Emma.I woke up with a start and looked around the room. The space beside me on the bed was cold and empty. For a minute, I panicked as I sat up quickly. Where had Roger gone? Had he left me? My mind raced with all the worst possibilities. After everything that had happened between us last night, I didn’t want to be abandoned. The thoughts alone made me quiver. I threw off the sheets, my hands trembling as I fumbled with the sheets. Where had he gone? He didn't sleep beside me? Had he left for his quarters because he couldn't face me? Just as I was about to climb off the bed, I heard the sound of the door opening. U froze and quickly pulled the sheet under my chin, hiding my naked body under the thick fabric. The door opened to reveal Roger standing in the doorway. My heart skipped a beat and I couldn't help the relief that flooded me at the sight of him.He wore only a bathrobe, his tousled hair falling over his forehead in a way that made my heart flutter. A maid stood behind
Emma.Roger couldn't stop pacing. His shirt hung loosely on his frame, partially unbuttoned, and his sleeves were rolled up, exposing the veins in his large forearms. His hair was a disheveled mess, as though he’d been raking his fingers through it over and over. When I stepped into the room, he stopped abruptly and turned to face me. I stood by the door, not knowing what to say to him. How to look at him. “You’re here,” he said softly, gesturing toward the armchair by the window. “Sit. Please.” I hesitated for a few seconds but finally obeyed, sinking into the plush seat. Roger grabbed a decanter from the side table and poured himself a drink. I wondered how his fingers didn't tremble. I wondered how he was holding it all together. “Have you eaten?” he asked as he passed me a glass and then gulped his in one throw. I shook my head. “I’m not hungry.” “You should eat,” he said, almost as if he were speaking to himself. “You’ll feel better.” “Roger,” I cut in. “I’m not int
Emma.I barely had the time to sleep when it was already morning. I sat in the corner of Roger’s room, watching him prepare. He has a handsome smirk on his face as he dressed up, as if he were going to a formal dinner and not stepping into a fight that could cost him his life. He stood before a mirror, adjusting the leather straps of his armor. “Roger,” I began, my voice trembled despite my efforts to stay composed. “You don’t have to do this. You can back out.” He paused for a second, staring at me in the mirror, but said nothing. I stood up with my legs shaky as I crossed the room. “Please,” I fell to my knees before him. “Don’t go through with this. You can’t face Tristan. He looks dangerous, you don’t know what he’s capable of, especially now that he's desperate to take your place.” Roger turned and sighed as he looked down at me. “Tristan is my cousin. I know him," he replied. "He is a desperate man, you can do anything. Please listen to your mother, please.” Shaking h
Emma.I couldn’t breathe. I couldn't say a word. My vision blurred as the scene before me unfolded like a nightmare I couldn’t wake from. Roger’s lifeless body lay crumpled on the ground, his blood soaking into the dirt of the arena. “Ladies and gentlemen,” Thomas’s voice rang out, cheerfully commanding the crowd’s attention, “we have a victor.” I turned my head slowly, my limbs were heavy, my mind numb. Was this a dream? Would I wake and warn Roger to not fight? Was this real? Thomas stepped into the center of the arena, with a triumphant look on his face. “Tristan,” he continued, gesturing toward the Tristan who was still holding the bloodied sword, “has proven his strength and valor today. He is the rightful heir to the estate, and Roger’s foolishness has met the fate it deserved.” I couldn't find words to describe the vile man standing before me. But one thing was for sure. This wasn't a dream. I couldn't possibly think of such cruelty all on my own. This was real. “Rog
Emma.The first thing I noticed was the blinding whiteness. Bright lights stabbed at my eyes, making them water as I blinked against the harsh glare of the florescent. My body felt like it weighed a thousand pounds, each limb aching and unresponsive. I tried to lift my arms and I couldn't, I winced at the sudden sharp pain that ran through my neck. “Ouch," I hissed and blinked away the tears that almost fell. Slowly, the sterile scent of antiseptics and faint floral soap crept into my awareness. Where am I? I turned my head, my neck protesting with the movement. The room around me came into focus slowly. I could see white walls, a small window with curtains drawn, and a single chair by the bed. Machines beeped steadily beside me as I looked around. The second of the machine was about the only noise in the room apart from my breathing. I tried to sit up, but the moment I moved, a sharp pain shot through my ankle, making me gasp again. My fingers instinctively reached for it,
Emma.The guards all surrounded me. They looked scary and intimidating and my knees felt weak. The mean man had somehow kept Cathy on the wall and I was alone with these fierce and ruthless looking men. "Please," I whispered weakly. "I didn’t do anything wrong. You don’t have to take me—" One of them cut me off with a grunt. “Orders are orders. No use pleading.” I clutched the wooden door frame and tried to struggle with my fingers trembling. “I’m not a threat,” I tried again. “I swear. Please, just listen to me!” The taller guard grabbed my arm. His grip was firm and even a little cruel. “That’s not up to us,” he said gruffly. “Let’s go.” For a second, I panicked. I didn't know what to do. My legs refused to move, but they wouldn’t care about that. I knew they’d drag me if I didn’t cooperate. How long would I be a prisoner to these men? To different men in different packs? Just as I was about to break into sobs, I heard a very loud voice call out. “Let her go. Now.” Th
