Rose

As the meeting began, Henry, Romeo's dad, and Dexter, my father, took seats on opposite sides of the room. Clara, Mistress of the Wiccas, called the floor to order. "Before we begin, is there any new business?"

My father stood. "We have been alerted of another body drained of blood," he said, looking over at Henry with clear disgust.

Henry responded calmly, "I assure you, it was not my family or anyone in my camp. As you know, we have been making a home not far from Wicca's Point and are keeping our hunger in check."

"We have heard your community is called Blood York, is that correct?" asked Christian, a jinn on the council.

"It is true. Blood York is what we have decided," Henry replied without hesitation.

Clara spoke again, "Well, if we are all to live in harmony, you must get every vampire on board and deal with the ones who don't."

"Understood," Henry said. He and my father sat down, shooting daggers at each other with their eyes.

After the meeting, Henry approached my father. "Excuse me," Henry interrupted him and Clara.

My father turned and looked at him. "If you can tell me where the incident occurred, I will be happy to get some of my people to look into it," Henry offered with a smile.

My father kept a composed look. "Outside the lines of your Blood York. Listen, I don't expect you to follow through on your word, but I do expect that if your children are near mine, you keep them all in line." He pushed past Henry.

"It's going to take time, Henry," Clara encouraged.

Henry nodded in agreement. "Fortunately, I have more than enough time," he said, walking away.

______________________________________________________________________

Today was not a great day. I had a headache all day long. "Everything okay?" Romeo asked me. I nodded without speaking. "I didn't notice before, but your hair has streaks of purple." He smiled at the observation, but my hair only turns purple for one reason. I only get headaches like this when I'm experiencing a magic overload. I'm not allowed to be myself at home or school, and this power is a burden. I get home and take something, but find no relief.

My father walked into the house looking a complete mess. I grabbed my bag and headed to the door. "Where are you going?" he asked.

"I'm staying at Nubi's tonight, remember?" I answered.

"Right. You do something different to your hair?" he asked.

"It washes out." I let out a laugh as I motioned toward the door. "Text me when you get there safe," he said. I nodded and walked out the door. Nubi's house isn't far, so I walk with my headphones on, listening to love songs to drown out the headaches. I wished I knew the love people sang about. The closest I've had to love was Tommy Harris. Tommy moved last year, and let's just say I haven't dated anyone else since.

I got to Nubi's house, and she had so many dresses laid out that I had nowhere to set my bag. "Finally!" she exclaimed, grabbing me and starting to apply my makeup.

"Remind me why this is a good idea," I said.

"Because you need to get out more. You're turning into an old lady at 17," she joked.

"The headaches are back," I said, and she stopped and looked at me.

"Why are you just saying something?" She pulled the curtains closed and jumped on her bed. "Let the magic begin."

I snapped my fingers, and we began a montage of trying on dresses, some from Nubi's closet and some I conjured with a snap of my fingers. It wasn't what I needed, but it helped tremendously. Nubi sat back, watching and laughing.

"I don't understand why they won't let anyone know you're a true witch," she said.

"They claim it's dangerous, and I guess I should believe them," I replied.

"Hey, it's okay to question too," Nubi said, continuing to get dressed.

Romeo

I get home and wonder if I had done something to upset Rose. She was so distant today. As I pondered, Richard barged into my room, jumping on my bed without permission, as usual.

"Why are you getting all dressed up?" he asked, his tone slightly mocking but tinged with genuine curiosity.

"I got invited to a party," I replied, trying to keep my excitement in check.

"Do you think that's smart? We can't trust anyone. Did you not hear Dad's talk about what happened at the Council meeting?" His voice carried a mix of concern and skepticism.

"Wow, careful, brother, I might think you care," I joked, hoping to lighten the mood.

"If you're going, I am too," he declared, getting up and following me out of the room.

"Ophelia didn't want to come," Demetrius said as I glanced at her door.

"How is she doing?" I asked Demetrius, knowing they had the closest bond in the house.

"She flourishes in school, but it's an adjustment for us all," he answered, a hint of worry in his voice.

"Let's go," Richard said impatiently.

"Wait," our mother called out to us. "Be careful. Remember, the curfew is for everyone's benefit until your father finds the rebel," she reminded us.

"He's only doing what we should have done years ago. We are more powerful than them all," Richard said arrogantly, his bravado palpable.

"That's enough. Stop talking like that before your dad makes an example of you," she warned, her voice stern.

"It wouldn't be the first time," he retorted as he walked out, a defiant glint in his eyes.

