Vanity and Patience (16/?)
Title: Vanity and Patience
Author: Achelle
Category: Books, FanFiction - Twilight
Rated: NC-17 or MA
Genre: Romance, angst, smut, Pre-Twilight/Midnight Sun
Status: In Progress
Characters/Pairings: Emmett/Rosalie Canon Pairings
Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight, and its characters, or plot. The characters, books, and plot are property of Stephenie Meyer. I make no money from writing this. I just love Twilight.
Warnings: Rated NC-17/MA for a reason. Some chapters may contain adult language, violence, assault, and sexual content. Lemons in future chapters
Summary: Rosalie is content to live her vampire life to its fullest, regardless of her resentment to her immortal situation. One day while hunting she comes across a dying man with an innocent face that she cannot resist. In an act of strength, she brings him home to change him into one of them. How does the vain and selfish Rosalie deal with an irrational newborn vampire who can’t see past his lust for blood to even notice her? Will she be able to swallow her pride and have the patience to stand by him? Will Emmett be the man who can change her life for the better?
All Chapters are Rosalie's POV.
Chapter 1
Previous Chapter
AUTHOR'S CHAPTER NOTES:
Chapter Specific Warning: No lemons or violence exist in this chapter, but sex is almost always implied.
As always thanks to cfmom and ledybug for their betaing expertise.
My endless thanks to texbelle, my twilighted validation beta, for her constant support and timely validations.
And to lisa for such great suggestions in the last few chapters that she's helped out with. Thank you for being there for me, and an awesome friend.
To Kari, thank you for being such an awesome friend as well. Glad we have each other to bounce ideas off of and just vent to.
And of course to a shout to the DHGs, you all know who you are, and I can't thank you enough for reading and reviewing and letting me take you to my tiny world where only our loveable Emmett and Rosalie live.
Sorry this took so long. Writer’s block has been getting the best of me lately. However, incase you missed it, Chapter 1 of V&P's sideshots, Strength and Remorse, is already available here.
Playlist:
- Emily Rossum - Fallen
- Alanis Morrisette - I’m a Bitch
- 112 and Mase - Jealous Guy
- Cypress Hill - How I Could Just Kill a Man
- Hoobastank - Running Away
Chapter 16: Lessons
I returned home that night with a devilish smirk on my face as I approached the estate. We had changed our arrangements so that Mr. Kent would come to the house earlier in the week. He would be arriving in three days time, just enough time for me to keep a level head as I knew I’d have to work to keep my thoughts from Edward. I had a great plan in place for getting my revenge and winning this game; nothing was going to stop me now. However, upon reaching the garage, something was off. I knew that Carlisle and Edward were out running errands, leaving just Emmett and Esme at the house.
How strange, I thought to myself.
The light coming from the house was a peculiar yellowish color and flickered inconsistently in the living room. As I stepped onto the porch I caught the scent of burning wicks and wax. They were using candles tonight? It didn’t seem we were experiencing a power outage.
I stepped inside slowly, the flicker of the candlelight increasing with the breeze of the door.
Esme stood, in front of the living room, her beautiful face graced with an exuberant grin. “Come on in,” she invited me, guiding me further past the foyer and into the living room. “He’s been waiting for you,” she whispered to me, as if he couldn’t here.
He? Waiting for me?
My eyes popped open wider as they scanned every table in the room. The room was flooded with countless vases of red roses, yellow tulips, and white cymbidium orchids. As I stepped once more, I was grateful that vampires could not shed any tears as I took a few more steps, because a stinging sensation filled my eyes with the familiar human instinct to cry. It would ruin my pride to show my feelings to everyone, so for once I was grateful of my immortal body that was capable of hiding my emotions, if I chose to. I scanned the room once again, looking at the species and colors in the sea of the floral arrangements. Red roses were passionate love, yellow tulips stood for hopeless love, and the orchids meant delicate beauty.
No, it can’t be. Could he really know what they meant?
I turned to Esme and she motioned her hands to encourage me to continue forward. I gave her a quizzical look to silently ask if she had anything to do with this. I pointed to the flowers and then back to her just to make sure they weren't a gift from Carlisle, and she shook her head, pointing at me silently.
