The Divergence

───

Morning settled quietly over Gwendolyn's home.

The curtains remained drawn against the daylight, leaving the spacious living room pleasantly dim.

It suited the seven vampires perfectly. To their eyes, the room was as clear as though sunlight poured through every window.

Soft footsteps whispered across the hardwood floor.

Celestine smiled faintly as she held Evelyn's hand.

"Ready?"

Evelyn nodded shyly.

"I... I think so."

Celestine stepped forward.

Their joined hands rose gracefully between them as she guided Evelyn into a slow turn.

Black skirts blossomed outward in smooth circles before settling again, only to flare once more as the two continued spinning around each other.

Neither hurried.

Neither stumbled.

Their movements flowed together naturally, every step leading seamlessly into the next.

Celestine's teal hair floated gently behind her while Evelyn's pale blonde hair traced graceful arcs through the air.

Spin...

Step...

Turn...

Evelyn's dress spread around her like a blooming black flower before folding neatly back around her legs.

Rosaline watched from perhaps the strangest viewing position imaginable.

She lay flat on her back in the middle of the living room floor, one knee lazily bent while her crimson eyes followed the dancers overhead.

"...This is surprisingly entertaining."

Nearby, Valerie sat comfortably across the couch, completely absorbed in a game on her borrowed phone.

"...Almost beat my high score."

Adelaide occupied the opposite end of the couch, one arm draped along the backrest while the television quietly played the morning news.

The scent of toast drifted faintly from the kitchen.

Eleanor had insisted on making breakfast.

Neither Adelaide nor Rosaline actually needed to eat anymore...

But both had happily accepted.

Food was still enjoyable.

It simply wasn't necessary.

Footsteps sounded on the stairs.

Gwendolyn descended first, humming softly.

Trailing only a step behind came Lavinia.

Unlike her usual composed playful self, she practically radiated excitement.

Both hands held a brand-new phone as though it were the greatest treasure in existence.

"My phone..."

She sighed happily.

"My beautiful new temporarily borrowed phone..."

Valerie looked up.

"...You named it already?"

"I considered it."

Lavinia skipped the last two steps before plopping dramatically into a chair.

"I've missed having one."

She immediately began exploring menus with complete concentration.

Meanwhile...

Evelyn completed another elegant spin before releasing Celestine's hand.

Rather than stopping, she continued rotating on her own.

Her dress fanned outward beautifully before settling again as she came to a perfect stop.

Gwendolyn's crimson eyes sparkled.

She clapped enthusiastically.

"That was adorable!"

She pointed excitedly between them.

"Everyone moves gracefully now..."

"...But you two..."

She clasped her hands beneath her chin.

"It's so smooth!"

"It's like watching ribbons dancing!"

Evelyn smiled bashfully.

Celestine lowered her eyes slightly.

"...We've been practicing."

"Just... a little."

Lavinia looked up from her phone.

Then back at the dancers.

Then at the phone again.

"..."

A soft groan escaped her.

She locked the screen.

"As wonderful as this is..."

She stood.

"...I'm jealous."

The other vampires looked over curiously.

Lavinia walked directly toward Celestine, her black socks making barely a whisper against the floor.

She stopped in front of her.

"...Teach me."

Celestine blinked.

"Me?"

Lavinia nodded earnestly.

"I can move fast."

"I can react."

"But..."

She scratched her cheek.

"When someone actually knows how to move..."

"...They keep throwing me."

Rosaline snorted from the floor.

"Literally."

Valerie didn't even look away from her game.

"You flew beautifully."

"I wasn't flying."

"You were airborne."

"I was launched."

Celestine covered a tiny smile.

"...I'd be happy to."

She gently reached forward and took Lavinia's hand.

"Our first lesson..."

She positioned Lavinia's free hand.

"...is stopping."

Lavinia tilted her head.

"...Stopping?"

Celestine nodded.

"If you can't stop immediately..."

"...You can't control where you're going."

She smiled softly.

"So..."

Without warning...

She guided Lavinia into motion.

The two began turning together.

One step...

Another...

A smooth rotation...

Lavinia followed awkwardly at first before naturally matching Celestine's pace.

"...Stop."

Instantly Lavinia planted both feet.

