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every second you spend with me； that's surely not much。 You only have to
turn your back on nature； on humanity… what's that worth？〃
〃Very little — I don't feel deprived of anything。〃
〃Not yet。〃 And his voice was abruptly full of ancient grief。
I tried to pull back； to look in his face； but his hand locked my wrists
in an unbreakable hold。
〃What —〃 I started to ask； when his body became alert。 I froze； but he
suddenly released my hands； and disappeared。 I narrowly avoided falling
on my face。
〃Lie down！〃 he hissed。 I couldn't tell where he spoke from in the
darkness。
I rolled under my quilt； balling up on my side； the way I usually slept。
I heard the door crack open； as Charlie peeked in to make sure I was
where I was supposed to be。 I breathed evenly； exaggerating the movement。
A long minute passed。 I listened； not sure if I'd heard the door close。
Then Edward's cool arm was around me； under the covers； his lips at my
ear。
〃You are a terrible actress — I'd say that career path is out for you。〃
〃Darn it；〃 I muttered。 My heart was crashing in my chest。
He hummed a melody I didn't recognize； it sounded like a lullaby。
He paused。 〃Should I sing you to sleep？〃
〃Right；〃 I laughed。 〃Like I could sleep with you here！〃
〃You do it all the time；〃 he reminded me。
〃But I didn't know you were here；〃 I replied icily。
〃So if you don't want to sleep…〃 he suggested； ignoring my tone。 My
breath caught。
〃If I don't want to sleep… ？〃
He chuckled。 〃What do you want to do then？〃
I couldn't answer at first。
〃I'm not sure；〃 I finally said。
〃Tell me when you decide。〃
I could feel his cool breath on my neck； feel his nose sliding along my
jaw； inhaling。
〃I thought you were desensitized。〃
〃Just because I'm resisting the wine doesn't mean I can't appreciate the
bouquet；〃 he whispered。 〃You have a very floral smell； like lavender… or
freesia；〃 he noted。 〃It's mouthwatering。〃
〃Yeah； it's an off day when I don't get somebody telling me how edible I
smell。〃
He chuckled； and then sighed。
〃I've decided what I want to do；〃 I told him。 〃I want to hear more about
you。〃
〃Ask me anything。〃
I sifted through my questions for the most vital。 〃Why do you do it？〃 I
said。 〃I still don't understand how you can work so hard to resist what
you… are。 Please don't misunderstand； of course I'm glad that you do。 I
just don't see why you would bother in the first place。〃
He hesitated before answering。 〃That's a good question； and you are not
the first one to ask it。 The others — the majority of our kind who are
quite content with our lot — they； too； wonder at how we live。 But you
see； just because we've been… dealt a certain hand… it doesn't mean that
we can't choose to rise above — to conquer the boundaries of a destiny
that none of us wanted。 To try to retain whatever essential humanity we
can。〃
I lay unmoving； locked in awed silence。
〃Did you fall asleep？〃 he whispered after a few minutes。
〃No。〃
〃Is that all you were curious about？〃
I rolled my eyes。 〃Not quite。〃
〃What else do you want to know？〃
〃Why can you read minds — why only you？ And Alice； seeing the future… why
does that happen？〃
I felt him shrug in the darkness。 〃We don't really know。 Carlisle has a
theory… he believes that we all bring something of our strongest human
traits with us into the next life； where they are intensified — like our
minds； and our senses。 He thinks that I must have already been very
sensitive to the thoughts of those around me。 And that Alice had some
precognition； wherever she was。〃
〃What did he bring into the next life； and the others？〃
〃Carlisle brought his passion。 Esme brought her ability to love
passionately。 Emmett brought his strength； Rosalie her… tenacity。 Or you
could call it pigheadedness。〃 he chuckled。 〃Jasper is very interesting。
He was quite charismatic in his first life； able to influence those
around him to see things his way。 Now he is able to manipulate the
emotions of those around him — calm down a room of angry people； for
example； or excite a lethargic crowd； conversely。 It's a very subtle
gift。〃
I considered the impossibilities he described； trying to take it in。 He
waited patiently while I thought。
〃So where did it all start？ I mean； Carlisle changed you； and then
someone must have changed him； and so on…〃
〃Well； where did you e from？ Evolution？ Creation？ Couldn't we have
evolved in the same way as other species； predator and prey？ Or； if you
don't believe that all this world could have just happened on its own；
which is hard for me to accept myself； is it so hard to believe that the
same force that created the delicate angelfish with the shark； the baby
seal and the killer whale； could create both our kinds together？〃
〃Let me get this straight — I'm the baby seal； right？〃
〃Right。〃 He laughed； and something touched my hair — his lips？
I wanted to turn toward him； to see if it was really his lips against my
hair。 But I had to be good； I didn't want to make this any harder for him
than it already was。
〃Are you ready to sleep？〃 he asked； interrupting the short silence。 〃Or
do you have any more questions？〃
〃Only a million or two。〃
〃We have tomorrow； and the next day； and the next…〃 he reminded me。 I
smiled； euphoric at the thought。
〃Are you sure you won't vanish in the morning？〃 I wanted this to be
certain。 〃You are mythical； after all。〃
〃I won't leave you。〃 His voice had the seal of a promise in it。
〃One more； then； tonight…〃 And I blushed。 The darkness was no help — I'm
sure he could feel the sudden warmth under my skin。
〃What is it？〃
〃No； forget it。 I changed my mind。〃
〃Bella； you can ask me anything。〃
I didn't answer； and he groaned。
〃I keep thinking it will get less frustrating； not hearing your thoughts。
But it just gets worse and worse。〃
〃I'm glad you can't read my thoughts。 It's bad enough that you eavesdrop
on my sleeptalking。〃
〃Please？〃 His voice was so persuasive； so impossible to resist。
I shook my he