She gave me an impish, yet apologetic grin of guilt. Had she helped him? She then bit her lip to keep from almost giggling excitedly at what Esme knew was planned.
I stepped further into the room in that sea of blooms, and past the wall separating the living room from the foyer. My heart would have raced if it were still beating as a familiar scent intermingled robustly in the air with that of the roses and other flowers. I turned the corner, and there he was.
Behind the blanket of colorful flower arrangements, Emmett stood with a gorgeous bouquet of the roses, orchids, and tulips in his trembling hand. His posture was awkward and timid; his face bashful yet pleading. The amber tint of the candlelight flickered as it cast dramatic shadows across the chiseled definition of his facial features. He stood in a pair of chocolate tweed trousers with a matching vest, and a cream button up round collar shirt.
His free hand lifted his derby hat above his head quickly as he tipped it to greet me. “Hi,” was all he managed to say with a quivering breath, and my heart shattered into a million pieces. He made his best effort to smile, but his trembling lips couldn’t hold it in the mess of all of his nerves.
Oh, God why did you have to pick this night to be so amazing to me?
I said nothing as I suddenly went rigid. I could not let him win. I had to be strong. My nose flared as I tried my best to keep my stone face as emotionless as possible.
Must not give in, must not give in.
He continued to smile, his lips stretching from ear to ear, his dimples deepening once again like canons aimed to shoot and destroy my tenacity.
As I felt my resolve to maintain the stubborn marble expression on my face begin to weaken and break, I suddenly blurted out, “Mr. Thomas Kent’s coming here on Thursday.” The words came tumbling out in a rush, my voice shrill as it cracked in the middle of my sentence.
“Miss Rosalie?” Emmett asked, his face perplexed at my statement.
“Rose?” Esme asked, walking over to me. “Mr. Kent is coming here?”
“Yes, for lessons… private lessons,” I said quickly turning to Esme as I tried to avoid looking at Emmett’s handsome face. “We’ll be dancing in the garage.”
“Oh, I see,” Esme nodded, her face just as baffled as Emmett’s expression. “Well, that’s… good then?”
“Yes, yes it is,” I continued, pulling my jacket off and trying to feign that I was unaffected as much as possible. “It will allow me to ensure my skill meets the challenge of any setting, including the garage.”
“Rosalie, what do you think of what Emmett did to the living-“ Esme tried to ask, but I cut her off.
“But now I need to study for my finals, and so I must retire to my bedroom.” Realizing none of what I just babbled about made any sense, I hurried up the stairs and into my room.
“Rose,” I heard Esme call, but I didn’t answer. Like many nights when she would stop by to try to talk to me, she knew it was pointless. I would just lie and say everything was okay, or I’d send her away while I refused to speak.
I let out a breath as I stepped into my room-a breath I never realized I was even holding. My hand clasped my chest as I had a strange feeling, like I needed air. I opened my window and stuck my head out as I took deep breaths of the crisp night air. It was a familiar human reaction of hyperventilation. Though I knew I no longer required oxygen to breathe, my human emotions must have taken a toll on my physical wellbeing. Below me, I could hear Emmett and Esme’s conversation.
“She… she hates me,” I heard him breathe.
“No, sweetheart, she doesn’t,” Esme assure him. “She just needs time.”
“Maybe I shouldn’t have teased her the other day,” Emmett muttered, and a clear note of disappointment colored his voice.
I heard them both sit somewhere, as I sat on my own couch, lifting my feet up to bend my knees and wrap my arms around my legs. I rested my chin on the valley my knees created and sighed, closing my eyes.
“Dear, sweet, Emmett,” Esme sighed. “I’m sure it’s nothing. All the effort you’re putting into this must be getting to her somehow. She may be willful in holding onto her bitterness for whatever past circumstances have posed a challenge between you two, but it won’t last for long. She’ll get over it soon enough.”
“What if she doesn’t?” I heard him ask, his voice starting to break like he was about to cry.
The pieces of my heart were pulverized by the sound of his desperation. I fought with all my strength not to run down there and hold him in my arms myself. I wanted with all my being to cup his face into my hands. I wanted to force him to look at me and tell him everything was going to be all right, forgiving him for all of it. I shook my head at the thought. I knew I couldn’t hang onto this grudge for so long.
