Tweedle Dumb and Tweedle Dumber
The British stranger with the sexy voice places an arm behind Rosalie's chair, giving the illusion of intimacy to those in front of them but being careful not to invade the vampire's personal space. Rosalie appreciates that, as she's had far too many people pretend to "save" her from guys hitting on her just to try to hit on her themselves and cop a feel in the process.
Those people had quickly learned that Rosalie doesn't tolerate that kind of thing.
Very quickly.
When Rosalie turns to face her wannabe rescuer (as though Rosalie really needs rescuing. It is the two men the stranger is rescuing, not that the woman knows that), Rosalie is arrested with the greenest eyes she's ever seen before – as green as Rosalie's eyes are gold, or perhaps even greener than that. The green seems liquid, almost, as though they are pools of molten emeralds, and Rosalie almost drowns in them.
The eyes are adorned by thick black lashes, encased in a petite, heart-shaped face and pale, moonlit skin. Rosalie is so focused on the stranger's eyes she almost misses the hair, which is shocking because the hair is a dark, ruby red that Rosalie has never seen on another vampire or human before.
When Rosalie finally tears her gaze away from the stranger's face, she realizes the British woman has the body to match it. It's all curves and toned muscles, covered by a knee-length dress that would have looked old-fashioned on anyone else but somehow looks alluring on the woman. Rosalie thinks it's the serene confidence the woman holds herself with, or perhaps the strange mix of elegant composure and contained power she exudes. Having observed this kind of controlled power in Jasper for years, Rosalie would guess at some sort of military background, but she can't tell for sure. The woman seems awfully young for that, anyway. Although, as Rosalie sneaks another peak at the stranger, she does seem to have matured in all the right places despite her age…
Well.
The vampiress is forced to admit the stranger is absolutely stunning.
Rosalie may have to confront the fact that this human girl in front of her – because she has to be human, Rosalie can hear her heart beat in steady pumps – might just be as beautiful as she is (Rosalie says only as beautiful, because there is no way she'll even contemplate the possibility of a human, or vampire for that matter, being more beautiful than her, however friendly she might be).
Rosalie is a jealous woman who doesn't share attention well, so she should, by all rights, dislike this beautiful woman, but for some reason she can't bring herself to. Perhaps it's the hint of protectiveness the stranger is exhibiting in Rosalie's defense, even if misplaced, or the way she boldly stares down two bigger men for the sake of a complete stranger that looked like she was being bothered at a bar.
Or perhaps Rosalie herself is a little taken away with the stranger's beauty.
A glance back at the Tweedle Dumb and Tweedle Dumber in front of her show that the effect is even more pronounced on them.
Taking maximum advantage of the stupor of the two men, the stranger turned piercing green eyes back on Rosalie.
"I do believe you promised me a dance, love. You know I don't like coming to these places if we don't dance," The stranger continues the charade.
Feeling uncommonly playful – that was usually her husband's role, not hers – Rosalie decides to let loose a little and grabs the stranger's hand, making moves to get up and dance with this intriguing woman.
Seeing that the woman they had been hitting on was being taken away, Tweedle Dumb manages to break out of his trance and protests angrily, "Hey, hey, lady! You can't just take her away! Can't you see we were talking?"
The stranger tilts her head in innocent confusion, "Oh, dear. I seemed to have been under the impression that talking involved the exchange of words between both parties. I thought you were practicing a Shakespearean soliloquy and just happened to be facing her."
"A Shakepear what?" Rosalie laughs at the utter confusion on their faces.
"Don't think about it too hard, boys, I reckon you don't do it too often and your brain isn't used to the exercise. Wouldn't want you to hurt yourselves."
"Are you making fun of us?" Tweedle Dumber growls in what Rosalie is sure he thinks of as a threatening tone. The idiot even puffs out his chest and flexes his arms, obviously used to using his height to intimidate others. Rosalie thinks he looks like a peacock.
Rosalie turns and finds, somehow to her utter lack of surprise, that the stranger is completely unaffected.
"Bit slow on the uptake, aren't you mate?" The stranger smirks, flipping silky ruby locks behind her shoulder.
"Who the hell are you, sweet cheeks?" Tweedle Dumb blusters, face getting red, and Rosalie is distinctly reminded an angry tomato. Ah, so he's finally understood she was mocking him.
"The girlfriend," The stranger smiles. Rosalie can't help but think of a wild animal bearing its fangs, and a frisson goes down her spine. It is quickly dismissed. How ridiculous. After all, what could Rosalie, a vampire, the strongest of the supernatural races, have to fear from a mere human, no matter how confidently she holds herself?
Some time later, Rosalie is known to have repeatedly hit her head against the nearest wall for ever ignoring this feeling.
It certainly would have saved her a lot of trouble.