The Divergence

The door to the private interview room closed behind Adelaide and Marcus.

For several seconds, the remaining vampires simply stood throughout the waiting area.

The shouting from deeper inside the station had finally faded.

Whether the man had calmed down or had merely been taken somewhere too distant for even their hearing to easily follow was unclear.

Lavinia stared toward the secured corridor.

Then she crossed her arms behind her back, leaned forward slightly, and looked at the others.

"That was stupid."

Valerie snorted.

"If someone was trying to frame us, they could've at least possessed the mental capacity to check whether we have any mind-controlling abilities."

Lavinia straightened.

"Apparently research was beyond him."

"Research?"

Valerie glanced toward the secured door.

"I would've accepted thinking for longer than five seconds."

Evangeline looked around the waiting area as though she expected the man to reappear and offer an explanation that somehow made his accusation less ridiculous.

"He was particularly dumb."

Her tone carried the pleasant certainty of someone announcing an obvious fact.

Gwendolyn nodded.

"He did smell drunk."

"He smelled like a bar floor."

Lavinia wrinkled her nose.

"A bar floor that had caught fire."

Celestine remained near the row of chairs, outwardly composed despite having spent the past several minutes wondering whether the man's claims would appear on the news by sunrise.

The accusation itself had been absurd.

That didn't mean someone wouldn't repeat it.

People had already proven remarkably willing to believe nearly anything about vampires.

An officer passed through the lobby carrying a stack of folders.

He glanced at the group.

Then glanced again.

Nine petite women with empty red eyes occupying most of the waiting area were difficult to ignore.

None of the vampires acknowledged him.

The door to the private room opened again.

Adelaide emerged first.

Marcus followed beside her, his head lowered and his hands tucked into the pockets of his jacket.

Her parents remained inside with the officer.

Their raised voices began again almost as soon as the door closed.

Marcus looked back toward it.

Adelaide lightly patted the top of his head.

"You should go home."

His gaze immediately rose to her.

"With them?"

"Yes."

His face tightened.

Adelaide's expression softened, though her voice remained firm.

"It's late."

She smoothed down the portion of his hair she'd disturbed.

"You should already be in bed."

"I'm not tired."

"You nearly fell asleep while that officer was speaking."

"I was bored."

"You were tired and bored."

Marcus looked away.

Adelaide rested one hand on his shoulder.

"They still have to finish talking with the police."

She glanced toward the closed room.

"And judging by the volume, that may take some time."

Marcus shifted closer to her.

Adelaide noticed but said nothing about it.

"I'll stay with you until they're finished."

He hesitated.

"You're not leaving?"

"No."

"Even if they tell you to?"

A faint smile touched Adelaide's lips.

"They may tell me many things tonight."

Marcus looked toward the interview room again.

His parents' voices carried faintly through the door.

Adelaide guided him toward the chairs.

"Sit."

He obeyed this time.

She took the seat beside him.

Marcus leaned against her arm almost immediately.

Adelaide placed her hand atop his head once more, her fingers moving slowly through his hair.

Around them, the others began to spread throughout the lobby.

Cordelia walked toward the front desk before stopping several feet away from it.

Her gaze moved over the security glass, the row of phones, the metal detectors near the entrance, and the secured doors leading deeper into the building.

"I've never been inside a police station before."

Evelyn stood beside her, hands loosely clasped in front of herself.

"Neither have I."

Cordelia glanced toward her.

"I imagined it would be quieter."

A phone rang behind the desk.

Someone answered it while another officer hurried past carrying a sealed evidence bag.

Evelyn watched him disappear around a corner.

"I imagined there would be fewer people."

"That as well."

Cordelia spoke with her usual polished calm, as though they were quietly evaluating a hotel lobby rather than waiting for Adelaide's parents to finish arguing with the police.

Rosaline had settled into one of the chairs near Gwendolyn.

She leaned back comfortably, one ankle resting over the other.

"So."

Gwendolyn turned toward her.

Rosaline smiled.

"How did things go with your mother?"

Gwendolyn's entire expression brightened.

"Great."

Rosaline's smile widened.

"Really?"

"Really."

