“I was wondering 。 。 。 is that open to negotiation？”
Edward frowned； serious now。 “I’ve already made the largest concession by far and away — I’ve agreed
to take your life away against my better judgment。 And that ought to entitle me to a few compromises on your
part。”
“No。” I shook my head； focusing on keeping my face composed。 “That part’s a done deal。 We’re not
discussing my 。 。 。 renovations right now。 I want to hammer out some other details。”
He looked at me suspiciously。 “Which details do you mean exactly？”
I hesitated。 “Let’s clarify your prerequisites first。”
“You know what I want。”
“Matrimony。” I made it sound like a dirty word。
“Yes。” He smiled a wide smile。 “To start with。”
The shock spoiled my carefully composed expression。 “There’s more？”
“Well；” he said； and his face was calculating。 “If you’re my wife； then what’s mine is yours 。 。 。 like tuition
money。 So there would be no problem with Dartmouth。”
“Anything else？ While you’re already being absurd？”
“I wouldn’t mind some time。”
“No。 No time。 That’s a deal breaker right there。”
He sighed longingly。 “Just a year or two？”
I shook my head； my lips set in a stubborn frown。 “Move along to the next one。”
“That’s it。 Unless you’d like to talk cars 。 。 。”
He grinned widely when I grimaced； then took my hand and began playing with my fingers。
“I didn’t realize there was anything else you wanted besides being transformed into a monster yourself。 I’m
extremely curious。” His voice was low and soft。 The slight edge would have been hard to detect if I hadn’t
known it so well。
I paused； staring at his hand on mine。 I still didn’t know how to begin。 I felt his eyes watching me and I
was afraid to look up。 The blood began to burn in my face。
His cool fingers brushed my cheek。 “You’re blushing？” he asked in surprise。 I kept my eyes down。
“Please； Bella； the suspense is painful。”
I bit my lip。
“Bella。” His tone reproached me now； reminded me that it was hard for him when I kept my thoughts to
myself。
“Well； I’m a little worried 。 。 。 about after；” I admitted； finally looking at him。
I felt his body tense； but his voice was gentle and velvet。 “What has you worried？”
“All of you just seem so convinced that the only thing I’m going to be interested in； afterward； is
slaughtering everyone in town；” I confessed； while he winced at my choice of words。 “And I’m afraid I’ll be so
preoccupied with the mayhem that I won’t be me anymore 。 。 。 and that I won’t 。 。 。 I won’t want you the
same way I do now。”
“Bella； that part doesn’t last forever；” he assured me。
He was missing the point。
“Edward；” I said； nervous； staring at a freckle on my wrist。 “There’s something that I want to do before
I’m not human anymore。”
He waited for me to continue。 I didn’t。 My face was all hot。
“Whatever you want；” he encouraged； anxious and completely clueless。
“Do you promise？” I muttered； knowing my attempt to trap him with his words was not going to work； but
unable to resist。
“Yes；” he said。 I looked up to see that his eyes were earnest and confused。 “Tell me what you want； and
you can have it。”
I couldn’t believe how awkward and idiotic I felt。 I was too innocent — which was； of course； central to
the discussion。 I didn’t have the faintest idea how to be seductive。 I would just have to settle for flushed and
self…conscious。
“You；” I mumbled almost incoherently。
“I’m yours。” He smiled； still oblivious； trying to hold my gaze as I looked away again。
I took a deep breath and shifted forward so that I was kneeling on the bed。 Then I wrapped my arms
around his neck and kissed him。
He kissed me back； bewildered but willing。 His lips were gentle against mine； and I could tell his mind was
elsewhere — trying to figure out what was on my mind。 I decided he needed a hint。
My hands were slightly shaky as I unlocked my arms from around his neck。 My fingers slid down his neck
to the collar of his shirt。 The trembling didn’t help as I tried to hurry to undo the buttons before he stopped me。
His lips froze； and I could almost hear the click in his head as he put together my words and my actions。
He pushed me away at once； his face heavily disapproving。
“Be reasonable； Bella。”
“You promised — whatever I wanted；” I reminded him without hope。
“We’re not having this discussion。” He glared at me while he refastened the two buttons I’d managed to
open。
My teeth clamped together。
“I say we are；” I growled。 I moved my hands to my blouse and yanked open the top button。
He grabbed my wrists and pinned them to my sides。
“I say we’re not；” he said flatly。
We glowered at each other。
“You wanted to know；” I pointed out。
“I thought it would be something faintly realistic。”
