Dartmouth； but I knew better。
〃Emmett wanted to be here。〃
〃But Rosalie？〃
〃I know； Bella。 Don't worry； she'll be on her best behavior。〃
I didn't answer。 Like I could just not worry； that easy。 Unlike Alice；
Edward's other 〃adopted〃 sister； the
golden blond and exquisite Rosalie； didn't like me much。 Actually； the feeling
was a little bit stronger than
just dislike。 As far as Rosalie was concerned； I was an unwele intruder
into her family's secret life。
I felt horribly guilty about the present situation； guessing that Rosalie and
Emmett's prolonged absence
was my fault； even as I furtively enjoyed not having to see her Emmett；
Edward's playful bear of a
brother； I did miss。 He was in many ways just like the big brother I'd always
wanted only much； much
more terrifying。
Edward decided to change the subject。 〃So； if you won't let me get you the
Audi； isn't there anything that
you'd like for your birthday？〃
The words came out in a whisper。 〃You know what I want。〃
A deep frown carved creases into his marble forehead。 He obviously wished he'd
stuck to the subject of
Rosalie。
It felt like we'd had this argument a lot today。
〃Not tonight； Bella。 Please。〃
〃Well； maybe Alice will give me what I want。〃
Edward growled—a deep； menacing sound。 〃This isn't going to be your last
birthday； Bella；〃 he vowed。
〃That's not fair！〃
I thought I heard his teeth clench together。
We were pulling up to the house now。 Bright light shined from every window on
the first two floors。 A
long line of glowing Japanese lanterns hung from the porch eaves； reflecting a
soft radiance on the huge
cedars that surrounded the house。 Big bowls of flowers—pink roses—lined the
wide stairs up to the
front doors。
I moaned。
Edward took a few deep breaths to calm himself。 〃This is a party；〃 he reminded
me。 〃Try to be a good
sport。〃
〃Sure；〃 I muttered。
He came around to get my door； and offered me his hand。
〃I have a question。〃
He waited warily。
〃If I develop this film；〃 I said； toying with the camera in my hands； 〃will
you show up in the picture？〃
Edward started laughing。 He helped me out of the car； pulled me up the stairs；
and was still laughing as he
opened the door for me。
They were all waiting in the huge white living room； when I walked through the
door； they greeted me
with a loud chorus of 〃Happy birthday； Bella！〃 while I blushed and looked
down。 Alice； I assumed； had
covered every flat surface with pink candles and dozens of crystal bowls
filled with hundreds of roses。
There was a table with a white cloth draped over it next to Edward's grand
piano； holding a pink birthday
cake； more roses； a stack of glass plates； and a small pile of silver…wrapped
presents。
It was a hundred times worse than I'd imagined。
Edward； sensing my distress； wrapped an encouraging arm around my waist and
kissed the top of my
head。
Edward's parents； Carlisle and Esme—impossibly youthful and lovely as ever—
were the closest to the
door。 Esme hugged me carefully； her soft； caramel…colored hair brushing
against my cheek as she kissed
my forehead； and then Carlisle put his arm around my shoulders。
〃Sorry about this； Bella；〃 he stage…whispered。 〃We couldn't rein Alice in。〃
Rosalie and Emmett stood behind them。 Rosalie didn't smile； but at least she
didn't glare。 Emmett's face
was stretched into a huge grin。 It had been months since I'd seen them； I'd
forgotten how gloriously
beautiful Rosalie was—it almost hurt to look at her。 And had Emmett always
been so big？
〃You haven't changed at all；〃 Emmett said with mock disappointment。 〃I
expected a perceptible
difference； but here you are； red…faced just like always。〃
〃Thanks a lot； Emmett；〃 I said； blushing deeper。
He laughed； 〃I have to step out for a second〃—he paused to wink conspicuously
at Alice—〃Don't do
anything funny while I'm gone。〃
〃I'lltry。〃
Alice let go of Jasper's hand and skipped forward； all her teeth sparkling in
the bright light。 Jasper smiled；
too； but kept his distance。 He leaned； long and blond； against the post at the
foot of the stairs。 During the
days we'd had to spend cooped up together in Phoenix； I'd thought he'd gotten
over his aversion to me。
But he'd gone back to exactly how he'd acted before—avoiding me as much as
possible—the moment
he was free from that temporary obligation to protect me。 I knew it wasn't
personal； just a precaution；
and I tried not to be overly sensitive about it。 Jasper had more trouble
sticking to the Cullens' diet than
the rest of them； the scent of human blood was much harder for him to resist
than the others—he hadn't
been trying as long。
〃Time to open presents；〃 Alice declared。 She put her cool hand under my elbow
and towed me to the
table with the cake and the shiny packages。
I put on my best martyr face。 〃Alice； I know I told you I didn't want anything
—〃
〃But I didn't listen；〃 she interrupted； smug。 〃Open it。〃 She took the camera
from my hands and replaced it
with a big； square silver box。
The box was so light that it felt empty。 The tag on top said that it was from
Emmett； Rosalie； and Jasper。
Selfconsciously； I tore the paper off and then stared at the box it concealed。
It was something electrical； with lots of numbers in the name。 I opened the
box； hoping for further
illumination。 But the box was empty。
〃Um thanks。〃
Rosalie actually cracked a smile。 Jasper laughed。 〃It's a stereo for your
truck；〃 he explained。 〃Emmett's
installing it right now so that you can't return it。〃
Alice was always one step ahead of me。 〃Thanks； Jasper； Rosalie；〃 I told them；
