seemed to be everything I’d dreamed of。 The fairy tale prince； e to make me a princess。 Everything I
wanted； yet it was still no more than I expected。 We were engaged before I’d known him for two months。
“We didn’t spend a great deal of time alone with each other。 Royce told me he had many responsibilities
at work； and； when we were together； he liked people to look at us； to see me on his arm。 I liked that； too。
There were lots of parties； dancing； and pretty dresses。 When you were a King； every door was open for you；
every red carpet rolled out to greet you。
“It wasn’t a long engagement。 Plans went ahead for the most lavish wedding。 It was going to be everything
I’d ever wanted。 I was pletely happy。 When I called at Vera’s； I no longer felt jealous。 I pictured my fair
haired children playing on the huge lawns of the Kings’ estate； and I pitied her。”
Rosalie broke off suddenly； clenching her teeth together。 It pulled me out of her story； and I realized that
the horror was not far off。 There would be no happy ending； as she’d promised。 I wondered if this was why
she had so much more bitterness in her than the rest of them — because she’d been within reach of everything
she’d wanted when her human life was cut short。
“I was at Vera’s that night；” Rosalie whispered。 Her face was smooth as marble； and as hard。 “Her little
Henry really was adorable； all smiles and dimples — he was just sitting up on his own。 Vera walked me to the
door as I was leaving； her baby in her arms and her husband at her side； his arm around her waist。 He kissed
her on the cheek when he thought I wasn’t looking。 That bothered me。 When Royce kissed me； it wasn’t quite
the same — not so sweet somehow。 。 。 。 I shoved that thought aside。 Royce was my prince。 Someday； I
would be queen。”
It was hard to tell in the moonlight； but it looked like her bone white face got paler。
“It was dark in the streets； the lamps already on。 I hadn’t realized how late it was。” She continued to
whisper almost inaudibly。 “It was cold； too。 Very cold for late April。 The wedding was only a week away； and
I was worrying about the weather as I hurried home — I can remember that clearly。 I remember every detail
about that night。 I clung to it so hard 。 。 。 in the beginning。 I thought of nothing else。 And so I remember this；
when so many pleasant memories have faded away pletely。 。 。 。”
She sighed； and began whispering again。 “Yes； I was worrying about the weather。 。 。 。 I didn’t want to
have to move the wedding indoors。 。 。 。
“I was a few streets from my house when I heard them。 A cluster of men under a broken streetlamp；
laughing too loud。 Drunk。 I wished I’d called my father to escort me home； but the way was so short； it
seemed silly。 And then he called my name。
“‘Rose！’ he yelled； and the others laughed stupidly。
“I hadn’t realized the drunks were so well dressed。 It was Royce and some of his friends； sons of other
rich men。
“‘Here’s my Rose！’ Royce shouted； laughing with them； sounding just as stupid。 ‘You’re late。 We’re cold；
you’ve kept us waiting so long。’”
“I’d never seen him drink before。 A toast； now and then； at a party。 He’d told me he didn’t like
champagne。 I hadn’t realized that he preferred something much stronger。
“He had a new friend — the friend of a friend； e up from Atlanta。
“‘What did I tell you； John；’ Royce crowed； grabbing my arm and pullingme closer。 ‘Isn’t she lovelier
than all your Georgia peaches？’
“The man named John was darkhaired and suntanned。 He looked me over like I was a horse he was
buying。
“‘It’s hard to tell；’ he drawled slowly。 ‘She’s all covered up。’
“They laughed； Royce like the rest。
“Suddenly； Royce ripped my jacket from my shoulders — it was a gift from him — popping the brass
buttons off。 They scattered all over the street。
“‘Show him what you look like； Rose！’ He laughed again and then he tore my hat out of my hair。 The pins
wrenched my hair from the roots； and I cried out in pain。 They seemed to enjoy that — the sound of my pain。
。 。 。”
Rosalie looked at me suddenly； as if she’d forgotten I was there。 I was sure my face was as white as hers。
Unless it was green。
“I won’t make you listen to the rest；” she said quietly。 “They left me in the street； still laughing as they
stumbled away。 They thought I was dead。 They were teasing Royce that he would have to find a new bride。
He laughed and said he’d have to learn some patience first。
“I waited in the road to die。 It was cold； though there was so much pain that I was surprised it bothered
me。 It started to snow； and I wondered why I wasn’t dying。 I was impatient for death to e； to end the
pain。 It was taking so long。 。 。 。
“Carlisle found me then。 He’d smelled the blood； and e to investigate。 I remember being vaguely
irritated as he worked over me； trying to save my life。 I’d never liked Dr。 Cullen or his wife and her brother —
as Edward pretended to be then。 It had upset me that they were all more beautiful than I was； especially that
