The Divergence

───

Lavinia laughed softly as she walked near the middle of the group.

The world had become ridiculous.

Not unpleasant.

Not necessarily worse.

Simply...

Ridiculous.

Only a few nights ago, vampires and werewolves had belonged to stories, games, movies, and online discussions where people argued over which one would win in a fight.

Now seven vampires were walking through Oakridge after spending part of the night throwing one another across a sports field.

Evelyn had even snapped Celestine's neck.

The memory made Lavinia glance toward the teal-haired vampire walking a few steps ahead.

Celestine looked completely fine.

Her posture remained straight.

Her movements were as graceful as ever.

Not even a faint mark remained along her neck where Evelyn had twisted it.

At the time, the sharp crack had caused everyone to stop.

For less than a second, panic had spread between them.

Then they'd heard Celestine breathing.

Her body hadn't shown any signs of truly failing.

And more importantly...

None of them had felt that a broken neck was fatal.

They hadn't known exactly how they knew.

They simply did.

A human would have rushed over.

Called an ambulance.

Panicked.

The vampires had paused long enough to confirm Celestine wasn't dead, then continued playing while her neck repaired itself.

"...Ridiculous."

Valerie glanced sideways.

"What is?"

"Everything."

"Very specific."

Lavinia smiled.

"I was thinking about Evelyn snapping Celestine's neck."

Evelyn's head lowered slightly.

Celestine looked over and smiled.

"I'm fine."

"I know."

Lavinia tucked her hands behind her back.

"That's the ridiculous part."

"If we were human, that would've ended the entire night."

Rosaline laughed.

"If we were human, the first punch would've ended the night."

"True."

Lavinia looked around at the others.

Their hair colors stood out beneath the streetlights.

Valerie's vibrant orange.

Gwendolyn's silver-white.

Rosaline's brilliant red.

Adelaide's pale green.

Celestine's teal.

Evelyn's soft blonde.

Sweet scents surrounded her from every direction.

Tangerine and honey.

Roses and caramel.

Cocoa and cherries.

Cream and fresh leaves.

Lavender and chai.

Vanilla and chocolate.

Mixed among them was her own scent of berries and pine, though she only noticed it clearly when it clung to objects or drifted back toward her on the wind.

They were always together.

The thought had crossed Lavinia's mind before, but tonight it settled more firmly.

Why?

Humans enjoyed companionship.

Some lived with families.

Some spent nearly every day with their spouse or close friends.

Yet even then, most people wanted time alone.

Privacy.

Personal space.

A room they could close.

A few hours where nobody spoke to them.

Vampires didn't seem to feel that way.

Not with one another.

Lavinia had lived alone for nearly two years and hadn't considered herself particularly unhappy about it. She'd been used to the silence.

Now...

The thought of returning to her apartment and remaining there alone felt strangely dull.

Not frightening.

Not unbearable.

Simply wrong enough that she wouldn't choose it.

Vampires seemed to avoid loneliness before they consciously recognized it.

They found one another.

Stayed close.

Slept in tangled piles.

Followed each other from place to place without asking whether they were invited.

Even Adelaide and Rosaline, who had left briefly to deal with their own lives, had returned almost immediately afterward.

Lavinia looked at Valerie.

Then Gwendolyn.

Then the others.

They'd known one another for barely a few days.

Yet being surrounded by them felt as natural as breathing had once felt.

Perhaps more natural now, considering she wasn't sure she actually needed to breathe.

Physical proximity wasn't treated as meaningful either.

It was simply expected.

A hand around someone's waist.

A head resting against a shoulder.

Bodies pressed together while sleeping.

Kisses would probably be treated with the same casual ease, though none of them had tested that very much.

They didn't consciously seek closeness.

They existed close together, as if distance had become the strange choice.

The sound of seven pairs of boots tapping against the pavement formed a soft, steady rhythm.

Lavinia tilted her head and leaned forward slightly to look past Gwendolyn.

Cars flowed down the street beside them.

Headlights passed across their dresses and hair.

A thought occurred to her.

"Why do we walk everywhere?"

The others glanced toward her.

Lavinia gestured toward the road.

"Most of us should have driver's licenses."

She looked around.

"Actually, all of us probably do."

Six vampires stared at her.

Then several rolled their eyes.

Valerie poked Lavinia in the side.

Lavinia twitched away.

"What?"

Valerie pointed toward the passing cars.

"I can run faster than the speed limit."

Lavinia blinked.

"So can you."

"...Yes."

"Why would we buy gas?"

Valerie continued.

"Find parking."

"Sit in traffic."

"Or worry about someone scratching the car..."

She smiled.

"...when we can just run?"

Lavinia stared at the road thoughtfully.

A car passed them at around thirty miles per hour.

She could overtake it almost instantly.

