gawked； my mouth hangmg
open。 Even Alice； whose every motion looked like dancing； could not pare。
I was only more astonished as he floated closer and I could see his face。 It
was not like the unnaturally
attractive faces that surrounded him （for he did not approach us alone； the
entire group converged
around him； some following； and some walking ahead of him with the alert
manner of bodyguards）。 I
couldn't decide if his face was beautiful or not。 I suppose the features were
perfect。 But he was as
different from the vampires beside him as they were from me。 His skin was
translucently white； like
onionskin； and it looked just as delicate—it stood in shocking contrast to
the long black hair that framed
his face。 I felt a strange； horrifying urge to touch his cheek； to see if it
was softer than Edward's or
Alice's； or if it was powdery； like chalk。 His eyes were red； the same as the
others around him； but the
color was clouded； milky； I wondered if his vision was affected by the haze。
He glided to Jane； took her face in his papery hands； kissed her lightly on
her full lips； and then floated
back a step。
〃Yes； Master。〃 Jane smiled； the expression made her look like an angelic
child。 〃I brought him back alive；
just as you wished。〃
〃Ah； Jane。〃 He smiled； too。 〃You are such a fort to me。〃
He turned his misty eyes toward us； and the smile brightened—became ecstatic。
〃And Alice and Bella； too！〃 he rejoiced； clapping his thin hands together。
〃This is a happy surprise！
Wonderful！〃
I stared in shock as he called our names informally； as if we were old friends
dropping in for an
unexpected visit。
He turned to our hulking escort。 〃Felix； be a dear and tell my brothers about
our pany。 I'm sure they
wouldn't want to miss this。〃
〃Yes； Master。〃 Felix nodded and disappeared back the way we had e。
〃You see； Edward？〃 The strange vampire turned and smiled at Edward like a fond
but scolding
grandfather。 〃What did I tell you？ Aren't you glad that I didn't give you what
you wanted yesterday？〃
〃Yes； Aro； I am；〃 he agreed； tightening his arm around my waist。
〃I love a happy ending。〃 Aro sighed。 〃They are so rare。 But I want the whole
story。 How did this
happen？ Alice？〃 He turned to gaze at Alice with curious； misty eyes。 〃Your
brother seemed to think you
infallible； but apparently there was some mistake。〃
〃Oh； I'm far from infallible。〃 She flashed a dazzling smile。 She looked
perfectly at ease； except that her
hands were balled into tight little fists。 〃As you can see today； I cause
problems as often as I cure them。〃
〃You're too modest；〃 Aro chided。 〃I've seen some of your more amazing
exploits； and I must admit I've
never observed anything like your talent。 Wonderful！〃
Alice flickered a glance at Edward。 Aro did not miss it。
〃I'm sorry； we haven't been introduced properly at all； have we？ It's just
that I feel like I know you
already； and I tend get ahead of myself。 Your brother introduced us yesterday；
in a peculiar way。 You
see； I share some of your brother's talent； only I am limited in a way that he
is not。〃 Aro shook his head；
his tone was envious。
〃And also exponentially more powerful；〃 Edward added dryly。 He looked at Alice
as he swiftly
explained。 〃Aro needs physical contact to hear your thoughts； but he hears
much more than I do。 You
know I can only hear what's passing through your head in the moment。 Aro hears
every thought your
mind has ever had。〃
Alice raised her delicate eyebrows； and Edward inclined his head。
Aro didn't miss that either。
〃But to be able to hear from a distance〃 Aro sighed； gesturing toward the
two of them； and the
exchange that had just taken place。 〃That would be so convenient。〃
Aro looked over our shoulders。 All the other heads turned in the same
direction； including Jane； Alec；
and Demetri； who stood silently beside us。
I was the slowest to turn。 Felix was back； and behind him floated two more
black…robed men。 Both
looked very much like Aro； one even had the same flowing black hair。 The other
had a shock of
snow…white hair—the same shade as his face—that brushed against his
shoulders。 Their faces had
identical； paper…thin skin。
The trio from Carlisle's painting was plete； unchanged by the last three
hundred years since it was
painted。
〃Marcus； Caius； look！〃 Aro crooned。 〃Bella is alive after all； and Alice is
here with her！ Isn't that
wonderful？〃
Neither of the other two looked as if wonderful would be their first choice of
words。 The dark…haired
man seemed utterly bored； like he'd seen too many millennia of Aro's
enthusiasm。 The other's hice was
sour under the snowy hair。
Their lack of interest did not curb Aro's enjoyment。
〃Let us have the story；〃 Aro almost sang in his feathery voice。
The white…haired ancient vampire drifted away； gliding toward one of the
wooden thrones。 The other
paused beside Aro； and he reached his hand out； at first I thought to take
Aro's hand。 But he just
touched Aro's palm briefly and then dropped his hand to his side。 Aro raised
