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totally useless。 I couldn't be
around my family—I couldn't be around anyone。 I'm embarrassed to admit that I
more or less curled up
into a ball and let the misery have me。〃 He grinned； sheepish。 〃It was much
more pathetic than hearing
voices。 And； of course； you know I do that； too。〃
I was deeply relieved that he really seemed to understand—forted that this
all made sense to him。 At
any rate； he wasn't looking at me like I was crazy。 He was looking at me like
he loved me。
〃I only heard one voice；〃 I corrected him。
He laughed and then pulled me tight against his right side and started to lead
me forward。
〃I'm just humoring you with this。〃 He motioned broadly with his hand toward
the darkness in front of us
as we walked。 There was something pale and immense there—the house； I
realized。 〃It doesn't matter in
the slightest what they say。〃
〃This affects them now； too。〃
He shrugged indifferently。
He led me through the open front door into the dark house and flipped the
lights on。 The room was just
as I'd remembered it—the piano and the white couches and the pale； massive
staircase。 No dust； no
white sheets。
Edward called out the names with no more volume than I'd use in regular
conversation。 〃Carlisle？ Esme？
Rosalie？ Emmett？ Jasper？ Alice？〃 They would hear。
Carlisle was suddenly standing beside me； as if he'd been there all along。
〃Wele back； Bella。〃 He
smiled。 〃What can we do for you this morning？ I imagine； due to the hour； that
this is not a purely social
visit？〃
I nodded。 〃I'd like to talk to everyone at once； if that's okay。 About
something important。〃
I couldn't help glancing up at Edward's face as I spoke。 His expression was
critical； but resigned。 When I
looked back to Carlisle； he was looking at Edward； too。
〃Of course；〃 Carlisle said。 〃Why don't we talk in the other room？〃
Carlisle led the way through the bright living room； around the corner to the
dining room； turning on lights
as he went。 The walls were white； the ceilings high； like the living room。 In
the center of the room； under
the low…hanging chandelier； was a large； polished oval table surrounded by
eight chairs。 Carlisle held out
a chair for me at the head。
I'd never seen the Cullens use the dining room table before—it was just a
prop。 They didn't eat in the
house。
As soon as I turned to sit in the chair； I saw that we were not alone。 Esme
had followed Edward； and
behind her the rest of the family filed in。
Carlisle sat down on my right； and Edward on my left。 Everyone else took their
seats in silence。 Alice
was grinning at me； already in on the plot。 Emmett and Jasper looked curious；
and Rosalie smiled at me
tentatively。 My answering smile was just as timid。 That was going to take some
getting used to。
Carlisle nodded toward me。 〃The floor is yours。〃
I swallowed。 Their gazing eyes made me nervous。 Edward took my hand under the
table。 I peeked at
him； but he was watching the others； his fate suddenly fierce。
〃Well；〃 I paused。 〃I'm hoping Alice has already told you everything that
happened in Volterra？〃
〃Everything；〃 Alice assured me。
I threw her a meaningful look。 〃And on the way？〃
〃That； too；〃 she nodded。
〃Good；〃 I sighed with relief。 〃Then we're all on the same page。〃
They waited patiently while I tried to order my thoughts。
〃So； I have a problem；〃 I began。 〃Alice promised the Volturi that I would
bee one of you。 They're
going to send someone to check； and I'm sure that's a bad thing—something to
avoid。
〃And so； now； this involves you all。 I'm sorry about that。〃 I looked at each
one of their beautiful faces；
saving the most beautiful for last。 Edward's mouth was turned down into a
grimace。 〃But； if you don't
want me； then I'm not going to force myself on you； whether Alice is willing
or not。〃
Esme opened her mouth to speak； but I held up one finger to stop her。
〃Please； let me finish。 You all know what I want。 And I'm sure you know what
Edward thinks； too。 I
think the only fair way to decide is for everyone to have a vote。 If you
decide you don't want me； then
I guess I'll go back to Italy alone。 I can't have them ing here。〃 My
forehead creased as I considered
that。
There was the faint rumble of a growl in Edward's chest。 I ignored him。
〃Taking into account； then； that I won't put any of you in danger either way；
I want you to vote yes or no
on the issue of me being a vampire。〃
I half…smiled on the last word； and gestured toward Carlisle to begin。
〃Just a minute；〃 Edward interrupted。
