my chest. I then soothingly ran my fingers through his hair and down his hard, muscular back, seeming to calm him down. Every so often, I would wipe the blood off his face, hoping he'd stop bleeding soon enough.

The convulsions had seemed to stop after about fifteen minutes, which I was so glad for. He was still groaning in pain but I could see the relief on his face. I then wiped his tears of pain that were mixed in with the blood, one final time.

I noticed my sleeves were really stained with blood, but I really didn't care. I just wanted him to not be in pain anymore.

And thankfully, he was soon okay. His breathing had returned to normal and I could feel his warm breath against my chest. His pulse seemed to have normalized as well, which was good.

I could tell Dimitri was exhausted and I was too. Exhausted with the panic and fear of what happened.

He slowly looked up at me, before reaching up to wipe the tears of fear off my face. I grabbed the same hand he wiped my tears away from, and was glad to feel the warmth slowly returning to them.

"Dimitri." I whispered before Dimitri cut me off.

"Please don't leave me Isabella. In case it happens again." He spoke hoarsely, his eyes begging me to stay.

"I won't." I said, as I smoothed his hair down.

* * * * *