"...That's a very good point."

"A surprisingly good point."

Valerie looked offended.

"My points are always good."

"That is objectively untrue."

Gwendolyn moved closer to Valerie.

"How much farther is it?"

Valerie pulled out her phone and checked the directions.

"Not too far."

She scrolled.

"The party's at a rented venue."

"What kind of party?" Evelyn asked.

Valerie's expression became uncertain.

"A birthday party."

She paused.

"Maybe."

Adelaide looked back at her.

"Maybe?"

Valerie frowned.

"It could be a get-together."

"Did they not tell you?"

"They did."

Adelaide raised one eyebrow.

"Were you listening?"

Valerie stopped walking for half a step.

"I was absolutely listening."

She hurried to catch up, then brought the phone close to Adelaide's face.

"Look."

Adelaide leaned back slightly as the glowing screen nearly touched her nose.

Valerie pointed at the messages.

"They said birthday party here."

She scrolled upward.

"But here, they said it was a get-together."

Then downward.

"And this one says celebration."

Adelaide read the messages.

"...It looks like someone's birthday."

"Then why call it a get-together?"

"Because people gather at parties?"

Valerie looked dissatisfied.

"That's imprecise."

Adelaide raised both hands.

"Fine."

"We'll find out when we get there."

Valerie lowered the phone, still looking as though the wording had personally offended her.

Lavinia glanced toward the map.

"Why don't we just run there?"

Celestine answered quietly.

"Walking is relaxing."

Lavinia opened her mouth.

Then closed it.

She couldn't dispute that.

They didn't tire.

Walking wasn't something they did because running would exhaust them.

It gave them time to talk.

To look around.

To simply exist together without immediately reaching a destination.

"...Fair."

Lavinia nodded.

Then moved behind Celestine.

The teal-haired vampire looked over one shoulder.

"Lavinia?"

Without warning, Lavinia climbed onto her back.

Celestine caught her legs automatically.

Lavinia wrapped both arms loosely around Celestine's shoulders and inhaled a nose full of lavender and chai.

"There."

Celestine blinked.

"...What are you doing?"

"Relaxing."

"On me?"

Lavinia rested her cheek against Celestine's hair.

"Carry me."

Celestine adjusted her grip beneath Lavinia's thighs.

She didn't appear bothered by the weight.

Lavinia weighed almost nothing to another vampire.

Valerie looked over.

Her lips immediately curled.

"The peak of masculinity."

Lavinia didn't even lift her head.

"Someone else can have the title."

Valerie blinked.

"You're giving up already?"

"I tried claiming it once."

Lavinia grumbled.

"I got beaten."

"Pinned."

"Bitten."

She shifted slightly on Celestine's back.

"I was eaten alive by six women."

Valerie laughed.

"That sounds like a personal failure."

"It was a group conspiracy."

Rosaline nodded solemnly.

"It was."

Lavinia pointed at her from over Celestine's shoulder.

"Thank you."

Rosaline smiled.

"I was part of it."

"...Never mind."

Gwendolyn burst into bright laughter.

"It's okay, Lavi."

She stepped closer and smiled up at her.

"Even if you aren't masculine..."

Lavinia narrowed her eyes.

"...Yes?"

"In my heart..."

Gwendolyn pressed one hand dramatically against her chest.

"...you're super macho and cool."

Lavinia slowly moved her head to the other side of Celestine's.

Her empty crimson eyes widened.

"Am I not actually cool?"

Shock spread across her face.

Gwendolyn's mouth twitched.

"You are."

"That sounded suspicious."

"It was sincere."

Rosaline leaned toward Lavinia.

She raised one hand beside her mouth and whispered loudly enough for every vampire present to hear.

"Gwendolyn is making fun of you."

Gwendolyn shook her head rapidly.

"She isn't," Rosaline continued.

"You should teach her a lesson."

Lavinia reached down and pushed Rosaline's forehead away.

Rosaline allowed herself to stumble sideways dramatically.

Lavinia gave her a disdainful look.

"Our sweet Gwendolyn would never make fun of me."

Gwendolyn nodded deeply.

Her lips pressed into a perfectly straight line.

Her shoulders trembled.

Valerie looked from Gwendolyn to Lavinia.

"She's definitely making fun of you."

"No."

Lavinia tightened her arms slightly around Celestine.

"I choose to believe in her."

Gwendolyn made a tiny choking sound as she tried not to laugh.

Adelaide shook her head.

"This is painful to watch."

Evelyn smiled quietly.

Celestine continued carrying Lavinia as though having another vampire attached to her back was entirely ordinary.

Valerie checked her phone again.

"We're almost there."

She pointed ahead.

"Next right."

The group turned at the intersection.

A three-story building sat midway down the block.

