Emmett's POV

The only pain left was a vicious burning in my throat. I opened my eyes, surprised to see a pair of the most beautiful honey eyes staring down anxiously at me. Hello, gorgeous.

I wanted to get lost in those eyes but the damned burning in my throat crowded my senses. I craved something, needed something, even more than those beautiful eyes. I didn't understand it all. Where was I? Who was she? What happened to me?

Something wasn't right-- everything felt different.

"Am I in hell?" I asked.

What the--? What happened to my voice? Iknew I had spoken, but it didn't sound like me at all.

Those honey eyes looked back at me but they seemed sad now-- very sad. She was so beautiful, much more beautiful than all those pin-ups the guys had. She was down right captivating. If I wasn't in hell, then maybe this was heaven. She sure looked like an angel to me.

She let go of my hand and looked away. In a blink she rose to her feet and left the room.

What'd I say? Don't leave me!

"Angel! Don't go!" I cried.

I was surprised by how fast I leapt to my feet. No sooner had I moved, than someone blocked my path.

Watch it, buddy. I snarled at the wiry little guy standing in front of me.

"Don't mind Rosalie, she's a little temperamental, it would be best if you let her leave." The wiry red-headed guy said firmly.

Rosalie. The blonde angel who saved me… her name is Rosalie.

Well, then, who's this hotshot? Another angel? Her boyfriend?

I craned my neck to look for his wings. I didn't see anything special about him.

Hmm he's a decent looking guy, but not very big.

I think I can take him.


The red-headed youth snickered; I didn't see what was so funny. He crossed his arms across his chest."Edward is the name."

God my throat! The burning is driving me bats.

Standing to my right was a blond haired man. "And I'm Carlisle," he said, a petite brunette wrapped in one arm. "This is my wife, Esme."

The brunette flashed a polite smile at me and put out her hand. "Pleased to make your acquaintance--"

My name, she wants my name. "Emmett, Emmett McCarty." I shook her hand.

Burning! My throat is burning! None of this made sense. I remembered the pain, lots of pain, and burning. There was a bear and the angel – Rosalie-- and this blond haired guy Carlisle I thought was God. Did they save me? Did the bear scrag me? Was I dead?

I wanted answers, but I needed more than answers. I craved something… what was it? I tried to make sense of it all, but the burning was too distracting.

Edward frowned at me. "You are not dead, nor are you in hell. As with the remainder of us here, you are now something more than human. You are a vampire."

A what? "Uh, what's a vampire?" I asked.

"The burning you feel in your throat is a thirst for blood. Unlike others of our kind we exist only on the blood of animals, rather than of humans." Carlisle explained.

Drink blood? Malarky!

What he said shouldn't make sense; but the burning, nagging feeling in my throat dared me to believe him.

Put out the fire! Put out the fire! I raised a hand to my throat. "It burns like hell. How do I make it stop?"

"It is quite simple; we should take you hunting immediately." Carlisle offered leading the way into the woods.

**

I asked him again. "So, you're sure I'm not dead, right?"

"Not technically. No." Edward said pointing me to the east.

Not technically sure or not technically dead? I wondered.

"Do you smell that? Dinner is served." Edward grimaced.

"Ungh! That doesn't smell very good." I complained wrinkling my nose at the scent.

"White Tailed Deer, I've had better." Edward smiled darkly, "But you'll grow accustomed to it".

Desperate to ease the pain in my throat, I gave in to my instinct; the deer never stood a chance. Hunting was a piece of cake. I was very fast and really strong. No beast was a match for me; I even managed to take down a few trees in the process.

I had my share of deer but found I liked the taste of bear a lot better; and it felt good to take those bears down a notch.

We hunted for hours, the sun was setting, but I wasn't tired. I flung a 400 pound black bear to the ground, my third, and let him take a few swipes at me.

"Come on! Is that the best you can do?" I held one arm behind my back to give the bear a fighting chance. Even with the handicap the bear was no match for me. And the score is Bears-1, Emmett-3. I like these odds. I grinned and sunk my teeth in the bear's neck.

That one was pretty big, I wonder if I could take down an elephant?

Still hunched over my latest kill, I felt someone staring at me. The hairs on my neck stood on end. Angel-- Rosalie. I turned to take a good look at the woman who saved my life.

It was the first time I laid eyes on Rosalie since she stormed from the room. I stared at the blonde bombshell for a long moment; admiring the beautiful golden hair that fell down to her waist. I then took my time appreciating her tiny waist and all the curves of her perfect body. Damn she's one minxy lady.