“So you can ask for any stupid； ridiculous thing you want — like getting married — but I’m not allowed
to even discuss what I —”
While I was ranting； he pulled my hands together to restrain them in just one of his； and put his other hand
over my mouth。
“No。” His face was hard。
I took a deep breath to steady myself。 And； as the anger began to fade； I felt something else。
It took me a minute to recognize why I was staring down again； the blush returning — why my stomach
felt uneasy； why there was too much moisture in my eyes； why I suddenly wanted to run from the room。
Rejection washed through me； instinctive and strong。
I knew it was irrational。 He’d been very clear on other occasions that my safety was the only factor。 Yet
I’d never made myself quite so vulnerable before。 I scowled at the golden comforter that matched his eyes and
tried to banish the reflex reaction that told me I was unwanted and unwantable。
Edward sighed。 The hand over my mouth moved under my chin； and he pulled my face up until I had to
look at him。
“What now？”
“Nothing；” I mumbled。
He scrutinized my face for long moment while I tried unsuccessfully to twist away from his gaze。 His brow
furrowed； and his expression became horrified。
“Did I hurt your feelings？” he asked； shocked。
“No；” I lied。
So quickly that I wasn’t even sure how it happened； I was in his arms； my face cradled between his
shoulder and his hand； while his thumb stroked reassuringly against my cheek。
“You know why I have to say no；” he murmured。 “You know that I want you； too。”
“Do you？” I whispered； my voice full of doubt。
“Of course I do； you silly； beautiful； oversensitive girl。” He laughed once； and then his voice was bleak。
“Doesn’t everyone？ I feel like there’s a line behind me； jockeying for position； waiting for me to make a big
enough mistake。 。 。 。 You’re too desirable for your own good。”
“Who’s being silly now？” I doubted if awkward； self…conscious； and inept added up to desirable in
anyone’s book。
“Do I have to send a petition around to get you to believe？ Shall I tell you whose names would be on the
top of the list？ You know a few of them； but some might surprise you。”
I shook my head against his chest； grimacing。 “You’re just trying to distract me。 Let’s get back to the
subject。”
He sighed。
“Tell me if I have anything wrong。” I tried to sound detached。 “Your demands are marriage” — I couldn’t
say the word without making a face — “paying my tuition； more time； and you wouldn’t mind if myvehicle
went a little faster。” I raised my eyebrows。 “Did I get everything？ That’s a hefty list。”
“Only the first is a demand。” He seemed to be having a hard time keeping a straight face。 “The others are
merely requests。”
“And my lone； solitary little demand is —”
“Demand？” he interrupted； suddenly serious again。
“Yes； demand。”
His eyes narrowed。
“Getting married is a stretch for me。 I’m not giving in unless I get something in return。”
He leaned down to whisper in my ear。 “No；” he murmured silkily。 “It’s not possible now。 Later； when
you’re less breakable。 Be patient； Bella。”
I tried to keep my voice firm and reasonable。 “But that’s the problem。 It won’t be the same when I’m less
breakable。 I won’t be the same！ I don’t know who I’ll be then。”
“You’ll still be Bella；” he promised。
I frowned。 “If I’m so far gone that I’d want to kill Charlie — that I’d drink Jacob’s blood or Angela’s if I
got the chance — how can that be true？”
“It will pass。 And I doubt you’ll want to drink the dog’s blood。” He pretended to shudder at the thought。
“Even as a newborn； you’ll have better taste than that。”
I ignored his attempt to sidetrack me。 “But that will always be what I want most； won’t it？” I challenged。
“Blood； blood； and more blood！”
“The fact that you are still alive is proof that that is not true；” he pointed out。
“Over eighty years later；” I reminded him。 “What I meant was physically； though。 Intellectually； I know I’ll
be able to be myself 。 。 。 after a while。 But just purely physically — I will always be thirsty； more than anything
else。”
He didn’t answer。
“So I will be different；” I concluded unopposed。 “Because right now； physically； there’s nothing I want
more than you。 More than food or water or oxygen。 Intellectually； I have my priorities in a slightly more
sensible order。 But physically 。 。 。”
I twisted my head to kiss the palm of his hand。
He took a deep breath。 I was surprised that it sounded a little unsteady。
“Bella； I could kill you；” he whispered。
“I don’t think you could。”
Edward’s eyes tightened。 He lifted his hand from my face and reached quickly behind himself for
something I couldn’t see。 There was a muffled snapping sound； and the bed quivered beneath us。