Derek.Emma was a hybrid. She was awakened. Her body was nothing like a human girl. Gone was the soft feminine build and her silky blonde hair. In its place was a furry beast standing on both legs with arms the size of his own thighs and feet twice as large. For a second, I couldn't believe my own eyes. She was different. She had changed and she was an object of nightmares. I watched her tear into the werewolves that tried to hold her down for the wolf at the entrance to take over. But Emma was stronger. She held them with her powerful arms and shoved them away, hurting them fiercely on the floor and dismantling their forces. “Kill!" She yelled again. That was all she seemed able to say. Kill. The single word seemed to raise some sort of strength and anger within her. She was furious. She was dangerous and as she said those words, her power seemed unmatchable. “Emma!" I called out as I noticed that she was winning against the alpha wolf. Without turning back to me, she threw
Emma.My limbs were shaking. I could feel everything around me. The wind in my face, the pulse beating wildly, the sound of the guard who was tapping his foot nervously against the stone floor. Everything was heightened. The pain on my left wrist, the ringing in my ear, the slight numbness of my left thumb. It was all so vivid. For a second, I couldn't help but wonder if I was losing my mind. “Emma?" I heard Derek call out to me. I jumped slightly at the proximity. Despite how much I felt, how closely I heard each sound, he still managed to sneak up on me. “Hey," I replied with a soft sigh and leaned back on the chair. We were in a secluded house in the town. I'd lived in the small mountain town for many years but I was a stranger to the cabin in the woods. Derek and his men seemed to know exactly where to go and they stopped right at the cabin and led us all in. Kael was still unconscious and he'd been tied up in a chair in the far corner of the room. Two guards stood by his sid
Emma.Shock. That was what I felt. A bone crushing, soul numbing shock that left me punching my own skin to be sure that I was still alive. Brother?! “You're no use to anyone alive!" Derek spat in rage. Derek was his brother? Kael was still tied up on the chair. His slightly wet and tousled hair was right in his face. His jawline and sharp chin stood out strangely. Like I had somehow broken something while beating him up. Then I turned to look again at Derek. He looked nothing like Kael. Both had two different shades of hair. A deep blonde and jade respectively. And while Kael had deep black eyes, Derek had ocean green eyes that she could get lost in. He reminded her so much of Roger that sometimes, staring at him hurt. But beyond the difference, she could see the chin, the jaw, the bridge of their nose. The size of their palms. It was all so different and yet so familiar. Like they could somehow be seen in each other. Bits and pieces. “Yet there I am. Alive and even our prett
Emma.My mother stood before me. My foster mother. I hadn't seen her in many years and now here she stood, staring at me. A woman that had turned my life upside down. The source of my joy and yet the bane of my existence. I was broken at the sight of her. Somehow, time seemed to pass very quickly. It seemed like it was just yesterday when she last saw Barbara and Alec. All together, as a family. “Mother," I breathed. But my voice broke. She couldn't say anything without feeling the pain, the tears, the anger, the rage. "Please, let me help you.” Barbara said. “Where have you been?" The words slipped out of my lips before I could stop them. Barbara's eyes teared up and she looked at me. She moved closer and I stepped back, holding my hands out. “Do not touch me." "Emma, please, I'm sorry.” But what apology could ever fix what she'd broken. She has taken all I ever had. She'd killed our family with her lies. She'd pretended to be human and with that, she'd carved a delusional ho
Emma.Derek and I moved at once. If Kael was gone, then we didn't have time. Derek ordered the driver to speed up as we drove toward the Crescent Moon pack. Every bump and jolt of the van only made the dread sink deeper into my bones. My hands trembled, clutching the edge of the seat as if it could anchor me to some sense of stability. “She’s alive,” I whispered to myself, my voice trembling as I tried to force the words into reality. “Violet is alive.” Barbara, seated across from me, kept her gaze low, I couid see the guilt etched into every line of her face. Derek sat beside me, his hands rubbed on mine, his warmth provided a small comfort against the storm raging inside me. “Don’t let them see you afraid,” he said softly, his voice was firm yet soothing. And I knew he was right. I nodded, swallowing hard. Fear couldn’t save my daughter. But it gripped me all the same, making me feel helpless. What could I do? How had my life become so complicated? Violet had just come in
Emma.The vengeful wench had my baby. Selene stood on the porch, cradling a small bundle in her arms. My heart stopped at the sight. I knew without question what, or more accurately who, she was holding. “Hello, rejected Luna,” she sneered. Rejected Luna. That's what I was. I was the woman who she believed she was better than. I was the one Kael threw away just to be with her. I was the ruined queen. The whore. I clenched my fists at my sides, my nails digging into my palms. Derek stepped forward, placing his body like a wall of protection between me and Selena, but I pushed past him. I was done hiding behind anyone. “Give me my daughter,” I sneered, my voice was cold. Just as my heart was. Selena laughed mockingly. Her voice was a cruel sound that made my blood boil. “Your daughter? Oh, Emma, you’re as delusional as ever. Do you honestly think you deserve her? A child born of betrayal and weakness?” Derek growled, stepping closer, but I raised a hand to stop him. “Don’t,” I
Emma. Cassidy's embrace was warm, her familiar scent grounding me in the reality that had felt distant moments ago. I clung to her, letting my tears soak into her shoulder, each drop releasing the tension that had coiled within me. Her arms tightened around me, providing a solace that I had desperately needed. “It's alright, Emma,” she whispered, her voice soothing. I pulled back slightly, wiping my tears with the back of my hand. “How… How are you here? I thought you were dead.” She gave a small, sad smile. “I was taken by Drag's men. They thought they could use me against you, but I managed to escape when they became less cautious.” Her eyes shifted to Derek, who was watching us with a mixture of relief and concern. I glanced back at Derek, his steady presence had been a beacon through the storm of my rage. He nodded, understanding without words. “I'm glad you're alive, Cassidy, you're safe with us now.” “We need to get you somewhere safe,” Derek said, his voice brea
Emma.Lucas met my eyes steadily yes they are loyal to the course .”they have seen what drag and Selena are capable of and want them brought down.”I know that feeling satisfied.“Then let's get to work.” I said.As a group dispersed their tax I found a movement of quiet with Derek he took my hand His touch grounding me.“We'll get through this, Emma,” he said, his voice steady. “Together.”I squeezed his hand, drawing strength from his confidence. “I know, but it's not just about us anymore. It's about violet. It's about everyone who believes in us.”He nodded his expression resolute“And we won't let them down.”Hours passed as we fortified our defenses and planned out our strategy and moves for the next day. The safe house became a buzz with activity, everyone was driven by a shared purpose. I moved through the rooms checking on our progress and offering words of encouragement. Cassidy and kucar worked tirelessly, coordinating efforts and ensuring everyone was prepared for the c
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