Vanity and Patience (22/?, Part I of II)

[achelle1317]

 

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: A lemon exists in this chapter. You’ve been warned.



To my beta for this chapter: cfmom, who kicks other beta’s asses with her kickassedness.

To my Mikey, who is my rock, and the best, most supportive boyfriend ever. I love you!

To my readers, I apologize sincerely for getting this chapter out so slowly. I made this chapter longer than usual to make up for it though. Also, I did, however, manage to write two new one shots stories in the time between. The Cable Guy, my UNFmett contest entry, and And Then There Were Three, my first entry into Twilight After Dark, are now available on twilighted. The links are in the endnotes.

Also, thanks to those who have voted for V&P in the Sparkle Awards, and The Golden Chocolates, as well as those who voted for “The Cable Guy” in the UNFmett Contest! Your vote is greatly appreciated. Congrats to the future winners and all who were nominated.
Playlist:

• T-Pain - Get Drunk
• Kenny Chesney - Being Drunk Is a Lot like Loving You
• Jamie Foxx - Unpredictable
• Tone Loc - Wild Thing
• Ginuwine - Pony
• H-Town - Knockin the Boots
• Drake - The Best I Ever Had

Chapter 22: Broken Walls

I swerved to miss the last set of trees as I began to pick up my pace again. I tried to hold control over my bloodlust, my nails digging into my flesh as I held clenched fists together so tightly. The onslaught of such a burning thirst in my throat was almost more than I could bare, but knowing that Emmett must’ve slipped I had to stay strong for him.

I stepped into the field of wheat, moving like a sea of waves in the late night breeze as I slowed my approach and headed towards the weathered barn.

Peeking in from the window, I saw the body of a man sprawled across the floor, sitting in a pool of dark brown tinted liquid, with a bottle of whiskey tipped over on the table above him. Beside the bottle was an ashtray with a cigar, the white tint of wavy smoke still rising from its tip.

With a gust of wind, Emmett appeared beside me. His normally pale mouth was now lined with blood on the rim of his lips.

“Emmett,” I seethed under my breath.

“We have to go, now,” he whispered urgently, grabbing my hand and leading me away from the barn. “Hurry, before someone sees us.” I didn’t miss how his teeth and the inside of his mouth were both lightly coated with the man’s blood. Flames engulfed my throat at the sight. I tried to concentrate on Emmett’s words instead. My concern for him was hopefully enough to distract me from my own thirst and the great temptation that fresh blood presented.

“We can’t just leave him. We need to dispose of the body,” I reminded Emmett. “Destroy all evidence, remember?”

He nodded once before leaving my side and appearing in the barn, lifting the man effortlessly off the floor and throwing the frail body over his shoulder. Grabbing a shovel with his free hand, he zoomed out.

He was standing in front of me before I could count to twenty. “Hold this,” he instructed, handing the shovel to me.

I took it, my eyes conveying my confusion.

“Let’s go,” he whispered, frantically, and I had no choice but to follow him as he began to run. As we made our escape, his free hand grabbed hold of mine while his other arm kept the corpse firmly in place on his shoulder.

I ran with him silently, his grip strong on my hand as he led me back in the direction from which we came. I watched him as he ran. He had a determined, yet sated, look on his face.

About fifty miles from the farm where Emmett had stumbled upon the man, he dropped the corpse to the ground. Extending one hand out to me, he gestured for me to give him the shovel. He quickly began to dig a hole into the ground, shoving the fresh soil aside as I watched him silently.

I observed him carefully as he dug into the ground. I realized that this must’ve been how he disposed of the corpses in his time away from us.

Feeling my eyes on him, he stopped. Looking at me, he leaned on a tree, pressing the full weight of his back against its trunk.

“You slipped,” I breathed, still watching him carefully.

“I’d say so,” he chuckled morbidly, still looking to his side. His expression was grim, and the chuckle was out of place. I was confused by his reaction. He was so remorseful about killing someone the last time. His eyes, with his tangerine irises now lined in a deep crimson as it began to fill with human blood, switched to look at me, no doubt reading my perplexed expression. His face turned serious. “I found a bobcat, but just as I was about to kill him, the wind changed, and then… it was over.”