But you can’t show your feelings, a voice in my head told me. He has to be the one to give in first.
I nodded my head firmly in agreement with my inner voice. I stood up quickly to walk over to the full-length mirror on my closet door. I tuned out their conversation by humming to myself. Pressing my lips together, I removed my silk top and my brassiere to examine the two shiny crescent scars that framed my left nipple. As I was losing my will to hold onto my grudge, I desperately needed to remind myself why I was angry.
The next day in school I poured myself into my studies, taking notes and paying attention to lectures as diligently as I could. When I wasn’t doing]any of those things, I would be reading and re-reading my textbooks for history class. I would write and re-write essay length answers to possible final exam questions in my government class. I pushed through equation after equation in pre-calculus. I couldn't let my mind slip while Edward was around. I knew that it was going to be an arduous task to hide my plan from him concerning Thomas.
We returned home after school, and all the men went out hunting. Esme was upstairs finalizing the blueprints to the first level of our new home. As I was able to get a sneak preview of the plan earlier that week, I was excited to see how large and open the floor plan was. Stepping into my room, I found that the bouquet that Emmett had held the night before, was placed in water, and sitting in a vase on my vanity. I caught a faint whiff of his scent that intermingled with the soft smell of roses, bestowing guilt upon me once again. I left it untouched, but as I sat to brush my hair, I stared at the beauty of the arrangement, every flower in perfect bloom. I couldn’t help but feel the culpability in not accepting such a grand gesture from him.
I decided I needed a break from studying, and stepped out of my room, away from the guilt inducing flowers. Unfortunately, the first floor was still flooded with vases, a particularly large arrangement of orchids on the baby grand piano. I sat at the piano, which I had not done in quite some time. I focused on the keys below rather than the orchid arrangement above. I decided to play Debussy’s Arabesque #1, as Edward was had been playing him on the radio the other day. As I played, I felt and heard a gust of wind, and suddenly Esme was there watching. She moved slowly to sit by me on the bench, but with her back turned to the keys as the song came to a close.
I suddenly realized she wasn’t here to listen to music as much as she was here to talk to me, most likely about my behavior towards Emmett. I sat quietly, respectfully waiting for her to speak. I had gone long enough without talking to her about things. I owed it to her to listen to her.
“It’s nice to see you taking a break from all of your studying. I know that finals are coming for you, but while an education is important, I always strongly encourage the significance of leisure to the wellbeing of one’s soul.”
I smiled gently, looking down. “I guess you’re not like most mothers,” I mumbled. “Most of the time they’d be sending their youngsters up to their room, complaining they weren’t studious enough. And yes, I needed a break.” It seemed both of us took a deep breath, and I turned to her, watching her profile gazing forward towards the windows and realizing she looked hesitant to continue. “If this is about Emmett…”
“No, honey, it’s not about Emmett…,” she said, and then turning to face me, she continued “unless you want it to be.”
I looked at her and bit my lip, and slowly shook my head with the smallest movement. I averted my sight from her and looked down sheepishly at the keys of the piano.
“If you would allow me to say what I need to say just this once, I will not approach you about the subject again. Is that too much to ask?”
I cocked my head to the side, pursing one corner of my lips as I considered this- a soft, apologetic smile threatening to play at my mouth. I turned my eyes to her and from my expression she gauged that I was allowing her to continue.
“Thank you, Rose,” she said and took a deep breath. “I don't pretend to approve of the way you handle yourself on behalf of his efforts to gain your… forgiveness. None of us do, in fact. I know that the tables have turned, but at some point Rosalie, this has become ridiculous. However, I realize this should be between the two of you. Though I wish things were better with you two, I can't force this upon you,” she said with reluctance.
I nodded in understanding, and was also grateful that she still trusted me enough to make my own decisions.
“But I do wish that you would take what I’ve said seriously, and talk matters through with one another-sooner rather than later. Obviously there are many things you need to work out with one another, if you're ever to move forward. You can’t live like this forever.”