Perfectly still.

Celestine nodded approvingly.

Again.

Another spin.

"...Stop."

Lavinia halted.

Again.

"...Stop."

Again.

"...Stop."

Over and over they repeated the exercise.

Fortunately...

Vampires apparently didn't become dizzy.

Even after dozens of turns, Lavinia's expression remained perfectly normal.

Gradually...

Celestine introduced more complicated movements.

A backward step.

A pivot.

A twist.

A gentle pull into another rotation.

Lavinia found herself laughing.

"This is actually fun."

"It is."

Before long...

The others wandered over.

Valerie finally abandoned her game.

Rosaline rolled off the floor and wandered over curiously.

Adelaide muted the television.

Even Gwendolyn eagerly joined them.

Soon...

Celestine found herself teaching six eager vampires.

She patiently corrected each one.

"Gwendolyn..."

"A little straighter."

She gently pressed against Gwendolyn's back.

"There."

"Perfect."

She turned toward Adelaide.

"...Relax your shoulders."

Rosaline received a tiny adjustment to her footing.

Valerie had her wrist repositioned.

Evelyn quietly helped mirror Celestine's instructions whenever someone became confused.

Within minutes...

The entire living room had become an impromptu dance class.

Laughter echoed constantly.

Lavinia found herself suddenly pulled sideways.

She looked over.

Valerie had already taken one of her hands.

"...Dance."

"What?"

"Dance."

Before Lavinia could object...

Valerie placed her other hand lightly against Lavinia's shoulder.

The pose resembled an exaggerated ballroom waltz.

Lavinia sighed.

"...Fine."

Valerie smiled.

"You've improved already."

The two began turning together.

Step.

Turn.

Step.

Turn.

As they rotated, Valerie leaned slightly closer.

"...Do you think Celestine used to be a gymnast?"

Lavinia blinked.

"...Actually..."

"...Maybe?"

Valerie shrugged.

"Would explain a lot."

She smoothly extended the hand holding Lavinia's.

Instinctively...

Lavinia stepped backward.

Her skirt blossomed outward.

"Oh."

Valerie smiled.

"See?"

"You naturally followed."

"...Huh."

"I told you."

Spin.

Turn.

Step.

Lavinia laughed.

"...This is kind of relaxing."

"It is."

Their movements gradually became smoother.

Not perfect...

But considerably better than before.

Eventually...

The delicious smell of breakfast grew much stronger.

Everyone stopped.

Eleanor entered from the kitchen carrying two generous plates.

Toast.

Scrambled eggs.

Crisp bacon.

Small bowls of strawberry jelly.

"Oh."

She smiled warmly.

"Perfect timing."

Adelaide and Rosaline immediately approached.

"Thank you."

"Smells amazing."

Eleanor placed the plates on the dining table.

"Enjoy."

The two vampires sat down happily.

Rosaline reached for her toast.

Before she could grab it...

A pale hand darted in.

"...Mine now."

"Lavinia!"

The toast vanished into Lavinia's mouth.

She chewed thoughtfully.

"...Still good."

Rosaline stared.

"...Really?"

Another hand appeared.

Valerie calmly stole half a strip of bacon.

"Oh."

"That's nice."

Adelaide barely managed to save one piece before Gwendolyn reached across.

"Ehehe..."

Crunch.

"My bacon!"

Celestine quietly accepted a tiny piece of toast offered by Evelyn before immediately receiving a playful glare from Adelaide.

"You too?"

Celestine looked down.

"...Sorry."

She still ate it.

The table dissolved into cheerful chaos.

Hands reached everywhere.

Toast disappeared.

Eggs mysteriously migrated between plates.

Rosaline repeatedly slapped away wandering fingers.

"Get your own!"

"We don't have any."

"Exactly!"

Adelaide protected her breakfast with both arms.

"No."

"This is mine."

Lavinia reached again.

Smack.

She withdrew her hand dramatically.

"I've been assaulted."

"You deserved it."

"I was sampling."

"You were stealing."

"I prefer sampling."

Eventually...

The five troublemakers retreated, laughing among themselves.

Rosaline sighed dramatically.

"I've never had to defend breakfast before."

Adelaide pointed her fork accusingly.

