按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
my pursuit broke into her concentration； she snapped right out of it。 I've never seen anything to equal her。
She realized at once what was happening； and then。。。 she held her breath and ran away〃
〃Whoa；〃 Emmett murmured。 〃Seriously？〃
〃He's not telling it right；〃 I muttered； more embarrassed than before。 〃He left out the part where I
Page 260
Generatedby ABC Amber LIT Converter； ：。processtext。abclit。html
growled at him。〃
〃Did ya get in a couple of good swipes？〃 Emmett asked eagerly。
〃No！ Of course not。〃
〃No； not really？ You really didn't attack him？〃
〃Emmett！〃 I protested。
〃Aw； what a waste；〃 Emmett groaned。 〃And here you're probably the one person who could take him
—since he can't get in your head to cheat—and you had a perfect excuse； too。〃 He sighed。 〃I've been
dying to see how he'd do without that advantage。〃
I glared at him frostily。 〃I would never。〃
Jasper's frown caught my attention； he seemed even more disturbed than before。
Edward touched his fist lightly to Jasper's shoulder in a mock punch。 〃You see what I mean？〃
〃It's not natural；〃 Jasper muttered。
〃She could have turned on you—she's only hours old！〃 Esme scolded； putting her hand against her heart。
〃Oh； we should have gone with you。〃
I wasn't paying so much attention； now that Edward was past the punch line of his joke。 I was staring at
the gorgeous child by the door； who was still staring at me。 Her little dimpled hands reached out toward
me like she knew exactly who I was。 Automatically； my hand lifted to mimic hers。
〃Edward；〃 I said； leaning around Jasper to see her better。 〃Please？〃
Jasper's teeth were set； he didn't move。
〃Jazz； this isn't anything you've seen before；〃 Alice said quietly。 〃Trust me。〃
Their eyes met for a short second； and then Jasper nodded。 He moved out of my way； but put one hand
on my shoulder and moved with me as I walked slowly forward。
I thought about every step before I took it； analyzing my mood； the burn in my throat； the position of the
others around me。 How strong I felt versus how well they would be able to contain me。 It was a slow
procession。
And then the child in Rosalie's arms； struggling and reaching all this time while her expression got more
and more irritated； let out a high； ringing wail。 Everyone reacted as if—like me—they'd never heard her
voice before。
They swarmed around her in a second； leaving me standing alone； frozen in place。 The sound of
Renesmee's cry pierced right through me； spearing me to the floor。 My eyes pricked in the strangest way；
like they wanted to tear。
It seemed like everyone had a hand on her； patting and soothing。 Everyone but me。
Page 261
Generatedby ABC Amber LIT Converter； ：。processtext。abclit。html
〃What's the matter？ Is she hurt？ What happened？〃
It was Jacob's voice that was loudest； that raised anxiously above the others。 I watched in shock as he
reached for Renesmee； and then in utter horror as Rosalie surrendered her to him without a fight。
〃No； she's fine；〃 Rosalie reassured him。
Rosalie was reassuring Jacob？
Renesmee went to Jacob willingly enough； pushing her tiny hand against his cheek and then squirming
around to stretch toward me again。
〃See？〃 Rosalie told him。 〃She just wants Bella。〃
〃She wants me？〃 I whispered。
Renesmee's eyes—my eyes—stared impatiently at me。
Edward darted back to my side。 He put his hands lightly on my arms and urged me forward。
〃She's been waiting for you for almost three days；〃 he told me。
We were only a few feet away from her now。 Bursts of heat seemed to tremble out from her to touch
me。
Or maybe it was Jacob who was trembling。 I saw his hands shaking as I got closer。 And yet； despite his
obvious anxiety； his face was more serene than I had seen it in a long time。
〃Jake—I'm fine；〃 I told him。 It made me panicky to see Renesmee in his shaking hands； but I worked to
keep myself in control。
He frowned at me； eyes tight； like he was just as panicky at the thought of Renesmee in my arms。
Renesmee whimpered eagerly and stretched； her little hands grasping into fists again and again。
Something in me clicked into place at that moment。 The sound of her cry； the familiarity of her eyes； the
way she seemed even more impatient than I did for this reunion—all of it wove together into the most
natural of patterns as she clutched the air between us。 Suddenly； she was absolutely real； and of course I
knew her。 It was perfectly ordinary that I should take that last easy step and reach for her； putting my
hands exactly where they would fit best
as I pulled her gently toward me。
Jacob let his long arms stretch so that I could cradle her； but he didn't let go。 He shuddered a little when
our skin touched。 His skin； always so warm to me before； felt like an open flame to me now。 It was
almost the same temperature as Renesmee's。 Perhaps one or two degrees difference。
Renesmee seemed oblivious to the coolness of my skin； or at least very used to it。
She looked up and smiled at me again； showing her square little teeth and two dimples。 Then； very
Page 262
Generatedby ABC Amber LIT Converter； ：。processtext。abclit。html
deliberately； she reached for my face。
The moment she did this； all the hands on me tightened； anticipating my reaction。 I barely noticed。
I was gasping； stunned and frightened by the strange； alarming image that filled my mind。 It felt like a
very strong memory—I could still see through my eyes while I watched it in my head—but it was
pletely unfamiliar。 I stared through it to Renesmee's expectant expression； trying to understand what
was happening； struggling desperately to hold on to my calm。
Besides being shocking and unfamiliar； the image was also wrong somehow—I almost recognized my
own face in it； my old face； but it was off； backward。 I grasped quickly that I was seeing my face as
others saw it； rather than flipped in a reflection。
My memory face was twisted； ravaged； covered in sweat and blood。 Despite this； my expression in the
vision became an adoring smile； my brown eyes glowed over their deep circles。 The image enlarged； my
face came closer to the unseen vantage point； and then abruptly vanished。
Renesmee's hand dropped from my cheek。 She smiled wider； dimpling again。
It was totally silent in the room but for the heartbeats。 No one but Jacob and Renesmee was so much as
breathing。 The silence stretched on； it seemed like they were waiting for me to say something。
〃What。。。 was。。。 that？〃 I managed to choke out。
〃What did you see？〃 Rosalie asked curiously； leaning around Jacob； who seemed very much in the way
and out of place at the moment。 〃What did she show you？〃
〃Srte showed me that？〃 I whispered。
〃I told you it was hard to explain；〃 Edward murmured in my ear。 〃But effective as means of
munications go。〃
〃What was it？〃 Jacob asked。
I blinked quickly several times。 〃Um。 Me。 I think。 But I looked terrible。〃
〃It was the only memory she had of you；〃 Edward explained。 It was obvious he'd seen what she was
showing me as she thought of it。 He was still cringing； his voice rough from reliving the memory。 〃She's
letting you know that she's made the connection； that she knows who you are。〃
〃Butrtowdidshedothat？〃
Renesmee seemed unconcerned with my boggling eyes。 She was smiling slightly and pulling on a lock of
my hair。
〃How do I hear thoughts？ How does Alice see the future？〃 Edward asked rhetorically； and then
shrugged。
〃She's gifted。〃
〃It's an interesting twist；〃 Carlisle said to Edward。 〃Like she's doing the exact opposite of what you can。〃
Page 263
Generatedby ABC Amber LIT Converter； ：。processtext。abclit。html
〃Interesting；〃 Edward agreed。 〃I wonder___〃
I knew they were speculating away； but I didn't care。 I was staring at the most beautiful face in the
world。 She was hot in my arms； reminding me of the moment when the blackness had almost won； when
there was nothing in the world left to hold on to。 Nothing strong enough to pull me through the