〃All right； then。 Edward has offered an alternative for you to consider；〃 I
said coolly。 〃Let's vote。〃
I looked toward Edward this time； it would be better to get his opinion out of
the way。 〃Do you want me
to join your family？〃
His eyes were hard and black as flint。 〃Not that way。 You're staying human。〃
I nodded once； keeping my face businesslike； and then moved on。
〃Alice？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Jasper？〃
〃Yes；〃 he said； voice grave。 I was a little surprised—I hadn't been at all
sure of his vote—but I
suppressed my reaction and moved on。
〃Rosalie？〃
She hesitated； biting down on her full； perfect bottom lip。 〃No。〃
I kept my face blank and turned my head slightly to move on； but she held up
both her hands； palms
forward。
〃Let me explain；〃 she pleaded。 〃I don't mean that I have any aversion to you
as a sister。 It's just that
this is not the life I would have chosen for myself。 I wish there had been
someone there to vote no for
me。〃
I nodded slowly； and then turned to Emmett。
〃Hell； yes！〃 He grinned。 〃We can find some other way to pick a fight with this
Demetri。〃
I was still grimacing at that when I looked at Esme。
〃Yes； of course； Bella。 I already think of you as part of my family。〃
〃Thank you； Esme；〃 I murmured as I turned toward Carlisle。
I was suddenly nervous； wishing I had asked for his vote first。 I was sure
that this was the vote that
mattered most； the vote that counted more than any majority。
Carlisle wasn't looking at me。
〃Edward；〃 he said。
〃No；〃 Edward growled。 His jaw was strained tight； his lips curled back from
his teeth。
〃It's the only way that makes sense；〃 Carlisle insisted。 〃You've chosen not to
live without her； and that
doesn't leave me a choice。〃
Edward dropped my hand； shoving away from the table。 He stalked out of the
room； snarling under his
breath。
〃I guess you know my vote。〃 Carlisle sighed。
I was still staring after Edward。 〃Thanks；〃 I mumbled。
An earsplitting crash echoed from the other room。
I flinched； and spoke quickly。 〃That's all I needed。 Thank you。 For wanting to
keep me。 I feel exactly the
same way about all of you； too。〃 My voice was jagged with emotion by the end。
Esme was at my side in a flash； her cold arms around me。
〃Dearest Bella；〃 she breathed。
I hugged her back。 Out of the corner of my eye； I noticed Rosalie looking down
at the table； and I
realized that my words could be construed in two ways。
〃Well； Alice；〃 I said when Esme released me。 〃Where do you want to do this？〃
Alice stared at me； her eyes widening with terror。
〃No！ No！ NO！〃 Edward roared； charging back into the room。 He was in my face
before I had time to
blink； bending over me； his expression twisted in rage。 〃Are you insane？〃 he
shouted。 〃Have you utterly
lost your mind？〃
I cringed away； my hands over my ears。
〃Um； Bella；〃 Alice interjected in an anxious voice。 〃I don't think I'm ready
for that。 I'll need to prepare〃
〃You promised；〃 I reminded her； glaring under Edward's arm。
〃I know； but Seriously； Bella！ I don't have any idea how to not killyou。〃
〃You can do it；〃 I encouraged。 〃I trust you。〃
Edward snarled in fury。
Alice shook her head quickly； looking panicked。
〃Carlisle？〃 I turned to look at him。
Edward grabbed my face in his hand； forcing me to look at him。 His other hand
was out； palm toward
Carlisle。
Carlisle ignored that。 〃I'm able to do it；〃 he answered my question。 I wished
I could see his expression。
〃You would be in no danger of me losing control。〃
〃Sounds good。〃 I hoped he could understand； it was hard to talk clearly the
way Edward held my jaw。
〃Hold on；〃 Edward said between his teeth。 〃It doesn't have to be now。〃
〃There's no reason for it not to be now；〃 I said； the words ing out
distorted。
〃I can think of a few。〃
〃Of course you can；〃 I said sourly。 〃Now let go of me。〃
He freed my face； and folded his arms across his chest。 〃In about two hours；
Charlie will be here looking
for you。 I wouldn't put it past him to involve the police。〃
〃All three of them。〃 But I frowned。
This was always the hardest part。 Charlie； Renee。 Now Jacob； too。 The people I
would lose； the people
I would hurt。 I wished there was some way that I could be the only one to
suffer； but I knew that was
impossible。
At the same time； I was hurting them more by staying human。 Putting Charlie in
constant danger through
my proximity。 Putting Jake in worse danger still by drawing his enemies across
the land he felt bound to
protect。 And Renee—I couldn't even risk a visit to see my own mother for fear
of bringing my deadly
problems along with me！
I was a danger magnet； I'd accepted that about myself。
Accepting this； I knew I needed to be able to take care of myself and protect
the ones I loved； even if
that meant that I couldn't be with them。 I needed to be strong。
〃In the interest of remaining inconspicuous；〃 Edward said； still talking
through his gritted teeth； but
looking at Carlisle now； 〃I suggest that we put this conversation off； at the
very least until Bella finishes
high school； and moves out of Charlie's house。〃
〃That's a reasonable request； Bella；〃 Carlisle pointed out。
I thought about Charlie's reaction when he woke up this morning； if—after all
that life had put him through
in the last week with Harry's loss； and then I had put him through with my
unexplained
disappearance—he were to find my bed empty。 Charlie deserved better than
that。 It was just a little more
time； graduation wasn't so far away
I pursed my lips。 〃I'll consider it。〃
Edward relaxed。 His jaw unclenched。
〃I should probably take you home；〃 he said； more calm now； but clearly in a
hurry to get me out of here。
〃Just in case Charlie wakes up early。〃
I looked at Carlisle。 〃After graduation？〃
〃You have my word。〃
I took a deep breath； smiled； and turned back to Edward。 〃Okay。 You can take
me home。〃
Edward rushed me out of the house before Carlisle could promise me anything
else。 He took me out the
back； so I didn't get to see what was broken in the living room。
It was a quiet trip home。 I was feeling triumphant； and a little smug。 Scared
stiff； too； of course； but I tried
not to think about that part。 It did me no good to worry about the pain—the
physical or the
emotional—so I wouldn't。 Not until I absolutely had to。
When we got to my house； Edward didn't pause。 He dashed up the wall and
through my window in half a
second。 Then he pulled my arms frcm around his neck and set me on the bed。
I thought I had a pretty good idea of what he was thinking； but his expression
surprised me。 Instead of
furious； it was calculating。 He paced silently back and forth across my dark
room while I watched with
growing suspicion。
〃Whatever you're planning； it's not going to work；〃 I told him。
〃Shh。 I'm thinking。〃
〃Ugh；〃 I groaned； throwing myself back on the bed and pulling the quilt over
my head。
There was no sound； but suddenly he was there。 He flipped the cover back so he
could see me。 He was
lying next to me。 His hand reached up to brush my hair from my cheek。
〃If you don't mind； I'd much rather you didn't hide your