"Next time..."

"...I'm eating in secret."

Eleanor couldn't help laughing.

She walked over to Gwendolyn and gently patted the fluffy white hair atop her daughter's head.

"I'm really happy."

Gwendolyn looked up.

"Hm?"

"The house."

Eleanor smiled around the room.

"It's so lively now."

She glanced at the gathered vampires.

"...Though..."

She laughed softly.

"I don't think many more vampires could comfortably fit here."

Gwendolyn immediately shook her head.

"They could."

"They could?"

"Absolutely."

She answered with complete confidence.

"Vampires don't really sleep like humans."

Eleanor tilted her head.

"...No?"

Gwendolyn smiled brightly.

"We all sleep close together."

"Sometimes..."

She looked around proudly at everyone.

"...On top of each other."

Lavinia groaned.

"Unfortunately..."

"She's right."

Valerie nodded.

"It just... happens."

Rosaline laughed.

"I've only stayed one night..."

"...And I still somehow woke up using Adelaide as a pillow."

Adelaide pointed at herself.

"I wasn't even aware."

Celestine quietly added,

"...It's comfortable."

Evelyn nodded.

"...Very."

Gwendolyn spread both arms dramatically.

"So..."

"I think twenty vampires could fit."

Lavinia blinked.

"Twenty?"

"Mmhm."

"We'd just become one enormous vampire pile."

Rosaline burst into laughter.

"I hate how believable that sounds."

Eleanor looked at her daughter's glowing smile.

She found herself smiling too.

When Gwendolyn had been human...

She'd always been happy.

Kind.

Affectionate.

But...

Reserved.

Now...

Everything she felt seemed brighter.

Her joy filled the room.

Her laughter was infectious.

Her excitement overflowed effortlessly.

Standing there watching her daughter beam at the people she'd found...

Eleanor couldn't help thinking that her smile alone seemed bright enough to illuminate the entire house.

...

The living room had grown quiet again.

Not because anyone had left.

Quite the opposite.

Lavinia sat upside down on the couch, her legs hooked comfortably over the backrest while her upper body dangled toward the floor.

One hand lazily held her newly acquired phone while the other occasionally scrolled through the screen.

She looked away for a moment.

"..."

The floor was covered in vampires.

Six of them.

Not neatly.

Not even remotely.

Rosaline lay on her back, one arm draped over Valerie's stomach.

Valerie had somehow ended up using Evelyn's shoulder as a pillow.

Evelyn rested partly against Celestine, whose teal hair had spread across the rug.

Gwendolyn had collapsed halfway over Adelaide, one leg lazily resting across the latter's lap.

Looking at the scene...

Lavinia became increasingly convinced none of them had consciously decided where to sleep.

They had simply...

Dropped.

One after another.

Until a tangled pile had formed.

She laughed softly.

"...You all really did just fall on top of whoever was already lying there."

None of them responded.

Their breathing was faint.

Their bodies almost perfectly still.

If she didn't hear their breathing...

She could almost mistake them for dolls.

Returning her attention to her phone, Lavinia resumed scrolling.

The internet remained exactly as chaotic as she'd expected.

One article discussed blood clinics opening across the country.

Another debated whether transformed individuals should possess the same legal rights as everyone else.

One comment insisted vampires and werewolves would eventually integrate peacefully.

The very next claimed humanity should drive them out before it was too late.

Lavinia smiled faintly.

"So nothing's changed."

The world had become stranger.

People...

Were still people.

She continued reading.

Some thought vampires looked beautiful.

Others thought they were terrifying.

Some openly admitted they wanted to become one.

Others called anyone saying so insane.

Then...

One particular discussion caught her eye.

How do people become vampires?

Lavinia quietly read through the comments.

Most were little more than guesses.

Some claimed it was a bite.

Others thought someone had to die first.

A few confidently declared nobody knew.

"...How to become one..."

She repeated the words aloud.

Her feet idly kicked over the back of the couch.

Then...

She blinked.

A strange feeling settled over her.

Not new.

Not surprising.

More...

Familiar.

Like remembering where she'd misplaced something after searching for it all day.

Her crimson eyes unfocused slightly.

"...Blood..."

The answer simply...