Colored lights glowed through the windows on the first floor. A large sign above the entrance displayed the name of a nightclub in bright lettering, while music thumped faintly through the walls.

A line stretched along the front of the building.

Humans stood behind a velvet divider, some talking loudly, others checking their phones or adjusting their clothing.

Two security guards waited near the door.

Lavinia shifted to the opposite side of Celestine's head so she could see Valerie.

"Are you sure about this?"

Valerie looked back.

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"We've gone to malls."

"Cafés."

"Government buildings."

Lavinia glanced toward the line.

"A nightclub full of drunk humans feels different."

"They're not necessarily drunk yet."

"That's not reassuring."

Valerie shrugged.

"The private party isn't on the main floor."

"We just need to get inside."

Lavinia looked at the crowd again.

Several people had already noticed them.

Actually...

Nearly everyone had.

Conversations slowed.

Heads turned.

One person lifted a phone.

Then another.

Seven vampires walking toward a nightclub naturally drew attention.

Seven vampires with vivid hair, luxurious black dresses, pointed ears, and empty red eyes looked completely out of place among the humans waiting outside.

Or perhaps too perfectly suited to the nighttime setting.

Valerie flashed Lavinia a smile.

"What's the worst that could happen?"

Lavinia stared at her.

"You should never ask that."

Rosaline laughed.

"I think it'll be fun."

"That makes me less confident."

Celestine finally lowered Lavinia to the ground.

Her boots touched the pavement.

Lavinia smoothed her dress and looked toward the entrance.

The security guards had noticed them too.

Their posture stiffened as the group passed the front of the line and continued toward the back.

Every face followed them.

Some people looked frightened.

Others fascinated.

A few smiled with unmistakable excitement.

One man near the front leaned away as they passed, while the woman beside him stared openly at Gwendolyn's silver-white hair.

The vampires' scents spread through the cool air as they moved.

Berries and pine.

Tangerine and honey.

Roses and caramel.

Cocoa and cherries.

Cream and fresh leaves.

Lavender and chai.

Vanilla and chocolate.

The line grew quieter.

Valerie continued walking with complete confidence.

Lavinia followed beside her, though her gaze moved between the humans and the increasingly wary security guards.

They had gone from destroying a sports field...

To visiting Adelaide's brother...

To allowing a stranger to volunteer as dinner...

And now they were entering a nightclub.

Lavinia laughed softly beneath her breath.

The world really had become ridiculous.

The line moved faster than Lavinia expected.

It still felt slow compared to running, but the security guards were checking identification, glancing over names, and allowing groups inside at a steady pace.

The seven vampires remained under constant observation.

People ahead of them kept looking back.

Those behind them stared openly.

Phones appeared from time to time, some held low as if the owners believed they were being subtle.

They weren't.

Lavinia could hear every whisper.

Every nervous laugh.

Every heartbeat that accelerated when one of the vampires happened to look in its direction.

Then another scent drifted into the line.

Lavinia's nose wrinkled.

The others reacted almost immediately.

Wolf.

Three werewolves joined the line several places behind them.

Two men.

One woman.

All three possessed the familiar golden-green eyes, visible ears, and tails that moved subtly behind them.

The woman folded her arms after inhaling.

One of the men grimaced.

The other turned his head slightly away as though that might lessen the heavy sweetness gathering in the air.

Seven vampires standing together produced a powerful blend.

To humans, it was pleasant.

Perhaps overwhelmingly pleasant.

To werewolves, it seemed almost nauseatingly sweet.

Valerie barely acknowledged them.

She continued tapping through messages on her phone, occasionally smiling at something on the screen.

Rosaline, on the other hand, turned around.

Her crimson eyes met the female wolf's.

The wolf stared back.

Neither looked away.

Several seconds passed.

Then several more.

Lavinia glanced between them.

"...Are you two doing something?"

Rosaline didn't move her eyes.

"Yes."

"What?"

"Winning."

The werewolf's ear twitched.

Her tail gave one sharp movement.

Lavinia sighed.

"You both look ridiculous."

Rosaline finally blinked.

The wolf smirked as though she'd won some great victory.

Rosaline immediately narrowed her eyes again.

Gwendolyn wasn't paying attention to any of it.

She kept craning her neck from side to side, openly studying the people in line.

More specifically...

Their clothing.

The humans waiting for entry wore a wide range of outfits.

Short dresses.

Tight skirts.

Low necklines.

Shimmering fabric.

Bright colors.

Jewelry that caught the nightclub's exterior lights.

Some clothing was elegant.

Other outfits seemed designed almost entirely to draw attention.

Gwendolyn's crimson eyes followed one woman wearing a silver dress with an open back.

Then another in a dark red outfit with thin straps crossing over her shoulders.

Lavinia leaned closer.

"Do you want to wear human clothes?"

