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Emmett could hardly contain himself as he ripped into the flesh of the deer. After he'd over heard Carlisle explaining that girl… Violet's condition, he couldn't take it anymore.

Can't die, can't be drained… at least not by a vampire anyway! Why is she even here? Calm down Emmett, you just need to stay away from her for as long as possible. I can't slip up… even if I'm drowning my sorrows in this disgusting-

Emmett looked down at the broken neck of the creature before him, sighing as he did so. That is, until he noticed his niece looking up at him from behind the trees. There was a strange glint in the child's eyes as she asked to be picked up, and Emmett was not going to be part of her little game.

"You came all the way out here for a hug? Uh-huh, yeah right."

When the girl only pouted, and insisted she be picked up, Emmett couldn't refuse.

"-and until I have that, I'll… I'll never love you."

Rosalie's words rang in Emmett's ears as he looked at the small girl resting in his arms on the way back to the house. It's not like it was her fault that Rosalie had left. He wasn't going to hold his niece responsible for Rosalie's selfishness-

In all those years, even though I might've known it, I've never called her selfish. Never said anything bad about her before. What was I, blind?

Renesmee's firm grip on Emmett allowed her to read his mind every step of the way back. She recorded, and committed each second of his dismal thoughts to memory, hoping there would be a way for her to fix all that had happened to break up her family.

That's when she found something interesting. Prying through personal thoughts and memories did have its advantages.

"It'll take some time and research. I'll have to get in touch with some of my older European contacts, but I'll see what I can do. In the meantime, I suppose there's no harm in you staying here, if you're comfortable-" Carlisle began, rubbing the back of his neck as he took a sample of Violet's blood.

"Oh, this is simply wonderful! We'll get to use the kitchen! You know, being what we are, we don't really have any use for it. We haven't had mortal house guests since Bella was human!"

Esme was ridiculously excited. She ran her pale, delicate hands across the counters and lifted them only to find dust on her palms. It had been a long time.

Violet shifted uncomfortably at the invitation.

"I-it's not that I don't trust you Dr Cullen, it's just that, you know, vampires don't really give me a good reason to, um…"

"I can assure you, no harm will come to you in this house. Not from my family."

Somehow, this kindly vampire who was going to help her solve her life altering problem seemed like someone she could believe in.

"Edward, Bella, I hope you don't mind sleeping out in the cottage until Violet has-"

"No problem," Bella assured Esme and Carlisle as she led Edward and her daughter out into the woods, toward their cozy hideaway nestled in the forest.

I want to stay here tonight, Renesmee conveyed to Edward, who read her thoughts without even realizing it.

"Emmett, keep an eye on her tonight, will you? Alice and Jasper are going into the mountains to hunt." Emmett once again eyed Nessie with suspicion.

"I think we can find something to do."

"I'm really sorry I barged in like this. I- I noticed you were avoiding me, so I figured you probably don't like the fact that I'm even staying here-"

"It's not that," Emmett explained, picking up another card from the deck as he, his niece and the strange woman huddled in the living room playing Go-Fish. Nessie glanced over her cards, wishing she had mind-reading abilities like her father.

"Is it because I didn't let you, you know…" Violet continued, muttering go-fish to Nessie who had previously asked her for a three.

When silence ensued, she frowned.

"Got any queens?" Renesmee shook her head.

Emmett did not like the fact that he was going insane over this Violet girl. She was nothing like Rosalie, yet at the same time, every instant he was near her, he wanted to be with her- closer, more intimately than with his supposedly vampire soul-mate… the one who'd betrayed him.

When Nessie had begun flipping through the channels on the television, Violet became anxious and nervous. Walking outside, she beckoned for Emmett to follow.

"Fair is fair," Violet stuttered, moving away from the house a bit more and rolling up her sleeve.

"What're you doing?" the vampire asked bluntly as Violet stopped and turned to face him with her eyes closed.

"Well? Aren't you going to bite me? I made a promise that I would let you, so go ahead! I know you know that nothing can happen to me, so… just do it."

Emmett's mouth nearly dropped open. Did she even know what she was doing to him? Even after the entire deer he'd just consumed, his teeth ached and his tongue twitched at the very smell of her blood. He had to blink a few times to clear his head of the proposal.