Emma.The moment the man set me down on the chair, I couldn’t stop shaking. My entire body trembled, soaked to the bone from the lake’s icy water. He crouched before me, his piercing green eyes filled with concern and a liftie bit of curiosity. “Are you okay?” He asked with a firm voice. I nodded, though my body betrayed the lie as another shiver wracked through me. Without a word, he stood and barked an order to the guard behind him. “Get a blanket, now." I was still shaking and trying to squeeze into my own heat. Moments later, the guard hurried back with a thick blanket. The golden haired man took it from them and draped it over my shoulders. The warmth was immediate, though it did little to calm my nerves. The man stepped back, his tall frame towering over me. His blonde hair was even more striking and though he’d just transformed from a massive golden wolf into human form, his movements were still as intimidating and graceful. “Who are you?” he asked, his voice was comm
Derek.The moment the doctor uttered the word hybrid, my stomach twisted. It wasn’t just shock, it was dread. I, Derek Moon, was not afraid of anything. I had lived life so fiercely that even fear cowered at my entrance. But a hybrid?Hybrids were more than rare. They were a calamity waiting to happen. And now, one was in my pack, Emma. Was she going to give birth to a hybrid baby too? Yes and that would make two hybrids. The child would be a pure blood by birth, immune to both vampire and werewolf threats. But Emma was more endangered. I didn't know what to say. I couldn't send her away. As soon as Emma was led back to the guest room, I waved the doctor off and headed for the quiet corner of the clinic where Cathy was waiting. She raised an eyebrow when she saw my face. “What’s with the grim look, alpha?” she asked, folding her arms. “Tell me everything,” I said sharply. “About the accident. From the start.” She looked taken back. “Do you still think she's a threat li
Emma.Life has a funny way of coming full circle. One moment you're a normal teacher trying to help void beings understand humanity, the next you're standing in front of a classroom filled with every kind of supernatural being imaginable, all eager to learn the art of cosmic evolution."Remember," I said to the diverse group before me, "everyone's path to transformation is unique. What works for a vampire won't necessarily work for a werewolf. What feels natural to a void being might be challenging for a witch."The classroom – now expanded to accommodate our growing community – hummed with excited energy. Through my evolved awareness, I could see each being's potential shimmering just beneath the surface, waiting to be discovered.Derek stood beside me, his vampire-cosmic nature casting beautiful patterns across the walls. "The key is finding your anchor," he demonstrated, shifting between states while maintaining his core essence. "The thing that makes you uniquely you, even as you
Emma."Remember," Derek said to the small group of vampires gathered in our backyard, "it's not about fighting your nature. It's about letting it expand."I watched from the porch as my husband guided the first volunteers through their initial steps into cosmic evolution. Each vampire's shadow was beginning to shimmer with possibility, their immortal essence reaching for something new."Like this?" A younger vampire named Marcus asked, his form flickering between states."Almost," Derek moved closer, his own transformed nature casting constellation patterns across the grass. "Don't try to leave your vampire self behind. Let it be your anchor while you reach for the cosmic."First drifted between the practicing vampires, offering their unique perspective. "Is like learning new language. Still speak old language, but now can speak new one too. Both together make more meaning."From inside the house, I could hear Mom and Sara working with another group of supernatural researchers. The wo
Emma.You'd think that after everything we'd been through, nothing could surprise the supernatural council anymore. But watching a room full of ancient beings literally lose their composure as Derek demonstrated his new abilities?Priceless."Impossible," one of the vampire elders whispered as Derek shifted between shadow and starlight, his vampiric essence now interwoven with cosmic energy in ways that defied their oldest laws. "Our nature is fixed. Unchanging.""Clearly not," Mom interjected, spreading out her research data. "What we're seeing is a natural evolution of supernatural energy. The vampire's immortal essence provides the perfect conduit for cosmic transformation."I watched as Derek moved through states of existence as easily as breathing, his vampire nature not fighting the change but embracing it, enhancing it. He was neither fully vampire nor fully cosmic, but something gloriously in between."Show them the bridge thing," Violet encouraged from where she sat cross-leg