Gwendolyn looked toward her.

Then shook her head.

"Not really."

"You keep staring."

"I'm curious."

She looked down at her own dress.

"It looks nice."

Lavinia followed her gaze.

Vampires varied in appearance.

Their hair colors differed.

Their dresses had different patterns, clasps, layers, sleeves, and cuts.

Yet the overall style remained recognizable.

Luxurious black fabric.

Elegant construction.

Boots.

Dark stockings or socks.

A distinctly old-fashioned beauty that contrasted strongly against modern human clothing.

Gwendolyn lightly pinched part of her skirt.

"Human clothes don't repair themselves."

"True."

"They stain."

"Also true."

"And they tear."

Lavinia smiled.

"That definitely happens."

She remembered removing her dress for the first time.

It could be taken off like normal clothing.

It wasn't part of her body.

Yet it seemed tied to vampire biology in some way.

Tears slowly repaired themselves.

Blood and dirt resisted the fabric or became easier to clean.

Even severe damage eventually disappeared.

That didn't mean the dress protected dignity perfectly.

It could still rip.

It could still expose skin temporarily.

The sports field had proven that repeatedly.

A vampire thrown across asphalt might lose sections of fabric.

She simply wouldn't stay half dressed forever.

The clothing repaired itself eventually.

Lavinia looked toward Gwendolyn.

"Your dress can still betray you."

Gwendolyn blinked.

"What?"

"If it gets torn badly enough."

"Oh."

Gwendolyn glanced down.

Then smiled brightly.

"But only for a little while."

"That's not reassuring."

"It is to me."

Lavinia shook her head.

Of course it was.

The humans nearby continued whispering.

Some clearly hadn't followed the information released about vampires.

One woman several places ahead murmured to her friend that she thought vampires couldn't enter buildings without permission.

The friend whispered back that perhaps the nightclub had invited them.

Another man quietly wondered whether they drank alcohol or only blood.

Someone else said their eyes looked fake.

Lavinia listened without turning around.

Whispering near vampires was nearly pointless.

Their hearing wasn't quite as sharp as a werewolf's in every circumstance, but within a line this close, every word reached them clearly.

Valerie finally looked up from her phone.

"They're talking about us."

Lavinia glanced at her.

"They've been talking about us since we arrived."

"I know."

Valerie smiled.

"I was just acknowledging it."

A slightly intoxicated man near the front turned and looked directly at them.

His fear seemed dulled by alcohol.

He raised one hand.

"Vampires!"

Several people around him groaned.

The man smiled broadly.

"You look cool!"

Gwendolyn immediately waved.

"Thank you!"

The man's friends pulled his arm down.

Valerie laughed softly.

Drunk humans behaved differently.

Not necessarily braver.

Less inhibited.

Some stared with fascination rather than caution.

A few seemed eager to approach, though their friends prevented it.

Others, however, remained deeply uncomfortable.

One group near the rear quietly stepped out of line and walked away.

Then another.

A third group followed several minutes later.

They tried to appear casual.

They failed.

Their heartbeats were too fast.

Their footsteps accelerated the farther they got from the vampires.

Gwendolyn watched them leave.

"...Did we scare them?"

"Probably," Celestine answered softly.

Gwendolyn looked slightly disappointed.

Lavinia shrugged.

"They're allowed to leave."

"I know."

Gwendolyn sighed.

"I just wish people would stop acting like we're going to attack them for standing nearby."

Behind them, one of the werewolves snorted.

Rosaline turned around again.

The female wolf raised an eyebrow.

Rosaline smiled sweetly.

The wolf looked away first this time.

Rosaline turned back with a satisfied expression.

"I won."

Lavinia covered her face.

The line moved again.

Now only two groups remained ahead of them.

The security guards near the entrance were watching more carefully than before.

One had spoken into a radio twice since the vampires arrived.

The other kept glancing toward the werewolves behind them, then back to the seven vampires.

Lavinia understood the concern.

Seven vampires.

Three wolves.

A nightclub full of humans.

Alcohol.

Noise.

Poor decisions.

The situation had all the ingredients needed for chaos.

Valerie slipped her phone into her dress.

"We're next."

Lavinia looked toward the entrance.

Music vibrated faintly through the walls.

Colored light pulsed beyond the doors.

People inside shouted and laughed.

Her ears twitched as countless heartbeats layered over one another.

She looked at Valerie.

"Last chance to admit this is a terrible idea."

Valerie smiled brightly.

"It's going to be fine."

Rosaline laughed.

"That means it definitely won't be."

The security guard gestured for them to approach.

Seven vampires stepped forward together.

Behind them, the three werewolves watched with wary expressions.

Around them, nearly every human in line stared.

And Lavinia couldn't help wondering whether the party inside understood exactly what had just arrived at its door.