breath fanned across my
face。
〃And if I don't want to be in a good mood？〃 I asked； my breathing uneven。
His golden eyes smoldered。 〃Too bad。〃
My head was already spinning by the time he leaned closer and pressed his icy
lips against mine。 As he
intended； no doubt； I forgot all about my worries； and concentrated on
remembering how to inhale and
exhale。
His mouth lingered on mine； cold and smooth and gentle； until I wrapped my
arms around his neck and
threw myself into the kiss with a little too much enthusiasm。 I could feel his
lips curve upward as he let go
of my face and reached back to unlock my grip on him。
Edward had drawn many careful lines for our physical relationship； with the
intent being to keep me alive。
Though I respected the need for maintaining a safe distance between my skin
and his razor…sharp；
venom…coated teeth； I tended to forget about trivial things like that when he
was kissing me。
〃Be good； please；〃 he breathed against my cheek。 He pressed his lips gently to
mine one more time and
then pulled away； folding my arms across my stomach。
My pulse was thudding in my ears。 I put one hand over my heart。 It drummed
hyperactively under my
palm。
〃Do you think I'll ever get better at this？〃 I wondered； mostly to myself。
〃That my heart might someday
stop trying to jump out of my chest whenever you touch me？〃
〃I really hope not；〃 he said； a bit smug。
I rolled my eyes。 〃Let's go watch the Capulets and Montagues hack each other
up； all right？〃
〃Your wish； my mand。〃
Edward sprawled across the couch while I started the movie； fast…forwarding
through the opening
credits。
When I perched on the edge of the sofa in front of him； he wrapped his arms
around my waist and pulled
me against his chest。 It wasn't exactly as fortable as a sofa cushion would
be； what with his chest
being hard and cold—and perfect—as an ice sculpture； but it was definitely
preferable。 He pulled the old
afghan off the back of the couch and draped it over me so I wouldn't freeze
beside his body。
〃You know； I've never had much patience with Romeo；〃 he mented as the movie
started。
〃What's wrong with Romeo？〃 I asked； a little offended。 Romeo was one of my
favorite fictional
characters。 Until I'd met Edward； I'd sort of had a thing for him。
〃Well； first of all； he's in love with this Rosaline—don't you think it makes
him seem a little fickle？ And
then； a few minutes after their wedding； he kills Juliet's cousin。 That's not
very brilliant。 Mistake after
mistake。 Could he have destroyed his own happiness any more thoroughly？〃
I sighed。 〃Do you want me to watch this alone？〃
〃No； I'll mostly be watching you； anyway。〃 His fingers traced patterns across
the skin of my arm； raising
goose bumps。 〃Will you cry？〃
〃Probably；〃 I admitted； 〃if I'm paying attention。〃
〃I won't distract you then。〃 But I felt his lips on my hair； and it was very
distracting。
The movie eventually captured my interest； thanks in large part to Edward
whispering Romeo's lines in
my ear—his irresistible； velvet voice made the actor's voice sound weak and
coarse by parison。 And
I did cry； to his amusement； when Juliet woke and found her new husband dead。
〃I'll admit； I do sort of envy him here；〃 Edward said； drying the tears with a
lock of my hair。
〃She's very pretty。〃
He made a disgusted sound。 〃I don't envy him the girl—just the ease of the
suicide；〃 he clarified in a
teasing tone。 〃You humans have it so easy！ All you have to do is throw down
one tiny vial of plant
extracts〃
〃What？〃 I gasped。
〃It's something I had to think about once； and I knew from Carlisle's
experience that it wouldn't be
simple。 I'm not even sure how many ways Carlisle tried to kill himself in the
beginning after he realized
what he'd bee〃 His voice； which had grown serious； turned light again。
〃And he's clearly still in
excellent health。〃
I twisted around so that I could read his face。 〃What are you talking about？〃
I demanded。 〃What do you
mean； this something you had to think about once？〃
〃Last spring； when you were nearly killed〃 He paused to take a deep
breath； snuggling to return to
his teasing tone。 〃Of course I was trying to focus on finding you alive； but
part of my mind was making
contingency plans。 Like I said； it's not as easy for me as it is for a human。〃
For one second； the memory of my last trip to Phoenix washed through my head
and made me feel dizzy。
I could see it all so clearly—the blinding sun； the heat waves ing off the
concrete as I ran with
desperate haste to find the sadistic vampire who wanted to torture me to
death。 James； waiting in the
mirrored room with my mother as his hostage—or so I'd thought。 I hadn't known
it was all a ruse。 Just as
James hadn't known that Edward was racing to save me； Edward made it in time；
but it had been a close
one。 Unthinkingly； my fingers traced the crescent…shaped scar on my hand that
was always just a few
degrees cooler than the rest of my skin。
I shook my head—as if I could shake away the bad memories—and tried to grasp
what Edward meant。
My stomach plunged unfortably。 〃Contingency plans？〃 I repeated。
〃Well； I wasn't going to live without you。〃 He rolled his eyes as if that fact
were childishly obvious。 〃But I
wasn't sure how to do it—I knew Emmett and Jasper would never help so I was
thinking maybe I
would go to Italy and do something to provoke the Volturi。〃
I didn't want to believe he was serious； but his golden eyes were brooding；
focused on something far
away in the distance as he contemplated ways to end his own life。 Abruptly； I
was furious。
〃What is a Volturi？〃 I demanded。
〃The Volturi are a family；〃 he explained； his eyes still remote。 〃A very old；
very powerful family of our
kind。 They are the closest thing our world has to a royal family； I suppose。
Carlisle lived with them briefly
in his early years； in Italy； before he settled in America—do you remember
the story？〃
〃Of course I remember。〃
I would never forget the first time I'd gone to his home； the huge white
mansion buried deep in the forest
beside the river； or the room where Carlisle—Edward's father in so many real
ways—kept a wall of
paintings that illustrated his personal history。 The most vivid； most wildly
colorful canvas there； the largest；
was from Carlisle's time in Italy。 Of course I remembered the calm quartet of
men； each with the
exquisite face of a seraph； painted into the highest balcony overlooking the
swirling mayhem of color。
Though the painting was centuries old； Carlisle—the blond angel—remained
unchanged。 And I
remembered the three others； Carlisle's early acquaintances。 Edward had never
used the name Volturi
for the beautiful trio； two black…haired； one snow white。 He'd called them
Aro； Caius； and Marcus；
nighttime patrons of the arts
〃Anyway； you don't irritate the Volturi；〃 Edward went on； interrupting ray
reverie。 〃Not unless you want
to die—or whatever it is we do。〃 His voice was so calm； it made him sound
almost bored by the
prospect。
My anger turned to horror。 I took his marble