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〃That's just fine；〃 Felix purred。 My eyes were adjusting to the deep shade；
and I could see that Felix was
very big； tall and thick through the shoulders。 His size reminded me of
Emmett。
〃Aro will be disappointed；〃 Demetri sighed。
〃I'm sure he'll survive the letdown；〃 Edward replied。
Felix and Demetri stole closer toward the mouth of the alley； spreading out
slightly so they could e at
Edward from two sides。 They meant to force him deeper into the alley； to avoid
a scene。 No reflected
light found access to their skin； they were safe inside their cloaks。
Edward didn't move an inch。 He was dooming himself by protecting me。
Abruptly； Edward's head whipped around； toward the darkness of the winding
alley； and Demetri and
Felix did the same； in response to some sound or movement too subtle for my
senses。
〃Let's behave ourselves； shall we？〃 a lilting voice suggested。 〃There are
ladies present。〃
Alice tripped lightly to Edward's side； her stance casual。 There was no hint
of any underlying tension。 She
looked so tiny； so fragile。 Her little arms swung like a child's。
Yet Demetri and Felix both straightened up； their cloaks swirling slightly as
a gust of wind funneled
through the alley。 Felix's face soured。 Apparently； they didn't like even
numbers。
〃We're not alone；〃 she reminded them。
Demetri glanced over his shoulder。 A few yards into the square； the little
family； with the girls in their red
dresses； was watching us。 The mother was speaking urgently to her husband； her
eyes on the five of us。
She looked away when Demetri met her gaze。 The man walked a few steps farther
into the plaza； and
tapped one of the red…blazered men on the shoulder。
Demetri shook his head。 〃Please； Edward； let's be reasonable；〃 he said。
〃Let's；〃 Edward agreed。 〃And we'll leave quietly now； with no one the wiser。〃
Demetri sighed in frustration。 〃At least let us discuss this more privately。〃
Six men in red now joined the family as they watched us with anxious
expressions。 I was very conscious
of Edward's protective stance in front of me—sure that this was what caused
their alarm。 I wanted to
scream to them to run。
Edward's teeth came together audibly。 〃No。〃
Felix smiled。
〃Enough。〃
The voice was high； reedy； and n came from behind us。
I peeked under Edward's other arm to see a small； dark shape ing toward us。
By the way the edges
billowed； I knew it would be another one of them。 Who else？
At first I thought it was a young boy。 The newer was as tiny as Alice； with
lank； pale brown hair
trimmed short。 The body under the cloak—which was darker； almost black—was
slim and androgynous。
But the face was too pretty for a boy。 The wide…eyed； full…lipped face would
make a Botticelli angel look
like a gargoyle。 Even allowing for the dull crimson irises。
Her size was so insignificant that the reaction to her appearance confused me。
Felix and Demetri relaxed
immediately； stepping back from their offensive positions to blend again with
the shadows of the
overhanging walls。
Edward dropped his arms and relaxed his position as well—but in defeat。
〃Jane；〃 he sighed in recognition and resignation。
Alice folded her arms across her chest； her expression impassive。
〃Follow me；〃 Jane spoke again； her childish voice a monotone。 She turned her
back on us and drifted
silently into the dark。
Felix gestured for us to go first； smirking。
Alice walked after the little Jane at once。 Edward wrapped his arm around my
waist and pulled me along
beside her。 The alley angled slightly downward as it narrowed。 I looked up at
him with frantic questions
in my eyes； but he just shook his head。 Though I couldn't hear the others
behind us； I was sure they were
there。
〃Well； Alice；〃 Edward said conversationally as we walked。 〃I suppose I
shouldn't be surprised to see you
here。〃
〃It was my mistake；〃 Alice answered in the same tone。 〃It was my job to set it
right。〃
〃What happened？〃 His voice was polite； as if he were barely interested。 I
imagined this was due to the
listening ears behind us。
〃It's a long story。〃 Alice's eyes flickered toward me and away。 〃In summary；
she did jump off a cliff； but
she wasn't trying to kill herself。 Bella's all about the extreme sports these
days。〃
I flushed and turned my eyes straight ahead； looking after the dark shadow
that I could no longer see。 I
could imagine what he was hearing in Alice's thoughts now。 Near…drownings；
stalking vampires；
werewolf friends
〃Hm；〃 Edward said curtly； and the casual tone of his voice was gone。