As I admired her, I noted a quick flicker of warmth in her eyes, and then it was gone.

The bear slipped from my hands and fell to the ground. I stood upright and approached the stunning woman.

"Rosalie." My voice sang when I spoke her name.

Be smooth, a woman loves a man who can provide for her.

"Could I offer you something to eat, a bear or deer maybe? Anything you like."

She looked me over from head to toe. Like what you see honey?

I raised an eyebrow.

"You look a fright." She responded sternly.

Huh? I looked down at my raunchy clothes, my shredded and bloodied shirt. I tried combing my hair with both hands and found it matted with mud, sticks, and. Crap! What a way to impress a lady, Emmett!

I grinned sheepishly. "We haven't been properly introduced," I said wiping a dirty hand on my trousers and extending it to her. "My name is Emmett McCarty".

She looked at my hand and turned her perfect nose in the air. "I'm sure the formalities can wait until you've had ample opportunity for grooming." She quipped.

Fair enough, wonder if she'd be in the mood to join me for a swim? I bet she looks killer when she's wet. I pictured her hair slicked back with beads of water on her lips. Damn, snap out of it, Emmett. I grinned from ear to ear.

"I know of a mountain pond not far from here if you'd like to tag along?" I offered, winking in her direction.

Her perfect lips turned into a frown.

She opened her mouth to respond, when Edward interrupted us.

"Carlisle and I have engagement to attend to in town. Rosalie I trust you can look after Emmett?" The corner of his lip twitched upward in a half smile. He didn't really give her a say in the matter.

**

"It's not much further." She wasn't much for small talk so I held a conversation on my own.

"My brothers took me out looking for honey one day and I stuck my hand in a hornet's nest by mistake." I laughed remembering the look on my brothers' faces.

"Those suckers chased me for nearly a mile before I came across this pond and jumped in to escape." She hadn't spoken a word. I continued …

"Boy when they say mad as hornets they do it with good reason." I chuckled.

"My hand was swollen as a balloon for days!" I turned to look at Rosalie, who seemed more interested in playing with the ends of her hair than in my conversation.

Her loss, the story was a riot. Maybe she'd like the one about the cops and the moonshine better? I chuckled again.

I ducked between two boulders, and pushed back the low branches of a tree, revealing the moonlit pond. The rush of a small waterfall fed the deep mountain pool, jagged rock faces surrounded the north and east sides. A small creek overflowed from the south of the pond, winding away through the forest to the west.

"Ladies first," I offered extending my hand towards the water.

"No thank you." Rosalie said directing her gaze to a large rock near the water's edge. "I'll wait right over here." Sitting on the rock, she curled her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around her legs. What great gams!

"Suit yourself" I said slipping off my torn shirt, and walked into the water with my trousers still on. Now up to my broad chest in water, I used my fingers to loosen clumps of mud and animal blood; and set to work untangling sticks and leaves from my wet hair.

I wonder how I can get her to talk to me. Maybe she's still mad at me.

"I'm sorry about what I said before." I offered as I pulled a twig from my hair and cast it aside. "I didn't mean to upset you; it's not that I'm not grateful. I just didn't understand."

I stared at her for a while, watching her trace the crags of the rock with her fingers. If she heard me, she didn't show it. Was she ignoring me? Was she still mad about the hell comment?

"I like being a vampire!" I blurted out, looking to make things right.

She tensed sitting upright, shifting her gaze from the rock to my face.

"What?" Her voice sounded like music. Her eyes searched mine for answers.

"Why?" She asked. There was a hint of disgust in her beautiful voice.

"You're a vampire, how bad can it be?" I defended.

Suddenly her eyes went cold and she turned her gaze back to the rock.

Look at me! Don't shut me out--talk to me.

I made my way through the water to stand beneath the rock she sat on. The water came over my shoulders. I took her hand in mine, interrupting the circuit she was tracing on the jagged rock. Her hand is so smooth.

Her gaze rose to meet mine. Moonlight reflected off the rippling surface of the water and sparkled like stars in her deep honey eyes. How could I let her know how much she meant to me?

"Rosalie." I spoke her name slowly, it sounded like music. "You saved my life".

She let out a loud sigh, and freed her hand from mine. She hesitated a moment, then tucked the golden strands of her hair behind one ear and averted her gaze.

Her finger assaulted the rock again, tracing patterns across the rough surface. Her plump bottom lip jutted out in a pout.

"What's wrong?" I asked tenderly. Say what's on your mind Rosalie, how else can I make it better?