"Keep an eye on him," she said softly, giving me a hug as I followed them out.

____________________________________________________________________________

As we drive to the party, memories of a time when Richard and I weren't at odds flood my mind. It was 1485, an era when everyone who was anyone would come to Italy for a grand ball. I, of course, was no one.

"Romeo, bring the drinks over here!" my father yelled as we stocked their cabinets for the ball.

"What a beautiful estate you have," I heard a woman's voice say. I turned to see a perfect beauty standing in the grand hall; I would later learn her name was Juliet. She noticed me just as I noticed her, and she smiled. My father broke my daydream by calling for me again. I quickly went and stocked the shelves, but I tried to get one final look at her before a man blocked my view.

"Do you have a match?" he asked, holding a cigarette. I reached in my pocket and struck one for him.

"My name is Richard," he said, shaking my hand. I shook his in return, feeling an unexpected kinship.

___________________________________________________________________________

My memory quickly jumps back to the present day as we pull up to the party. The tension between us now is a far cry from the camaraderie we once shared. I can't help but wonder how things might have been different if Juliet had never entered our lives.

Richard

It's no mystery that I am not supposed to be here, but I am. Even though every emotion urges me to end this family's bloodline, I can't do it. Juliet's influence still holds strong to this day.

We walk into the party, and I look around. I see some people from my class and successfully infiltrate their friend circle with an appetizing girl named Amy to void my boredom. After a few shots, I see Romeo talking to the prettiest girl at the party, and it brings back memories.

Romeo and I hit Italy back in the day, and he took me to every bar he could find. I bought shot after shot. He was great company, and I didn't want to kill him.

"Tell me, Romeo, do you like your life?" I asked, our glasses clinking as we toasted to another night.

"Sometimes, but I would love it more if I could be a man of your stature," he said, envying me. He had no idea what I was, but he trusted me completely.

"My father says being rich is not honorable. Working hard, family, and values make honor," Romeo stated as he took a sip of ale, his eyes earnest and hopeful.

"That's madness. How about you come to the ball with me tonight? Let me show you how the other side truly lives," I offered, and he graciously accepted. After getting him to look the part, we went to the ball. We were goofing around until he saw Juliet, and he became a lovesick puppy.

I see it happening again with this girl tonight. He is always so quick to disappoint me.

_____________________________________________________________________

Back in the present, I watch Romeo with the same sense of inevitability. His heart leads him astray, just as it did centuries ago. It's infuriating to see him fall for another girl, knowing the heartbreak that follows.

"Richard!" Amy's voice breaks my thoughts. "Come dance with us!"

I plaster on a smile and join them, but my mind remains on Romeo and his new infatuation. Why does he always choose the path of least resistance, the one that leads to pain and betrayal?

As I down another drink, I can't help but think about how different things could have been. Juliet's presence looms large over our lives, even now. She's the reason for all this turmoil, and yet, here we are, repeating history.

"Enjoying the party?" Romeo's voice startles me from behind.

"Sure, if you call this fun," I reply, trying to mask my frustration.

He looks at me, sensing the tension. "Let's not ruin tonight. For once, let's just enjoy ourselves."

I nod, but deep down, I know it's only a matter of time before everything falls apart again. Romeo is always so quick to disappoint me, and it's a pattern that seems impossible to break.

As I watch him walk back to the girl, I feel a surge of jealousy. Not for the girl, but for the simplicity of his desires. He still believes in love, in redemption. I envy him that, even as I resent him for it.

The party continues around me, but all I can think about is the cycle we're trapped in. Juliet's influence may still hold strong, but perhaps it's time for a change. Perhaps it's time to break free.

Rose

Hunter's parties are always amazing. Being a Jinn really allows him to do what he was created to do—give people magical wishes. "Romeo, meet our friend Hunter," I said.

"So, you are the famous Romeo from all the stories. Tell me, are any of them true?" Hunter asked in his flamboyant way.

"All I can say is Shakespeare made my life sound a lot better than it was," Romeo replied.

"We have to dig deeper one day." Hunter smiled and winked at me before walking away.

"He can be odd, but he throws the best parties," I said, trying to redirect the conversation.

"Hello, brother," Richard interrupted us, his presence instantly shifting the mood.

"Richard," Romeo acknowledged, looking annoyed.

"Don't be rude. Introduce me to your girlfriend," Richard said with a devious smile.

"I'm not his girlfriend," I clarified quickly.

"You might want to tell him that. I'm Richard," he said, holding out his hand.

