mine one more time and
then pulled away； folding my arms across my stomach。
My pulse was thudding in my ears。 I put one hand over my heart。 It drummed
hyperactively under my
palm。
〃Do you think I'll ever get better at this？〃 I wondered； mostly to myself。
〃That my heart might someday
stop trying to jump out of my chest whenever you touch me？〃
〃I really hope not；〃 he said； a bit smug。
I rolled my eyes。 〃Let's go watch the Capulets and Montagues hack each other
up； all right？〃
〃Your wish； my mand。〃
Edward sprawled across the couch while I started the movie； fast…forwarding
through the opening
credits。
When I perched on the edge of the sofa in front of him； he wrapped his arms
around my waist and pulled
me against his chest。 It wasn't exactly as fortable as a sofa cushion would
be； what with his chest
being hard and cold—and perfect—as an ice sculpture； but it was definitely
preferable。 He pulled the old
afghan off the back of the couch and draped it over me so I wouldn't freeze
beside his body。
〃You know； I've never had much patience with Romeo；〃 he mented as the movie
started。
〃What's wrong with Romeo？〃 I asked； a little offended。 Romeo was one of my
favorite fictional
characters。 Until I'd met Edward； I'd sort of had a thing for him。
〃Well； first of all； he's in love with this Rosaline—don't you think it makes
him seem a little fickle？ And
then； a few minutes after their wedding； he kills Juliet's cousin。 That's not
very brilliant。 Mistake after
mistake。 Could he have destroyed his own happiness any more thoroughly？〃
I sighed。 〃Do you want me to watch this alone？〃
〃No； I'll mostly be watching you； anyway。〃 His fingers traced patterns across
the skin of my arm； raising
goose bumps。 〃Will you cry？〃
〃Probably；〃 I admitted； 〃if I'm paying attention。〃
〃I won't distract you then。〃 But I felt his lips on my hair； and it was very
distracting。
The movie eventually captured my interest； thanks in large part to Edward
whispering Romeo's lines in
my ear—his irresistible； velvet voice made the actor's voice sound weak and
coarse by parison。 And
I did cry； to his amusement； when Juliet woke and found her new husband dead。
〃I'll admit； I do sort of envy him here；〃 Edward said； drying the tears with a
lock of my hair。
〃She's very pretty。〃
He made a disgusted sound。 〃I don't envy him the girl—just the ease of the
suicide；〃 he clarified in a
teasing tone。 〃You humans have it so easy！ All you have to do is throw down
one tiny vial of plant
extracts〃
〃What？〃 I gasped。
〃It's something I had to think about once； and I knew from Carlisle's
experience that it wouldn't be
simple。 I'm not even sure how many ways Carlisle tried to kill himself in the
beginning after he realized
what he'd bee〃 His voice； which had grown serious； turned light again。
〃And he's clearly still in
excellent health。〃
I twisted around so that I could read his face。 〃What are you talking about？〃
I demanded。 〃What do you
mean； this something you had to think about once？〃
〃Last spring； when you were nearly killed〃 He paused to take a deep
breath； snuggling to return to
his teasing tone。 〃Of course I was trying to focus on finding you alive； but
part of my mind was making
contingency plans。 Like I said； it's not as easy for me as it is for a human。〃
For one second； the memory of my last trip to Phoenix washed through my head
and made me feel dizzy。
I could see it all so clearly—the blinding sun； the heat waves ing off the
concrete as I ran with
desperate haste to find the sadistic vampire who wanted to torture me to
death。 James； waiting in the
mirrored room with my mother as his hostage—or so I'd thought。 I hadn't known
it was all a ruse。 Just as
James hadn't known that Edward was racing to save me； Edward made it in time；
but it had been a close
one。 Unthinkingly； my fingers traced the crescent…shaped scar on my hand that
was always just a few
degrees cooler than the rest of my skin。
I shook my head—as if I could shake away the bad memories—and tried to grasp
what Edward meant。
My stomach plunged unfortably。 〃Contingency plans？〃 I repeated。
〃Well； I wasn't going to live without you。〃 He rolled his eyes as if that fact
were childishly obvious。 〃But I
wasn't sure how to do it—I knew Emmett and Jasper would never help so I was
thinking maybe I
would go to Italy and do something to provoke the Volturi。〃
I didn't want to believe he was serious； but his golden eyes were brooding；
focused on something far
away in the distance as he contemplated ways to end his own life。 Abruptly； I
was furious。
〃What is a Volturi？〃 I demanded。
〃The Volturi are a family；〃 he explained； his eyes still remote。 〃A very old；
very powerful family of our
kind。 They are the closest thing our world has to a royal family； I suppose。
Carlisle lived with them briefly
in his early years； in Italy； before he settled in America—do you remember
the story？〃
〃Of course I remember。〃
I would never forget the first time I'd gone to his home； the huge white
mansion buried deep in the forest
beside the river； or the room where Carlisle—Edward's father in so many real
ways—kept a wall of
paintings that illustrated his personal history。 The most vivid； most wildly
colorful canvas there； the largest；
was from Carlisle's time in Italy。 Of course I remembered the calm quartet of
men； each with the
exquisite face of a seraph； painted into the highest balcony overlooking the
swirling mayhem of color。
Though the painting was centuries old； Carlisle—the blond angel—remained
