this time； he held the passenger door open for me。 Alice must have been taking his car home so that he
could keep me from making a run for it。
I folded my arms and made no move to get out of the rain。 〃It's my birthday； don't I get to drive？〃
〃I'm pretending it's not your birthday； just as you wished。〃
〃If it's not my birthday； then I don't have to go to your house tonight…〃
〃All right。〃 He shut the passenger door and walked past me to open the driver's side。 〃Happy birthday。〃
〃Shh；〃 I shushed him halfheartedly。 I climbed in the opened door； wishing he'd taken the other offer。
Edward played with the radio while I drove； shaking his head in disapproval。
〃Your radio has horrible reception。〃
I frowned。 I didn't like it when he picked on my truck。 The truck was great—it had personality。
〃You want a nice stereo？ Drive your own car。〃 I was so nervous about Alice's plans； on top of my
already gloomy mood； that the words came out sharper than I'd meant them。 I was hardly ever
badtempered with Edward； and my tone made him press his lips together to keep from smiling。
When I parked in front of Charlie's house； he reached over to take my face in his hands。 He handled me
very carefully； pressing just the tips of his fingers softly against my temples； my cheekbones； my jawline。
Like I was especially breakable。 Which was exactly the case—pared with him； at least。
〃You should be in a good mood； today of all days；〃 he whispered。 His sweet breath fanned across my
face。
〃And if I don't want to be in a good mood？〃 I asked； my breathing uneven。
His golden eyes smoldered。 〃Too bad。〃
My head was already spinning by the time he leaned closer and pressed his icy lips against mine。 As he
intended； no doubt； I forgot all about my worries； and concentrated on remembering how to inhale and
exhale。
His mouth lingered on mine； cold and smooth and gentle； until I wrapped my arms around his neck and
threw myself into the kiss with a little too much enthusiasm。 I could feel his lips curve upward as he let go
of my face and reached back to unlock my grip on him。
Edward had drawn many careful lines for our physical relationship； with the intent being to keep me alive。
Though I respected the need for maintaining a safe distance between my skin and his razorsharp；
venomcoated teeth； I tended to forget about trivial things like that when he was kissing me。
〃Be good； please；〃 he breathed against my cheek。 He pressed his lips gently to mine one more time and
then pulled away； folding my arms across my stomach。
My pulse was thudding in my ears。 I put one hand over my heart。 It drummed hyperactively under my
palm。
〃Do you think I'll ever get better at this？〃 I wondered； mostly to myself。 〃That my heart might someday
stop trying to jump out of my chest whenever you touch me？〃
〃I really hope not；〃 he said； a bit smug。
I rolled my eyes。 〃Let's go watch the Capulets and Montagues hack each other up； all right？〃
〃Your wish； my mand。〃
Edward sprawled across the couch while I started the movie； fastforwarding through the opening
credits。
When I perched on the edge of the sofa in front of him； he wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled
me against his chest。 It wasn't exactly as fortable as a sofa cushion would be； what with his chest
being hard and cold—and perfect—as an ice sculpture； but it was definitely preferable。 He pulled the old
afghan off the back of the couch and draped it over me so I wouldn't freeze beside his body。
〃You know； I've never had much patience with Romeo；〃 he mented as the movie started。
〃What's wrong with Romeo？〃 I asked； a little offended。 Romeo was one of my favorite fictional
characters。 Until I'd met Edward； I'd sort of had a thing for him。
〃Well； first of all； he's in love with this Rosaline—don't you think it makes him seem a little fickle？ And
then； a few minutes after their wedding； he kills Juliet's cousin。 That's not very brilliant。 Mistake after
mistake。 Could he have destroyed his own happiness any more thoroughly？〃
I sighed。 〃Do you want me to watch this alone？〃
〃No； I'll mostly be watching you； anyway。〃 His fingers traced patterns across the skin of my arm； raising
goose bumps。 〃Will you cry？〃
〃Probably；〃 I admitted； 〃if I'm paying attention。〃
〃I won't distract you then。〃 But I felt his lips on my hair； and it was very distracting。
The movie eventually captured my interest； thanks in large part to Edward whispering Romeo's lines in
my ear—his irresistible； velvet voice made the actor's voice sound weak and coarse by parison。 And
I did cry； to his amusement； when Juliet woke and found her new husband dead。
〃I'll admit； I do sort of envy him here；〃 Edward said； drying the tears with a lock of my hair。
〃She's very pretty。〃
He made a disgusted sound。 〃I don't envy him the girl—just the ease of the suicide；〃 he clarified in a
teasing tone。 〃You humans have it so easy！ All you have to do is throw down one tiny vial of plant
extracts…〃
〃What？〃 I gasped。
