The Divergence

───

It took nearly thirty minutes for the remaining vampires to realize the game had ended.

By then, Lavinia had already been thrown across a street, scraped over the pavement at well over a hundred miles per hour, and driven into a concrete wall hard enough to leave cracks spreading through it.

Apparently, none of that had been loud enough for the others to immediately understand what had happened.

Or perhaps they had simply become too invested in running.

Rosaline returned first.

She appeared at the edge of the park in a blur of red and black, slowing only after catching the concentrated scents of the others gathered there.

Her crimson eyes moved from Celestine's apologetic expression to the drying blood on Lavinia's arms and legs.

Then she looked at what remained of Lavinia's dress.

"...What happened to you?"

Lavinia gave her a flat look.

"Celestine weaponized me against a building."

Celestine's expression immediately fell.

"I didn't mean to."

"I know."

Rosaline stared for another moment before looking toward Celestine.

"You threw her into a building?"

Celestine lowered her eyes.

"...Yes."

Rosaline's lips twitched.

She tried not to smile.

Lavinia noticed.

"Don't."

"I wasn't going to say anything."

"You were absolutely going to say something."

Rosaline covered her mouth.

"...Maybe."

Evelyn returned shortly afterward, emerging from between the trees with Gwendolyn nowhere in sight.

She slowed quickly upon seeing Lavinia, her eyes widening at the shredded black fabric and dried blood.

"Oh."

She hurried closer.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine."

Lavinia lifted one arm, displaying the flawless skin beneath the blood.

"No injuries left."

Evelyn still looked worried.

Valerie arrived next, considerably less concerned than either of them.

She took one look at Lavinia and laughed.

Not cruelly.

Not even loudly.

Just enough to make Lavinia narrow her eyes.

"...You lost."

Lavinia folded her arms.

"I was betrayed by physics."

"You ran into a wall."

"I was thrown into a wall."

"Same result."

"It really isn't."

Valerie nodded toward Celestine.

"Did you catch her?"

Lavinia went silent.

Valerie's smile widened.

"...Didn't think so."

Celestine looked ready to apologize again.

Lavinia immediately pointed at her.

"No."

Celestine stopped.

"...I wasn't going to."

"You were."

She hesitated.

"...I might have."

The last to return was Gwendolyn.

Another ten minutes passed before the faint scent of caramel and roses finally drifted toward them.

Gwendolyn appeared on the far side of the park, ran past the entrance, stopped several hundred feet away, then doubled back.

She slowed as she approached, her long silver hair streaming behind her before settling around her shoulders.

"There you are!"

Valerie stared at her.

"Where have you been?"

Gwendolyn smiled sheepishly.

"I got distracted."

"Doing what?"

"Running."

Lavinia looked at her.

"...That was the game."

"I know."

Gwendolyn laughed brightly.

"But then I kept going."

She pointed vaguely toward the distance.

"I almost reached the edge of Oakridge."

The others stared.

"...You almost left the city?" Rosaline asked.

"Mhm."

"By accident?"

Gwendolyn nodded again.

"I was having fun."

Lavinia sighed.

"Of course you were."

The six vampires eventually settled into a dimly lit park several streets away from the scene of Lavinia's collision.

To human eyes, most of the area remained wrapped in darkness. The nearest streetlamp barely illuminated the benches, and the trees cast broad shadows across the grass.

To the vampires...

There were no shadows.

Every leaf, blade of grass, worn patch of pavement and mark upon the benches remained perfectly visible.

The park might as well have been lit by the midday sun.

Lavinia sat at one end of a bench, carefully keeping her knees together.

Her dress was healing.

Slowly.

The torn fabric had already drawn itself across several of the larger gaps, black threads seeming to reconnect without seams or visible stitching.

Thirty minutes earlier, it had practically been reduced to tatters.

Now it merely looked badly damaged.

Unfortunately, several rips still remained along her thighs and side, forcing her to pay attention whenever she moved.

Valerie sat beside her.

She leaned closer and poked one of the remaining tears.

Lavinia immediately slapped her hand away.

"Stop trying to cop a feel."

Valerie rolled her eyes.

"I was examining the fabric."

"You were poking my leg."

"Through a hole in the fabric."

"That doesn't help your case."

Rosaline snickered from the grass nearby.

Valerie ignored her and examined another section without touching it.

"Your dress is actually repairing itself."

Lavinia glanced down.

"I noticed."

"It's slower than your skin."

Valerie gently lifted one loose flap between two fingers before Lavinia could swat her again.

"But..."

She watched the edges slowly draw together.

"I think it'll be completely fine in another hour."

Lavinia let out a relieved sigh.

"Thank goodness."

Evelyn looked over.

"You really like your dress."

"I love my dress."

Lavinia answered immediately.

"It appeared with me."

"It fits perfectly."

"It's comfortable."

She looked down at the glossy black fabric.

"And it looks amazing."

Valerie smiled.

"Priorities."

"Exactly."

Lavinia shifted carefully, making certain the movement didn't pull one of the remaining tears too far apart.

