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choose this kind of life； and yet you have to work so hard to be good。〃
〃I don't know that I'm making up for anything；〃 he disagreed lightly。 〃Like everything in life； I just had to
decide what to do with what I was given。〃
〃That makes it sound too easy。〃
He examined my arm again。 〃There；〃 he said； snipping a thread。 〃All done。〃 He wiped an oversized
Qtip； dripping with some syrupcolored liquid； thoroughly across the operation site。 The smell was
strange； it made my head spin。 The syrup stained my skin。
〃In the beginning； though；〃 I pressed while he taped another long piece of gauze securely in place； sealing
it to my skin。 〃Why did you even think to try a different way than the obvious one？〃
His lips turned up in a private smile。 〃Hasn't Edward told you this story？〃
〃Yes。 But I'm trying to understand what you were thinking…〃
His face was suddenly serious again； and I wondered if his thoughts had gone to the same place that mine
had。 Wondering what I would be thinking when—I refused to think if—it was me。
〃You know my father was a clergyman；〃 he mused as he cleaned the table carefully； rubbing everything
down with wet gauze； and then doing it again。 The smell of alcohol burned in my nose。 〃He had a rather
harsh view of the world； which I was already beginning to question before the time that I changed。〃
Carlisle put all the dirty gauze and the glass slivers into an empty crystal bowl。 I didn't understand what he
was doing； even when he lit the match。 Then he threw it onto the alcoholsoaked fibers； and the sudden
blaze made me jump。
〃Sorry；〃 he apologized。 〃That ought to do it… So I didn't agree with my father's particular brand of faith。
But never； in the nearly four hundred years now since I was born； have I ever seen anything to make me
doubt whether God exists in some form or the other。 Not even the reflection in the mirror。〃
I pretended to examine the dressing on my arm to hide my surprise at the direction our conversation had
taken。 Religion was the last thing I expected； all things considered。 My own life was fairly devoid of
belief。 Charlie considered himself a Lutheran； because that's what his parents had been； but Sundays he
worshipped by the river with a fishing pole in his hand。 Renee tried out a church now and then； but； much
like her brief affairs with tennis； pottery； yoga； and French classes； she moved on by the time I was
aware of her newest fad。
〃I'm sure all this sounds a little bizarre； ing from a vampire。〃 He grinned； knowing how their casual
use of that word never failed to shock me。 〃But I'm hoping that there is still a point to this life； even for us。
It's a long shot； I'll admit；〃 he continued in an offhand voice。 〃By all accounts； we're damned regardless。
But I hope； maybe foolishly； that we'll get some measure of credit for trying。〃
〃I don't think that's foolish；〃 I mumbled。 I couldn't imagine anyone； deity included； who wouldn't be
impressed by Carlisle。 Besides； the only kind of heaven I could appreciate would have to include
Edward。 〃And I don't think anyone else would； either。〃
〃Actually； you're the very first one to agree with me。〃
〃The rest of them don't feel the same？〃 I asked； surprised； thinking of only one person in particular。
Carlisle guessed the direction of my thoughts again。 〃Edward's with me up to a point。 God and heaven
exist… and so does hell。 But he doesn't believe there is an afterlife for our kind。〃 Carlisle's voice was
very soft； he stared out the big window over the sink； into the darkness。 〃You see； he thinks we've lost
our souls。〃
I immediately thought of Edward's words this afternoon： unless you want to die—or whatever it is
that we do。 The lightbulb flicked on over my head。
〃That's the real problem； isn't it？〃 I guessed。 〃That's why he's being so difficult about me。〃
Carlisle spoke slowly。 〃I look at my… son。 His strength； his goodness； the brightness that shines out of
him—and it only fuels that hope； that faith； more than ever。 How could there not be more for one such as
Edward？〃
I nodded in fervent agreement。
〃But if I believed as he does…〃 He looked down at me with unfathomable eyes。 〃If you believed as he
did。 Could you take away his soul？〃
The way he phrased the question thwarted my answer。
If he'd asked me whether I would risk my soul for Edward； the reply would be obvious。 But would I risk
Edward's soul？ I pursed my lips unhappily。 That wasn't a fair exchange。
〃You see the problem。〃
I shook my head； aware of the stubborn set of my chin。
Carlisle sighed。
〃It's my choice；〃 I insisted。
〃It's his； too。〃 He held up his hand when he could see that I was about to argue。 〃Whether he is
responsible for doing that to you。〃
〃He's not the only one able to do it。〃 I eyed Carlisle speculatively。
He laughed； abruptly lightening the mood。 〃Oh； no！ You're going to have to work this out with him。〃But
then he sighed。 〃That's the one part I can never be sure of。 I think； in most other ways； that I've done the
best I could with what I had to work with。 But was it right to doom the others to this life？ I can't decide。〃
I didn't answer。 I imagined what my life would be like if Carlisle had resisted the temptation to change his
lonely existence… and shuddered。
〃It was Edward's mother who made up my mind。〃 Carlisle's voice was almost a whisper。 He stared
unseeingly out the black windows。
〃His mother？〃 Whenever I'd asked Edward about his parents； he would merely say that they had died
long ago； and his memories were vague。 I realized Carlisle's memory of them； despite the brevity of their
contact； would be perfectly clear。
〃Yes。 Her name was Elizabeth。 Elizabeth Masen。 His father； Edward Senior； never regained
consciousness in the hospital。 He died in the first wave of the influenza。 But Elizabeth was alert until
almost the very end。 Edward looks a great deal like her—she had that same strange bronze shade to her
hair； and her eyes were exactly the same color green。〃
〃His eyes were green？〃 I murmured； trying to picture it。
〃Yes…〃 Carlisle's ocher eyes were a hund