Turning to look at her again, I saw hope in her eyes as she tried to assess my expression. As much as I tried to hide my feelings, I knew that it was written on my face that I wasn’t ready, but that I also wanted it to end- this game; this chase. Unfortunately, with my instructor coming to the house in less than 48 hours, there was still one last bit of the game to play before I gave in.
“I know, Esme,” I finally answered in a small voice. “It’s just that… right now, I’m just not ready.” I figured it was better to be honest with her than anything. I owed her that much for not speaking to her for a few weeks. I refused to be alone with her or Carlisle, in hopes that they wouldn’t talk me out of my tenacity or selfishness. Though I could never outwardly admit to being selfish, I silently knew that with regards to Emmett, I was.
“Well, as long as you intend to smooth things over with him when you are ready,” she sighed, somewhat relieved at my response, but seeming ill at ease. I wondered if it was a result from the fact that I didn’t promise a deadline.
“I will, I promise,” I said, and I meant it. I slowly shut the lid to the piano, motioning to get up from the bench, when I felt Esme’s hand reach for my wrist.
“There is something else I would like to address with you,” she said, before taking another sigh and continuing, “and I’m hoping you’ll let me talk to you about it.”
I turned to her in curiosity, her eyes looking at me again with a slight hint worry. Her face held a touch of fear in the way her brows had curled to frame her eyes. “What is it?”
“Edward… mentioned something… about your family,” she said slowly, knowing that I would be upset.
I pursed my lips at that thought that Edward was meddling. “What did he say now?” Frustrated, I began to tremble, my lips scrunching into a tight ball as my eyes narrowed. “Ugh! It’s my business and mine alone if I ever care to see them again.”
“Oh, honey, that’s not what he said.” Esme clarified, her face a bit confused at my statement. “All he said was that Janice King is having Richard’s baby.”
“Oh...,” I said softly, my temper calming slightly, “I see.”
She paused for a moment, her expression still perplexed. “Is that what you desire? Not to watch over them anymore?” Her head cocked to the side, and her eyes gave a sympathetic look. “I thought you loved to keep yourself connected to your human life?”
“I…” I couldn’t finish, looking down and getting up from my seat. I began to pace around the room as Esme still sat on the bench, her topaz colored eyes following me. “They’re forcing them to marry. How can I desire to be near them when they still desire to be near the Kings? After everything that Royce did to me, they still choose not to believe what all of Rochester thought was the truth. They’re still just so desperate to for wealth.”
“There was never any proof to them or the authorities that Royce was the culprit. You cannot blame them for Royce’s mistakes. Rosalie, have you not thought that maybe they want what’s best for the couple? Or even better yet, have you thought what was best for the baby?”
I stopped in my tracks, my back to Esme as I faced the living room wall. The mere mention of “baby” and my stomach churned in notches.
“Oh, my dear Rosalie,” she sighed. “Do you not see this baby as a blessing? Do you not realize that you are becoming an aunt? Doesn’t that excite you?”
I frowned. “How could it excite me? It’s not mine. And it’s not like I could even be an aunt to the child.” I turned to her, gesturing to myself. “Look at me, Esme. I’m a vampire. They think I’m dead. I can’t exactly go back and visit, baring gifts for their baby.”
“But would you not want to look after your niece or nephew?”
My niece or nephew. I hadn’t thought about it that way-a chubby, bundle of joy that would be my niece or nephew. My heart was definitely broken for many reasons, and this particular thought only added to it.
I let out a breath, knowing that she had a point, but I refused to see it. “I… I need to get back to studying,” I mumbled softly, trying to change the subject and respectfully dismiss myself from the conversation.
“Rosalie-“
“Esme, I appreciate your concern. I love what you are trying to help me do, but I just can’t,” I explained, my voice still soft, looking back at her with eyes that begged forgiveness. “I wanted to have the baby they’re having, don’t you see? To even think about it is like having them dangle all that I’ve wanted in my face with no means to acquire such a dream. Surely, you can understand me.” And I know she did. She once had a child who passed away. In fact, it was what made her jump off the cliff in an attempted suicide fifteen years ago. It’s what lead Carlisle to find her in the morgue, still with a heart beat, before he changed her.