I stared at the body lying in the ground, a pang of guilt rocking through me, though not strong enough to waiver my lust for the blood that stained Emmett’s lips at the moment. I decided to ask questions to distract myself. “So you caught the smell of a human and just decided to feed on him?”

“No, baby, it was more than that.” He looked away from me, his gaze turning to the pale corpse. “I observed him for a while, and it wasn’t just his blood that attracted me to him… he was drinking.” He let out another breathy chortle, shaking his head. “In fact, he was completely bent-totally splifficated and seeing pink elephants. I wanted to see if his alcohol-laced blood would have any effect on me,” he grinned sheepishly. “He was drinking whiskey, my favorite brand of moonshine, no less.” He gave a shameful laugh once again. “I couldn’t help myself. I miss feeling plastered. I was hoping I could at least get a bit lit.”

As he spoke, I watched the tantalizing crimson tint of his mouth. My throat singed with thirsty curiosity again. I gulped. “So did anything come from your efforts?” I stepped towards him, studying his demeanor. “Are you affected by the alcohol at all?” Maybe that was why he was laughing. It would explain how easily he took to killing this man.

He frowned. “Not even.” Letting out a disappointed sigh, he then admitted, “I’d give anything to be a sheet in the wind again… at the very least.”

“I see,” I said quietly, taking another step in his direction. I’d never been drunk in my life, but I always figured Emmett to have dabbled in alcohol in his human life quite frequently. I wasn’t surprised that he missed it.

He lifted his head to look at me again. “I’m sure Carlisle won’t be so happy I conducted an experiment with an innocent life tonight… only to have it end in vain.” His face held a slight bit of concern, but he seemed more at peace about this kill than he did about the hobo a few weeks ago.

Finally stopping just inches away from him I placed my hand on his shoulder, rubbing it soothingly, still silent. I wasn’t sure what words to offer him.

Still watching me, he sighed again. “I’m having trouble with the rules, Rosalie.”

“I know,” I nodded, “but you’ll get there.” I leaned up to hold him to me in an effort to comfort him.

I felt his left arm lift slowly to place his hand in the middle of my back in response, but his gaze was aimed past me; his eyes far away. “I don’t know how you can be so strong though. You’re strong enough to resist them. They’re so… appetizing. To find that will to resist all the time-I’m not sure if I can- you dig me? Combined with the fact that he had fresh moonshine pumping through his veins I…”

A small idea wrapped around my head as his voice trailed away. Abruptly I stood on the tips of my toes, leaning up to I crash my lips on his, only to have him respond automatically by accepting. I pushed my tongue into his mouth, trying to find the flavor of the man’s blood on his scarlet stained teeth. Disappointedly, I was rewarded with no success. Aside from a tiny hint of the salty, potent flavor that may have been from blood, his mouth was predominantly the flavor of his venom sweetness-that cinnamon goodness that I’d always hungered for in other ways.

He pulled away suddenly, a smile hinting at his lips. “Hey, now,” he breathed. “I think you need to get your own human. I’ve done finished mine.”

We both couldn’t help but laugh a bit at the joke, but the laughter faded quickly. Straightening up from leaning against the tree, he picked up the shovel. Feverishly, he began to deepen the whole in the ground.

“Well it appears I’m not as strong as you think,” I admitted softly, watching him pierce more of the ground with the shovel.

“Maybe not, but you were able to carry me to Carlisle when you found me,” he snorted, his arms pressing deep into the earth. “That had to be difficult, didn’t it? Didn’t it drive you nuts- the smell of my blood-my open wounds?”

My throat ignited with thirst at the memory of his human blood, and I nodded. “The easiest decision I’ve ever made, yet the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do.” My mind flooded with images of that night, of how I fought with my thirst while holding onto my will to keep him alive long enough to get him back to Carlisle.

His eyebrows lifted up to his hairline. “Whoa. You must’ve been really determined to see me naked,” he snickered.