There was a loose curve to the alley； still slanting downward； so I didn't see
the squared…off dead end
ing until we reached the flat； windowless； brick face。 The little one
called Jane was nowhere to be
seen。
Alice didn't hesitate； didn't break pace as she strode toward the wall。 Then；
with easy grace； she slid
down an open hole in the street。
It looked like a drain； sunk into the lowest point of the paving。 I hadn't
noticed it until Alice disappeared；
but the grate was halfway pushed aside。 The hole was small； and black。
I balked。
〃It's all right； Bella；〃 Edward said in a low voice。 〃Alice will catch you。〃
I eyed the hole doubtfully。 I imagine he would have gone first； if Demetri and
Felix hadn't been waiting；
smug and silent； behind us。
I crouched down； swinging my legs into the narrow gap。
〃Alice？〃 I whispered； voice trembling。
〃I'm right here； Bella；〃 she reassured me。 Her voice came from too far below
to make me feel better。
Edward took my wrists—his hands felt like stones in winter—and lowered me
into the blackness。
〃Ready？〃 he asked。
〃Drop her；〃 Alice called。
I closed my eyes so I couldn't see the darkness； scrunching them together in
terror； clamping my mouth
shut so I wouldn't scream。 Edward let me fall。
It was silent and short。 The air whipped past me for just half a second； and
then； with a huff as I exhaled；
Alice's waiting arms caught me。
I was going to have bruises； her arms were very hard。 She stood me upright。
It was dim； but not black at the bottom。 The light from the hole above
provided a faint glow； reflecting
wetly from the stones under my feet。 The light vanished for a second； and then
Edward was a faint； white
radiance beside me。 He put his arm around me； holding me close to his side；
and began to tow me swiftly
forward。 I wrapped both arms around his cold waist； and tripped and stumbled
my way across the
uneven stone surface。 The sound of the heavy grate sliding over the drain hole
behind us rang with
metallicfinality。
The dim light from the street was quickly lost in the gloom。 The sound of my
staggering footsteps echoed
through the black space； it sounded very wide； but I couldn't be sure。 There
were no sounds other than
my frantic heartbeat and my feet on the wet stones—except for once； when an
impatient sigh whispered
from behind me。
Edward held me tightly。 He reached his free hand across his body to hold my
face； too； his smooth
thumb tracing across my lips。 Now and then； I felt his face press into my
hair。 I realized that this was the
only reunion we would get； and I clutched myself closer to him。
For now； it felt like he wanted me； and that was enough to offset the horror
of the subterranean tunnel
and the prowling vampires behind us。 It was probably no more than guilt—the
same guilt that pelled
him to e here to die when he'd believed that it was his fault that I'd
killed myself。 But I felt his lips
press silently against my forehead； and I didn't care what the motivation was。
At least I could be with him
again before I died。 That was better than a long life。
I wished I could ask him exactly what was going to happen now。 I wanted
desperately to know how we
were going to die—as if that would somehow make it better； knowing in
advance。 But I couldn't speak；
even in a whisper； surrounded as we were。 The others could hear everything—my
every breath； my
every heartbeat。
The path beneath our feet continued to slant downward； taking us deeper into
the ground； and it made
me claustrophobic。 Only Edward's hand； soothing against my face； kept me from
screaming out loud。
I couldn't tell where the light was ing from； but it slowly turned dark
gray instead of black。 We were
in a low； arched tunnel。 Long trails of ebony moisture seeped down the gray
stones； like they were
bleeding ink。
I was shaking； and I thought it was from fear。 It wasn't until my teeth
started to chatter together that I
realized I was cold。 My clothes were still wet； and the temperature underneath
the city was wintry。 As
was Edward's skin。
He realized this at the same time I did； and let go of me； keeping only my
hand。
〃N…n…no；〃 I chattered； throwing my arms around him。 I didn't care if I froze。
Who knew how long we had
left？
His cold hand chafed against my arm； trying to warm me with the friction。
We hurried through the tunnel； or it felt like hurrying to me。 My slow
progress irritated someone—I
guessed Felix—and I heard him heave a sigh now and then。
At the end of the tunnel was a grate—the iron bar