regards to my friend
Carlisle。〃 His expression turned more hesitant。 〃But I'm afraid you would have
to mean it。〃
Aro raised his hand in front of him。
Caius； who had begun to scowl furiously； relaxed。
Edward's lips tightened into a fierce line。 He stared into my eyes； and I
stared back。
〃Mean it；〃 I whispered。 〃Please。〃
Was it really such a loathsome idea？ Would he rather die than change me？ I
felt like I'd been kicked in
the stomach。
Edward stared down at me with a tortured expression。
And then Alice stepped away from us； forward toward Aro。 We turned to watch
her。 Her hand was
raised like his。
She didn't say anything； and Aro waved off his anxious guard as they moved to
block her approach。 Aro
met her halfway； and took her hand with an eager； acquisitive glint in his
eyes。
He bent his head over their touching hands； his eyes closing as he
concentrated。 Alice was motionless；
her face blank。 I heard Edward's teeth snap together。
No one moved。 Aro seemed frozen over Alice's hand。 The seconds passed and I
grew more and more
stressed； wondering how much time would pass before it was too much time。
Before it meant something
was wrong—more wrong than it already was。
Another agonizing moment passed； and then Aro's voice broke the silence。
〃Ha； ha； ha；〃 he laughed； his head still bent forward。 He looked up slowly；
his eyes bright with
excitement。 〃That was fascinating！〃
Alice smiled dryly。 〃I'm glad you enjoyed it。〃
〃To see the things you've seen—especially the ones that haven't happened
yet！〃 He shook his head in
wonder。
〃But that will；〃 she reminded him； voice calm。
〃Yes； yes； it's quite determined。 Certainly there's no problem。〃
Caius looked bitterly disappointed—a feeling he seemed to share with Felix
and Jane。
〃Aro；〃 Caius plained。
〃Dear Caius；〃 Aro smiled。 〃Do not fret。 Think of the possibilities！ They do
not join us today； but we can
always hope for the future。 Imagine the joy young Alice alone would bring to
our little household
Besides； I'm so terribly curious to see how Bella turns out！〃
Aro seemed convinced。 Did he not realize how subjective Alice's visions were。'
That she could make up
her mind to transform me today； and then change it tomorrow？ A million tiny
decisions； her decisions and
so many others'； too—Edward's—could alter her path； and with that； the
future。
And would it really matter that Alice was willing； would it make any
difference if I did bee a vampire；
when the idea was so repulsive to Edward？ If death was； to him； a better
alternative than having me
around forever； an immortal annoyance？ Terrified as I was； I felt myself
sinking down into depression；
drowning in it
〃Then we are free to go now？〃 Edward asked in an even voice。
〃Yes； yes；〃 Aro said pleasantly。 〃But please visit again。 It's been absolutely
enthralling！〃
〃And we will visit you as well；〃 Caius promised； his eyes suddenly half…closed
like the heavy…lidded gaze
of a lizard。 〃To be sure that you follow through on your side。 Were I you； I
would not delay too long。 We
do not offer second chances。〃
Edward's jaw clenched tight； but he nodded once。
Caius smirked and drifted back to where Marcus still sat； unmoving and
uninterested。
Felix groaned。
〃Ah； Felix。〃 Aro smiled； amused。 〃Heidi will be here at any moment。 Patience。〃
〃Hmm。〃 Edward's voice had a new edge to it。 〃In that case； perhaps we'd better
leave sooner rather than
later。〃
〃Yes；〃 Aro agreed。 〃That's a good idea。 Accidents do happen。 Please wait below
until after dark； though；
if you don't mind。〃
〃Of course；〃 Edward agreed； while I cringed at the thought of waiting out the
day before we could
escape。
〃And here；〃 Aro added； motioning to Felix with one finger。 Felix came forward
at once； and Aro
unfastened the gray cloak the huge vampire wore； pulling from his shoulders。
He tossed it to Edward。
〃Take this。 You're a little conspicuous。〃
Edward put the long cloak on； leaving the hood down。
Aro sighed。 〃It suits you。〃
Edward chuckled； but broke off suddenly； glancing over his shoulder。 〃Thank
you； Aro。 We'll wait
below。〃
〃Goodbye； young friends；〃 Aro said； his eyes bright as he stared in the same
direction。
〃Let's go；〃 Edward said； urgent now。
Demetri gestured that we should follow； and then set off the way we'd e in；
the only exit by the look
of things。
Edward pulled me swiftly along beside him。 Alice was close by my other side；
her face hard。
〃Not fast enough；〃 she muttered。
I stared up at her； frightened； but she only seemed chagrined。 It was then
that I first heard the babble of
voices—loud； rough voices—ing from the antechamber。
〃Well this is unusual；〃 a man's coarse voice boomed。
〃So medieval；〃 an unpleasantly shrill； female voice gushed back。
A large crowd was ing through the little door； filling the smaller stone
chamber。 Demetri motioned for
us to make room。 We pressed back against the cold wall to let them pass。
The couple in front； Americans from the sound of them； glanced around
themselves with appraising eyes。
〃Wele； guests！ Wele to Volterra！〃 I could hear Aro sing from the big
turret room。
The rest of them； maybe forty or more； filed in after the couple。 Some studied
the setting like tourists。 A
few even snapped pictures。 Others looked confused； as if the story that had
led them to this room was
not making sense anymore。 I noticed one small； dark woman in particular。
Around her neck was a
rosary； and she gripped the cross tightly in one hand。 She walked more slowly
than the others； touching
