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！
Edward set me on my feet。 I could see that I was upright； but I couldn't feel my legs。 I trudged forward
anyway； until the sidewalk swirled up toward my face。 Edward's arms caught me before I hit the
concrete。
〃Just let me get her upstairs；〃 Edward said。 〃Then I'll leave。〃
〃No；〃 I cried； panicking。 I hadn't got my answers yet。 He had to stay for at least that much； didn't he？
〃I won't be far；〃 Edward promised； whispering so low in my ear that Charlie didn't have a hope of
hearing。
I didn't hear Charlie answer； but Edward headed into the house。 My open eyes only made it till the stairs。
The last thing I felt was Edward's cool hands prying my fingers loose from his shirt。
23。 THE TRUTH
I HAD THE SENSE THAT I'D BEEN ASLEEP FOR A VERY long time—my body was stiff； like I
hadn't moved once through all that time； either。 My mind was dazed and slow； strange； colorful
dreams—dreams and nightmares—swirled dizzily around the inside of my head。 They were so vivid。 The
horrible and the heavenly； all mixed together into a bizarre jumble。 There was sharp impatience and fear；
both part of that frustrating dream where your feet can't move fast enough… And there were plenty of
monsters； red…eyed fiends that were all the more ghastly for their genteel civility。 The dream was still
strong—I could even remember the names。 But the strongest； clearest part of the dream was not the
horror。 It was the angel that was most clear。
It was hard to let him go and wake up。 This dream did not want to be shoved away into the vault of
dreams I refused to revisit。 I struggled with it as my mind became more alert； focusing on reality。 I
couldn't remember what day of the week it was； but I was sure Jacob or school or work or something
was waiting for me。 I inhaled deeply； wondering how to face another day。
Something cold touched my forehead with the softest pressure。
I squeezed my eyes more tightly shut。 I was still dreaming； it seemed； and it felt abnormally real。 I was so
close to waking… any second now； and it would be gone。
But I realized that it felt too real； too real to be good for me。 The stone arms I imagined wrapped around
me were far too substantial。 If I let this go any further； I'd be sorry for it later。 With a resigned sigh； I
wrenched back my eyelids to dispel the illusion。
〃Oh！〃 I gasped； and threw my fists over my eyes。
Well； clearly； I'd gone too far； it must have been a mistake to let my imagination get so out of hand。
Okay； so 〃let〃 was the wrong word。 I'd forced it to get out of hand—pretty much stalked my
hallucinations—and now my mind had snapped。
It took less than half a second for me to realize that； as long as I was truly insane now； I might as well
enjoy the delusions while they were pleasant。
I opened my eyes again—and Edward was still there； his perfect face just inches away from mine。
〃Did I frighten you？〃 His low voice was anxious。 This was very good； as delusions went。 The face； the
voice； the scent； everything—it was so much better than drowning。 The beautiful figment of my
imagination watched my changing expressions； with alarm。 His irises were pitch…black； with bruise…like
shadows under them。 This surprised me； my hallucinatory Edwards were usually better fed。
I blinked twice； desperately trying to remember the last thing that I was sure was real。 Alice was part of
my dream； and I wondered if she had really come back at all； or if that was just the preamble。 I thought
she'd returned the day I'd nearly drowned…
〃Oh； crap〃 I croaked。 My throat was thick with sleeping。
〃What's wrong； Bella？〃
I frowned at him unhappily。 His face was even more anxious than before。
〃I'm dead； right？〃 I moaned。 〃I did drown。 Crap； crap； crap！ This is gonna kill Charlie。〃
Edward frowned； too。 〃You're not dead。〃
〃Then why am I not waking up？〃 I challenged； raising my eyebrows。
〃You are awake； Bella。〃
I shook my head。 〃Sure； sure。 That's what you want me to think。 And then it will be worse when I do
wake up。 If I wake up； which I won't； because I'm dead。 This is awful。 Poor Charlie。 And Renee and
Jake…〃 I trailed off in horror at what I had done。
〃I can see where you might confuse me with a nightmare。〃 His short…lived smile was grim。 〃But I can't
imagine what you could have done to wind up in hell。 Did you commit many murders while I was away？〃
I grimaced。 〃Obviously not。 If I was in hell； you wouldn't be with me。〃
He sighed。
