been against my soft human lips。
〃Is that you； Bella？〃 he whispered。
〃Yep。〃 I winced at my windchime voice。 〃Hi； Dad。〃
He took a deep breath to steady himself。
〃Hey； Charlie；〃 Jacob greeted him from the corner。 〃How're things？〃
Charlie glowered at Jacob once； shuddered at a memory； and then stared at me again。
Slowly； Charlie walked across the room until he was a few feet away from me。 He darted an accusing
glare at Edward； and then his eyes flickered back to me。 The warmth of his body heat beat against me
with each pulse of his heart。
〃Bella？〃 heasked again。
I spoke in a lower voice； trying to keep the ring out of it。〃It's really me。〃
His jaw locked。
〃I'm sorry； Dad；〃 I said。
〃Are you okay？〃 he demanded。
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〃Really and truly great；〃 I promised。 〃Healthy as a horse。〃
That was it for my oxygen。
〃Jake told me this was。。。 necessary。 That you were dying。〃 He said the words like he didn't believe them
one bit。
I steeled myself； focused on Renesmee's warm weight； leaned into Edward for support； and took a deep
breath。
Charlie's scent was a fistful of flames； punching straight down my throat。 But it was so much more than
pain。 It was a hot stabbing of desire； too。 Charlie smelled more delicious than anything I'd ever imagined。
As appealing as the anonymous hikers had been on the hunt； Charlie was doubly tempting。 And he was
just a few feet away； leaking mouthwatering heat and moisture into the dry air。
But I wasn't hunting now。 And this was my father。
Edward squeezed my shoulders sympathetically； and Jacob shot an apologetic glance at me across the
room。
I tried to collect myself and ignore the pain and longing of the thirst。 Charlie was waiting for my answer。
〃Jacob was telling you the truth。〃
〃That makes one of you；〃 Charlie growled。
I hoped Charlie could see past the changes in my new face to read the remorse there。
Under my hair； Renesmee sniffed as Charlie's scent registered with her； too。 I tightened my grip on her。
Charlie saw my anxious glance down and followed it。 〃Oh；〃 he said； and all the anger fell off his face；
leaving only shock behind。 〃This is her。 The orphan Jacob said you're adopting。〃
〃My niece；〃 Edward lied smoothly。 He must have decided that the resemblance between Renesmee and
him was too pronounced to be ignored。 Best to claim they were related from the beginning。
〃I thought you'd lost your family；〃 Charlie said； accusation returning to his voice。
〃I lost my parents。 My older brother was adopted； like me。 I never saw him after that。 But the courts
located me when he and his wife died in a car accident； leaving their only child without any other family。〃
Edward was so good at this。 His voice was even； with just the right amount of innocence。 I needed
practice so that I could do that。
Renesmee peeked out from under my hair； sniffing again。 She glanced shyly at Charlie from under her
long lashes； then hid again。
〃She's。。。 she's；well； she's a beauty。〃
〃Yes；〃 Edward agreed。
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〃Kind of a big responsibility； though。 You two are just getting started。〃
〃What else could we do？〃 Edward brushed his fingers lightly over her cheek。 I saw him touch her lips for
just a moment—a reminder。 〃Would you have refused her？〃
〃Hmph。 Well。〃 Heshook his head absently。 〃Jake says you call her Nessie？〃
〃No； we don't；〃 I said； my voice too sharp and piercing。 〃Her name is Renesmee。〃
Charlie refocused on me。 〃How do you feel about this？ Maybe Carlisle and Esme could—〃
〃She's mine；〃 I interrupted。 〃I want her。〃
Charlie frowned。 〃You gonna make me a grandpa so young？〃
Edward smiled。 〃Carlisle is a grandfather； too。〃
Charlie shot an incredulous glance at Carlisle； still standing by the front door； he looked like Zeus's
younger； betterlooking brother。
Charlie snorted and then laughed。 〃I guess that does sort of make me feel better。〃His eyes strayed back
to Renesmee。 〃She sure is something to look at。〃 His warm breath blew lightly across the space between
us。
Renesmee leaned toward the smell； shaking off my hair and looking him full in the face for the first time。
Charlie gasped。
I knew what he was seeing。 My eyes—his eyes—copied exactly into her perfect face。
Charlie started hyperventilating。 His lips trembled； and I could read the numbers he mouthed。 He was
counting backward； trying to fit nine months into one。 Trying to put it together but not able to force the
evidence right in front of him to make any sense。
Jacob got up and came over to pat Charlie on the back。 He leaned in to whisper something in Charlie's
ear； only Charlie didn't know we could all hear。
〃Need to know； Charlie。 It's okay。 I promise。〃
Charlie swallowed and nodded。 And then his eyes blazed as he took a step closer to Edward with his
fists tightly clenched。
〃I don't want to know everything； but I'm done with the lies！〃
〃I'm sorry；〃 Edward said calmly； 〃but you need to know the public story more than you need to know
the truth。 If you're going to be part of this secret； the public story is the one that counts。 It's to protect
Bella and Renesmee as well as the rest of us。 Can you go along with the lies for them？〃
The room wasfull of statues。 I crossed my ankles。
Charlie huffed once and then turned his glare on me。 〃You might've given me some warning； kid。〃
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〃Would it really have made this any easier？〃
He frowned； and then he knelt on the floor in front of me。 I could see the movement of the blood in his
neck under his skin。 I could feel the warm vibration of it。
So could Renesmee。 She smiled and reached one pink palm out to him。 I held her back。 She pushed her
other
hand against my neck； thirst； curiosity； and Charlie's face in her thoughts。 There was a subtle edge to the
message that made me think that she'd understood Edward's words perfectly； she acknowledged thirst；
but overrode it in the same thought。
〃Whoa；〃 Charlie gasped； his eyes on her perfect teeth。 〃How old is she？〃
〃Urn。。。〃
〃Three months；〃 Edward said； and then added slowly； 〃rather； she's the size of a threemonthold； more
or less。 She's younger in some ways； more mature in others。〃
Very deliberately； Renesmee waved at him。
Charlie blinked spastically。
Jacob elbowed him。 〃Told you she was special； didn't I？〃
Charlie cringed away from the contact。
〃Oh； c'mon； Charlie；〃 Jacob groaned。 〃I'm the same person I've always been。 Just pretend this afternoon
didn't happen。〃
The reminder made Charlie's lips go white； but he nodded once。 〃Just what is your part in all this； Jake？〃
he asked。 〃How much does Billy know？ Why are you here？〃 He looked at Jacob's face； which was
glowing as he stared at Renesmee。
〃Well； I could tell you all about it—Billy knows absolutely everything—but it involves a lot of stuff about
werewo—〃