Chapter 3: Purgatory

Emmett McCarty's veins seared with the bubbling black acid that coursed through his bloodstream.

The pain was so immense that it consumed him. It was the worst form of torture. Much worse than the claws and teeth of the savage bear that ripped him apart hours before.

He screamed at the sensation of flames charring every sinew in his body. The unbearable heat swirled throughout his lungs and made it impossible to breathe. As much as Emmett flailed on the hard wooden table below him, he could not escape the slow burn that ate away at his last threads of life.

A long needle containing morphine was injected into his upper arm. A mere second of relief had doused the fire until again he was burning treacherously.

Is this hell? Emmett asked himself over and over in his mind, wondering if the Devil took him. Wondering what he did to deserve such an atrocious death.

Soon he was unable to even scream. Emmett's constant yelling had made his throat dry and hoarse. His fingernails clutched desperately at the wooden boards below his fingertips as the fire cycled in and out of every vessel.

He refused to believe that the angelic creatures who brought him to safety would have ever harmed him. Especially when his angel came to hold his hand and gently brushed his hair from his forehead. Emmett would stare at her wonderful face amidst the endless suffering as it was the only sense of comfort he had.

Maybe this was Heaven's brutal initiation process.

His abdomen agonizingly compressed and Emmett's broken ribs had fused back together. The bone marrow was engulfed in the endless blaze and the boy writhed in agony.

It felt like forever that he laid and he burned. It did not cease. The inferno only intensified as the hours had progressed.

Release would not come.

/

Three days had passed when the hellish liquid eventually flowed through his ventricles and invaded his heart. More of the acid trickled through the pumping muscle each time it stirred. Emmett wailed as tiny daggers seemed to prod in and out of his chest incessantly. His vital organ had solidified like stone and sharp crystals formed in the cavities of his core.

The pain had faded away as soon as his heart stopped beating.

Emmett's newly deep crimson irises snapped open in wonder.

He was no longer trapped within the musty walls of the basement or lying upon the hard table.

A full moon glowed through the window pane of the room and revealed an ornate setting. Emmett's vision was so crisp and clear that every minute dust particle floating in the air was visible to him. He sat atop a master bed with maroon curtains that draped elegantly over the finely carved wooden frame. A fire crackled nearby from a hearth, sending tiny sparks flying up into the darkness. The smoky scent of the room filled his nostrils, but so did the strong odor of pine and dirt that undoubtedly came from outside of the house. His heightened senses were sharp and he was alert.

But he was also completely bewildered.

Emmett realized that his throat was incredibly dry and had begun to burn terribly. He would have done anything to quell the fire.

Sipping from the purest waterfall on Earth would not even suffice... This thirst was unquenchable.

Two beings crouched near the door defensively. It was a female and male whose faces were shielded by darkness. Their golden orbs scrutinized his every move.

One of the pair spoke up first and walked into the light. The blond man who had bitten him approached the bed slowly.

"You are confused, of course. Allow me to explain." The man stood beside Emmett and had begun to express himself with a patient voice. "First and foremost, my name is Carlisle Cullen. The woman who saved you is Rosalie, my adopted daughter for all intents and purposes. What is your name?"

Emmett's guardian angel stepped into the moon's radiance and into his line of vision. Rosalie was even more spectacular than he remembered.

"Emmett McCarty. It's really great to meet you." His tone was thunderous and much clearer than he recalled.

"I'm sure you have noticed by now that you are no longer the same as... before, Emmett. There is a lot more that you will discover about this life I have given you. We wanted to provide you with a second chance from the brutal fate you were dealt. I hope you will forgive me. Our family will help you through everything as long as you are willing to comply to our way of life. But it is ultimately your choice."

Carlisle touched Emmett's shoulder and looked at him with a grave expression.

"You are a vampire."

Rosalie and Carlisle exchanged a glance. Uncomfort radiated off of them as they awaited his response.

"Hell's not so bad if you get to keep an angel with you." Emmett stated simply with a candid expression on his face.

Rosalie's citrine eyes were gloomy, however. The gorgeous vampire vacated the premise without speaking a word to him.

His mood darkened with disappointment.

"Well I am pleased that you are taking this so well. Come, Emmett. Meet the rest of our family. And don't worry, the burn you are experiencing will be gone soon enough." Carlisle ushered Emmett to follow him downstairs and ignored his daughter's elusiveness.

The two males descended a spiral staircase into a foyer. While Carlisle slowly walked into the room, Emmett had a difficult time controlling his speed. He was shocked that his legs took him so fast and almost knocked into a grandfather clock.

He and Carlisle shared a chuckle.

Emmett was in awe of the spacious house. It was incredibly elegant and the expensive decor hanging on its walls only added to its magnificence. He had never imagined in his wildest dreams a home so elaborate.

The burn in his gullet was becoming more and more uncomfortable by the second. He was dying to quench the blaze that traveled to the tip of his tongue. The dryness of his throat was worse than if he had just spend days wandering under a desert sun.

Another male and female vampire were waiting for them in the foyer.

To his displeasure, though, Rosalie was nowhere to be seen.

Carlisle pointed to the curious woman. "That is my wife and wonderful mate, Esme."

She had wavy dark brown hair and the same golden eyes as did the rest of the Cullens. Esme's pretty face was heart-shaped and she wore a welcoming smile. Emmett sensed that she was inherently good. Caring. A perfect match for the pure hearted Carlisle.

"It's so nice to meet you, Emmett. Let me know if there's anything you need." Esme hugged him immediately. Her tiny physique barely wrapped around his hulking body. The contact surprised him, but he enjoyed the hospitable gesture.

Carlisle and the boy were whispering very quickly to one another. Their words were unintelligible.

"Hello, I'm Edward Cullen." the boyish male introduced himself with a melancholy voice. He ran his fingers through his tousled bronze hair. "I'll be taking you hunting per Carlisle's request. Ready to go?" He queried Emmett.

"Ready and willing." The large vampire replied with determination. Although he wished his angel was by his side, the Cullen boy seemed like an interesting hunting companion.