Vanity and Patience: A Rosalie Hale & Emmett Cullen Story

Chapter 10: The Chase

It'd been weeks since the delivery man incident. Weeks since I was officially permitted with Emmett and a male family member. The family slowly trained him to hunt around areas with human scent. He needed to practice his restraint if he was ever going to be around people. Eventually he grew to almost ignore it, and would let Carlisle or Edward stop him should he lose control. Though the bloodlust made him delusional enough to fight Carlisle and Edward if he wanted to give into it, he now had the sense to let them win and succeed in stopping him.

It was because of this that all hunts with Emmett were chaperoned. Carlisle was very protective of his wife's safety. He was also most concerned about my own security, since everyone knew my weakness for Emmett, which often lead to a loss of common sense and a desire to be dangerously close to him.

It wasn't until lately that I found myself unappreciative of the chaperoning. My mind reasoned that Emmett's indifference was due to the fact that we weren't alone, and, given the chance we'd have time to ourselves, he'd finally show his affection. Out of respect for Carlisle, I didn't question it, no matter how annoyed I was.

It was difficult for me to imagine that someone could find me so repugnant. I was desired by many. Well, there was Edward, but I was convinced by now that he'd taken a secret vow of celibacy along with the monks back in Chicago. Surely, something had to give. I still couldn't fathom that Emmett didn't want me as well.

It was a nippy autumn evening that we ran clear into North Carolina. Leaves of gold, amber, and a fiery orange were flying up off the ground as we zoomed through the thick forests.

Another hunt with Emmett. And Edward.

I frowned.

Edward was, of course, in the lead. Emmett and I were tailing him. Though, as instructed by Carlisle, I always kept myself a step behind Emmett to watch him closely. Not that I minded the view of Emmett's shapely rear, but I wouldn't mind knowing he was watching me as he ran as well.

We had caught the smell of mountain lions in the air, so rare in this part of the country, that Edward was not about to let the chance go by. He loved lions, the movements of pursuit ironically resembling the same creature he hunted. He'd tracked the same herd for a week now, trying to find out exactly their location. Today we had a great

Emmett, of course, was game for this hunt. All of us could smell several of them; there were plenty of them to share amongst the three of us.

We could see a highway less than half of a mile to our left, running parallel to our path. Emmett's pace began to slow as we all caught a whiff of humans. Through the trees, I could spot a couple on the road with a broke down vehicle.

Edward's pace slowed as well, watching Emmett's reaction.

I turned to Emmett, his face pushing with determination to bypass such a temptation. His nose flared. His muscles tensed. A hiss bubbled up his throat, his lips baring those pearly white, razor sharp teeth of his. His hands balled to fists, and he held them close to his legs, coming to a pause.

"Try not to scent them as prey," Edward instructed, slowly. He kept his distance, his attentive eye on Emmett. "Ignore their smell. Hold your breath if you have to."

I held my breath at Edward's command as well, hoping we'd be successful. We knew we were taking risks by keeping Emmett this close to humans, but how else would he learn to control his thirst?

This was the part where Emmett would usually lose his mind, and take anyone down who got in his way. It wouldn't last long though, as his endurance was winning. He'd eventually give into Edward or Carlisle's help. Someone may get hurt in the process, but it wasn't like any of us couldn't mend our injuries within minutes.