CONCEPT OF โUNWELCOME
I was right on the edge of sleep.
The sun had risen behind the clouds an hour agoโthe forest was gray now instead of black. Sethโd curled up and passed out around one, and Iโd woken him at dawn to trade off. Even after running all night, I was having a hard time making my brain shut up long enough to fall asleep, but Sethโs rhythmic run was helping. One, two-three, four, one, two-three, fourโdum dum-dum dumโdull paw thuds against the damp earth, over and over as he made the wide circuit surrounding the Cullensโ land. We were already wearing a trail into the ground. Sethโs thoughts were empty, just a blur of green and gray as the woods flew past him. It was restful. It helped to fill my head with what he saw rather than letting my own images take center stage.
And then Sethโs piercing howl broke the early morning quiet.
I lurched up from the ground, my front legs pulling toward a sprint before my hind legs were off the ground. I raced toward the place where Seth had frozen, listening with him to the tread of paws running in our direction.
Morning, boys.
A shocked whine broke through Sethโs teeth. And then we both snarled as we read deeper into the new thoughts.
Oh, man! Goย away, Leah!ย Seth groaned.
I stopped when I got to Seth, head thrown back, ready to howl againโ this time to complain.
Cut the noise, Seth.
Right. Ugh! Ugh! Ugh!ย He whimpered and pawed at the ground, scratching deep furrows in the dirt.
Leah trotted into view, her small gray body weaving through the underbrush.
Stop whining, Seth. Youโre such a baby.
I growled at her, my ears flattening against my skull. She skipped back a step automatically.
What do you think youโre doing, Leah?
She huffed a heavy sigh.ย Itโs pretty obvious, isnโt it? Iโm joining your crappy little renegade pack. The vampiresโ guard dogs.ย She barked out a low, sarcastic laugh.
No, youโre not. Turn around before I rip out one of your hamstrings. Like you could catch me.ย She grinned and coiled her body for launch.
Wanna race, O fearless leader?
I took a deep breath, filling my lungs until my sides bulged. Then, when I was sure I wasnโt going to scream, I exhaled in a gust.
Seth, go let the Cullens know that itโs just your stupid sisterโI thought the words as harshly as possible.ย Iโll deal with this.
On it!ย Seth was only too happy to leave. He vanished toward the house. Leah whined, and she leaned after him, the fur on her shoulders rising.
Youโre just going to let him run off to the vampiresย alone?
Iโm pretty sure heโd rather they took him out than spend another minute with you.
Shut up, Jacob. Oops, Iโm sorryโI meant, shut up, most high Alpha. Why theย hellย are you here?
You think Iโm just going to sit home while my little brother volunteers as a vampire chew toy?
Seth doesnโt want or need your protection. In fact, no one wants you here.
Oooh, ouch, thatโs gonna leave aย hugeย mark. Ha,ย she barked.ย Tell me whoย doesย want me around, and Iโm outta here.
So this isnโt about Seth at all, is it?
Of course it is. Iโm just pointing out that being unwanted is not a first for me. Not really a motivating factor, if you know what I mean.
I gritted my teeth and tried to get my head straight.
Did Sam send you?
If I was here on Samโs errand, you wouldnโt be able to hear me. My allegiance is no longer with him.
I listened carefully to the thoughts mixed in with the words. If this was a diversion or a ploy, I had to be alert enough to see through it. But there was nothing. Her declaration was nothing but the truth. Unwilling, almost despairing truth.
Youโre loyal toย meย now?ย I asked with deep sarcasm.ย Uh-huh. Right.
My choices are limited. Iโm working with the options Iโve got. Trust me, Iโm not enjoying this any more than you are.
That wasnโt true. There was an edgy kind of excitement in her mind. She was unhappy about this, but she was also riding some weird high. I searched her mind, trying to understand.
She bristled, resenting the intrusion. I usually tried to tune Leah outโIโd never tried to make sense of her before.
We were interrupted by Seth, thinking his explanation at Edward. Leah whined anxiously. Edwardโs face, framed in the same window as last night, showed no reaction to the news. It was a blank face, dead.
Wow, he looks bad,ย Seth muttered to himself. The vampire showed no reaction to that thought, either. He disappeared into the house. Seth pivoted and headed back out to us. Leah relaxed a little.
Whatโs going on?ย Leah asked.ย Catch me up to speed. Thereโs no point. Youโre not staying.
