The Divergence

The seven vampires gradually filtered out of the DMV together.

The moment the glass doors slid shut behind them, nearly every human still inside seemed to relax a little.

A clerk visibly exhaled.

One of the police officers near the entrance finally lowered his shoulders.

Rosaline looked over her shoulder.

"...Were we really that intimidating?"

Valerie snorted.

"I think seven vampires standing around chatting is enough to make most people nervous."

"They'll get used to us eventually," Adelaide said confidently.

"Probably."

The cool night air washed over them.

Almost immediately...

Seven noses wrinkled.

"...Dogs."

Valerie complained first.

"It smells like dogs again."

Rosaline made a face.

"I was enjoying not smelling them."

Celestine quietly nodded.

"The scent is stronger outside."

Lavinia breathed in before immediately regretting it.

The city smelled of countless things.

Rain lingering in the pavement.

Cars.

Smoke.

Humans.

Food.

Perfume.

Yet beneath all of it...

Werewolves.

Their scent lingered almost everywhere.

Not overwhelming.

Just...

Persistent.

"It really is everywhere," she murmured.

Gwendolyn pinched her nose dramatically.

"I vote we replace it."

"With what?" Evelyn asked.

"Our scent."

Valerie immediately nodded.

"Seconded."

Lavinia laughed.

"I don't think cities work that way."

"No?"

"No."

"...Shame."

Fortunately...

No wolves stood nearby.

Only a handful of humans crossed the parking lot toward their cars, stealing curious glances at the growing group of vampires before quickly looking away.

Lavinia's gaze drifted toward the officers stationed around the DMV.

Yesterday...

Seeing armed police officers probably would have made her at least a little uneasy.

Not because she'd done anything wrong.

Simply because...

They carried weapons.

Authority naturally came with danger.

Now...

She looked at the holstered firearms on their belts.

Then at the officers themselves.

She felt...

Nothing.

Not arrogance.

Not contempt.

Simply an odd certainty.

Even if something happened...

She didn't really believe they could seriously threaten her anymore.

The realization lingered only briefly before Adelaide spoke.

"So..."

She looked around the group.

"What did everyone do last night?"

Valerie answered immediately.

"Wandered around."

She pointed at Lavinia.

"I dragged her all over Oakridge."

"You challenged me to a race."

"I won."

"You cheated."

"I ran faster."

Lavinia rolled her eyes.

"We wandered for a few hours."

"Then Gwendolyn invited us over."

Rosaline grinned.

"The legendary cuddle pile."

Lavinia sighed.

"...Word spreads quickly."

"It was adorable," Gwendolyn declared proudly.

"I regret nothing."

Celestine, who had remained quietly beside Adelaide, hesitated.

"...Could I..."

Everyone turned toward her.

She maintained her composed expression.

Her posture remained perfect.

Only...

Her voice trembled ever so slightly.

"...Could I come too?"

"If that's alright."

"I mean..."

"I understand if..."

Before she could finish...

Wind rushed through her teal hair.

Gwendolyn had vanished.

Then reappeared directly in front of her.

Without warning...

She threw both arms around Celestine.

"You absolutely can!"

Celestine blinked.

Gwendolyn squeezed tighter.

"You're double welcome."

"No..."

She nodded firmly.

"Triple welcome!"

"You can come over whenever you want."

Celestine's long teal hair swayed gently in the breeze.

For a second...

Her carefully maintained composure cracked.

A tiny smile appeared.

"...Thank you."

"It means a lot."

Nearby...

Rosaline quietly smiled.

Valerie noticed.

Neither of them said anything.

Both had reached the same conclusion.

Celestine looked composed.

Collected.

Calm.

But inwardly...

She was probably the least steady among all of them.

Yesterday she'd admitted she'd been terrified of ending up alone.

Even now...

Simply asking to join them had clearly taken courage.

Yet...

None of them thought less of her for it.

If anything...

It made her easier to understand.

After all...

Valerie herself wasn't exactly the same person she'd been before becoming a vampire.

Neither was Rosaline.

Neither was Lavinia.

Their personalities had shifted.

Opened.

They felt...

Lighter.

Celestine had simply changed differently.

Adelaide suddenly wrapped both arms around Celestine from behind.

"There."

"Problem solved."

Celestine laughed softly.

"...Adelaide."

"We're not letting you be alone again."

Adelaide smiled confidently.

"Right?"

Everyone answered almost immediately.

"Right."

"Definitely."

"Of course."

Even Evelyn nodded.

"...Yes."

None of them questioned it.