Gwendolyn tucked a strand of white hair behind one ear.

"We talked about everything."

Her voice softened, but the happiness in it remained unmistakable.

"She was scared, and I think she felt guilty about being scared, which made everything worse."

Rosaline hummed.

"But you worked through it."

"We did."

Gwendolyn beamed.

"She hugged me."

Lavinia tilted her head from where she stood near the cracked wall.

"You hugged her first."

"I still got hugged."

"Fair."

Rosaline reached over and squeezed Gwendolyn's hand.

"I'm happy for you."

"So am I."

Evelyn smiled shyly.

"I'm glad it went well."

Cordelia inclined her head.

"As am I. It must be a relief."

Evangeline stepped closer, her chin raised with her usual pleasant confidence.

"Naturally, she came around."

Gwendolyn looked at her.

Evangeline smiled.

"Her daughter is a vampire."

The pride in her voice made the statement sound like the most self-evident reason imaginable.

Gwendolyn laughed.

Adelaide looked over from beside Marcus.

"I'm happy for you as well."

"Thank you."

Gwendolyn's smile softened.

She glanced around at all of them.

For one brief moment, her gaze lingered on Adelaide.

The situation with Eleanor had ended in understanding.

Adelaide's evening had done nearly the opposite.

Gwendolyn did not mention it.

Not yet.

Rosaline hummed thoughtfully.

Then she looked around the waiting area.

"Do the rest of you have family?"

Several vampires turned toward her.

Rosaline lifted one shoulder.

"I know about Gwendolyn's family."

Her gaze shifted toward Adelaide and Marcus.

"And Adelaide's."

Adelaide's expression became faintly dry.

"Unfortunately."

Marcus looked up at her.

Adelaide gently tapped his forehead.

"Not you."

He smiled.

Rosaline continued.

"And I know a little about Celestine and Evelyn."

Celestine inclined her head.

Evelyn lowered her gaze slightly.

"But the rest of you are mysteries."

Lavinia shrugged immediately.

"I didn't really want a family."

Valerie looked toward her.

Lavinia raised one finger before anyone could respond.

"And my lack of a romantic partner was personal."

She nodded solemnly.

"Something I chose."

Valerie's expression remained completely straight.

"I'm sure they were all devastated by your decision."

Lavinia slowly lowered her finger.

Her shoulders sagged.

"I was simply too unlucky."

"That changed quickly."

Valerie glanced around the waiting area.

"You found eight women willing to tolerate you."

Lavinia brightened.

"My harem."

Eight sets of red eyes rolled in near-perfect unison.

Marcus watched them with visible confusion.

Adelaide covered his ears with one hand.

"Ignore her."

"I heard it already."

"Forget it."

Lavinia pointed at Valerie.

"You see what you've done?"

"I regret nothing."

Rosaline laughed softly before turning toward Valerie.

"What about you?"

Valerie leaned one shoulder against the wall.

"I wasn't close with my family."

Her tone was casual.

"We didn't have any dramatic problems either."

"No screaming?"

Lavinia asked.

"No disowning?"

Gwendolyn added.

"No attempted murder?"

Evangeline asked brightly.

Valerie looked between them.

"No."

She paused.

"We were boring."

"Tragic."

Lavinia shook her head.

Valerie ignored her.

"I was already an adult."

She folded her arms.

"I had my own life. They had theirs."

Her gaze drifted briefly toward the station windows.

"Becoming a vampire doesn't really change that."

Rosaline nodded.

"Have you contacted them?"

"Not yet."

"Are you going to?"

Valerie considered it.

"Probably."

Her mouth curved slightly.

"Eventually."

Lavinia leaned toward her.

"When you need money?"

Valerie reached out as though she intended to smack her again.

Lavinia darted backward in a golden blur.

The motion stirred several loose papers on a nearby table.

An officer behind the desk looked up sharply.

Lavinia smiled innocently.

Valerie lowered her hand.

Rosaline turned toward Cordelia.

"And you?"

Cordelia paused.

"I had a husband."

Silence followed.

Even the officers seemed quieter for a moment.

Lavinia blinked.

"You were married?"

"Yes."

Cordelia's response was simple and proper.

