BELLA'S POV

As he stared into my eyes, I froze. I knew I was in danger, but I couldn't bring myself to move. I felt like a deer about to get struck by an oncoming car. His black eyes were mesmerizing, and that smell...it was overpowering, especially with how close he was. I watched helplessly as Emmett stared at my lips, then my neck, and finally my almost-bare chest. From the corner of my eye I could see his hand balling into a fist, and it reminded me of what Edward had done when I first sat next to him in class. I found myself grateful that he didn't still have my hand in his. His lips parted slightly. The smell became stronger; my eyelids lowered, I couldn't think...

Snap out of it! I yelled at myself with the last ounce of willpower I had. I forced myself to take deep breaths, and this helped bring some control of my body back. Emmett's eyes were closed. He brought one of his hands to my hair. He started breathing through his mouth, and a low, sensuous growl escaped from his mouth.

"Emmett?" I breathed. I was too scared to even manage a whisper.

His eyes snapped open. I gasped and jumped back in my chair, no longer able to hide my fear.

He noticed and shook his head hard. "I…I have to go…I can't..." He seemed to be talking more to himself than to me.

"Emmett?" I tried again. But he didn't look at me; instead he walked towards the same open door Alice and Jasper had gone through. He stopped just in front of it, and for a split second I thought he would come back. He tilted his head up and took a deep breath. He turned his head slightly and began to speak, then changed his mind. Instead, he just shook his head and sped off.

I put my right hand on my neck, and began to breathe heavily, as though I had just run a mile.

What had just happened? Had I almost become Emmett's meal? The only Cullens I'd ever had reason to fear up until now were Jasper and Rosalie.

I quickly started cleaning up the leftovers and wrapped up the extra food. Perhaps Edward could take it to a nearby village or something for the less lucky to eat. Maybe even for the animals he'd told me they had here. I slowly walked back to my room for a hot shower, dazed.

EMMETT'S POV

FEED.

My mind was focused on that one word. Moreover, I didn't want to feed on just anyone. I wanted Bella.

What the hell had just happened?

My thoughts were interrupted when I heard a shuffling nearby. I crouched and listened; I could detect the presence of a bear. I tried to focus my energy and thoughts on it instead. It was one of my favorite animals to hunt, and I was starving after what had just happened with Bella. Luckily I'd bought Esme a pair for her island so they could mate and reproduce. That way, if I fed on one, it would be more likely to go unnoticed.

I quickly swung myself up into the tree next to me and waited for the bear to come into view. It was a female bear followed by two small cubs, who were playing and rolling on top of one another. As the adult bear came closer, I jumped on top of it.

Most times, I love wrestling with my prey. This time, however, I felt a thirst like I hadn't felt in a long time. I felt the bear's fur coat under me as I quickly dug my teeth into the back of its neck. A quick flow of blood gushed into my mouth, but she wasn't dead yet. I could hear her growling and trying to put up a fight. I only gripped on tighter, lost in what seemed to be an unquenchable thirst.

I heard the bear's cubs crying as they heard their mother's pain. One was even biting my leg, but I ignored it. Finally, I felt the bear's body become heavy and limp as I drained it of its last ounces of blood. I dug a hole and quickly buried her body; the two cubs hid behind one of the trees and whimpered in fear.

When I was done, I patted the ground over the hole and laid down over the body of my prey. I was full, my thirst was under control again; I felt under control of myself finally.

Although the scent and taste of the bear's blood didn't satisfy the desire I had for Bella's blood.

The dirt around me felt cool. I could still hear the cubs crying. I knew I would have to block my murderous thoughts from Edward, and after decades of practice it wouldn't be any harder then it had been for me to kill that bear. I had mastered a way of keeping him out of my head.

I brought my hand up to my nose, where I could still smell Bella from when I had grabbed her hair. The scent of the bear's fur had done little to mask it. I closed my eyes and let myself focus on the smell. I shuddered. Her smell was over-powering; I had come so close to giving in to my impulse.

I couldn't explain what was going on with me. It almost scared me. After years of being in close contact with humans, of smelling blood from accidental paper cuts and gym falls, I couldn't remember ever having to fight so hard to keep my cool. I couldn't remember desiring someone's blood so badly...

I ran my hand down my face to my chest.

"So this is what Edward meant when he spoke to Carlisle two years ago," I said to myself. This was why he'd left, scared that he would corner her in a dark, isolated spot and drain her life away. Hell, I could even understand if he'd wanted to kill her in the middle of class. I wondered in amazement how Edward had overcome the desire to taste her when he kissed her.

I licked my lips at the thought of kissing her myself, of tasting her, smelling her, being warmed by her human heat. All that blood flowing through her veins gave me a thrill.

I sighed. It would be no use returning to the house in the state I was in. I had to distract myself.

I turned my head and saw the cubs coming closer to me, still whimpering.

"Hey there," I said, reaching out my hand. The movement was too fast, and the cubs backed away quickly. I felt guilty. I had left them alone and they were scared; I knew how they felt.

"I'll take care of you two," I said, as I let my hand rest on the ground. One cub came closer and licked my hand; the other soon followed. They grew comfortable with me, and I was able to pet them. My thoughts inevitably returned to Bella. I had always wondered how Edward could fall in love with her. She was an attractive human, but she had never been able to compete with my Rosalie. No, not even close.

She had always seemed so plain, so…kid sister…so…. human. Now I understood that both Rosalie and Bella were beautiful in different ways. I could feel myself desiring her.

And it wasn't just the temptation of her blood. I was curious about her now. I wanted to know her the way Edward had gotten to.