Actually, Mr. Alpha, I am. Because since apparently I have to belong toย someoneโand donโt think I havenโt tried breaking off on my own, you know yourself how wellย thatย doesnโt workโI choose you.
Leah, you donโt like me. I donโt like you.
Thank you, Captain Obvious. That doesnโt matter to me. Iโm staying with Seth.
You donโt like vampires. Donโt you think thatโs a little conflict of interest right there?
You donโt like vampires either.
But Iย amย committed to this alliance. You arenโt.
Iโll keep my distance from them. I can run patrols out here, just like Seth. And Iโm supposed to trust you with that?
She stretched her neck, leaning up on her toes, trying to be as tall as me as she stared into my eyes.ย I will not betray my pack.
I wanted to throw my head back and howl, like Seth had before.ย This isnโt your pack! This isnโt evenย aย pack. This is just me, going off on my own! What is it with you Clearwaters? Why canโt you leave me alone?
Seth, just coming up behind us now, whined; Iโd offended him. Great.
Iโve been helpful, havenโt I, Jake?
You havenโt madeย tooย much a nuisance of yourself, kid, but if you and Leah are a package dealโif the only way to get rid of her is for you to go home.โฆ Well, can you blame me for wanting you gone?
Ugh, Leah, you ruin everything!
Yeah, I know,ย she told him, and the thought was loaded with the heaviness of her despair.
I felt the pain in the three little words, and it was more than I wouldโve guessed. I didnโt want to feel that. I didnโt want to feel bad for her. Sure, the pack was rough on her, but she brought it all on herself with the bitterness that tainted her every thought and made being in her head a nightmare.
Seth was feeling guilty, too.ย Jakeโฆ Youโre not really gonna send me away, are you? Leahโs not so bad. Really. I mean, with her here, we can push the perimeter out farther. And this puts Sam down to seven. Thereโs no way heโs going to mount an attack that outnumbered. Itโs probably a good thing.โฆ
You know I donโt want to lead a pack, Seth. So donโt lead us,ย Leah offered.
I snorted.ย Sounds perfect to me. Run along home now.
Jake,ย Seth thought.ย I belong here. Iย doย like vampires. Cullens, anyway.
Theyโre people to me, and Iโm going to protect them, โcause thatโs what weโre supposed to do.
Maybe you belong, kid, but your sister doesnโt. And sheโs going to go wherever you areโ
I stopped short, because I saw something when I said that. Something Leah had been trying not to think.
Leah wasnโt going anywhere.
Thought this was about Seth,ย I thought sourly. She flinched.ย Of course Iโm here for Seth.
And to get away from Sam.
Her jaw clenched.ย I donโt have to explain myself to you. I just have to do what Iโm told. I belong toย yourย pack, Jacob. The end.
I paced away from her, growling.
Crap. I was never going to get rid of her. As much as she disliked me, as much as she loathed the Cullens, as happy as sheโd be to go kill all the vampires right now, as much as it pissed her off to have to protect them insteadโnone of that wasย anythingย compared to what she felt being free of Sam.
Leah didnโt like me, so it wasnโt such a chore having me wish she would disappear.
She loved Sam. Still. And havingย himย wish she would disappear was more pain than she was willing to live with, now that she had a choice. She would have taken any other option. Even if it meant moving in with the Cullens as their lapdog.
I donโt know if Iโd go that far,ย she thought. She tried to make the words tough, aggressive, but there were big cracks in her show.ย Iโm sure Iโd give killing myself a few good tries first.
Look, Leahโฆ
No,ย youย look, Jacob. Stop arguing with me, because itโs not going to do any good. Iโll stay out of your way, okay? Iโll do anything you want. Except go back to Samโs pack and be the pathetic ex-girlfriend he canโt get away from. If you want me to leaveโshe sat back on her haunches and stared straight into my eyesโyouโre going to have toย makeย me.
I snarled for a long, angry minute. I was beginning to feel some sympathy for Sam, despite what he had done to me, to Seth. No wonder he was always ordering the pack around. How else would you ever get anything done?
Seth, are you gonna get mad at me if I kill your sister?
He pretended to think about it for a minute.ย Wellโฆ yeah, probably.
I sighed.
Okay, then, Ms. Do-Anything-I-Want. Why donโt you make yourself useful by telling us what you know? What happened after we left last night?