one black brow。 I
wondered how his papery skin did not crumple in the effort。
Edward snorted very quietly； and Alice looked at him； curious。
〃Thank you； Marcus；〃 Aro said。 〃That's quite interesting。〃
I realized； a second late； that Marcus was letting Aro know his thoughts。
Marcus didn't look interested。 He glided away from Aro to join the one who
must be Caius； seated
against the wall。 Two of the attending vampires followed silently behind him—
bodyguards； like I'd
thought before。 I could see that the two women in the sundresses had gone to
stand beside Caius in the
same manner。 The idea of any vampire needing a guard was faintly ridiculous to
me； but maybe the
ancient ones were as frail as their skin suggested。
Aro was shaking his head。 〃Amazing；〃' he said。 〃Absolutely amazing。〃
Alice's expression was frustrated。 Edward turned to her and explained again in
a swift； low voice。
〃Marcus sees relationships。 He's surprised by the intensity of ours。〃
Aro smiled。 〃So convenient；〃 he repeated to himself。 Then he spoke to us。 〃It
takes quite a bit to surprise
Marcus； I can assure you。〃
I looked at Marcus's dead face； and I believed that。
〃It's just so difficult to understand； even now；〃 Aro mused； staring at
Edward's arm wrapped around me。
It was hard for me to follow Aro's chaotic train of thought。 I struggled to
keep up。 〃How can you stand
so close to het like that？〃
〃It's not without effort；〃 Edward answered calmly。
〃Butstill—la tua cantante！ What a waste！〃
Edward chuckled once without humor。 〃I look at it more as a price。〃
Aro was skeptical。 〃A very high price。〃
〃Opportunity cost。〃
Aro laughed。 〃If I hadn't smelled her through your memories； I wouldn't have
believed the call of anyone's
blood could be so strong。 I've never felt anything like it myself。 Most of us
would trade much for such a
gift； and yet you〃
〃Waste it；〃 Edward finished； his voice sarcastic now。
Aro laughed again。 〃Ah； how I miss my friend Carlisle！ You remind me of him—
only he was not so
angry。〃
〃Carlisle outshines me in many other ways as well。〃
〃I certainly never thought to see Carlisle bested for self…control of all
things； but you put him to shame。〃
〃Hardly。〃 Edward sounded impatient。 As if he were tired of the preliminaries。
It made me more afraid； I
couldn't help but try to imagine what he expected would follow。
〃I am gratified by his success；〃 Aro mused。 〃Your memories of him are quite a
gift for me； though they
astonish me exceedingly。 I am surprised by how it pleases me； his success in
this unorthodox path he's
chosen。 I expected that he would waste； weaken with time。 I'd scoffed at his
plan to find others who
would share his peculiar vision。 Yet； somehow； I'm happy to be wrong。〃
Edward didn't reply。
〃But your restraint！〃 Aro sighed。 〃I did not know such strength was possible。
To inure yourself against
such a siren call； not just once but again and again—if I had not felt it
myself； I would not have believed。〃
Edward gazed back at Aro's admiration with no expression。 I knew his face well
enough—time had not
changed that—to guess at something seething beneath the surface。 I fought to
keep my breathing even。
〃Just remembering how she appeals to you〃 Aro chuckled。 〃It makes me
thirsty。〃
Edward tensed。
〃Don't be disturbed；〃 Aro reassured him。 〃I mean her no harm。 But I am so
curious； about one thing in
particular。〃 He eyed me with bright interest。 〃May I？〃 he asked eagerly；
lifting one hand。
〃Ask her；〃 Edward suggested in a flat voice。
〃Of course； how rude of me！〃 Aro exclaimed。 〃Bella；〃 he addressed me directly
now。 〃I'm fascinated that
you are the one exception to Edward's impressive talent—so very interesting
that such a thing should
occur！ And I was wondering； since our talents are similar in many ways； if you
would be so kind as to
allow me to try—to see if you are an exception for me； as well？〃
My eyes flashed up to Edward's face in terror。 Despite Aro's overt politeness；
I didn't believe I really had
a choice。 I was horrified at the thought of allowing him to touch me； and yet
also perversely intrigued by
the chance to feel his strange skin。
Edward nodded in encouragement—whether because he was sure Aro would not hurt
me； or because
there was no choice； I couldn't tell。
I turned back to Aro and raised my hand slowly in front of me。 It was
trembling。
He glided closer； and I believe he meant his expression to be reassuring。 But
his papery features were
too strange； too alien and frightening； to reassure。 The look on his face was
more confident than his
words had been。
Aro reached out； as if to shake my hand； and pressed his insubstantial…looking
skin against mine。 It was
hard； but felt brittle—shale rather than granite—and even colder than I
expected。
His filmy eyes smiled down at mine； and it was impossible to look away。 They
were mesmerizing in an
odd； unpleasant way。
Aro's face altered as I watched。 The confidence wavered and became first
doubt； then incredulity before
he calmed it into a fri