Emma.They say evolution is a slow process. Try telling that to a family that just accidentally created an entirely new form of supernatural existence over an evening kiss."So," Sara said, her scientific equipment scattered across our living room while she tried to make sense of readings that kept shifting into impossible patterns, "let me get this straight. You two kissed...""And the universe basically went 'oh, that's a good idea' and decided to upgrade everyone?" Violet finished, still experimenting with her new abilities by making small objects phase between vampire shadow and cosmic light."Not quite everyone," Mom corrected, looking up from her rapidly filling notebook. "Just those with a direct connection to both vampire and cosmic energies. Though the implications for supernatural evolution are fascinating-""Maybe we could focus on the immediate situation?" Derek suggested, his new form casting constellation patterns on the walls every time he moved. "Like figuring out if t
Emma.It started with a kiss.Which, if you think about it, is how a lot of supernatural revelations seem to happen in my life. Though this one was admittedly more spectacular than usual.Derek and I were having a rare quiet moment on the back porch. I was still in my human form, day ten of the "cosmic detox" as everyone had started calling it. He was watching the sunset with that particular intensity that only vampires and artists seem to manage."I miss this," he said softly, his hand finding mine in the growing darkness."Sunsets?""Being able to touch you without worrying about cosmic interference."I smiled, squeezing his hand. "Well, according to Sara, I should be able to start accessing my powers again soon. Though," I looked down at our intertwined fingers, "I'm thinking maybe I'll try to stay human-shaped more often."He turned to me then, and something in his expression made my very human heart skip. "You know," he said thoughtfully, "I've been thinking about what you said a
Emma.Have you ever had to orchestrate a disaster so perfectly that it teaches a lesson without actually destroying reality? It's trickier than you might think, especially when you're working with beings that consider quantum physics a hobby and existence optional."Everything ready?" I asked First as we watched the eager void beings put what they thought were the finishing touches on their transformation machine.They nodded, their form perfectly stable despite the excitement. "Others in position. Remember plan."The plan was beautiful in its simplicity, really. Sometimes the best teaching moments come from carefully controlled failure. And who better to control failure than a group of experienced void beings pretending to be inexperienced void beings?"Sara?" I checked my very human watch – another adjustment I was still getting used to."Containment fields are ready," she confirmed from her position behind the monitoring equipment. "Though I still think this is insane.""Welcome to
Emma.You know what's worse than a supernatural crisis? A supernatural crisis when you're temporarily grounded from your cosmic powers.The call came during what was supposed to be a normal human lunch break – another exciting adventure in remembering how to eat food that existed in only one dimension at a time. Mom's voice had that careful calm that immediately set off every alarm bell in my very human nervous system."So," she said, "don't panic, but we might have a situation at the void being integration center."I put down my sandwich, already reaching for my car keys. "Define 'situation.'""Remember those void beings that tried to speed-run transformation downtown?""Please tell me they're not back.""Not exactly," Mom hedged. "But apparently they told some friends about their experience. Friends who decided that if quick transformation was possible, maybe they could find a way to... streamline the process.""Streamline how?" I asked, though I had a sinking feeling I knew where t
Emma.It was strange, seeing myself as just... me. No cosmic energy rippling beneath my skin, no reality-bending aura, no occasional transparency. Just Emma, with bed hair and yesterday's t-shirt, looking simultaneously more solid and more fragile than I remembered.The smell of coffee drifted up from the kitchen, and my very human stomach growled in response. That was another thing I'd forgotten about – actual hunger, not just the abstract concept of energy needs that I'd been dealing with in my transformed state.Making my way carefully downstairs (after successfully remembering to open the door this time), I found Derek at the stove and Violet at the table, both watching me like I might accidentally try to float through the ceiling."I'm fine," I said, heading for the coffee pot with the determination of a heat-seeking missile. "Just... readjusting.""Uh-huh," Violet said, not even trying to hide her amusement as I missed the coffee mug twice before successfully pouring. "That's wh
Emma.Turns out, downgrading from cosmic entity to regular human is about as graceful as trying to parallel park a spaceship. In the dark. While wearing oven mitts."Focus on your breathing," Sara instructed as we sat in the meditation room she'd set up in her basement lab. The walls were lined with specially designed dampeners to block out cosmic frequencies. "Try to feel your core self.""I'm trying," I muttered, then winced as my voice made the air ripple. "But it's like trying to forget how to read. Once you know what all the letters mean, you can't just... not know.""Then don't try to forget," Mom suggested from where she sat taking notes. "Try to remember instead. Remember what it felt like to be just Emma."Just Emma. The phrase echoed through my being, stirring something deep and familiar. I closed my eyes, thinking back to simpler times. Movie nights with Derek. Teaching Violet to ride a bike. Burning dinner and ordering pizza instead. Normal, human moments.My form flickere