Devastation

Emma stepped off the train and cautiously looked around the platform. There was a giant sign above her head that read, “Welcome to New Orleans.” A group of college kids, probably on Spring Break ran past her, knocking her suitcase into her knee. Emma hissed under her breath and rubbed her bruised knee, trying to remain calm. She walked towards the Information Booth and stood in front of the forty something year old lady, waiting for her to look up. Emma waited for a few seconds and when the lady still didn’t look up Emma cleared her throat.

“What?” The lady croaked in a husky smoker’s voice.

“How do I get to Bourbon Street from here?” Emma asked in a calm tone. The lady looked up and narrowed her blood shot eyes at Emma. She took in all of Emma’s 5’8 body. Her feet which were covered by her scuffed, black army boots, her long legs which were hidden by her black skinny jeans, her torso which was enveloped by her blue hoodie sweatshirt, and her face which was blemish free. Emma’s ice blue eyes widened, waiting for an answer.

“Your hair natural?” The lady coughed. Emma reached up and touched her fire red hair, it hung halfway down her back and was currently tied in a high ponytail.

“Yes?” Emma replied slowly. The lady nodded and pulled out a map of New Orleans. She pointed out the route and sent Emma on her way. Emma walked out and wrapped her sweater tighter around her. She hailed a cab and looked out the window as tall buildings and apartment’s whizzed past her. The cabbie stopped in front of an old looking bar and Emma threw him a twenty before getting out of the car, suitcase in hand.

Right when she walked into the bar, her ears were assaulted by the sound of an amateur jazz band. Emma stood in the doorway for another moment, just listening. Someone caught her eye from across the room and the person glided towards her.

“Emma Fitzgerald?” The girl asked. Emma scanned the girl warily, trying to figure out who this girl was.

“Yes?” Emma asked. The girl smiled and clapped her hands together.

“I’m Vicki, Vicki Mc Cormmick,” the girl explained. Emma nodded, now realizing who the girl was. Vicki was the person Emma called about getting an apartment on Bourbon Street.

“Nice to meet you,” Emma smiled, placing her suitcase on the ground and offering Vicki her hand. Vicki looked at Emma’s hand, a faint look of disgust crossing her beautiful features.

“What’s wrong?” Emma asked, slowly lowering her hand.

“I don’t shake hands with werewolves,” Vicki snarled. Emma frowned, suddenly insulted.

“Do you even know who you’re talking to?” Emma growled. Vicki flinched when Emma’s tone of voice changed.

“Yeah, a mutt,” Vicki growled back, trying to sound brave. Emma chuckled, a small smirk flitting across her lips.

“No, I’m Emma Fitzgerald, the original hybrid,” Emma hissed. Emma could have laughed aloud at how many emotions passed across Vicki’s face. First anger, then shock, then realization, then fear, and then anger again.

“No, you can’t be Emilia Fitzenheim,” Vicki chuckled, crossing her arms across her chest.

“Want to bet?” Emma smiled. Vicki’s face remained stoic, but Emma could hear how fast her heart was beating. Emma closed her eyes and took a deep breath, then she opened her eyes to reveal not blue eyes, but bright gold ones.

“Believe me now?” Emma smirked. Vicki nodded, her mouth open in shock. Vicki picked up Emma’s bag and motioned for Emma to follow her. As Emma and Vicki walked through the bar Emma could hear people whispering about her. Some people instantly knew who she was, others were just commenting on how hot she was.

“Up the stairs, first door on the left. Feel free to come down later, there’s a huge Spring Break party happening,” Vicki smiled and handed Emma her suitcase. Emma nodded and walked upstairs, ready to lay down and take a nap. She found her apartment and walked inside, throwing her suitcase on her bed. She walked up to the window and just looked outside, admiring the last few rays of the setting sun. A tiny knock on her door ripped her from her trance.

“Yes?” Emma asked, slightly annoyed.

“I have dinner,” Vicki squeaked. Emma instantly perked up. She had been ignoring the annoying burn in the back of her throat for a couple of days now.

“Come in,” Emma sighed. Vicki entered, her raven colored hair looking almost blue in the light. She was holding four blood packets in her hands.

“I didn’t know what you liked so I got a variety,” Vicki explained as she dumped the packets onto her bed. Emma nodded and inspected the labels. Vicki nodded her head and turned to leave.

“Oh and Vicki? In the future, I prefer AB negative,” Emma announced. Vicki froze, obviously thinking what Emma was thinking. AB negative was rare and very hard to get. Vicki sighed and closed the door as she left the room. Emma smirked and picked up the B negative packet, ripping open the top. She took a sip, relishing in the brief relief of the constant burning in her throat. She returned to the window, disappointed that she had missed the sunset. The lights of Bourbon Street were aglow, lighting up the lane in ways that the sun could never do. Emma looked down and saw a group of people setting up a bar for the party tonight.

