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〃Impossible；〃 I whispered。
I had absolutely no experience with pregnancy or babies or any part of that world； but I wasn't an idiot。
I'd seen enough movies and TV shows to know that this wasn't how it worked。 I was only five days late。
If I was pregnant； my body wouldn't even have registered that fact。 I would not have morning sickness。 I
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would not have changed my eating or sleeping habits。
And I most definitely would not have a small but defined bump sticking out between my hips。
I twisted my torso back and forth； examining it from every angle； as if it would disappear in exactly the
right light。 I ran my fingers over the subtle bulge； surprised by how rock hard it felt under my skin。
〃Impossible；〃 I said again； because； bulge or no bulge； period or no period （and there was definitely no
period； though I'd never been late a day in my life）； there was no way I could be pregnant The only
person I'd ever had sex with was a vampire； for crying out loud。
A vampire who was still frozen on the floor with no sign of ever moving again。
So there had to be some other explanation； then。 Something wrong with me。 A strange South American
disease with all the signs of pregnancy； only accelerated。。。
And then I remembered something—a morning of inter research that seemed a lifetime ago now。
Sitting at the old desk in my room at Charlie's house with gray light glowing dully through the window；
staring at my ancient； wheezing puter； reading avidly through a website called 〃Vampires AZ。〃 It
had been less than twentyfour hours since Jacob Black； trying to entertain me with the Quileute legends
he didn't believe in yet； had told me that Edward was a vampire。 I'd scanned anxiously through the first
entries on the site； which was dedicated to vampire
myths around the world。 The Filipino Danag； the Hebrew Estrie； the Romanian Varacolaci； the Italian
Stregoni benefici （a legend actually based on my new fatherinlaw's early exploits with the Volturi； not
that I'd known anything about that at the time）。。。 I'd paid less and less attention as the stories had grown
more and more implausible。 I only remembered vague bits of the later entries。 They mostly seemed like
excuses dreamed up to explain things like infant mortality rates—and infidelity。 No； honey； I'm not
having an affair！ That sexy woman you saw sneaking out of the house was an evil succubus。 I'm
lucky I escaped with my life！ （Of course； with what I knew now about Tanya and her sisters； I
suspected that some of those excuses had been nothing but fact。） There had been one for the ladies； too。
How can you accuse me of cheating on you—just because you've e home from a twoyear sea
voyage and I'm pregnant？ It was the incubus。 He hypnotized me with his mystical vampire
powers。。。。
That had been part of the definition of the incubus—the ability to father children with his hapless prey。
I shook my head； dazed。 But。。。
I thought of Esme and especially Rosalie。 Vampires couldn't have children。 If it were possible； Rosalie
would have found a way by now。 The incubus myth was nothing but a fable。
Except that。。。 well； there was a difference。 Of course Rosalie could not conceive a child； because she
was frozen in the state in which she passed from human to inhuman。 Totally unchanging。 And human
women's bodies had to change to bear children。 The constant change of a monthly cycle for one thing；
and then the bigger changes needed to acmodate a growing child。 Rosalie's body couldn't change。
But mine could。 Mine did。 I touched the bump on my stomach that had not been there yesterday。
And human men—well； they pretty much stayed the same from puberty to death。 I remembered a
random bit of trivia； gleaned from who knows where： Charlie Chaplin was in his seventies when he
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fathered his youngest child。 Men had no such thing as childbearing years or cycles of fertility。
Of course； how would anyone know if vampire men could father children； when their partners were not
able？ What vampire on earth would have the restraint necessary to test the theory with a human woman？
Or the inclination？
I could think of only one。
Part of my head was sorting through fact and memory and speculation； while the other half—the part
that controlled the ability to move even the smallest muscles—was stunned beyond the capacity for
normal operations。 I couldn't move my lips to speak； though I wanted to ask Edward to please explain to
me what was going on。 I needed to go back to where he sat； to touch him； but my body wouldn't follow
instructions。 I could only stare at my shocked eyes in the mirror； my fingers gingerly pressed against the
swelling on my torso。
And then； like in my vivid nightmare last night； the scene abruptly transformed。 Everything I saw in the
mirror looked pletely different； though nothing actually was different。
What happened to change everything was that a soft little nudge bumped my hand—from inside my
body。
In the same moment； Edward's phone rang； shrill and demanding。 Neither of us moved。 It rang again and
again。 I tried to tune it out while I pressed my fingers to my stomach； waiting。 In the mirror my expression
was no longer
bewildered—it was wondering now。 I barely noticed when the strange； silent tears started streaming
down my cheeks。
The phone kept ringing。 I wished Edward would answer it—I was having a moment。 Possibly the
biggest of my life。
Ring！ Ring！ Ring！
Finally； the annoyance broke through everything else。 I got down on my knees next to Edward—I found
myself moving more carefully； a thousand times more aware of the way each motion felt—and patted his
pockets until I found the phone。 I halfexpected him to thaw out and answer it himself； but he was
perfectly still。
I recognized the number； and I could easily guess why she was calling。
〃Hi； Alice；〃 I said。 My voice wasn't much better than before。 I cleared my throat。