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〃Just one；〃 I corrected him。
He laughed。 〃Are you done for today？ Or did you want to continue？〃
〃Done； I think。〃 I felt very full； sort of sloshy； even。 I wasn't sure how much more liquid would fit into my
body。 But the burn in my throat was only muted。 Then again； I'd known that thirst was just an
inescapable part of this life。
And worth it。
I felt in control。 Perhaps my sense of security was false； but I did feel pretty good about not killing
anyone today。 If I could resist totally human strangers； wouldn't I be able to handle the werewolf and a
halfvampire child that I loved？
〃I want to see Renesmee；〃 I said。 Now that my thirst was tamed （if nothing close to erased）； my earlier
worries were hard to forget。 I wanted to reconcile the stranger who was my daughter with the creature
I'd loved three days ago。 It was so odd； so wrong not to have her inside me still。 Abruptly； I felt empty
and uneasy。
He held out his hand to me。 I took it； and his skin felt warmer than before。 His cheek was faintly flushed；
the shadows under his eyes all but vanished。
I was unable to resist stroking his face again。 And again。
I sort of forgot that I was waiting for a response to my request as I stared into his shimmering gold eyes。
It was almost as hard as it had been to turn away from the scent of human blood； but I somehow kept
the need to be careful firmly in my head as I stretched up on my toes and wrapped my arms around him。
Gently。
He was not so hesitant in his movements； his arms locked around my waist and pulled me tight against
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his body。 His lips crushed down on mine； but they felt soft。 My lips no longer shaped themselves around
his； they held their own。
Like before； it was as if the touch of his skin； his lips； his hands； was sinking right through my smooth；
hard skin and into my new bones。 To the very core of my body。 I hadn't imagined that I could love him
more than I had。
My old mind hadn't been capable of holding this much love。 My old heart had not been strong enough to
bear it。
Maybe this was the part of me that I'd brought forward to be intensified in my new life。 Like Carlisle's
passion and Esme's devotion。 I would probably never be able to do anything interesting or special
like Edward； Alice； and Jasper could do。 Maybe I would just love Edward more than anyone in the
history of the world had ever loved anyone else。
I could live with that。
I remembered parts of this—twisting my fingers in his hair； tracing the planes of his chest—but other
parts were so new。 He was new。 It was an entirely different experience with Edward kissing me so
fearlessly； so forcefully。 I responded to his intensity； and then suddenly we were falling。
〃Oops；〃 I said； and he laughed underneath me。 〃I didn't mean to tackle you like that。 Are you okay？〃
He stroked my face。 〃Slightly better than okay〃 And then a perplexed expression crossed his face。
〃Renesmee？〃 he asked uncertainly； trying to ascertain what I wanted most in this moment。 A very difficult
question to answer； because I wanted so many things at the same time。
I could tell that he wasn't exactly averse to procrastinating our return trip； and it was hard to think about
much besides his skin on mine—there really wasn't that much left of the dress。 But my memory of
Renesmee； before and after her birth； was being more and more dreamlike to me。 More unlikely。 All
my memories of her were human memories； an aura of artificiality clung to them。 Nothing seemed real
that I hadn't seen with these eyes； touched with these hands。
Every minute； the reality of that little stranger slipped further away。
〃Renesmee；〃 I agreed； rueful； and I whipped back up onto my feet； pulling him with me。
22。 PROMISED
Thinking of Renesmee brought her to that centerstage place in my strange； new； and roomy but
distractible mind。 So many questions。
〃Tell me about her；〃 i insisted as he took my hand。 Being linked barely slowed us。
〃She's like nothing else in the world；〃 he told me； and the sound of an almost religious devotion was there
again in his voice。
I felt a sharp pang of jealousy over this stranger。 He knew her and I did not。 It wasn't fair。
〃How much is she like you？ How much like me？ Or like I was； anyway。〃
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〃It seems a fairly even divide。〃
〃She was warmblooded；〃 I remembered。
〃Yes。 She has a heartbeat； though it runs a little bit faster than a human's。 Her temperature is a little bit
hotter than usual； too。 She sleeps。〃
〃Really？〃
〃Quite well for a newborn。 The only parents in the world who don't need sleep； and our child already
sleeps through the night。〃 He chuckled。
I liked the way he said our child。 The words made her more real。
〃She has exactly your color eyes—so that didn't get lost； after all。〃 He smiled at me。 〃They're so
beautiful。〃
〃And the vampire parts？〃 I asked。
〃Her skin seems about as imperable as ours。 Not that anyone would dream of testing that。〃
I blinked at him； a little shocked。
〃Of course no one would；〃 he assured me again。 〃Her diet。。。 well； she prefers to drink blood。 Carlisle
continues to try to persuade her to drink some baby formula； too； but she doesn't have much patience
with it。 Can't say that I
blame her—nastysmelling stuff； even for human food。〃
I gaped openly at him now。 He made it sound like they were having conversations。 〃Persuade her？〃
〃She's intelligent； shockingly so； and progressing at an immense pace。 Though she doesn't speak
—yet—she municates quite effectively。〃
〃Doesn't。 Speak。 Yet〃
He slowed our pace further； letting me absorb this。
〃What do you mean； she municates effectively？〃 I demanded。
〃I think it will be easier for you to。。。 see for yourself。 It's rather difficult to describe。〃
I considered that。 I knew there was a lot that I needed to see for myself before it would be real。 I wasn't
sure how much more I was ready for； so I changed the subject。
〃Why is Jacob still here？〃 I asked。 〃How can he stand it？ Why should he？〃 My ringing voice trembled a
little。 〃Why should he have to suffer more？〃
〃Jacob isn't suffering；〃 he said in a strange new tone。 〃Though I might be willing to change his condition；〃
Edward added through his teeth。
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〃Edward！〃 I hissed； yanking him to a stop （and feeling a little thrill of smugness that I was able to do it）。
〃How can you say that？ Jacob has given up everything to protect us！ What I've put him through—！〃 I
cringed at the dim memory of shame and guilt。 It seemed odd now that I had needed him so much then。
That sense of absence without him near had vanished； it must have been a human weakness。
〃You'll see exactly how I can say that；〃 Edward muttered。 〃I promised him that I would let him explain；
but I doubt you'll see it much differently than I do。 Of course； I'm often wrong about your thoughts； aren't
I？〃 He pursed his lips and eyed me。
〃Explain what？〃
Edward shook his head。 〃I promised。 Though I don't know if I really owe him anything at all anymore。 。 。
。〃 His teeth ground together。
〃Edward； I don't understand。〃 Frustration and indignation took over my head。
He stroked my cheek and then smiled gently when my face smoothed out in response； desire
momentarily overruling annoyance。 〃It's harder than you make it look； I know。 I remember。〃
〃I don't like feeling confused。〃
〃I know。 And so let's get you home； so that you can see it all for yourself。〃 His eyes ran over the remains
of my dress as he spoke of going home； and he frowned。 〃Hmm。〃 After a half second of thought； he
unbuttoned his white shirt and held it out for me to put my arms through。
〃That bad？〃
He grinned。
I slipped my arms into his sleeves and then buttoned it swiftly over my ragged bodice。 Of course； that
left him without a shirt； and it was impossible not to find that distracting