Because...

Each of them had felt something after awakening.

Something difficult to describe.

A quiet pull.

Find the others.

Stay together.

Lavinia still couldn't explain it.

She simply knew...

Standing among vampires felt...

Right.

Evelyn hesitated before quietly raising one hand.

"...Um..."

Everyone looked toward her.

She immediately shrank a little.

"...Could I..."

She looked down.

"...Come too?"

"...Or..."

"...Is that a silly question?"

Lavinia immediately walked over.

Without much thought...

She draped one arm comfortably around Evelyn's shoulders.

The blonde vampire stiffened in surprise.

"You..."

Lavinia smiled warmly.

"...You're too precious."

Evelyn blinked.

"W-what?"

"I think..."

Lavinia looked toward Gwendolyn.

"...I'm beginning to understand her silly moments."

Gwendolyn puffed out her cheeks.

"I don't have silly moments."

Valerie laughed.

"You absolutely do."

"I do not."

"You hugged four strangers within thirty seconds."

"They aren't strangers."

"They're vampires."

Rosaline nodded thoughtfully.

"...She has a point."

Adelaide agreed.

"Honestly."

"It does feel different."

Gwendolyn crossed her arms triumphantly.

"See?"

Lavinia smiled.

"...You still have silly moments."

"I reject that statement."

Despite saying so...

Gwendolyn had yet to release Celestine's arm.

Adelaide eventually spoke again.

"I'll probably come over tomorrow."

"I still have a few things to sort out."

Rosaline nodded.

"Same."

"I need to grab my stuff."

"And tell my friends I'll probably be living somewhere else for a while."

Lavinia tilted her head.

"Do either of you need help?"

Both shook their heads.

"It's personal."

Adelaide answered.

"I appreciate the offer though."

She shrugged.

"I didn't exactly get along with my family before all this."

"They tolerated me."

"I tolerated them."

She smiled.

"Becoming a vampire was simply..."

"...the final straw."

Lavinia studied her.

Oddly...

She couldn't sense much sadness.

Not because Adelaide lacked emotions.

Quite the opposite.

She seemed...

Excited.

Happy.

Relieved.

Meeting other vampires clearly meant more to her than the deteriorating relationship with her family.

Rosaline waved both hands dramatically.

"My situation isn't nearly that serious."

She made a large X with her forearms.

"I just need clothes."

"And books."

"And to tell my roommates I'm disappearing."

Valerie grinned.

"They're going to think you joined a cult."

Rosaline laughed.

"They probably already do."

Lavinia quietly rested one finger against her chin.

Something about all of this...

Interested her.

People online.

Humans.

Even some officials.

Some seemed worried vampires might become emotionless monsters.

Cold.

Detached.

Looking around...

She couldn't agree.

Gwendolyn was still trying to make Celestine smile.

Valerie had started teasing Evelyn again.

Rosaline laughed at nearly everything.

Adelaide wore confidence almost like armor.

Celestine had relaxed more in the past fifteen minutes than she probably had all day yesterday.

No...

Vampires weren't emotionless.

Their emotions hadn't disappeared.

If anything...

They simply seemed...

Focused differently.

Directed.

Toward one another.

Toward fellow vampires.

She wondered...

Briefly...

If werewolves experienced something similar.

A distant howl echoed across the city.

Every vampire stopped.

Seven pairs of pointed ears twitched simultaneously.

A second later...

Sirens.

Police.

Several.

Heading the same direction.

Lavinia looked toward the distant flashing lights.

"So..."

Valerie smiled.

"We've got the whole night."

She looked around at the others.

"...Want to go see what's happening?"

Lavinia gently poked Valerie's shoulder.

"You're incredibly nosy."

"I prefer curious."

Rosaline pumped both fists enthusiastically.

"Let's go!"

"If nothing's happening..."

"Fine."

"But if something is..."

Her crimson eyes sparkled.

"...Maybe we'll get to see wolves fighting."

Adelaide laughed.

"I admit..."

"I'm a little curious too."

Celestine nodded.

"So am I."

Even Evelyn quietly agreed.

"...I'd like to see."

Lavinia looked around at the eager faces surrounding her before smiling to herself.

"...Alright."

"Let's go see."

The words had barely left Lavinia's mouth before the seven vampires moved.

To the handful of humans watching from the DMV parking lot...

They simply disappeared.

A gust of wind swept across the pavement as seven black dresses blurred forward almost soundlessly.

One moment they stood together.

The next...

The parking lot was empty.