Esme stood up, nodding in defeat. “It is your decision, of course,” she spoke, her voice calm. “I just didn’t want to let you do anything you might regret later.”
I stepped over to her and gave her a light hug. “I know, Esme, I know. Thank you.” I felt her arms enclose around me softly, but I sensed some disinclination in her hold. I knew she meant well, but my tenacity kept me from giving into her advice. I excused myself and walked up to my bedroom where I studied once again for my exams.
It was finally Thursday; Edward and Emmett had just walked through the door from a hunting excursion for bears and bobcats. We had all decided it was better to make sure Emmett’s thirst was sated in preparation for my human visitor. As a precaution, Carlisle thought it best that Thomas and I stay in the garage, while Emmett stayed in the house. Edward had suggested they listen to a game on the radio during my lesson so that Emmett would be distracted. I was able to keep my thoughts to myself by defining pre-calculus functions, and drawing out a timetable for my history class in my head. However, I was thankful that this day finally arrived, because I didn’t know how much longer I could keep my thoughts from Edward.
At exactly 5:55pm, Thomas arrived in his black 1932 Ford Cabriolet. He parked a bit of a distance of our driveway, behind the Bentley and Volvo that my brother and father courteously kept from the garage. He pulled off his fedora and held it to his chest as he nodded hello to me before heading in my direction. As he walked over, I straightened my Chanel cotton dress with my hands gently, calling attention to my figure as I watched his eyes follow the motions of my hands for a quick second before looking back at my face.
Like putty in my hands.
I detected the small patter of his heart beat increase in tempo as he came closer. “Good evening, Miss Hale. Are your parents home?” he asked cordially.
“Sure,” I said. I called for Esme and Carlisle, and he greeted them both before they excused themselves back into the home. Esme had offered him a drink, which she had stocked in our icebox with for this occasion, and Thomas settled with some iced tea.
“Would you like something, as well, Miss Hale?” he asked. “I’m sure dancing would get you thirsty.”
I smiled a bit at the private joke. “Thank you, but I’m fine. I made sure to drink plenty of fluids in preparation for our lessons, and I can always get refreshments if I feel… thirsty.”
Esme shot me a mixed look of amusement and warning at my statement before heading into the house to fix his drink.
“Well, that is good then,” he replied, smiling back.
“I hope this space is sufficient,” I said to Thomas, my hands gesturing towards the empty two-car garage.
“Oh, Miss Hale, it’s more than enough.” His eyes scanned the garage, as his eyes sought out the source of the music he could hear. The song “I Get a Kick out of You” by Cole Porter was currently playing. “That is just wonderful,” he said, admiring the radio. “Just perfect. We can use this song and start with the foxtrot. What do you say?” He offered his arm to me.
“That is just fine,” I said, taking his arm and letting him walk me to the center of the garage. Once there, he turned me to face him, and began to lead me around the garage in an elegant foxtrot.
Esme had appeared with a tray of napkins and a glass of iced tea, laying it down on a table to the side, smiling as she watched us for a moment before heading back inside.
I smiled at Thomas as we danced. He gave me a closed mouth grin, a dimple showing on his cheek. He really was good looking. It was a shame that I didn’t know him in my human years. He even outshined Royce. His eyes sparkled as the lighting of our garage reflected from them, but I liked to think they did so because he was looking at me. As if to answer my question, he smiled even wider, prompting me to respond by letting out a chuckle as he lifted his arm to lead me into a spin.
I looked around as I spun, spotting Emmett peering out his window from the second floor. He wasn’t exactly frowning, yet he wasn’t smiling either. I wondered if my grand plan had all been for naught as he seemed expressionless as he watched me dance with another man. I heard him descend the stare case to join Edward by the radio for the game. I realized after a long moment of dancing that I needed to do something to spark a reaction from him.
Thomas and I danced for a few songs, many of which required that he and I to be dancing and holding each other close-cheek to cheek even. Unfortunately, I saw and heard nothing from within the house. I could hear the hum of another radio as Emmett and Edward listened to the game, with their cheering and clapping at each play. Carlisle and Esme were looking over more floor plans for the Hoquiam house discussing the flow of the layout. Frustrated, I decided I needed to raise the stakes of the game a little higher, and that I would do it with the next song.
