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His hushed whisper was a
rebuke to our paratively loud conversation。
〃No； thank you。〃 Alice beamed at up at him； her smile shockingly lovely。 The
attendant's expression was
dazed as he turned and stumbled his way back。
〃Tell me；〃 I breathed almost silently。
She whispered into my ear。 〃They're interested in him—they think his talent
could be uselul。 They're going
to offer him a place with them。〃
〃What will he say？〃
〃I can't see that yet； but I'll bet it's colorful。〃 She grinned again。 〃This
is the first good news—the first
break。 They're intrigued； they truly don't want to destroy him—'wasteful；'
that's the word Aro will
use—and that may be enough to force him to get creative。 The longer he spends
on his plans； the better
for us。〃
It wasn't enough to make me hopeful； to make me feel the relief she obviously
felt。 There were still so
many ways that we could be too late。 And if I didn't get through the walls
into the Volturi city； I wouldn't
be able to stop Alice from dragging me back home。
〃Alice？〃
〃What？〃
〃I'm confused。 How are you seeing this so clearly？ And then other times； you
see things far away—things
that don't happen？〃
Her eyes tightened。 I wondered if she guessed what I was thinking of。
〃It's clear because it's immediate and close； and I'm really concentrating。
The faraway things that e on
their own—those are just glimpses； faint maybes。 Plus； I see my kind more
easily than yours。 Edward is
even easier because I'm so attuned to him。〃
〃You see me sometimes；〃 I reminded her。
She shook her head。 〃Not as clearly。〃
I sighed。 〃I really wish you could have been right about me。 In the beginning；
when you first saw things
about me； before we even met〃
〃What do you mean？〃
〃You saw me bee one of you。〃 I barely mouthed the words。
She sighed。 〃It was a possibility at the time。〃
〃At the time；〃 I repeated。
〃Actually； Bella〃 She hesitated； and then seemed to make a choice。
〃Honestly； I think it's all gotten
beyond ridiculous。 I'm debating whether to just change you myself。〃
I stared at her； frozen with shock。 Instantly； my mind resisted her words。 I
couldn't afford that kind of
hope if she changed her mind。
〃Did I scare you？〃 she wondered。 〃I thought that's what you wanted。〃
〃I do！〃 I gasped。 〃Oh； Alice； do it now！ I could help you so much—and I
wouldn't slow you down。 Bite
me！〃
〃Shh；〃 she cautioned。 The attendant was looking in our direction again。 〃Try
to be reasonable；〃 she
whispered。 〃We don't have enough time。 We have to get into Volterra tomorrow。
You'd be writhing in
pain for days。〃 She made a face。 〃And I don't think the other passengers would
react well。〃
I bit my lip。 〃If you don't do it now； you'll change your mind。〃
〃No。〃 She frowned； her expression unhappy。 〃I don't think I will。 He'll be
furious； but what will he be able
to do about it？〃
My heart beat faster。 〃Nothing at all。〃
She laughed quietly； and then sighed。 〃You have too much faith in me； Bella。
I'm not sure that I can。 I'll
probably just end up killing you。〃
〃I'll take my chances。〃
〃You are so bizarre； even for a human。〃
〃Thanks。〃
〃Oh well； this is purely hypothetical at this point； anyway。 First we have to
live through tomorrow。〃
〃Good point。〃 But at least I had something to hope for if we did。 If Alice
made good on her
promise—and if she didn't kill me—then Edward could run after his
distractions all he wanted； and I
could follow。 I wouldn't let him be distracted。 Maybe； when I was beautiful
and strong； he wouldn't want
distractions。
〃Go back to sleep；〃 she encouraged me。 〃I'll wake you up when there's
something new。〃
〃Right；〃 I grumbled； certain that sleep was a lost cause now。 Alice pulled her
legs up on the seat；
wrapping her arms around them and leaning her forehead against her knees。 She
rocked back and forth
as she concentrated。
I rested my head against the seat； watching her； and the next thing I knew；
she was snapping the shade
closed against the faint brightening in the eastern sky。
〃What's happening？〃 I mumbled。
〃They've told him no；〃 she said quietly。 I noticed at once that her enthusiasm
was gone。
My voice choked in my throat with panic。 〃What's he going to do？〃
〃It was chaotic at first。 I was only getting flickers； he was changing plans
so quickly。〃
〃What kinds of plans？〃 I pressed。
〃There was a bad hour；〃 she whispered。 〃He'd decided to go hunting。〃
She looked at me； seeing the prehension in my face。
〃In the city；〃 she explained。 〃It got very close。 He changed his mind at the