Appeared.

Not because she'd read it.

Not because someone had explained it.

She just...

Knew.

"They'd drink..."

She murmured quietly to herself.

"...Then give the same amount back."

The certainty settled naturally in her thoughts.

"Replace it..."

"Little by little."

"It takes hours..."

She frowned thoughtfully.

"I could do it."

That certainty surprised her more than the knowledge itself.

She had never turned anyone.

Never even considered it before.

Yet...

If someone stood before her now...

She somehow knew exactly what to do.

She smiled in quiet amazement.

"...Weird."

It didn't feel like learning.

It felt like remembering.

Her thoughts drifted a little further.

Another word surfaced.

"...Thrall."

She whispered it aloud.

Her eyebrow lifted.

Again...

The same feeling.

Recognition.

Not discovery.

A Thrall.

Less vampire blood.

Not fully transformed.

She somehow knew that.

She also knew...

A Thrall wasn't something bad.

Nor were they a servant.

The name sounded ominous.

The feeling attached to it...

Wasn't.

Beyond that...

The knowledge became hazy again.

Like trying to remember a dream after waking.

Lavinia tilted her head thoughtfully.

"...That's all?"

Nothing else came.

She laughed softly.

"I guess that's everything I know."

The thought passed as naturally as it had arrived.

She returned to scrolling.

A small shift nearby caught her attention.

Adelaide's green eyelashes fluttered.

Slowly...

She opened her crimson eyes.

The confident vampire remained motionless for several seconds.

Then she looked down.

Valerie's arm rested across her stomach.

Gwendolyn's leg lay over one thigh.

Rosaline's hair covered part of her shoulder.

Celestine's hand rested lightly against her side.

Adelaide stared silently at the pile.

Then looked toward Lavinia.

Lavinia immediately smiled.

"I can't help you."

Adelaide sighed.

"I hadn't asked yet."

"You were about to."

"...True."

Lavinia grinned.

"I barely escaped myself."

She gestured dramatically toward the couch.

"I made it to higher ground."

Adelaide looked unconvinced.

"You abandoned us."

"I survived."

"Traitor."

"I prefer... strategic retreat."

Adelaide rolled her eyes before looking down again.

"...Help."

Lavinia laughed.

"I really shouldn't."

"Why not?"

"If I wake one..."

She pointed toward the pile.

"...The rest might wake too."

Adelaide narrowed her eyes.

"You just want to watch."

"...Maybe a little."

A long suffering sigh escaped Adelaide.

"You're enjoying this."

"Very much."

Carefully...

Adelaide began working herself free.

First she lifted Valerie's arm.

Then eased Gwendolyn's leg aside.

Rosaline's hair somehow managed to catch beneath her elbow.

"...How?"

She gently untangled it.

Almost free...

Then Evelyn shifted.

Adelaide froze completely.

Nobody woke.

After another few moments...

She continued.

Finally...

With one last careful movement...

She sat upright beside the sleeping pile.

"...Freedom."

Lavinia applauded quietly.

"Congratulations."

Adelaide stood slowly, stretching both arms over her head before brushing invisible wrinkles from her dress.

She looked down at the others.

"...How are they still asleep?"

Lavinia shrugged.

"I've decided sleeping vampires become decorative statues."

Adelaide nodded thoughtfully.

"...That actually fits."

"They barely move."

"They barely breathe."

"They somehow always end up piled together."

Adelaide smiled.

"...It's kind of adorable."

Lavinia hopped off the couch in one smooth motion and landed lightly on her feet.

She walked over and held out a hand.

Adelaide accepted it with a smile despite already standing.

Lavinia gave her hand a playful tug anyway.

The two stood quietly together.

Rosaline mumbled something unintelligible.

Valerie rolled slightly onto her side.

Gwendolyn smiled in her sleep.

Neither Celestine nor Evelyn moved at all.

Lavinia folded her arms.

"...I've become strangely used to seeing piles of vampires."

Adelaide laughed.

"I don't think either of us expected to say that a week ago."

"Definitely not."

The two shared another quiet smile.

Then, without another word, they simply stood together...

Watching over the peacefully sleeping tangle of limbs, dresses, and hair that somehow looked perfectly natural to both of them.