The radio changed, and began to play “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes,” by Nat Shrilkret.
Wonderful, I thought. A slow tempo song.
Thomas stepped back to bow as I curtsied in return. “Venetian Waltz?” he asked, offering his hand once again. I nodded wordlessly as I took it in my gloved hand. I floated gracefully as he led me around the room by the hand before spinning me to dance flush against his body.
I cautiously let my stone figure mold around his warm pliant form, pressing myself against him. The heat of his human flesh was admittedly delicious, and I couldn’t help but wonder if Emmett had felt this way during his human days. His body was too torn and weak when I found him, for me to enjoy him in such an embrace. If I had met him before the bear mauling, would his body emit this much heat if I held him against me? The thought of Emmett’s bulging muscles being as warm as Thomas’s caused my nipples to involuntarily stiffen.
I heard a low and deep growl from inside the house. I didn’t need to look up to know who it was. Regardless, I allowed myself a quick glance at the window anyway, and was rewarded with a brief glimpse of Emmett’s face before he moved away from the window. In that brief glimpse, his nose was had been flared and his mouth was pressed closed in a scowl, with his lips wrinkling at his at the corners.
You’re not the only one who desires me, I thought towards him, as if he could read minds like our dear little brother.
Turning my attention once more to my instructor, Thomas immediately became rigid in my hold. It was an obvious response to the tiny peaks forming on my breasts that stood erect enough that they could be felt through my layers of clothing and they grazed his chest lightly as we swayed. I immediately felt a rush of heat below his waste as the burn of thirst tore through my body, from my esophagus traveling out to my limbs. His blood was traveling quickly to his manhood and forming an erection, growing slowly but surely as it was pressed against my belly.
Through the burn, I still managed to smile at him, trying to seem bashful, but instead a little smug, and he suddenly pulled away.
“I’m sorry, Miss Hale,” he apologized softly, stepping away and hunching over a bit. He turned to face the corner, and I noted the small movement of his arms as he tried to discreetly adjust himself in his trousers. Even in the most awkward of situations, he held to his proper, chivalrous self.
Immediately I felt a sharp pinch of guilt in my stomach, considering that I was using such a goodhearted, young fellow to make my vampire suitor jealous. I knew that I wasn’t right to lead him on or to make him much like a pet, but as my enhanced hearing caught Emmett mumbling a string of unintelligible things in blatant jealousy from the kitchen, I could not stop myself. I enjoyed it way too much.
“It’s all right, Mr. Kent,” I said in my most soothing, disarming tone.
He had turned to me then to look at my eyes, and his face flushed with a somewhat humiliated expression that was also coloring his eyes and lips.
“Let’s continue, shall we? I don’t want to keep you here any longer than discussed. I’m sure you have other plans for tonight.” I smiled at him as I offered my arms out for him to take so that we could continue our dance.
He gulped, taking me slowly into his arms. He held me in the basic steps for a few silent moments while he gained composure of himself from being embarrassed. Clearing his throat, he finally spoke. “Actually your statement is inaccurate, Miss Rosalie, as I do not have other plans this evening,” he said, taking a few steps with me before raising one of my hands and placing his other hand on the small of my back to lead me into a turn.
We danced in silence, this time without smiles, but looks of chemistry inducing fire. I could not ignore that I was, in fact, attracted to him, even in its smallest measurement.
He swallowed nervously and took a deep breath before speaking again. “Would it be too forward of me if I were to ask you out this evening?” he asked, his hands beginning to tremble.
My eyebrows rose in surprise and delight. This was just too easy, I thought.
I smiled mischievously, but tried my best to keep it less obvious. “Mr. Kent, are you asking me out on a date?”
“I know, I know. It’s terribly presumptuous of me to think that you would have no plans, and to ask you out on such short notice. I had just hoped that if I came here, that I could interest you in an outing afterwards.”
“Mr. Kent, I’m not so sure,” I replied, but I was still a bit too smug in my voice.
“I'm terribly sorry for the short notice, but I can't refrain from asking you any longer. Would you grant me the honor of your company?” he asked, leading me into a spin.