Lots of howling. But you probably heard that part. It was so loud that it took us a while to figure out that we couldnโt hear either of you anymore. Sam wasโฆย Words failed her, but we could see it in our head. Both Seth and I cringed.ย After that, it was clear pretty quick that we were going to have to rethink things. Sam was planning to talk to the other Elders first thing this morning. We were supposed to meet up and figure out a game plan. I could
tell he wasnโt going to mount another attack right away, though. Suicide at this point, with you and Seth AWOL and the bloodsuckers forewarned. Iโm not sure what theyโll do, but I wouldnโt be wandering the forest alone if I was a leech. Itโs open season on vamps now.
You decided to skip the meeting this morning?ย I asked.
When we split up for patrols last night,I asked permission to go home, to tell my mother what had happenedโ
Crap! You told Mom?ย Seth growled.
Seth, hold off on the sibling stuff for a sec. Go on, Leah.
So once I was human, I took a minute to think things through. Well, actually, I took all night. I bet the others think I fell asleep. But the whole two-separate-packs, two-separate-pack-minds thing gave me a lot to sift through. In the end, I weighed Sethโs safety and the, er, other benefits against the idea of turning traitor and sniffing vampire stink for who knows how long. You know what I decided. I left a note for my mom. I expect weโll hear it when Sam finds out.โฆ
Leah cocked an ear to the west.
Yeah, I expect we will,ย I agreed.
So thatโs everything. What do we do now?ย she asked. She and Seth both looked at me expectantly.
This was exactly the kind of thing I didnโt want to have to do.
I guess we just keep an eye out for now. Thatโs all weย canย do. You should probably take a nap, Leah.
Youโve had as much sleep as I have.
Thought you were going to do what you were told?
Right. Thatโs going to get old,ย she grumbled, and then she yawned.ย Well, whatever. I donโt care.
Iโll run the border, Jake. Iโm not tired at all.ย Seth was so glad I hadnโt forced them home, he was all but prancing with excitement.
Sure, sure. Iโm going to go check in with the Cullens.
Seth took off along the new path worn into the damp earth. Leah looked after him thoughtfully.
Maybe a round or two before I crash.โฆ Hey Seth, wanna see how many times I can lap you?
NO!
Barking out a low chuckle, Leah lunged into the woods after him.
I growled uselessly. So much for peace and quiet.
Leah was tryingโfor Leah. She kept her jibes to a minimum as she raced around the circuit, but it was impossible not to be aware of her smug mood. I thought of the whole โtwoโs companyโ saying. It didnโt really apply, becauseย oneย was plenty to my mind. But if thereย hadย to be three of us, it was hard to think of anyone that I wouldnโt trade her for.
Paul?ย she suggested.
Maybe,ย I allowed.
She laughed to herself, too jittery and hyper to get offended. I wondered how long the buzz from dodging Samโs pity would last.
That will be my goal, thenโto be less annoying than Paul. Yeah, work on that.
I changed into my other form when I was a few yards from the lawn. I hadnโt been planning to spend much time human here. But I hadnโt been planning to have Leah in my head, either. I pulled on my ragged shorts and started across the lawn.
The door opened before I got to the steps, and I was surprised to see Carlisle rather than Edward step outside to meet meโhis face looked exhausted and defeated. For a second, my heart froze. I faltered to a stop, unable to speak.
โAre you all right, Jacob?โ Carlisle asked. โIs Bella?โ I choked out.
โSheโsโฆ much the same as last night. Did I startle you? Iโm sorry.
Edward said you were coming in your human form, and I came out to greet you, as he didnโt want to leave her. Sheโs awake.โ
And Edward didnโt want to lose any time with her, because he didnโt have much time left. Carlisle didnโt say the words out loud, but he might as well have.
It had been a while since Iโd sleptโsince before my last patrol. I could really feel that now. I took a step forward, sat down on the porch steps, and slumped against the railing.
Moving whisper-quiet as only a vampire could, Carlisle took a seat on the same step, against the other railing.
โI didnโt get a chance to thank you last night, Jacob. You donโt know how much I appreciate yourโฆ compassion. I know your goal was to protect
Bella, but I owe you the safety of the rest of my family as well. Edward told me what you had to do. โ
โDonโt mention it,โ I muttered. โIf you prefer.โ
We sat in silence. I could hear the others in the house. Emmett, Alice, and Jasper, speaking in low, serious voices upstairs. Esme humming tunelessly in another room. Rosalie and Edward breathing close byโI couldnโt tell which was which, but I could hear the difference in Bellaโs labored panting. I could hear her heart, too. It seemedโฆ uneven.
