Hello everyone! Now here we are – back on track with the Cullens. I hope everyone`s enjoyed the story so far. So: without further ado, here's the chapter.

"Doubt thou stars are fire, doubt that the sun doth move, doubt truth to be a liar but never doubt that I love you." – Shakespeare

ROSALIE.

Angeline's POV

I sighed again, holding my drink and raising it high to clink it with another passing man who eyed me when he thought I wasn't looking. Women around me giggled, and the men slurred, half were sauced already.

It was the dirty thirties but when you looked around this room, it wasn't the impression you got. Everyone here was decked out in their finest clothes and most luxurious jewellery (trying to prove to everyone just how unpoor they were)

Jasper had stayed home because he couldn`t handle being around so many humans yet (given his past history) and Esme had wondered off towards the band as soon as we arrived. So I was left to my own devices as Carlisle was whisked away by one of the daunting women – all enquiring about his mystery woman.

"Is it true? Does he have a woman in his life?"

I turned to see a tall, thin woman in a sparkly silver gown and thin silver slippers. Her hair was fluffy and she looked ready for the glitz and glamour of the Ritz instead of a function in Rochester.

"I'm sorry, I didn't see you there. Pleased to meet you, I'm Angeline Cullen. Carlisle's sister," I said, flashing her my most dazzling smile, hoping to get her off my case. I'd been harassed ne too many times about Carlisle's romantic status.

"That`s nice dear, now about Carlisle?" She persisted, her rouge lips wet from saliva.

I smirked back at her, and resisted the urge to roll my eyes. I seriously regretted coming to this with Carlisle, I could be at home spending time with Jasper or trying to mend my relationship with Edward.

That was another surprising part of my life. Edward – known for his sullenness and his proneness to drama and flare – had completely forgotten about being in love with me. He acted like nothing had happened, and when I raved about it, Jasper sourly admitted that Edward's feelings were mixing with acceptance.

I was jarred from my thoughts when I was rudely shouldered and almost sloshed my untouched drink. Rosalie Hale – all plush hair and shining pearls and ruffled blue dress – was glaring at me quite rudely as she walked by with her fiancé and a diamond the size of the Ritz.

For some reason unknown to us, she hated us with a fashion. Trashed us behind our backs, claiming we were foreign and weird.

Jasper revealed she was jealous.

But I turned a blind eye and wouldn't believe that she could be that petty. I was human once, pretty enough, and those emotions never ruled my opinions over people or caused me to degrade them to my peers. But perhaps it was jealousy, judging by the way she was rubbing her shoulder.

Poor girl, shouldering me was like running into a brick wall.

Suddenly, there was a hand holding mine, leaning against me with her hip to one side. Esme`s smile was dazzling and whole hearted, oblivious to the ignorant stares of Carlisle's admirers. Her empire waisted, dark green dress stood out in a sea of pink and whites. Her long caramel hair was swept over one shoulder, shining in the bright lights the party had to offer.

My own hair was in an elaborate updo of curls, braids and twists – if I was human, the sheer amount of pins would have caused my neck to hurt. I was decked to the nines in a long, soft coat dress with a jewelled belt. The material fell to my knees, giving way to stocking and strappy high heels.

I noticed her eyes darted around the room nervously, eying the women. "There's so many of them," she whispered.

"Humans?" I wondered, speaking low so nobody else would be able to overhear.

"No, women. And they're all so ... skinny," She huffed the last word, tugging at the slim waist of her dress. This surprised me; Esme was usually quiet and sweet – and now she inhumanly gorgeous. I didn't take her to be the insecure type.

I scoffed. "Esme, we're ten times as beautiful as any woman here."

"Yes, Angeline. I know, but-''

"I don't want to hear it. Esme, honey, who wants a twig when you can have the whole tree?" I smiled at her, and I saw the faintest twitch of her upper lip.

When I got home I threw my shoes into my closet. Jasper – for his part refused to share a room with me because we weren't married and it was against his southern morals. I understood where he was coming from, and didn`t push it.

