〃Edward;〃 I tried again。 My voice was a little clearer。
〃Yes; I'm here。〃
〃It hurts;〃 I whimpered。
〃I know; Bella; I know〃 — and then; away from me; anguished — 〃can't you
do anything?〃
〃My bag; please… Hold your breath; Alice; it will help;〃 Carlisle
promised。
〃Alice?〃 I groaned。
〃She's here; she knew where to find you。〃
〃My hand hurts;〃 I tried to tell him。
〃I know; Bella。 Carlisle will give you something; it will stop。〃
〃My hand is burning!〃 I screamed; finally breaking through the last of
the darkness; my eyes fluttering open。 I couldn't see his face; something
dark and warm was clouding my eyes。 Why couldn't they see the fire and
put it out?
His voice was frightened。 〃Bella?〃
〃The fire! Someone stop the fire!〃 I screamed as it burned me。
〃Carlisle! Her hand!〃
〃He bit her。〃 Carlisle's voice was no longer calm; it was appalled。
I heard Edward catch his breath in horror。
〃Edward; you have to do it。〃 It was Alice's voice; close by my head。 Cool
fingers brushed at the wetness in my eyes。
〃No!〃 he bellowed。
〃Alice;〃 I moaned。
〃There may be a chance;〃 Carlisle said。
〃What?〃 Edward begged。
〃See if you can suck the venom back out。 The wound is fairly clean。〃 As
Carlisle spoke; I could feel more pressure on my head; something poking
and pulling at my scalp。 The pain of it was lost in the pain of the fire。
〃Will that work?〃 Alice's voice was strained。
〃I don't know;〃 Carlisle said。 〃But we have to hurry。〃
〃Carlisle; I…〃 Edward hesitated。 〃I don't know if I can do that。〃 There
was agony in his beautiful voice again。
〃It's your decision; Edward; either way。 I can't help you。 I have to get
this bleeding stopped here if you're going to be taking blood from her
hand。〃
I writhed in the grip of the fiery torture; the movement making the pain
in my leg flare sickeningly。
〃Edward!〃 I screamed。 I realized my eyes were closed again。 I opened
them; desperate to find his face。 And I found him。 Finally; I could see
his perfect face; staring at me; twisted into a mask of indecision and
pain。
〃Alice; get me something to brace her leg!〃 Carlisle was bent over me;
working on my head。 〃Edward; you must do it now; or it will be too late。〃
Edward's face was drawn。 I watched his eyes as the doubt was suddenly
replaced with a blazing determination。 His jaw tightened。 I felt his
cool; strong fingers on my burning hand; locking it in place。 Then his
head bent over it; and his cold lips pressed against my skin。
At first the pain was worse。 I screamed and thrashed against the cool
hands that held me back。 I heard Alice's voice; trying to calm me。
Something heavy held my leg to the floor; and Carlisle had my head locked
in the vise of his stone arms。
Then; slowly; my writhing calmed as my hand grew more and more numb。 The
fire was dulling; focusing into an eversmaller point。
I felt my consciousness slipping as the pain subsided。 I was afraid to
fall into the black waters again; afraid I would lose him in the darkness。
〃Edward;〃 I tried to say; but I couldn't hear my voice。 They could hear
me。
〃He's right here; Bella。〃
〃Stay; Edward; stay with me…〃
〃I will。〃 His voice was strained; but somehow triumphant。
I sighed contentedly。 The fire was gone; the other pains dulled by a
sleepiness seeping through my body。
〃Is it all out?〃 Carlisle asked from somewhere far away。
〃Her blood tastes clean;〃 Edward said quietly。 〃I can taste the morphine。〃
〃Bella?〃 Carlisle called to me。
I tried to answer。 〃Mmmmm?〃
〃Is the fire gone?〃
〃Yes;〃 I sighed。 〃Thank you; Edward。〃
〃I love you;〃 he answered。
〃I know;〃 I breathed; so tired。
I heard my favorite sound in the world: Edward's quiet laugh; weak with
relief。
〃Bella?〃 Carlisle asked again。
I frowned; I wanted to sleep。 〃What?〃
〃Where is your mother?〃
〃In Florida;〃 I sighed。 〃He tricked me; Edward。 He watched our videos。〃
The outrage in my voice was pitifully frail。
But that reminded me。
〃Alice。〃 I tried to open my eyes。 〃Alice; the video — he knew you; Alice;
he knew where you came from。〃 I meant to speak urgently; but my voice was
feeble。 〃I smell gasoline;〃 I added; surprised through the haze in my
brain。
〃It's time to move her;〃 Carlisle said。
〃No; I want to sleep;〃 I plained。
〃You can sleep; sweetheart; I'll carry you;〃 Edward soothed me。
And I was in his arms; cradled against his chest — floating; all the pain
gone。
〃Sleep now; Bella〃 were the last words I heard。
===========================================================================
24。 AN IMPASSE
My eyes opened to a bright; white light。 I was in an unfamiliar room; a
white room。 The wall beside me was covered in long vertical blinds; over
my head; the glaring lights blinded me。 I was propped up on a hard;
uneven bed — a bed with rails。 The pillows were flat and lumpy。 There was
an annoying beeping sound somewhere close by。 I hoped that meant I was
still alive。 Death shouldn't be this unfortable。
My hands were all twisted up with clear tubes; and something was taped
across my face; under my nose。 I lifted my hand to rip it off。
〃No; you don't。〃 And cool fingers caught my hand。
〃Edward?〃 I turned my head slightly; and his exquisite face was just
inches from mine; his chin resting on the edge of my pillow。 I realized
again that I was alive; this time with gratitude and elation。 〃Oh;
Edward; I'm so sorry!〃
〃Shhhh;〃 he shushed me。 〃Everything's all right now。〃
〃What happened?〃 I couldn't remember clearly; and my mind rebelled
against me as I tried to recall。
〃I was almost too late。 I could have been too late;〃 he whispered; his
voice tormented。
〃I was so stupid; Edward。 I thought he had my mom。〃
〃He tricked us all。〃
〃I need to call Charlie and my mom;〃 I realized through the haze。
〃Alice called them。 Renée is here — well; here in the hospital。 She's
getting something to eat right now。〃
〃She's here?〃 I tried to sit up; but the spinning in my head accelerated;
and his hand pushed me gently down onto the pillows。
〃She'll be back soon;〃 he promised。 〃And you need to stay still。〃
〃But what did you tell her?〃 I panicked。 I had no interest in being
soothed。 My mom was here and I was recovering from a vampire attack。 〃Why
did you tell her I'm here?〃
〃You fell down two flights of stairs and through a window。〃 He paused。
〃You have to admit; it could happen。〃
I sighed; and it hurt。 I stared down at my body under the sheet; the huge
lump that was my leg。
〃How bad am I?〃 I asked。
〃You have a broken leg; four broken ribs; some cracks in your skull;
bruises covering every inch of your skin; and you've lost a lot of blood。
They gave you a few transfusions。 I didn't like it — it made you smell
all wrong for a while。〃
〃That must have been a nice change for you。〃
〃No; I like how you smell。〃
〃How did you do it?〃 I asked quietly。 He knew what I meant at once。
〃I'm not sure。〃 He looked away from my wondering eyes; lifting my
gauzewrapped hand from the bed an
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