suddenly struck me that I was
really here； in Edward's arms； however fleetingly； and that we were not—at
this exact moment—about to
be killed。
〃Oh； Edward；〃 I cried； and I was sobbing again。 It was such a stupid reaction。
The tears were too thick
for me to see his face again； and that was inexcusable。 I only had until
sunset for sure。 Like a fairy tale
again； with deadlines that ended the magic。
〃What's wrong？〃 he asked； still anxious； rubbing my back with gentle pats。
I wrapped my arms around his neck—what was the worst he could do？ Just push
me away—and
hugged myself closer to him。 〃Is it really sick for me to be happy right now？〃
I asked。 My voice broke
twice。
He didn't push me away。 He pulled me tight against his ice…hard chest； so
tight it was hard to breathe；
even with my lungs securely intact。 〃I know exactly what you mean；〃 he
whispered。 〃But we have lots of
reasons to be happy。 For one； we're alive。〃
〃Yes；〃 I agreed。 〃That's a good one。〃
〃And together；〃 he breathed。 His breath was so sweet it made my head swim。
I just nodded； sure that he did not place the same weight on that
consideration as I did。
〃And； with any luck； we'll still be alive tomorrow。〃
〃Hopefully；〃 I said uneasily。
〃The outlook is quite good；〃 Alice assured me。 She'd been so quiet； I'd almost
forgotten her presence。
〃I'll see Jasper in less than twenty…four hours；〃 she added in a satisfied
tone。
Lucky Alice。 She could trust her future。
I couldn't keep my eyes off of Edward's face for long。 I stared at him；
wishing more than anything that the
future would never happen。 That this moment would last forever； or； if it
couldn't； that I would stop
existing when it did。
Edward stared right back at me； his dark eyes soft； and it was easy to pretend
that he felt the same way。
So that's what I did。 I pretended； to make the moment sweeter。
His fingertips traced the circles under my eyes。 〃You look so tired。〃
〃And you look thirsty；〃 I whispered back； studying the purple bruises under
his black irises。
He shrugged。 〃It's nothing。〃
〃Are you sure？ I could sit with Alice；〃 I offered； unwilling； I'd rather he
killed me now than move one inch
from where I was。
〃Don't be ridiculous。〃 He sighed； his sweet breath caressed my face。 〃I've
never been in better control of
that side of my nature than right now。〃
I had a million questions for him。 One of them bubbled to my lips now； but I
held my tongue。 I didn't
want to ruin the moment； as imperfect as it was； here in this room that made
me sick； under the eyes of
the would…be monster。
Here in his arms； it was so easy to fantasize that he wanted me。 I didn't want
to think about his
motivations now—about whether he acted this way to keep me calm while we were
still in danger； or if
he just felt guilty for where we were and relieved that he wasn't responsible
for my death。 Maybe the time
apart had been enough that I didn't bore him for the moment。 But it didn't
matter。 I was so much happier
pretending。
I lay quiet in his arms； re…memorizing his face； pretending
He stared at my face like he was doing the same； while he and Alice discussed
how to get home。 Their
voices were so quick and low that I knew Gianna couldn't understand。 I missed
half of it myself。 It
sounded like more theft would be involved； though。 I wondered idly if the
yellow Porsche had made it
back to its owner yet。
〃What was all that talk about singers？〃 Alice asked at one point。
〃La tua cantante；〃 Edward said。 His voice made the words into music。
〃Yes； that；〃 Alice said； and I concentrated for a moment。 I'd wondered about
that； too； at the time。
I felt Edward shrug around me。 〃They have a name for someone who smells the
way Bella does to me。
They call her my singer—because her blood sings for me。〃
Alice laughed。
I was tired enough to sleep； but I fought against the weariness。 I wasn't
going to miss a second of the time
I had with him。 Now and then； as he talked with Alice； he would lean down
suddenly and kiss me—his
glass…smooth lips brushing against my hair； my forehead； the tip of my nose。
Each time it was like an
electric shock to my long dormant heart。 The sound of its beating seemed to
fill the entire room。
It was heaven—right smack in the middle of hell。
I lost track of the time pletely。 So when Edward's arms tightened around
me； and both he and Alice
looked to the back of the room with wary eyes； I panicked。 I cringed into
Edward's chest as Alec—his
eyes now a vivid ruby； but still spotless in his light gray suit despite the
afternoon meal—walked through
the double doors。
It was good news。
〃You're free to leave now；〃 Alec told us； his tone so warm you'd think we were
all lifelong friends。 〃We
ask that you don't linger in the city。〃
Edward made no answering pretence； his voice was ice cold。 〃That won't be a
problem。〃
Alec smiled； nodded； and disappeared again。
〃Follow the right hallway around the corner to the first set of elevators；〃
Gianna told us as Edward helped
me to my feet。 〃The lobby is two floors down； and exits to the street。
Goodbye； now；〃 she added
pleasantly。 I wondered if her petence would be enough to save her。
Alice shot her a dark look。
I was relieved there was another way out； I wasn't sure if I could handle
another tour through the
underground。
We left through a tastefully luxurious lobby。 I was the only one who glanced
back at the medieval castle
that housed the elaborate business facade I couldn't see the turret from here；
for which I was grateful。