He was however, lounging on my carpet reading a collection of French poetry, one of the things I took from my home before I left France. I knew he heard me, but he was either ignoring me or engrossed in the book. I sat, carefully watching him, as I had many times before.

His scars – layered and deep. His hair – honey colored and perfectly in place. His mouth – quirked to one side. His eyes – melting and looking at me with amusement.

"See anything you like?" He drawled, smugly.

"Mmm, maybe. Though I might have to trade up – I hear the next models have cupholders," I said, bouncing towards my closet, and pulling fresh sheets off. Esme and I were the only ones in the house who did this. We had spare rooms, decorated with the finest of furniture that we'd never use. Edward didn't even have a bed, Esme had a spacious couch, and Carlisle had a chair. I was the only one with a bed – I guess it made me feel more ... human.

I grabbed the lilac colored ones, and with a flock of my wrists, the cream ones were off my bed and folded beside me.

"I still do not understand, why you insist on doing that – crazy woman," He wound his arms around me from behind.

I shrugged into his chest, "I figure if I really want to be in my bed, others will follow." I smiled, patting my bed affectionately.

Jasper's growl rumbled in his throat – it was incredibly sexy. "Others?"

"Oh, yes. My other lovers will simply adore these sheets," I replied, biting back a giggle.

Suddenly I was face down in the sheets, and Jasper's lips were on my jaw, it was my weak point and he knew it. He was half laying on me and I could feel every stiff muscle in his entire body, his hand was running along my side, making me shiver. I knew I'd have goosebumps if it were possible!

"The only man allowed near this bed, is myself," He barked, rolling off me.

Thank god he did – I was so ... turned on that I had to stifle it. Jasper, was smiling smugly at me, but the same look was in his eyes.

"I was thinking, "I murmured in his ear, pulling him closer. "Isn't it about time you got married?"

"I don't know, I'm not sure I'm the marrying type," He replied saucily.

I kept my eyes down – I suppose I deserved that for teasing him.

"Is that what you want?" He asked – several moments later - pleasantly surprised.

"Is that what you want?" I countered.

He pulled something out of the inside pocket of his jacket and slipped it onto my finger. I looked down and almost feinted. It was gorgeous – and timeless, so I could wear it forever. Timeless – and HUGE. It consisted of a large, round diamond, with three rows of little diamonds around it, and the entire band- which twisted around my finger like vines- was covered in small, glittery diamonds.

"The owner almost had a stroke when I purchased this," He replied, sounding smug.

I kissed him, rubbing the end of my nose against his.

"Will you marry me?" He whispered into my hair.

"No – I was only going to keep the ring."

I could smell the blood before I saw her. In the distance, like music turned low, I could hear men laughing. I looked down at the figure, matted hair and bathed in her own blood. Until I swept her long, darkened hair off her face I hadn't thought it to be Rosalie Hale.

I smothered a gasp – only having to obtain an ounce of restraint. I was getting quite good at it, almost as good as Carlisle.

I wanted to leave her here, she was too easily recognizable, but a part of me that had apparently been adapted from Carlisle wouldn't let me. Willing myself to be stronger than I ever had to be, and picked her up, holding her with only my fingers and as far away from my body as possible. I was glad it was dark out, people might question one how one of the smallest ladies in town could lift someone like that.

I ran, ran so fast that if anyone did see me, all they'd see was the flash of my blonde hair, I wasn't the fastest in our family – Edward was, but I was a vampire and I decided to put that to good use.

As I slammed through the door, the family looked up and Carlisle was at my side in a second. I could hear Esme ushering a stiff, lock jawed Jasper from the room. Edward was still beside me, though.

I'm a tad ashamed to admit that when it came to Carlisle actually biting her – I had to leave.

"Rosalie Hale! Angeline! What were you thinking?" Edward questioned, incredulous. Jasper stiffened behind me, ready to protect me in a moment's notice. I squeezed the arm that was wrapped around my waist.

"What exactly should I have done, then, Edward? Left her in the streets to die?" I hissed.

