按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!
of that was a lapse in attention I could not afford。
They ghosted closer; their dark robes billowing slightly with the movement。 I saw their hands curl into
bonecolored claws。 They drifted apart; angling to e at us from all sides。 We were outnumbered。 It
was over。
And then; like a burst of light from a flash; the whole scene was different。 Yet nothing changed—the
Volturi still stalked toward us; poised to kill。 All that really changed was how the picture looked to me。
Suddenly; I was hungry for it。 I wanfed them to charge。 The panic changed to bloodlust as I crouched
forward; a smile on my face; and a growl ripped through my bared teeth。
19。 BURNING
The pain was bewildering。
Exactly that—I was bewildered。 I couldn't understand; couldn't make sense of what was happening。
My body tried to reject the pain; and I was sucked again and again into a blackness that cut out whole
seconds or maybe even minutes of the agony; making it that much harder to keep up with reality。
I tried to separate them。
Nonreality was black; and it didn't hurt so much。
Reality was red; and it felt like I was being sawed in half; hit by a bus; punched by a prize fighter;
trampled by bulls; and submerged in acid; all at the same time。
Reality was feeling my body twist and flip when I couldn't possibly move because of the pain。
Reality was knowing there was something so much more important than all this torture; and not being
able to remember what it was。
Reality had e on so fast。
One moment; everything was as it should have been。 Surrounded by people I loved。 Smiles。 Somehow;
unlikely as it was; it seemed like I was about to get everything I'd been fighting for。
And then one tiny; inconsequential thing had gone wrong。
I'd watched as my cup tilted; dark blood spilling out and staining the perfect white; and I'd lurched
toward the accident reflexively。 I'd seen the other; faster hands; but my body had continued to reach; to
stretch___
Inside me; something had yanked the opposite direction。
Page 219
Generatedby ABC Amber LIT Converter; :。processtext。abclit。html
Ripping。 Breaking。 Agony。
The darkness had taken over; and then washed away to a wave of torture。 I couldn't breathe—I had
drowned once before; and this was different; it was too hot in my throat。
Pieces of me shattering; snapping; slicing apart___
More blackness。
Voices; this time; shouting; as the pain came back。
'The placenta must have detached!〃
Something sharper than knives ripped through me—the words; making sense in spite of the other
tortures。 Detached placenta —I knew what that meant。 It meant that my baby was dying inside me。
〃Get him out!〃 I screamed to Edward。 Why hadn't he done it yet? 〃He can't breathe! Do it now!〃
〃The morphine—〃
He wanted to wait; to give me painkillers; while our baby was dying?!
〃No! Now—;〃 I choked; unable to finish。
Black spots covered the light in the room as a cold point of new pain stabbed icily into my stomach。 It
felt wrong—I struggled automatically to protect my womb; my baby; my little Edward Jacob; but I was
weak。 My lungs ached; oxygen burned away。
The pain faded away again; though I clung to it now。 My baby; my baby; dying___
How long had passed? Seconds or minutes? The pain was gone。 Numb。 I couldn't feel。 I still couldn't
see; either; but I could hear。 There was air in my lungs again; scraping in rough bubbles up and down my
throat。
〃You stay with me now; Bella! Do you hear me? Stay! You're not leaving me。 Keep your heart beating!〃
Jacob? Jacob; still here; still trying to save me。
Of course;I wanted to tell him。 Of course I would keep my heart beating。 Hadn't I promised them both?
I tried to feel my heart; to find it; but I was so lost inside my own body。 I couldn't feel the things I should;
and nothing felt in the right place。 I blinked and I found my eyes。 I could see the light。 Not what I was
looking for; but better than nothing。
As my eyes struggled to adjust; Edward whispered; 〃Renesmee。〃
Renesmee?
Not the pale and perfect son of my imagination? I felt a moment of shock。 And then a flood of warmth。
Page 220
Generatedby ABC Amber LIT Converter; :。processtext。abclit。html
Renesmee。
I willed my lips to move; willed the bubbles of air to turn into whispers on my tongue。 I forced my numb
hands to reach。
〃Let me。。。 Give her to me。〃
The light danced; shattering off Edward's crystal hands。 The sparkles were tinged with red; with the
blood that covered his skin。 And more red in his hands。 Something small and struggling; dripping with
blood。 He touched the warm body to my weak arms; almost like I was holding her。 Her wet skin was hot
—as hot as Jacob's。
My eyes focused; suddenly everything was absolutely clear。
Renesmee did not cry; but she breathed in quick; startled pants。 Her eyes were open; her expression so
shocked it was almost funny。 The little; perfectly round head was covered in a thick layer of matted;
bloody curls。 Her
irises were a familiar—but astonishing—chocolate brown。 Under the blood; her skin looked pale; a
creamy ivory。 All besides her cheeks; which flamed with color。
Her tiny face was so absolutely perfect that it stunned me。 She was even more beautiful than her father。
Unbelievable。 Impossible。
〃Renesmee;〃 I whispered。 〃So。。。 beautiful。〃
The impossible face suddenly smiled—a wide; deliberate smile。 Behind the shellpink lips was a full
plement of snowy milk teeth。
She leaned her head down; against my chest; burrowing against the warmth。 Her skin was warm and
silky; but it didn't give the way mine did。
Then there was pain again—just one warm slash of it。 I gasped。
And she was gone。 My angelfaced baby was nowhere。 I couldn't see or feel her。
No!I wanted to shout。 Give her back to me!
But the weakness was too much。 My arms felt like empty rubber hoses for a moment; and then they felt
like nothing at all。 I couldn't feel them。 I couldn't feel me。
The blackness rushed over my eyes more solidly than before。 Like a thick