▪︎ Chapter 115 ▪︎ “I mean, that could certainly happen.”

The hotel room door opened, and Violetta stepped through carrying several large sealed garment bags.

The military uniform she wore did not fit her particularly well.

It wasn't disastrously oversized, but it had clearly never been intended for her. 

The shoulders sat incorrectly, the sleeves were slightly too long, and the trousers required a belt pulled tighter than their original owner had probably ever needed. 

Her long purple hair, freshly washed and dried, spilled down her back and made the borrowed uniform look even more out of place.

Violetta closed the door behind herself with one foot, crossed the suite, and deposited the bags onto the nearest king-sized bed.

Then she looked around.

She sighed.

Ten vampires occupied the room in varying states of disarray, and not one of them looked prepared to attend anything resembling a public ceremony.

Lavinia was wrapped in a towel and half sprawled across the center bed. Valerie lay directly behind her, propped up on one elbow with her cheek resting against her palm. 

Gwendolyn had somehow lost the robe she'd been wearing earlier and was now using a towel instead. 

Rosaline sat cross-legged near Cordelia while working the last tangles from her long red hair. 

Adelaide's robe had remained only technically closed, while Celestine and Evelyn had apparently decided personal space was unnecessary.

Evangeline seemed reasonably composed by comparison, although how true that was, Violetta wasn't quite certain of.

Ophelia was seated near Diana, her long purple hair finally dry and loosely arranged around her shoulders.

Violetta stared at them.

They stared back.

"The clothes are clean."

That was all she needed to say.

Lavinia immediately moved.

She scrambled across the bed on her hands and knees, the towel wrapped around her body shifting precariously with the movement. 

She either didn't notice or didn't care. Violetta suspected the latter.

Lavinia reached the bags and sniffed.

Violetta blinked.

Lavinia sniffed another.

Then another.

Her face brightened.

"This one's mine."

"They have names on them," Violetta said.

Lavinia froze.

She looked down.

A small tag was attached near the zipper.

She read it.

LAVINIA.

"...I knew that."

Valerie laughed behind her.

Lavinia refused to acknowledge her and unzipped the bag. Her expression immediately turned triumphant when familiar black fabric appeared inside.

"My dress!"

"You've been separated from it for perhaps two hours," Violetta said.

"It was a difficult two hours."

Lavinia lifted the dress free and inspected it. The fabric was immaculate again, every trace of blood, dirt and the Behemoth's revolting green fluids gone. Her boots and socks were contained separately at the bottom, equally clean.

Behind her, Valerie remained stretched lazily across the mattress, cheek still supported by one hand. 

Her orange hair spilled around her shoulders, and her empty red eyes followed Lavinia with obvious interest.

Lavinia lowered her head until she could look beneath her own arm at Valerie.

Valerie smiled.

Lavinia giggled, climbed from the bed and pulled her socks from the bag.

The others finally began moving.

Evelyn retrieved the bag carrying her name and opened it. "Do we really have to show ourselves to everyone again?"

Celestine moved immediately beside her. "Nothing's going to happen this time. We're heroes now."

"That sounds strange."

"It sounds cute."

Evelyn gave her a look.

Celestine smiled innocently.

Adelaide had already collected her own bag, but the word heroes lingered with her.

A fond smile gradually appeared.

Marcus.

Her little brother had spent his entire life knowing Adelaide as his older sister. 

That relationship had become considerably more complicated after the First Divergence, but there was something absurdly satisfying about imagining how this would sound from his perspective.

His older sister was a vampire.

And apparently a hero.

Adelaide snorted quietly.

"What?" Rosaline asked.

"Nothing."

Across the room, Ophelia rose to retrieve her clothes.

Diana placed both hands gently on her shoulders and pushed her back down.

Ophelia looked up. "What are you doing?"

"Getting your clothes."

"I can do it myself."

"I know."

Diana crossed the room before Ophelia could object further. She sorted through the remaining garment bags, found one labeled OPHELIA, then located a separate bag bearing her own name.

Ophelia watched her return.

"I genuinely could have walked ten feet."

Diana smiled as she handed the bag over. "I don't doubt that."

"Then why?"

"Because I like helping you."

Ophelia's mouth opened.

Diana continued before she could respond. "It makes me happy."