"I-I'm strictly vegetarian these days," Emmett coughed, noticing the complete relief in her eyes when he denied her.

What the hell? Since when do I stutter? Since when does Emmett Cullen stutter?

Just remembering all those scars from all those bites, those attacks on that poor girl made him realize he'd definitely done the right thing.

"So, why do you want to become a vampire?" Emmett asked, genuinely curious as they reentered the house, Violet's anticipation and adrenaline fading knowing that Emmett wasn't going to attack her in her sleep.

"Just because I can't be drained by a vampire doesn't mean I can't be captured… or beaten by them… or locked up or tied down or grabbed or hit or-" Violet's voice became quieter and quieter as the light from the house poured over the two in the doorway.

"I'm no match for their strength, their speed. I'll never escape from this. When they find me, I'm just like a pet. I have to be fed, and watered, and caged, that way hungry vamps can eat whenever they want."

Violet's voice had become harsh and stony while she explained. "I've lived my whole life in fear. I don't ever want it to be like that again."

After an awkward pause in which Emmett had no way to respond to this girl's tortured life, she continued.

"By the way, who is Rosalie?"

At the mention of her name aloud, Emmett's throat became constricted, and Violet's blue gaze became too intense. It was like the ghosts of his past just wouldn't leave him alone.

"None of your business," he snapped. He hadn't meant to sound harsh, but when it came out, he knew it was an instinctual reaction. He'd been protecting Rosalie's name for so long, he didn't even realize he did it anymore.

"Sorry. You're right." Violet's eyes averted to the ground as she headed towards the Cullen house to join the unguarded Renesmee. "You coming?"

Emmett nodded absentmindedly, watching Violet's silhouette become engulfed in the light of the house.

After realizing that the Cullens were safe, concerned people, er, vampires, Violet allowed herself to go to bed in Edward's room, the only place in the house with a bed. It had never occurred to her that vampires didn't sleep, but lying conspicuously in a bed while the other seven vamps were awake was disconcerting.

Horrible dreams plagued Violet's subconscious each night. She could not escape her past.

Dreams were Nessie's specialty. On most occasions, she could not read minds or hear thoughts, only grasp pictures from events, but dreams were a case in which these thoughts were given freely. She took these brief opportunities to get to know Violet, unbeknownst to the sleeping mortal.

Renesmee didn't see Violet as a life source or a friend. She saw her as the new, better version of her aunt Rosalie, a member of the family who was rapidly becoming closer, inadvertently, to her Uncle Emmett.

Nessie was not the only one who sensed something stirring. Jasper's uncanny ability to sense and control other's emotions had him twitching with the passionate glances that Emmett held secretly for Violet.

Lastly, Edward could hear Emmett's fantasies from a mile away. They intruded his mind at breakfast, while they were hunting, running, playing baseball in the field…

Just as Bella's blood sang a song for Edward, Violet's called to Emmett like a siren. It was beyond his control to avoid its deafening pull.

"Dr. Cullen, have you found anything out about my condition?"

It was true. Carlisle had discovered Violet's condition, over the course of the last two weeks… but it was devastating.

"I'll try to make this as simple as I can." Carlisle took a deep breath before explaining to the girl about her ancestors. "There are vampires, and then there are Immortals. You are an Immortal, traditionally born to service a vampire master who your blood calls to.

"After the French Immortal Rebellion, vampires saw how manipulative their own slaves could be, and exterminated them to preserve their own species."

Violet was stunned. It all seemed too horrible to be true.

"When you say service, do you mean-" she choked out before Carlisle cut in.

"Traditionally, the Immortals served as… concubines. They can have vampire children, which nowadays, is expressly forbidden," he added quietly, knowing that Renesmee was probably in ear shot.

Violet would have laughed at the revelation if it hadn't been for the seriousness of it.

"So… what happens until I find my vampire master?"

"The texts were fairly non-descript about the whole process. I'm afraid it's all I know Violet." Carlisle couldn't read the expression on the girl who seemed terrified by her own fate.

"B-but that can't be it! I… don't want to be a vampire slave my whole life!" she cried, charging to her feet and rushing out of the house into the fresh, welcoming air outside.

Vampire pet, servant, whore… slave. All these ran through Violet's mind as she tried to escape; not the Cullens, but the world that had handed her this harsh fate. She swallowed hard as the dark tree-line engulfed her.