“Very funny,” I uttered wryly, smirking back at him, and wondered how he could keep such a sense of humor at a time like this.

The pit must’ve been close to eight feet when he was finished. Leaping out of the ditch, he landed softly on the balls of his feet on the ground near me, dropping the shovel next to my feet. Taking a couple large strides over to the body, he rolled it into the pit, and picked up the shovel again, throwing dirt on top of the body.

Using his supernatural speed, he quickly covered the body and then began running circles around the surrounding forest floor, letting twigs, leaves, and other forest debris fall onto the freshly dug up ground. His footsteps were heavy, packing the dirt firmly together. It was rather a smart thing to do as it now looked nothing like a burial site.

He looked up at me as he dusted his hands. “It had to be tough on you,” he continued. “All of that blood on me, I can’t even imagine it.”

I nodded in response. “I couldn’t be the one to change you myself. I was too scared I wouldn’t be able to stop… too scared I’d kill you. That’s why I had to find the strength in me to carry you to Carlisle who’s been the only one successful at turning people without succumbing to the bloodlust.”

He winced at the sound of Carlisle name this time. “I guess we should go,” he said. “Time for me to face the music. I doubt I could hide this from him. I’m sure the evidence is right here.” He pointed to his eyes with two of his fingers.

I gave him a grim smile in agreement, his normally citrine colored irises filling quickly and almost completely with the farmer’s scarlet blood as it flooded through his system.

As we ran side by side I was overcome with a torrent of emotions running through me: passion, love, lust, thirst, concern, and lastly, guilt. It had only been a few hours ago that we had made love the first time. It was abrupt, and very short, but it was also tender and passionate. It was special because it was with Emmett. However, all of those moments had now been overshadowed by Emmett’s slip. I frowned that such an important night could be ruined. I fought with my inner selfishness not to outwardly throw a tantrum about it, but my patience was wavering.

Remorse swept over me as we approached the house. Facing Carlisle was not something I wanted to do. I felt the shame-the culpability for not watching him more carefully. Sure, he was gaining control over his irrational behavior, but it was still his first year. I should almost expect him to slip.

Edward met us at the doorstep, his face in worried concern as our thoughts gave away as to what we had just experienced. He winced slightly before looking tentatively at Emmett. He exchanged glances with him for a long moment. His eyes flickered to me with a look of disappointment before he stepped aside.

“It’s not her fault,” Emmett insisted. “Don’t blame her for any of it.”

“I didn’t say anything,” Edward replied coolly, his eyes returning to Emmett.

I was almost positive he’d already mentioned something to Carlisle, but as we walked into the house, we realized he had no idea about what had happened. He was standing behind Esme in the kitchen, whispering in her ear as she giggled over a set of blue prints.

As we walked in, Edward followed. I wasn’t sure if it was the expression on my face, or one of the boys behind me, but something alerted Carlisle that something was wrong as he quit his whispering to look up at us. His face fell slightly, his golden eyes questioning. “What is it?” he asked.

But as soon as he asked, he looked at Emmett, and nothing further needed to be said. Emmett’s lips still held a slight orange-red hue, there was the human’s scent all over his body, and his eyes were now a bright bloody shade-close to that of a glass of merlot. I saw a bit of hesitation cross Carlisle’s features as I was sure he also smelled sex on Emmett just as obvious as the human blood. There was really nothing that needed to be said to explain our situation; Carlisle could see and smell it all.

Esme’s eyes-frantic and anxious-shifted between Emmett, Edward and I. However, my attention was directed mostly at Carlisle.

My stomach churned as I saw the corners of my adopted father’s lips curl down into a frown, his face falling further in dissatisfaction as he realized what Emmett had done. “Emmett,” he sighed, his shoulders lifting and falling through his breath. “Who was it? Someone from town?”

“No, Carlisle, it was out in Ohio, hundreds of miles from here, thank god,” I answered quickly.

He pursed his lips and furrowed his eyebrows at me. Apparently, thanking God, or anyone for that matter, wasn’t on his list of reactions for such a piece of news.