Ophelia stared at her for a moment, then quietly accepted the bag.

"...Fine."

Diana's smile widened.

Nearby, Lavinia paused while pulling one sock into place.

Her expression softened for half a second before she returned to dressing.

She retrieved the rest of her clothes, dropped the towel without ceremony and quickly pulled on her underwear. Valerie's gaze followed her with absolutely no attempt at subtlety.

Lavinia noticed.

Of course she noticed.

She looked over her shoulder. "Are you planning on staying here?"

Valerie's smile widened.

She licked her lips playfully. "I'm enjoying my last few minutes of rest."

"You're being a pervert," Evangeline called from across the room.

Valerie's head snapped toward her.

"What?"

Evangeline continued sorting through her clothes as though she'd said nothing unusual. "Pervert."

Valerie laughed incredulously. "You were sitting on Rosaline ten minutes ago!"

"That was disciplinary."

Rosaline looked up. "Disciplinary?"

"You laughed at me."

"I laugh at everyone."

"Exactly. A behavioral problem."

Rosaline snorted.

Lavinia shook her head and stepped into her dress. Around her, everyone had finally begun changing in earnest. 

Black fabric appeared everywhere as the vampires abandoned hotel robes and towels for their familiar gothic clothing.

Lavinia paused halfway through fastening the front of her dress.

She looked around.

Then frowned.

"Why don't any of us have bras?"

Several vampires stopped.

Rosaline, in the process of pulling on the last of her undergarments before reaching for her dress, shrugged. "Why would we?"

Lavinia looked at her.

Rosaline gestured vaguely toward herself. "We don't get back pain. We don't chafe. Nothing sags. What problem would it solve?"

"That's..."

Lavinia thought about it.

Actually, yes.

Gwendolyn looked down at herself.

Her lips pushed into a pout.

"I don't think most of us have that much to worry about anyway."

Evangeline slowly turned toward her.

"Gwen."

Gwendolyn looked up.

"Are you calling us pitiful in the breast department?"

Gwendolyn's eyes widened. "No!"

"That sounded like a yes."

"It wasn't!"

Ophelia laughed softly while pulling her dress into place. "Everything fits perfectly. I don't see the issue."

"Thank you," Gwendolyn said immediately, as though Ophelia had rescued her.

Evangeline remained suspicious.

Lavinia finished fastening the clasps running up the front of her dress, then secured the final clasp at her neck. She smoothed both hands down the black fabric and looked pleased.

"Ready."

"You haven't done your hair," Valerie said.

Lavinia touched it.

Her long golden hair was slightly messy.

"Mostly ready."

Behind Evelyn, Celestine carefully fastened the back of her dress for her. 

Evelyn could easily have done it herself, but neither seemed bothered by the unnecessary assistance. 

Rosaline adjusted her cuffs while Adelaide worked her arms into her sleeves.

Rosaline's empty red eyes drifted toward Lavinia.

A smirk appeared.

"You enjoyed this, didn't you?"

Lavinia narrowed her eyes. "Enjoyed what?"

"The view."

Lavinia grabbed the nearest pillow and threw it.

Rosaline caught it against her chest while laughing.

"Ask Valerie!"

Valerie was in the middle of fastening the clasp around her neck when everyone looked toward her.

She blinked.

Then broke into laughter.

"I mean, yes. Obviously."

Lavinia pointed at her. "See?"

Valerie adjusted her collar. "We're vampires. It's not strange."

Gwendolyn immediately pouted. "You didn't act like it wasn't strange when you were staring at Lavinia from behind earlier."

Valerie froze.

Lavinia's head turned.

Slowly.

"Oh? Got a good look then? "

Gwendolyn smiled.

"Traitor," Valerie whispered.

"You were!"

Valerie lunged.

Gwendolyn squeaked and scrambled backward across the mattress, only half dressed, as Valerie pounced after her.

The two collided among the pillows, Gwendolyn laughing while trying to push Valerie's face away.

Violetta closed her eyes.

She inhaled unnecessarily.

Then exhaled.

When she opened them again, Cordelia was standing nearby, somehow entirely untouched by the chaos.

The blue-haired vampire calmly smoothed her long hair while watching Valerie and Gwendolyn wrestle with visible amusement.

After a moment, Cordelia spoke.

"I was rather successful before."