My head was getting clearer。 My eyes flickered away from his face—unwillingly—for one second； to the
dark； open window； and then back to him。 I started to remember details… and I felt a faint； unfamiliar
blush warm the skin over my cheekbones as I slowly realized that Edward was really； truly here with me；
and I was wasting time being an idiot。
〃Did all of that really happen； then？〃 It was almost impossible to reassign my dream as reality。 I couldn't
wrap my head around the concept。
〃That depends。〃 Edward's smile was still hard。 〃If you're referring to us nearly being massacred in Italy；
then； yes。〃
〃How strange；〃 I mused。 〃I really went to Italy。 Did you know I'd never been farther east than
Albuquerque？〃
He rolled his eyes。 〃Maybe you should go back to sleep。 You're not coherent。〃
〃I'm not tired anymore。〃 It was all coming clear now。 〃What time is it？ How long have I been sleeping？〃
〃It's just after one in the morning。 So； about fourteen hours。〃
I stretched as he spoke。 I was so stiff。
〃Charlie？〃 I asked。
Edward frowned。 〃Sleeping。 You should probably know that I'm breaking the rules right now。 Well； not
technically； since he said I was never to walk through his door again； and I came in the window… But；
still； the intent was clear。〃
〃Charlie banned you from the house？〃 I asked； disbelief quickly melting into fury。
His eyes were sad。 〃Did you expect anything else？〃
My eyes were mad。 I was going to have a few words with my father—perhaps it would be a good time
to remind him that I was over the legal age of adulthood。 It didn't matter so much； of course； except in
principle。 All too soon there would be no reason for the prohibition。 I turned my thoughts to less painful
avenues。
〃What's the story？〃 I asked； genuinely curious； but also trying desperately to keep the conversation
casual； to keep a firm grip on myself； so I wouldn't scare him away with the frantic； gnawing craving that
was raging inside me。
〃What do you mean？〃
〃What am I telling Charlie？ What's my excuse for disappearing for… how long was I gone； anyway？〃 I
tried to count the hours in my head。
〃Just three days。〃 His eyes tightened； but he smiled more naturally this time。 〃Actually； I was hoping you
might have a good explanation。 I've got nothing。〃
I groaned。 〃Fabulous。〃
〃Well； maybe Alice will come up with something；〃 he offered； trying to comfort me。
And I was comforted。 Who cared what I had to deal with later？ Every second that he was here—so
close； his flawless face glowing in the dim light from the numbers on my alarm clock—was precious and
not to be wasted。
〃So；〃 I began； picking the least important—though still vitally interesting—question to start with。 I was
safely delivered home； and he might decide to leave at any moment。 I had to keep him talking。 Besides；
this temporary heaven wasn't entirely complete without the sound of his voice。 〃What have you been
doing； up until three days ago？〃
His face turned wary in an instant。 〃Nothing terribly exciting。〃
〃Of course not；〃 I mumbled。
〃Why are you making that face？〃
〃Well…〃 I pursed my lips； considering。 〃If you were； after all； just a dream； that's exactly the kind of thing
you would say。 My imagination must be used up。〃
He sighed。 〃If I tell you； will you finally believe that you're not having a nightmare？〃
〃Nightmare！〃 I repeated scornfully。 He waited for my answer。 〃Maybe；〃 I said after a second of thought。
〃If you tell me。〃
〃I was… hunting。〃
〃Is that the best you can do？〃 I criticized。 〃That definitely doesn't prove I'm awake。〃
He hesitated； and then spoke slowly； choosing his words with care。 〃I wasn't hunting fot food… I was
actually trying my hand at… tracking。 I'm not very good at it。〃
〃What were you tracking？〃 I asked； intrigued。
〃Nothing of consequence。〃 His words didn't match his expression； he looked upset； uncomfortable。
〃I don't understand。〃
He hesitated； his face； shining with an odd green cast from the light of the clock； was torn。
〃I—〃 He took a deep breath。 〃I owe you an apology。 No； of course I owe you much； much more than
that。 But you have to know；〃—the words began to flow so fast； the way I remembered he spoke
sometimes when he was agitated； that I really had to concentrate to catch them all—〃that I had no idea。 I
didn't realize the mess I was leaving behind。 I thought it was safe for you here。 So safe。 I had no idea that
Victoria；〃—his lips curled back when he said the name—〃would come back。 I'll admit； when I saw her
that one time； I was paying much more attention to James's thoughts。 But I just didn't see th