Edward flinched, as he always did when I was angry with him. "Hundreds of people die every day – why did you have to save Rosalie Hale?"

"And what has she ever done to you?"

He thought for half a second, opening the door with a little too much force and stomping down the stairs. "She's too easily recognizable, she's known around here and we just got settled."

"Well, Princess Edward – you'll have to get over it because we're going to need to move again."

A hiss resonated from halfway down the stairs.

I was beginning to agree with Edward on the subject of Rosalie Hale. She spent the first four and a half hour in front of the mirror in Edward's room, staring at her face and repeating the word 'beautiful'. I'd heard other women complain about her shallowness – but I thought they'd been exaggerating.

Apparently I was wrong.

Carlisle insisted on taking Rosalie on her first hunt himself, he felt robbed because I'd taken both Edward and Jasper – and Edward had taken Esme. Apparently it had gone well, though Rosalie was a bit of a priss she was surprisingly agile and aggressive.

The only person Rosalie had ever talked to in our family was Esme, so when she sat next to me on our porch one early morning in June, I was thoroughly surprised.

We sat, the most beautiful things for thirty miles as we sparkled in the rising sun.

"I wish I could feel the sunlight, but all I feel is cold," She murmured, examining her sparkly skin.

I took her hand, expecting her to recoil, but she didn't, she flipped her hand and grasped mine like a child scared to lose its mother.

"I didn't want this life," She murmured again, leaning against me, resting the side of her head against the side of her head on top of mine. "I was so close. So close. To having everything I wanted – a husband, a family, a house. A life .."

"Rosalie. If Royce," She stiffened and locked her jaw at the sound of his name. "Hadn't attacked you that night – he would have another time."

"I know how you feel..." I reminisced, thinking about my past life for the first time in a long time. "When I was human, in France back In the early 1700's, I was sought after. I had countless suitor's, forever asking for my hand before they'd spoken a word to me. My father – Pierre Bela'voire – a French count, was wise, a handsome man with a shapely moustache and a tall, curved figure. My mother – Aveline Molyniux-Bela'voire, was the most beautiful woman I'd ever seen. Long, blonde hair that glinted in the sunshine, and the prettiest blue eyes I'd ever seen."

Rosalie waited silently, and I could feel the rest of our family freeze inside the house. Listening to a story I'd never shared before – not even with Jasper.

"I had five sisters, all pretty but one – Claudia, was the disappointment and shame of my family. Ironically, she was my favourite sisters, the youngest besides me. The only daughter to be cursed with wispy black hair and dull brown eyes and sparse lashes. I remember her wishing for her hair to grow thick and shiny or her eyes to change to sparkling blue so that my mother would love her. She ran away from home after marrying a poor, travelling musician – a disgrace that my parents never acknowledged. In their eyes, Claudia was no longer their daughter."

"My eldest sisters, Solange and Denise, were jezebels, rolling around in haystacks with the boys and lying to our parents. I remember being ashamed that we were related, thinking that no man wanted to marry a jezebels, and they'd be condemned to be mistress' their entire lives."

"The other two, Aubree and Therese were quiet, the non-noticeable, intelligent ones. I was the little girl, the romantic, the unrealistic dreamer. Yet the boys loved me. Once my elder sisters were all unhappily married, it fell to me. I was courted, desired by many. The one day, the handsomest suitor I'd ever seen in my life came. He told me he was a rich man, who had come all the way to Versailles to marry me."

"He had dark hair that was nicer than even my mothers, glowing dark eyes that sucked me and made me feel like I was floating, and skin as pale as washed stone that had been bleached by the sun. He was charming, and talked me into believing in hope and created a splendid vision of the love we would share, the beautiful children we were sure to produce. My parents were enamoured with him as much as I was. And soon, were engaged and left to return to Italy. However, we didn't make it far before I was bitten and the burning began. I cried for my love to save me, little did I know that he was on to bite me."

"A vampire?" Rosalie breathed, shocked. She turned her entire body to face me.

"Indeed."

"Who was it? How'd be introduce himelf?"

"Aro of Volterra."

Hope you like it!