She hesitated, and then met my gaze again.

"Aren't you, worried about your immortal soul?" She asked me very seriously.

I chuckled lightly, "How could a man fear hell with a beautiful angel by his side?" I asked touching the tip of her nose with the end of my finger.

She stood up and turned to leave. What now?

"Please?" I begged my voice soft and low. "Don't leave."

She stopped and whirled around to look at me for a long moment. Her gaze, stern at first, softened after a while.

"You missed one" she pointed to my head.

"What?" I asked, patting the damp curly mess atop my head.

"Here, let me help." She bent to pull several small sticks from my wet hair.

The faintest smile swept across her lips.

What beautiful lips! I wanted to feel those ginchy lips against mine.

She was leaning over the edge of the water. I wrapped my hand gently around her smooth wrist. I stared deeply into her eyes and she into mine. Her eyes…are so beautiful.

Giving a gentle tug, I meant to pull her closer to me. Apparently I underestimated my new strength and she went flying into the water landing with a loud splash behind me. When she rose to the surface her golden hair hung limp in her eyes. She wore the most hilarious scowl on her beautiful mouth.

'BWAHA HAHA!" I bellowed at the sight of her. She had the appearance of a half-drown cat.

My laughter shook the trees. I could feel it trembling through the water all around us.

"You think that's funny, do you?" She taunted raising one eyebrow in my direction.

Without warning she swiped her hand across the pond's surface, splashing me with water.

My dark hair hung in my eyes. A wide grin crossed my face, and I playfully grabbed her by the waist and pulled her under-water.

When we broke the surface, she was still wrapped in one of my arms and we were both laughing hysterically.

In my wildest dreams I couldn't imagine anyone more special… her laughter was beautiful music. She's so sexy. I could hold her like this all night long.

I brushed the wet hair from her eyes. The feel of her smooth skin sent a wave of heat through my body. Her eyes sparked with the same light of desire I felt inside myself.

She is too beautiful for words. I cupped her perfect cheek in one hand and drew her body closer with the arm still wrapped around her waist. My nostrils filled with the smell of her, like strawberries and honeysuckle on a warm afternoon. God she smelled good.

Her fingers slid through my wet hair sending a thrill down my spine. As I moved my mouth nearer I could feel the whisper of air as her lips parted… accepting… welcoming. I closed my eyes and leaned in for the kiss.

Unexpectedly she tensed-- froze. She didn't meet my kiss; instead she ducked down and out of my arms. Before I knew it she was standing on the rock; the water rolling off her forming little pools of water at her feet, reflecting the moonlight.

Shoot! The woman is certifiable.

For a short while she opened herself to me, let me get close. But the tender side of her was now tucked behind the cold hard exterior as usual. I didn't understand her.

She wanted me-- like I wanted her… I could feel it. What's holding her back? Is it that Edward guy?

"We should be getting back." She urged.

I grabbed my torn shirt from the water's edge and threw it over my shoulder.

Where she went I would follow. And Oh! -- To watch her leave – it was a nice view.

*******************************

NOTE: Stephenie Meyer owns the Twilight Series from which this story is inspired and from which the characters and basic storyline for this composition have been derived.

Reference: Stephenie Meyer's Eclipse

**

Special thanks to Edwardsoul –

Dang you flip me out, you're so awesome. You really helped me heaps with Emmett's voice. I used A LOT of your material getting this first part right and took great inspiration from your suggestions.

Some of my favorite lines in this chapter are exactly as you suggested, they were simply too good to alter. You actually rhymed, I loved the cadence, I had to keep it. "Where was I, who was she? What happened to me?" [...] "She sure looked like an angel to me." You rock Edwardsoul - I think I'm going to marry those lines and have babies with them they're just that perfect.

Readers - If you enjoy this story, subscribing will assure that you are informed of updates as future chapters are posted online.

**
Your 1930s slang glossary for this chapter

Bent – upset, angry
Buddy – type of address for a male

Certifiable – crazy, insane

Ginchy - sexy

Hotshot – someone who thinks he's very important

Bananas – crazy, insane

Piece of cake – something easy

Raunchy – dirty, grimy

Riot – Hilarious

Shoot – interjection of disappointment

Tag along – Come With

Gams – legs

Minxy – sexy, alluring

Blonde Bombshell – Glamorous blonde

Malarky – nonsense
Guy – a fellow

Scrag – kill

Bats – crazy, insane

Tops – the best

Killer – something or someone excellent outstanding