“I think I will go,” Emma smiled, taking a long swig of her blood. She turned back to her suitcase and contemplated whether to unpack or not. She opened it anyway and traded her blue hoodie for a tight red tank top and a black leather jacket. Emma jogged down the steps and walked through the bar, ignoring the whispers that had grown in her absence. Emma walked outside and stopped, just watching the street from under the bar’s red awning. Emma looked up, her eyes locking with the eyes of a very handsome young man. Emma smirked, motioning for him to follow her. She heard his footsteps and his heartbeat as he followed her. She turned down an alley and waited for him.

As soon as he entered the alley Emma pounced. Her fangs sank into his soft neck, his sweet blood pouring into her mouth. Fortunately the boy made no sounds, just quiet little moans, as if he enjoyed it. For a split second, Emma contemplated letting him live, then the animalistic hunger kicked in and she finished what little blood he had left. She dropped him, his body making a hollow thunk sound. Emma panted, trying to catch her breath. She wiped all the blood from her lips and casually strolled out of the alley, reentering society.

“Care for a drink?” Someone asked. Emma turned and saw a small little girl handing her what looked like a small cup of lemonade.

“Sure,” Emma smiled, taking the cup. She slipped a twenty into the little girls hand and walked away, enjoying the excited squealing the girl made when she saw it.

“So the hybrid has a heart,” Vicki’s voice chuckled. Emma frowned, taking a small sip of the lemonade.

“I’d prefer it if you didn’t mention my condition in public,” Emma snarled. Vicki fell into step with Emma, her black bob shining under all the colorful lights.

“I wouldn’t call what you have a condition,” Vicki chuckled.

“I do,” Emma growled, throwing her empty cup in a decorated trash can.

“Why’s that?” Vicki asked, smiling at a vendor as they passed his table.

“I was never meant to be a vampire. I was never meant to be a werewolf either,” Emma growled, hating the fact that she could feel that all too familiar pit growing in her stomach. Vicki gave her a questioning look but stayed silent, probably knowing that Emma didn’t want to talk about it.

Vicki peeked at her phone and sighed, picking the bridge of her nose.

“Problem?” Emma asked, stopping to stand beside Vicki.

“Just some baby vamps showing off and creating a ruckus,” Vicki snarled, already heading in the opposite direction.

“Need some help?” Emma asked, jogging alongside Vicki.

“That would be greatly appreciated,” Vicki smiled, turning down a random alleyway. They came upon a group of rowdy looking teenagers, circling a group of terrified teenage girls. With just one whiff Emma picked out who was a vampire and who was a human. Four vampires circled four girls. One of the girls however was a vampire, masquerading as a human girl.

“We got a problem?” Emma asked. Vicki tensed up beside her, trying to figure out what was happening.

“Who the hell are you?” One of the boys asked.

“I believe I asked you a question first,” Emma snarled, slowly walking towards them. The girl vampire pulled the other two girls closer, pretending to be terrified.

“I don’t give a shit, I asked who you were!” The boy screamed, getting in her face. Emma smirked and shoved her hand into the boy’s chest, gripping his beating heart in her hand.

“A very scary someone,” she whispered in his ear before ripping his heart out. All three girls screamed, the vampire girl screaming the loudest. This boy was obviously her mate.

“Who’s next?” Emma asked. Emma could tell that her eyes had changed color just by the look on the vampire’s faces.

“What are you?” One of the boys asked. Emma smirked and tilted her head to the side, slowly walking towards the girls.

“I’m a hybrid sweetie, and girls, that friend of yours is a vampire. I don’t think you should be letting her hold you that closely,” Emma whispered, leaning forwards. The two human girls screeched, pushing away from the vampire girl. They both ran towards Vicki, leaving Emma alone with the vampires.

“So I have a deal for you. Stay and fight and obviously get killed, or leave New Orleans and never come back,” Emma muttered, admiring her nails. Emma could hear how furious the girl was getting. Her breathing was getting harder and her heartbeat had sped up. The girl screamed and charged at Emma. Emma pulled back her arm and hit the girls head so hard that it detached from her neck. Her body and head went in opposite direction, both smacking onto the ground.

“I don’t think I have to repeat myself, right?” Emma asked. The boys gave each other a look before running in the opposite direction. Emma smirked and turned, coming face to face with Vicki.

“The girls have been compelled. They got lost and asked us for directions,” Vicki smirked, obviously pleased with herself. Emma nodded, the adrenaline rush she had been feeling a few moments ago draining from her body.