It was like fate was out to make me do everything Iโd ever sworn I wouldnโt in the course of twenty-four hours. Here I was, hanging around, waiting for her to die.
I didnโt want to listen anymore. Talking was better than listening. โSheโs family to you?โ I asked Carlisle. It had caught my notice before,
when heโd said Iโd helped theย restย of his family, too.
โYes. Bella is already a daughter to me. A beloved daughter.โ โBut youโre going to let her die.โ
He was quiet long enough that I looked up. His face was very, very tired.
I knew how he felt.
โI can imagine what you think of me for that,โ he finally said. โBut I canโt ignore her will. It wouldnโt be right to make such a choice for her, to force her.โ
I wanted to be angry with him, but he was making it hard. It was like he was throwing my own words back at me, just scrambled up. Theyโd sounded right before, but they couldnโt be right now. Not with Bella dying. Stillโฆ I remembered how it felt to be broken on the ground under Samโto have no choice but be involved in the murder of someone I loved. It wasnโt the same, though. Sam was wrong. And Bella loved things she shouldnโt.
โDo you think thereโs any chance sheโll make it? I mean, as a vampire and all that. She told me aboutโฆ about Esme.โ
โIโd say thereโs an even chance at this point,โ he answered quietly. โIโve seen vampire venom work miracles, but there are conditions that even venom cannot overcome. Her heart is working too hard now; if it should failโฆ there wonโt be anything for me to do.โ
Bellaโs heartbeat throbbed and faltered, giving an agonizing emphasis to his words.
Maybe the planet had started turning backward. Maybe that would explain how everything was the opposite of what it had been yesterdayโ how I could be hoping for what had once seemed like the very worst thing in the world.
โWhat is that thing doing to her?โ I whispered. โShe was so much worse last night. I sawโฆ the tubes and all that. Through the window.โ
โThe fetus isnโt compatible with her body. Too strong, for one thing, but she could probably endure that for a while. The bigger problem is that it wonโt allow her to get the sustenance she needs. Her body is rejecting every form of nutrition. Iโm trying to feed her intravenously, but sheโs just not absorbing it. Everything about her condition is accelerated. Iโm watching herโand not just her, but the fetus as wellโstarve to death by the hour. I canโt stop it and I canโt slow it down. I canโt figure out what itย wants.โ His weary voice broke at the end.
I felt the same way I had yesterday, when Iโd seen the black stains across her stomachโfurious, and a little crazy.
I clenched my hands into fists to control the shaking. I hated the thing that was hurting her. It wasnโt enough for the monster to beat her from the inside out. No, it was starving her, too. Probably just looking for something to sink its teeth intoโa throat to suck dry. Since it wasnโt big enough to kill anyone else yet, it settled for sucking Bellaโs life from her.
I could tell them exactly what it wanted: death and blood, blood and death.
My skin was all hot and prickly. I breathed slowly in and out, focusing on that to calm myself.
โI wish I could get a better idea of what exactly it is,โ Carlisle murmured. โThe fetus is well protected. I havenโt been able to produce an ultrasonic image. I doubt there is any way to get a needle through the amniotic sac, but Rosalie wonโt agree to let me try, in any case.โ
โA needle?โ I mumbled. โWhat good would that do?โ
โThe more I know about the fetus, the better I can estimate what it will be capable of. What I wouldnโt give for even a little amniotic fluid. If I knew even the chromosomal count . . .โ
โYouโre losing me, Doc. Can you dumb it down?โ
He chuckled onceโeven his laugh sounded exhausted. โOkay. How much biology have you taken? Did you study chromosomal pairs?โ
โThink so. We have twenty-three, right?โ โHumans do.โ
I blinked. โHow many do you have?โ โTwenty-five.โ
I frowned at my fists for a second. โWhat does that mean?โ
โI thought it meant that our species were almost completely different.
Less related than a lion and a house cat. But this new lifeโwell, it suggests that weโre more genetically compatible than Iโd thought.โ He sighed sadly. โI didnโt know to warn them.โ
I sighed, too. It had been easy to hate Edward for the same ignorance. I still hated him for it. It was just hard to feel the same way about Carlisle. Maybe because I wasnโt ten shades of jealous in Carlisleโs case.
โIt might help to know what the count wasโwhether the fetus was closer to us or to her. To know what to expect.โ Then he shrugged. โAnd maybe it wouldnโt help anything. I guess I just wish I had something to study, anything to do.โ
โWonder what my chromosomes are like,โ I muttered randomly. I thought of those Olympic steroids tests again. Did they run DNA scans?
