The Crash: Book Two - Heart on Fire

Chapter Ten: An Exercise in Power

Mason

Dominate/ˈdäməˌnāt/ verb. 1. The exercise of control or influence over someone or something.

Compulsion/' kəmˈpəlSHən/ noun. 1. The action of forcing or state of being forced to do something.

Mesmerize/ˈmezməˌrīz/ verb. 1. To hold the attention of someone to the exclusion of all else.

Rosalie Lillian Hale/ˈvamˌpī(ə)r/ gift. 1. The ability to dominate, compel or mesmerize an individual against their will.

2. Implant suggestions or fabricated thoughts into the minds of others.

Thursday, September 15, 2005

I had dithered briefly before I left, torn as to whether I should eavesdrop on their meeting. Listening in would have been a betrayal of trust, although it was tempting. I wanted to know what they thought of me, well in truth, I wanted to know what Angela thought of me. There was no way to explain my nature so that they would believe me. Saving her life was a reaction, one I had often suppressed for fear of exposing my nature to the world. I used other methods of helping, including serving as a medic, nurse, doctor and surgeon long enough to save thousands of lives. Yet none of that matter in the moment, because this woman felt more important than any I had saved over the centuries.

I hadn't meant to interact with Angela to such a degree. I never wanted to risk being a part of her life. Yet after idly daydreaming about her for a year, finally interacting with her had been a revelation. She wasn't just kind, she was intelligent and generous. Willing to stand between me and her adoptive family, as a mortal. Brave and selfless, I hadn't encountered many mortals who had such traits, that hadn't been ground down by the machinations of society and war.

She was right about many things, but her point about loneliness hit harder than she realized. I had a choice ahead of me, and it seemed so simple... on the surface. Either I could live here with them, with her, and finally get to experience the happiness that has eluded me for millennia. Or, I could leave and return to my solitude, hoping that fate would save them from the fiery end Alice prophesized.

I was also worried that Angela viewed me as her savior or hero. That could twist her emotions about me, give her a false sense of familiarity that would change when I finally revealed my past. It was strange that somehow, I already had a longing to be close to her again. I knew I needed to distance myself from these chaotic thoughts, and the emotions they represented. So, I attempted to push everything from my mind.

The long list of projects I needed to finish on the house was as good as any distraction. Yet to continue I had to make another infernal trip to Seattle for supplies, so I made my way to my old truck. When I got in and turned the engine over, I was greeted to loud rattles and a long ear-piercing squeal that ended a few seconds later by the terrible sound of the engine sputtering to a stop, accompanied by a pathetic rattle and a soft rumble.

"Lovely." I muttered to myself as I popped the hood and got out. As I exited, I nearly slammed the door hard enough to fuse the latch together. The engine looked fine on initial inspection, but as I began to dig, I found the main fan belt had snapped and the tensioner was bad. The oil pan was leaking, and I could smell coolant seeping out from somewhere. I shook my head in annoyance as I heard a beautiful engine shutoff at the beginning of my driveway. A few seconds later I felt one of my kind draw close. Her feminine scent and pattern of footfalls gave me weight and gender; I thought about the few possibilities in the area and settled on Rosalie.