A police officer instinctively reached toward the radio on his shoulder before stopping himself.

"...There they go."

Several people recording lowered their phones in disbelief.

"...Did they just..."

"They're gone."

...

The city rushed toward them.

Unlike Lavinia's first accidental burst of speed, she was prepared this time.

She leaned forward slightly.

Her boots struck the pavement.

The world surged past.

Buildings became flowing shapes.

Streetlights stretched into glowing lines.

Wind roared through her golden hair.

The first few seconds were the fastest.

She almost felt herself explode forward.

Then...

Gradually...

Her pace settled.

Still impossibly fast.

Still far beyond anything human.

But sustainable.

She could keep this speed.

The others remained nearby.

Even Evelyn.

Though she lagged slightly behind during the initial acceleration, she quickly settled into formation.

Halfway there...

Rosaline looked sideways.

"So..."

Valerie already knew that look.

"Oh no."

Adelaide smirked.

"I was thinking the same thing."

Rosaline grinned.

"Race?"

"You're on."

The three accelerated almost simultaneously.

Unlike humans...

Or even wolves...

There wasn't much noise.

Just flowing movement.

Silent.

Elegant.

Three black dresses streamed through the streets.

Orange.

Green.

Red.

Their laughter carried behind them as they darted around parked cars, vaulted short barriers and crossed intersections with impossible agility.

"They're cheating," Lavinia called after them.

"They're just faster!"

"They're definitely cheating!" Gwendolyn shouted.

"No proof!" Valerie yelled back.

Adelaide laughed.

"Last one there smells like dog!"

"Oh, that's unfair!" Rosaline protested.

Before anyone could determine a winner...

The sirens became deafening.

Flashing blue and red lights reflected across nearby buildings.

The seven vampires slowed almost together.

The smell reached them first.

Wolf.

Fresh.

Strong.

Immediately afterward...

Blood.

Human.

Then shouting.

The group rounded the final corner.

"...Oh."

Lavinia stopped.

The others gathered beside her.

Across the street...

Chaos.

Several humans lay on the pavement groaning.

One clutched a swollen jaw.

Another struggled to breathe.

A third rolled onto his side, coughing.

Two police officers stood between the remaining civilians and the center of the disturbance.

There...

A lone werewolf stood.

She looked remarkably composed despite the scene surrounding her.

Long black hair flowed over a fitted black outfit.

Large wolf ears stood high atop her head.

Her golden-green eyes remained sharp.

Her tail hung low behind her.

One human lunged.

Without looking...

She pivoted.

Her leg snapped outward.

The kick struck the man's stomach with a dull thud.

He folded around the impact before tumbling several feet across the pavement.

The werewolf barely spared him another glance.

Instead...

Her ears flattened.

Her head turned.

Directly toward the vampires.

A low growl rumbled from her chest.

Instantly...

Every police officer looked where she was looking.

Their expressions changed.

Seven vampires stood watching from across the street.

Their crimson eyes reflected the flashing emergency lights.

Some of those eyes briefly caught the light...

Shining eerily.

Like predators.

Every officer instinctively stiffened.

One hand drifted toward a holster.

Then stopped.

Yesterday...

Perhaps someone might have drawn a weapon.

Today...

Official reports had already circulated.

Handguns accomplished very little against vampires.

Escalation wasn't ideal.

Talking first...

That was preferable.

Lavinia noticed immediately.

She raised both hands.

"We're just watching!"

Her cheerful voice carried surprisingly well.

"We wanted to see what was happening."

"You can continue pretending we're not here."

Silence.

Valerie slowly turned toward her.

"...That..."

"...was your attempt at calming them?"

Lavinia blinked.

"...Yes?"

Valerie stared.

"I don't think it worked."

Lavinia threw both hands upward.

"I didn't know what else to say!"

"What was I supposed to say?"

"'Don't worry, we're harmless'?"

Rosaline burst into laughter.

"I would've believed you."

"No you wouldn't."

"...No."

"I wouldn't."

Even Adelaide smiled.

The werewolf relaxed first.

She looked between the officers and the seven vampires before walking toward them.

Her movements differed entirely from theirs.

Where vampires flowed...

She exploded.

Each step carried unmistakable force.

Purpose.

Power.

She stopped a few feet away.

Close enough for the scents to mingle.

Immediately...

Lavinia wrinkled her nose.

Wolf.

Strong.

Wild.

The werewolf made almost the same expression.

"...You all smell unbelievably sweet."

Valerie folded her arms.

"You smell like wet dog."

The werewolf laughed.