grinning as I remembered
Edward's plaints about my radio this afternoon—all a setup； apparently。
〃Thanks； Emmett！〃 I called
more loudly。
I heard his booming laugh from my truck； and I couldn't help laughing； too。
〃Open mine and Edward's next；〃 Alice said； so excited her voice was a high…
pitched trill。 She held a
small； flat square in her hand。
I turned to give Edward a basilisk glare。 〃You promised。〃
Before he could answer； Emmett bounded through the door。 〃Just in time！〃 he
crowed。 He pushed in
behind Jasper； who had also drifted closer than usual to get a good look。
〃I didn't spend a dime；〃 Edward assured me。 He brushed a strand of hair from
my face； leaving my skin
tingling from his touch。
I inhaled deeply and turned to Alice。 〃Give it to me；〃 I sighed。
Emmett chuckled with delight。
I took the little package； rolling my eyes at Edward while I stuck my finger
under the edge of the paper
and jerked it under the tape。
〃Shoot；〃 I muttered when the paper sliced my finger； I pulled it out to
examine the damage。 A single drop
of blood oozed from the tiny cut。
It all happened very quickly then。
〃No！〃 Edward roared。
He threw himself at me； flinging me back across the table。 It fell； as I did；
scattering the cake and the
presents； the flowers and the plates。 I landed in the mess of shattered
crystal。
Jasper slammed into Edward； and the sound was like the crash of boulders in a
rock slide。
There was another noise； a grisly snarling that seemed to be ing from deep
in Jasper's chest。 Jasper
tried to shove past Edward； snapping his teeth just inches from Edward's face。
Emmett grabbed Jasper from behind in the next second； locking him into his
massive steel grip； but
Jasper struggled on； his wild； empty eyes focused only on me。
Beyond the shock； there was also pain。 I'd tumbled down to the floor by the
piano； with my arms thrown
out instinctively to catch my fall； into the jagged shards of glass。 Only now
did I feel the searing； stinging
pain that ran from my wrist to the crease inside my elbow。
Dazed and disoriented； I looked up from the bright red blood pulsing out of my
arm—into the fevered
eyes of the six suddenly ravenous vampires。
2。STITCHES
CARLISLE WAS NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO STAYED calm。 Centuries of experience in the
emergency room were evident in his quiet； authoritative voice。
〃Emmett； Rose； get Jasper outside。〃
Unsmiling for once； Emmett nodded。 〃e on； Jasper。〃
Jasper struggled against Emmett's unbreakable grasp； twisting around； reaching
toward his brother with
his bared teeth； his eyes still past reason。
Edward's face was whiter than bone as he wheeled to crouch over me； taking a
clearly defensive
position。 A low warning growl slid from between his clenched teeth。 I could
tell that he wasn't breathing。
Rosalie； her divine face strangely smug； stepped in front of Jasper—keeping a
careful distance from his
teeth—and helped Emmett wrestle him through the glass door that Esme held
open； one hand pressed
over her mouth and nose。
Esme's heart…shaped face was ashamed。 〃I'm so sorry； Bella；〃 she cried as she
followed the others into
the yard。
〃Let me by； Edward；〃 Carlisle murmured。
A second passed； and then Edward nodded slowly and relaxed his stance。
Carlisle knelt beside me； leaning close to examine my arm。 I could feel the
shock frozen on my face； and
I tried to pose it。
〃Here； Carlisle；〃 Alice said； handing him a towel。
He shook his head。 〃Too much glass in the wound。〃 He reached over and ripped a
long； thin scrap from
the bottom of the white tablecloth。 He twisted it around my arm above the
elbow to form a tourniquet。
The smell of the blood was making me dizzy。 My ears rang。
〃Bella；〃 Carlisle said softly。 〃Do you want me to drive you to the hospital；
or would you like me to take
care of it here？〃
〃Here； please；〃 I whispered。 If he took me to the hospital； there would be no
way to keep this from
Charlie。
〃I'll get your bag；〃 Alice said。
〃Let's take her to the kitchen table；〃 Carlisle said to Edward。
Edward lifted me effortlessly； while Carlisle kept the pressure steady on my
arm。
〃How are you doing； Bella？〃 Carlisle asked。
〃I'm fine。〃 My voice was reasonably steady； which pleased me。
Edward's face was like stone。
Alice was there。 Carlisle's black bag was already on the table； a small but
brilliant desk light plugged into
the wall。 Edward sat me gently into a chair； and Carlisle pulled up another。
He went to work at once。
Edward stood over me； still protective； still not breathing。
〃Just go； Edward；〃 I sighed。
〃I can handle it；〃 he insisted。 But his jaw was rigid； his eyes burned with
the intensity of the thirst he
fought； so much worse for him than it was for the others。
〃You don't need to be a hero；〃 I said。 〃Carlisle can fix me up without your
help。 Get some fresh air。〃
I winced as Carlisle did something to my arm that stung。
〃I'll stay；〃 he said。
〃Why are you so masochistic？〃 I mumbled。
Carlisle decided to intercede。 〃Edward； you may as well go find Jasper before
he gets too far。 I'm sure
he's upset with himself； and I doubt he'll listen to anyone but you right
now。〃
〃Yes；〃 I eagerly agreed。 〃Go find Jasper。〃
〃You might as well do something useful；〃 Alice added。
Edward's eyes narrowed as we ganged up on him； but； finally； he nodded once
and sprinted smoothly
through the kitchen's back door。 I was sure he hadn't taken a breath since I'd
sliced my finger。
A numb； dead feeling was spreading through my a