Violetta looked toward her.

Cordelia's fingers moved slowly through her hair. "As a human, I mean. I had a good life. I was doing well."

The room's energy quieted slightly.

Even Valerie stopped attempting to smother Gwendolyn with a pillow.

Cordelia looked toward the mirror.

"But I wouldn't go back."

There was no hesitation in her voice.

"If someone offered me the choice right now—to return to exactly who I was before the First Divergence—I wouldn't take it."

She paused.

"Is that selfish?"

Evelyn looked over immediately. "Why would it be selfish?"

Cordelia pursed her lips.

"Because look at what happened."

Nobody interrupted.

"The world is different. People died during the First Divergence. More died afterward. Then the Second happened, and now..." Cordelia glanced toward the window. 

Somewhere beyond the glass lay Oakridge, surrounded by the remains of a battle that had nearly consumed it. 

"We don't even know how many people died tonight. There aren't reliable global records anymore. But however many people have died since the Divergences began, it's more than would have died if none of this happened."

Her gaze lowered briefly.

"And yet I'm happier with what I am now."

Lavinia tapped one finger against her chin.

"I don't think that's selfish."

Cordelia looked toward her.

Lavinia shrugged. "You didn't cause the Divergences."

"No."

"You didn't ask for them."

"No."

"Then what are you supposed to do? Be miserable forever because something good happened to you while something bad happened to somebody else?"

Cordelia considered that.

Lavinia continued fastening one cuff. "The Divergences happened. We can't undo them. Looking at the parts of your life you like now doesn't mean you're celebrating everyone who died."

Valerie had settled beside Gwendolyn instead of on top of her.

"I love being with everyone," Valerie said. "I wouldn't give that up."

She glanced around the room.

"And feeling guilty wouldn't bring anybody back. So I'd rather be happy."

Rosaline raised both hands.

She formed two V shapes with her fingers and slid them together once with a wicked smirk.

Valerie's face twisted.

"Oh, fuck you."

Three pillows flew at Rosaline.

She ducked the first, caught the second and was hit directly in the face by the third.

Evangeline snickered. "I mean, that could certainly happen."

Rosaline lowered the pillow.

Evangeline continued, "But we're vampires. Intimacy isn't exactly the same for us."

Diana, who had been preparing her own clothes while Ophelia dressed, looked toward the purple-haired vampire.

"Do you feel differently about things like that now?"

Ophelia paused.

Her expression became genuinely thoughtful.

"Yes."

"How?"

Ophelia considered how to phrase it. "Things that would've embarrassed me before don't necessarily embarrass me now. Modesty feels..." She tilted her head. "Artificial, I suppose."

Diana listened quietly.

"Animals don't care if another animal sees them mating," Ophelia continued. "They don't construct all these rules around being seen without clothing, either. I'm not saying we're animals. Obviously. But a lot of the human weight behind those things just isn't there anymore."

Lavinia nodded slowly.

That sounded approximately right.

Valerie stretched her legs across the bed. "Doesn't mean you can't enjoy the view."

Ophelia smiled.

"Or the experience," Valerie added. "But honestly? Feeding feels more intimate to me."

Her red eyes drifted toward Lavinia.

Lavinia squinted.

Valerie's smile grew.

Celestine laughed.

Cordelia covered her mouth.

Evangeline didn't bother hiding her amusement at all.

"What?" Valerie asked innocently.

"Stop looking at me like that," Lavinia said.

"I didn't do anything."

"So everyone keeps saying tonight!"

Rosaline stretched both arms above her head. "I'm ready. If we wait much longer, we're going to be late."

Gwendolyn blinked. "How can we be late to our own ceremony?"

The room went still.

Ten pairs of red eyes gradually turned toward Violetta.

Violetta rubbed both temples.

"It's not your ceremony."

Gwendolyn's expression fell.

Violetta began unfastening the borrowed military jacket. "You're being recognized, yes. So are the werewolves. So are soldiers, emergency personnel, medical staff and civilians who assisted during the defense. Everyone contributed."

Gwendolyn's expression immediately brightened again.

"Everyone helped!"

"Yes."

"Do we have to be there for the whole thing, or just our part?"

Several vampires became noticeably more attentive.

Cordelia stepped behind Violetta and helped free the borrowed jacket from her shoulders. 