As he tipped me back, I looked up at his happy face. “And what if I do say yes?” I asked, letting my cool breath wash over him yet again.
He inhaled deeply, taking in its scent. “I would be honored to have you accompany me to the theater for a picture show, and afterwards I would gladly escort you home.” He held me in his arms, my back still leaning into the dip, and I distributed my weight evenly as I knew his human arms couldn’t hold my marble body up in all its strength.
My mouth curled up on one side into a half smile before I said “Is that all you want?” in the most seductive tone I could ever put together. I batted my eyelashes and let the sent of my breath draw him in, knowing a vampire’s scent for a human would be like a mouth to a flame.
His eyes became slightly unfocused before becoming heavy lidded, and his face inched forward to softly brush his lips against mine.
In mere microseconds, many things happened at once as my mind was swirling with thoughts. Suddenly my throat became engulfed with flames of bloodlust at the feel of his warm, supple lips just centimeters away from my stone ones. My lips began to part by their own volition. To Thomas, I probably looked like I was going in for a real kiss, but I knew that my mouth was ready to bare teeth, and cut them into his flesh like a hot knife on a stick of butter. My mind fought frantically not to imagine his warm, crimson nectar pulsing from his jugular. Thirst had overcome my momentary sexual lust for such a fragile human and I vaguely registered that he was in extreme danger.
I was thankful when I was distracted from my burning phase of thirst as I heard a loud crash from inside the house. It sounded like glass shattering into pieces as it all scattered and spilled on the floor.
“I’ll fucking kill him!” I could hear Emmett screaming out.
Immediately I stiffened before pulling myself out from under Thomas’s grasp. A look of shock and confusion marred his handsome face as he took in Emmett’s voice. It was obvious to me that he wasn’t sure whom the sudden outburst was directed towards.
I could hear more glass exploding in a million pieces somewhere else in the house, and the voices of my family trying to wrestle Emmett to the floor. “I’m gonna rip that kid to shreds with my teeth after I feed on him and then spit him out!!”
My preternatural hearing caught the sound of the additional family members. I could hear Edward, grunting as he probably worked to hold him. Two gusts of wind flew down the staircase, as Carlisle and Esme called for him to stop, telling him to calm down.
“Mr, Kent, I’m terribly sorry, but I just remembered something that I was supposed to do tonight, so I must cut this short,” I said in a hurry, swiftly pulling him by the arm towards his car.
“Miss Hale, if I did anything to offend you…” he began to say as I pulled the keys from his pocket and hastily opened the door for him, motioning for him to get in.
“No, you didn’t. It was completely my fault.” I said in a rush, practically pushing him into the car.
His face was stunned. His apprehension growing as he saw the frantic movements that I could barely contain at human speed. I helped him get away and hopefully run out for his dear life.
How could I have been so foolish?
Starting his car, his brows in a perplexed wrinkle, he looked up to the house to see in the window the silhouettes of my family struggling to keep Emmett from flying out after him. His face grew to one of fear as he took in the size of Emmett’s form, his eyes widening in horror as he realized that the anger was directed towards him.
“I’m gonna kill you,” I could hear Emmett calling through the window, and Thomas’s brows furrowed in dread as he broke a cold sweat.
“Please, Mr, Kent, just go,” I begged in a whisper. “I’m so sorry, Thomas. Please, go now,” I said.
“You’re gonna be dinner, and then I’m gonna rip your dead body apart limb from limb!” I could hear Emmett say. It would be too muffled to human ears to comprehend, thank God.
Thankfully, all of the words were said too fast for Thomas to understand them. He nodded comprehension of my motioning him to leave, putting the car into gear. With one concerned look back at me, and within seconds he was speeding down the driveway and off of our property line, back into town.
I zoomed into the house, realizing that Emmett had crushed all of the vases of flowers that he had left me-glass, petals, and leaves spilled across the floor, some still flying around in the wake of the commotion. Furniture had been broken and pushed aside. Carlisle and Esme both had him pinned to the hardwood floor, while Edward came charging at me in lightening speed.