Emmett glanced at me warily before looking back at Carlisle, hesitant to speak.

“It was my fault,” I interjected immediately. “I should’ve been keeping a more watchful eye on him. I apol-”

“Rose,” Emmett hissed, his teeth clenched together.

“What?” I asked, turning up to his face towering above me. “It’s true, Emmett. If I was with you, if I was at your side…”

“I would’ve knocked you out of my way,” Emmett finished, his eyes widening at me, trying to tell me to give up.

“Sit down, son,” Carlisle said, motioning him to the dining table. “Tell me everything, and start from the beginning.” He turned to me with a saddened expression. “I would like for you to sit here as well. In fact, it may be best if we all have a family discussion.”

Emmett took a deep breath before telling his story to the family: the bobcat, his intentions to just bring it back for dessert. He explained the power of the scent of this man’s blood, potent with the distinct aura of whiskey. He spoke of how he had observed this man for nearly an hour, mumbling about smacking his wife earlier in drunken confusion before getting thrown out and stuck in his barn, trying to drink his woes away. The draw of this man, already lousy with moonshine, coupled with the fact that Emmett recognized the bottle to be of his favorite brand was an irresistible combination for him. He couldn’t turn it down. Once he had made the conscious decision that this would be of no consequence to the family-considering how far we were from our own town-he went in for the kill.

He sat shamefaced as he explained himself, squirming a bit in his seat. However, I could tell a distinct difference in his acceptance of this lapse of control-one that wasn’t in existence when he had set off to kill Thomas and ended up draining the drifting hobo. It was still very clear, however, that he hated to disappoint Carlisle.

Emmett refused to let me speak, trying to take full responsibility for his actions. He wanted the family to know he reacted on his own weakness and curiosity, conducting an experiment to see if he could get drunk off of the farmer’s blood. Carlisle’s face did not change in his displeasure, but I caught Edward’s face twitch in amusement at the revelation of Emmett’s reasoning as he struggled to keep it serene.

“Well, obviously we can’t allow you two go hunting alone for quite some time again. You will be in constant supervision of Edward and I when outside of the house, you understand? We will also have to exercise caution and survey the territories we wish to have you hunt in for humans before having you hunt in those territories.”

Emmett winced, rather displeased himself at Carlisle’s instruction. I couldn’t imagine how frustrating it would feel to have to regress in hunting protocol.

“I know that it’s discouraging, but your momentary lack of discipline concerns me, and we have to keep the family’s best interests in mind.” I watched as Emmett let out a sigh in resignation at Carlisle’s words, too faint to be disrespectful, but nothing he could hold back. Gauging his reaction, Carlisle amended by adding, “You’re not in trouble, Emmett. I’m simply setting some guidelines closer to home. Also, considering that this happened with Rosalie, I’m thinking that we may need to return to having you hunt with either Edward or me as well, rather than the two of you alone.”

My mouth dropped, realizing he didn’t want us to hunt alone. I could feel my face turn sour.

Carlisle turned to me as he watched my expression shift. “Rosalie, I need for you to understand that a newborn cannot be left alone. You should know this. You went through this yourself. You, however, had amazing control over your thirst, unlike Emmett. You should already be familiar with Emmett’s struggle to adhere to our lifestyle. And though I am happy for the both of you, I must say that your affection has kept you distracted from watching after Emmett like you should.”

I sighed, slumping in my chair. Though I hated it, he had a point. “Yes, Carlisle.” I hung my head in shame. “I’m so sorry. It won’t happen again.”

At that point I felt Esme’s eyes on me with curiosity, and I fought to keep my eyes on Carlisle. I had a feeling that her scrutiny was more about the sex that she smelled on us rather than the human Emmett killed.

“Carlisle, it wasn’t her fault,” Emmett insisted. “Really.”

“Either way, son, both of you are too distracted for your own good. Love is new and fresh between you, which is a beautiful thing, but you’re a newborn. Therefore you need constant supervision and guidance. I cannot allow you outside of this house without me or Edward to accompany you. If you are to go hunting with Rosalie, one of us need to be with you.”