Carlisle coughed self-consciously. โYou have twenty-four pairs, Jacob.โ I turned slowly to stare at him, raising my eyebrows.
He looked embarrassed. โI wasโฆ curious. I took the liberty when I was treating you last June.โ
I thought about it for a second. โI guess that should piss me off. But I donโt really care.โ
โIโm sorry. I should have asked.โ
โSโokay, Doc. You didnโt mean any harm.โ
โNo, I promise you that I didย notย mean you any harm. Itโs just thatโฆ I find your species fascinating. I suppose that the elements of vampiric nature have come to seem commonplace to me over the centuries. Your familyโs divergence from humanity is much more interesting. Magical, almost.โ
โBibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo,โ I mumbled. He was just like Bella with all the magic garbage.
Carlisle laughed another weary laugh.
Then we heard Edwardโs voice inside the house, and we both paused to listen.
โIโll be right back, Bella. I want to speak with Carlisle for a moment. Actually, Rosalie, would you mind accompanying me?โ Edward sounded different. There was a little life in his dead voice. A spark of something. Not hope exactly, but maybe theย desireย to hope.
โWhat is it, Edward?โ Bella asked hoarsely.
โNothing you need to worry about, love. It will just take a second.
Please, Rose?โ
โEsme?โ Rosalie called. โCan you mind Bella for me?โ
I heard the whisper of wind as Esme flitted down the stairs. โOf course,โ she said.
Carlisle shifted, twisting to look expectantly at the door. Edward was through the door first, with Rosalie right on his heels. His face was, like his voice, no longer dead. He seemed intensely focused. Rosalie looked suspicious.
Edward shut the door behind her. โCarlisle,โ he murmured.
โWhat is it, Edward?โ
โPerhaps weโve been going about this the wrong way. I was listening to you and Jacob just now, and when you were speaking of what theโฆ fetus wants, Jacob had an interesting thought.โ
Me?ย What hadย Iย thought? Besides my obvious hatred for the thing? At least I wasnโt alone in that. I could tell that Edward had a difficult time using a term as mild asย fetus.
โWe havenโt actually addressedย thatย angle,โ Edward went on. โWeโve been trying to get Bella what she needs. And her body is accepting it about as well as one of ours would. Perhaps we should address the needs of theโฆ fetus first. Maybe if we can satisfy it, weโll be able to help her more effectively.โ
โIโm not following you, Edward,โ Carlisle said.
โThink about it, Carlisle. If that creature is more vampire than human, canโt you guess what it cravesโwhat itโs not getting? Jacob did.โ
I did? I ran through the conversation, trying to remember what thoughts Iโd kept to myself. I remembered at the same time that Carlisle understood.
โOh,โ he said in a surprised tone. โYou think it isโฆ thirsty?โ
Rosalie hissed under her breath. She wasnโt suspicious anymore. Her revoltingly perfect face was all lit up, her eyes wide with excitement. โOf
course,โ she muttered. โCarlisle, we have all that type O negative laid aside for Bella. Itโs a good idea,โ she added, not looking at me.
โHmm.โ Carlisle put his hand to his chin, lost in thought. โI wonderโฆ And then, what would be the best way to administer โ
Rosalie shook her head. โWe donโt have time to be creative. Iโd say we should start with the traditional way.โ
โWait a minute,โ I whispered. โJust hold on. Are youโare you talking about making Bella drinkย blood?โ
โIt was your idea, dog,โ Rosalie said, scowling at me without ever quite looking at me.
I ignored her and watched Carlisle. That same ghost of hope that had been in Edwardโs face was now in the doctorโs eyes. He pursed his lips, speculating.
โThatโs just โ I couldnโt find the right word.
โMonstrous?โ Edward suggested. โRepulsive?โ โPretty much.โ
โBut what if it helps her?โ he whispered.
I shook my head angrily. โWhat are you gonna do, shove a tube down her throat?โ
โI plan to ask her what she thinks. I just wanted to run it past Carlisle first.โ
Rosalie nodded. โIf you tell her it might help the baby, sheโll be willing to do anything. Even if we do have to feed them through a tube.โ
I realized thenโwhen I heard how her voice got all loveydovey as she said the wordย babyโthat Blondie would be in line with anything that helped the little life-sucking monster. Was that what was going on, the mystery factor that was bonding the two of them? Was Rosalie after the kid?