"I've heard worse."

Rosaline smiled brightly.

"So..."

"Did you have fun?"

The werewolf looked back toward the humans lying on the pavement.

Then rolled her eyes.

"...Those?"

"They were glorified punching bags."

"They tried jumping me."

She shrugged.

"I defended myself."

Simple.

Matter-of-fact.

No pride.

No guilt.

"I don't know..."

She scratched one cheek.

"...Do I really look like an easy target?"

Lavinia immediately raised one hand.

Like a student in class.

"...Yes."

Everyone looked at her.

She nodded confidently.

"You're very pretty."

She paused.

"...But..."

"You're a wolf."

The werewolf stared.

Then laughed.

A genuine laugh.

"I heard bats were arrogant."

"I wasn't expecting you to admit it."

Lavinia smiled pleasantly.

"I'm trying to be honest."

"Hm."

Without warning...

The werewolf moved.

Her acceleration differed completely from a vampire's.

Not silent.

Explosive.

Her hand shot toward Lavinia's shoulder.

Lavinia reacted instinctively.

Smack.

She brushed the approaching hand aside with one smooth movement.

Neither seemed surprised.

The werewolf withdrew her hand.

"...Fast."

"You too."

Lavinia answered.

Then...

She looked at her own palm.

"..."

An idea appeared.

Slowly...

A smile spread across her face.

"Oh no."

Valerie recognized it immediately.

Lavinia turned toward the others.

Then calmly extended the hand that had just touched the werewolf.

The six surrounding vampires scattered.

Instantly.

Even Evelyn fled.

Celestine took three surprisingly quick steps backward.

Rosaline disappeared behind Adelaide.

Gwendolyn actually hid behind Valerie.

Lavinia remained standing alone.

Her arm still extended.

"..."

She blinked.

Then looked around.

"I..."

She adopted the most pitiful expression she could manage.

"...can't believe you'd all abandon me."

Adelaide snorted.

"Don't even think about it."

"You're not wiping wolf smell on me."

Everyone nodded vigorously.

"Absolutely not."

"No."

"Never."

Lavinia continued smiling thinly.

Her arm remained stubbornly outstretched.

The werewolf watched the entire exchange before laughing again.

"...That actually hurts my feelings a little."

She looked down at herself.

"Am I really being treated like I'm dirty?"

Lavinia blinked rapidly.

"What?"

"No."

"You're not dirty."

She pointed politely.

"...You just smell like a wolf."

"And..."

She smiled apologetically.

"...it's very noticeable."

The werewolf nodded.

"I know."

She glanced over the gathered vampires.

"I get the same thing."

"You all smell ridiculously sweet."

"A human would probably think it was pleasant."

She wrinkled her nose.

"...To me?"

"It's overwhelming."

Lavinia relaxed slightly.

"...That's fair."

The brief tension dissolved almost immediately.

Neither side looked particularly interested in fighting.

Instead...

They simply observed one another.

Different.

Aware.

Curious.

Eventually two officers cautiously approached.

One cleared his throat.

"Ma'am?"

The werewolf looked over.

"We'd like you to come with us."

"We have a few questions about what happened."

She sighed.

"...Figured."

Scratching behind one ear, she glanced back toward the vampires.

"I'll probably see you bats again."

Valerie waved casually.

"Probably."

Rosaline smiled.

"Hopefully under less punchy circumstances."

The werewolf laughed.

"I'd appreciate that."

Neither officer reached for handcuffs.

Neither seemed eager to provoke her.

Instead...

They simply gestured toward the waiting patrol car.

She walked with them without complaint.

The vampires quietly watched her leave.

For several seconds...

Nobody spoke.

Finally...

Valerie broke the silence.

"...I still don't like how wolves smell."

Lavinia looked at the hand she'd nearly contaminated her friends with.

Then at the six vampires who still stood suspiciously farther away than before.

She sighed dramatically.

"...Traitors."

Gwendolyn immediately pointed.

"You still have wolf on your hand."

"Stay over there."

Even Evelyn nodded very seriously.

"...Please."

Rosaline couldn't stop laughing.

"I can't believe all six of us united..."

"...Against Lavinia's hand."

Lavinia looked down at it.

Then back at the others.

"...You're all impossible."

Their laughter rose into the night, drawing puzzled looks from the remaining officers as flashing lights continued to paint the street in shifting blue and red. 

Even after the werewolf had been escorted away, the seven vampires lingered together, talking as though the encounter had simply been another curious part of their second night as vampires.

Unintroduced Werewolf,

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