Carlisle sighed, his topaz eyes switching between all of us. “Thankfully this happened too far for us to need to relocate immediately.” He turned to Emmett again. “Son, it’s your first year-your newborn year. We are all bound to slip in our first year, but I would love it if you would try harder to control your thirst, and possibly prevent a next time. I suppose now that your curiosity has been answered, you can keep your investigations and experiments relegated to only animals.”

Emmett was nodding his head in agreement as Carlisle spoke. “Yes Carlisle, I can do that.”

“Good,” Carlisle answered, nodding his head gracefully in Emmett’s direction.

“I’m sorry,” Emmett breathed to him. “I don’t mean to put any of us at risk. I just… have trouble… with the rules sometimes.”

“I know, son, I know. You’ll get past this some day, I’m sure,” he encouraged, placing his hand on Emmett’s from across the table.

The family had broken away from the discussion and into their own activities, and I went up to my bedroom to change out of my dress and into a new set of clothes. I opened the window, in need of some fresh air. I was saddened by the fact that I wouldn’t be able to share a private moment with him for a while. I didn’t know how we were going to have a physical relationship under this roof. As I sat at my vanity, brushing my hair, I felt a gust of wind and a light landing behind me.

“Emmett,” I breathed, his burly figure a silhouette standing in front of my open window against the blue-tinted white aura of the moon. Immediately I stood up, throwing my arms around him.

“Rose,” he sighed, returning my embrace. He took a deep breath into my hair as I kissed his neck. “I’m sorry,” he murmured, pulling away to look at me in the eyes. “I ruined the night and I’m so terribly sorry. I didn’t even apologize at first, and I’m a complete idiot for forgetting my head about it. I’m so sorry, baby.”

I smiled, sighing as I heard his apology. He was my weakness, and his presence and words were soothing to me. He was the remedy for almost every issue I had in this life. I stood on my toes and pressed my lips to his. “I know, baby. I know. It’s all right.”

“No it’s not,” he disagreed, still holding me as I pressed my body against his. “It was a special night tonight. I’m terribly sorry I ruined it with my damn thirst.” He shook his head and sighed. “Just when I was gaining control of my temper, I realize that my thirst is another issue.”

“You’ll get past it, just like Carlisle said,” I insisted, completely intoxicated by his warmth.

“I know, but our first time, Rose?” he seethed, lowering his voice in the possibility of someone overhearing him. “Could I royally mess up for us any more than that?”

I encased his face into my hands. “Em, sweetheart, its fine.”

He sat me on my couch, kneeling before me and positioning himself between my knees to hug me again. “I should have stayed with you,” he sighed. “Maybe got a second time out of it or something.”

I pulled away to look at his face, a smirk playing at his lips. I gave him a light, playful swat on his shoulder. “You seriously have a one-track mind.”

“Not true,” he jokingly argued back, his merlot tinted eyes laughing as they stared back at me. “I don’t always think about that. I do think about blood, too.”

My smile faded slightly, remembering what happened tonight with his last statement. “I do have a question for you, though,” I said.

“What’s that?” he asked.

“With.. what happened with the hobo… you seemed a bit more distraught by killing him; more distraught than killing this farmer. What made tonight different? Aside from… me being the one to push you to do it with my awful games.”

I felt his hand chafe at my arm at the mention of my games. “Baby, an eternity is a long time to be regretful of thing’s you’ve done in the past. I’d rather spend my forever moving forward. All I care about really is not being thrown out of the house by Carlisle-and not disappointing you. He’s a really good man, and I admire him for what he’s taught me… taught us all. I care most that he won’t kick me out of this house. Then Esme-the mother I never had-how could you not love her? And Edward, well, he went on his own killing spree, but found the determination to come back and follow this lifestyle. And then there’s you.” He leaned in to kiss my cheek before puling back. “Your strength is also a model for me. And the fact that you stand by me after all that I do, my mistakes, my shortcomings, I really have nothing to complain about. Why cry over spilled milk?”

I smiled at him, leaning in to kiss his lips softly before he pulled back from me again.