unchanged。 And I
remembered the three others； Carlisle's early acquaintances。 Edward had never
used the name Volturi
for the beautiful trio； two black…haired； one snow white。 He'd called them
Aro； Caius； and Marcus；
nighttime patrons of the arts
〃Anyway； you don't irritate the Volturi；〃 Edward went on； interrupting ray
reverie。 〃Not unless you want
to die—or whatever it is we do。〃 His voice was so calm； it made him sound
almost bored by the
prospect。
My anger turned to horror。 I took his marble face between my hands and held it
very tightly。
〃You must never； never； never think of anything like that again！〃 I said。 〃No
matter what might ever
happen to me； you are not allowed to hurt yourself！〃
〃I'll never put you in danger again； so it's a moot point。〃
〃Put me in danger！ I thought we'd established that all the bad luck is my
fault？〃 I was getting angrier。
〃How dare you even think like that？〃 The idea of Edward ceasing to exist； even
if I were dead； was
impossiblypainful。
〃What would you do； if the situation were reversed？〃 he asked。
〃That's not the same thing。〃
He didn't seem to understand the difference。 He chuckled。
〃What if something did happen to you？〃 I blanched at the thought。 〃Would you
want me to go off
myself？〃
A trace of pain touched his perfect features。
〃I guess I see your point a little；〃 he admitted。 〃But what would I do
without you？〃
〃Whatever you were doing before I came along and plicated your existence。〃
He sighed。 〃You make that sound so easy。〃
〃It should be。 I'm not really that interesting。〃
He was about to argue； but then he let it go。 〃Moot point；〃 he reminded me。
Abruptly； he pulled himself
up into a more formal posture； shifting me to the side so that we were no
longer touching。
〃Charlie？〃 I guessed。
Edward smiled。 After a moment； I heard the sound of the police cruiser pulling
into the driveway。 I
reached out and took his hand firmly。 My dad could deal with that much。
Charlie came in with a pizza box in his hands。
〃Hey； kids。〃 He grinned at me。 〃I thought you'd like a break from cooking and
washing dishes for your
birthday。 Hungry？〃
〃Sure。 Thanks； Dad。〃
Charlie didn't ment on Edward's apparent lack of appetite。 He was used to
Edward passing on
dinner。
〃Do you mind if I borrow Bella for the evening？〃 Edward asked when Charlie and
I were done。
I looked at Charlie hopefully。 Maybe he had some concept of birthdays as stay
…at…home； family
affairs—this was my first birthday with him； the first birthday since my mom；
Renee； had remarried and
gone to live in Florida； so I didn't know what he would expect。
〃That's fine—the Mariners are playing the Sox tonight；〃 Charlie explained；
and my hope disappeared。
〃So I won't be any kind of pany Here。〃 He scooped up the camera he'd
gotten me on Renee's
suggestion （because I would need pictures to fill up my scrap…book）； and threw
it to me。
He ought to know better than that—I'd always been coordinationally
challenged。 The camera glanced off
the tip of my finger； and tumbled toward the floor。 Edward snagged it before
it could crash onto the
linoleum。
〃Nice save；〃 Charlie noted。 〃If they're doing something fun at the Cullens'
tonight； Bella； you should take
some pictures。 You know how your mother gets—she'll be wanting to see the
pictures faster than you
can take them。〃
〃Good idea； Charlie；〃 Edward said； handing me the camera。
I turned the camera on Edward； and snapped the first picture。 〃It works。〃
〃That's good。 Hey； say hi to Alice for me。 She hasn't been over in a while。〃
Charlie's mouth pulled down
at one corner。
〃It's been three days； Dad；〃 I reminded him。 Charlie was crazy about Alice。
He'd bee attached last
spring when she'd helped me through my awkward convalescence； Charlie would be
fore'ter grateful to
her for saving him from the horror of an almost…adult daughter who needed help
showering。 〃I'll tell her。〃
〃Okay。 You kids have fun tonight。〃 It was clearly a dismissal。 Charlie was
already edging toward the
living room and the TV。
Edward smiled； triumphant； and took my hand to pull me from the kitchen。
When we got to the truck； he opened the passenger door for me again； and this
time I didn't argue。 I still
had a hard time finding the obscure turnoff to his house in the dark。
Edward drove north through Forks； visibly chafing at the speed limit enforced
by my prehistoric Chevy。
The engine groaned even louder than usual as he pushed it over fifty。
〃Take it easy；〃 I warned him。
〃You know what you would love？ A nice little Audi coupe。 Very quiet； lots of
power〃
〃There's nothing wrong with my truck。 And speaking of expensive nonessentials；
if you know what's
good for you； you didn't spend any money on birthday presents。〃
〃Not a dime；〃 he said virtuously。
〃Good。〃
〃Can you do me a favor？〃
〃That depends on what it is。〃
He sighed； his lovely face serious。 〃Bella； the last real birthday any of us
had was Emmett in 1935。 Cut us
a little slack； and don't be too difficult tonight。 They're all very excited。〃
It always startled me a little when he brought up things like that。 〃Fine；
I'll behave。〃
〃I probably should warn you〃
〃Please do。〃
〃When I say they're all excited I do mean all of them。〃
〃Everyone？〃 I choked。 〃I thought Emmett and Rosalie were in Africa。〃 The rest
of Forks was under the
impression that the older Cullens had gone off to college this year； to
Dartmouth； but I knew better。
〃Emmett wanted to be here。〃
〃But Rosalie？〃
〃I know； Bella。 Don't worry； she'l