her shallow breathing。 And then her eyes； following the four of us with exhausted suspicion。
The others were at her side already； flitting across the room with sudden darting motions。 It was creepy
to watch。 1 ambled along at a slow walk。
〃What's going on？〃 Bella demanded in a scratchy whisper。 Her waxy hand twitched up—like she was
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trying to protect her balloonshaped stomach。
〃Jacob had an idea that might help you；〃 Carlisle said。 I wished he would leave me out of it。 I hadn't
suggested anything。 Give the credit to her bloodsucking husband； where it belonged。 〃It won't be。。。
pleasant； but—〃
〃But it will help the baby；〃 Rosalie interrupted eagerly。 〃We've thought of a better way to feed him。
Maybe。〃
Bella's eyelids fluttered。 Then she coughed out a weak chuckle。 〃Not pleasant？〃 she whispered。 〃Gosh；
that'll be such a change。〃 She eyed the tube stuck into her arm and coughed again。
Blondie laughed with her。
The girl looked like she only had hours left； and she had to be in pain； but she was making jokes。 So
Bella。
Trying to ease the tension； make it better for everyone else。
Edward stepped around Rosalie； no humor touching his intense expression。 I was glad for that。 It
helped； just a little bit； that he was suffering worse than me。 He took her hand； not the one that was still
protecting her swollen belly。
〃Bella； love； we're going to ask you to do something monstrous；〃 he said； using the same adjectives he'd
offered me。 〃Repulsive。〃
Well； at least he was giving it to her straight。
She took a shallow； fluttery breath。 〃How bad？〃
Carlisle answered。 〃We think the fetus might have an appetite closer to ours than to yours。 We think it's
thirsty。〃
She blinked。 〃Oh。 Oh。〃
〃Your condition—both of your conditions—are deteriorating rapidly。 We don't have time to waste； to
e up with more palatable ways to do this。 The fastest way to test the theory—〃
〃I've got to drink it；〃 she whispered。 She nodded slightly—barely enough energy for a little head bob。 〃I
can do that。 Practice for the future； right？〃 Her colorless lips stretched into a faint grin as she looked at
Edward。 He didn't smile back。
Rosalie started tapping her toe impatiently。 The sound was really irritating。 I wondered what she would
do if I threw her through a wall right now。
〃So； who's going to catch me a grizzly bear？〃 Bella whispered。
Carlisle and Edward exchanged a quick glance。 Rosalie stopped tapping。
〃What？〃 Bella asked。
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〃It will be a more effective test if we don't cut corners； Bella；〃 Carlisle said。
〃Ifthe fetus is craving blood；〃 Edward explained； 〃it's not craving animal blood。〃
〃It won't make a difference to you； Bella。 Don't think about it；〃 Rosalie encouraged。
Bella's eyes widened。 〃Who？〃 she breathed； and her gaze flickered to me。
〃I'm not here as a donor； Bells；〃 I grumbled。 〃'Sides； it's human blood that thing's after； and I don't think
mine applies—〃
〃We have blood on hand；〃 Rosalie told her； talking over me before I'd finished； like I wasn't there。 〃For
you—just in case。 Don't worry about anything at all。 It's going to be fine。 I have a good feeling about this；
Bella。 I think the baby will be so much better。〃
Bella：s hand ran across her stomach。
〃Well；〃 she rasped； barely audible。 〃I'm starving； so I'll bet he is； too。〃 Trying to make another joke。
〃Let's go for it。 My first vampire act。〃
13。 GOOD THING I'VE GOT A STRONG STOMACH
Carlisle and Rosalie were off in a flash； darting upstairs。 I could hear them debating whether they should
warm it up for her。 Ugh。 i wondered what all houseofhorrors stuff they kept around here。 Fridge full of
blood； check。 What else？ Torture chamber？ Coffin room？
Edward stayed； holding Bella's hand。 His face was dead again。 He didn't seem to have the energy to
keep up even that little hint of hope he'd had before。 They stared into each other's eyes； but not in a
gooey way。 It was like they were having a conversation。 Kind of reminded me of Sam and Emily。
No； it wasn't gooey； but that only made it harder to watch。
I knew what it was like for Leah； having to see that all the time。 Having to hear it in Sam's head。 Of
course we all felt bad for her； we weren't monsters—in that sense； anyway。 But I guess we'd blamed her
for how she handled it。 Lashing out at everyone； trying to make us all as miserable as she was。
I would never blame her again。 How could anyone help spreading this kind of misery around？ How
could anyone not try to ease some of the burden by shoving a little piece of it off on someone else？
And if it meant that I had to have a pack； how could I blame her for taking my freedom？ I would do the
same。 If there was a way to escape this pain； I'd take it； too。
Rosalie darted downstairs after a second； flying through the room like a sharp breeze； stirring up the
burning smell。 She stopped inside the kitchen； and I heard the creak of a cupboard door。
〃Noteear； Rosalie；〃 Edward murmured。 He rolled his eyes。
Bella looked curious； but Edward just shook his head at her。
Rosalie blew back through the room and disappeared again。
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〃This was your idea？〃 Bella whispered； her voice rough as she strained to make it loud enough for me to
hear。 Forgetting that I could hear just fine。 I kind of liked how； a lot of the time； she seemed to forget that
I wasn't
pletely human。 I moved closer； so that she wouldn't have to work so hard。
〃Don't blame me for this one。 Your vampire was just picking snide ments out of my head。〃
She smiled a little。 〃I didn't expect to see you again。〃
〃Yeah； me； either；〃 I said。
It felt weird just standing here； but the vampires had shoved all the furniture out of the way for the
medical setup。 I imagined that it didn't bother them—sitting or standing didn't make much difference when
you were stone。 Wouldn't bother me much； either； except that I was so exhausted。
〃Edward told me what you had to do。 I'm sorry。〃
〃S'okay。 It was probably only a matter of time till I snapped over something Sam wanted me to do；〃 I
lied。
〃And Seth；〃 she whispered。
〃He's actually happy to help。〃
〃I hate causing you trouble。〃
I laughed once—more a bark than a laugh。
She breathed a faint sigh。 〃I guess that's nothing new； is it？〃
〃No； not really。〃
〃You don't have to stay and watch this；〃 she said； barely mouthing the words。
I could leave。 It was probably a good idea。 But if I did； with the way she looked right now； I could be
missing the last fifteen minutes of her life。
〃I don't really have anywhere else to go；〃 I told her； trying to keep the emotion out of my voice。 〃The
wolf thing is a lot less appealing since Leah joined up。〃
〃Leah？〃 she gasped。
〃You didn't tell her？〃 I asked Edward。
He just shrugged without moving his eyes from her face。 I could see i