“You and me, outside, right now,” Edward growled, grabbing me firmly by my arm to yank me out of the house and across the yard into the forest. He was able to pull me well over five miles from our property line, a good distance so that the [other] family members could not hear us. His had dug into my flesh as he tugged my upper arm to get me there.
When he finally stopped, he spun around in a whirlwind, and before I could even say anything he began to scorn me. “You have been relentlessly cruel and idiotic. I have sat around for long enough watching the atrocious things that you do to him and letting it slide, but you have obviously gone way to too far.”
“I didn’t initially plan for it to get this far!” I yelled back in my defense.
“Well, congratulations, Rosalie! It has gone that far! How could you even think about bringing a human home to make a newborn jealous? Have you lost your mind?” Edward said, his eyes boring into mine, the skin between his eyebrows puckering in frustration as they scrunched inward in his trembling anger. His hand, still tightly gripping my harm shook me as if to try to shake some sense into me.
I struggled from his grasp. “Get your hands off of me!”
“How could you do it?” Edward demanded, as his voice echoed in a loud boom in the forest.
A gust of wind came to hit us as Carlisle suddenly appeared, pulling Edward’s hand from my arm. “Edward, that is enough, I’ll take it from here.”
“No, Carlisle. It is not enough. She has endangered Thomas Kent. Not to mention she has put our family in danger of being exposed.”
“Edward, go. Please, let me handle this.”
Edward stepped back, but he didn’t leave, choosing instead to remain in place where he now stood, folding his arms in anger across his chest.
“Rosalie, I have stood quietly by to watch your immature attitude towards Emmett without interference. This by far is the worst thing you could ever think to do, and I cannot and will not tolerate it. Do you understand me?”
I began to sob. “But Carlisle, it wasn’t my intention to put him into danger. It was supposed to be harmless fun, really.”
“I know you didn’t mean it, but what ever your intentions were. The point is, you put an innocent man’s life in massive danger just to play this game with Emmett and I will not allow it to continue any further. Not to mention, the fact remains that if Emmett were to kill him, it would risk the exposure of this family to the public, and we will have to move away more quickly than we have planned. His association to you would no doubt lead the authorities to us. Have you even thought about how the murder of such a respected fellow with a well-known connection to you and the family would look if the news traveled over to Italy where Aro, Caius, and Marcus are concerned?”
A tremendous amount of shame came like a tidal wave, crashing all over me and causing my knees to buckle. I had fallen forward into Carlisle's arms as weakened guilt robbed me of my balance. Before I could even respond, I was interrupted.
“Carlisle! Edward!” We all heard Esme faintly calling as she approached. “Help!”
“Esme, what’s wrong. Where’s Emmett?” Carlisle asked, concerned as he looked from catching me.
“He’s gone,” she exclaimed, frantic and shaken.
“What?” I asked, sensing gut wrenching knots as my stomach felt like it fell to my feet.
“Emmett, he ran off,” Esme sobbed, grabbing hold of Carlisle’s arm.
“Damn it! Which direction?” Edward asked, crouching and ready to launch himself after Emmett.
“West,” Esme said, frazzled beyond comprehension. “I- I think he’s headed into town.’”
But before Esme could finish her sentence, Edward had already taken off in Emmett’s direction.
“Oh, my God,” I gasped, covering my hand over my mouth. I stood up, trying to steady myself on my legs. Carlisle and Esme were talking to each other, mumbling somethings about Emmett, but I couldn’t comprehend a word.
Mr. Kent. Oh, poor Thomas.
Without another thought, I was running.
Frantically, I began running towards town, heading to the Kent residence.
I prayed to God that I wasn’t too late.
Author's End Notes:
Please don’t hate her for putting Emmett through the ringer like that. I know a few of you are annoyed with her from last time, but really, this is ROSALIE HALE. Did you really think “the new and improved softie Rose” would be around forever? But don’t worry. I think its safe to say Rosalie has learned her lesson, and will no longer be playing games.
Again to Hawkins, thanks for letting me use the flower meanings idea. I try to give credit where credit is due.
Please review and let me know what you think, as each review feed my creative soul, and inspires me to keep writing.
And if you like the story and want to discuss that or anything further, please come by and play on the Vanity and Patience Thread on the Twilighted.net Forum.