He lifted a finger to my nose, swiping lightly it with the soft pad of his fingertip. “As long as I have you-my angel-by my side, I can’t be remorseful about anything.”

I smiled at his philosophy. “I wish I could be at peace with things like you are.”

“You can be if you try, you know? I can help you.”

My eyes drifted away from him, staring unseeingly at his shoulder. “Maybe,” I nodded, but I was doubtful and my voice sounded glum. I felt his eyes on me, and I knew that he wasn’t a stranger to my general philosophy of eternal vampire damnation. His hand came up to my chin just then turning my face to look at him and a smile stretched on his lips.

“I will,” he promised. And then, he moved in to crash his lips into mine, pushing my lips apart with his. My lips against his with equal vigor, feeling his hands move up my back and into my hair, threading his fingers through my tresses. His tongue delved into my mouth, probing and exploring. The candy taste of his mouth was all that I’d always wanted, and immediately I was moistening my panties.

He pulled away suddenly, his hands switching to my shoulders and pulling me back.

I stood with my mouth still open, pained by the loss of our contact.

His nose was flaring, and his eyes were full of lust, but his brows were arched in stern resistance. “Damn you for being such a tomato,” he seethed playfully through his teeth, earning a smile from me in response. “I should get back to my room,” he whispered. “I don’t think they’d appreciate it if we started something here. And after a certain point, I won’t be able to stop.”

I furrowed my brow, but nodded in understanding. I took my lower lip between my teeth as the residual desire for him still lurked within me at the thought of his inability to stop after a certain point. “Emmett,” I breathed.

“We’ll continue this later, okay?” he reassured me. He placed a chaste kiss on my lips and then turned his head upwards to press his lips against my forehead. “I love you,” he whispered, and with another gust of wind he was gone.

I returned to my vanity, and went back to mindlessly brushing my hair. I was rather disappointed that I couldn’t hunt with him alone for a while. I bit my lip as I reminisced about our first time, how-even in the short moment we shared together-I had felt so whole, so complete, as I was connected to him. I was happy to have someone I loved-who loved me just as much, if not more-that I could share such an act with.

I frowned that the one I shared such a moment could’ve been with my late fiancé, and realized it would have never compared. Nothing would compare to the sheer volume of love and comfort I had with Emmett.

I smiled then, realizing I was able to get over my own inner demons, getting over my human past, and moving on in this life, with my immortal other half. If I had to be sentenced to this life for all of eternity, I was happy to have Emmett beside me through it all.

It had only been a few days since the farmer incident. The days that followed the kill were a bit tense in the house, but everyone slowly relaxed with time.

Esme had a heart to heart with me the following morning, wanting to know if I was all right. The status of my virtue was clear to them when we returned that night, and Esme wanted to make sure that I was emotionally well. Though I couldn’t help but love her for it, it was still quite awkward. I was respectful and listened, but I couldn’t deny the relief I felt when she left my room.

Watching Emmett however, was another thing all together. His disappointment in himself over dissatisfying Carlisle had waned, and was replaced by a smug, giddy demeanor-one that I came to understand was about our shared sexual encounter. He was rather jovial, almost bouncy, as he took each step around the house. Edward couldn’t be around him for too long, and I could only imagine what was running through Emmett’s mind to chase Edward off so frequently. I did, however, have a good idea what it was, because he would steal a look at me now and then, with a suggestive arch in his brow. On numerous occasions, I’d catch him gaping at me blatantly, and it wasn’t always aimed at my face, but rather at my chest or my rear. I enjoyed the attention of course, and I would think back to that evening, trying my best not to remember the travesty that followed.

With Emmett confined to the house, I couldn’t find it in me to leave him for long periods of time. One afternoon in the middle of the week, I played the piano as Emmett sat at the living room table nearby. Carlisle was at the hospital, and Esme and Edward were spending quality time in the garden. There were many moments like these, where we just lounged around the house, in innocent company of each other.

