Transylvania, 1898.
"It's perfect."
Dracula stood hand in hand with his daughter as he admired the sheer scale of their new home. The sound of cranking filled the cold, midnight sky as the heavy metal gate rose above their heads, opening the way for the castle's new master. The team of zombies operating the gate moaned as they passed; having acknowledged Dracula's appreciative nod. Little Mavis let out a high pitched gasp as she saw how massive the approaching castle was compared to them.
"Big building daddy." She pointed.
"Yes Mavis. Remember I promised you we would be safe forever?"
She nodded and smiled.
"This is our new home. No Humans will harm you here. Oh, you going to make a lot of friends here!"
She looked at him curiously.
"This isn't just a home for us Mavey, This is our Hotel. Lots of Monsters are going to come here, lots of people to meet and be safe with."
She tugged at him tightly as they walked. She didn't feel comfortable with the notion of meeting new people. Dracula laughed softly.
"Don't worry my little pumpkin, only Monsters are coming. They will all be kind my dear, you'll see!
"Like Daddy?" She asked.
"Yes Mavis, just like me."
He held her hand protectively, sensing the slightest motion of its grip loosening and correcting it. The truth was he was nervous himself at the thought of Mavis meeting others. Ever since his life had changed it had always been just him and her. The growth time of a vampire is far longer than it is for humans, a child's youth can last longer than a lifetime. This time had certainly made its mark on Dracula. He felt hesitant about letting her out his sight amongst other Monsters. He trusted them of course, his own kind, but the desire to keep his daughter safe from anything that may harm her had reduced him to a life of isolation. There were only a few friends he kept ties with and it was them that he intended to include in the next step of his plan.
At last they had reached the final steps. A revolving door lay in front of them. He looked at Mavis beside him.
"Together my dear."
Step by step they walked together, passing through the door and seeing the new lobby for the first time. It was a sight to behold. A bright, red folding carpet lay across the brick floor and up the stairs, almost enticing them in. Chairs rest on either side of them for the comfort of newly arrived guests. There wasn't another living person in sight, only two suits of armour stood on the opposite side of the hall. Much to Mavis' surprise, one of them moved erratically and began to approach them.
"Everything is ship shape and ready for the first guests my Lord!" The suit saluted him.
"Good. Is Mavis' room ready yet?"
She hid slightly behind her Father's dark cape.
"Certainly Count! All her belongings, and yours of course, are in their respective rooms! Right this way."
"This way my dearest." Dracula followed the armour, leading his daughter to her new room for the very first time.
The suit clattered as they passed through the thin corridors of the castle. Room after room they passed, proving to Dracula that his new Hotel was capable of housing plenty of guests. He smiled triumphantly before looking down to check on his bewildered Mavis.
"Not far now my little song bat." He encouraged her along the way.
Dracula knew it was going to take a while to remember which room was hers, it being room one hundred and seventy four after all.
"Couldn't you have picked a room a bit closer to the ground?" Dracula complained.
"You asked for a safe, comforting room with a nice view my lord. Besides, a zombie picked it, not me." The suit answered, determined not to be blamed for the mistake.
"Remind me to fire that one." Dracula answered sarcastically.
"Ready to see your new room, worm bun?" Dracula psyched up his daughter.
"Yeah, yeah!"
He slowly opened the creaking door. Before he could open it fully, she launched herself into the room and onto the bed. She bounced up and down excitedly. The bed was much larger than her old one, a fact that helped calm Dracula somewhat from his fear of her falling off. However, in her excitement she did just that before quickly transforming into a bat.
"Calm down Mavey!" Drac laughed as he followed her around the room as a bat himself.
The suit of armour watched on from outside the door.
"I wish I could do that." It muttered.
After their playful chase, she explored the rest of the room. She opened every draw and cupboard door, determined to see what was inside every one. She came to her wardrobe and excitedly swung the doors open. Amongst her small clothes was what looked like a package at the bottom.
"What that?" She asked as she pointed.
Dracula picked it up and hid it under his cloak.
"A secret present from Mummy, my dear. When you are one hundred and eighteen, then we can find out what it is."
She looked disappointed, and ever so slightly upset.
"I want to see Mummy." She said to him.
Her words cut through him like a stake to the chest. Due to her young age she had never really said much about her Mother, having been too young to know her. She had listened to Dracula's stories of her, but now he knew she was reaching an age where she would be curious to know more, and it scared him. He picked her up and embraced her.
"So do I, my sweet fangs." He reached by his neck and pulled out a golden locket. Inside was a single painting of his deceased wife.
"So do I…"