A Wilting Rose Among The Thorns

Chapter 2: Thorns And Delicate Petals

Rosalinda POV:

Meeting all these new men including Yui Komori, the only girl here, made me wonder. Who are these men? Why do they live alone? Why would their father want me living here with them? I guess my question will be answered the longer I stay here. "Reiji, may I be escorted to my bedroom please. I've had a long trip and I'm quite tired," he nods helping me stand and starts taking me to my room. Wheeling my suitcase after I packed my sketch book back up I decide to make conversation, "Reiji I just wanted to say despite the confusion I'm glad you've allowed me to stay in your beautiful mansion," I say smiling at him. "The pleasure is all mine, Rosalinda. May I say your manners are very good," I giggle at Reiji, "Well my mother always made sure that I was taught good manners for each occasion. Just by looking at you and how you hold yourself is that you prefer that people have manners, in fact you enforce it," I smile at him. We got to my room and I couldn't help but admire the decor, "Oh my goodness... It's gorgeous," I say in amazement as I place my suitcase on the bed. "I'm glad you like it. I'll leave you to get settled and when you're done someone will come to get you for dinner," I nod at Reiji as he shuts my door. I start unpacking when a painful feeling starts to bubble up in my throat, I grab my handkerchief and start coughing into it feeling something come up again. I pull it back seeing blood on it, I cough softly seeing the blood and tears flow into my eyes knowing that my condition is getting worse. The side effects of Chemotherapy can be a bit unbearable at times, especially when it comes to coughing up blood the more it happens the more painful it becomes. "Hmm~ I smell blood," I look behind me to see Laito smirking at me, "Do you need something," I said quite irritated at the intrusion. I sneakily slip the hanky into my sleeve because I don't want them to see my condition, he doesn't answer me so I get right to the point, "So it's exactly what I thought, you and your brothers are not human and the fact that you said 'I smell blood' means that you are a creature who likes blood, which means that you are vampires. All of you," I watch Laito's smirk get wider and wider as I speak, which tells me all I need to know. "You're smarter than you look," I scoff at that comment knowing full well that he's only doing it to get under my skin, "So what, you smell that I cut my finger and you come running to it like a fruit bat hungry for an apple? Well, you don't deserve it, now if you'll allow me I would like to unpack before you tear into my flesh without so much as a smidge of remorse," I say turning back to my suitcase to pull out my clothes. "You can see yourself out of my room before I make you, I don't care how much strength you possess," I hear him chuckle playfully behind me which makes me roll my eyes. I turn to look over after I grab my shirts he's gone, I smile to myself as I love the fact that I stood up to him. 

A half an hour later I hear a knock on my door, opening it I'm met with Reiji again and I smile happy to see him, "Ah, I was hoping it was you. I was actually met with one of your brothers who tried to bite me when all I wanted to do was unpack. No surprise really, after all you are vampires," he looks at me stunned as I walk down the hallway without him for a second or 2 before he comes to his senses and continues to guide me. "How did you figure it out," I giggle, "Well it wasn't easy at first. The comment Laito made about there being a cute human in the house struck me as odd but it didn't say anything at first, then looking at all of your complexions showed me how pale each of you are which in turn is no ordinary pale complexion which can only indicate that you may be undead. But the last clue was when your brother Laito barged into my room without so much as a knock or even opening the door and said 'I smell Blood', I had unfortunately cut my finger while unpacking and it was such a minor cut that only a predator of the night would be able to smell," I say looking him in the eye with a smirk. "I may be a teenage girl Reiji but I'm not stupid, plus I've always been fascinated with the supernatural it's been my little quirk since I was a preteen. Shall we," I say turning away and walking downstairs to the dining room with him behind me. 

I'm sitting at the table eating my food as I feel eyes on me, no surprise when I look up I see Laito and Ayato staring at me with a smirk on their faces. I just smile sweetly and slip a piece of food in my mouth and go back to eating, "Didn't mommy ever teach you 2 that it's not polite to stare," I snap out with some sass as my smile morphs into a smirk as I don't feel eyes on me anymore. I decide to look in front of me at the timid blonde girl, Yui, sitting across from me. She's looking down at her food but not touching it, I feel kind of bad for her because she's scared for her life here and because of that she's not taking care of herself. I finished my meal wiping my napkin on the edge of my lips, "Reiji may I be excused please," I ask and he nods so I stand, bow my head in thanks and leave the table. I decide that it's time I take a bath so I head up to my room for my pajamas. I felt a decline in stamina as soon as I got to my room, taking some deep breaths I tried to slowly go over to my bed to sit down. I start coughing again and I cough into the hanky again, I see blood and I start getting afraid. "Hello Rosalinda," a deep voice says making me turn around and I see Tougo Sakamaki, I take a deep breath trying to stand up but he gently places a hand on my shoulder, "It's quite alright dear. I can see you're a tad winded so no need to push yourself, I'm here to take you to your appointment. Give me your hand," I place my hand in his like he told me to and he teleports me to my Chemotherapy, it was then I knew he was also a Vampire himself. I'm a Delicate Petal in a house filled with Thorns, I pray I will be protected.