Blood In Rose

Chapter 7

"... Watch your tongue, Alfred. He is the father of vampires. We should respect him."
I see mixed feelings in their eyes as they gaze at the man in the portrait.
"Alfred, what do you mean by trouble..?"
My question is drowned out in mid-sentence by the shout and footstep of a little girl.
"Alfreeeeeeeed!!!!"
I turn around to see a girl with heart-shaped eyes dashing toward us.
"Our first-class guest seems to have found you, Alfred."
Rupert laughs happily, and Alfred shrugs in contrast.
"Hey Alfred, I been looking for you! You have no idea how much I missed you!"
"I am deeply sorry about your trouble, Lady Bridget."
Alfred crouches down to her eye level and apologizes to her.
The girl called Bridget glares at me fiercely, and then holds Alfred's hand.
"Come have a cup of tea with me. You wouldn't say no, would you?"
"Of course not, young lady."
"I didn't ask you, Rupert!"
"I apologize for my rudeness. Alfred, why don't you go with the young lady?"

"... I'll be back soon."
Muttering it to Rupert, Alfred goes back down the stairs with Bridget.
I also go down the stairs to stand in front of the big entrance door.
(I came in from this door. I wonder if I can go in and out freely.)
I quietly places my hand on the door.
"Whoa..."
The door is so heavy and doesn't budge an inch.
"Only few people authorized by the hotel owners can open this door."
I spin around to find a man wearing hood over his head standing behind me.
He has the hood pulled over his eyes, but the shadow of his hood has failed to hide the big scar on his face.
"Who are you...? What do you mean by authorized people..."
"Mr. Daniel"
Rupert interrupts my question before I got an answer.
"I have something to discuss with her. Please excuse us, Mr. Daniel."
"Rupert...?"
"Mina, come this way."
Rupert holds my hand and start to walk with an intent look, and I'm too dumbfounded to shake off his hand.
Rupert keeps quiet the whole time until we enter a room.
There is Alfred in the room, who seems to have waited for us.
"Did you get permission to leave her?"
"Shut up, Rupert."
Alfred answers in a grouchy time, and then he looks at me to say--