I looked over at Emmett as he pondered over the novel in his hand-Dracula by Bram Stoker. A snort came from him as he flipped the page. “They have it all wrong,” he complained, lightheartedly. “I do love that Dracula gets several wives in this book, though. Too bad that’s not true in real life.”

“Right,” I responded wryly before I narrowed my eyes. Grabbing a few peonies at lightening speed from the vase in front of me, chucked them at him from the arrangement that sat above the piano. With the dining table so near by the piano, it was an easy target.

He ducked from the approaching flowers quickly, chortling in response. His hand reached up, catching one of them in a flash. “I’m kidding, baby. You know that. Ain’t no other dame for me in this world but you, doll.” He handed me the pretty bloom, but I motioned him to place it on the piano.

“Mmhmm,” I sighed. Rolling my eyes, I shook my head, scrunching my lips together to hide a laugh as I turned my eyes back to the piano, playing “Bolero” by Joseph-Maurice Ravel. I couldn’t deny that Emmett was amusing, but I wasn’t going to let him get away with his sly remark.

“Still, how could something like a stake through the heart kill us?” he continued. “We don’t have living hearts; they’re dead. And garlic would just leave a bad taste in our mouths, and nothing more. They could try to behead us if they wanted to, but they’d be sadly disappointed.” He flipped to a page a few chapters ahead, before turning back to his current page. “Humans are funny. They think they’re right all the time, but they are completely mistaken.”

I pressed my lips into a forced smile as I watched him read his book, my chest heavy with envy as my fingers tickled the ivory keys of the baby grand. Emmett was only ten months into this life and he had already whole-heartedly accepted his nature. Meanwhile, I was over three years into my own immortal life, and I still couldn’t completely accept it. The irony was so strange. I watched him laugh again, his dimples setting deep into his cheeks as he chortled through the misconceptions of a human’s version of vampire mythology. He glanced up at me suddenly, his round, warm eyes still laughing in the way they narrowed happily in the lovely grin he gave me. I flashed a sincere smile in response, unable to help myself. He truly was my sunshine.

He amazed me. Emmett could smile through anything. He was laughing just days after killing someone-something I know Edward wouldn’t able to do without drowning in remorse and self-loathing. Of course, I hardly had any experience, with only seven lives on my hand, none of which I killed for the purpose of sating my thirst. Those murders were justified in my mind, and even Edward understood them, but I wasn’t laughing days later about it. The idea that I sought retribution, though satisfying, was more dramatic to me. It wasn’t something I could walk away from without it affecting me psychologically or emotionally.

He read most of the book quickly as I began to play something else on the piano. Eventually he got bored with the book, and took a seat next to me on the piano bench. I felt his admiration-filled gaze on me, watching my fingers as they traveled along the keys of the baby grand. “Wow, you’ve got some serious talent, Rose. You’re so amazing,” he gushed, a smile cracking across his alluring features.

“Thank you,” I breathed, with a smile in return, glancing at him momentarily before focusing back on the piano.

I felt him lean down to touch his lips onto the curve of my shoulder, which was bare from wearing a sleeveless sun dress. “You’re welcome,” he murmured against my skin, his warm lips dusting across my flesh.

I shivered and a giggle escaped from my lips. “Well, you’re amazing too, you know,” I beamed at him, continuing to run my fingers along the keys.

“I know,” he joked, his lips curled up on one side, framed by his cute dimples. His eyes, soft pools of liquid ruby, looked at me with such reverence and adulation, like they always did. I knew that many found me to be pretty, but Emmett was the only one who could give me one look and make me feel completely beautiful-inside and out.

At that moment, I wondered if any two people could be happier together. I thought about Carlisle and Esme and their love, seemingly perfect. It was almost untouchable- their connection with one another; like no other two souls could be a more perfect match.

Almost.

But it wasn’t the kind of connection that I had with Emmett. I was sure Emmett and I had a very strong connection, one that surpassed even my temper tantrums, his uncontrollable outbursts, my silly games, and his struggle with resisting humans. Despite it all, we had managed to be just as perfect and in harmony with one another, if not more.

*****

Continue onto  Chapter 22: Broken Walls, Part II