From the corner of my eye, I saw Edward nod once, absently, not looking in my direction. But I knew he was answering my questions.
Huh. I wouldnโt have thought the ice-cold Barbie would have a maternal side. So much for protecting BellaโRosalieโd probably jam the tube down Bellaโs throat herself.
Edwardโs mouth mashed into a hard line, and I knew I was right again. โWell, we donโt have time to sit around discussing this,โ Rosalie said
impatiently. โWhat do you think, Carlisle? Can we try?โ
Carlisle took a deep breath, and then he was on his feet. โWeโll ask Bella.โ
Blondie smiled smuglyโsure that, if it was up to Bella, she would get her way.
I dragged myself up from the stairs and followed after them as they disappeared into the house. I wasnโt sure why. Just morbid curiosity, maybe. It was like a horror movie. Monsters and blood all over the place.
Maybe I just couldnโt resist another hit of my dwindling drug supply. Bella lay flat on the hospital bed, her belly a mountain under the sheet.
She looked like waxโcolorless and sort of see-through. Youโd think she was already dead, except for the tiny movement of her chest, her shallow breathing. And then her eyes, following the four of us with exhausted suspicion.
The others were at her side already, flitting across the room with sudden darting motions. It was creepy to watch. I ambled along at a slow walk.
โWhatโs going on?โ Bella demanded in a scratchy whisper. Her waxy hand twitched upโlike she was trying to protect her balloon-shaped stomach.
โJacob had an idea that might help you,โ Carlisle said. I wished he would leave me out of it. I hadnโt suggested anything. Give the credit to her bloodsucking husband, where it belonged. โIt wonโt beโฆ pleasant, butโโ
โBut it will help the baby,โ Rosalie interrupted eagerly. โWeโve thought of a better way to feed him. Maybe.โ
Bellaโs eyelids fluttered. Then she coughed out a weak chuckle. โNot pleasant?โ she whispered. โGosh, thatโll be such a change.โ She eyed the tube stuck into her arm and coughed again.
Blondie laughed with her.
The girl looked like she only had hours left, and she had to be in pain, but she was making jokes. So Bella. Trying to ease the tension, make it better for everyone else.
Edward stepped around Rosalie, no humor touching his intense expression. I was glad for that. It helped, just a little bit, that he was suffering worse than me. He took her hand, not the one that was still protecting her swollen belly.
โBella, love, weโre going to ask you to do something monstrous,โ he said, using the same adjectives heโd offered me. โRepulsive.โ
Well, at least he was giving it to her straight. She took a shallow, fluttery breath. โHow bad?โ
Carlisle answered. โWe think the fetus might have an appetite closer to ours than to yours. We think itโs thirsty.โ
She blinked. โOh.ย Oh.โ
โYour conditionโboth of your conditionsโare deteriorating rapidly. We donโt have time to waste, to come up with more palatable ways to do this.
The fastest way to test the theoryโโ
โIโve got to drink it,โ she whispered. She nodded slightlyโbarely enough energy for a little head bob. โI can do that. Practice for the future, right?โ Her colorless lips stretched into a faint grin as she looked at Edward. He didnโt smile back.
Rosalie started tapping her toe impatiently. The sound was really irritating. I wondered what she would do if I threw her through a wall right now.
โSo, whoโs going to catch me a grizzly bear?โ Bella whispered.
Carlisle and Edward exchanged a quick glance. Rosalie stopped tapping. โWhat?โ Bella asked.
โIt will be a more effective test if we donโt cut corners, Bella,โ Carlisle said.
โIfย the fetus is craving blood,โ Edward explained, โitโs not craving animal blood.โ
โIt wonโt make a difference to you, Bella. Donโt think about it,โ Rosalie encouraged.
Bellaโs eyes widened. โWho?โ she breathed, and her gaze flickered to me.
โIโm not here as a donor, Bells,โ I grumbled. โโSides, itโs human blood that thingโs after, and I donโt think mine appliesโโ
โWe have blood on hand,โ Rosalie told her, talking over me before Iโd finished, like I wasnโt there. โFor youโjust in case. Donโt worry about anything at all. Itโs going to be fine. I have a good feeling about this, Bella. I think the baby will be so much better.โ
Bellaโs hand ran across her stomach.
โWell,โ she rasped, barely audible. โIโmย starving, so Iโll bet he is, too.โ Trying to make another joke. โLetโs go for it. My first vampire act.โ