Chapter 5: Acclimation

Carlisle's fingertips flicked quickly through a dusty book as the two boys entered the house.

"I'm assuming everything went well?" The blond vampire arose from his chair and studied the two with a calculating glance. Carlisle was wearing a knee-length smock and around his neck was a silver stethoscope.

"Yes, Emmett is staying with us." Edward announced to his adoptive father.

Carlisle stood from his chair and laid his unobstructed hand on Emmett's stony shoulder. "This way of life will free your conscience. I promise. We're so glad to have you as a part of our family."

The fatherly vampire's aged novel was still agape in his other palm.

Emmett quickly scanned the minute text of the book after thanking Carlisle. Its paragraphs contained scientific terms and medicinal diagrams he could not comprehend.

"Come on, I'll take you to your room." The bronze-haired Edward interrupted and had begun to ascend the winding staircase.

"He's a doctor?" The gigantic newborn inquired with awe as they walked side-by-side to the second floor.

"Yeah. Carlisle has been studying medicine since the sixteenth century. We're all envious of his amount of self control." Edward replied as they emerged into a long hallway.

The large vampire's jaw dropped in shock. "What? How long have you been alive then?"

"I was born in nineteen-oh-one. We don't age physically after we're changed."

"That's unbelievable!" Emmett's voice was thunderous and laden with disbelief.

The pair walked down the seemingly endless corridor where a row of entryways faced each other in a parallel line. The two males approached a closed wooden door.

Edward twisted the elaborate crystal doorknob leading to the room. "Here it is. Esme laid out some clothes for you. And another thing... You won't feel tired because we never sleep." He laughed sullenly and then disappeared.

No sleep? Nothing could really stir Emmett anymore; especially after discovering his immortality... it hadn't sunk in yet.

It was Emmett's first time being alone since his transformation.

His crimson eyes flickered around the spacious area. It was rather plain compared to the rest of the mansion. The only furniture in the room was a leather sofa and a bookcase stacked to the brim with encyclopedias and Shakespeare. Authentic renaissance paintings were mounted on the otherwise bare walls which Emmett guessed were worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.

He sorted through the pile of garments that Esme arranged for him. To his surprise, the clothes were all very much to his taste. Emmett quickly changed out of his ragged threads and into a gray thermal which hugged his muscular form. He pulled on a thick pair of denim jeans that were a bit baggy on him, and slid on padded leather boots.

Emmett's previous family would have never been able to indulge in such expensive clothes. It was an otherworldly feeling to have such material items that he was not used to having. He considered the McCarty's fondly for a moment and hoped he would be able to deliver something for them soon.

The black-haired male sat on the sofa and listened the noises of the house. He was unoccupied in his thoughts and wished that he could go to sleep. As Edward had promised though, the tiredness would not succumb him. All of the sounds floating around the air were maximized in the quiet. He was as still as a rock but his senses were still in tune with his surroundings.

Rosalie was nearby.

All of her slight movements were audible to his sensitive ears. Emmett was frozen. Her attractive scent wafted through the walls, tempting him to be near her.

The large newborn desired to be in the proximity of the captivating blonde female.

It took nearly ten minutes for the young vampire to muster up the will to stand. Emmett vacated his dwelling and slowly walked down the hallway. Every unsure step closer to her wracked his nerves. His normal confidence was broken by the angel-woman who completely captured his being.

Rosalie's ajar door emitted a slice of light that cut through the darkness. He knocked on the drywall and poked his head in her room.

Emmett's ruby gaze soaked in her beauty once again.

She was sitting cross-legged on a colossal white bed and sketching in a book. The silky red dress she wore clung desirably around her curvy physique and revealed plateaus of bare skin.

A candle's flame had created a faint glow of light around her body that immersed Emmett in her utter magnificence.

Rosalie's intoxicating fragrance was like cinnamon and vanilla which reminded him of a viburnum flower in bloom.

The breathtaking vampire had ignored his presence for a moment.

"Can I talk to you?" Emmett queried and broke the silence. His voice was tender and careful.

Rosalie snapped her head up from the drawing and threw the paper beside her.

"Why?"

Her single phrase was dangerously sharp and struck Emmett like a dagger. The blond female was not interested in engaging any conversation.

The elusive vampire did not look back when quickly she quickly leaped out of her open window.

He sighed and watched her sprint into the forest, his red eyes glinted with sadness as they followed her disappearing figure into the towering trees.

Why would she fight off a damn bear for me if she hates my guts? Or comfort me when I was in the worst pain of my existence only to ignore me later?

Emmett gloomily mulled over why Rosalie had even bothered to save his life. The gorgeous vampire had only acted cutting and aloof towards the newborn since the moment he'd woken up from hell.

But yet he still wanted her so desperately.

The black haired vampire sulked over to the giant bed she had been sitting on. Her heady perfume remained so prevalent in the room and swirled around Emmett's scent glands. It was almost as appealing as the blood he'd devoured earlier.

Upon the comforter was the sketch book in which Rosalie had abandoned. He picked up the drawing with his large hands and scanned the impressive charcoal doodle. Scribbled on the paper was a portrait of a rather adorable child with a curly head of hair and missing front teeth.

His bewildered thoughts about the sketch were interrupted by a tiny hand that squeezed his forearm.

"It wasn't so perfectly smooth for Carlisle and I either. It took us awhile to realize how silly we were acting. You two are just figuring out your feelings."

Esme's soft voice sounded from behind him with words that dripped with intuition. The motherly woman's golden eyes held a knowledge that was vastly different from Carlisle's.

"Go after her." The short female mused. Esme sat on the bed next to Emmett and pointed towards the gaping window.

"There's no way she wants me to." Emmett hung his head. His normal happy-go-lucky nature was dampened by the repeated rejection of his angel.

"Trust me. She's my daughter, Emmett. She wants you to." Esme promised the hulking newborn and patted his back in reassurance.

Her words were incredulous to him.

Emmett leaned on the sill of the window pane after Esme had left him alone. The black sky had begun to lighten as a streak of dawn colored the night.

The young vampire's mind was torn by Esme's suggestion, unable to believe that Rosalie could have possibly wanted him to chase her.

Yet the newborn bounded out of the window after his angel without another thought. Emmett's dead heart had willed him to try again with the beautiful vampire... And he would keep trying. A McCarty boy would never give up.