Losing the dress would've genuinely upset her.

Not devastated her.

But...

It would've hurt.

The clothing already felt like part of being Lavinia.

Gwendolyn knelt in front of her and began inspecting her arms.

She brushed a thumb across one streak of dried blood.

"No marks."

She moved to the other arm.

"None here either."

Then she checked Lavinia's shin.

Only dried blood remained.

The skin beneath was once again flawless.

Gwendolyn smiled in relief.

"You really are fine."

"I told you."

Celestine sat nearby with her hands folded in her lap.

She still looked guilty.

Lavinia looked toward her and sighed.

Again.

She'd lost count of how many times Celestine had apologized.

At least ten.

Possibly more.

The collision itself replayed easily in Lavinia's mind.

When Celestine had pivoted and redirected her momentum, Lavinia had briefly gone weightless.

She could have recovered.

She knew that now.

If she'd adjusted her legs and turned with the motion, she could've landed on her feet.

Or at least one knee.

Instead...

She'd been so shocked that Celestine had managed to fling her at all that she'd missed the best moment to correct herself.

Her shoulder struck first.

Then the street took care of the rest.

Valerie leaned back against the bench.

"If you were human, you'd be in the hospital right now."

Lavinia shook her head.

"No."

Valerie raised an eyebrow.

"No?"

"I'd be dead."

The others quieted.

Lavinia looked down at her healed arm.

"Celestine and I were both moving too fast."

"Even hitting the road once would've broken a human badly."

She gestured vaguely toward the direction of the collision.

"Then I slid across the street."

"Tumbled."

"And hit a wall hard enough to crack it."

She smiled faintly.

"A human would've broken their spine."

"Or snapped their neck."

Evelyn visibly winced.

Rosaline's smile faded slightly.

Celestine looked horrified all over again.

"I'm so sorry."

Lavinia immediately leaned over and covered Celestine's mouth with both hands.

"No."

Celestine blinked.

Lavinia sighed deeply.

"We were playing a game."

Celestine made a muffled sound beneath her hands.

"We all had fun."

Another muffled response.

Lavinia continued.

"I chased you."

"You defended yourself."

"You didn't mean to hurt me."

She finally lowered her hands.

Celestine inhaled softly.

"But I..."

"No."

Lavinia pointed at her again.

"We're done apologizing."

Celestine looked down.

Then slowly nodded.

"...Alright."

Lavinia smiled and reached over to gently pat her head.

"Good."

Celestine's shoulders finally relaxed.

Beside them, Valerie leaned toward Rosaline.

"How long before she apologizes again?"

Rosaline whispered back.

"Five minutes."

Celestine looked up.

"I heard that."

Valerie smiled innocently.

"We know."

Lavinia laughed and leaned back against the bench, careful of the remaining tears in her dress.

Around them, the park remained dim and quiet.

The city continued moving beyond the trees.

And while the others began arguing over whether Celestine's apology counted as an eleventh one, the last of the bloodstained fabric along Lavinia's sleeve slowly pulled itself back together.

The park had grown even quieter.

Only the occasional distant car broke the silence, while the cool night breeze stirred the trees overhead.

The six vampires remained gathered around the picnic table near the center of the park.

Lavinia had claimed one side of the table.

Mostly because it gave her something solid to lean against.

Valerie suddenly clapped her hands together.

"I have an idea."

Lavinia immediately became suspicious.

"...That's usually dangerous."

"We should play fight."

Rosaline's eyes lit up.

"Oh!"

"Yes."

Lavinia slowly looked away.

"No."

Valerie blinked.

"...No?"

"I've already been thrown through the air once tonight."

"I'm retiring."

She folded both arms atop the picnic table before resting her cheek against them.

"I'll spectate."

Rosaline walked over.

"No you won't."

"I absolutely will."

Valerie appeared on Lavinia's opposite side.

"You'll be fine."

Lavinia wrapped both arms around the edge of the picnic table.

"...No."

Valerie grabbed one arm.

Rosaline grabbed the other.

Lavinia immediately tightened her grip.

"I refuse."

"Come on."

"No."

"We'll go easy."

"I don't believe either of you."

"You should."

"I definitely shouldn't."

The tug-of-war lasted only a few seconds.

Unfortunately...

Two vampires pulling was stronger than one vampire clinging.

Lavinia slowly slid across the bench.

"...Traitors."

With one final pull...

She came free.

Both Valerie and Rosaline grinned triumphantly.

Lavinia looked utterly defeated.

"I've suffered enough tonight."

"You healed."

"My pride didn't."

Celestine smiled apologetically.

"...Sorry."

Lavinia pointed.

"You."

"No apologizing."

Celestine immediately covered her own mouth.

Evelyn quietly raised one hand.

"...Could..."

Everyone looked toward her.

"...Could I pair with Celestine?"

She looked at the teal-haired vampire.

"You seem..."

"...Really good at controlling your movements."

Celestine blinked.

"...Me?"

Evelyn nodded.

"I think I'd learn more."

Celestine smiled gently.