The party was still in full swing in the streets。 The street lamps were just
ing on as we walked swiftly
through the narrow； cobbled lanes。 The sky was a dull； fading gray overhead；
but the buildings crowded
the streets so closely that it felt darker。
The party was darker； too。 Edward's long； trailing cloak did not stand out in
the way it might have on a
normal evening in Volterra。 There were others in black satin cloaks now； and
the plastic fangs I'd seen on
the child in the square today seemed to be very popular with the adults。
〃Ridiculous；〃 Edward muttered once。
I didn't notice when Alice disappeared from beside me。 I looked over to ask
her a question； and she was
gone。
〃Where's Alice？〃 I whispered in a panic。
〃She went to retrieve your bags from where she stashed them this morning。〃
I'd forgotten that I had access to a toothbrush。 It brightened my outlook
considerably。
〃She's stealing a car； too； isn't she？〃 I guessed。
He grinned。 〃Not till we're outside。〃
It seemed like a very long way to the entryway。 Edward could see that I was
spent； he wound his arm
around my waist and supported most of my weight as we walked。
I shuddered as he pulled me through the dark stone archway。 The huge； ancient
portcullis above was like
a cage door； threatening to drop on us； to lock us in。
He led me toward a dark car； waiting in a pool of shadow to the right of the
gate with the engine running。
To my surprise； he slid into the backseat with me； instead of insisting on
driving。
Alice was apologetic。 〃I'm sorry。〃 She gestured vaguely toward the dashboard。
〃There wasn't much to
choose from。〃
〃It's fine； Alice。〃 He grinned。 〃They can't all be 911 Turbos。〃
She sighed。 〃I may have to acquire one of those legally。 It was fabulous。〃
〃I'll get you one for Christmas；〃 Edward promised。
Alice turned to beam at him； which worried me； as she was already speeding
down the dark and curvy
hillside at the same time。
〃Yellow；〃 she told him。
Edward kept me tight in his arms。 Inside the gray cloak； I was warm and
fortable。 More than
fortable。
〃You can sleep now； Bella；〃 he murmured。 〃It's over。〃
I knew he meant the danger； the nightmare in the ancient city； but I still had
to swallow hard before I
could answer。
〃I don't want to sleep。 I'm not tired。〃 Just the second part was a lie。 I
wasn't about to close my eyes。 The
car was only dimly lit by the dashboard controls； but it was enough that I
could see his face。
He pressed his lips to the hollow under my ear。 〃Try；〃 he encouraged。
I shook my head。
He sighed。 〃You're still just as stubborn。〃
I was stubborn； I fought with my heavy lids； and I won。
The dark road was the hardest part； the bright lights at the airport in
Florence made it easier； as did the
chance to brush my teeth and change into clean clothes； Alice bought Edward
new clothes； too； and he
left the dark cloak on a pile of trash in an alley。 The plane trip to Rome was
so short that there wasn't
really a chance for the fatigue to drag me under。 I knew the flight from Rome
to Atlanta would be another
matter entirely； so I asked the flight attendant if she could bring me a Coke。
〃Bella；〃 Edward said disapprovingly。 He knew my low tolerance for caffeine。
Alice was behind us。 I could hear her murmuring to Jasper on the phone。
〃I don't want to sleep；〃 I reminded him。 I gave him an excuse that was
believable because it was true。 〃If
I close my eyes now； I'll see things I don't want to see。 I'll have
nightmares。〃
He didn't argue with me after that。
It would have been a very good time to talk； to get the answers I needed—
needed but not really wanted；
I was already despairing at the thought of what I might hear。 We had an
uninterrupted block of tirre
ahead of us； and he couldn't escape me on an airplane—well； not easily； at
least。 No one would hear us
except Alice； it was late； and most of the passengers were turning off lights
and asking for pillows in
muted voices。 Talk would help me fight off the exhaustion。
But； perversely； I bit my tongue against the flood of questions。 My reasoning
was probably flawed by
exhaustion； but I hoped that by postponing the discussion； I could buy a few
more hours with him at
some later time—spin this out for another night； Scheherazade…style。
So I kept drinking soda； and resisting even the urge to blink。 Edward seemed
perfectly content to hold
me in his arms； his fingers tracing my face again and again。 I touched his
face； too。 I couldn't stop myself；
though I was afraid it would hurt me later； when I was alone again。 He
continued to kiss my hair； my
forehead； my wrists but never my lips； and that was good。 After all； how
many ways can one heart be
mangled and still be expected to keep beating？ I'd lived through a lot that
should have finished me in the
last few days； but it didn't make me feel strong。 Instead； I felt horribly
fragile； like one word could shatter
me。
Edward didn't speak。 Maybe he was hoping I would sleep。 Maybe he had nothing
to say。
I won the fight against my heavy lids。 I was awake when we reached the airport
in Atlanta； and I even
watched the sun beginning to rise over Seattle's cloud cover before Edward
slid the window shut。 I was
proud of myself。 I hadn't missed one minute。
Neither Alice nor Edward was surprised by the reception that waited for us at
Sea…Tac airport； but it
caught me off guard。 Jasper was the first one I saw—he didn't seem to see me
at all。 His eyes were only
for Alice。 She went quickly to his side； they didn't embrace like