〃It's something I had to think about once； and I knew from Carlisle's experience that it wouldn't be
simple。 I'm not even sure how many ways Carlisle tried to kill himself in the beginning… after he realized
what he'd bee…〃 His voice； which had grown serious； turned light again。 〃And he's clearly still in
excellent health。〃
I twisted around so that I could read his face。 〃What are you talking about？〃 I demanded。 〃What do you
mean； this something you had to think about once？〃
〃Last spring； when you were… nearly killed…〃 He paused to take a deep breath； snuggling to return to
his teasing tone。 〃Of course I was trying to focus on finding you alive； but part of my mind was making
contingency plans。 Like I said； it's not as easy for me as it is for a human。〃
For one second； the memory of my last trip to Phoenix washed through my head and made me feel dizzy。
I could see it all so clearly—the blinding sun； the heat waves ing off the concrete as I ran with
desperate haste to find the sadistic vampire who wanted to torture me to death。 James； waiting in the
mirrored room with my mother as his hostage—or so I'd thought。 I hadn't known it was all a ruse。 Just as
James hadn't known that Edward was racing to save me； Edward made it in time； but it had been a close
one。 Unthinkingly； my fingers traced the crescentshaped scar on my hand that was always just a few
degrees cooler than the rest of my skin。
I shook my head—as if I could shake away the bad memories—and tried to grasp what Edward meant。
My stomach plunged unfortably。 〃Contingency plans？〃 I repeated。
〃Well； I wasn't going to live without you。〃 He rolled his eyes as if that fact were childishly obvious。 〃But I
wasn't sure how to do it—I knew Emmett and Jasper would never help… so I was thinking maybe I
would go to Italy and do something to provoke the Volturi。〃
I didn't want to believe he was serious； but his golden eyes were brooding； focused on something far
away in the distance as he contemplated ways to end his own life。 Abruptly； I was furious。
〃What is a Volturi？〃 I demanded。
〃The Volturi are a family；〃 he explained； his eyes still remote。 〃A very old； very powerful family of our
kind。 They are the closest thing our world has to a royal family； I suppose。 Carlisle lived with them briefly
in his early years； in Italy； before he settled in America—do you remember the story？〃
〃Of course I remember。〃
I would never forget the first time I'd gone to his home； the huge white mansion buried deep in the forest
beside the river； or the room where Carlisle—Edward's father in so many real ways—kept a wall of
paintings that illustrated his personal history。 The most vivid； most wildly colorful canvas there； the largest；
was from Carlisle's time in Italy。 Of course I remembered the calm quartet of men； each with the
exquisite face of a seraph； painted into the highest balcony overlooking the swirling mayhem of color。
Though the painting was centuries old； Carlisle—the blond angel—remained unchanged。 And I
remembered the three others； Carlisle's early acquaintances。 Edward had never used the name Volturi
for the beautiful trio； two blackhaired； one snow white。 He'd called them Aro； Caius； and Marcus；
nighttime patrons of the arts…
〃Anyway； you don't irritate the Volturi；〃 Edward went on； interrupting ray reverie。 〃Not unless you want
to die—or whatever it is we do。〃 His voice was so calm； it made him sound almost bored by the
prospect。
My anger turned to horror。 I took his marble face between my hands and held it very tightly。
〃You must never； never； never think of anything like that again！〃 I said。 〃No matter what might ever
happen to me； you are not allowed to hurt yourself！〃
〃I'll never put you in danger again； so it's a moot point。〃
〃Put me in danger！ I thought we'd established that all the bad luck is my fault？〃 I was getting angrier。
〃How dare you even think like that？〃 The idea of Edward ceasing to exist； even if I were dead； was
impossiblypainful。
〃What would you do； if the situation were reversed？〃 he asked。
〃That's not the same thing。〃
He didn't seem to understand the difference。 He chuckled。
〃What if something did happen to you？〃 I blanched at the thought。 〃Would you want me to go off
myself？〃
A trace of pain touched his perfect features。
〃I guess I see your point… a little；〃 he admitted。 〃But what would I do without you？〃
〃Whatever you were doing before I came along and plicated your existence。〃
He sighed。 〃You make that sound so easy。〃
〃It should be。 I'm not really that interesting。〃
He was about to argue； but then he let it go。 〃Moot point；〃 he reminded me。 Abruptly； he pulled himself
up into a more formal posture； shifting me to the side so that we were no longer touching。
〃Charlie？〃 I guessed。
Edward smiled。 After a moment； I heard the sound of the police cruiser pulling into the driveway。 I
reached out and took his hand firmly。 My dad could deal with that much。
Charlie came in with a pizza box in his hands。
〃Hey； kids。〃 He grinned at me。 〃I thou