I glared at him through narrowed eyes。 He raised his eyebrows at me； squeezing
my hand。
〃I have something to add before we vote。〃
I sighed。
〃About the danger Bella's referring to；〃 he continued。 〃I don't think we need
to be overly anxious。〃
His expression became more animated。 He put his free hand on the shining table
and leaned forward。
〃You see；〃 he explained； looking around the table while he spoke； 〃there was
more than one reason why
I didn't want to shake Aro's hand there at the end。 There's something they
didn't think of； and I didn't
want to cine them in。〃 He grinned。
〃Which was？〃 Alice prodded。 I was sure my expression was just as skeptical as
hers。
〃The Volturi are overconfident； and with good reason。 When they decide to find
someone； it's not really a
problem。 Do you remember Demetri？〃 He glanced down at me。
I shuddered。 He took that as a yes。
〃He finds people—that's his talent； why they keep him。
〃Now； the whole time we were with any of them； I was picking their brains for
anything that might save
us； getting as much information as possible。 So I saw how Demetri's talent
works。 He's a tracker—a
tracker a thousand times more gifted than Jarres was。 His ability is loosely
related to what I do； or what
Aro does。 He catches the flavor？ I don't know how to describe it the tenor
of someone's mind；
and then he follows that。 It works over immense distances。
〃But after Aro's little experiments； well〃 Edward shrugged。
〃You think he won't be able to find me；〃 I said flatly。
He was smug。 〃I'm sure of it。 He relies totally on that other sense。 When it
doesn't work with you； they'll
all be blind。〃
〃And how does that solve anything？〃
〃Quite obviously； Alice will be able to tell when they're planning a visit；
and I'll hide you。 They'll be
helpless；〃 he said with fierce enjoyment。 〃It will be like looking for a piece
of straw in a haystack！〃
He and Emmett exchanged a glance and a smirk。
This made no sense。 〃But they can find you；〃 I reminded him。
〃And I can take care of myself。〃
Emmett laughed； and reached across the table toward his brother； extending a
fist。
〃Excellent plan； my brother；〃 he said with enthusiasm。
Edward stretched out his arm to smack Emmett's fist with his own。
〃No；〃 Rosalie hissed。
〃Absolutely not；〃 I agreed。
〃Nice。〃 Jasper's voice was appreciative。
〃Idiots；〃 Alice muttered。
Esme just glared at Edward。
I straightened up in my chair； focusing。 This was my meeting。
〃All right； then。 Edward has offered an alternative for you to consider；〃 I
said coolly。 〃Let's vote。〃
I looked toward Edward this time； it would be better to get his opinion out of
the way。 〃Do you want me
to join your family？〃
His eyes were hard and black as flint。 〃Not that way。 You're staying human。〃
I nodded once； keeping my face businesslike； and then moved on。
〃Alice？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Jasper？〃
〃Yes；〃 he said； voice grave。 I was a little surprised—I hadn't been at all
sure of his vote—but I
suppressed my reaction and moved on。
〃Rosalie？〃
She hesitated； biting down on her full； perfect bottom lip。 〃No。〃
I kept my face blank and turned my head slightly to move on； but she held up
both her hands； palms
forward。
〃Let me explain；〃 she pleaded。 〃I don't mean that I have any aversion to you
as a sister。 It's just that
this is not the life I would have chosen for myself。 I wish there had been
someone there to vote no for
me。〃
I nodded slowly； and then turned to Emmett。
〃Hell； yes！〃 He grinned。 〃We can find some other way to pick a fight with this
Demetri。〃
I was still grimacing at that when I looked at Esme。
〃Yes； of course； Bella。 I already think of you as part of my family。〃
〃Thank you； Esme；〃 I murmured as I turned toward Carlisle。
I was suddenly nervous； wishing I had asked for his vote first。 I was sure
that this was the vote that
mattered most； the vote that counted more than any majority。
Carlisle wasn't looking at me。
〃Edward；〃 he said。
〃No；〃 Edward growled。 His jaw was strained tight； his lips curled back from
his teeth。
〃It's the only way that makes sense；〃 Carlisle insisted。 〃You've chosen not to
live without her； and that
doesn't leave me a choice。〃
Edward dropped my hand； shoving away from the table。 He stalked out of the
room； snarling under his
breath。
〃I guess you know my vote。〃 Carlisle sighed。
I was still staring after Edward。 〃Thanks；〃 I mumbled。
An earsplitting crash echoed from the other room。
I flinched； and spoke quickly。 〃That's all I needed。 Thank you。 For wanting to
keep me。 I feel exactly the
same way about all of you