She would never find love, never be cared for equally as a human being. Once her master showed up… it was all over.

"Hey."

Violet heard a familiar voice from behind her and she turned around, startled.

"Was I that easy to follow?" she laughed, trying to hide the pain and disappointment in her face.

"Yes… but I would know your scent anywhere."

After Violet had stormed out of the house, Edward immediately became aware of the situation.

"Carlisle, I think Emmett is drawn to Violet-"

"-as you were drawn to Bella, yes, I'm very aware." Carlisle rested in his same position on the couch that he'd been in before the distraught Violet left the house.

"But why does Violet look so much like Rosalie? How come if Violet was out there, Emmett was in love with her?" Alice's nose twitched confused.

"I hate to say it, but Rosalie… was Violet's replacement. If half of Emmett's soul was in Violet, then Rosalie was the next best thing."

Renesmee smiled knowingly. I'm always right.

"If Emmett and Vie are meant to be together, then it's a good thing that they're alone together in the woods, right?" Alice interjected, her eyes flashing blankly to the future before her.

"No, this is not good at all! Violet's past experience with vampires has left her untrusting. If Emmett tries to take her blood-"

"It could get violent," Jasper continued for his father. Esme gasped and clutched Renesmee in her arms. Bella, Alice and Jasper stood alert.

"Edward, can you hear anything going on right now?" Carlisle pried, hoping that it would be easy to persuade Emmett to be careful in his pursuit.

"Violet's at ease, but I can tell Emmett hasn't eaten in days. I know how much pain he's in," Edward cast a knowing glance at Bella, whom he had protected when she was a mortal, even though he'd wanted her blood since day one.

"Maybe… we should go back," Violet began, shrinking under Emmett's uncomfortable, scrutinizing gaze. In a second, however, the large vampire moved in front of her, his gaze lowered to meet hers.

"I don't want to go back. I… don't want to share you with anyone else."

Violet was startled by the intensity in his eyes.

His gold, hungry eyes.

"Emmett… why are you looking at me like that? Come on, let's go." Emmett eyed Violet's pleading stare, and it became too much for him. He bit his lip and squeezed his eyes close, punching the trunk of a tree so hard it toppled over like a stick in the wind. The blonde girl jumped, surprised.

"I can't stay away from you anymore. The smell is killing me."

Emmett's gaze turned predatory as he leapt across the clearing and attempted to calm his wild hunger.

But he was too far gone. Her scent found its way to him, carried on the wind like an intoxicating drug. Like a hunter stalking his helpless prey, the large vampire began taking long, unavoidable strides with blood lust glinting in his eyes.

Violet was so frozen she didn't even hear her name being called by the Cullens who were approaching fast from behind.

"Emmett, stop! This isn't you!" Bella shouted, gliding towards her adoptive brother who balled his hands into fists at the interruption.

"Edward, take Violet back to the house. Jasper, Bella, Alice, take Emmett hunting for God's sake." Carlisle glanced back and forth between the fear stricken Violet and the guilt ridden Emmett. Pain was written all over his son's face, and Carlisle knew exactly what he was going through.

"It's alright Emmett, everyone makes mistakes," Jasper tried to explain as they leapt through the trees up the mountain.

"NO! Not me. How could I have slipped up like that? I could've killed her-"

"-But you didn't, so stop worrying. You guys don't give yourselves enough credit," Bella sighed as she danced from tree to tree, eyeing the forest for succulent deer, ready for the biting.

"You don't get it! I'm not as strong as Edward. I was going to kill her. I don't think I could've lived with myself-"

"Bella's right Emmett. You have to forgive yourself." Alice touched her brother's shoulder comfortingly, ending the discussion.

Once the hunting trip was over and Emmett was replenished and relaxed, Bella took him aside.

"You are strong Emmett. You've been protecting her this long, and… I know you'd never hurt her." Bella's warm brown eyes softened at Emmett's vulnerability. Normally, he was just a big kid, but now, she could see his suffering, and it was almost uncomfortable for her as well.

When only silence ensued, and the other vamps were ready to head back towards the house, Bella lagged behind with her brother in law.

"Just one question," Bella began, staring seriously up into Emmett's now brown eyes.

He nodded, and she went on.

"Do you love her?"

Haha, so exciting… review.