No embarrassment.

No hesitation.

Evangeline tilted her head.

"You never mentioned that."

"It hadn't come up."

Valerie stared at her.

"We've discussed blood, murder, turning, government policy, housing, clothes, food, and whether Lavinia could establish a harem."

Cordelia nodded.

"Yes."

"But not your husband?"

"No."

Gwendolyn leaned forward.

"Where is he now?"

Cordelia's expression remained calm.

"He was in the crowd that attacked me."

The silence returned.

This time it felt different.

Lavinia's playful expression disappeared.

Valerie's mouth twisted with open disgust.

Gwendolyn stared.

"He was there?"

"Yes."

Cordelia folded her hands neatly in front of herself.

"He told everyone about me."

Evelyn looked stricken.

Rosaline's warmth hardened into quiet disdain.

"Your own husband?"

"He believed it was necessary."

Evangeline's eyes narrowed.

"How revolting."

The pride in her tone had vanished, replaced by something colder.

Valerie shook her head.

"That's not a husband."

"No."

Cordelia looked toward the floor for a moment.

"I suppose it isn't."

Lavinia approached her.

For once, she offered no joke.

She simply rested a hand on Cordelia's shoulder.

Cordelia looked at her.

Lavinia squeezed once.

Then stepped back.

Rosaline waited until the moment had settled before speaking again.

"I was a college student."

Her tone remained relaxed, though some of its earlier lightness had faded.

"My family was religious."

Gwendolyn's expression softened.

Rosaline shrugged.

"So I haven't really tried contacting them."

"Because you're a vampire?"

Evelyn asked.

"Because religion is as much of a hurdle as anything else right now."

Rosaline ran her fingers through a section of red hair.

"They might accept me."

She paused.

"They might decide I'm evil."

Another shrug.

"I haven't felt like finding out yet."

No one pushed her.

They all understood postponing an answer when either possibility could permanently change how a person viewed their family.

Evangeline lifted one hand.

"And now you've saved the best for last."

Valerie groaned quietly.

Evangeline ignored her.

"I was alone."

She smiled with unmistakable pride, as though solitude had been an accomplishment rather than a circumstance.

"I had a few partners over the years."

Lavinia perked up immediately.

Evangeline noticed.

"But I wasn't easy."

Every vampire nodded.

Even Adelaide.

Marcus looked around.

"Why did everyone agree?"

"Don't worry about it."

Adelaide lightly pressed his face back toward the front.

Lavinia leaned closer to Evangeline.

In a pitiful whisper, she said, "Teach me."

Valerie smacked her shoulder.

Lavinia made a sharp little squeak and clutched the spot.

"Why are you violent?"

"Because you continue speaking."

Evangeline gave Lavinia an amused look before continuing.

"After I was basically locked away and tested on, I didn't have any contact with my most recent partner."

Her smile faded slightly.

Not into grief.

Only reflection.

"I could probably find them."

"Do you want to?"

Rosaline asked.

Evangeline considered the question for several seconds.

Then shook her head.

"Not particularly."

Her gaze moved across the group.

"I don't feel like I'm missing anything."

The answer carried no bitterness.

No hidden plea.

She simply meant it.

Around her stood eight other vampires.

One gently comforting her younger brother.

One newly reunited with her mother.

One abandoned by a husband who had helped attack her.

Others with distant families, uncertain families, or no families at all.

Perhaps none of them had arrived here through the same path.

Perhaps family had never meant the same thing to any two of them.

But as they occupied nearly every chair in the police station waiting area, drawing wary glances from officers and civilians alike, none of them looked particularly alone.

Lavinia slowly raised her hand.

Valerie looked toward her.

"What?"

"Can I say it?"

"No."

Lavinia lowered her hand.

Rosaline laughed.

Gwendolyn leaned against her shoulder.

From inside the interview room, Adelaide's mother raised her voice again.

Marcus sighed.

Adelaide continued running her fingers gently through his hair.

"It won't be much longer."

"You said that before."

"I was being optimistic."

"You don't sound optimistic."

Adelaide looked toward the closed door.

"No."

Her faint smile returned.

"I suppose I don't."

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