someone now and then and asking a question in an unfamiliar language。 No one
seemed to understand
her； and her voice grew more panicked。
Edward pulled my face against his chest； but it was too late。 I already
understood。
As soon as the smallest break appeared； Edward pushed me quickly toward the
door。 I could feel the
horrified expression on my face； and the tears beginning to pool in my eyes。
The ornate golden hallway was quiet； empty except for one gorgeous； statuesque
woman。 She stared at
us curiously； me in particular。
〃Wele home； Heidi；〃 Demetri greeted her from behind us。
Heidi smiled absently。 She reminded me of Rosalie； though they looked nothing
alike—it was just that her
beauty； too； was exceptional； unforgettable。 I couldn't seem to look away。
She was dressed to emphasize that beauty。 Her amazingly long legs； darkened
with tights； were exposed
by the shortest of miniskirts。 Her top was long…sleeved and high…necked； but
extremely close…fitting； and
constructed of red vinyl。 Her long mahogany hair was lustrous； and her eyes
were the strangest shade of
violet—a color that might result from blue…tinted contacts over red irises。
〃Demetri；〃 she responded in a silky voice； her eyes flickering between my face
and Edward's gray cloak。
〃Nice fishing；〃 Demetri plimented her； and I suddenly understood the
attention…grabbing outfit she
wore she was not only the fisherman； but also the bait。
〃Thanks。〃 She flashed a stunning smile。 〃Aren't you ing？〃
〃In a minute。 Save a few for me。〃
Heidi nodded and ducked through the door with one last curious look at me。
Edward set a pace that had me running to keep up。 But we still couldn't get
through the ornate door at
the end of the hallway before the screaming started。
22。 FLIGHT
DEMETRI LEFT US IN THE CHEERFULLY OPULENT RECEPTION area； where the woman
Gianna was still at her post behind the polished counter。 Bright； harmless
music tinkled from hidden
speakers。
〃Do not leave until dark；〃 he warned us。
Edward nodded； and Demetri hurried away。
Gianna did not seem at all surprised by the exchange； though she did eye
Edward's borrowed cloak with
shrewd speculation。
〃Are you all right？〃 Edward asked under his breath； to low for the human woman
to hear。 His voice was
rough—if velvet can be rough—with anxiety。 Still stressed by our situation；
I imagined。
〃You'd better make her sit before she falls；〃 Alice said。 〃She's going to
pieces。〃
It was only then that I realize I was shaking； shaking hard； my entire frame
vibrating until my teeth
chattered and the room around me seemed to wobble and blur in my eyes。 For one
wild second； I
wondered if this was how Jacob felt just before exploding into a werewolf。
I heard a sound that didn't make sense； a strange； ripping counterpart to the
otherwise cheery
background music。 Distracted by the shaking； I couldn't tell where it was
ing from。
〃Shh； Bella； shh；〃 Edward said as he pulled me to the sofa farthest away from
the curious human at the
desk。
〃I think she's having hysterics。 Maybe you should slap her；〃 Alice suggested。
Edward threw a frantic glance at her。
Then I understood。 Oh。 The noise was me。 The ripping sound was the sobs ing
from my chest。
That's what was shaking me。
〃It's all right； you're safe； it's all right；〃 he chanted again and again。 He
pulled ne onto his lap and tucked
the thick wool cloak around me； protecting me from his cold skin。
I knew it was stupid to react like this。 Who knew how much time I had to look
at his race？ He was
saved； and I was saved； and he could leave me as soon as we were free。 To have
my eyes so filled with
tears that I could not see his features clearly was wasteful—insanity。
But； behind my eyes where the tears could not wash the image away； I could
still see the panicked face
of the tiny woman with the rosary。
〃All those people；〃 I sobbed。
〃I know；〃 he whispered。
〃It's so horrible。〃
〃Yes； it is。 I wish you hadn't had to see that。〃
I rested my head against his cold chest； using the thick cloak to wipe my
eyes。 I took a few deep breaths；
trying to calm myself。
〃Is there anything I can get you？〃 a voice asked politely。 It was Gianna；
leaning over Edward's shoulder
with a look that was both concerned and yet still professional and detached at
the same time。 It didn't
seem to bother her that her face was inches from a hostile vampire。 She was
either totally oblivious； or
very good at her job。
〃No；〃 Edward answered coldly。
She nodded； smiled at me； and then disappeared。
I waited until she was out of hearing range。 〃Does she know what's going on
here？〃 I demanded； my
voice low and hoarse。 I was getting control of myself； my breathing evening
out。
〃Yes。 She knows everything；〃 Edward told me。
〃Does she know they're going to kill her someday？〃
〃She's knows it's a possibility；〃 he said。
That surprised me。
Edward's face was hard to read。 〃She's hoping they'll decide to keep her。〃
I felt the blood leave my face。 〃She wants to be one of them？〃
He nodded once； his eyes sharp on my face； watching my reaction。
I shuddered。 〃How can she want that？〃 I whispered； more to myself than really
looking for an answer。
〃How can she watch those people file through to that hideous room and want to
be a part of that？〃
Edward didn't answer。 His expression twisted in response to something I'd
said。
As I stared at his too beautiful face； trying to understand the change； it
suddenly struck me that I was
really here； in Edward's arms； however fleetingly； and that we were not—at