"I'd like that."

The others naturally separated.

Evelyn and Celestine walked toward an open patch of grass several yards away.

Meanwhile...

Valerie cracked her knuckles dramatically.

Rosaline bounced lightly on her feet.

Gwendolyn stretched her shoulders.

Lavinia sighed.

"...I miss sitting."

"You'll survive."

Valerie replied.

"I know."

"That's the problem."

Gwendolyn stepped into the middle.

She looked between the four participants.

"We'll start..."

She raised both hands.

"...After I clap."

The atmosphere shifted.

Almost immediately.

Lavinia straightened.

Valerie's playful smile remained.

Rosaline's posture lowered slightly.

Gwendolyn rocked gently from one foot to the other.

Nobody moved.

Their ears twitched subtly.

Tiny adjustments.

Watching.

Listening.

Waiting.

Clap.

The sound echoed across the quiet park.

Three blurs exploded toward Lavinia.

"...Again?!"

She barely had time to react.

Valerie's hand reached for her neck.

Lavinia kicked upward.

Her boot struck Valerie's wrist, knocking it aside.

The rebound carried her body sideways.

Rosaline was already there.

Both hands reached toward Lavinia's shoulders.

Lavinia planted one hand against the ground.

Flipped.

Her dress fluttered overhead as she rotated cleanly above Rosaline's grasp.

She landed lightly.

Only—

Gwendolyn immediately caught her wrist.

"Got you!"

She yanked upward.

Lavinia's feet left the ground.

Instead of resisting...

She jumped with the pull.

Her free knee drove forward.

Thump.

It struck Gwendolyn squarely in the stomach.

The force launched Gwendolyn backward nearly five meters.

She flew through the air.

Then calmly adjusted herself.

Both feet touched the grass.

She slid another step before stopping completely.

"...Ow."

She rubbed her stomach.

"That was rude."

Lavinia barely had time to answer.

Something rushed toward her back.

She twisted.

Valerie's fist passed through empty air.

"...Why?"

Lavinia exclaimed.

"Why does everyone want to beat me up first?"

Valerie smiled brightly.

"No reason."

Her leg immediately swept toward Lavinia.

At exactly the same moment...

Rosaline attacked Valerie from behind.

Valerie calmly caught Rosaline's forearm.

Turned.

Redirected.

Rosaline stumbled directly into Gwendolyn.

"Oof!"

The two collided.

Lavinia took the opportunity to retreat.

Unfortunately...

Valerie had already recovered.

Another palm shot toward Lavinia's stomach.

Lavinia pushed downward on Valerie's wrist with one hand.

Then caught the incoming palm with the other.

The impact stopped.

For half a heartbeat.

Then—

Lavinia's boots slid backward across the grass.

"...!"

She was forced back several feet before finally stopping.

Her eyes widened.

"Valerie!"

"What?"

"Were you trying to send me flying?"

She looked down at her dress.

"I just got this mostly repaired!"

Valerie giggled.

"I wasn't aiming for the dress."

"I don't find that reassuring."

Behind Valerie...

Rosaline retaliated.

A swift kick aimed toward Valerie's side.

Valerie caught the ankle.

"...Again?"

Rosaline smiled.

"Worth trying."

Valerie swept Rosaline's standing leg.

Rosaline lost her balance.

"...Oh."

She toppled backward onto the grass.

Before she could recover—

Gwendolyn blurred forward.

Placing one knee gently—but firmly—against Rosaline's waist.

"I win."

"You absolutely don't."

Rosaline protested.

"I'm temporarily inconvenienced."

Gwendolyn smiled proudly.

"It counts."

Something moved behind her.

Lavinia.

She jumped.

One hand caught Gwendolyn's elbow.

Instead of pulling...

She redirected.

Gwendolyn's balance disappeared instantly.

"Wah—"

She toppled sideways.

Directly...

Onto Rosaline.

"...Again?"

Rosaline complained from beneath the silver-haired vampire.

"This keeps happening."

Gwendolyn smiled sheepishly.

"...Sorry."

Rosaline sighed.

"I accept your apology."

Lavinia straightened.

She dusted imaginary dirt from her dress.

"There."

"Peace has returned."

Then...

She looked down.

Three pairs of crimson eyes stared back at her.

Valerie.

Rosaline.

Gwendolyn.

None of them looked particularly tired.

None looked ready to stop.

Lavinia slowly took one step backward.

"..."

Another.

"...You know..."

She folded both arms.

"I've decided."

"I'm not playing anymore."

Silence.

"..."

"...Guys?"

The three smiled.

Lavinia pointed toward herself.

"I officially surrender."

Nobody answered.

Instead...

Three vampires vanished simultaneously.

"Oh no."

Lavinia immediately uncrossed her arms.

"I changed my mind!"

They reached her anyway.

Her exasperated laugh echoed through the park as she spun away from the first grasp, ducked beneath the second, and leaped backward to avoid the third, while several yards away Evelyn and Celestine paused their much gentler sparring to watch the increasingly chaotic free-for-all with quiet amusement.