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〃It was difficult。 Not many of us have the restraint necessary to
acplish it。 But Carlisle has always been the most humane； the most
passionate of us… I don't think you could find his equal throughout
all of history。〃 He paused。 〃For me； it was merely very； very painful。〃
I could tell from the set of his lips； he would say no more on this
subject。 I suppressed my curiosity； though it was far from idle。 There
were many things I needed to think through on this particular issue；
things that were only beginning to occur to me。 No doubt his quick mind
had already prehended every aspect that eluded me。
His soft voice interrupted my thoughts。 〃He acted from loneliness。 That's
usually the reason behind the choice。 I was the first in Carlisle's
family； though he found Esme soon after。 She fell from a cliff。 They
brought her straight to the hospital morgue； though； somehow； her heart
was still beating。〃
〃So you must be dying； then； to bee…〃 We never said the word； and I
couldn't frame it now。
〃No； that's just Carlisle。 He would never do that to someone who had
another choice。〃 The respect in his voice was profound whenever he spoke
of his father figure。 〃It is easier he says； though；〃 he continued； 〃if
the blood is weak。〃 He looked at the nowdark road； and I could feel the
subject closing again。
〃And Emmett and Rosalie？〃
〃Carlisle brought Rosalie to our family next。 I didn't realize till much
later that he was hoping she would be to me what Esme was to him — he was
careful with his thoughts around me。〃 He rolled his eyes。 〃But she was
never more than a sister。 It was only two years later that she found
Emmett。 She was hunting — we were in Appalachia at the time — and found a
bear about to finish him off。 She carried him back to Carlisle； more than
a hundred miles； afraid she wouldn't be able to do it herself。 I'm only
beginning to guess how difficult that journey was for her。〃 He threw a
pointed glance in my direction； and raised our hands； still folded
together； to brush my cheek with the back of his hand。
〃But she made it；〃 I encouraged； looking away from the unbearable beauty
of his eyes。
〃Yes；〃 he murmured。 〃She saw something in his face that made her strong
enough。 And they've been together ever since。 Sometimes they live
separately from us； as a married couple。 But the younger we pretend to
be； the longer we can stay in any given place。 Forks seemed perfect； so
we all enrolled in high school。〃 He laughed。 〃I suppose we'll have to go
to their wedding in a few years； again。〃
〃Alice and Jasper？〃
〃Alice and Jasper are two very rare creatures。 They both developed a
conscience； as we refer to it； with no outside guidance。 Jasper belonged
to another… family； a very different kind of family。 He became depressed；
and he wandered on his own。 Alice found him。 Like me； she has certain
gifts above and beyond the norm for our kind。〃
〃Really？〃 I interrupted； fascinated。 〃But you said you were the only one
who could hear people's thoughts。〃
〃That's true。 She knows other things。 She sees things — things that might
happen； things that are ing。 But it's very subjective。 The future
isn't set in stone。 Things change。〃
His jaw set when he said that； and his eyes darted to my face and away so
quickly that I wasn't sure if I only imagined it。
〃What kinds of things does she see？〃
〃She saw Jasper and knew that he was looking for her before he knew it
himself。 She saw Carlisle and our family； and they came together to find
us。 She's most sensitive to nonhumans。 She always sees； for example；
when another group of our kind is ing near。 And any threat they may
pose。〃
〃Are there a lot of… your kind？〃 I was surprised。 How many of them could
walk among us undetected？
〃No； not many。 But most won't settle in any one place。 Only those like
us； who've given up hunting you people〃 — a sly glance in my direction —
〃can live together with humans for any length of time。 We've only found
one other family like ours； in a small village in Alaska。 We lived
together for a time； but there were so many of us that we became too
noticeable。 Those of us who live… differently tend to band together。〃
〃And the others？〃
〃Nomads； for the most part。 We've all lived that way at times。 It gets
tedious； like anything else。 But we run across the others now and then；
because most of us prefer the North。〃
〃Why is that？〃
We were parked in front of my house now； and he'd turned off the truck。
It was very quiet and dark； there was no moon。 The porch light was off so
I knew my father wasn't home yet。
〃Did you have your eyes open this afternoon？〃 he teased。 〃Do you think I
could walk down the street in the sunlight without causing traffic
accidents？ There's a reason why we chose the Olympic Peninsula； one of
the most sunless places in the world。 It's nice to be able to go outside
in the day。 You wouldn't believe how tired you can get of nighttime in
eightyodd years。〃
〃So that's where the legends came from？〃
〃Probably。〃
〃And Alice came from another family； like Jasper？〃
〃No； and that is a mystery。 Alice doesn't remember her human life at all。
And she doesn't know who created her。 She awoke alone。 Whoever made her
walked away； and none of us understand why； or how； he could。 If she
hadn't had that other sense； if she hadn't seen Jasper and Carlisle and
known that she would someday bee one of us； she probably would have
turned into a total savage。〃
There was so much to think through； so much I still wanted to ask。 But；
to my great embarrassment； my stomach growled。 I'd been so intrigued； I
hadn't even noticed I was hungry。 I realized now that I was ravenous。
〃I'm sorry； I'm keeping you from dinner。〃
〃I'm fine； really。〃
〃I've never spent much time around anyone who eats food。 I forget。〃
〃I want to stay with you。〃 It was easier to say in the darkness； knowing
as I spoke how my voice would betray me； my hopeless addiction to him。
〃Can't I e in？〃 he asked。
〃Would you like to？〃 I couldn't picture it； this godlike creature sitti