“Um, go back and enjoy the party. I just realized that I needed to take care of something,” Emma grumbled, stalking in the other direction. Emma’s feet knew where they were headed long before her head did. She found herself in the cemetery where she was supposedly buried.

Back in the early 1600’s, after Emma was turned, no one could find her body, so they assumed she was killed and her body was never found. They filled her coffin with old toys, paintings, and a dress or two. Emma now stood on her grave, her eyes drilling into the simple gravestone.

“It’s been a while since you’ve been back,” someone chuckled. Emma smirked, her back still to the person.

“I could say the same to you,” Emma smiled, turning to face the person. There stood a tall girl with butter blonde hair, bright green eyes, and a cute freckled face. The hood of her dark blue hoodie was pulled up over her head, obscuring some of her face. Emma smirked, realizing that she was still wearing her signature jeans and sneakers look.

“Don’t I get a hug?” The girl asked, opening up her arms. Emma giggled, actually giggled and ran into the girl’s arms.

“It’s been too long Catherine,” Emma sighed, inhaling her friend’s familiar scent.

“I know,” Catherine sighed back. Emma pulled back and tensed. Something was different about Catherine.

“What’s wrong?” Catherine asked, noticing Emma’s mood change. Emma took a few steps away from Catherine and glared at her. She then looked around the cemetery looking for any other signs that someone was there.

“What’s wrong with you?” Catherine frowned.

“What’s wrong with you!?” Emma screamed. Catherine’s eyes went wide, her mouth dropping open.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Catherine lied. She was a horrible liar and Emma could always tell when she was doing it.

“Where are the others? Tell me or I swear to God Catherine, I will rip your heart out,” Emma threatened.

“I highly doubt that you would,” Catherine frowned, trying and failing at sounding brave.

“Really? Because I’ve already done it once tonight,” Emma snarled, holding up her hand which was still stained with blood. Catherine’s eyes widened as she took a step away from Emma.

“They’re in the crypt. Your family’s crypt,” Catherine confessed.

“You’re taking me there then. Just in case,” Emma snarled, pushing Catherine in the direction of the crypt. Catherine nodded solemnly and started to lead the way.

“Almost got away with it. Why is it that every time I come back here you try to have me destroyed?” Emma asked, stepping over an errant rock.

“Because you’re a sin against nature, and a threat to the city,” Catherine snarled.

“You think I wanted to be like this? Well you probably do, I mean everyone does,” Emma sighed, rolling her eyes.

“What do you mean?” Catherine asked, tripping over a protruding root. Emma caught her upper arm and balanced her. Catherine gave her a look and continued walking.

“I was never supposed to be a vampire, or a werewolf for that matter. My mom cheated on my dad with a werewolf and I was sick so my mom made a vampire give me its blood to heal me. But what she didn’t know what that as soon as the blood entered my system I died. So when I finally woke up, I was a hybrid. I didn’t even know I was a werewolf until my first kill. I triggered the curse after I fed for the first time. So it’s all my mother’s fault that I’m like this,” Emma explained, tears forming in her eyes. Catherine was silent, still trying to process everything. They finally came to the crypt, faint chanting coming from its depths. Emma’s heels clicked against the stone as she descended the steps behind Catherine. The chanting stopped, now replaced by murmurs.

“I’m here sisters,” Catherine announced, shooting a glare at Emma from over her shoulder. Emma smirked and pushed Catherine’s shoulder, making her move forward. They appeared in the archway of the Fitzenheim crypt, the six other girls in there turning to look at her.

“Isn’t this technically breaking and entering onto holy ground? My father was a priest at one time as I recall,” Emma smirked, crossing her arms. The girls exchanged worried looks, their backs to something hidden from Emma.

“What’s that?” Emma asked, gesturing to the thing they were hiding from her.

“It’s none of your business you cretin!” The shortest of the girls yelled. Emma let her words echo around before flashing in front of her. The girl squeaked, watching as Emma towered over her. Emma’s face slowly changed, her eyes now gold, veins protruding from underneath them.

“It’s not wise to call me names. You could wind up dead. Many have anyway.” All of the girl’s now looked at the smallest one, fear in their eyes.

“It’s not nice to threaten others,” a deep voice called out from behind the girls. They ran to the other side of the room, revealing a tall, very handsome man. He had short, dark brown hair, dark amber eyes, a very toned and muscular body, and a hint of a tattoo peeking out from under his shirt.

“And who are you?” Emma asked, her face returning to normal. The man gave her a strange look, Emma didn’t know why, but her stomach flipped when he stepped closer to her.

“So it’s true, you’re the hybrid?” He asked.

“I believe I asked you a question first,” Emma snapped. The man chuckled circling her like a hungry lion.

“The name’s Klaus, a pleasure to meet you Miss Fitzenheim,” he purred into her ear.