last minute。〃
〃He wouldn't want to disappoint Carlisle；〃 I mumbled。 Not at the end。
〃Probably；〃 she agreed。
〃Will there be enough time？〃 As I spoke； there was a shift in the cabin
pressure。 I could feel the plane
angling downward。
〃I'm hoping so—if he sticks to his latest decision； maybe。〃
〃What is that？〃
〃He's going to keep it simple。 He's just going to walk out into the sun。〃
Just walk out into the sun。 That was all。
It would be enough。 The image of Edward in the meadow—glowing； shimmering
like his skin was made
of a million diamond facets—was burned into my memory。 No human who saw that
would ever forget。
The Volturi couldn't possibly allow it。 Not if they wanted to keep their city
inconspicuous。
I looked at the slight gray glow that shone through the opened windows。 〃We'll
be too late；〃 I whispered；
my throat closing in panic。
She shook her head。 〃Right now； he's leaning toward the melodramatic。 He wants
the biggest audience
possible； so he'll choose the main plaza； under the clock tower。 The walls are
high there。 He'll wait till the
sun is exactly overhead。〃
〃So we have till noon？〃
〃If we're lucky。 If he sticks with this decision。〃
The pilot came on over the inter； announcing； first in French and then in
English； our imminent
landing。 The seat belt lights dinged and flashed。
〃How far is it from Florence to Volterra？〃
〃That depends on how fast you drive Bella？〃
〃Yes？〃
She eyed me speculatively。 〃How strongly are you opposed to grand theft auto？〃
A bright yellow Porsche screamed to a stop a few feet in front of where I
paced； the word TURBO
scrawled in silver cursive across its back。 Everyone beside me on the crowded
airport sidewalk stared。
〃Hurry； Bella！〃 Alice shouted impatiently through the open passenger window。
I ran to the door and threw myself in； feeling as though I might as well be
wearing a black stocking over
my head。
〃Sheesh； Alice；〃 I plained。 〃Could you pick a more conspicuous car to
steal？〃
The interior was black leather； and the windows were tinted dark。 It felt
safer inside； like nighttime。
Alice was already weaving； too fast； through the thick airport traffic—
sliding through tiny spaces between
the cars as I cringed and fumbled for my seat belt。
〃The important question；〃 she corrected； 〃is whether I could have stolen a
faster car； and I don't think so。
I got lucky。〃
〃I'm sure that will be very forting at the roadblock。〃
She trilled a laugh。 〃Trust me； Bella。 If anyone sets up a roadblock； it will
be behind us。〃 She hit the gas
then； as if to prove her point。
I probably should have watched out the window as first the city of Florence
and then the Tuscan
landscape flashed past with blurring speed。 This was my first trip anywhere；
and maybe my last； too。 But
Alice's driving frightened me； despite the fact that I knew I could trust her
behind the wheel。 And I was
too tortured with anxiety to really see the hills or the walled towns that
looked like castles in the distance。
〃Do you see anything more？〃
〃There's something going on；〃 Alice muttered。 〃Some kind of festival。 The
streets are full of people and
red flags。 What's the date today？〃
I wasn't entirely sure。 〃The nineteenth； maybe？〃
〃Well； that's ironic。 It's Saint Marcus Day。〃
〃Which means？〃
She chuckled darkly。 〃The city holds a celebration every year。 As the legend
goes； a Christian
missionary； a Father Marcus—Marcus of the Voltun； in fact—drove all the
vampires from Volterra
fifteen hundred years ago。 The story claims he was martyred in Romania； still
trying to drive away the
vampire scourge。 Of course that's nonsense—he's never left the city。 But
that's where some of the
superstitions about things like crosses and garlic e from。 Father Marcus
used them so successfully。
And vampires don't trouble Volterra； so they must work。〃 Her smile was
sardonic。 〃It's bee more of
a celebration of the city； and recognition for the police force—after all；
Volterra is an amazingly safe city。
The police get the credit。〃
I was realizing what she meant when she'd said ironic。 〃They're not going to
be very happy if Edward
messes things up for them on St。 Marcus Day； are they？〃
She shook her head； her expression grim。 〃No。 They'll act very quickly。〃
I looked away； fighting against my teeth as they tried to break through the
skin of my lower lip。 Bleeding
was not the best idea right now。
The sun was terrifyingly high in the pale blue sky。
〃He's still planning on noon？〃 I checked。
〃Yes。 He's decided to wait。 And they're waiting for him。〃
〃T