“Is this it?” Ben asked. Danny looked over to where he was pointing. The Rosewind Hotel was a luxurious, sprawling hotel with a spa, pool, salon, and the best french cuisine in the country. As they arrived to the massive front entrance, she noticed how out of place Ben and Lora looked. She gestured to the front desk and they trailed behind. The hotel employee smiled as she approached.
“Welcome to the Rosewind hotel, how may I assist you today.” The perky young woman said. Her name tag read Linda.
“Hello Linda, i’d like to book a suite under a Theodore Riche. I’ll be paying with credit,” she added as she fumbled in her purse for her emergency credit card. Linda nodded and typed it into a computer while Danny swiped her card.
“Alright, Miss Riche you have the Green Leaf suite, Raphael will show you to your room.” A man appeared as soon as Linda turned to the elderly couple behind them. He grabbed their bags and headed to the elevators, the three of them walking after him.
“Which room is Charlotte in?”
“The...Rose Petal. What’s with the weird names?” At Ben’s comment Raphael turned around and glared at Ben,as they exited the elevator, before handing Danny the room key. Trying not to laugh at Ben’s sheepish expression,she forked over a tip and watched as the bellboy stomped back to the elevators,shooting Ben one last withering look. As soon as the doors closed they burst out laughing, even Lora, who had been quiet when they arrived.
“Did you see the look on his face!” Ben wheezed, bent over in laughter. Danny nodded and collapsed on one of the beds in a giggling fit with Lora. When they finished gasping for breath, they put their bags near their beds and sat in the living room to rest.
“Is it time to see Charlotte yet?” Lora asked as she stared at the clock on the wall. Ben also glanced at it before getting up to stretch. They had been watching TV for a few hours now and Danny was fast asleep. He walked over to the other end of the couch and lightly shook her.
“Awwww,” she yawned, “ what time is it?”
“8:30, Charlotte said to meet her at 8:40. I thought you might want a few minutes to get ready.” He blushed and quickly walked over to the mini fridge and grabbed two apple juices. Opening them he handed one to Lora and joined her on the couch, Danny watched the cartoon they were watching before walking to the bathroom. She closed the door and grabbed a washcloth of a rack next to the sink. Turning the water on full blast ,she stuck the washcloth in and scrubbed her face. Danny stared into the mirror, noticing nothing different about her face. So why did she feel different? She sighed and ran her fingers through her long brown hair. Danny walked out of the bathroom and down the hall to the bedroom she was staying at. She sat on the edge of the bed and grabbed one of her bags. Rummaging through it she found her leather jacket and stuffed her other one in the bag. Reaching in her pocket of her jeans she pulled out her pendant, remembering what her father had said when he gave it to her.
6 years ago…
11 year old Danny bounced in her chair as her father set a small jewelry box on the table in front of her. Her mother was slicing the cake for dessert, “Darling don’t let her open it until I come in with the cake,” Gloria called from in the kitchen.
“Alright, but hurry up. You can’t make the Birthday Girl wait forever.” Danny giggled as her father winked at her. Gloria muttered something from in the kitchen that didn’t reach their ears. When she finally came out, bearing three plates with chocolate cake.
“Yay, you made it with strawberry frosting! Thanks mom.” Her mother smiled and set a plate down in front of her.
“Ok. Before you eat the best cake i’ve ever made, you may open your last present.” Every year on her birthday she would save her parent’s gift for last. It was sort of a tradition now. She grabbed the box and opened it to reveal a beautiful, blood red pendant.
“Oh… Thank you Daddy! And Mommy.” Danny jumped into her Father’s arms and hugged him. Gloria sat next to them and wore a small smile.
“Danielle do you know what that means?” She asked. When Danny shook her head she shook her head and got up from the table.
“I’m tired and i’m going to bed.” Gloria paused long enough to kiss them on the head.
“Goodnight.” They called to her,but she didn’t say anything as she walked out of the diningroom. Danny looked after her with a look of worry and confusion.
“Daddy is Mother okay?” She looked up at her father. He smiled,
“of course,” he replied softly. “Yes, of course, you heard her.” Pausing, he glanced at her curiously, “So you really don’t know about that pendant?”
“No. Why would I you just got it didn’t you.”
“Well, it was your father’s.”
“You're my father.” Danny said slowly. “Right?” He stared at her for a moment, before laughing and playing with the cloth covering the long dining table.
“Of course I am.” He cleared his throat and set her off his lap. “It’s also your bedtime. So scoot.” She kissed him goodnight and walked away....
Danny put on her necklace while wondering which father had been it’s previous owner. Her parents had acted so strangely that night. What was so special about this pendant? Maybe they were afraid she would find out the truth. Still mulling it over in her head, she walked into the living room.
“Alright, come on guys it’s time to meet Charlotte.” Ben stood up and reached over to grab Lora. Danny unlocked the door and let them through before closing it behind her.
“I think it’s on the fourth floor”
“Yeah my mom and I stayed there once.” She pushed the elevator’s button and tucked the room key into one of her coat’s pockets. Ding! The elevator opened and they stepped in,
“Can I push the button? Please. Please.Please!” Lora begged, jumping next to the panel of buttons. Ben laughed and nodded, “sure press that one...yes. Then press this one over here. Alright,now don’t touch any more buttons.” Lora pouted when Ben firmly removed her little fingers from the alluring buttons.
“So...any chance that Charlotte will have more than a half baked plan?” For a moment Ben looked offended and Danny realized she must have sounded snotty. She was about to apologize and say she didn’t mean to be rude, that she was just kidding. But Ben just glared at her and said frostily,
“Because you're so rich and smart. Why listen to a crazy old witch, right!?” Ding! He grabbed Lora and stomped out leaving her alone and hurt.
“Ben wait!” Danny ran after him, slowing to a stop a few feet from the door they were standing at. She reached them just as the door opened to reveal an ordinary woman in her mid-thirties wearing a navy blue dress and black knee high boots. She smiled at them,
“Come on in kids. We don’t have a lot of time” motioning for them to walk in. As soon as they were all inside she shut the door and locked it. “There” she smiled, “Hello Danny.”
YOU ARE READING
The Scarlet Daughter
Vampire"...Benjamin be polite and at least pretend to like Evelyn." I tried to mask my giggles with a serious case of coughs, but Ben gave me a look. Oh well, it's not like he could get any more angry with me. But instead of yelling at me he just grabbed m...