the men were。 But they didn’t mingle in society； so I’d only seen them once or twice。
“I thought I’d died when he pulled me from the ground and ran with me — because of the speed — it felt
like I was flying。 I remembered being horrified that the pain didn’t stop。 。 。 。
“Then I was in a bright room； and it was warm。 I was slipping away； and I was grateful as the pain began
to dull。 But suddenly something sharp was cutting me； my throat； my wrists； my ankles。 I screamed in shock；
thinking he’d brought me there to hurt me more。 Then fire started burning through me； and I didn’t care about
anything else。 I begged him to kill me。 When Esme and Edward returned home； I begged them to kill me； too。
Carlisle sat with me。 He held my hand and said that he was so sorry； promising that it would end。 He told me
everything； and sometimes I listened。 He told me what he was； what I was being。 I didn’t believe him。 He
apologized each time I screamed。
“Edward wasn’t happy。 I remember hearing them discuss me。 I stopped screaming sometimes。 It did no
good to scream。
“‘What were you thinking； Carlisle？’ Edward said。 ‘Rosalie Hale？’” Rosalie imitated Edward’s irritated
tone to perfection。 “I didn’t like the way he said my name； like there was something wrong with me。
“‘I couldn’t just let her die；’ Carlisle said quietly。 ‘It was too much — too horrible； too much waste。’
“‘I know；’ Edward said； and I thought he sounded dismissive。 It angered me。 I didn’t know then that he
really could see exactly what Carlisle had seen。
“‘It was too much waste。 I couldn’t leave her；’ Carlisle repeated in a whisper。
“‘Of course you couldn’t；’ Esme agreed。
“‘People die all the time；’ Edward reminded him in a hard voice。 ‘Don’t you think she’s just a little
recognizable； though？ The Kings will have to put up a huge search — not that anyone suspects the fiend；’ he
growled。
“It pleased me that they seemed to know that Royce was guilty。
“I didn’t realize that it was almost over — that I was getting stronger and that was why I was able to
concentrate on what they were saying。 The pain was beginning to fade from my fingertips。
“‘What are we going to do with her？’ Edward said disgustedly — or that’s how it sounded to me； at least。
“Carlisle sighed。 ‘That’s up to her； of course。 She may want to go her own way。’
“I’d believed enough of what he’d told me that his words terrified me。 I knew that my life was ended； and
there was no going back for me。 I couldn’t stand the thought of being alone。 。 。 。
“The pain finally ended and they explained to me again what I was。 This time I believed。 I felt the thirst； my
hard skin； I saw my brilliant red eyes。
“Shallow as I was； I felt better when I saw my reflection in the mirror the first time。 Despite the eyes； I was
the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen。” She laughed at herself for a moment。 “It took some time before I began
to blame the beauty for what had happened to me — for me to see the curse of it。 To wish that I had been 。 。 。
well； not ugly； but normal。 Like Vera。 So I could have been allowed to marry someone who loved me； and
have pretty babies。 That’s what I’d really wanted； all along。 It still doesn’t seem like too much to have asked
for。”
She was thoughtful for a moment； and I wondered if she’d forgotten my presence again。 But then she
smiled at me； her expression suddenly triumphant。
“You know； my record is almost as clean as Carlisle’s；” she told me。 “Better than Esme。 A thousand times
better than Edward。 I’ve never tasted human blood；” she announced proudly。
She understood my puzzled expression as I wondered why her record was only almost as clean。
“I did murder five humans；” she told me in a placent tone。 “If you can really call them human。 But I
was very careful not to spill their blood — I knew I wouldn’t be able to resist that； and I didn’t want any part
of them in me； you see。
“I saved Royce for last。 I hoped that he would hear of his friends’ deaths and understand； know what was
ing for him。 I hoped the fear would make the end worse for him。 I think it worked。 He was hiding inside a
windowless room behind a door as thick as a bank vault’s； guarded outside by armed men； when I caught up
with him。 Oops — seven murders；” she corrected herself。 “I forgot about his guards。 They only took a
second。”
“I was overly theatrical。 It was kind of childish； really。 I wore a wedding dress I’d stolen for the occasion。
He screamed when he saw me。 He screamed a lot that night。 Saving him for last was a good idea — it made it
easier for me to control myself； to make it slower —”
She broke off suddenly； and she glanced down at me。 “I’m sorry；” she said in a chagrined voice。 “I’m
frightening you； aren’t I？”
“I’m fine；” I lied。
“I got carried away。”
“Don’t worry about it。”
“I’m surprised Edward didn’t tell you more about it。”
“He doesn’t like to tell other people’s stories — he feels like he’s betraying confidences；