"Rose," I responded, shaking his hand. A rush of pain and misery washed over me, and I pulled away before they could notice.

"Rose, I was about to go to the keg stand. Would you join me?" Richard asked, his eyes challenging.

"No, we're fine," Romeo spoke for me, his tone protective. Richard's pain was clear to me.

"It's fine. I will join you," I said, walking to the keg stand as Romeo stayed behind.

"My brother the buzz killer. If I wasn't immortal, I would die of boredom," Richard said, pouring himself a drink.

"Something tells me you have never known a day of true boredom," I said, surprising him with my humor.

"You are absolutely right," he said, hitting the keg stand flawlessly. I followed suit, feeling the alcohol burn pleasantly. Romeo helped me down as Richard continued to party, seemingly carefree.

"Your brother is dark," I said, observing Richard's behavior.

"It's not his fault, and he never lets me forget it," Romeo replied with a cryptic tone, his eyes clouded with past memories.

Meanwhile

My father found himself at the bar, drowning his sorrows. "The usual, Dexter?" the bartender asked, and he gave a small nod. He looked over and saw a woman he had never seen before.

"I thought I knew everyone in town. You're new," he said with curiosity.

"I am," she replied, giving a smile.

"What's your name?" he asked.

"Ophelia," she answered with a soft smile.

"Well, Ophelia, you shouldn't drink alone," my father said, sliding down the bar to join her. They began a conversation filled with jokes and laughter.

"Now that you're comfortable with me, tell me why someone as young as you is out at night alone with a fake ID," he said, his tone light but probing.

"What are you, a cop?" she asked with a playful smirk.

"I am," he admitted, taking a shot.

"Well, if you must know, I'm having problems adjusting to my new surroundings, and I'm 18," she said, giving a flirtatious smile that made my father almost uncomfortable.

"Calm down, I see the ring," she added with another smile.

"No, my wife passed away a while ago," he admitted, the pain evident in his voice.

"Well, it seems we are both here to escape, officer," she said, taking a shot as his phone buzzed.

"Oh no, I've got to go, but it was nice meeting you, Ophelia," my father said, giving a flirtatious smile of his own before walking away.

__________________________________________________________________________

Romeo and I sat on the stairs, and he seemed so uncomfortable. "Is everything okay?" I asked.

"Yes, but being around so many people is new to me," he said, glancing at Richard, who was stealing the show dancing in the middle of the room. "I wish I could be as comfortable as he is."

"What's stopping you?" I asked.

"I don't want to lose control, especially around the prettiest girl in the room," he admitted.

"Then don't," I said, leaning in for a kiss. He kissed me back, but his face changed, revealing his vampire nature. At first, it scared me, but I needed him to feel comfortable, so I kissed him again.

Our kiss was broken by a sharp voice. "Rose!" I stood up quickly, recognizing my father.

"The party is over! Everyone out, NOW!" he shouted, grabbing my arm. Romeo stood defensively.

"It's fine. He's my father," I said, and Romeo's face returned to normal.

"A vampire? Really?" my father hissed, guiding me out the door and to his car. The silence in the car was more terrifying than if he had been yelling.

"He's a vampire. Imagine if he knew what you truly were—you'd be dead," his rage deepened.

"Dad, he isn't like that," I protested.

My father braked in the middle of the street. "Vampires don't feel a thing. They don't care. Their hearts can't even beat. Don't think for a second you are not just a meal to him." He continued driving, his anger palpable.

When we got home, he went straight for the bottle of whiskey. "Everything okay?" my grandmother asked, turning on the kitchen light.

"No, I caught Rose kissing a vampire," he said without hesitation, concern etched on my grandmother's face. I ran upstairs before any more speeches could ensue.

Upstairs, I threw myself on the bed, the events of the night playing over in my mind. My father's anger, Romeo's protective stance, and Richard's dark presence all weighed heavily on me. I stared at the ceiling, feeling the familiar ache of my magic building up inside me. I needed to find a way to control it, to find a balance between who I am and who I am supposed to be.

Downstairs, I could hear my father and grandmother talking in hushed tones. I knew they were worried about me, but they didn't understand. They couldn't understand what it was like to have this power and this curse. The room felt too small, too suffocating.

I looked out the window at the moonlit night, feeling a sense of longing for something I couldn't quite name. The pull of the night, the allure of the unknown, called to me. I needed to find a way to be myself without fear, without restraint.

The night's events had shown me one thing: I couldn't keep hiding. I had to confront my fears and embrace my true nature, even if it meant facing the dangers that came with it.