Violetta folded it carefully and placed it on a chair before reaching for her own garment bag.

She smiled faintly.

"We'll be there for a little while."

Valerie groaned. "That wasn't an answer."

"It was the answer you're receiving."

Evelyn glanced toward the window. "Are we going back to the safehouse tonight?"

Violetta merely smiled.

Lavinia's shoulders sagged.

Evangeline groaned beside her.

"Oh, come on."

Celestine slipped both arms around Evelyn's waist from behind and rested her chin against her shoulder. "It's going to be a long night."

Lavinia looked personally betrayed by the concept.

"I thought the most annoying part of today was going to be getting splashed with spider goo."

Valerie giggled. "It won't be that bad."

"You don't know that."

"You get to stand around and be praised."

"That sounds exhausting."

"You don't get exhausted."

"How about emotionally exhausting then?"

"That's different."

Violetta finished changing out of the borrowed uniform and into her familiar black dress. 

Cordelia helped with the fastenings at the back, and within moments Violetta looked like herself again rather than a vampire awkwardly borrowing someone else's fatigues.

She turned toward the room.

Her expression softened.

"Thanks to all of you, Oakridge is stable. The defensive perimeter held. The remaining animals are almost completely dealt with, casualties are being counted, and the city is safe."

The playful atmosphere quieted.

Violetta's eyes passed over them one at a time.

"I know a ceremony seems tedious after what you did tonight. But people saw you fighting for them. Some of those soldiers watched you step between them and creatures they couldn't stop. Some watched you save their friends. Some would be dead if you hadn't gone."

Lavinia's expression lost some of its exaggerated misery.

Violetta smiled faintly. "So yes. We have to attend."

Lavinia sighed. "Fine."

"That sounded painful."

"It was."

"She'll survive," Valerie said.

"Unfortunately."

Everyone finished the last of their preparations.

Hair was straightened. Clasps were checked. Sleeves and skirts were smoothed. Boots were pulled on. 

The familiar gothic black gradually replaced every hotel towel and robe until the room once again contained something resembling the group that had flown into the Tide hours earlier—only now clean, groomed and without pieces of animals clinging to them.

Diana dressed last.

She pulled on her own clothing while Ophelia waited nearby, and as the final garment settled into place, the room became strangely quiet.

Diana looked up.

Several vampires were staring at her.

She blinked. "What?"

Lavinia's eyes lowered.

Then rose.

Gwendolyn looked down at herself.

Then at Diana.

Then down at herself again.

Her pointed ears drooped slightly.

Evangeline crossed her arms beneath her chest as though conducting an assessment.

Rosaline's lips curled upward.

Adelaide simply looked impressed.

Diana slowly glanced toward Ophelia. "Why are they looking at me?"

Ophelia followed their gazes.

She looked at Diana.

Then at the vampires.

Understanding dawned.

"Oh."

Diana frowned. "Oh what?"

Gwendolyn's pout deepened.

"That's unfair."

Diana looked even more confused.

Lavinia nodded solemnly. "Extremely."

"What is?"

Valerie leaned around Lavinia to get a better look. "Genetics, apparently."

Diana stared at them for several seconds.

Then looked down.

"Oh."

Rosaline started laughing.

Diana's cheeks warmed while Ophelia immediately stepped closer to her, wearing the faintly smug expression of someone who had somehow interpreted the situation as a personal victory.

Lavinia noticed.

"Why do you look proud?"

Ophelia's expression didn't change. "No reason."

"That's your Thrall, not an achievement."

"I didn't say anything."

"Your face did."

Violetta closed her eyes again.

They had defeated the Tide.

They had killed a Behemoth.

They had helped save Oakridge from destruction.

Somehow, getting eleven women out of a hotel room was beginning to feel like the more complicated military operation.

Violetta opened her eyes.

"Everyone ready?"

A disorderly chorus of agreement answered her.

Lavinia picked up one last pillow and tossed it onto the bed, Valerie caught Gwendolyn before she could restart their earlier fight, Celestine remained attached to Evelyn, and Ophelia quietly took Diana's hand.

Violetta headed for the door.

Behind her, Lavinia whispered, "Still unfair."

Gwendolyn whispered back, "Very."

Diana heard both of them.

She covered her face.

Rosaline's laughter followed the group into the hallway.